New York

Biographical Sketch of William Waddell Skinner

William Waddell Skinner is a native of Marengo. Illinois, born January 14, 1860. His preliminary education was obtained in the public schools of Prattsburg. and later he attended the Buffalo university, graduating from the medical department in 1887. In 1880, prior to taking up the study of medicine, he served in the capacity of teacher in the schools of Prattsburg. After his graduation he entered upon the active practice of his chosen calling, locating in Geneva. In addition to his private practice. Dr. Skinner serves as surgeon of the New York Central & Hudson River railroad, consulting surgeon of the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry Godfrey Skinner

Henry Godfrey Skinner, father of Dr. Skinner, was born at Prattsburg. Steuben county, New York, November 19. 1822. He was president and member of the Board of Education of the village of Prattsburg for more than twenty years. His active life was one of success. attributable to those sterling qualities which he possessed-sound judgment, quick perception, activity and integrity. He married Marv Jane Waddell, born February 13, 1829, daughter of Samuel and Marv Wilson (McNella) Waddell. Children: Holly James, Henry Godfrey Jr., William Waddell, Maria Isabel, Margaret.

Biographical Sketch of William Clayton

William Clayton, immigrant ancestor, was born in England. and came from London, England. in the ship “Kent,” with certain commissioners sent out by the proprietors of New Jersey to purchase land from the Indians and perform other duties. In March, 1678-79, he purchased the share of Hans Oelson. one of the grantees of Marcus Hook, New Jersey, and settled at that place. He was a Quaker in religion. but he took an active and prominent part in public affairs. He was a member of Governor Markham’s council and also of the proprietors’ council. He was justice of the upland county … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Clayton

William (2), son of William (1) Clayton, was born about 1660, died in Chichester, Pennsylvania, about 1727. He married Elizabeth Bezer, a widow. Children: William, died 1757, married Mary, daughter of Walter Marten, of Chichester, and had Mary, William, Lydia. Sarah, Moses, Prudence, Patience and David: Richard; Rachel, married Thomas Howell: Ambrose; Thomas; Abel; Elizabeth, born July 12, 1685 (not mentioned in her father’s will), married Daniel Davis; Edward, mentioned elsewhere.

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 Joshua Clayton

Joshua. son of Edward Clayton, was born about 1735 near Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He was educated in the public schools and learned the trade of millwright. He married, May 16, 1753, Martha, daughter of Aaron and Mary Baker, of West Marlborough, and they came to reside on her father’s land. Children: Aaron, born April 2. 1754, married Sarah Bailey; Mary, married Enoch Speakman; Joshua. mentioned elsewhere; Samuel, married Ann Speakman; Hannah, married Amos Speakman: Jacob; Martha; Caleb: Rachel; Susanna and Isaac.

Biographical Sketch of William Clayton

William (3). son of Joshua (2) Clayton, was born in Pennsylvania, April 6, 1820. He was educated in the public schools and followed farming for an occupation. He came to New Salem, New York, with his parents when he was eighteen years old. He was a member of the Society of Friends at New Salem, and faithful and consistent to the religion of his ancestors. He married (first) Esther Hoag; (second) Ellen Kitley, of Canada. He died in 1893. Children of first wife: Mary Jane, Ella, Hattie, Susie. Children of second wife: Libby, Emily, Belle, Albert, Mattie, Joseph, mentioned elsewhere; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Clayton

Joseph, son of William (3) Clayton, was born at New Salem, Ontario county, New York, May 25, 18J3, and was educated there in the public schools and at a select school of the Friends. He worked on a farm until he was twenty years old. He learned the trade of tanner at Proctor, Pennsylvania. He then returned to Canandaigua and for two years conducted a dry goods store. In 1899 he came to the town of Phelps, Ontario county, and bought the Bigelow Planing Mill. After two years he sold out and removed to Marion, Indiana, where he engaged in … Read more

Biography of Arthur Patrick Rose

Among the men who by their own honorable exertions and moral attributes have carved out for themselves friends, affluence and position, and by the strength and force of their characters have overcome obstacles, must be mentioned that of Arthur Patrick Rose, whose life stands out preeminently for two things. One is his high ideals of public and private life, and the other is the sacrifice of time and money to charity, which he has practiced throughout his career. Arthur Patrick Rose was born in the town of Savannah, Wayne county, New York, June 11, 1842, on the farm of his … Read more

Biography of Walter A. Clark

Walter A. Clark, prominent in the commercial affairs of upper and central New York, is of the second generation of the Clark family to be identified and at the head of manufacturing interests. Otis G. Clark was born in Vermont in 1816, died in Troy, New York, in 1900. He was a manufacturer of underwear, and for the last years of his life was conspicuously connected with the traction line of Troy, and one of its directors. He married Amelia S. Bardwell, born in Massachusetts, 1820, died in 1895. Children: Walter A., see elsewhere Warren G., a resident of Troy, … Read more

Biography of George M. Hemiup

George M., son of Alexander Hemiup, was born November 22, 1822. in Penn Yan, New York. He was reared and educated there, and at the age of eighteen removed to Geneva, New York, and entered the employ of his uncle, Anthony Hemiup, who conducted the most extensive mercantile business in that city. He remained in the employ of his uncle until the death of the latter, and then assumed charge of the business, continuing in the grocery and crockery business until his retirement from active pursuits in the year 1886. Mr. Hemiup devoted considerable time to the reading of good … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Pietro Caesar Alberto

Pietro Caesar Alberto, the pioneer ancestor of Arthur Benjamin Burtis, of Oaks Corners, New York, from Venice, Italy, records his arrival in Nieuw Amsterdam in the Council Minutes of the West India Company, December, 1638, by entering a complaint against the skipper of the ship “Love.” It is also recorded that in the year 1635 this same skipper (David Pieterson de Vries, of Hoorn) had threatened to leave Pietro C. Alberto at Cayenne and Virginia. The register of the provincial secretary records a contract between Pietro C. Alberto and Peter Monfoort to build a house and make a plantation, December … 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 John Alburtis

John Alburtis, son of Arthur and Elizabeth (Way) Alberto. was born in 1688-89. He was appointed commissioner of highways in 1701, and in 1719 was oppressed by the English justices, Hunt and Cornell, as is proven by the affidavits of his friends and neighbors. He lived to be a very old man, and because of his great age his family remained upon Long Island during the occupancy of the British instead of taking shelter elsewhere. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Christian Snediker, of Jamaica, Long Island. The baptisms of their ten children are recorded in the Reformed Dutch church of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Alburtis

John (2) Alburtis, son of John (1) and Elizabeth (Snediker) Alburtis. was baptized in Jamaica, June 13, 1713. He was an elder in the Presbyterian church founded in 1644 in Hempstead, Long Island, called by its minister, “Christ’s First Church in America.” He built a chapel on his farm at Foster’s Meadow in 1770 which was occupied by the British troops during the revolution, as well as the meeting house in the village. The chapel was moved to the village and the timber used to make tents for the British troops, and the meeting house was used as a stable … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Burtis

John (3) Burtis, son of John (2) and Mary (Ater) Alburtis or Burtis, was born in 1749. He was appointed commissioner of the district of Cow Neck, October 4, 1775. The brief record of his service in the patriot army was : “He was stationed part of the time on the shores of Cow and Great Neck and part of the time at the New York Ferry,” his duty being to cover the retreat of the army that crossed in the merciful fog of the night of August 29, 1776, in the very face of the enemy. He married, in … Read more

Biography of Arthur Burtis

Arthur Burtis, born at Foster’s Meadow. Long Island, July 12. 1778, is set down as the eldest son of John (3) and Sarah (Foster) Burtis. He came to New York from Hempstead, Long Island, in 1798. He lived for many years on the corner of Broome street and the Bowery. He was a member of the common council representing the eighth ward from 1813 to 1816. He remained in New York until 1831, when hix health failing he purchased a farm near Geneva, New York, to which he removed in 1832, and where he died January 9, 1833. During his … 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 Sylvanus Burtis

Sylvanus Burtis, second son of Arthur ( i ) and Elizabeth (Palmer) Burtis, was a boy of fourteen when his father died. He attended school at Cherry Valley. After his return home he managed the farm. He was an ideal country gentleman. He married Elizabeth Post, whose family is well known in Ontario county, living north of Oaks Corners. They had one son. Sylvanus Jr., with whom the father lives in California, being ninety-two years old.

Biographical Sketch of Charles Burtis

Charles Burtis, youngest child of Arthur (1) and Elizabeth (Palmer) Burtis, was born February 17, 1825. He resided with his mother in the old homestead. At the marriage of his brother Sylvanus he removed to the east third of the farm, where he erected a house for himself and bride. He married, October 6, 1846, Catherine, daughter of Gains Granger and sister of General Gordon Granger, who was graduated from West Point in 1845. He served through the Mexican and the civil wars; he was a natural soldier: he knew not fear: he did not fight for glory or rank … Read more