Albany County New York Family Sketches - Surnames D

Transcribed by Lynn Tooley

Albany County New York Family Sketches - surnames D, extracted from the Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Edited by Amasa J. Parker of Albany, N.Y., Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co., Publishers, 1897.

DARING, Stephen J., Family Sketch

Daring, Stephen J., son of Henry and Catharine M. (Beller) Daring, was born in the town of Wright, Schoharie county, September 15, 1862. He is of German descent, his great-grandfather having settled in Schoharie county shortly after the Revolution. He attended the public schools and was graduated from the Albany Normal School in 1883. After graduation he taught school for two years at his native place and was for four years the principal of public schools at Stuyvesant, Columbia county. In 1890 he began the study of law with Thorne & Beekman, at Middleburg, Schoharie county. Subsequently he took the course at the Albany Law School and was graduated from that institution in 1893. Since then he has practiced law in Albany and has his residence at Voorheesville, Albany county. In 1895 he formed a copartnership with N. B. Spalding, the firm name being Spalding & Daring. Mr. Daring is a member of Vorheesville Lodge No. 668, I. O. O. F. June 13, 1893, he married M. May, daughter of Charles G. Clow, of Stuyvesant, and they have one son.

DAVENPORT, Samuel J., Family Sketch

Davenport, Samuel J., son of Valentine and Maria (Palmatier) Davenport, was born in Schoharie, N. V., June 3, 1834, and is a grandson of Samuel Davenport, who was master mechanic at the Greenbush barracks during the war of 1812. The family came from England very early and settled originally on Long Island. Mr. Davenport received a public school education and remained on the paternal farm in Schoharie county until he reached the age of eighteen, when he came to Albany and was employed in the lumber district until 1870, being lumber inspector for about eighteen years. He then engaged in paving streets, as a member of the Scrimshaw Paving Company, which in 1876 became S. J. Davenport & Company. In 1880 this firm was dissolved and continued by S. J. Davenport until 1892, when it was reorganized by Mr. Davenport and his brother, George W., of Altamont, under the old firm name of S. J. Davenport & Company, which still continues. In 1872 he began street sprinkling on contract, and the firm now carries on a large business in both lines and also in general contracting. He had the contract for improving the capitol park in October, 1888, and the following year took up the business of transplanting large trees. He occupied the "Old Elm Tree Corner" building at the junction of North Pearl and State streets when it burned and was the first to occupy the new Tweddle building after its completion. He was one of the principal founders of Grace M. E. church, has been a trustee since its organization and president of the board since 1876, and was chiefly instrumental in erecting the present edifice. He is an active Republican and a veteran member of Temple Lodge No. 14, F. & A. M. He has a fine and valuable collection of geological specimens from all parts of the world. In 1858 he married Eliza A. Burbanks, who died in 1871, leaving one son, Frank R., who died in 1894, aged thirtyfive. Mr. Davenport married again in 1872 Isabella Wayne, of Iowa.

DAVIS, Charles Edmond, M. D., Family Sketch

Davis, Charles Edmond, M. D., son of Thomas D. Davis, was born near Montreal, Canada, November 10, 1867, and when young moved with his parents to Waterford, N. Y. , where he was graduated from the Waterford High School. He then engaged in the drug business, receiving a State drug license in 1889. He read medicine with Dr. Zeh of Waterford and the late Dr. Swinburne of Albany, and was graduated from the Albany Medical College in 1891. In 1889 and 1890 he was resident physician to the Albany Homoeopathic Hospital and in 1891 he began the active practice of his profession in Albany. Dr. Davis is secretary of the Albany Board of Pension Surgeons, instructor in the Albany Medical College, and a member of the City Board of Health. He served a membership in Co. A, 10th Battalion, N. G. N. Y., and is now a member of the Old Guard of Co. A, and Hospital Steward of the Battalion. He is a member of the Albany County Medical Society, a delegate elect to the New York State Medical Society, a member of Masters Lodge, F. & A. M., Temple Chapter, R. A. M., Flower Lodge, K. P., and the Fort (Grange and Albany Camera Clubs, and a member of the board of directors of the last named club.

DAYTON, Lewis W., Family Sketch

Dayton, Lewis W., son of Jesse C. and Carrie L. (Weed) Dayton, was born in New York city, March 34, 1866, and is of English descent, his original paternal ancestor in this country, Ralph Dayton, having come from Bradfordshire, England, in the seventeenth century and settled at East Hampton, L. I. Major Nathan Dayton moved from Long Island in 1800, and settled on a farm near Rensselaerville, Albany county. Lewis W. Dayton's grandfather, Samuel, lived at Rensselareville until 1850, when he moved to Watervliet, now the town of Colonie, and established the old homestead where Lewis W. Dayton now lives. His son, Jesse C, was engaged in business in New York city when Lewis W. was born and moved to Watervliet, Albany county, in 1870. He was a staunch Democrat and represented Albany county as State senator for one term and was supervisor of the town of Watervliet from 1872 to 1878. Lewis W. Dayton was graduated from the Albany Academy in 1884 and spent one year as clerk in the Anchor Iron and Steel Works in Kentucky. He returned to Albany county and engaged in farming in the town of Watervliet until 1895, when he was elected justice of the peace of the town of Colonie. He is a member of the Citizens Corps of Troy and also a member of the Sixth Separate Company, N. G. S. N. Y., and is an active member of the Farmers' League and was its corresponding secretary for two years. Mr. Dayton was very active in the dividing of the town of Watervliet into the town of Colonie and has always been an earnest worker in the Republican party.

De FREEST, Charles R., Family Sketch

De Freest, Charles R., was born in Troy, N. Y., July 24, 1852, and is a son of David De Freest of North Greenbush, Rensselaer county, N. Y. He attended the public schools of North Greenbush and Troy, and graduated from the Troy High School in 1869. He first engaged as a reporter on the Troy Daily Press, where he he remained two years, resigning to accept a similar position on the Troy Daily Times. For a number of years he was the city editor of the same paper. Subsequently he became editor of the Troy Northern Budget. When the Hon. Edward Murphy, jr., was elected mayor of Troy, in 1875, Mr. De Freest was appointed city clerk. He was afterward made deputy comptroller and was connected with the Troy city government during Mr. Murphy's mayoralty. For eighteen years he was a member of the Democratic Central Committee from the Third ward in Troy. In 1887 he was made clerk of the Democratic State Committee, which position he resigned in 1896. In 1891, '92 and '93, he held the Assembly clerkship. On January 1, 1894. Mr. De Freest was elected secretary of the Board of Railroad Commissioners and has since held the position with ability and success. He is a vice-president of the Holland Society of New York city, a life trustee of the Young Mens Association of Troy and an active member of a number of social organizations.

DEITZ, Charles E., Family Sketch

Deitz, Charles E., was born in the town of Berne, July 13, 1840, the son of Isaac and Maria (Shufeldt) Deitz, son of Johan Jost A., son of Adam, who was a son of Han Henrich, a native of Switzerland. Charles E. was educated in the common schools and Schoharie Academy and taught school when he was sixteen years old. After leaving the academy in 1857 he was a clerk in the store of his brother-in-law, H. Willsey in Berne. Six years after, upon the death of Mr. Willsey, he and his father purchased the store and stock and continued the business under the name of Deitz & Son. In 1873 Charles E. purchased his father's interest and has continued the business to the present time. In 1867 he married Laura J. Ludden, a native of Virginia, daughter of Rev. A. P. and Marion Caroline (Grove) Ludden and granddaughter of Col. John W. Grove of Virginia. They have had seven children: Stanton L., Rev. Archibald E., Bertha, wife of Everett L. Hevenor, Grace, Leona, Raymond and Marion. Stanton L. married Isabel, daughter of Jacob S. Haverly of Berne in 1895. Archibald E. married, in 1893, Carrie Secor of Rhineheck and has one son, Vernon I. Mr. and Mrs. Deitz are members of the Lutheran church, and he is a Republican. He has been postmaster during every Republican administration from Lincoln's time to the present.

DENISON, Edward M., Family Sketch

Denison. Edward M. — John Denison, after being discharged from the army in the war of 1813, came to Albany county from Stonington, Conn., and settled in the town of Knox. In 1818 he married Mary Chesebro, moved to Schoharie county near Cobleskill, went into the wool-carding and cloth-dressing business, and raised a family of six children: Gilbert W., Julia A., Mary J., Charles M., Eli and Andrew. In 1831 he returned to Knox and went on a farm; in 1841 his wife died, and his death occurred in 1854. In 1843 Gilbert W. Denison came to Watervliet to work at gardening; in 1847 he married Sarah Swan; then had no children; in 1869 he bought a farm near Newtonville; he died in 1895, and his wife in 1896. Julia never married, but lived with her father, Gilbert, and died in 1892. Mary J. married Petet Chickman and died in 1875, leaving a family of four children. Charles M. went west in 1844, returned in 1858, married Sarah M. Chesebro in 1864, bought a farm in the town of Guilderland; had three children: L. Augusta, Edward M. and William C.: in 1880 he sold his farm, moved to Newtonville to work his brother's farm; in 1885 he bought a farm adjoining his brother's on the east and went into the milk business. Edward M. lived with his uncle until the latter's death, and then bought the farm; in 1885 he married Miss Ida, daughter of Sylvester Pitts of Colonie; by her he has four children. L. Augusta and William C. are with their father. In October, 1896, William C. married Jessie Furgurson. Eli served in the war of the Rebellion, was taken prisoner and died on Belle Island. Andrew is still in Knox engaged in farming.

DREIS, L. Theodore A., Family Sketch

Dreis, L. Theodore A., son of Anthony and Catherine (Geimer) Dreis. was born in Albany, N. Y., January 24, 1868. He was educated in the public and private schools and at the age of eleven years was apprenticed to W. H. Slingerland & Sons, civil engineers, with whom he remained eighteen years and in addition carried on quite extensively the real estate and insurance business. August 1, 1896, he went with the Albany, Helderberg and Schoharie Railroad, with whom he is at present. He is secretary of Co. D, 10th Battalion, N. G. N. Y., and was for three years financial and corresponding secretary of the Capital City Club and is at present. In 1895 he represented the Capital City Club at the convention of the National League of Republican Clubs at Cleveland, Ohio, as delegate. He is at present orator of Germania Council No. 110, C. B. L., recording secretary of the City Club and president of the Young Men's Society of the Holy Cross church and was the organizer of that body. He has been for four years the Republican president of the Third district of the Second ward, and at the last primary was re-elected by a vote ot 64 to 25. He is also a prominent member of the Republican League. That he is prominent among the young men is assured by the great esteem he is held in and in society he is a. prominent figure. Invititions are refused owing to the surplus of meetings.

DWIGHT, Harvey Lyman, Family Sketch

Dwight, Harvey Lyman, son of Harvey A. and Mary I. (Burton) Dwight, was born in Albany. N. Y., September 14, 1871. He is descended from an old line of ancestors, the first of whom in this country being one of the settlers of Dedhani, Mass., in 1634. Mr. Dwight received his education in the Albany Academy and was graduated from that institution in 1888. He then entered into business with bis father at No. 117 Pier, Albany, where he is now employed. December 5, 1889, he enlisted in Co. A, 10th Batt., N. G. N. Y., and so well did he acquit himself as a soldier, that he was very rapidly promoted. December 3, 1891, he was appointed a a corporal; January 25, 1892, a sergeant; and on June 5, 1893, he was appointed adjutant of the Tenth Battalion.

[ Surnames E ]