Herkimer County New York Family Sketches
Surnames W-Z

Transcribed by Jeffrey Tooley

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Herkimer County New York Family Sketches extracted from the History of Herkimer County, New York, by Hardin, George Anson, 1893.

Halsey W. Warren Family Sketch

Warren, Halsey W., Little Falls, general insurance and newspaper correspondent, was born in Amsterdam, N. Y., February 9, 1857. He was educated at the Amsterdam Academy. He followed civil engineering for eight years and settled in Little Falls after the completion of the West Shore railroad, in which he was employed three years. In 1884 he established a general insurance agency. His ancestors were prominent in the history of the country. The late Hon. Platt Potter, of Schenectady, was his grandmother's brother. Mr. Warren has been a trustee of the village for four years, 18891893, besides being elected to other political offices. While trustee he was foremost in all improvements to the place, among them being the lighting of the village by electricity. In 1883 he was married to Nancy C. Staring, daughter of Peter A. Staring. Her mother was the daughter of the late Gen. Abram G. Rosecrantz, of State militia fame and a descendant of Capt. George Henry Bell, a brother-in-law of Gen. Nicholas Herkimer, who was wounded in the battle of Oriskany. Mr. Warren is a prominent member of the Odd Fellows, B. P. 0. Elks, Royal Arcanum and Improved Order of Red Men.

Elisha Washburn Family Sketch

Washburn, Elisha, Herkimer, was born in Westchester county, N. Y., near Sing Sing, upon the 13th day of August, 1832. His family removed into Otsego county when Elisha was about three years of age. He received his educational advantages here and in the town of Plainfield, and followed farming until 1857, when he sold his farm of 160 acres and bought the Temperance House of Herkimer of Eli Taylor. After keeping this house for some years he sold it to Messrs. Fields & Curtis, and established a flour and feed store, and in 1864 bought the Bellinger flouring mills, with which Mr. Washburn has since been connected In 1886 he sold out one half interest of mill to his former manager, G. M. Helmer, and the firm name is B. Washburn and G. M. Helmer now. He is a staunch Prohibitionist in politics, also a protectionist. Mr. Washburn is of English descent, and traces his ancestry in this county to before Revolutionary times, with which they were identified, also the war of 1812. The Washburn family hold a reunion each year, which over 100 representatives attend. Mr. Washburn married Miss Eunice Newton Rice of Otsego county, in 1834, a descendant of Sir James Newton Rice. They have two children, a boy and a girl.

Henry Whiteman Family Sketch

Whiteman, Henry, Little Falls, was born in the town of Thompson, Windham county, Conn., 1819. His father died when he was nine years old, leaving a wife and three small children. He and his sister were put to work in a factory immediately after his father's death. In the year 1830 his mother with her children moved to Utica, N. Y., caring for them by taking boarders. He was engaged in various pursuits until 1846, when he engaged in mercantile business, continued two years at De Ruyter, Madison county, N. Y. He was married in De Ruyter, in 1846, to Mary Jane Colkins, daughter of Washington Colkins, of Earlville, N.Y. He followed other occupations until 1854, when he removed to Little Falls, N. Y., where he has since remained. In 1869 he received the appointment of collector of canal tolls from a Democratic canal board, which position he held for four successive years. In 1873 he engaged as general agent for the Warrior Mower Machine Company, which position he held for about sixteen years. His business as general agent took him through all the northern States and territories. During his engagement with the Warrior Mower Company he made a fine geological collection, which will compare favorably with any private geological collection in the State. In 1870 he was appointed overseer of the poor of the town of Little Falls, which position he yet retains.

D. R. Wood Family Sketch

Wood, D. R., Fairfield, is one of the prominent farmers of Fairfield, owning 625 acres of dairy farms. He raises a large number of young stock annually to keep up his large herd of milch cows. His grandfather, John Wood, was a Revolutionary soldier in Rhode Island, but afterwards settled in this State. In 1844 Mr. D. R. Wood married Lydia Emily Fenner, daughter of G. F. Fenner, and they have a family of four sons and five daughters. Mr. Wood is a Democrat and all of his sons except one are the same.