Bath New York Family Sketches

Transcribed by Lynn Tooley

Bath New York Family Sketches extracted from Landmarks of Steuben County, by Hon. Harlo Hakes, 1896.

Ackerson, Charles N.

Charles N. Ackerson, was born in Pulteney, February 25, 1826. Henry Ackerson, his father was a native of New Jersey and came to Steuben and settled in the town of Pulteney in 1813, and his life was spent as a farmer; he was a man who took an active interest in school and church matters and in the development of his county. He married Lydia Updegraff of Orange county, and died in 1866, in his seventieth year. Charles N. was educated in the common schools, and in 1854 he married Ruth, daughter of Sherman H. Rose, by whom he had three children: Frank H., Burton S., and Mrs. Helen Beekman. Charles N. is one of the representative business men of Steuben county, taking an intelligent interest in educational and religious institutions, serving as general superintendent of Steuben County Agricultural Society for eighteen years, and vice-president for one year, and has ever been ready to advance the best interests of his town.

Alden, Mrs. M. J.

Mrs. M. J. Alden, Dewitt C. Alden was born in Howard in 1829, and was educated in the same town ; and when a young man came to Bath, where through life he was identified in the mercantile business. In 1859 he married M. Josephine, daughter of Lawrence V. Church, who was among the pioneers of the village of Bath. Mr. Alden was a man of high moral purpose, taking an intelligent interest in educational and religious institutions, and ever gave his influence towards advancing the best interests of his town and townspeople. In 1882 President Arthur appointed Mr. Alden postmaster at Bath, which office he held four years, and filled most accommodatingly and to the entire satisfaction of its patrons. He died August 11, 1891.

Aldrich, Dr. J. O.

Dr. J. O. Aldrich, was born in the town of Thurston, December 16, 1848. Thomas Aldrich, his father, was a native of Rhode Island, and came to Steuben county, and was among the pioneers of that county. He married Julia A. Eddy for his first wife, and his second was Elizabeth, daughter of John Yost. He studied medicine in Rhode Island, and for years travelled over the surrounding country horseback, and he died in 1881, in his eighty-eighth year. J. O. Aldrich was educated at Woodhull Academy, and graduated from Eclectic College of Medicine at Cincinnati in 1882, and then came to Bath and established his practice. In 1882 he married Jennie F., daughter of Martin Brownell. Mr. Aldrich is one of the progressive men of his town, serving as trustee, and was also appointed as examining surgeon of the United States Pension Board, serving for four years.

Aldrich, Stephen

Stephen, Aldrich, was born in Rhode Island, January 22, 1812, son of Stephen Aldrich, sr., who was a native of the same State. The family were of Welsh descent, and emigrated to the United States in 1650. Stephen Aldrich, sr., married Mercy, daughter of Moses Smith, and came to Steuben county in 1825 and settled in the town of Cameron, buying ten thousand acres of land. He was a prominent man of that town, and died in 1846, in his sixty-seventh year. Stephen was educated in the common schools. In 1839 he married Elizabeth L., daughter of Samuel Pugsley, and they are the parents of six children: Samuel, Stephen, Jerome, Elizabeth M. Royce, Lavina A. Wilson, Jane C. Owen, and Esther A. Moore. In 1888 Mr. Aldrich came to the town of Bath and is one of the representative men of the town, and has held several positions of honor and trust. His life has ever proven his word as good as his bond.

Allen, William W.

William W. Allen, was born in the town of Howard, October 19, 1835, son of John Thomas Allen, a native of Steuben county, N. Y., born in the town of Howard in 1811, and grandson of William Allen, born in Amsterdam, Montgomery county, N. Y. , who settled in the town of Howard near Smith’s Pond in the spring of 1810. W. W. Allen is a great-grandson of William Allen of New England, who was active as a soldier in establishing American independence. He married Catherine Hub- bard, daughter of Thomas Hubbard, then postmaster of Boston, and of Judith Ray a granddaughter of Simon Ray, one of the original purchasers of Block Island. Mr. Allen and family moved from Boston to Hagaman Mills near Amsterdam, where he died December 14, 1844, aged eighty-five years. John T. Allen was a farmer in Howard and Avoca several years, whence he removed to Bath and engaged in mercantile pursuits ; was county treasurer of Steuben county, and died in 1867. He married Minerva, daughter of Reuben Ferris of Howard, who served in the war of 1812 and was honored with a captain’s commission. Reuben Ferris’s wife was Rachel Purdy, daughter of Abner Purdy and Hannah Fisher. Mr. Purdy was born in Dutchess county and served as a lieutenant in the Revolutionary war. His father was Ebenezer Purdy, who was early in Greenwich, Conn., and actively engaged in the colonial wars in the year 1755 and thereafter. William W. Allen was educated in Haverling Academy, Bath. In 1852 he entered the banking house of Alfred Purdy Ferris in Bath and was connected therewith until the year 1857, when the Bank of Bath was organized by Hon. Constant Cook, Mr. Allen holding the position of teller. In 1863 the bank became a national Bank, with Mr. Allen the cashier, which position he still holds. He is treasurer of St. Thomas church, of Haverling Academy, is also a director and treasurer of the Urbana Wine Company, a director of the Hammonds- port Wine Company and of the Lake Keuka Wine Company. Mr. Allen was prominent in the organization of the Steuben Club of Bath, a noted social organization of the county, and its first president, to which office he has several times been reelected. He has always been active in politics but has never held public office except that he was commissioner of the U. S. Deposit Fund for the county of Steuben for fourteen years, which position is now held by his son, Walter R. In 1861 he married Helen Maria Ganesvoort, a daughter of the late John Roseboom Ganesvoort and Rebecca Irwin. Mr. Ganesvoort was a descendant of John Wessells Von Ganesvoort, born in Gronigen, Holland, in the year 1419. His descendants came early to America and settled in New Amsterdam, now the city of New York, and later became residents of Albany, where Conrad Ganesvoort, Mrs. Allen’s grandfather was born. He was a Revolutionary patriot and long a ruling elder in the old Dutch church of Albany. His wife was Elizabeth Roseboom, who was also of Holland descent. Mrs. Allen’s mother was Rebecca Irwin, only daughter of Jared Irwin and Lucretia Patterson of Dansville, Livingston county, N. Y., both of Scotch descent. The Pattersons are descended from Andrew Patterson, a “Covenanter,” who was banished from Scotland under the reign of King James the Second, came to America on the vessel “ Francis,” which landed at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, in December, 1685. The children of William W. Allen and Helen M. Ganesvoort are Ganesvoort Irwin, Walter Roseboom and Minerva Elizabeth, wife of Edwin Stewart Underhill; they are all residents of Bath.

Allerton, Dudley D.

Dudley D. Allerton, was born in Bath, May 13, 1857. Delanson Allerton, his father, was a native of Greene county, N. Y., and the family trace their descent from Isaac Allerton 'who came from England to the United States in the ship Mayflower, who landed at Plymouth Rock, and came to Steuben county with his parents and settled at Prattsburg. Delanson married Mary J., daughter of Moses Dudley, by whom he he had three children : Dudley, Mrs. Frank Parker, and Sarah. In 1835 he came to Bath, where he was a farmer, and died in 1894, in his seventy-ninth year.

Allison, Chas. S.

Chas. S. Allison, was born in England, September 16, 1843. Wm. S. Allison, his father, was engaged in the milling business. Chas. S. was educated in England and learned the merchant tailoring business at that place. In 1859 he came to the United States and settled in Bath, entering into the employ of Hiram Hess, Conklin & Hill. In 1861 he went to Fall Brook to manage a merchant tailoring establishment at that place, and from there went to Elmira, and in the fall of 1861 enlisted in Co. C, 64th N. Y. Vol. Inft. During the war he took part in the battles of Culpepper, Mine Run, the Wilderness, and numerous others, and through bravery on the field and meritorious service was promoted to second lieutenant in September, 1864, and receiving an honorable discharge at the close of the war with acting rank of first lieutenant. In 1868 he married Erva A. Walsh, by whom he had three children: Guy W., Chas. R. and Ethel M. Mrs. Allison died in 1884. In 1869 he came to Bath and entered into the employ of Jas. Sutherland, whom he succeeded in 1874. In 1892 he married Mrs, Clara Sutherland, daughter of Joseph Shaut. Mr. Allison is one of the leading business men of the town, serving as supervisor in 1882, and has been twice elected commander of Custer Post No. 81.

Averill, Mrs. Helen

Mrs. Helen Averill. --Oscar J. Averill was born at Cameron, Steuben county, July 15, 1834. He was the son of Hiram and Hulda Averill and was educated at the Elmira Academy, after which he taught school for some years. In 1861 he married Helen C., daughter of Jared H. and Maria Thompson, by whom he had four children, William and Edward T. (both deceased), Mrs. George N. Beekman, and Helen Bell. Oscar J. was one of the representative men of his town, elected county clerk in 1861, United States internal revenue commissioner, and in 1881 he went to Utah and was appointed clerk of the Supreme Court of Utah. In 1883 he returned to Bath and died in Washington, December 20, 1892.

Averill, Gen. W. W.

Gen. W. W. Averill, was born in the town of Cameron, Steuben county, November 5, 1832, son of Hiram, a native of Delaware county, and a grandson of Ebenezer, who came from Harperfield, Conn., to Delaware county, and from there to Black Rock. Among the laws of 1814 and 1815 may be found an act for his relief for furnishing supplies to General Scott’s army. Hiram Averill came to Steuben county in 1806 and married Huldah, daughter of Thomas Hemingway. He filled various positions of honor and trust, serving as the first postmaster. W. W. Averill was educated at the Elmira Academy, and July 1, 1851, entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, being in the same class with Weitzel, Gregg, George Nichols, Alex. S. Webb, J. W. Turner, Ruggles, and Torbert, and was graduated in 1855, receiving rank of second lieutenant in the Mounted Rifles in 1856, serving on the frontier up to 1858, when he was severely wounded in a night attack by the Indians. Recovering from his wound, he served in the Civil war from 1861 to 1865, being promoted from second lieutenant to brevet major-general of the United States Army, serving in successive grades. His promotion was entirely due to his bravery, and meritorious conduct in the field, being one of fifteen to receive commission for specific distinguished service. He was also given the rank of brigadier general. In 1885 he married Kezia Hayward. For the past eight years has been on the retired list of the army, being on duty as assistant inspector general of Homes for disabled Soldiers and Sailors of the United States.

Baker, John K.

John K. Baker, was born in Southport, Chemung county, N. Y., May 14, 1824, son of Isaac Baker, and grandson of Isaac, who was one of the prominent millers of Philadelphia in 1812, and moved to Southport, N.Y., now a portion of the city of Elmira, where he took charge of a mill for John Knapp. Isaac Baker, jr., married Mary A., daughter of Samuel Giles. He engaged in lumbering and milling at Southport, and then in Covington, Bradford county, Pa., and in 1855 came to Steuben county, still engaged in the same business. He returned to Elmira, where he died in 1866. John K., also a miller, was engaged in milling in Elmira and Athens, Pa., for several years afterwards, went to Hornellsville and started the Alley & Bennett mills. In 1857 he came to Bath and run the Belfast mills, located at that time on the present Soldiers’ Home property; spent one year and a half at the Howard mills, and April 1, 1865, bought the Kanona mills which he runs at the present time. In 1856 he married Lucretia, daughter of Hon. Joseph Powell, sr., and sister of Hon. Joseph Powell, who is a member of the 44th Congress. Mrs. Baker died in 1881, leaving two sons, Edward P. and Charles D. In 1885 he married Janet, daughter of A. Larue, of Wheeler, N.Y.

Balcom, Samuel

Samuel Balcom, was born in the town of Greene, Chenango county, N. Y., De- cember 13, 1822. The Balcoms trace their descent from Henry Balcom, of Balcombe, England, who came from there and settled in Boston, Mass., about 1640. Lyman Balcom, father of Samuel Balcom, was associate judge of the County Court of Steuben county from 1840 to 1846, and elected to the State Legislature in 1867. He married Clarissa Hollenbeck of Greene, Chenango county, and died in 1881 in his eighty-second year. At thirteen years of age Samuel moved with his father to Campbell, Steuben county, where the family were prominent in the lumbering interests. He was educated at Oxford Academy, Oxford, Chenango county, where he was married in 1866 to a daughter of Henry Balcom of that place — Sarah L. Foote, by whom he had two children, Lillian Lynn and Lyman Hunnewell, and an adopted daughter, Mary Banks Foote. He died at his home in Bath, Steuben county, N. Y., September 23, 1890, and was buried at that place.

Barber, Bert G.

Bert G. Barber, was born in Cameron, February 7, 1864, and was educated in Bath at Haverling Academy and Rochester University, and for several years was connected with Ross & Hastings’ machine shops. In 1892 he married Carrie Grey, daughter of Grattan H. Brundage, whose ancestors were among the pioneers of Steuben county, and who married Clara Grey, daughter of Daniel Grey.

Brownell, Charles S.

Charles S. Brownell was born in Bath (Steuben county), May 7, 1849. His father, Morton Brownell was a native of Otsego county, who came to Steuben county in 1814, and established one of the first hardware stores in Bath, being associated with Robert W. Church, and remained in the business for twenty-five years, when he retired. He married Cornelia, daughter of P. Ollendorf, of Otsego, and died in 1890, aged eight-five years. Charles S. was educated in Haverling Academy, and in 1864 he went to Buffalo and engaged in the drug business, thence to Hammondsport in 1869, where he engaged in the hardware business, and in 1879 he removed to Bath and continued the same business under the name C. S. Brownell & Co., carrying one of the largest stocks in Western New York. In 1868 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Capt. Saxton Bigelow, of Ashtabula, Ohio. Mr. Brownell is one of the leading business men of his town, conservative and upright in character, and has ever advanced the best interests of his town and county.

Burleson, Dr. TenEyck O.

Dr. TenEyck O. Burleson was born in Howard, Steuben county, NY, July 21, 1854. Hiram B. Burleson, his father, was a native of the same town, and his grandfather, Russell Burleson, came to Steuben county in 1813, from Chenango county county. The family were identified in Otsego county, and were among the pioneers of that town. Hiram B. Burleson was born in Howard, February 28, 1816, and he married Catherine, daughter of John Willis, and was identified as a farmer. T. O. Burleson was educated at Alfred University and graduated from Buffalo Medical University in 1880, and began practice at Pulteney NY, and in 1890 received the appointment as surgeon at the Soldiers and Sailors Home (now Veterans Administration Center-Bath, NY-AC). In 1886 he married Lilly M., a daughter of George Bennett of Pulteney. Mr. Burleson is one of the leading men of his profession, elected president of the Steuben Medical Society, and a member of the State Medical Society.

Burt, Abram F.

Abram F. Burt, was born at Painted Post (now East Corning), June 15, 1838. His father, Benjamin Burt, was a native of Orange county and came to Steuben county in 1825. The family trace their descent back to Henry and Ulalia Burt, who came from England to Springfield, Mass., in 1640. Benjamin Burt married Dorcas Ackerman. Mr. Burt was engaged in farming up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1873 at the age of seventy-six years. Abram F., was educated at Corning and Alfred University. In 1855 he went to California, returning in 1863. In 1866 he came to Savona and engaged in farming. That same year he married Mary H., daughter of Samuel and Zilpha Kenyan, by whom he has one son, Samuel B. Burt. Mr, Burt is one of the leading men of the town.