Beers3

BEERS Part 3

GAZETTEER and BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD of GENESEE COUNTY, N. Y.

1788 - 1890

Edited by F. W. BEERS

SYRACUSE, N. Y.

J. W. VOSE & CO. PUBLISHERS

June 1890

Transcribed Feb. 2000 by Joan Hall - Oakfield, NY

(Page 136 Continued)

CHARLES W. ROBERTS was born in Shelby in 1835. He was a son of ZIBA and SUSAN (WOLCOTT)
ROBERTS, and grew up on the farm. He married, in 1859, HULDAH A., daughter of JEREMIAH
and CLARISSA (SIMONS) LOUCKS, and they had six children, of whom ROLLA W., born 1800,
was educated at Medina, Buffalo, and the State Normal School at Brockport, became a
civil engineer, and is now in business at East Saginaw, Mich. He married ORA A. TINKHAM
in 1884, and they have three children, CHARLES M., JULIA H., and FLORA. CARRIE, JENNIE,
and BERTHELLA ROBERTS live at home. SARAH ELIZABETH married E. P. GRENNNELL, of Orleans
County in 1881, and has two children, LOUISA E. and HUGH E., and resides at East
Saginaw, Mich. JESSIE O., another child of C. W. ROBERTS, died 1879. Mrs. C. W.
ROBERTS was educated at East Saginaw, Mich. Mr. ROBERTS has held the office of assessor
for nine years, supervise two years, and is now acting justice of the peace. He is a
farmer and resides on road 11.

JACOB SHOEMAKER, son of JACOB, was born in Montgomery County, May 19, 1835. He settled
in Royalton, N.Y., in 1856, came to Alabama and married CATHERINE, widow of ABRAHAM
CHAMPLIN, and has resided here since. He is a harness maker by trade. They had one
child, MARY, who is the wife of E. H. MILLER. Mrs. SHOEMAKER died March 30, 1875. Mr.
SHOEMAKER was town clerk of Royalton for several years, justice of the peace four years,
and postmaster four years and nine months. He was appointed under Taylor's
administration. He also took the census of district No. 2 of Royalton in 1855.

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ORIMEL SAXTON, son of DAVID and SUSANNA (SPAFFORD) SAXTON, was born in Brighton, Ont.,
in 1828. He engaged as salesman in a store for several years, then took up farming,
which he has followed since. He married, May 18, 1858, EMILY A., daughter of ELIJAH B.
INGALSBE, of Alabama, and their children were GERTRUDE ARAMINTAHA, JENNETTE ELIZA,
HORATIO G., who married IDA M. WEST in 1886, and has one son, ARTHUR A., born 1889;
LIJETTA IRENE, MARY ADDIE, who married, January 6, 1889, LOREN REED; WILLIAM S. BURHANNA,
ORIMEL W., INEZ GRACE and EMMA REBECCA. Mr. Saxton located in Alabama in the spring of
1883, and engaged in farming on the E. B. INGALSBE farm, where he died March 25, 1889.
Mrs. SAXTON and family reside on the homestead near Smithville.

EDWARD TUTTLE, son of EDWARD and URANA (ORVIS) TUTTLE, was born in York, Livingston
County, in 1820, was reared on the farm, and when of age came to Alabama. He married
LUCRETIA LYNCH, a sister of Mrs. MOSES NEWTON, in 1847. Their children were FRANCES,
who married ROBERT REYNOLDS; ALBERT P., of Alabama; and WILLIAM, who died 1884. For
his second wife he married ELLA M. STANLEY, widow of THOMAS STEVENS, in 1887. He is a
farmer on road 40.

MOSES VAIL, son of SAMUEL and PRUDENCE (VAIL) VAIL, was born in New Jersey in 1797 ,
and was reared on a farm. He was married to his wife, MERCY, September 25, 1816.,
Their children were PRUDENCE, who married WILLIAM GARDNER, and died in Oakfield in
1842; SAMUEL, of Canada; EMELINE, who died 1840, aged 18 years; ELI P., of Alabama;
SUSAN W. who married DANIEL ZANVITZ of Canada; PHEBE J., who married JAMES CRAFT, and
died 1880; SARAH E., who married ISAAC ZANVITZ, of Canada; JONAH, of Iowa; and EPHRAIM
and STEPHEN, of Elba. MOSES VAIL located in Oakfield in 1834, and engaged in farming.
He belonged to the Society of Friends, and practiced the peaceful doctrines of "Penn."
He departed his well-spent life 3d month, 12th day, 1871; his wife died 1st month, 27th
day, 1850. For his second wife, in 1853, he married HARRIED WOOD, who died 1858.

ELI P. VAIL was born 1824, and raised a farmer. He married MARY D., daughter of JACOB
and REBECCA (RUNNION) DRAKE, the 11th month, 30th day, 1853. He located at Alabama
Center and engaged in farming. He has been postmaster 11 years, and resides on
Railroad Street. Their children are MARY ELIZABETH, who married AARON C. DUTTON, of
Buffalo;
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MOSES D., of Shelby; CHARLES A., of Alabama; EVA M. and EVELINE, at home; FLORENCE
MABEL, who was accidentally killed by a field-roller September 18, 1868, aged three
years; WILLIE, who died 1869,an infant; and FRANK D. The latter was born in 1854,
reared on a farm, and learned the carpenters' trade. He married, January 5, 1875,
NELLIE JANE, daughter of ORIN and JANE (FISK) WHITE. Their children are WILLIE H.,
born July 5, 1878, and EUDORA MAUDE, born October 9, 1883. He is a fruit dealer, and
resides on Medina Street.

CHARLES A. VAIL, born January 5, 1860, married, December 8, 1880, SARAH, daughter of
JAMES and SUSAN (MC MANUS) MC CAULEY, and widow of OSCAR L.LUND. They have two
children: BESSIE MAY, born May 28, 1883, and STANLEY A., born July 23, 1885. Mr. VAIL
is a fruit dealer, has an evaporator, and resides on Main Street.

SELAH VOSBURGH, son of SALEM, born in Whitehall, N. Y., in 1807, came to Alabama in
1826., He was an early settler, and a gunsmith by occupation. He settled upon a large
tract of land and engaged in farming. He married MARTHA, daughter of BENJAMIN GUMAER,
and they had children as follows; GEORGE H., who studied law and died 1860, aged 24
years; CHARLOTTE A., who died 1863; JAMES O., who married LODUSKIE PECK, whose children
were GEORGE W., of California, and ANNA M., who died young; JOHN S., a corporal in the
army, appointed adjutant with rank of colonel, and was interested with GOVERNOR SAFFORD
in the Tombstone silver mine, Colorada, now owning a large estate in Los Angeles (he
married KATE SLAWSON, and they have two sons: ROYDEN, born 1887, and KEITH, born
1889); MARTHA A., who married JAMES PECK, of Onondaga County, and they have one
daughter, BERTHA M.,; and MARY E., who married J. A. BEALS.

Mr. VOSBURGH dealt largely in real estate, and was a successful businessman. He died in
1873., Mr. VOSBURGH'S wife died June 11, 1849. He married for his second wife MARIA,
daughter of ELIJAH HOVEY. She died in 1873. Their children were CHARLES, who died aged
two years; JENNIE, who married LEWIS M. PHELPS, of Michigan; WILLIE, who died in
infancy; and FRANK E. FRANK E.VOSBURGH was born in 1858, was educated at Medina
Academy, and spent his early years on the farm. March 16, 1880, he married MARY A.,
daughter of GEORGE W. and PHEBE (FREEMAN) EASTON, and they have one daughter, NORA
ESTER, born March 21, 1881, and one son, ORRIN J. L., born January 9, 1888. Mr.
VOSBURGH was elected justice of the peace in 1885 and justice of Sessions in 1887-88.
He built a stave and heading mill in 1889, and is a farmer, owning the Vosburgh
homestead, where he was born.

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NELSON VAUGHN, a native of Washington County, and son of FRANCIS and POLLY (GREEN)
VAUGHN, was born in 1815. At the age of 10 years he came to Niagara County and worked
on a farm. He was married to MARY ANN DEAN, and they had one son, ULA A., of Royalton.
His wife died 1853, and he married, second, MARIE CLARISSA, daughter of PETER and BETSEY
(COLSON) BEAMORE. Their children are HELEN L., who died 1865; WESLEY F., who came here
in 1865, and bought the farm where he now lives; OSCAR D., who married CATHERINE HALE,
and has a daughter HELEN L.; and FREEMAN S., who married MARGARET SMITH, and has a son,
ARTIE.

WESLEY F. VAUGHN was born June 8, 1854, was reared on a farm, and July 3, 1882, was
married to M. MARIA JOSLIN. They have two children: ELLA MAY born September 12, 1883,
and WILLIAM N., born December 24, 1885. They live on road 14.

WILLIAM JOSLIN, born in England, came to America at an early age. He married MARY
BAKER, of Oakfield, and their children are HENRY and JOHN of Alabama; VIENNA, GRANT,
and FRANK of Shelby; CLARA lives at home; EMMA who married GEORGE BICKLE, of
Wheatville; and M. MARIA, who married WESLEY F. VAUGHN.

PHINEAS WHITE, born in Massachusetts in 1783, came to Stafford when 27 years of age,
taking up land sufficient for farming purposes. In 1810 he married POLLY BESWICK, and
their children were SALMA, deceased; LAURA, who married JAMES PATTERSON (deceased),
SILAS, of Illinois; ALMA who married THAXTER WATERMAN (deceased), and their daughter was
ALMIRA, also deceased, aged 16; LOUISA, who married FREDERICK BARNEY; MARY A., who
married THAXTER WATERMAN; ORRIN, who

died in Iowa; JANE, who married ALLEN WATSON, of Michigan; and PHINEAS B., born 1828,
who was reared on the farm. The latter married HARRIET N. GRAVES in 1850, who died
1853. He then married (1855) ELMA S., daughter of ANTHONY WATERMAN. Their children
were MERTON, deceased, aged 14; ARTHUR P., who married LOTTIE HUFFCUT, in 1888, of
Alabama; HARRIET N. (deceased); and ANNA S., who married H. SELDEN, of Stafford. For
his third wife Mr. WHITE married, in 1867, Mrs. LAURA ANN (LAWRENCE) HORNING, widow of
ELI. They have one daughter, LILLIAN M. Mr. WHITE located here in 1867, and is a
farmer on road 17.

WILLIAM HORNING, a native of Schoharie County, came to Alabama about 1840, and married
MAGDELENA WIETING. Their children were ANNA MARIA, who married AMOS CROSBY (both
deceased); JEREMIAH, who married CAROLINE D. LAWRENCE and had one son, OSCAR LORENZO, who
died in Michigan; Dr. NELSON, who practiced medicine in Alabama, and died several years
ago; and ELI, born 1828. ELI was reared on the farm, and married LAURA ANN, daughter of
RICHARD and BETSEY (BARKER) LAWRENCE, in 1855, and began housekeeping in Alabama. Their
children were WILLIAM, born 1858, died 1876; MAY, who died in infancy; and NELLIE BELLE,
born 1862, who married, in 1878, MOSES D. VAIL, of Alabama, and their children were ELI
H., BERTRAM N., and HOMER D. (died 1886). ELI HORNING died October 17, 1864. Mrs.
HORNING married, second, PHINEAS B. WHITE.

The paternal ancestor of the WIGHT family was born on the Isle of Wight. He located in
Massachusetts about 1628. Of the family was EPHRAIM, born 1645, who had two sons,
NATHANIEL (Born 1678) and DANIEL. NATHANIEL'S son LEVI was born in 1712, and married
SUSANNA BARSTOW. They had 10 children, of whom LEVI, 2d, was born in Thompson, Conn, in
1761. He married SARAH CORBIN in 1782, and they were parents of 11 children. LEVI, 2d,
died at Centerville, N. Y. in 1830, and his wife died 1852. Of this family was ABBOTT,
born in Oxford in 1787 (died 1863), who married, at Fairfield, N. Y., ALICE CABOTT, of
Dudley, in 1812, and they had nine children viz,: LORINDA, EMELINE, and GEORGE, of
Alabama; ANGELINE, who married BENJAMIN HUNT, of Alabama; Levi of Pembroke; ROXY, who
married DANIEL D. COLE, of Michigan; PERRY, who died 1862, aged 31 years; and ABBOTT and
ABEL, of Alabama.

GEORGE WIGHT was born in Monroe County in 1816, and located here in 1837. He married,
in 1846, ESTHER, daughter of REUBEN and MARY (WHITEHEAD) GOLDEN, of Elba. Their son
MILES was born in 1855, and in 1877 married ETTA E. CLARK. Their children are ELIZA,
IRENE, HARRY C., GEORGE H., LUELLA MABEL, and WALTER C.

ABBOTT WIGHT was born in Allegheny County in 1825, and came to Alabama in 1837. He
was reared on a farm, and married, in 1853, SARAH A., daughter of EPHRAIM and MINERVA
(REED) HEWETT. Their daughter NETTIE ROSALINE married MYRON WILLIAMS, of Batavia, and
their son P. HEWETT resides at home. Mr. WIGHT is a farmer and resides on road 50.

ABEL WIGHT was born 1828, and in 1850 married MARIA, daughter of LYMAN and SALLY
(CABOT) HITCHCOCK. Their children are BRUCE, HALE, and NOAH, of Alabama; CABOT, who
died in infancy (1859); D. FAY, born 1860, who is a teacher; GRACE W., who married
AUGUSTA HUNT; ORMA, who married JOHN A. HUNT in 1883; Dan, who died in infancy; and
INEZ, born April 21, 1872. ABEL WIGHT is a farmer and resides on road 50.

Page 141

BRUCE WIGHT married (1877) ADALINE, daughter of AMASA and ELIZABETH (BEECHER) BLISS, and
their children are HATTIE MARIA and EFFIE IRENE. HALE WIGHT married CHRISTINA E.,
daughter of WILLIAM and CHARLOTTE (HOTCHKISS) INGALSBE, in 1873, and their children are
DEAN R., born November 17, 1878; VIOLA, born November 17, 1881; and OWEN, who died in
infancy (1886). NOAH WIGHT married IDA MAY, daughter of JOHN and LYDIA ANN (AUCRY)
ACKERSON, December 20, 1874. They have a son, ABEL J.

LEONARD WEBSTER was born in Berlin, Conn., and died in Alabama in 1837. He married ALMA
ROCKWELL and had children as follows: SARAH, who married ZARDIS SKIDMORE, of Michigan;
ALMIRA; BENNETT, who died 1847; JOSEPH, who died 1888; DAVID, who died 1851; MINNIE, who
married LUTHER TRUE, of Batavia; and MARTHA, who married FRANK LUND, of Alabama. Mr.
WEBSTER came here in 1828, and located where his granddaughter, Mrs. GEORGE E. STEVENS, now
lives. Of his family JOSEPH was born in 1815, and in 1844 married LAURA ANN, daughter of
EPHRAIM and LAURA (WILLIAMS) HICKS. Their children were ELLEN A., of Alabama; DANIEL, who
died 1879; EMMA, who died 1880; HATTIE, who married ALMON BRISTOL, and died in Illinois in
1882; LAURA, who died in Batavia in 1884; and MARY, who died 1880.

ELLEN A. WEBSTER married GEORGE E. STEVENS, November 8, 1868, and they were parents of
four children viz,: ORPHA L., who died 1887, aged 18 years; JENNIE BERTELL, born October
25, 1871; STELLA R., born October 19, 1873; and LAURA A., who died in infancy (1881).
Mrs. STEVENS and family occupy the WEBSTER homestead on road 20, where she was born.

DAVID WEBSTER, born 1819, came to Alabama in 1828, and was reared on a farm. He married,
in 1846, MARY, daughter of ALLEN B. and SARAH (COLEMAN) HOLMES, and their children were
LEONARD, who died young; DAVID M. D., who resides at Rocky Hill, Conn..; and FRANCES ELLA,
who was born 1851. May 27, 1875, she married FRANK A. STEVENS, and they have one son,
CLAUDE W. born February 10, 1877. DAVID WEBSTER died in 1851. His widow married SOLOMON
H. DUNHAM in 1859, and their children were ANNA and AMELIA (twins), who died in infancy,
and JENNIE MARIA, who resides at Rocky Hill, Conn. Mrs. DUNHAM died in March, 1889. F.
A. STEVENS and family reside at Kensington, Conn. DAVID M. C. WEBSTER married LUMEC AULT,
and their children are Reginald A., George D., and ALMA MAY, and they reside at Rocky
Hill, Conn.

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SAMUEL WINCHELL, born in Monroe County, N. Y., married CORNELIA, daughter of ASHUR
MERRILL, and located in Orleans County. He was a blacksmith, and came to Alabama about
1854. Their children were MARY ANN, who married SCHUYLER STARKWEATHER; MELISSA, who
married LORENZO HORNING, and lives in the West; and LYMAN W., of Alabama. The father
died in 1861, and the mother in 1888.

LYMAN W. WINCHELL was born in 1831, learned the blacksmith trade, and married, November,
1855, HARRIET ELIZABETH, daughter of ALBERT and EMMA (DAVIS) CLARK, of Oakfield. They
located in Alabama. Their son are ALBERT S., born January 28, 1857, who married, in
1880, SARAH, daughter of ELEASZUR R. UNDERHILL, and their children are NORA CORNELIA,
born 1882, and FRANK, born 1885; and MERRILL E., born September 4, 1858, who married, in
1880, Eva, daughter of ORIN and JANE A. (FISH) WHITE, and lives in Buffalo. Mr.
WINCHELL enlisted in the late war in August 1862, in the 19th Light Artillery, and was at
the battles of the Wilderness, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Weldon Road, and others, serving
until the close of the war. He now lives on Medina Street in Alabama.

JOSEPH WATERSTREET, a citizen of Mecklenburg, Germany, married LEONORA NIENDOORF, from
the same town. He died there in 1863, aged 61 years. His children were HENRY,
CHRISTOPHER, SOPHIA, JOSEPH, and MARY. HENRY came from Germany to the United States in
1864, settled in Oakfield, and married MINNIE, daughter of JOHN and MARY (BURR) SCROGER,
of Oakfield. Their children are MARY, JOHN, FRED, and GEORGE. MARY married CHARLES
DRYER, of Oakfield.

THOMAS R. WOLCOTT was born in Leyden, Lewis County, N. Y. February 2, 1801. About the
year 1827 he bought a farm in Alabama from the Holland Land Company. At the time he was
engaged in teaching school in Livingston County, which profession he continued until 1829
or '30, when he settled on his farm. He married AURELIA UNDERWOOD, and had one child,
SARAH, wife of DANIEL INGLESBEE, of Pontiac, Mich. His wife lived two years. In 1835 he
married ORPHA WOLVERTON, daughter of ASHER, of Montgomery County, N. Y., and they had 10
children, four of whom are living. He died April 24, 1887. He was supervisor for
several years, and justice of the peace for 10 years. His widow resides on the old
homestead, which has never been out of the family.

GEORGE W. WEBB was born in Rochester, N. Y., April 28, 1856. In 1884 he was appointed
station agent for the West Shore Railroad at Alabama, which position he has held ever
since. He married MARY ZWETSCH, of Alexander.

Page 143

AUGUSTUS D. ZURHORST, a practicing physician, son of FREDERICK WILLIAM was born in
London, Eng., in 1803. He married MARY ANN ESTELL, and came to American in 1836,
continuing the practice of medicine. He died 1873, and his wife 1855. His children were
CATHERINE T., who married LORENZO ELY, of Castile, N.Y.; AUGUSTA P. who married JOHN
PENNOCK and died 1885; OCTAVIA, of Castile; JOHN E., who died 1853, aged 13 years;
HERMAN S. W., who was a soldier and died 1864, in West Virginia; ROSINA V., who died
1865, aged 17 years; HENRY C., who died young; and AUGUSTUS F. G., the subject of this
sketch, who was born September 27, 1847. He was educated at Genesee and

Wyoming Seminary, enlisted in the army in 1863 in Co. G, 21st N. Y. Cavalry, became
quartermaster's sergeant, and served until July, 1866. On his return he studied
medicine with his father and with DR. N. G. CLARK, of Batavia, and graduated at
Cleveland Medical College, class of 1869. He then practiced medicine with Dr. CLARK for
two years, after which he located at Alabama Center in 1871. He was postmaster in 1885,
justice of the peace in 1888, and elected supervisor in 1889. Dr. ZURHORST has a large
and growing practice, and resides on Railroad Street. He married, in 1878, EMMA A.,
daughter of FREDERICK A. and ELIZABETH (FLANDERS) COOLEY. Their daughters are IOLA
JEAN, born March 9, 1880, and KATHLEEN CORINNE, born October 10, 1884.