Biographical information was extracted from R. A. Oakes' 1905 Genealogical and Family History of the County of Jefferson, New York, Volume II by Marilyn Sapienza!
BALTZ, EDWARD GRANT of Watertown -
Edward was born 10 December 1868 in Watertown, a son of Andrew P. Baltz, a businessman of that city.
Philip, son of Andrew Baltz, was born in 1814 in the village of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany where he was raised and where he learned the printer's trade. In 1832 he came to the United States and settled in the Town of Orleans in Jefferson County where he farmed with success. He died there on 21 December 1852 at the age of 38. In 1833 he married Elizabeth Dorr. She was born in Hawitzheim, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and died in 1884. Elizabeth was the daughter of Valentine and Elizabeth (Haller) Dorr. Philip and Elizabeth Baltz were the parents of:
Andrew P.
George F., lived in Lafargeville, NY
August; lived Battle Creek, MI
Elizabeth; married George Brumm at Nashville, Berrien Co., Michigan
Andrew Philip Baltz, son of Philip and Elizabeth, was born 7 December 1837 in the Town of Orleans where he grew up on the family farm and attended school. After completing his schooling he manufactured limburger cheese, a pioneer of that product in northern New York, a business he pursued for ten years. As the business grew, he sold in one year an amount of cheese that had a value of $130,000. In 1859 he married Elizabeth Haas; she was born in the Town of Clayton and died in 1883. Their children were:
Sarah J; married Frank Schryver and lived in Omar, NY
George H.
William A., both residents of Watertown
Edward G.
Frederick W.; lived Toledo, Ohio
Maud L.
Mrs. Howard E. Reed of Fisher's Landing
Andrew married a second time in 1884 to Mary Collis. She was born 4 July 1848 in Oneida Co. Their only child was John C. Baltz, who died in 1893 at 7 years.
Edward G. Baltz grew up in Watertown and graduated from high school there in 1888. He studied shorthand and became a stenographer. For one year he worked in a music house in Burlington, VT. In March of 1890 he moved to New York City and worked in the office of “The Iron Age” which was a journal devoted to the interests of the hardware trade. He later became involved in manufacturing concerns. His home was in Brooklyn, also known as Flatbush. Several fraternal organizations claimed him as a member. On 21 October 1894 he married Ida Smith. She was born in New York and was an early orphan there. She died on 5 January 1902 and left a daughter, Ruth Gladys, born 6 January 1896. Another daughter, Aleine Elizabeth, died at five weeks. As his second wife, Edward married on 30 March 1903 to Anna Klock in Watertown. She was the daughter of Milton R. Klock of Watertown. Their daughter was Doris Gertrude, born 7 January 1904.
JOHNSON, WARREN WALLACE of Rutland -
Warren was a prominent farmer of the Town of Rutland. He was of a Colonial family; his great-grandfather, Jacob Johnson, was of Torringford, Litchfield Co, CT and was born 21 July 1742 in Wallingford, CT. He died 10 June 1816 in Kingsboro, NY. His service as a soldier was in the Revolutionary war was from 1776 to 1783 in Colonel Brooks Seventh MA Regiment. That part of Wallingford in which he was born later became Cheshire, CT and it was there that he married Esther, daughter of Stephen and Thankful (Cook) Hotchkiss. She was born 3 June 1750 and died 1 November 1839. Both are buried in the old cemetery at Cheshire Village.
James Johnson was a Connecticut native and spent most of his life at Oppenheim where he kept a hotel and operated a farm. He died about 1840 at the home of his son in Rutland. His wife, Lydia Gere, survived him for several years and passed away at the home of her daughter in Rutland in 1848. Of their six children, a daughter, wife of Daniel Shaffer, lived in Rutland on a farm that adjoined that of Mr. Johnson.
Orrin Johnson was born 3 October 1802 at Oppenheim. He succeeded his father in the management of the farm and hotel which he continued until 1834; it was in that year that he moved to Rutland in Jefferson County. He bought a farm of 106 acres on the State Road and farmed there until his death and was succeeded by his son, Warren. In 1822 he married Hettie Wight, daughter of Abner and Betsey (Hooper) Wight. She was born 2 December 1803, in the same area as Orrin.
Abner Wight's mother lived to be in her one hundredth year. Hettie (Wight) Johnson lived to be over 94 years, and died 8 December 1897. Mr. Johnson died on 4 January 1888 at 86 years. Their children were:
Mary, the eldest, died before the family left Fulton County
Warren W., was the second child
Harriet was born 10 July 1828 and married Israel Robinson; she died
1 November 1883 on State Street in Watertown
George, the fourth child, died at age 4
July was born 8 March 1836 and married Newell H. Winslow; she died 1
January 1904 in Watertown
Oscar, a resident of Rutland, lived on the homestead
Warren Wallace Johnson, son of Orrin and Hettie, was born 1 February 1826 in Oppenheim. He grew up in Rutland and there attended the schools and farmed. At the time of his marriage, he bought a farm that adjoined his father's. He was the first to introduce Holstein cattle in the county and the first in his town to purchase registered stock in Erie, PA. He was a charter member and vice president of the Jefferson Co. Dairy Board of Trade and for 16 years served as a salesman for the East Watertown Cheese Factory. Warren died on 8 June 1896 at his home in Rutland. He married on 5 June 1849 to Charlotte Pierce Scott, daughter of Henry Scott of Rutland. They had two children:
Ella L.; married George H. Austin of Watertown
Sherman W. engaged in the builders' supply trade in Watertown
After the death of Warren, Mrs. Johnson made her home in Watertown. The death of her granddaughter, Edith Austin, wife of Charles D. Riggs of Watertown, took place on 1 January 1904 at age 30. Mrs. Johnson then cared for Mrs. Rigg's daughter, Aileen Louise, who was born 18 July 1901.
Sherman W. Johnson, the second child, was born 24 October 1853 on the farm in Rutland. There he attended schools and on reaching his majority, December 24, 1874, he purchased the homestead of his father and farmed for 24 years. He moved to Watertown in 1899 and was engaged as a wholesale and retail dealer in lime and cement. His yards on Court Street were extensive. He married on 24 December 1874 to Kate A., daughter of Major James B. Campbell, of Rutland. She was born 19 August 1853 in Pamelia, NY. They had one child: Cornie Grace, born 12 February 1877 and died at age 5.
FISH, ALBERT of Watertown -
The Fish families were residents of Jefferson County for 100 years. The grandfather, Ebenezer Fish, was of Rhode Island, and was the father of a son, Furman. Furman moved to Jefferson County and settled on Dry Hill in Watertown. He was a farmer and tanner and currier. For several years he operated a tannery at Tylerville. Prominent in his community, he took a leading part in local affairs. In 1859 he was a member of the state assembly. He married Caroline Rose and they were the parents of seven children. Furman died in 1890.
Albert Fish, son of Furman and Caroline, was born in Tylerville where he attended common schools and later in Watertown. At age 30 he was working on the farm of his father. In 1865 he went to Three Mile Bay as a railroad agent, a position he held for 12 years but resigned due to poor health. He was a director of the Stiles & Fladd Press Company, and one of the incorporators of the Union Carriage and Gear Company, as well as a director of the National Union Bank and the Watertown Savings Bank. He died on 8 December 1903 at his home in Watertown.
Albert was married three times. His first wife was Harriet Van Wort and they had one daughter, Carrie Maria. Carried married Charles H. Hyde of Watertown. After the death of his first wife, Albert married Mrs. Nellie (Jewett) Reed and on her death, he married Mary Bort Lawyer.
Carrie Maria Hyde was the mother of two sons and three daughters:
Alice Harriet
Albert Charles
Dorcas May
Margaret Elizabeth
Wallace Theodore
WHITFORD, NATHAN ALDRO of Adams -
Nathan was a leading farmer in Adams. His descent was from Joshua Whitford, whose son, Jesse Whitford, moved from Madison County to Alleghany County in 1812. He was the father of a son, also named Jesse Whitford, who married Olive Burdick, the granddaughter of a Revolutionary War soldier.
Nathan G. Whitford was the son of Jesse and Olive Burdick Whitford and was born 5 November 1819 in Alleghany County. In about 1844 he moved to Rodman where he farmed. During the Civil War he enlisted in the Tenth Regiment of New York Heavy Artillery, but after four months was discharged by reason of disability and became a pensioner. On 5 January 1845 he married Charlotte Heath. She was born 1 November 1822 in Rodman. They were the parents of two sons:
Nathan Aldro
Jesse S., born 1861; lived on the homestead in Rodman; married Harriet Kellogg;
one daughter, Mary Jane born 8 September 1886
Nathan Aldro Whitford was born 19 September 1849 in Rodman. He was a farmer and in March 1897 purchased the estate of 146 acres, known as the Joe Hall farm. He married on 14 December 1870 to Emerette A. Wright. She was born 22 January 1848 in Adams, daughter of George and Delia Kellogg Wright. They had two children:
Pearley E. born 3 November 1871; married William Strickland, a farmer of Adams
One daughter: Samaria E., born 27 June 1900
Nathan George born 12 June 1874; owned a farm that adjoined his father's
HUBBARD, FERNANDO DEQUELLO of Carthage -
Noahdiah Hubbard was the tenth child of Nathaniel and Sarah Hubbard. He was born 14 March 1735 in Middletown, CT where he passed his life and died on 4 May 1816. He married first to Phoebe Fairchild Crowell, who was the widow of Samuel Crowell. She died on 18 January 1795, mother of six children. He married second on 17 June 1795 to Sarah Seward. After her death, he married third on 17 June 1805 to Phoebe Thayer. Five of his sons: Noahdiah, Fairchild, Bela, Stephen and Joel were early residents of Champion in Jefferson County.
Joel Hubbard, the fifth child of Noahdiah and Phoebe, was born 30 October 1772 in Middletown and died 1 January 1851 in Champion. For a few years he lived in Steuben, Oneida Co., where some of his children were born before his move to Champion in 1807. He married in 1797 to Mercy Austin. She was born 13 October 1776 and died 6 August 1860 in Champion. They were the parents of 13 children, the last three died in infancy, two of them being twins.
Clement, the eldest, died in Champion
Laura, married Noah McNitt and died in Champion
Edward S. died at one year three months
Wealthy Austin born 1 April 1803 in Steuben; married Russell Knowles and died
4 January 1903 in West Carthage at almost 100 years
Edward S., died in Champion at 76 years
Joel Austin died in Champion
Phoebe Fairchild; married Orlo Kilborn and died in Champion
Julia Ann; married Augustus Grander and died in Pawpaw, Michigan
Charles and Charille, twins born 5 September 1813, died in Champion – Charles on
24 March 1884 and Charille on 20 June 1895.
NOTE: Most of the children were noted singers.
Joel Hubbard was short, stout and blind in one eye. When he arrived in Champion, he camped the first night by a spring on the farm, which was later the property of his grandson, Joel Charles Hubbard. For a time he kept a hotel at the village and then farmed northwest of Champion where he built a stone barn in 1820. It was a landmark of the town but destroyed by fire in 1903.
Charles Hubbard, the ninth child of Joel and Mercy, was born 5 September 1813 in Champion. After farming for six years in the Town of Trenton, Oneida Co., NY, he returned to Champion and bought 90 acres of land that adjoined those of his father. He lived there until his death on 24 March 1884. For seven years he played the fife in the militia band and took up flute. He married on 4 July 1834 to Fiana Loomis. She was the daughter of Alvin Loomis, born 28 February 1814 in Champion and died on 3 January 1902 at close to 88 years. Four of their six children reached maturity:
Elizabeth, the eldest; married Gates Scott and lived in Appleton, WI
Wealthy and Alcesta; both died in childhood
Joel C., a farmer in Champion
Edwin C.
Alfred O.
Edwin C. Hubbard was born 18 July 1846 in Trenton, Oneida Co., near the village of Holland Patent. Before age two, his parents settled in Champion. He attended local schools and worked at farming. In 1884 he built one of the finest farm barns in the town. He was noted as a progressive farmer. He married on 19 February 1879 to Marion Cutler, born in Fulton, Whiteside County, Illinois on 24 September 1854. She died on 16 May 1904 at 49 years and 8 months. Her parents were William and Sally (Ackley) Cutler, both natives of Champion. William Cutler was a son of Isaac Cutler, a pioneer settler of Champion.
Alfred Oscar Hubbard, youngest child of Charles and Fiana, was born on 21 July 1848 on the farm where his brother, Edwin C., later lived. He obtained his schooling and attended Carthage high school. Until age 28 he remained on the family homestead and on his marriage in 1876 bought a farm where he lived. He raised potatoes, oats and other crops and also had a dairy herd of registered Holsteins.
On 26 October 1871 he married Huldah Ann Tripp, born in Montague, Lewis County, NY. She was the daughter of Isaac and Melissa (Ensign) Tripp, natives of Champion. Mrs. Tripp died at age 74 and Isaac resided at that time in the Town of Denmark.
Two of the three children of A. O. Hubbard and Huldah were mentioned:
Myron born 19 September 1873; died 16 Sept. 1899 married 12 Sept. 1894 to Dora M. Gregory of Felt's Mills. Daughter: Ruth Irene Hubbard, born 31 March 1898. Roy Charles born 2 March 1882. Ethel M. born 14 July 1884
Samuel Hubbard, third son of George and Elizabeth Hubbard was born May 1648 in Hartford CT where he died 4 November 1732. He married on 9 august 1673 to Sarah, daughter of John and Elizabeth Kirby. Their son:
Samuel Hubbard, born 27 March 1678 in Hartford; died Farmington CT 19 May 1745; married 1 Nov. 1700 to Martha, daughter of Elizur Peck. Both buried Berlin Cemetery. His will dated 15 April 1743 mentions “William, only son of my son, William”.
William, son of Samuel and Martha was born 3 March 1702 in Kensington, Town of Berlin, Hartford Co., CT. His will recorded in Hartford dated 31 August 1736. His son:
William, married Elizabeth___, born 1732 and died 20 May 1792 in Berlin. Children were: Sarah, Ruth and William. Their son:
William was born in 1761, probably in Berlin. His second son, Levi Hubbard, was born there on 2 September 1792 and the first of the family to locate in Champion, Jefferson County. Levi's eldest son was born in Champion in 1821 in a log cabin, later replaced in 1829 by a frame house.
Levi Hubbard served in the Connecticut Militia in August and September 1813 in the War of 1812, so it was probably after 1813 when he settled in Champion. It is probable that his father, William, moved to Jefferson Co. in his old age with his children as he was then 70 years of age and died in Champion in April 1845 at 84 years. He married about 1788 to Mabel Kelsy. She was born 7 February 1772 and survived until 3 March 1873 at 103 years. Children of William and Mabel Hubbard:
Elizabeth; scalded in infancy
Zenas, the eldest, born 1789
Levi; died Carthage 24 October 1878
Ira died in Carthage 1871
Cyrus; went west and record of him lost
Elijah, a hermit in Maine
William, died in CT
Harlow
Hiram, both lost in the great west
Elizabeth; married Asa Frink and lived in Champion
Heman
Moses; died in Champion at 82 years
Samuel died in Carthage on 18 March 1889 at age 71
Heman Hubbard was born 10 August 1812 in Berlin CT and apprenticed as a tinner at age 13. The family moved to Jefferson and Heman remained in CT for a time and finally bought his time. He traveled some years as a journeyman and worked in southern states and St. Louis, MO before moving to Champion. When he arrived, he bought a farm near Great Bend where he lived for a few years and then sold it. In later years he owned a small farm near Carthage in the Town of Denmark. In 1843 he moved to Carthage and entered the employ of Hiram McCollom, as foreman of his tin shop. Through succession it became Hubbard & Son. In 1853 he built a house at the corner of Bridge and Jefferson Streets in West Carthage. He died there on 7 April 1888. He married on 1 February 1839 to Lurinda Frink, born 25 April 1822 in Rutland, NY. She was the daughter of Trustrim and Betsey (Clark) Frink of Rutland, Vermont. They settled in Rutland, NY and Asa Frink was their son.
Lurinda Frink Hubbard's twin sister, Lucinda, married Azrah Stone. She was a widow nearly all of her life and she died 1 January 1903 at the paternal home in Black River, NY
Heman Hubbard and Lurinda had the following children:
Lucinda, eldest, wife of Gilbert Case; lived in Chicago
Fernando D.
Cornelia; married Robert O'Neil; lived with her mother in W. Carthage
Arman, lived same place; soldier in the Civil War in Company A 186th Vols; married
Mary S. Warren, daughter of Orrison and Sophia (Miller) Warren. She was born
18 August 1845 in Champion and died November 1874. Their son:
Fred W. born 27 Sept. 1868 and died January 1893 in Chicago. Married in November 1880 to Ann McCormick, born Harrisburg, daughter of Francis McCormick
Children:
Fernando D.
Charles Heman
Fernando D. Hubbard was born 13 October 1841 in Champion and grew up in Carthage; he was age two when his parents moved to that village. Educated in the local schools, he was age 14 when he entered his father's shop to learn the tinner's trade where he remained until age 19. He became a partner at 20 years. Seven years later he became the sole owner and he continued there until 1897. The shop was located on the north side of State Street. He served in various public offices. On 29 October 1861 he married Rachel Harris, born in Harrisville, Lewis Co., NY, daughter of Austin and Hannah (Munger) Harris. Her grandfather was Foskett Harris, and the village of Harrisville was named for him. Austin Harris was 90 years of age in about 1905. Rachel Harris Hubbard was born 11 October 1843 and died 27 July 1893.
Moses Hubbard, son of William and Mabel Kelsy Hubbard, was born 2 April 1814 in CT and was 18 when he came with his father and brothers to live in Champion. He was a well known hunter and famous woodchopper. He lived in Great Bend. His wife was Mary Ensign, daughter of Samuel and Olive Ensign, early residents of Champion. She was born 7 August 1827 and died 28 June 1879.
Samuel Hubbard, son of William and Mabel Kelsy Hubbard, was born 1815-16 in CT and was 12 when he came to Champion. In about 1850 he moved to Wilna and bought some acreage and added to it until it was 800 acres. He died 18 March 1889 at 71 years. He married Jerusha Ensign, daughter of Lyman Ensign, a pioneer settler of Champion. She was born February 1828 in Champion and died in Wilna. They had six children:
One died at six months of whooping cough
William; a farmer in Wilna
DeWitt C.; owned a farm and lived in Carthage
Sarah; married Myron Austin and lived in Watertown
Marilla; married Thaddeus Olds of Adams, Jefferson Co.
Cyrus Hubbard, the youngest son of Samuel Hubbard was born 18 April 1859 in the Town of Wilna at Hubbard's Corners. He attended local schools and lived on the farm where he cared for the parents in their later years. He bought the homestead, the old “Felt place” and lived there until 1893 when he bought a place on the River Road near Herring. He sold the property to Herring for the completion of his paper mill property. He owned approximately 800 acres. He conducted a large dairy and was a member of several fraternal organizations. On 20 October 1882 he married Ida Myers. She was born in Wilna, daughter of James and Charlotte Myers. At her death in March 1884, she left a daughter, Lula May. In 1885 Cyrus married Lucy Palmer, born in LeRay, daughter of Lorenzo and Pamelia (Merritt) Palmer of Evans Mills. They had two children: Raymond and Lee.
KNOWLES, RUSSELL K. of Champion -
Russell was an early resident of Champion and descended from the early settlers of Cape Cod, son of Willard Knowles and his first wife, a Miss Snow. Russell K. was born 28 July 1799 in Barnstable Co., MA and grew up there becoming master of carpentry and house building. When he reached majority age, he visited Champion and bought land, went back as far as Albany to meet his father and family, who joined him in Jefferson Co. He walked from Albany to Champion, driving a yoke of oxen. The family included several younger than himself. Children of Willard Knowles:
Sarah; married Seymour Nash and lived in Champion
Mary; married a Mr. Hubbard, and died in Ohio; returned to Champion where she
died and left a son, Edmund Hulbert
Samuel Knowles lived and died in Champion and left a son, Hiram Knowles, who
served as a soldier in the Civil War and died from a head wound at
Rochester, NY. He left two sons: Walter and Fred. Walter was of
Rochester
Willard Atwood Knowles; died Champion? ; left a son, Egbert, who lived at
Johnstown, NY. Married second to Lois Freeman, had a son Daniel,
who settled in the west
William died without issue
Russell K. Knowles settled on a farm five miles from Carthage. For 15 years he lived in the Town of Denmark in Lewis County where he served in various public offices. He died in West Carthage on 1 July 1885 at close to 86 years. He married on 29 November 1827 to Wealthy A. Hubbard, daughter of Joel Hubbard. She was born 1 April 1803 and lived to almost 100 years. Six of their seven children lived to maturity:
Oliva Volucia; married Frederick Sprague and died at Rochester on 17 October 1897
at 65 years.
Mercy Celestia; lived at Carthage, widow of Franklin B. Johnson
Samuel lived in West Carthage
Sarah Charille; married Egbert H. McNitt and lived in South Champion
Charles Lord lived in West Carthage, unmarried
John, died at six months
Wealthy Sedate lived in West Carthage unmarried.
SPRAGUE, FREDERICK of Theresa -
Frederick was the son of Hubbard Sprague, an early Theresa resident. He died in Carthage on 18 September 1877 at 45 years 21 days. Hubbard Sprague's wife and Frederick's mother, was Philancy Loomis, daughter of Alvin Loomis.
Frederick Sprague was born 26 August 1832 in Champion and lived most of his life in Theresa as a farmer. In his later years he kept a grocery store in Carthage. He married Oliva Volucia, eldest child of Russell K. Knowles. She was born 2 September 1832 and died 17 October 1897. Of their five children, three were mentioned:
Charles H; went to Michigan
Ellen M., married J. P. Harrington and lived in Rochester, NY
Wealthy; died at 18 months
Grace V.; married H. N. Bennett, resident of Cincinnati, Ohio
Wayne Frederick; employed as a collector by Selmar Hess, a publisher of NY;
lived in Rochester
O'NEIL, ROBERT of Carthage -
Robert was born on 17 March 1840 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada and remained there until he was 19. He accompanied James Pringle to Watertown and then to Carthage. His occupation was hotel work. He died of heart disease on 13 December 1872 while a clerk in the Levis House. He left a young widow and two small children. She remained a widow for more than 30 years. In 1862 he married Cornelia Hubbard, daughter of Heman Hubbard. She was born in 1843 and was the companion of her widowed mother. Their children:
Minnie; married Fred W. Wescott of Benson Mines, NY
Jettie Roberta; died 1896 as wife of Charles Lake, merchant of Harrisville, NY
MILLS, ANTONIO FRANCIS of Carthage -
Antonio was a successful lawyer, born 12 June 1872 at Sterlingville, Jeff. Co., a village founded by his maternal grandfather.
Lewis Weston Mills, eldest son of Colonel Philo Mills, was born 7 December 1801 in Kent, CT. He married Amanda Skiff of Kent on 15 September 1825. She as born 12 March 1806, daughter of Samuel and Prudence Skiff and died 4 December 1837, leaving two sons: Lewis Henry and Ezra Skiff. Amanda died 29 May 1849. Lewis married second on 13 October 1845 to Harriet Pitkin who died 24 February 1856. Prior to the second marriage, Lewis moved to Sterlingville, Jefferson Co., where he died in December 1876. By occupation he was a dyer in CT but settled on a farm in Sterlingville.
Their son, Lewis Henry Mills, was born 25 March 1827 in Kent, KT and died of heart disease in his store at Carthage on 25 December 1888. About 1852 he moved to Sterlingville and engaged in the mercantile business with his uncle, Ezra Skiff, and was very successful. In 1869 he moved to Great Bend and operated a mill and store. Lewis bought the Walton resident and store at Sterlingville of James Sterling, JR. and was engaged in business there. In 1867 he purchased the Shurtleff iron mines and employed 150 men and 50 teams. In 1869 he bought an interest in the Crescent flouring mills at Oswego but the mill burned and he lost $10,000. In 1872 he took up residence in West Carthage. He and R. M. Geer bought a furnace there and organized the Carthage Iron Works. The great Carthage fire of October 20, 1884 swept away his mills, storehouse and lumber, destroyed his wagons and utensils with a loss of over $25,000 above the insurance. In April 1886 he was appointed postmaster at Carthage where he conducted a store and the post office besides his other business enterprises.
Lewis Henry married on 16 May 1851 to Fidelia Pitkin of Hartford, CT, who was a sister of his father's second wife. Fidelia died 25 April 1864 and left two sons:
Henry Hart born 21 May 1853
Ezra Fuller Mills born 13 September 1854
Henry Hart Mills was a timber contractor and lived in Syracuse, NY
On 8 February 1865, Lewis H. Mills married Julia Annis Sterling. She was born 14 August 1838 at Sterlingville, NY They were the parents of four children:
Louis Sterling born 20 Dec. 1867; farmer in Champion
James Daniel born 6 April 1870; died 29 May 1870
Antonio F. born 12 June 1872
Frederick Huntington born 5 October 1874; optician and jeweler at Delhi, NY
Antonio F. Mills graduated from Carthage High School in 1890 and from Philips-Exeter Acadmey in 1892; from the Albany Law School in 1895 and admitted to the bar in 1896. He opened his law practice in Carthage. He served in various directorships and public offices and was a member of many fraternal organizations. In 1897 he married Amy E. Bachman, a Carthage native. She as the daughter of Louis F. and Malvina (Shaffrey) Bechman. Louis, her father, was a Civil War veteran and a 20 year merchant of Carthage.
NOTE: See Oakes Vol. 2 for extensive lineage of the Mills families.
RUGG, MARTIN of Carthage -
Martin was born 7 August 1818 in Martinsburg, Lewis Co., NY, son of Elijah and Lovina Rugg. At 12 years, Martin left home and apprenticed himself to a shoemaker and mastered the trade. He moved to Carthage in 1826 and worked at his trade there. Saving his earnings he bought a building where he commenced the shoe business. He sold that building and bought another larger store where he combined the shoe business and grocery. The building was destroyed by fire and with his brother, Silas Rugg, they built a brick structure and kept a shoe store for five years. He was married three times:
Children with first wife, Lucy Nutting:{
Louise; married L. D. Thompson of Carthage
Effie, married George Sylvester and lived Colorado Springs
The second wife was a widow, Mrs. Hamilton.
The third wife, Julia Annis, survived him and lived in Carthage.
STERLING, DANIEL of Antwerp -
Daniel Sterling was born in 1769 and died 13 June 1828. He married Mary Bradford, who was born 14 July 1777 in Montville, CT. She did not survive long and died 12 October 1828. They settled in Antwerp in 1804 and made their way from Champion by a trail marked by blazed trees. Daniel served as a justice of the peace, supervisor and county judge. His children were:
Daniel Fitch born 12 September 1795
James born 25 January 1800
John R. born 20 May 1802
Samuel G. born 26 June 1809
John R. Sterling lived on the parental homestead and was succeeded by his son, Bradford Sterling, who died 7 December 1901 in Gouverneur, NY.
James Sterling was a very large man and was made corporal in charge of a squad of men whom he conducted to Brownville, a distance of 22 miles to assist in the military operations at Sackets Harbor. He married on 9 October 1826 to Annis Coleman and then moved to Rossie, St. Lawrence Co., and later to Redwood and back to Antwerp. After 1830 he bought a mill in the town of Philadelphia and built a village called Sterlingville. He was engaged in lumbering and built a blast furnace which employed a number of men. At Antwerp he bought and developed an ore bed near his father's farm and moved more than $100,000 worth of ore. He died 23 July 1863 and his widow survived to 6 April 1875. Eight of their ten children grew to maturity:
Mary; born 12 April 1830; married George W. Clark of Plessis, NY; she died there
on 16 March 1901.
Alexander Pinney, born 21 September 1832; died 1901 in Canajoharie, NY
James born 10 April 1836; prominent business man died Ogdensburg, NY March 1902
Julia Annis; married Lewis H. Mills and on 14 September 1897 married Martin
Rugg of Carthage. He died 13 January 1902.
Jane Antoinette born 23 January 1841; well known prima donna; resident of London,
wife of John McKinley
Rochester Hungerford born 4 July 1844; soldier in the Civil War and resident of
Enid, Oklahoma
Daniel Boone born 27 May 1847 died Great Bend, NY
May Lipard died age 12
George Sherman lived only one month
Joseph Nathaniel born 3 august 1854; prominent business man of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
John Riley Sterling, son of Daniel and Mary Bradford Sterling was born 20 May 1802 in Goshen, CT and was two when his parents moved to Antwerp, NY. In early life he was associated with his brothers, James and Daniel, and Welland Ward, in executing improvement contracts, chiefly in Canada, such as road building and clearing lands. He succeeded his father on the homestead and purchased additional lands; he held 600 acres at the time of his death on 2 May 1867. He was a successful farmer and served as highway commissioner. John married on 27 January 1828 to Roxana S. Church. She was born 9 December 1809 in Chesterfield, NH, daughter of Ezra and Mercy (Farr) Church, natives of NH and early residents of Antwerp. Ezra Church operated a sawmill in Antwerp and later a grist mill, as well as the Proctor House. By trade, Ezra was a millwright. Ezra died 5 June 1859 at 81 years and his wife, Mercy, on 6 January 1844 at 55 years.
The children of John and Roxana Sterling were:
Howard
Bradford born 1832; died in Gouverneur
Frances died at 9 years
James Lloyd
Jane; married Allen McGregor and lived in Gouverneur
Julia; married Judge John C. McCartin of Watertown
Howard Sterling, the eldest child of John and Roxana, was born on 8 November 1828 in Antwerp where he grew up on his father's farm. At the age of majority he was employed by his uncle, James Sterling, as a foreman in the furnaces. He first purchased land in Diana, Lewis Co., but spent most of his time at the mines and furnaces until 1876. He then bought land in Antwerp? and farmed and became the leading agriculturist of the town. He married on 12 June 1856 to Elizabeth P. Bigelow. She was the daughter of Ward and Sarah (Woodworth) Bigelow, natives of Sutton, Canada and Burlington, VT. Elizabeth Bigelow was born 11 December 1838 in Macomb, St. Lawrence Co., NY. They were the parents of four children:
Frank
Ella
William B.; lived with his parents
Ola; married William E. Fitzgerald and lived near Sigourney, Iowa
Ezra C.; drowned at 9 years
Edward Bradford died at age 3
James Lloyd Sterling, child of John R. and Roxana Sterling, was born 4 June 1838 in Antwerp where he spent most of his life. He attended local schools and left school at 20 when he accepted employment in a woolen mill at Wegatchie and traveled as a salesman. He purchased a farm in his native town of 150 acres. In 1874 he moved to Lot 618 in Antwerp. His sons later ran the farm. His dairy included 40 Holstein cows and hay and grain for the market. On 24 December 1861 he married Mariette Weeks. She was born in Antwerp, daughter of James Wait and raised by Alvah and Almira (Palmer) Weeks. The children of James L. and Mariette Sterling were:
Fred C.
John Riley
Georgia B.
Return to Jefferson County NYGenWeb Page
Return to People of Jefferson County NY Page
Copyright 2016 Jefferson County NYGenWeb — a member of the NYGenWeb Project
If you have any questions or comments about this page, please contact,
County Co-Coordinator Nancy Dixon or
Co-Coordinator Bruce Coyne.