David A. Van Camp, deceased for many years a highly respected and eminently successful business man of Perch River, NY, was born in the town of Clayton, NY, September 22, 1844, a son of Cornelius, born in 1818, died in May 1859, and Mercy (Spicer) Van Camp, born April 10, 1819, died October 13, 1896. Cornelius Van Camp, who was a farmer and extensive dealer in cattle, was a son of Henry D. Van Camp, who was born in Montgomery County, NY, a farmer by occupation and died at Stone Mills.
David A. Van Camp received his education in the common schools of Clayton and at the Lafarge Institute. During the Civil War, he enlisted in Company H, Tenth Regiment New York Heavy Artillery, participated in a number of battles, was in front of Petersburg, and served until the close of hostilities.
David A. Van Camp married, March 19, 1868, Sylvia A. Low, born December 31, 1846 in Clayton, NY, a daughter of John and Eunice (Phelps) Low. Mrs. Van Camp received an excellent education in the common schools of Clayton and Brownville, and at a private school in Lafargeville conducted by George Strough.
Four children were the issue of this union:
1. Charles H., born January 10, 1869, who resides with his widowed mother at Perch River.
2. Pitt De Elton, born April 13, 1872, now located at Bisbee, North Dakota
where he is a telegraph operator on the Great Northern Railroad
3. Carrie Grace, born July 6, 1877, died August 17, 1888
4. Roy David, born February 1, 1886, now a student at Park College, Missouri
David A. Van Camp, father of these children, died October 17, 1901.
Taylor E. Calkins, deceased, brother-in-law of Mrs. David A. Van Camp, was born near Perch River, NY April 21, 1849, a son of Ervin Calkins, grandson of Seth Calkins and great-grandson of Asahel Calkins, a native of New York State, died in Oswego County and whose wife, Lena (Savins) Calkins, bore him twelve children. Seth Calkins married Nancy Holmes, who bore him twelve children. Ervin Calkins was born in Canada, from whence he came to Oswego County, NY, then removed to Jefferson County, NY, near the present home of the widow of Taylor E. Calkins, where he conducted farming operations up to the time of his decease. He married first, Abigail Wright, who bore him two children, Ann Eliza and Jane. He married second, Mary McCombs, of McComb's Settlement, daughter of John and Madalena (Frank) McCombs, and their children were:
1. Harriet
2. George who served as chaplain in the Civil War
3. Henry, who served as corporal in the Civil War and died at Antioch Church, Virginia
4. Hannah
5. Mary
6. Walter, a resident of Dexter, who served in the Civil War in Co. G. Tenth Regiment,
NY Heavy Artillery; married Christina E. Lowe, daughter of Jacob and
Betsey (Hancock) Lowe, of Brownville and their children were:
6a. George E.
6b. Eva M.
6c. Arthur G.
6d. Rev. John, a resident of Ox Bow
6e. Edwin, a resident of Watertown
6f. Taylor E.
The surviving members of this family are: Walter, John, Mrs. C. Phelps and Edwin. The mother of these children died at the advanced age of ninety years.
Taylor E. Calkins was reared in Perch River, attended its common schools, a private school in the town of Adams and Belleville Institute. He followed farming as an occupation. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was a steward for many years, and was also a member of the Masonic fraternity. On February 2, 1875, he married Clara Van Camp, the only surviving member of a family of six children born to Cornelius and Mercy (Spicer) Van Camp, whose deaths occurred respectively, April 1859 and April 13, 1896.
Cornelius Van Camp was a farmer and also bought cattle to quite an extent for many years. He was a son of Henry D. Van Camp, born in Montgomery County, who later located near where Mrs. Taylor E. Calkins now resides and purchased a large tract of land, which he cultivated for a number of years. He finally removed to Stone Mills, where his death occurred. Taylor E. Calkins died in the house now occupied by his widow, in Perch River, November 27, 1903.
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