Jefferson County, NY Pioneers

JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK

PIONEER FAMILY of JOHN HENRY COMSTOCK

This pioneer starts with JOHN HENRY COMSTOCK'S father, ANDREW COMSTOCK

1. ANDREW COMSTOCK was born 12 October 1782 in Providence, RI, and died 28 September 1864 at Albany, NY age 81. Andrew, with his brothers William and John, left Providence about 1798, and with their father, moved to Saratoga Co., NY. After Andrew and Sally were married, they moved to Albany, NY where Andrew was engaged in various trades.

He married, 15 Nov 1805
SALLY PHELPS of Canaan, CT. She was born 12 April 1786 and died 3 April 1875 age 88.

8 known CHILDREN of ANDREW and SALLY PHELPS COMSTOCK :

2    i      HIRAM COMSTOCK, born 15 Nov 1806 at Saratoga and died young.

3   ii      ISAAC NEWTON COMSTOCK, born 25 June 1808 at Saratoga and died 24 March 1883. ISAAC married ELIZABETH (BETSEY) HUSSEY who died in 1842. Isaac is called a politician for his various involvements in governmental affairs, but is probably best remembered for his service during the Civil War as head of the Union Commissary Department.

4    iii      SALLY COMSTOCK born 26 May 1812 at Saratoga and died young.

5    iv      SAMANTHA COMSTOCK born 14 July 1817 at Albany, NY and died 26 Nov. 1894.

6    v     JOHN HENRY COMSTOCK born 25 Feb 1819 at Albany - the Jefferson County Pioneer: his family details are given below

7    vi      ALEXANDER CROMWELL COMSTOCK born 21 June 1822 at Albany. He married ANNA STEWART in 1858. He lived for a short period of time at Philadelphia, NY.

8    vii      CAROLINE COMSTOCK born 12 Jan 1826 at Albany and died in 1911. (Her tombstone gives a date of birth as born 1831). She married JUSTIN LAWYER of Coldwater, Branch Co., MI. He was born 1824 and died in 1894. Justin served as the mayor of Coldwater in 1864 and 1865. His business was called Lawyer and Youngs, a partnership that involved banking, real estate and insurance. In a short biography of Justin Lawyer, mention is made of his "eccentric wife" who admitted no one to their palatial home and rarely came out herself unless it was absolutely necessary. All of her affairs were conducted by telephone. Both Caroline and Justin are buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery at Coldwater, MI.

9   viii      ANDREW COMSTOCK born 4 April 1830 at Albany, NY and died young.

6. JOHN HENRY COMSTOCK, son of ANDREW and SALLY PHELPS COMSTOCK was born 25 Feb 1819 at Albany. He came to Philadelphia, Jefferson Co., NY, where he died in 1903. John Henry and Fanny are buried in the Sandy Hollow Cemetery at Philadelphia, Jefferson Co., N.Y Both John Henry Comstock and Daniel Scofield, John Henry's brother-in-law, were prominent in the early affairs of Philadelphia, NY

He married 6 April 1841
FANNY J. SCOFIELD, who was born in 1822 and died in 1893 was the daughter of THADDEUS AND MARY (WOOD) SCOFIELD. (Thaddeus and Mary Scofield came to Philadelphia in about 1841 from Saratoga, NY.)

The four known children of JOHN HENRY and FANNY Comstock:

10    ix      MARY FRANCES COMSTOCK was born March 1844 on the "homestead". She married 23 Sept. 1874 WILLIAM B. MART of Saratoga NY.

11   x      ANDREW C. COMSTOCK was born 16 May 1847 and died 1933 at Philadelphia, NY. He married MARY M. MELROSE on 29 March 1871. She was born in 1850, the daughter of ROBERT and MARY (SCOTT)MELROSE. Mary died in 1914. Andrew and Mary are buried in the Sandy Hollow Cemetery at Philadelphia, NY.

12   xi     EARL L. COMSTOCK born 8 August 1854 and died 11 May 1892.

13   xii     NELLIE ELLEN COMSTOCK born___ died___ married S. C. KIRKBRIDE, probable son of Robert C. Kirkbride of Philadelphia, NY on 20 April 1882 at Philadelphia, Jefferson Co., NY

11. ANDREW C. COMSTOCK was born 16 May 1847 and died 1933 at Philadelphia, NY. He was a clerk in various businesses early in life and later operated a grist mill and saw mill. In 1876 he was in the hardware business and served in various public offices. In 1887-88 he served as an elected member of the New York Assembly. He was an initial investor in 1890 of the Indian River Chair Co., which employed about 75 people; the company produced a variety of chairs, including rocking chairs. The factory was created from a remodeled sawmill, and the chair factory burned down in 1897. Andrew was also the Supervisor and Manager of the first Philadelphia Water Works.

He married on 29 March 1871
MARY M. MELROSE who was born in 1850, the daughter of ROBERT and MARY (SCOTT)MELROSE. Mary died in 1914. Andrew and Mary are buried in the Sandy Hollow Cemetery at Philadelphia, NY.

Children of ANDREW and MARY M. (MELROSE) COMSTOCK:

14   i     EDDIE M. COMSTOCK born 1873, died 1875

15   ii     HARRY M. COMSTOCK born 23 Dec. 1878

16   iii     GRACE M. COMSTOCK born 8 July 1883

17   iv     JOHN M. COMSTOCKborn 8 Sept. 1885.

12. EARL L. COMSTOCK was born 8 August 1854 and died 11 May 1892. On his marriage license, Earl gave his occupation as farmer of Philadelphia, NY. EARL was active in the hotel business; he bought the Comstock House, near the train depot, in 1881 and lived there until 1887. Earl was also in the hardware business with his brother, Andrew, and in 1889 Earl bought the Eagle Hotel which became the Earl Comstock residence. In the Hist. Of Philadelphia, the Eagle was referred to as one of the largest country houses in the northern part of the county. It was built on the site of the first log cabin structure in Philadelphia.

He married 27 December 1878 in Leeds, Ontario, Canada
JANE ANN (JENNIE) THOMSON who was born in 1854 to JOHN and ANN J. (TERKINGTON) THOMSON, who were married 12 Jan. 1841 by the Rev. William Smart in Ontario, Canada.

Children of EARL and JENNIE (THOMSON) COMSTOCK:

18   i     FANNY COMSTOCK born 8 Feb 1880

19   ii     ANNA COMSTOCK born 30 Dec 1882

20   iii     LEWIS E. COMSTOCK. born 26 Dec 1887

Sources: census, tombstone records, Hist. Of Philadelphia, VIR for NY, Ontario CA, MI, Child's Gazeteer, Mayors of Coldwater, MI, Lawyers of Michigan, Business Directories of Michigan

Marilyn Sapienza

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