BIO: Town of Napoli, Cattaraugus Co., NY Submitted June 2000 by Cattaraugus County Bio Project. ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submittor has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ************************************************************************ TOWN OF NAPOLI BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES FROM: "HISTORICAL GAZETTEER AND BIOGRAPHICAL MEMORIAL of CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NY, ed by WILLIAM ADAMS, Published 1893 Page 818 Surnames: ALLEN, COTTREL, BRYANT, CHAPMAN Henry ALLEN was born in Rhode Island and came to Napoli at the age of sixty years, remaining until his death aged ninety. Children : Henry, Whitman, Daniel, Amy, Louisa, and Samuel. Samuel ALLEN, born in Rhode Island in 1809, married Susan COTTREL, who died here aged eighty-six. They had one son, Samuel C. He married, second, Deborah BRYANT, who died Feb. 4, 1880, leaving a son, Ora. His third wife was Ida CHAPMAN, by whom he has children Norman M. and Henry. He resides on the homestead. Samuel ALLEN served as supervisor of Napoli in 1868 and 1869. In his early manhood he was a sea captain and after coming to Napoli he was a cattle drover and lumberman. He built the first foundry in East Randolph and ran it several years. He finally removed to Salamanca, where he built a fine residence and died. ------------------------------------------ Page 818 Surnames: ARNOLD, LADOW, MORSE Rev. Thomas ARNOLD, born Nov. 21, 1802, came to Napoli in 1832. He married, in 1821, Rebecca LADOW (born Nov. 28, 1803), and had born to him eleven children : Betsey, Polly Ann, Jerome, Fidelia, Andrew, Susan, Lapantha, Rachel (Mrs. Charles MORSE), of Cold Spring, Mary, Lorinda, and Lizzie. Mr. ARNOLD was a carpenter, farmer, and preacher. for over fifty years he was a minister of the gospel. He died in Randolph, Aug. 2, 1883, and his wife July 10, 1882. They left over seventy grandchildren. ------------------------------------------ Page 818 Surnames: BOARDMAN, JANES, PRATT, GRAY Elijah BOARDMAN was among the first settlers in Napoli, coming thence from Otisco, N. Y., where he was born. He was a deacon of the Presbyterian church at Napoli Corners, which society he was largely instrumental in organizing. Children: Alanson, Mariah, Dolly, Timothy, and Nelson. Nelson BOARDMAN, a native of Otisco, was born in 1810, came to this town with his parents, and died in Salamanca in 1884. His wife was Filena JANES, who survives him; children: Alonzo, Virena, Sophronia, Alphonzo J., and Eleanor. Alphonzo J. enlisted Aug. 17, 1861, in Co. B, 64th N. Y. Vols., and was discharged in Sept., 1862. His mother's father, Jotham PRATT, served in the Revolutionary war. Mr. BOARDMAN was born in Napoli, Aug. 16, 1838, and Dec. 15, 1863, married Martha BOARDMAN, who died Aug. 14, 1888, leaving one son, Frank. His second wife is Nellie GRAY. He is a farmer. ------------------------------------------ Page 818 Surnames: BUSHNELL, HOLCOMB, NEWELL, BENNETT Amasa BUSHNELL, son of Daniel BUSHNELL, who served on Washington's staff in the Revolutionary war, was born in Granby, Conn., in 1765. Coming to Napoli in 1826 he wielded a strong, healthy influence for good among the pioneer settlers, and was both a farmer and a carpenter. He died in Aug., 1841. His wife, Prudence HOLCOMB, died May 1, 1858; children: Betsey, Nancy, James, Josiah, Amasa, Prudence, Ashbel, Chauncey, Nancy, 2d, and Elias. The last named married Sarah NEWELL, who was born in 1812; children: Harriet and Ella C. She died Nov. 4, 1861, and he married, second, Cynthia BENNETT; children: Hattie and Nellie. Mr. BUSHNELL's brother Amasa was supervisor of Napoli in 1850, and of this town Elias himself is one of its oldest living residents. Another brother, Ashbel, was a popular citizen and an active politician, and represented the town on the Board of Supervisors in 1841, 1842, and 1864. The two opened a store on BUSHNELL flats at an early day, and alone he started a hotel at the Corners in 1831. ------------------------------------------ Page 819 Surnames: CHAMPLIN, BABCOCK, KENYON, MORRILL, FOLTS, BUSHNELL Joseph CHAMPLIN, a soldier in the Revolution and in the War of 1812, was killed in a railroad accident near Utica, N. Y. He was an active man and a farmer, and reared seven children. Samuel CHAMPLIN, his son, a native of Rhode Island, also served in the War of 1812, was a farmer, and for over sixty years was a prominent member of the Baptist church. Both he and his wife (Betsey BABCOCK) died in Rhode Island. They had eight children, of whom Erastus G., born Nov. 24, 1826, came to Napoli in 1860. May 20, 1849, he married Amy A. KENYON who was born April 30, 1829; children: George and Frank. The latter married Mary MORRILL, who died March 11, 1892; his second wife is Grace FOLTS. George married Emma BUSHNELL, and has been town clerk. ------------------------------------------ Page 819 Surnames: CONGDON, MILLER, BOARDMAN, BEERS, HILLMAN James CONGDON, 3d, a farmer, a merchant, a Quaker, and a Revolutionary soldier, was born and died in Rhode Island. His son Benjamin had four children, of whom William H. K. CONGDON came to Napoli in 1841. He was born Sept. 12, 1818, and April 6, 1843, married Elizabeth M. MILLER, who was born Jan. 1, 1826, a daughter of Joseph H. and Mariah (BOARDMAN) MILLER; children: Benjamin F., Joseph M., William H., Florence M., Charles E., and Silas S. Joseph MILLER came to this town in 1820. James G. CONGDON, another son of Benjamin, married Lucy M., daughter of Harmon BEERS, and for twenty- six years has been a farmer on the HILLMAN farm. ------------------------------------------ Page 819 Surnames: DAVENPORT, HALL, HARVEY Rufus DAVENPORT settled in Conewango in 1829, where he died Jan. 10, 1884. He was a farmer and a shoemaker, a soldier of the War of 1812, and a son of William DAVENPORT, a Vermonter. From his marriage with a daughter of Simeon HALL these children were born: Ebenezer, Calvin, Betsey, William C., Sylvia, George, Sally, Rufus, Nabbie, and Marshall, of whom William C., born Nov. 30, 1814, came to Cattaraugus county with his father, and on November 1, 1840, married Elnora HARVEY, who was born Jan. 28, 1823. Children: Ann, George, Perry, Rollin W., Frank P., and Bertie. Mr. DAVENPORT is a shoemaker and carpenter. ------------------------------------------ Page 819 Surnames: FOY, MORTON, HUNTINGTON, HALL Samuel FOY was born in Vermont on Aug. 7, 1804. At the age of fifteen he came with his mother to Napoli, where he cleared a farm near East Randolph village. There were at this time (in 1819) but three other families in Napoli. In 1827 Mr. FOY married Harriet MORTON, who died June 17, 1835, leaving four children: Juliette, Martha, Ara, and Harriet. His second wife was Nancy HUNTINGTON, who died April 28, 1882; the children by her were Mary, Clarinda, Laura, Dorus, Emily, and Ella. He died Sept. 20, 1890. Ara FOY was born June 7, 1833, and Oct. 16, 1856, married Clara HALL, who was born in Randolph, Dec. 20, 1829; children: Louis, Mary, Joel H., and Edith. Mr. FOY served in Co. E, 9th N. Y. Cav., and was discharged June 26, 1865. ------------------------------------------ Page 819 Surnames: FRARY, CROOKS John FRARY was a native of New England and a soldier in the War of 1812. He came to Napoli in 1820, where he partially cleared three farms, and died in 1857; his wife, Rachel CROOKS, died here in 1865. Their son, John FRARY, preceded them to this town by one year and died Aug. 10, 1889. Several descendants of the family still reside in the county. ------------------------------------------ Page 819 Surnames: GLOVER, COOK, LYON, FINNEY, ROSE Henry W. GLOVER, son of Ezra and Annie (COOK) GLOVER, died Aug. 14, 1873. His wife was Emily LYON, whom he married Sept. 22, 1835. She was a daughter of Abel and Nancy (FINNEY) LYON, and was born in Milford, N. Y., March 4, 1822. Abel LYON was a native of Woodstock, Conn., and came to Napoli in 1840, dying finally at Salamanca at the age of eighty-nine years. Besides Emily his children were Angeline, Walter, Moses, Elihu, Clarissa, Giles, Ezra, Electa, Calista, Deloss, and Frederick. The children of Henry W. and Emily GLOVER were Josephine (deceased), George W. L., James G., Emily V., Henry W. (deceased), Cora A., and Willie. James G. GLOVER married Eva, daughter of Wilber ROSE. Mrs. Emily GLOVER resides on the homestead. Lafayette GLOVER served as supervisor of Napoli in 1889 and 1890. ------------------------------------------ Page 820 Surnames: GRAY, WARNER, MINER David GRAY was born in the eastern part of the state on April 26, 1807, came to Napoli soon after his marriage with Lorina WARNER, and died May 10, 1845. He was an energetic man, a farmer, and a miller. Children: Betsey C., Mary E., Nathan W., Samuel W., George R., David O., Harriet A., and Eliza. George R. GRAY was born Aug. 19, 1839. As a private he served in Co. E, 154th N. Y. Vols., and was discharged in 1865. He married Sarah R. MINER, July 3, 1866, who was born in Napoli, May 26, 1846, a daughter of Eliel T. and Sarah E. MINER; children: Emily R., Nellie E., Bertha L., Lida M. ------------------------------------------ Page 820 Surnames: HARRIS, PRATT, CLARK, BEARDSLEY, HERRICK Esek HARRIS, son of Oliver, who died in Collins, N.Y., about 1835, was born in Rutland county, Vt., March 4, 1800, and died in Collins in July, 1855. His wife, Susan PRATT, died in 1856. Children: Edwin, Lurania, Erastus, Lucinda, Cordelia, Betsey, Alice, Albert, and Warren S. Warren S. HARRIS, born Aug. 5, 1824, married Jane M. CLARK; children: Charles C., Ursula E., Ralph M., Luella C., Edwin L., Myra A., Carrie E., and George E. He has resided for seventeen years on the farm first settled by Peter BEARDSLEY. Edwin L. HARRIS married Jennie, daughter of H. P. HERRICK, and has a daughter, Eva. ------------------------------------------ Page 820 Surnames: HOXIE, STANTON, CLARK Thomas HOXIE was the son of a Quaker minister, Samuel by name, and was born and died in Rhode Island. A son, Stephen, born March 16, 1814, came to Napoli in 1839 and died here Feb. 6, 1881. The year preceding his arrival he married Mary STANTON; children: Charles R., Sarah S., Mary E., John S., and Thomas S. The latter was born Jan. 4, 1851, and in 1869 married Lydia E. CLARK; children: Mary E., William S., and Rosa M. (deceased). ------------------------------------------ Page 820 Surnames: JONES, BAKER, FRASIER Benjamin JONES, a native of Wales, came to Monroe county at an early day, and moved thence to Canada, where he died. Of his children Matthew was born in Monroe county and in 1816 married Lucy BAKER, who died in Canada; children: Lucy, Mary, Henry, Lena, Magdalene, Phebe, Albert, Lyman, Harriet, Matthew, Anson, and Orren N. Orren N. JONES was born July 19, 1820. Oct. 18, 1842, he married Percy C. FRASIER, of Ontario county, and has been a farmer in Napoli twenty- seven years. Children; William W., Lucy A., Harvey J., Clarissa F., Mary L., and William M. ------------------------------------------ Page 820 Surnames: LOWE, BIGLER, FRANKLIN, PALMER, LOWREY, SIBLEY Abram LOWE served in the War of 1812 and came to Leon at an early day, dying there in 1850. He married Catharine BIGLER, who also died in Leon. Children: Abram, Jr., Richard, Nicholas, Peter, and Polly. Peter Lowe, born in Ovid, N.Y., in 1813, married Harriet FRANKLIN; children: Edward, Abram, Manford, Polly, Betsey, Minerva, Della, Ida, and James. James LOWE was born Aug. 21, 1832, and March 13, 1858, married Almira FULLER, who died May 7, 1860, leaving a son, Emerson, born May 6, 1860. He married, second, Prutia PALMER, who died March 12, 1877; children: Melvin R., Martin J., and Minnie A. His third wife is Mrs. Annie M. LOWREY, daughter of Ira SIBLEY. ------------------------------------------ Pages: 820 & 821 Surnames: MARSH, EAMES, NEWELL Thomas MARSH was born June 27, 1754, in Douglass, Mass., where he died. He had nine children, of whom Jesse was a Revolutionary soldier, enlisting at the age of sixteen. Of the latter's eleven children Orris was born July 29, 1806, in Dover, Vt., and came to Napoli in 1832. He married Betsey E. EAMES, of Carroll, N. Y.; children: Emily E., Fayette D., and H. Louise. Emily E. married S. A. NEWELL and has three children. Mr. MARSH is the only survivor of the MARSH family in Napoli, once so prominent in the town's history. For nineteen years he was a merchant at the Corners and for three terms served as postmaster; for twenty-three years he was supervisor of Napoli, serving from 1856 to 1863 consecutively, his first term being the year 1838 and his last one 1878. His brother, Parley MARSH, held the office for this town in 1833 and 1836 and for Cold Spring in 1847. Orris MARSH, during his active life, was one of the town's most influential citizens. In old age and retired life he enjoys the confidence and esteem of a wide circle of friends, and has the distinction of being third in extent of service in the list of supervisors of the county. ------------------------------------------ Page 821 Surnames: MILKS, WAIT, PHILBRICK, WILLIAMS Benjamin MILKS was a son of John and Annie (WAIT) MILKS, early pioneers and prominent citizens of Napoli. John MILKS was supervisor of the town in 1840. He came here from Cambridge, N. Y., when the county was a wilderness, and, like others, reclaimed a portion to cultivated fields. The widow of Benjamin MILKS survives and makes her home on the original MILKS farm. She has several children settled who bear the family name with honor. Prince MILKS, son of Jonathan and a native of Washington county, was an early settler in Napoli. He married Elizabeth PHILBRICK, of Cardiff, N. Y.; children: Luther P., Elizabeth, Frances, and Ruth. Mr. MILKS died in Dayton in 1880. Luther P. was born in Cardiff and came to this town in 1850, where he died Feb. 26, 1893. Nov. 22, 1859, he married Mary A. WILLIAMS, who was born in Leon on July 23, 1839; children: Abbie, Archie B., William A., and Olin R. Mrs. MILKS survives and resides on the homestead. ------------------------------------------ Page 821 Surnames: NICHOLAS, WILKINSON, BISHOP, HATCH Daniel NICHOLAS, son of Josiah and Nancy A. (WILKINSON) NICHOLAS and grandson of Daniel, was born in Massachusetts, Nov. 24, 1800, came with his parents to Henrietta, N. Y., where his father died Aug. 27, 1821, and removed thence to Napoli in 1825. Here he died April 26, 1883. By his wife, Lydia BISHOP, whose death occurred Sept. 2, 1859, he had these children: Daniel F., Josiah N., Jerry B., Mary A., Laura L., Sarah A., Lafayette W., Solomon F., Horace Y., Caroline S., Sarinda, and H. Estella. Daniel F. NICHOLAS, born Dec. 5, 1819, came to this town with his father, and April 25, 1859, married Fanny W. HATCH: children: Lydia M. and Emilie A. Solomon NICHOLAS, a brother of the Daniel first named, was a colonel in the old State militia and a prominent man in the early settlement of Randolph. The family is descended from Francis NICHOLAS, his being one of the seventeen families composing the original colony at Stratford, Conn., in 1639. ------------------------------------------ Page 821 Surnames: PALMER, GRAY Asa PALMER, after living many years in Genesee county, came to Napoli, where he died about 1830, and where the death of his wife also occurred. Children: Russell, William, Jason, Sally, Laura, Sophia, and Alma. William PALMER came to this town in 1820 and died here in 1843. His wife was Eunice GRAY, who died in 1839. They reared three children. A. T. PALMER was supervisor of Napoli in 1872 and 1873. ------------------------------------------ Pages: 821 & 822 Surname: PEASLEE John PEASLEE, a native of Dutchess county, N. Y., was one of the pioneer settlers of Napoli who imparted to the young community a strength of character and energy that is still potent in the present generation. He was born Oct. 7, 1779. He left many descendants who imbibed his sterling qualities of heart and mind, and transmitted them to their posterity. He died, on the lot on which he settled, March 17, 1863. His wife died Dec. 29, 1857. A son, Joseph PEASLEE, was supervisor of Napoli in 1855, 1866, 1876, and 1877. ------------------------------------------ Page 822 Surnames: ROPPS, HALL, GARDNER, HITCHCOCK John ROPPS was born in Plymouth, Mass., in 1799, of Scotch ancestry. and when a mere lad served in the War of 1812-15. In 1855 he came to Conewango, where he died aged fifty-nine, running a grist-mill on Elm creek three years previously. He married Lucretia HALL, who died in Massachusetts; children: John D., William, Mary A., Phebe, Lewis H., Eleanor, and Mariah. Lewis H. ROPPS was born in Easton, Mass., June 30, 1837. Coming to Conewango with his father in 1855 he married, June 15, 1859, Mary S. GARDNER, who was born in this town July 25, 1840; children: Annie J. and George W. The latter was born Nov. 6, 1863, and in 1885 married Luella J. HITCHCOCK, a native of Conewango. Their children are Ruth A., Lewis E., and Ellen B. Lewis H. ROPPS is a farmer and a carpenter. He is a breeder of fine Holstein-Friesian cattle, having at the present time ten cows and one bull Macaulay, all registered. In this specialty Mr. ROPPS takes much laudable pride. ------------------------------------------ Page 822 Surnames: SIBLEY, BELLAMY, DARLING, MILLER, WILCOX, HAZEN, GOWEN, SPRAGUE, LOWREY Charles SIBLEY, son of John and Esther (BELLAMY) SIBLEY, was born July 4, 1801, and married Sarah, daughter of Ebenezer DARLING, who was born Feb. 15, 1798, and who died Feb. 21, 1885; children: Harriet, Sherman, Charlotte, Amanda, Horace C., Orrin, Eben, Amenzo, and Judson. Judson SIBLEY was born May 30, 1826, and Oct. 1, 1850, married Ann E. MILLER, who died June 26, 1889; children: Ella and Herbert. He married, second, Helen WILCOX. Charles SIBLEY came to this town in 1842 from Otsego county and died Dec. 4, 1869. Eben SIBLEY, born July 20, 1831, served as supervisor of Napoli in 1874, 1875, and 1880. Judson SIBLEY has served one term as superintendent of common schools and has taught school twenty terms. Ira SIBLEY, a son of John, married Polly HAZEN; children: Ira, Levi, Cyrus, Rhoda, and Edgar and Edmond (twins). He married, second, Mrs. Maranda GOWEN, daughter of Stephen SPRAGUE; children: Emily, Eliza J., Matilda, Annie M., and Susan. Annie M. married James LOWREY, who died in 1876. ------------------------------------------ Page 822 Surnames: SMITH, WILCOX, METCALF, WILLS, BARBER, ASH Zalmon SMITH, who was born in Connecticut, died in 1846 in Enterprise, Mo. His son Ira, born in Bridgeport, Conn., June 8, 1793 came to Randolph in 1828, and died there in 1879. He married Eliza WILCOX in 1819 and had born to him these children: Juliette, Janette, Myron, Ira, Elizabeth, Lucy, Henry, Oren, and Zalmon. Zalmon SMITH was born in Rochester, Dec. 26, 1822, and came to Napoli in 1855. In Sept., 1841, he married Mary, daughter of Jotham METCALF, of Conewango, and their children are David T., Ellen M., Emma A., Jotham M., Delia H., and Lillian E. Delia H. SMITH married Orey WILLS, who died Oct. 7, 1881, leaving one son, Leo J. (deceased). She married second, Lewis BARBER. Zalmon SMITH enlisted Aug. 26, 1862, in Co. E, 9th N. Y. Cav., and served to the close of the war. Lewis BARBER enlisted Dec. 24, 1863, in Co. K, 14th N. Y. H. A., was wounded at Weldon Railroad, lost his hearing at the mine explosion in front of Petersburg, and was discharged in Aug. 26, 1865. David T. SMITH enlisted in Aug., 1861, in Co. E, 9th N. Y. Cav., was wounded at Brandy Station ,and was discharged in Aug., 1864. John ASH, father of Mrs. Jotham METCALF, was a Revolutionary soldier and Jotham METCALF served in the War of 1812. ------------------------------------------ Page 822 Surnames: THORP, MOREHOUSE Walter THORP, son of David and Sarah (MOREHOUSE) THORP, was born Jan. 26, 1795, and died Nov. 1, 1872. He represented Cold Spring (then including Napoli) on the Board of Supervisors in 1824, 1825, and 1826, and Napoli from 1828 to 1832 inclusive and again in 1834. The family were prominent settlers. ------------------------------------------ Pages: 822 & 823 Surnames: WHIPPLE, FINCH, TRACY, GAGE, BEARDSLEY Jonathan J. WHIPPLE, son of Joseph and Betsey (FINCH) WHIPPLE, married, in 1841, Susan TRACY, of New Albion; children: Joseph, Porter, and George W. George W. WHIPPLE, born in Little Valley, June 21, 1842, married, Sept. 20, 1866, Mary S., daughter of James GAGE, and has had children Ida I., Annie M., Asher P., Charles J., Hattie, and Pattie M. Annie M. married F. BEARDSLEY, of East Randolph. George W. WHIPPLE enlisted Oct. 9, 1861, in Co. F. 64th N. Y. Vols., and was discharged Oct. 9, 1864. He was a prisoner of Belle Isle six months and is now a pensioner. Jonathan J. WHIPPLE was an early settler in Little Valley, where he cleared a farm, and also another in Cold Spring, and was extensively engaged in driving cattle. ------------------------------------------ Page 823 Surnames: WILLIAMS, BISHOP, BURBANKS, SLOAN Ralph WILLIAMS, a descendant of Roger WILLIAMS and a native of Massachusetts, came to Conewango in 1825, cleared a farm, and died at the home of his son in Cold Spring in 1875. He married Sally BISHOP, who died at Steamburgh also in 1875. Children: Alzerah, Bishop, Loren, William W., Alvah, and Frederick R. The latter, born June 30, 1820, came to Napoli in 1857, and the same year married Roena BURBANKS, who died aged forty-three. He married, second, Ophelia D. SLOAN; children: Ralph L. and Edith M. He is a farmer on the place he has occupied thirty-two years, being the first settler on Amos hill.