BIOGRAPHY: William G. Pierce; Brutus, Cayuga co., New York transcribed and submitted by: Ann Anderson (ann.g.anderson at gmail.com) ========================================================= Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ny/nyfiles.htm ========================================================= BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW THIS VOLUME CONTAINS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE LEADING CITIZENS OF CAYUGA COUNTY NEW YORK BOSTON BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW PUBLISHING COMPANY 1894 WILLIAM G. PIERCE, one of the oldest and most highly respected settlers of the town of Brutus, Cayuga County, N.Y., is spending the sunset of life in quiet and retirement on his pleasant, well-improved homestead. He is a self-made man, being one who started out by himself early in life, and by his perseverance and industry has accumulated a fine competency. His comfortable dwelling, his barns, farm machinery, and stock, all bespeak the supervision of an intelligent and progressive business man, who knows by what means his possessions have been acquired, and properly realizes their value. Mr. Pierce is a native of Massachusetts, born in the town of New Bedford, June 6, 1811. His parents were Joseph and Lydia (Omans) Pierce, the former of whom was born in Bristol County, Massachusetts, while his mother was a native of Long Island. Joseph Pierce was a man of great enterprise, in his younger days a foundryman, a miller, and also a part owner of a sailing vessel. Relinquishing his trades for an agricultural career, he came to Cayuga County in 1817, moving his family and household furniture and utensils with horses and wagons, making the wearisome trip through the woods in fourteen days. Being impressed with the desirability of Brutus as a place of location, he purchased fifty acres adjoining the farm now owned by his son William, and by dint of incessant toil cleared and cultivated the land, and won from the wilderness a comfortable home. Here he spent the remaining years of his life, dying September 20, 1840. He was a patriotic and loyal citizen, and fought in his early years in defence of his country in its struggle for independence; and his son William is one of the few surviving children of veterans of the Revolution. He was three times married, and was the father of sixteen children, of whom William G. Pierce and Desire, the widow of John T. Thomas, a resident of Michigan, are the only ones now living. Of their paternal grandfather, Joseph Pierce, Sr., little is known excepting that he passed the later years of his life in the State of Massachusetts. The subject of this brief narrative was but six years old when brought to this county; and the days of his youth and early manhood were spent on the family homestead in Brutus, where he attended the typical log cabin school, which was supported by subscription, each householder paying according to the number of pupils he sent to be taught. A fire of logs in the huge fireplace heated the room, the long benches were made of slabs, and the goose-quill pens used by the children were made by the teacher. Mrs. Lydia O. Pierce, who was indeed a helpmeet to her husband, as the minister's wedding counsels had enjoined, carded, spun, and wove the material which she afterward fashioned into garments for herself and family, none of her sons having a suit of "store clothes" until grown to manhood. The boots and shoes for the family were made by the travelling cobbler, who went from house to house, and remained an inmate of each family until its members were severally supplied with suitable footwear, an occupation which was called "whipping the cat." At the age of thirteen years William began to be self-supporting. He first worked as a farm laborer, receiving three dollars a month, and was afterward employed in a brickyard. He subsequently learned the trade of a mason, brick-layer, and plasterer, which was his principal occupation for upward of fifty years; and many of the substantial brick buildings of this county testify to the superiority of his workmanship. Mr. Pierce was also interested in agriculture, and carried on general farming in connection with his other business from 1840. In 1867 he bought the farm where he now resides, and for several years was successfully engaged in general agriculture, occupying a leading position among the practical and skilful farmers of this vicinity. His farm consists of seventy-five acres of valuable land, well equipped and well stocked. Of late years Mr. Pierce has given up the active pursuits of life; and the farm is ably managed by his son, Adelbert M. Pierce, who is a worthy successor of his father in the agricultural community. Mr. Pierce has been twice married, his first wife having been Lucinda DeWater, to whom he was wedded in 1838. She was born in Onondaga County, being a daughter of Benjamin DeWater, and passed on to the other life in 1845, leaving him with three little girls. He was again married in 1847, on September 5, Mary Perry becoming his second wife. She is a native of Oswego County, where she was born October 13, 1827. Her parents, Seth and Mary (Craw) Perry, have long since passed to their final rest, her father having died in early manhood, and her mother when an aged woman of eighty-six years. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Pierce two children are now living, so the family circle includes five children, namely: Mrs. Diana M. Wagoner, who lives in Port Byron, N.Y.; Mrs. Hannah Fennell, of Skaneateles, N.Y.; Mrs. Louisa Chatfield, who lives in the town of Sennett, N.Y.; Adelbert M. Pierce, the manager of the home property; and Austin E. Pierce, a farmer, living in Brutus. Mr. William G. Pierce has always identified himself with the interests of this part of the county, and has proved himself a valuable and worthy citizen. He is a Republican in politics, and for thirty-four years has served as Highway Commissioner. Both he and his amiable wife are liberal in their religious views and earnest supporters of every feasible scheme for the promotion of social progress, for the advancement of the educational interests and the moral welfare of the town and county.