Table of Contents
The following 10 biographical sketches were extracted from the Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y., 1685-1890.
Heman Colton
Heman Colton, son of John, was born in Otsego County in 1787. At the age of 19 years he came to Adams and worked at clearing land, and soon saved enough from his earnings to purchase a farm of 163 acres, which is now a part of the present Colton farm in the northern part of the town. He married Lucina, daughter of Israel and Mary (Calkins) Warriner, by whom he had two sons and six daughters, viz.: Emily, Heman, Child, Chauncey, Mary, Julia Ann, Marie A., and Emily M. Chauncey Colton was born in this town in 1817, and was reared upon a farm. He married Angeline R., daughter of Roger and Lydia (Perry) Read, in 1838, and they had a son and two daughters, viz.: Emily L. (Mrs. Edward Rounds), Julia E. (Mrs. J. O. Brown), and Willis T. The latter was born January 1, 1855, and was educated at Hungerford Collegiate Institute. He married Martha, only daughter of Isaac Kellogg, September 18, 1878, and they have one son, Clifford, born June 30, 1884. Mr. Colton occupies the old homestead of 500 acres.
O. De Grasse Greene
O. De Grasse Greene, the present county clerk, is a native of the town of Adams, where he was born in 1831. His parents, Thomas H. and Ann M. (Sweet) Greene, were married in Jefferson County and subsequently removed to Oswego County, and finally to Illinois. His father was a lawyer, and died in 1876, in Peoria, Illinois. The subject of this sketch is a contractor and builder by trade, and has always resided in the town of Adams. He is a resident of Adams Center, where he still continues his business. Mr. Greene has served his town as supervisor for nine years. He was elected clerk of the county in 1885, and is now serving his second term.
Perly D. Stone
Perly D. Stone, son of Jacob, married Harriet Kellogg, and in 1814 came to Adams and engaged in the manufacture of furniture. He also engaged in undertaking, in which business he continued for more than 50 years. He had born to him two sons and one daughter, viz.: Artimesia (Mrs. S. A. Mariam), of Rochester; Cyrus K., of Adams; and George B., of Winchendon, Mass. Cyrus K. Stone was born in Adams, May 13, 1825. When 14 years of age he engaged as clerk in a dry goods store at Oswego, and there remained several years. About 1850 he removed to Philadelphia and did an extensive business in publishing county, state, and city maps, and atlases. In 1864 he published a geographical atlas of Jefferson County. He subsequently returned to Adams and engaged as a dealer in coal, seeds, and produce. He married Susan, daughter of Capt. Richard Phillips, and they had three children, viz.: Elizabeth B. (Mrs. Dr. William H. Nickelson), of Adams; Mary C. (Mrs. William H. Gillman), also of Adams; and George P. Mr. Stone resides on Railroad street.
Fayette Stanley
Fayette Stanley, born in 1816, was reared upon his father’s farm. He married Caroline Sophia, daughter of Michael and Lucy (Beal) Huntington, September 6, 1849, by whom he had three daughters, viz.: Lucy Evangeline, born August 18, 1852, married Albert A. Robbins, September 21, 1873; Kate Esther, born August 9, 1854, married Dow B. York, in 1873; and Mary Elizabeth, born April 13, 1856, resides with her parents. Mr. Stanley is proprietor of the Smithville cheese factory, and resides on Maple street, in Smithville.
Herman Keep
Herman Keep, with his wife, Dorotha Kent, and their children, Mary, Martha, and Henry, came to Adams in 1817, and located near the Center. After their removal to this town there was born to Mr. and Mrs. Keep one son, Bissell. Their daughter, Mary, married Wanton Kenyon and died in 1883. Martha married William Fuller and died in 1884. Henry married Emma A., daughter of Norris M. Woodruff, by whom he had a daughter, Emma G. (Mrs. Halsey), of New York city. Henry Keep died in 1869. His widow is Mrs. Judge Sly, of New York city.
Samuel Bond
Samuel Bond was born in Watertown, Mass., in 1793. At the age of 18 years he removed to Keene, N. H., and learned the cabinetmakers’ trade, and there remained five years. He then removed to Whitestown, N. Y., and two years later located in Adams, where he went into partnership with Perly D. Stone in the cabinetmaking business. Having experienced religion in early life, he labored faithfully in his Master’s vineyard, and was familiarly known as “Father Bond.” He was for 49 years elder of the Presbyterian Church in Adams, and died in February, 1870. He married Rosaline Fisher, of Keene, N. H., and they reared three sons and two daughters, viz.: Samuel Newel, of Adams; George W., of Syracuse; Ellen (Mrs. Benjamin Randall), of Chicago; David, who became a minister of the gospel and settled in Peekskill, where he died after one month’s service; and Mary (Mrs. M. C. Potter), of Lyle, Minn. Samuel N. Bond was born in Adams in 1820. He became a clerk with J. H. Whipple, and subsequently engaged in mercantile business. He married Elizabeth C., daughter of Peter and Lorany (Blackstone) Doxtater, in 1847, by whom he has one daughter, Lillian D. (Mrs. Joseph Atwell), of Watertown. Mr. Bond has been an active member of the Presbyterian Church and an elder for 30 years. He is now a general merchant in Adams and resides on Church street.
Joseph Ripley
Joseph Ripley, son of Abram and Roxey Ann (Webb) Ripley, was born in Massachusetts and located in Adams early in the present century, and engaged in farming. Of his seven children, Eunice married Eaton North, of Rodman; Orrin resides in Adams; Rachel married Asa Knight, of Sandy Creek; Laura married David Duncan, of Adams; William and Rufus died in this town; Pamelia married Ephraim Kendall and also died here. Rufus Ripley was born in Adams in 1817, and was reared upon a farm. he was educated at Hungerford (now Adams) Collegiate Institute, and subsequently was engaged in the grocery and bakery business in Michigan, until 1840, when he returned to this town. He married Vermelia E., daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Gordon) Wells, November 14, 1840, and they had a son and two daughters, namely: Adelbert D., of Adams; Alice Jane, who died in infancy; and Emma E., born May 29, 1845, who died April 3, 1882. Mr. Ripley was at different times a farmer, a boot and shoe dealer, and a furniture dealer. He died June 25, 1883, respected by all. Adelbert D. Ripley was born November 25, 1841, and engaged in business with his father. He married Clara Amanda, daughter of William H. and Clarissa (Averil) Gray, July 8, 1867, and they had a son and three daughters, namely: Mary E., born December 5, 1870; Nellie G., born December 23, 1874; Alice M., born November 25, 1876; and Rufus W., born February 5, 1879. His wife died suddenly, of heart disease, June 2, 1887. In 1866 Mr. Ripley engaged in the boot and shoe trade, and in 1884 built the Ripley block. He resides in Adams village on North Main street.
Daniel Stanley
Daniel Stanley, son of Jonathan, was born in Rutland, Vt., in 1775, and about 1804 removed to Rutland, in this county. He married, first, Rebecca Taylor, in 1799, and their children were Sally (Mrs. Evelyn Williams), who died in Ohio in 1887; and Harriet (Mrs. Russell Phillips), who died in 1837. Mrs. Stanley died in 1805, and in 1809 he married Esther Scott, by whom he had five sons and three daughters, viz.: John M., of Adams; Rebecca A. (Mrs. F. B. Hollet), deceased; Fayette, also of Adams; Alexander D., who died in 1885; Orestes M., Viola O. (Mrs. Asa Lyon), and Rollin S., also of Adams; and Ellen A., who died young. Daniel Stanely located in this town where Orestes M. now resides. Alexander D. Stanley, born in 1819, married Mary Benjamin, by whom he had three sons, viz.: De Forest, born in 1847; Charles B., born in 1852; and Homer D., born in 1859. De Forest, who was reared on a farm, married Florence A., daughter of Percival and Catharine (Walrath) Bullard, of Theresa, in 1871, by whom he has one son and two daughters, viz.: Frank B., born in 1875; Lillian P., born in 1879; and Mary C., born in 1886. Charles B. Stanley married Jennie, daughter of H. S. and Betsey (Snell) Howard, in 1885, and they have a daughter, Blanche, born in 1886. He is a hop grower and proprietor of the Valley Stock Farm, on road 20, where he breeds fine trotting horses.
Joseph Green, 2d
Joseph Green, 2d, or “Dry Hill Joseph,” as he was designated, was born in Berlin, Rensselaer County, February 26, 1785. He was a farmer by occupation. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. Wells Kenyon, a Seventh Day Baptist, in 1803, and about 1806 located in Pinckney, Lewis County. His children were Wells K., born in 1807, died in Minnesota in 1887; Mary, who died young; Matthew S., who died in Lewis County in 1843; Eliza (Mrs. W. G. Quibell), born in 1815, now a resident of Adams Center; and Naomi (widow of James Witter), born in 1817, and Leonard R., who also reside in Adams Center. Joseph Green located in Rodman in 1814, and in 1818 came to this town. Leonard R. Green was born July 22, 1820. He married, first, Mary B. Potter, and second, Pearlie C., daughter of Albert G. and Euctia Y. (Wheeler) Burdick, of De Ruyter, N. Y., in 1867, by whom he had children as follows: Mary E., born June 16, 1868, died April 3, 1872; Francis L., born August 18, 1869, now a student at Alfred University, class of ’91; Bessie P., born December 29, 1875; and Sarah L., born November 4, 1881. Mr. Green is a farmer and resides on Railroad street, Adams Center.
Calvin Warriner
Calvin Warriner, with his wife, Abiah, daughter of Roger and Lydia (Perry) Reed, came from Massachusetts and located in Adams about 1820. His children were Parley E. and Mary E. (Mrs. Eber L. Mansfield), of Iowa. Parley E., born on the homestead in 1827, was educated in the common schools and Jefferson County Institute. He married Sarah E., daughter of Moses L. and Demedicy (Scott) Ward, in 1861, by whom he has had one son and three daughters, viz.: Jennie M., Thomas R., Frances S. (deceased), and Sarah A. Mr. Warriner is a farmer and resides on road 8, corner of 9.
Source: Child, Hamilton. Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y., 1685-1890, part one, p. 228-230. Syracuse, N.Y.: The Syracuse journal company, printers and binders. 1890.