Table of Contents
The following 10 biographical sketches were extracted from the Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y., 1685-1890.
Henry Fuller
Henry Fuller, a native of Scotland, emigrated to Washington County, N. Y., where he remained until his death. He was a Revolutionary solider. His wife bore him eight children, of whom Lester came to Brownville in 1837, and here remained until his death, July 16, 1875, aged 80 years. In 1823 he married Lovina, daughter of Elijah and Mary Dexter, of Washington County, and their children were Sherard, Cornelius, Charles, Mary, Emeline, Albert and Maria. Sherard Fuller served 15 years in the regular army before the war, and during the war served in Co. H. 10th N.Y.H.A. He died April 19, 1871, aged 46 years. Albert served in Co. A, 94th N. Y. Vols., and died at Sackets Harbor, December 30, 1861, aged 18 years. Maria Fuller is now a resident of Brownville, the only one of the family now left in the town.
Henry Fredenberg
Henry Fredenberg, a native of Ulster County, came to Brownville in 1837, where he died in 1872, aged 76 years. He served in Co. M, 10th N. Y. H. A., one year. He married, first, Annie Shower of Ulster County, and their children were Albert, Elias, John, Mary J., David, Sylvia, James C., Eliza, George, and Lottie. His second marriage was with Annie Beckwith. James C. married Hattie, daughter of Alexander Hayes, of Chaumont, and they have two children, Cora and Blanche. He served two enlistments in the late war, first in Co. M. 2nd Regt. N. Y. Vols., and second in Co. E, 186th Regt., and was honorably discharged. He served at the battles of Bull Run and Antietam, and in front of Petersburg. He resides in the village of Limerick.
Peter Christie
Peter Christie, a native of Quebec, died on Amherst Island near Kingston. His wife, Rachel, bore him several children, among whom was Peter, Jr., who came to this town in 1838 and located in the village, where he now resides. Peter, Jr., was twice married. By his first wife, Jane Ferguson, he had five children, viz.: Mary, Joseph, Julia, Alexander, and Abram, of whom the latter served in Co. I, 94th N. Y. Vols., and was killed in the second battle of Bull Run. His second wife, Lucinda Gardner, of Pillar Point, bore him eight children, viz.: Peter, Lydia, Ephraim, William, Eugene, Edwin, Michael and Adelia. Michel Christie married Alphrenia, daughter of William and Julia (Bush) Dillenbeck, of Dexter, and their children are William, Glennie, Walton, Harrie, and Elsie. He enlisted in Co. B., 186th Regt. N. Y. Vols., participated in the battles of Cedar Creek and Petersburg, and was honorably discharged. Peter Christie, brother of Michael, enlisted in Co. K, 14th N. Y. Cavalry, was transferred to the 18th N. Y. Cavalry, and reenlisted in Co. I, 10th N.Y.H.A. He married Kate Ewing, of Peru, Indiana, and their children are Charles, Fred, and Delia. He resides in the village of Dexter.
John Vandewalker
John Vandewalker, who served in the War of 1812, was a native of Montgomery County, whence he removed to this town in 1839. He married Maria Rider, who bore him 11 children, among whom was John, who married Delia, daughter of Richard and Nancy Van Allen, of Herkimer, N. Y., by whom he has six children, viz.: Harriet, Martha, Lorenzo, Charlotte, Eunice, and Jerome. The latter, of this town, was born in Herkimer County and came to this town in 1840. He married Susanna Lawyer, of Brownville, and their children are Lorenzo J, Lida D., and Clark C.
Jeremiah Wilson
Jeremiah Wilson, a Revolutionary soldier, was a native of Rhode Island, whence he removed to Brownville in 1840, and in 1843 located in Watertown, where he died in 1872, aged 73 years. He married Mercy Ann Spicer, and their children were Eliza, Harriet, Gordon, Josiah F., Elmira, Hannah, James, John and Maria. Josiah F. Wilson married Rachel, daughter of Morris and Lucy (Starks) Lee, and their children are Henry, Albert, Estella, Mercy A., Eugene, and Ida. He served in the late war in Co. L, 18th N. Y. Cavalry. His sons Albert and Henry also served in the same regiment in Co. I.
Richard Van Allen
Richard Van Allen was born in 1773, and his wife, Nancy Timmerman, in 1779. Their son, Mindred, was born in St. Johnsville, N. Y. 1781 (?), and came to Watertown about 1830, finally locating in Brownville where he died in 1849, aged 68 years. He married Maria, daughter of John and Margaret Vandewalker of St. Johnsville and their children were Emily, Jerome, Myron, Addison S., Augustus P., Daniel D., John, Charles L., and Ellen C. John and Augustus Van Allen served in Co. K 35th N. Y. Regt. and Jerome in Co. B, 20th N. Y. Regt. John Van Allen reenlisted in Co. B, 20th N. Y. Cavalry. Daniel D. served two years in the 35th Regt. and one year with the 2nd Conn. Artillery. Charles served in Co. B, 20th N. Y. Regt., and Myron in Co. M., same regiment. Augustus Van Allen married, first, Mary Benson, of Elmira, N. Y., by whom he had four daughters, viz.: Eva, Ida, Jennie, and Hattie. He married, second, Mrs. Marian Wait, daughter of Hiram Loomis, of Dexter, and by her has one son, Daniel, and resides in the village of Dexter.
Capt. Francis Winn
Capt. Francis Winn was born in South Reading, Mass., in 1782, and died in Holden, Mass. in 1840. He married Eliza Jackson, of Boston, and of their eight children, Francis W., born in Woburn, Mass., came to this town in 1840. He married Harriett, daughter of Sylvanus and Lucy (Baker) White, of Charlton, Mass., and their children are Harriet W., William H., Frederick, Ann E., and Mary L. William served in Co. I, 10th N. Y. H. A., was honorably discharged at the close of the war, and is now drawing a pension. He was in the engagement at Petersburg, April 2, 1865, and was also in Petersburg at the time of Lee’s surrender. He was in the Shenandoah Valley campaign in 1864.
William Adams
William Adams, a native of Bradford-on- Avon, England, emigrated to the village of Dexter about 1840, where he remained until his death in 1878, aged 62 years. He married Martha Keats, also a native of England, and their children were Helen, Mary, and Fred M. The latter married Eva, daughter of Alfred and Margery (Luther) Emerson, in 1878, and now resides on road 51. John Adams, also of Bradford-on-Avon, located in Dexter in 1840, where he married Sarah Hilliker, who bore him children as follows: Julia (deceased), Sarah, Albert, who served in Co. I, 10th N. Y. H. A., and is now deceased, Mary A. (Mrs. Malcomb Ross), of Saginaw, Mich., and Gideon. The latter married Elmina A., daughter of Daniel and Betsey (Spenser) Wilson, of Dexter, and their children are Julia E., Melvin D., Ernest E., Lillie B., John A., and George A., and he now resides on road 51, where he has lived 22 years. He served in Co. I, 10th N. Y. H. A., three years, was in the Shenandoah Valley campaign and at Peteresburg, and was honorably discharged.
Henry Reeves
Henry Reeves, a native of England, emigrated to this country in 1842, and settled on a farm at Pillar Point, where he made his home until his death. He married in England and his children were John, James, William, and Henry. The latter was born on Pillar Point and in 1879 removed to Watertown, where he now resides. He married Catharine, daughter of Philan Ball, of Dexter, and his children are James E., Blanch, Mary and Fernand H. Fernand H. Reeves married Vira, daughter of Hiram and Lucy (Wilder) Patrick, and his children are Lucy, Artie, and Harley. He resides on a farm on road 62 in Brownville.
David Knapp
David Knapp was born in Mayfield, Fulton County, N. Y., where he died at the age of about 65 years. Of his four children, Samuel, born in Mayfield, removed to this town in 1847 and settled on a farm which he occupied until his death at the age of 65 years. He married Atha Reynolds, of Fulton County, and their children were Benjamin, David, Jacob, Solomon, Hiram, Ann, Sally, Rachel, Hannah, and John L. The latter married Emily, daughter of Henry and Betsey (Dilaberne) Perry, of Brownville, in 1850 and they have had three children, viz.: Emma, Amelia, and Delbert, the latter of whom is deceased.
Source: Child, Hamilton. Geographical gazetteer of Jefferson county, N.Y., 1685-1890, part second, p. 282-293. Syracuse, N.Y.: The Syracuse journal company, printers and binders. 1890.