Milo Biographies 

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History & Directory of Yates Co., Vol 1, Pub 1873, by Stafford C. Cleveland    pgs 639 -

LAWRENCE     pg 639 – 643 

A noted pioneer was John LAWRENCE, whose name has long been honored in the land, and whose family is still well represented in Milo.  He was a Quaker from New Bedford, where he became interested in the preaching and doctrine of the Friend.  His wife, Anna HATHAWAY, was a relative of Thomas HATHAWAY, the pioneer Friend.  John LAWRENCE himself was a relative of Commodore James LAWRENCE, who distinguished himself so nobly in the naval annals of the American Revolution.  A ship builder in easy circumstances, it must have been a strong motive that led him so far into the wilderness with a young family.  After coming here they remained on good terms with the Friend and her Society, but did not identify themselves fully therewith, in later years becoming indeed quite lukewarm in that regard.  John LAWRENCE however, always wore the garb and spoke the speech of the Quakers.  He bought for 40 cents an acre, lot 3 in township 7 of the first range, and on the 3^rd day of July, 1789, they erected their tent thereon, and made their home on the place now owned by Harvey S. EASTON, formerly the farm of James LAWRENCE.  A part of the same lot is still owned by Melatiah H. LAWRENCE, the grandson of the old pioneer, who resides on it.  The family lived 6 weeks in their tent, and then moved into a log house.  

With the sober, simple and economical habits of his sect, coupled with industry and enterprise, he soon became a thrifty and even a wealthy citizen and large landowner.  He started a store at an early day, perhaps the first in the county, a short distance northeast of his residence, in a log building.  He built what was long known as the Lawrence Mill on lot 16, the second or third mill on Keuka Lake outlet.  The same structure has been employed as a distillery for several years.  The house standing near it was erected by John LAWRENCE, and he lived there a number of years, keeping his store in a part the building.  Afterwards he built a frame house on the present site of Henry F. HOWE’S fine mansion, on lot 15, where the log store had stood.  The mill proved a lucrative property, and when a rival mill was constructed a short distance above, he bought it at the extravagant price of $12,000, to avoid a dreaded competition.  An attempt was made to turn the rival property into a cotton factory, with quite poor success.  John LAWRENCE was a man of solid character and commanding presence.  His manners were somewhat staid, with an air of austerity, but his impulses were kind and benevolent.  His wife, who was an excellent pioneer mother, died in 1830, at the age of 75 years.  He survived her 3 years, and died at the age of 80 years; residing in his later years with his daughter, Mrs. Anna KENDIG.  Their children were Melatiah, Mary, Samuel, Reliance, Anna, Olive, John, Sabra and Silas.  

Melatiah, born in 1774, had the advantages of a fair New England education, became a very important aid to his father in his extensive business, and a good businessman on his own account.  He married in 1811, Mary ALFORD, widow of Jesse ALFORD, who settled on the farm now owned by Mrs. Stephen H. CLEVELAND, on lot 30 in 1807, and died there in 1810, leaving a daughter, Rebecca.  After his marriage, Mr. LAWRENCE lived where the residence of Morris BROWN now stands, on Main street in Penn Yan.  There he died in 1824, at the age of 50 years.  Their children were, Melatiah H., Judith A., James and Sabra.  The family were left the owners of lot 32 in Milo, embracing the most of Penn Yan east of Jacob’s Brook.  Some little encumbrance deprived them of part of it, and some is still owned by the daughters.  The mother is still living, at the age of 82 years.

Melatiah H. LAWRENCE, born in 1812, married Margaret H., daughter of Isaac BOGART of Dresden and settled on the homestead of his grandfather, where he still resides, an enterprising farmer.  His wife died in 1864, at the age of 48 years, leaving four (?)  children, Maria, Malatiah H., John B., Margaret V. and James D.  Melatiah H. LAWRENCE is a prominent and influential citizen; was a member of Assembly in 1850 and of the Constitutional Convention of 1867.  He was the Democratic candidate for Senator in 1851 and 1853, on both occasions receiving much more than his party vote in Yates County and was only defeated by a factional defection of his own party in Tompkins County.  He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1856 and again in 1864.  His daughter, Maria, married James C. WOOD, a lawyer of Jackson, Michigan.  Melatiah H. LAWRENCE Jr., born in 1840, entered the army in 1862, as Second Lieutenant, of Co. B., 126^th Regiment, NYV.  He shared in all the glories and disasters of that regiment, ws severely wounded in the leg at Gettysburg.  He is now in the service of the government in the Treasury Department at Washington.  John B. is a student at Cornell University.

Judith A. LAWRENCE born in 1815, is the wife of Darius A. OGDEN.

James LAWRENCE, born in 1817, married Mary, daughter of John ARMSTRONG of Milo.  They settled on a portion of the John LAWRENCE homestead, where she died in 1858 and he in 1859.  Their children were Mary, Alice and Sabra.  Mary is the wife of Marsden HENDERSON of Milo.  They have two children, Ella and Charles.  Alice is the wife of James THAYER of Milo and Sabra resides in the family of her grandfather, John ARMSTRONG, unmarried.

Sabra, daughter of Melatiah LAWRENCE born in 1820, is the wife of Oliver STARK of Penn Yan.

Rebecca ALFORD, half sister to the children of Melatiah LAWRENCE born in 1808, married William L. WAY of Milo.

Samuel LAWRENCE was a leading citizen in the early history of the county and a man of force of character.  He was one of the early Supervisors, was a member of the Assembly in 1818, and was appointed Sheriff of Ontario County by Gov. DeWitt CLINTON in 1821, which office he held when Yates county was erected.  He married first, Anna, daughter of Widow Susannah CLANFORD of the Friend’s Society.  She died early, leaving a daughter, Mary, now the wife of John SQUIER of Grand Rapids, Mich., formerly of Penn Yan.  He married a second wife, Polly KIDDER, widow, of Benton.  They resided near Penn Yan, where both died.  Their children were DeWitt C., Samuel, Ann and Laura.  DeWitt C. married Caroline, daughter of Dr. Anthony GAGE.  They reside at Washington and have a daughter, Virginia.   Samuel married W. Anna CLUTE of Schenectady.  He died at Washington, leaving his widow and several children.  Ann married John THOMAS and both died at Lansing, Michigan, leaving several children.  Laura married Daniel D. VAN ALLEN of Penn Yan.  He died on a journey overland to California, his widow resides near San Francisco, with three daughters, Calista, Helen and Augusta.

Mary LAWRENCE married James STOKES of Maryland.  He died leaving seven children, Ann, Mary, James, John L., Olive, Elizabeth and Clement.  The widow and children returned from Maryland, and finally moved West.  Ann married William GRIFFIN and Mary married Asa A. NORTON and both moved to Goshen, Indiana.  James married a Miss WEST of Milo and was a shipbuilder at Sandusky, Ohio.

Reliance LAWRENCE was the wife of Joshua WAY.

Anna LAWRENCE married first, Henry TOWNSEND and after his death, Martin KENDIG.  They had two children, Martin H.N. and Henry L.

Olive LAWRENCE was the wife of Joel DORMAN.

John LAWRENCE Jr. married Hannah CORWELL in 1817.  They lived near the Lawrence Mill and he died in 1833 at the age of 37 years and she in 1860 at the age of 70 years.  Their children were, Charles F., Adaline and Ormond.  Adaline married Stephen DORMAN.  Ormond died unmarried in 1860, at the age of 36 years, leaving a goodly estate.  He was a man of good business capacity and had many friends.

Sabra, daughter of John LAWRENCE Sr., was the wife of Abraham TOWNSEND, brother of Henry TOWNSEND.

Silas LAWRENCE married Caroline, daughter of John CORNWELL.  They settled on the old John LAWRENCE homestead, where Henry F. HOWE now resides.  Their children were Anna, Henry, Elizabeth, Silas and Sabra.  Anna married Nathan T. MADDEN.  She died in New York leaving three children.  He now resides in Hoboken, NJ.  Henry married Sarah MACK of Geneva, moved to California and was there employed in the U.S. Mint at San Francisco.   They had five children.  Elizabeth married Valentine REIMANN, a worthy tradesman and good citizen.  They reside at Greenwood, Steuben county.  Silas LAWRENCE Jr., married Miss BRIGGS and resides in Milo.  Sabra married George LUDLOW of Milo.  They reside in Penn Yan and have one child, Lydia.

JOSHUA WAY   pg 643-644 

A native of Pennsylvania, Joshua WAY came to the county with Joseph JONES as soon as 1800.  He established himself in the business of wool carding and cloth dressing near the Friend’s Mill, owned by Richard SMITH.  The place became known as Way and Andrews’ Hollow.  The business was profitable and Joshua WAY became a prosperous citizen.  He married Reliance, daughter of John LAWRENCE Sr..  She died leaving four children, Anna, Mary, William L. and Eliza.

Anna married Benjamin BROWN of Milo, and emigrated to McHenry Co., Ill., where she died.  Their children were Henry, William, Horace, Reliance, Susan and Mary E.  He died in 1868, at the residence of his daughter, Reliance, in Missouri. 

Mary WAY was the wife of Dr. Jeremiah B. ANDREWS.

William L. WAY married Rebecca, daughter of Jesse and Mary ALFORD, and went with his brother in law, Benjamin BROWN to McHenry Co., Ill.  He died there before moving his family.  His widow died soon after.  Their children were Helen and Mary, twins, and Alford.  Helen married David B. ASPELL of Milo.  Mary is the wife of Chester M. BRIDGEMAN of Jackson, Michigan.  Alfred is single, residing in Illinois, near St. Louis.

Joshua WAY married a second wife, Sarah, daughter of Amos P. CHASE, a Baptist clergyman.  He died on his homestead in 1831.  The children of the second marriage were Joshua, Caroline, Jane, Sarah, Joseph, Spencer, and one more.  Joshua WAY Jr. is a popular physician at Naples, NY where he married a Miss CLEVELAND.  They have one daughter. 

WORTMAN   pg 747 - 750

William WORTMAN was born near New Brunswick, New Jersey and at an early age he and an only sister were left orphans.  He came to the town of Hector, now Schuyler county, with one of the pioneers of that town (MAC INTYRE) and there grew to man's estate, and married Anna, daughter of Anthony SWARTHOUT.  After a few years they moved to Wayne, and later in 1812, purchased a farm in what was afterwards Barrington, near the Bath road, and bounded south by the county line. There they remained through life. He died in 1850 at the age of 71 years, and she in 1860, aged  77 years. Their children were Fanny, Amos, Charlotte, Mary A., Asa, Joel, Lavina, Halsey, Sally, William, Andrew, and David.    

Fanny born in 1801, married Selah CROSBY of Barrington. Their children were John, Lucinda, Harvey, Amos, Mary, Ruth, Daniel W., Nathan, Susan A., David, Martha, William and James.  John died a young man. Lucinda married Charles PETERS, settled in Steuben Co., and died there leaving two children, one of whom, Susan, resides with Selah CROSBY. Harvey died at the age of 30 years, single. Amos married Mary Ann MILLER, and is a physician at Hart, Ocean county, Mich. They have one son and two daughters. Mary married Richard COLLIER, a farmer residing in Thurston, Steuben Co. They have had three sons. Ruth married Isaiah JORDAN and resides in Tyrone. They have a daughter, Mary. Daniel W. married Agnes COLESTOCK, and is a farmer at Hart, Mich. They have three children. Nathan married Elizabeth WHITE of 

Campbelltown, and is a lawyer at Hart, Mich. Amos, Daniel W. and Nathan are respectively, County Judge, County Clerk and District Attorney of Oceana Co.  Daniel W. was formerly an Indian agent. Susan A. died a young woman.  David is a Theological student at Rochester.  Martha married George HILL, a merchant at Wayne. They have two children, Georgia and Lavina.  William married Euphemia GREGG of Bath, and is a lawyer at Lansing, Mich.; also a clerk in the government land office.  They have one daughter. James married Maria CLARK of Wayne, and is a farmer and vineyardist in Barrington. 

Amos married Catharine HERRICK of Wayne, and lives in that town. Their children are Ogden, Eliza, William and Joel.  Ogden, who alone became a resident of Yates county, married Jane SNYDER of Milo, and resides in Barrington. Their children are Phebe, Amos, Arvilla, Melissa and one other.  Phebe married Mr. DE CAMP, and resides in Tyrone.

Charlotte married Ogden SHERWOOD of Barrington and resided there. Their children were Amos, Wortman, Gilbert,  Nelson, Joel, Mary, Anna, Asa and Harriet. Amos married Ann Eliza, daughter of Philo CHUBB. He was a soldier of the 126th NYV., and became a Captain. After the war he emigrated to Michigan where he is a merchant. Wortman married Harriet DRAKE and died near Elmira.  Joel married Anice ELMER and is a merchant in Michigan. He too was a soldier in the war. 

Mary Ann married Alonzo W. SUNDERLIN, a noted Baptist clergyman, residing at Wayne. Their children are Van Rensselaer, Lorenzo, William, Byron and Alonzo A. Van Rensselaer married Elisabeth BISSEL of Milo, and emigrated to Mich.  Lorenzo died at Cincinnati.  William married Sarah MISNER.  Alonzo A. went to Michigan, and married there Anna COREY. 

Asa married Harriet BOYCE and resides in East Barrington.  Their children, are Emily, William, Ezra, Chauncy, Andrew,  Charlotte and John. Emily married James BASKIN of Tyrone.  They have one child. William married Susan, daughter of Nathaniel HUSON, and resides in Barrington. Ezra married Mary HORTON, and died leaving three children. Chauncy is married and resides in Barrington.

Joel WORTMAN, born in 1812 married first Martha A. BAILEY of Tyrone. She died in Barrington, where they first settled, leaving three children, Mariette, D. Anna and Amos. He married a second wife, Hiley T. BUNCE a widow and daughter of Jonathan TAYLOR. They moved to his present residence on the Bath road on lot 44 in Milo, where she died leaving two children, Ella E. and Martha. He married a third wife, Rebecca, daughter of John STONE. His daughter Mariette married Jacob  W. THAYER. Amos married Hortense SWARTHOUT, and resides in Barrington.   

Lavina married Charles, son of James A. SWARTHOUT, and emigrated to Palo,Iona county,Mich., with four children, Louisa, Sarah, William and Betsey.

Halsey married Huldah ROBINSON of Barrington, and they emigrated to Barrington, Cook Co, Illinois, where he died and his widow and children reside.

Sally married Erastmus WRIGHT of Barrington.

William married Jane JORDAN of Tyrone, and settled in Barrington where she died. He moved to Barrington, Ill., where he married Phebe, sister of Halsey WORTMAN’S wife.

Andrew married Julia, daughter of Allen BASSETT and resides in Barrington. Their children are Huldah, Eugene, C., Loella and an infant. Huldah married Henry FFREEMAN and moved to Urbana. They have two children, Charlena and an infant.     

David married Louisa, daughter of Dr. Daniel SUNDERLIN of Tyrone. They settled in Barrington and finally emigrated to Palo, Mich., where he is a practicing physician. Their children are Daniel, Charles and Frank.

The descendants of William WORTMAN number upwards of 170, and 140 are still among the living.

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