Ceres Township Biographical Sketches

POTTER BENSON, P.O. Ceres, N.Y., was born in Cincinnatus, Cortland Co., N.Y., February 18, 1814, a son of Didymus and Elizabeth (Fish) Benson. He settled in Ceres township, McKean Co., Penn., in 1832, and for a number of years was engaged in lumbering in Ceres township, and in Sharon, Potter county. He has lived on his present farm in Ceres township for the pasty twenty-five years. He married June 4, 1836, Henrietta C., daughter of Robert and Mary (Bee) Gilbert, of Ceres, by whom he had the following named children: Statira C. (Mrs. Justus Rice), Gulielma M. (Mrs. F.G. Fuller), Mary (Mrs. G.W. Lewis), John (killed at the battle of Gettysburg), Elizabeth (Mrs. R.R. Bell), Harriet (Mrs. Alvah Hall), Brice B. and Rebecca. Mrs. Benson's maternal grandmother, Mary Law, was born in England and married, for her first husband, Thomas Bee, and for her second husband, John Bell, and with her second husband came to America, about 1800, bringing her five children, Thomas, Mary and John Bee, and William and John Bell, and were among the first settlers of Ceres township. Thomas Bee and his brother, John, uncles of Mrs. Benson, and natives of England, were also pioneers of Ceres, John paying for the homestead and caring for his mother and step-father while they lived. Brice B. Benson, son of Potter and Henrietta C. (Gilbert) Benson, was born in Ceres, June 11, 1851, and resides on the homestead with his parents. In 1883 he married Eva, daughter of David and Ida (Holmes) Finch, of Portage, N.Y., and they have two children: Anna and Glenn.

JAMES BIGGINS, farmer, P.O. Eldred, was born in the Parish of Roban, County Mayo, Ireland, in June, 1834, a son of Patrick and Mary (Maloy) Biggins. He was reared in his native county until sixteen years of age. In the spring of 1851 he came to America and located in Livingston county, N.Y., where he worked as a farm hand for three years and eight months. In 1854 he settled in Ceres township, McKean Co., Penn., on the farm where he now resides, which he cleared, and also made all improvements in buildings, etc. Besides attending to his farm interests, he has to some extent been engaged in lumberng, and has been a successful man. March 29, 1864, he enlisted in Company C, Second United States Sharpshooters, and participated in the battles of the Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Spottsylvania, North Ann River, Cold Harbor and Petersburg; was wounded in the right wrist in the latter engagement, and was honorably discharged June 20, 1865. In 1868 he married Ellen, daughter of Patrick Welch, of Ceres township, and they have five children: Mary A., Ella E., John, Patrick and James. Mr. Biggins is a member of the Catholic Church, and of the G.A.R. He has served his township as overseer of the poor three years, school director six years, and six years as overseer of roads and tax collector. Politically he his a Republican.

OLIVER P. COON, farmer, of Ceres township, McKean Co., Penn., P.O. Ceres, N.Y., was born in Allegany county, N.Y., December 1, 1835, a son of Daniel B. and Nancy (Burdick) Coon. They settled in Ceres township in 1837, where our subject was reared from two years of age, and after attaining his majority, worked as a lumberman for a number of years, but has spent a good share of his life in farming. In 1882 he embarked in the drug business at Ceres, at which he continued six years. He has been married twice. His first wife was Cynthia Adams, of Linden, Cattaraugus Co., N.Y., and his second wife, Lucinda, daughter of Dr. Peter and Elizabeth (Woodring) Scholl, of Saegerstown, Penn., by whom he has one daughter, Lizzie. Mr. Coon has held several offices in Ceres township; was constable nine years in succession; served one term as jury commissioner of McKean county, and is at present holding the office of justice of the peace. He is a member of the K.O.T.M. and of the E.A.U. In politics he is a Democrat.

JOHN H. COON, carpenter, P.O. Ceres, N.Y., was born in Ceres township, McKean Co., Penn., June 30, 1842, a son of Daniel B. and Nancy (Burdick) Coon, the former a native of Rhode Island and his wife of Rensselaeer county, N.Y. They settled in Ceres township in 1837, and engaged in farming, clearing and improving the farm now occupied by Mrs. A. Austin, and here they died. They reared a family of five children: Oliver P., Lorenzo O., John H., Orson L. and Jennie (Mrs Prof. S.L. Maxon). John H. Coon was reared in Ceres, where, with the exception of three years that he lived in Wisconsin, he has always resided. He has followed the carpenter's trade twenty-five years, and was proprietor of the Grand Central Hotel at Ceres one and one-half years, and engaged in the livery business two years. In 1874 he married Maria, daughter of Fred and Mary (Maloy) Manning, of County Mayo, Ireland, and they have five children: Fred H., J. Leslie, Lee M., Arthur P. and J. Ralph. Mr. Coon is a leading representative citizen of Ceres; has held the office of justice of the peace fifteen years, and several minor offices; politically he is a Republican.

JAMES R. GROW, farmer, P.O. Myrtle, Penn., was born in Almond, N.Y., February 21, 1827, a son of George W. and Ruth (Cornell) Grow, who settled in Ceres township, McKean Co., Penn., in 1837, locating on the farm now owned and occupied by James R. Grow, a part of which they cleared and improved. They had six children who grew to maturity: Martin C., Hannah M. (Mrs. Peter North), Sally (Mrs. N. Lanphere), Angeline (Mrs. Almond Haskins), James R. and Celania T. (Mrs. Charles Fuller). James R. Grow was reared in Ceres township from ten years of age; he purchased the homestead of his father in 1853, cleared a good share of the farm and erected the present buildings. He married, in 1850, Martha A., daughter of Dwelley and Minerva (Fuller) Fuller, of Ceres township, and they have two children: Hattie M. (Mrs. C.B. Robarts) and Jennie A. (Mrs. Alton W. Maxon). Mr. Grow is a prominent and representative farmer of Ceres. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Sons of Temperance; has held the office of commissioner and supervisor of his township seven years, and school director several years. In politics he is a Republican.

GEORGE N. HACKETT, farmer, P.O. Glenn, was born in Oxford, Chenango Co., N.Y., May 2, 1828, a son of George and Mercy (Hall) Hackett. He was reared in his native county, where he received a common-school education and learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed as a journeyman for three years. In 1847 he located in Ceres township, McKean Co., Penn., and in 1852 purchased the land he now occupies, all of which he cleared and improved, and where he has since resided. He was twice married. His first wife was H. Charlotte, daughter of William J. and Anna (Edwards) Hornblower, natives of England and early settlers of Ceres township. To them were born seven children, two of whom are living: George W. and Henry N. His second wife was Hannah E., daughter of John and Jane (King) Bell, of Little Genessee, N.Y. Mr. Hackett is a prominent and representative farmer. He has held the offices of supervisor, poormaster and school director, each nine years, and is at present township auditor; in politics he is a Republican.

GEORGE W. HACKETT, druggist, P.O. Ceres, N.Y., was born in Ceres township, McKean Co., Penn., October 8, 1863, a son of George N. and Charlotte (Hornblower) Hackett. He was reared on the old homestead in Ceres township, where he remained until twenty-one years of age. When he was eighteen years old he taught school during the winter months for three seasons, and at the same time studied medicine with Dr. H.A. Place, of Ceres. In 1885 he was clerk in a drug store for six months, after which he became a parnter with C.D. Voorhees in the drug business at Shinglehouse, Potter Co., Penn., which partnership existed until February 27, 1888, when he purchased a drug store in Ceres, which he has since successfully conducted. He was married June 16, 1887, to Mae, daughter of George J. and Maggie (Scholl) Odenheimer, of Saegerstown, Penn., and they have one son, James N. Mr. Hackett is a member of the K.O.T.M.; politically he is a Republican.

NIMROD LANPHERE, farmer, P.O. Myrtle, was born in Almond, N.Y., April 21, 1817, a son of George W. and Hannah (Haskins) Lanphere, both natives of New England, who settled in Ceres township in 1835, on the farm now owned by William Worden, where they made some improvements and resided until their death. They had five children who grew to maturity: John, Lois (Mrs. John Chapman), Nimrod, Esther (Mrs. Clark Wells) and Martha (Mrs. Joseph Trumbull). Nimrod Lanphere was eighteen years of age when he removed to Ceres with his parents. He cleared and improved the farm he now occupies. He was married in 1840 to Sally, daughter of George W. and Ruth (Cornell) Grow, of Ceres township, and they have the following named children: George, Albert, Rosa A. (Mrs. Oscar Cooper), Winfield, Frank and Nellie (Mrs. Milo Eckert). The two eldest sons, George and Albert, were in the war of the Rebellion. George enlisted in a New York regiment, was wounded at Roanoke, Va., and was discharged on account of disability after one year's service; he re-enlisted in 1864, and served until the close of the war. Albert went out with the Pennsylvania Bucktails, was wounded at Gettysburg, and discharged after three years' service. Mr. Lanphere is a leading citizen of Ceres, and has held the offices of supervisor, judge of election, assessor and school director of the township. He is a member of the Seventh-Day Baptist Church; in politics he is a Repbulican.

THOMAS LYNCH, farmer, P.O. Ceres, was born in the town of Askelow, in County Limerick, Ireland, December 25, 1827, a son of Thomas and Mary (Reagan) Lynch, who emigrated to America in 1848, and settled in Washington, D.C., where they resided until their death. They had eight children, seven of whom came to America: Thomas, Margaret (Mrs. Thomas McMann), Bridget (Mrs. Thomas Mulqueen), Johanna (Mrs. John Scanlon), Ellen (Mrs. John McCarty), William and Patrick. All are now deceased except Patrick, who resides in Washington, D.C., and Thomas, the subject of this sketch, who was reared and educated in his native country, and came to America in 1847, remaing at Quebec, Canada, one year. He then went to Vermont, where he remained two years, and in 1850 settled in Ceres township, McKean county, and resided in Ceres village five years, working in the lumber mills of that place. In 1855 he settled on the farm he now owns and occupies, where he has since resided, and which he cleared and improved. He was married in 1855 to Mary A., daughter of John and Johanna (Powers) Kennedy, of County Limerick, Ireland, and they have four children living: John, William, Edward and Margaret. Mr. Lynch is a member of St. Mary's Church, Sartwell; in politics he is a Republican.

JUDSON RILEY, farmer, P.O. Sartwell, was born in Ceres township, McKean Co., Penn., August 13, 1865, and is a son of Jeremiah and Bridget (Lundrigan) Riley. His paternal grandfather was Jeremiah Riley, a native of County Cork, Ireland, who came to America in 1840, and settled in Ceres township, McKean Co., Penn. His maternal grandfather, James Lundrigan, was also a native of County Cork, Ireland, and was a pioneer of Annin township, McKean county. The father of the subject of this sketch was a native of County Cork, Ireland, and Judson's mother was born in Waddington, St. Lawrence Co., N.Y. Judson's father cleared and improved the farm in Ceres township now occupied by his widow and heirs, and there it was that he died. His children were eleven in number: Elizabeth (Mrs. Delon Beeman), Henry, Hannah (Mrs. John Bly), Ellen (Mrs. Thomas Foley), Kate, James and Judson (twins), Anna, John, Joseph and Winifred. Mr. Judson Riley was reared on the old homestead, and with his brothers, John and Joseph, conducts the farm. He is a member of the Catholic Church, and in politics is a Democrat.

JOHN J. ROBARTS, of the firm of Robarts Bros., dealers in general merchandise, Ceres, P.O. Ceres, N.Y., was born in Westfield, Tioga Co., Penn., April 16, 1844, a son of John J. and Phebe (Trowbridge) Robarts, natives of Luzerne county, Penn., and Painted Post, N.Y., respectively. His paternal grandfather was Josiah Robarts, a native of Connecticut, of Welsh and Scotch descent, a pioneer of Luzerne county, Penn., and his maternal grandfather was Henry B. Trowbridge, a native of Vermont, who, with his parents, settled in Tioga county, Penn., in an early day, and was a prominent business man of his time in Westfield, that county. The parents of John J. Robarts settled in Pleasant Valley, Potter Co., Penn., in 1853, where his father cleared and improved a farm, and resided there until 1866, when he removed to Annin (now Ceres) township, this county, locating on the farm now owned by his son C.B. Robarts, which he also cleared and improved, and resided there until his death, in 1878, at the age of sixty-six years. His children were Daniel P., Henry B., Jemima L., (Mrs. Lewis R. Palmer), Phebe S. (Mrs. E.B. West), Sarah E. (Mrs. J.S. Butters), John J., Martha E. (Mrs. H.S. Gleason), Polly M. (Mrs. E. Clark), Caleb B., Mary L. (Mrs. Henry Terrette) and William G. Of these, two were in the war of the Rebellion. Daniel P. enlisted in the Pennsylvania "Bucktails," was afterward transferred to the Invalid Corps, served three years, and was honorably discharged. Henry B. enlisted in 1864, in Company A, Eighty-fifth New York Volunteers, and was honorably discharged July 17, 1865. John J. Robarts was reared in Potter county, and received a limited education in the common schools. After leaving the farm he engaged as a clerk in a store at Port Allegany, and followed that occupation until 1868, including three years at Ceres. In March, 1868, he embarked in business for himself at Ceres, with V. Perry Carter, under the firm name of Carter & Robarts, dealers in general merchandise; and in 1873 he purchased his partner's interest, conducting the business alone until 1875, when he sold out. In 1883 he again resumed business in Ceres, and since 1887 the business has been conducted in the name of Robarts Bros., C.B. Robarts being his partner. Mr. Robarts was twice married; first, in June 1871, to Ella A., daughter of V. Perry and Almira (Smith) Carter, of Ceres, by whom he had one daughter, Grace A. Mrs. Robarts died, and September 17, 1878, he married Minnie C., daughter of A.C. and Belle C. (Smith) Hovey, of Ceres, by whom he has two children: Jay E. and H. Ross. Mr. Robarts served as auditor of McKean county in 1878-80-81, and was deputy sheriff in 1882-83. He is a member of the Masonic order and K.O.T.M.; in politics he is a Republican.

CALEB B. ROBARTS, of Robarts Bros., Ceres, was born in Westfield, Tioga Co., Penn., March 9, 1850, a son of John J. and Phebe (Trowbridge) Robarts. He was reared and educated in Pleasant Valley, Potter Co., Penn. He served an apprenticeship of four years at the mason's trade in Corry, Penn., after which he worked as a journeyman for two years. He then engaged in farming on Bell's run, Ceres township, McKean Co., Penn., at which he continued for fifteen years, on the farm he now owns, settled by his father, and during that period was also engaged in lumbering. In 1886 he embarked in mercantile business in Ceres, and in 1887 formed a partnership with his brother John J. under the firm name of Robarts Bros. Mr. Robarts married, in 1871, Hattie M., daughter of James R. and Martha (Fuller) Grow, of Ceres township, and they have two children: Ray R. and Daisy. Mr. Robarts is a representative merchant and citizen of Ceres. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the A.O.U.W., the S. of T. and the K.O.T.M.

FRANCIS M. VAN WORMER, lumberman, P.O. Ceres, N.Y., was born in Cohocton, Steuben Co., N.Y., February 18, 1836, a son of Henry and Hannah A. (Elliott) Van Wormer. His paternal grandfather, Lawrence Van Wormer, was born near Kinderhook, N.Y., and was of the old Dutch Knickerbocker stock. He settled in Cohocton, N.Y., in 1816, with a family of fourteen children, as well as a number of negroes, remnants of slavery days, who remained with the family. He was a farmer by occupation and a large landholder. The maternal grandfather of Francis M. was Jonathan Elliott, also a pioneer of Steuben county, N.Y., formerly of Otsego county, N.Y. Henry Van Wormer was a large real estate dealer and speculator in Steuben county, N.Y. Francis M. Van Wormer was reared in his native county, and educated in the common schools and Macomb Street Academy, Monroe, Mich. He settled in Ceres, McKean Co., Penn., in 1858, where he worked in a lumber-mill until the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion. April 15, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Twenty-third New York Volunteers, and participated in the battle of second Bull Run, Chantilly, Fredericksburg, Cedar Mountain, and other engagements, and was honorably discharged in June, 1863, at the expiration of his term of service. He then returned to Ceres, and, with L.P. White, purchased the grist-mill and lumber business of Eleazer Harmon, the business being conducted under the firm name of Van Wormer & White up to 1882, when Mr. Van Wormer purchased his partner's interest, and has since successfully conducted the business alone. Mr. Van Wormer married, in 1864, Elizabeth C., daughter of Rev. David B. and Alice H. (Pusey) Brown, of Coudersport, Penn., and they have three children living: A. Castella, Edith M. and Henry B. Mr. Van Wormer is a self-made and successful business man, and a prominent and respected citizen. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and politically he is a Republican.