History of Westchester County, New York, Volume 3. Группа авторов
was a son of Justice and Phoebe (Searles) Willson, farming people. The birth of the grandfather is supposed to have occurred on Long Island, New York. His children, all of whom save one are deceased, were: Thomas, who was a farmer of Wisconsin; Belinda, who became the wife of Rev. George Coles; John, a farmer, who died in Massachusetts; Nancy, who was the wife of William Rogers, a silver manufacturer of Hartford, Connecticut; Nehemiah, the father of our Subject; and Electa, who is the only one living, is unmarried and resides in Hartford. The children born to Rev. George Coles and wife were as follows: Mary Frances, who married Rev. Erastus O. Haven, who was one of the leading educators of this country and was a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal church for many years prior to his death; Elizabeth, who married Rev. George W. Woodruff, D. D., a Methodist Episcopal minister belonging to the Eastern conference of New York; George W. J., who served through the civil war and is now clerking in New York city; and James S., who also was one of the boys in blue, died in the service. In connection with farming Nehemiah Willson, our subject's father, conducted a store in North Salem and for some time he served as supervisor of that place. Politically he was first a Whig and later a Republican. He died in 1889, and his wife passed away in 1884, honored and respected by all who knew them.
Elbert S. N. Willson has always made his home upon his present farm of thirty acres, and to general farming has devoted much of his time. His education was acquired in the North Salem Academy. He now gives special attention to the raising of chickens, having upon his place some very fine specimens of Buff Leghorns and Plymouth Rocks, and has won several premiums at the poultry fairs in New York. He is one of the leaders of the Republican party in his township, and is quite influential and prominent in public affairs, having since 1886 most acceptably filled the offices of assessor and justice of the peace.
On the 19th of October, 1859, Mr. Willson wedded Miss Mary J. Todd, who was born in Lewisborough township November 24, 1836, a daughter of Abraham and Maria (Wescott) Todd. Three daughters bless this union: Eliza Ann, wife of Theodore Knapp, a farmer of Lewisborough township, by whom she had three children, — Lillian, Arthur and Ernest; Florence W., wife of Gilbert B. Burr, a farmer of Ridgefield, Connecticut; and Loretta B., wife of Gilbert M. Anderson, a clerk in New York city, by whom she has one child, Gilbert M., Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Willson and their children are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which he is officially connected, and the family are held in high esteem by all who know them.
MERRITT, JOHN O.
Mr. Merritt, who is a prominent contractor and builder at Port Chester, was born December 12, 1837, at Greenwich, Connecticut, which place, by the way, is but three miles from Port Chester, New York. Of this place also his father, William Merritt, was a native, and he also was a mason, contractor and builder, his operations in these lines being very extensive. He died at the advanced age of eighty-six years. During the war of 1812 he enlisted for service in the army, but was not called into action. In his politics he was a Democrat, and in religion a member of the Methodist church. Jesse Merritt, the father of the last mentioned, was also a native of Greenwich, where he passed all his life, also as a mason and contractor, and he also died at the age of eighty-six years. His father was from England, coming with two brothers and settling upon a farm at Greenwich, which place is still in the possession of the family.
William Merritt, the father of John O., married Miss Jane Ann Hancock, of New York, and a daughter of William Hancock, who was a native of England and a sea captain. He was taken prisoner by the British during the war of 1812 and held in captivity for three years. Mrs. Jane Ann Merritt died when about sixty years of age, a zealous and exemplary Methodist.
Mr. John O. Merritt remained on the farm of his father until twenty-five years of age, learning meanwhile the mason's trade, of his father and an older brother. At that time he came to Port Chester, where he has ever since resided and carried on his trade. After coming here he followed his trade as a journeyman for a short time and then engaged in contracting for and building sewers, walls and large factories, — among the latter being the Glenville Woolen Mills, the New Rochelle school-house, etc. His operations at present comprise the laying of water pipes, sewers, etc., and road building. He now has a thirty-thousand-dollar contract for laying the track of the trolley street-car line at Port Chester. Mr. Merritt has always been an enterprising and successful man in business. In politics he has ever been an influential and active Democrat; was village trustee three terms, and for seven years was a member of the fire department.
He was united in matrimony with Miss Eliza J. Parker, of Harrison township, this county, and they have two children, — Freeman, a contractor at East Chester, New York; and Edith, the wife of Henry Buckout, of White Plains, this county.
NELSON, WILLIAM H. AND GEORGE
The Nelson Brothers, who are dairy farmers of Somers township, are two of the most energetic and enterprising business men of Westchester county. They embarked in the dairy business about 1878, under the firm name of Nelson Brothers, but business is now conducted under the name of W. H. Nelson. On starting out they had only twenty-five cows, but as their trade gradually grew they purchased more, and now have from five to six hundred head. They have established a large milk depot at No. 210 West Thirty-fifth street, New York city, where they dispose of most of their product in a wholesale business. Their large farm comprises about twenty-five hundred acres of valuable land, and in connection with its operation they have been extensively engaged in raising fine horses, and have some excellent specimens of the noble steed upon their place. Both brothers are natural mechanics, and upon their farm they have shops equipped for making all necessary repairs on machinery, etc. They also manufacture their own wagons and have turned out some fine carriages from their factory. They devote about three hundred acres to the raising of corn, which large area implies that the product is the largest amount of that cereal raised on any farm in the county. They started at the very bottom of the ladder financially, but by their combined efforts, industry and determination to succeed, they have built up a most extensive and profitable business, now furnishing employment to about fifty men all the year around.
The parents of these gentlemen were Henry G. and Prudy K. (Sarles) Nelson. The father died in 1860, at the age of forty-seven years, but the mother is still hale and hearty, at the age of eighty. Our subjects were their only children, William being born in 1846, and George in 1850. Both were principally educated in the public schools, though they pursued a business and collegiate course for a short time. They are wide-awake, energetic men of known reliability, and occupy an enviable position in the business world of this part of the country. Both vote the Democratic ticket, but George takes a more active part in political affairs than his brother. He was married February 17, 1898, to Miss Katie L. , daughter of Samuel and Emma Lounsbury, and they reside on the old Nelson homestead, two miles west of Katonah.
CARRIGAN, GEORGE E.
The efficient chief of police of SingSing. New York, is a native of Westchester county, born April 14, 1862, and is a son of James Edward and Mary Elizabeth (Anderson) Carrigan. The father also was born in this county, in 1822, and was here reared to manhood. Almost his entire life was passed upon the water, and at the early age of fourteen years he was given command of the sloop Ben Brandreth, plying between Croton and New York city. He was later accredited with being one of the best and most successful navigators that plied the Hudson river, and was the owner of several different vessels, including the Lucy Hopkins, one of the fleetest sloops that ever sailed that stream. She was about one hundred tons burden. For the long period of forty-eight years Captain Carrigan had command of different vessels, and after the organization of the Republican party he was one of its stanch supporters. His father was William Carrigan, also a native of Westchester county and a cooper by trade. The Captain is now deceased, but his wife, who was a native of Putnam county. New York, is still living; and of the twelve children born to them, seven survive: William H., a resident of Yonkers, New York; Elnora, wife of Charles Acley, of Croton; Marian, wife of Edward Fillmore, of SingSing; Mary E. , wife of James D. Edwards, of SingSing; James Edward, a steamboat pilot and a resident of New York city; George E., our subject; and Clarissa D., wife of Joseph Poria, of Yonkers.
George E. Carrigan was reared in Croton, New York, and was educated in the public schools of that place.