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 Old Men 01

(Pictured above: 1)Joe Krusen; 2)John Prest; 3)Robert Boyd; 4)Jeremiah Clark; 5)Jesse C. Green; 6)George Wescott; 7)Thomas Henderson; 8)Henry Bullard; 9)Frank Bassett; 10)James McGinty; 11)Will Snyder; 12)Edgar Porter; 13)John F. Baker; 14)D. K. Porter; 15)Clark Richardson; 16)Will Church; 17)Michael Garvin.  Photo taken by Lowell A. Burrows in 1900

 A Snap Shot of the “Ten Sitters”

A short sketch of each.

Compiled by William A. Greene

     It was one of the first warm spring days in the year 1900, when the old settlers who sit around the stove in the country store, moved out into old Sol’s first warm days. As they sat there talking over the good old times of the 2o’s and 30’s, an amateur photographer (who was looking for subjects) spied this small party of old men enjoying a quiet smoke, whittling a pine stick, telling some “true” stories of their olden times, reading the latest from the Boer war, current topics, and possibly the subject of prohibiting the new fangled vehicle (the bicycle) from usning the walks in our corporation was under discussion.    

     The aggregate age of the front row of our subjects will amount to 711 years, with an average of 71 years. The oldest is 85 years of age. Four of the ten served in the war of the rebellion. It will seem strange to the reader to know that this group of old settlers were at this place without any prearranged conditions. All were sitting in the positions seen in the picture when found by the photographer.

   A short sketch of each of the ten men sitting or standing in the foreground may be of interest to our readers.

     The photographer was Lowell A. Burrows, who was a Pharmacist and owned his own drug store and held the office of Town Clerk.

No. 1) Joseph Krusen, was born in the tow of Washington, N.J., Sept. 29, 1815. He is the oldest man in our picture, but is still a “cupid.” When two years old he moved to Newfield, near Ithaca, this state. When seven years old he moved to Greenwood, living there 14 years. He has lived in Andover 60 years. Mr. Krusen has done considerable hunting, and up to a few years ago made annual trips to the big woods in Pennsylvania in search of deer or any large game which might present itself. Mr. Krusen has been in the West and done considerable hunting there. He has killed 49 wolves and as many antelopes. He was a captain in a company of artillery for three years and then got up a company of light infantry and was captain of that for about the same length of time. ( I can’t find any proof of this.) Mr.Kursen has been honored by office in this town, he being Supervisor for 12 years, Deputy Sheriff for nine years, and Postmaster for a number of yeas. He was also in the mercantile business in Andover for 36 years. At this late stage of life he is doing a little farming and is a wonderfully preserved man for his advanced age.

No. 2) John Prest was born in Ontario county, N.Y., in the year 1827. He moved with his parents to this town when six years ole, the family located on the farm occupied and now owned by Loren Pingrey. In 1853 he moved to the village of Andover where he has since resided. He has been Supervisor, Justice of the Peace and was the first President of our corporation. He is a carpenter by trade and has dome more towards building up the village than any other person. He erected the Union School and Academy building and the Methodist Episcopal church in Wellsville, a large block in Painted Post, the M.E. church, and many other building in Andover and he built the Prest opera house on Greenwood St. Mr. Prest says he never has had any encounters with Indians or bears, but has had with mosquitoes, it being necessary, years ago, to build a fire to make a smudge in order to him his cows. He has done considerable rafting, starting at Canisteo and taking his raft of logs and lumber to the Chesapeake bay. Mr. Prest (according to Bob Bundy’s account of it) also took to farming, some years ago on Hartsville hill. To make a long story short, Mr. Bundy bought some straw of Mr. Prest, and went up to see and get it. After they loaded the straw and bound it on firmly, Mr. Prest went to the house for an errand, Mr. Bundy going into the barn. The horses tipped the load into the snow and ran two miles. Rob and Mr. Prest walked the distance in snow waist deep, found the horses and returning, pitched the load on again and started for Andover. The load was tipped over and pitched on again. The same thing happened for the third time before they reached home. They arrived after dark, hungry and wet, and Mr. Prest thought he had worded Mr. Bundy hard enough so he would not take any pay for the straw. Who says there isn’t money in farming “Mr.Prest’s way”?

No. 3) Robert Boyd, was born in Canandaigua village Sept. 23, 1817. His father and family moved to this town, cutting his way thru the woods from Elm Valley in the spring of 1820, locating within ten of the place where Mr. Boyd now lives. When he and his parents came into this town his father pitched his tent against a tree and they lived in this way for a week. In the meantime his father cut logs and built a log house 16 by 20 feet, and covered the house with a roof of bark, nailing the bark to the poles with nails he made himself by hand before coming from Canandaigua. The floor was logs split and hewed flat, a contrast from our polished floors of today. Mr. Boyd has always been a great lover of hunting, trapping, etc. He has killed many bears, deer and game of all description. He has seen Indians hunting and also has hunted with them in Pennsylvania. Deer were numerous, it being no uncommon thing to hear them browsing the leaves from the trees so as to be easily heard in the house where he lived. He also says that he can remember of his mother calling his older brother and telling him that a small snow had fallen in the night and wished he would get up and get some venison for breakfast, which he did, and returned at 7 o’clock with a nice deer. Mr. Boyd is wonderfully preserved. He seldom if ever rides from his home to the village, a distance of about three miles by road. He walks off as a spry as a boy. Mr. Boyd has voted 61 years and never missed but one election and one town meeting, he being away from home at the time. He says he remembers when our Main Street was lined on the east side with woods, and on the west side was a big wheat field. The first grist mill established on Corwin Hill was conducted by Abner Bullard father of Henry Bullard, on the lot now owned by Davie Corwin. It was merely a hollow sump with a plugged bottom, over which was hung a spring pole with a heavy pestle where the corn was pounded sufficiently fine to make johnnycake with. Mr. Boyd says he has taken to school for his dinner, johnnycake made from meal obtained in this way.

No. 4) Jeremiah Clarke, was born in Brookfield, Madison Co., N.Y., April 11, 1825, and came with his parents in June of the same year, to this place. Jeremiah bought a farm on Independence Hill in 1845, where he lived 43 years. Failing health compelled him to move to this village in 1894. Mr. Clarke is a great lover of fine thorobred stock, and since the year 1877 has been an extensive breeder of Holstein Friesian cattle. If it were not for Mr. Clarke’s rheumatic affection, he would be able to do considerable labor.

No. 5) Jesse C. Green, was born in Hinsdale, N.Y., Dec. 5, 1839, and came to Andover in 1858. He was an enlisted soldier in the Civil War, was taken prisoner and served ten months and nine days in Andersonville Prison. When Mr. Green entered the service he weighted 180 pounds, and when released only 100 pounds. Mr. Green was a drayman for a number of years, and 12 years Erie baggage-master. He has been honored by office in the town, being Highway Commissioner three years, Postmaster, and is one of the Assessors at this time.

No 6) George W. Wescott, was born in the town of Alfred, April 14, 1835. He came to Andover when 14 years old, and lived here since. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion in 1862, and was discharged on account of wounds in 1863. Mr. Wescott says he never had any experiences worthy of record, but has some wonderful snake stories to relate; but the writer thinks he has reformed and does not see snakes as large as he, in those days. He is a wagon and iron worker, doing business in this village.

No. 7) Thomas L. Henderson, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, in 1842. He is a new resident of Andover, having only moved here since February, 1900. He was a soldier in the Civil War.   Mr. Henderson was deeply engaged in war news when the picture was taken, so the readers will necessarily have to put the ??ay on his hat to see how he looks.

No. 8) Henry Bullard, the oldest man born in Andover who still lives here. He was born Feb. 17, 1820. His early days were served upon a farm, and the trade of stone mason. He worked his farm until eight years ago, when he moved to this village. He is wonderfully preserved for a man of his age. He frequently walks to his farm and back, which is more that three miles one way. He says he can walk ten miles in a day now. He has seen Andover grow from its infancy, and says he has seen wolves and deer Thicker that free silver Democrats. He can read common print readily without glasses. He works his own garden, and hiers extra ground of a neighbor which he also works.

No. 9) Frank M. Bassett, was born Nov. 28, 1835, in the town of Independence. He graduated from Alfred University in 1858, and from Binghamton Commercial College, in 1860. He enlisted in the War of the Rebellion in 1862, serving as a musician and was discharged Aug. 11, 1865. Always farmed for an occupation until 1891, when he retired, and moved to Andover, as he says, “to sit on people’s front steps.” He is now Clerk of the village of Andover and makes a very efficient official.

No. 10) James McGinty, was born in Ballycroy, county Mayo, Ireland, May 6, 1834. He came to Canada by sailboat, sailing April 2, 1840 being six weeks and tree days on the voyage. The first place he located was in Nunda, this state, in the summer of 1840, and in 1841 he moved to Baker’s Bridge, now Alfred Station. In the spring of 1842 he moved back to Canada, thence to Buffalo in 1846. In 1847 he moved to Andover. After living here until 1870 he moved to Middletown, Orange county, and engaged in the mercantile business for two years. Then he returned to Andover where he has since resided. He is an extensive dealer in live stock and produce. He is also engaged in the oil and gas business, being for ten years member of the Mutual Gas Company. He has he considers himself to be the plumpest, high-toned, thorobred, imported gentlemen in Allegany county, registered at Quebec, Canada, and if he lives say he will vote and shout for Bryan, is known on combinations and trusts, and death on political corruption assessments. The writer thinks that Mr. McGinty is very proud of his form and good looks, but would think he was a native of the Fatherland rather than the Emerald Isle, Judging form his physique.

Nothing was ever written about numbers 11 thru 17, so I did a little research to fill in the blanks where possible.

No. 11) William F. Snyder, later became Town Clerk and clerk in the Snyder and Clark Wholesale Cheese Company. Later when the Auditorium was built in 1908 on the corner of East Greenwood St. and South Main St., he became one of the managers of the theater along with John E. Cannon. Seeing the new the building wasn’t paid for, Will and John donated their services so that the Andover people might have the pleasures of a first class playhouse as no charge.

No. 12) Edgar Porter, I didn’t find anything on him.

No. 13) John F. Baker, He was a farmer

No. 14) Delancy K. Porter, worked for many years with his father Alonzo Porter at the Porter Hardware, which was located where the Andover Post Office is now located and is directly located behind the gentlemen in the photo. The hardware was one of the oldest and best established business places in Andover. When Alonzo died, D.K. carried on the business alone. Later his son-in-law, Earl A. Richardson joined on as junior partner. The business became Porter and Richardson Hardware.

No. 15) Clark Richardson, I didn’t find anything on him.

No. 16) Will Church, The only thing I found on Will was he moved to Texas and was killed while breaking horses.

No. 17) Michael Garvin, He and his brother Henry P Garvin operated a produce and livestock business in Andover.