History of Plattsburgh, (Clinton County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

Joseph Mason, representative, was born at Plattsburg, N.Y., March 30, 1828; son of Joseph and Sally (Moore) Mason and grandson of Aaron Mason. He removed to Hamilton, N.Y., in 1840; attended Hamilton academy and Madison university; studied law under his brother, Charles Mason, afterward judge of the court of appeals in New York, and was admitted to the bar in 1849. He was married, April 27, 1858, to Cornelia R., daughter of Stephen G. Sears of De Ruyter, N.Y. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Madison university in 1859. He was county judge for Madison county, 1864-68; collector for the 24th internal revenue district of New York, 1871-76; and Republican representative from the 24th district in the 46th and 47th congresses, 1879-83. After the close of his second congressional term he engaged in the practice of the law at Hamilton, N.Y., and was so occupied in 1901.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Lucretia Maria Davidson, poet, was born in Plattsburg, N.Y., Sept. 27, 1808; daughter of Oliver and Margaret (Miller) Davidson. Her father was a physician and her mother an author. The child was remarkably well read before she was twelve years old, and was the author of numerous verses before she was nine. Her propensity for writing verses was checked for a time by her parents who denied her pen and paper. She was largely a creature of impulse and would stop in the midst of pleasure or work to write. In 1824 she attended Mrs. Willard's school at Troy, N.Y., but application to her studies undermined her health and she was taken home. She left in manuscript 278 poems including five of several cantos each. In speaking of her accomplishment, Shelley, the poet, said: "In our own language, except in the cases of Chatterton and of Kirke White, we can call to mind no instance of so early, so ardent and so fatal a pursuit of intellectual advancement." Her sister, Margaret Miller, had a similar sensibility and precocity and her poems were introduced to the world by Washington Irving. She died when fifteen years old. Their brother, Levi P., was a lieutenant in the U.S. army and also "wrote verses with elegance and ease." He died when twenty-five years old. Lucretia's poems were published under the title Amir Khan and Other Poems with a sketch by S. F. B. Morse (1828; new edition, illustrated by Darley, 1871); and the works of the two sisters in 1850. She died in Plattsburg, N.Y., Aug. 27, 1825.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Nathaniel Walling Clark, educator, was born at Plattsburg, N.Y., Feb. 12, 1859; son of George L. and Ja-ann (Walling) Clark, grandson of Nathaniel Clark of West Chazy, N.Y., and a descendant of Samuel Clark of Weathersfield, Conn., a soldier of the Revolution, who served under Washington at Valley Forge. He was graduated from Wesleyan university A. B. in 1879, A.M., 1882, and from Drew theological seminary, B. D. in 1883, entering the Philadelphia conference of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was transferred to the Newark conference in 1885 and to the Germany conference in 1889. He was professor in the Martin mission institute, Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, 1889-93 and in 1893 was transferred to the Italy conference, becoming president of the Methodist theological college at Rome, Italy. He was a reserve delegate to the General conference of 1896. He was married, Aug. 22, 1883, to Felicia H., daughter of the Rev. Henry A. Buttz, D.D., of Madison, N. J. He was elected a member of the British and American arch?ological society.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John White Moore, naval officer, was born in Plattsburgh, N.Y., May 24, 1832; son of Amasa Corbin and Charlotte Elizabeth (Mooers) Moore; grandson of Pliny and Martin (Corbin) Moore, and of Gen. Benjamin and Hannah (Platt) Mooers. He entered the U.S. navy as 3d assistant engineer, May 21, 1853; was appointed 2d assistant, June 27, 1855 1st assistant July 21, 1858, and chief engineer, Aug. 5, 1861. His first sea service was on board the Saranac, Mediterranean squadron, 1853-56, at the time of the Crimean war. He was on board the Niagara, engaged in laying the Atlantic cable, 1857; on the flagship Richmond, in the Mediterranean, 1860-61; on the West Gulf blockading squadron, 1861-63, where he originated the use of iron chain cables to protect the sides of wooden vessels, the use of "war paint" and of fighting tops protected by boiler iron to defend the crews against sharpshooters on the river banks. He was general superintendent of iron-clads in New York, August, 1863; a member of the board of examiners, Philadelphia, October, 1863; supervising inspector of machinery, Boston, Mass., January, 1864; fleet engineer on the staff of Admiral Farragut in Europe on board the Franklin, 1867; on special duty at various points, 1869-72; chief engineer on the flagship Hartford, Asiatic station, 1872-76; attended the Franklin celebration on the staff of Admiral Porter, October, 1881; was fleet engineer of the Pacific station on board the Hartford, 1882-86, and supervising inspector at various yards and on various stations, 1886-94. He was retired May 24, 1894, with the rank of commodore after forty-one years' service. He was recalled to active service in 1898, during the war with Spain, and was on special duty at the New York navy yard until the close of the war. He was married, Nov. 19, 1863, to Emily, daughter of Capt. Horace B. Sawyer, U.S.N., and Roxalana (Wadsworth) Sawyer, and had one son, Clarence Sawyer Moore, and four daughters: Louisa Sawyer, who married, June 28, 1899, John Nichols Moore; Minnie Sawyer, who married, Oct. 14, 1890, Commodore William E. Sewell, U.S.N.; Elsie Sawyer, who married, Nov. 11, 1899, the Hon. Robert Mazet of New York, and Emily Sawyer, who married, June 28, 1900, Lieut. Claude Bailey, U.S.N. Commodore Moore made his home at "The Moorings," Bolton Landing, Lake George, N.Y.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor