History of Avon, (Livingston County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

William Bradley Douglas, banker, was born in Troy, N.Y., Dec. 26, 1818; son of Alanson and Anna (Sutherland) Douglas. He acquired a thorough preparatory education and became a clerk in his father's bank. He was married, June 3, 1841, to Charlotte Cornelia Dickinson, daughter of Orange and Sophia (Rathbone) Ferris of Duchess county, N.Y. In 1842 he became cashier of the Bank of Ithaca, N.Y., and in January, 1850, was elected president of the Mercantile bank, New York city. He retired from active business in 1856 and removed to Geneva, N.Y., where he was made a trustee of Hobart college and of the General theological seminary of New York city. He was a large contributor to the endowment fund of Hobart college and built the chapel for that institution. He removed to Rochester, N,Y., in 1870, where he built St. Andrew's church, the rectory, chapel and Douglas Hall. He was also elected a trustee of the Rochester Church home. He was a member of the standing committee of the diocese of western New York, 1857-64; trustee of the church fund, 1858-66; of the parochial fund, 1864-68; of De Lancey divinity school, 1860-66; and of the Cathedral chapter, 1880-98. His benefactions were divided between church institutions and individuals whom he helped in making a start in life or in recovering from fallen fortune. He died at Avon, N.Y., Oct. 19, 1898; Mrs. Douglas died in Rochester, N.Y., July 15, 1899. Two children survive them: the Rev. George William Douglas, D.D. who married Cornelia de Koven, daughter of the Hon. Hugh Thompson Dickey of New York; and Mary Hawley, who married Frank Addison Ward of Rochester, N.Y.

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

William Henry Cuyler Hosmer, poet, was born in Avon, N.Y., May 25, 1814; son of George Hosmer, lawyer, soldier in the war of 1812, district attorney of Livingston county, 1820, and member of the assembly, 1823-25; grandson of Timothy Hosmer, surgeon on Washington's staff in the Revolution, and great grandson of Stephen Hosmer, a graduate of Yale in 1732. He was educated as a lawyer, was a master in chancery at Avon, and a clerk in the New York custom house, 1854-56. He learned the Indian dialect from his mother, who was an accomplished linguist, and he travelled extensively among the tribes of Wisconsin and Florida, studying their characteristics and lore. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from the University of Vermont in 1841. His published works include: The Fall of Tecumseh, a drama (1830); Themes of Song (1834); The Pioneers of Western New York (1838); The Months (1841); Yonnondio, or the Warriors of Genesee (1844); Bird Notes (1850); Legend of the Senecas(1850); Poetical Works (2 vols., 1854). He died in Avon, N.Y., May 23, 1877.

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