History of Clifton Springs, (Ontario County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

Arthur Cleveland Coxe, second bishop of western New York and 74th in succession in the American episcopate, was born at Mendham, N.J., May 10, 1818; son of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Hanson and Abiah Hyde (Cleveland) Cox.1 Having early connected himself with the Episcopal church, as the result of earnest study and strong conviction, he passed immediately from the University of the City of New York, where he was graduated valedictorian in 1838, to the study of Hebrew and Greek under Prof. Isaac Nordheimer; and in 1840 to the General theological seminary, where he completed his course in 1841. He was admitted to the diaconate June 27, 1841, and advanced to the priesthood Sept. 25,1842. In September, 1841, he was married to Katherine Cleveland, daughter of Sirecon Hyde. He served during his diaconate at St. Ann's, Morrisania, N.Y. Removing to Hartford, Conn., where he was priested, he took charge of St. John's church, remaining there until 1854, when he became rector of Grace church, Baltimore, Md. In 1851 he visited England and attended the Lambeth conference, and was also a delegate to the second conference. In 1863 he took charge of Calvary church, New York where he remained until his consecration as bishop. While in Baltimore he was elected bishop of Texas, but declined the office. Dr. Coxe was consecrated Jan. 4, 1865, as bishop coadjutor to the bishop of western New York. On April 5 of the same year Bishop De Lancey died, and Bishop Coxe succeeded him as diocesan. In 1872 the missions of the church in Hayti were placed under the jurisdiction of the bishop of western New York, and Bishop Coxe made a visitation to the island, consecrating the Church of the Holy Trinity, meeting the clergy in convocation, and administering the rite of confirmation. He retained this charge until the consecration of Dr. Holly as bishop Of Hayti. In 1880 he exercised his Episcopal functions at the Gallicart chapel in Paris as bishop in charge. In 1887 he delivered the Baldwin lectures at the University of Michigan, and in 1891 the Bedell lectures at Kenyon college, Ohio. Bishop Coxe became widely known outside the Episcopal church as a talented controversialist. In 1869 he published "Open Letters to Pius IX." upon the calling of an Ecumenical council by the Pope, which was translated into all the European languages and reissued upon the recurrence of a like event. Bishop Coxe rounded the Christian literature company, and edited many of its publications. He was elected a member of the New York historical society and of the Buffalo historical society; and was a trustee of Hobart college, 1865-96. He was lecturer on English literature at Hobart, 1866-87, and a visitor there, 1865-96. He received the degree of D.D. from the College of St. James, Hagerstown, Md. in 1857; from Trinity, Hartford, and from the University of the City of New York in 1868, and from the University of Durham, England, in 1888. Kenyon college, Gainbier, Ohio, conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. in 1868. His published works include: Advent, a Mystery (1837); Athwold (1838); St. Jonathan (1838); Christian Ballads (1840); Athanasion and other Poems (1842); Hallow e'en (1844); Saul, a Mystery (1845); Sermons on Doctrine and Duty (1854); Apology for the English Bible (1854); Impressions of England (1856); Thoughts on the Services; The Criterion (1866); Moral Reforms (1869); The Ladye Chace ; L' Episcopat de L'Occident (1872); Apollos, or the Way of God (1874); Covenant Prayers (1875); The Penitential (1882); Institutes of Christian History (1887); The Paschal (1889); Holy Writ and Modern Thought (1892);and numerous writings in book and pamphlet form with addresses, pastoral letters, sermons, lectures, translations and edited works. In 1885-86 he edited Clark's AnteNicene Library, 8 volumes, and his open letters to Satolli (1895) were widely commented upon. He died at Clifton Springs, N.Y., July 20, 1896.

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

Alexander Robert Lawton, diplomatist, was born in St. Peter's parish, Beaufort, S.C., Nov. 4, 1818. He was graduated from the U.S. Military academy in 1839; promoted 2d lieutenant in the 1st artillery and served on frontier duty until 1841, when he resigned. He was graduated from the Harvard Law school in 1842, and established himself in practice at Savannah, Ga., in 1843. He was president of the Augusta and Savannah railroad, 1849-54; was appointed colonel of the 1st regiment, Georgia volunteer militia, in 1852; was a representative in the Georgia legislature, 1854-60; president of the Democratic state convention in 1860, and state senator, 1860-61. As colonel of the 1st Georgia regiment, he seized Fort Pulaski by order of Gov. Joseph E. Brown, and commanded that post until April, 1861, when he was made brigadier-general in the Confederate army and placed in command of the Atlantic coast, with headquarters at Savannah. He joined the army of Gen. T. J. Jackson in the Valley of Virginia, June, 1862, with 6000 men from Georgia, forming the 4th brigade in Jackson's division, Army of Northern Virginia. He took part in the battles of Beaver Dam Creek, June 26; Gaines's Mill, June 27; Savage's Station, June 29; Frayser's Farm, June 30, and Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862. At Gaines's Mill his brigade, with that of General Winder, formed the detachment of Jackson's division that led the successful advance on the Federal line near Old Cold Harbor that decided that battle. At the second battle of Bull Run, Aug. 26-27, 1862, his brigade formed a part of General Ewell's division, and when Eweli was wounded he succeeded to the command of the division. He took part in the capture of Harper's Ferry, Sept. 15, 1862, and commanded Ewell's division in the battle of Sharpsburg, Md., where he was severely wounded and was succeeded by Gen. Jubal A. Early. He was quartermaster-general of the Confederate army in the war department from Aug. 10, 1863, until the close of the war. He resumed practice in Savannah; was a state representative in 1874; a delegate and vice-president of the state constitutional convention of 1877, and was chairman of its judiciary committee. He was a presidential elector on the Tilden ticket in 1876; chairman of the Democratic national conventions of 1880 and 1884; was appointed U.S. minister to Russia by President Cleveland in 1885, but the appointment was not confirmed by the senate, owing to disabilities arising from his service in the Confederate army not having been removed. The President then pardoned him, and appointed him U.S. minister to Austria, and he served 1887-89. He died in Clifton Springs, N.Y., July 2, 1896.

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

Stuart Oliver Henry, author, was born at Clifton Springs, N.Y., Sept. 17, 1860; son of Oliver H. and Harriet H. (Crane) Henry. His mother was a descendant of the Cranes of Saybrook, Conn. He was graduated from the University of Kansas, A.B., in 1881; engaged in the wheat business with his brother, 1881-83; travelled and studied in Germany, 1888-84, and on his return to the United States began his literary career by contributing articles to the Nation and the Popular Science Monthly. He went to Europe in 1891 and spent nearly five years in Paris studying French literature under Georges Pellissier and other eminent critics. He published articles on French themes in London periodicals which brought him into notice and acquainted him with many of the leading French authors. He was married in November, 1889, to Nellie, daughter of Judge Solon O. Thacber, of Lawrence, Ken. She died in 1891, and he was married secondly in June, 1895, in London, England, to Georgia, daughter of George N. Johnson, ef Champaign, Ill. He is the author of Paris Days and Evenings (London, 1896); Hours with Famous Parisians (Chicago, 1897), and French Etudes and Rhapsodies (1899), and contributed to the Contemporary Review an article entitled "Gray and Gay Race" (1893).

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

John Van Schaick Lansing Pruyn, representative, was born in Albany, N.Y., June 22, 1811; son of David and Hiberte (Lasing) Pruyn; grandson of Casparus and Catherine (Groesbeck) Pruyn and of Christopher and Sarah (Van Schaick) Lansing, and a descendant of Francis Pruyn, called Frans Jansen, who emigrated from Holland to America with his wife, Aeltje, and settled in Albany, N.Y., as early as 1665. He attended private schools and was graduated from the Albany academy in 1826; studied law, under James King of Albany and was admitted to the bar Jan. 13, 1832. In 1833 he engaged in practice in partnership with Henry H. Martin, and as counsel in the James will case acquired prominence in his profession. He was appointed an examiner in chancery, March 27, 1833, and a master, Feb. 10, 1836, by Governor Marcy, and injunction master for the 3d circuit by Chancellor Walworth, Feb. 13, 1836. He became counsel to the Albany city bank in 1834, and subsequently a director and vice-president; a director of the Mohawk and Hudson railroad and its counsel, 1835-53, and when the railroads between Albany and Buffalo were consolidated as the New York Central in 1853, he drew up the agreement and conducted the transfer. He was the principal counsel in the Hudson River Bridge case; was sole trustee of the estate of Harmanus Bleecker, and the financial agent of the Sault Ste. Marie canal. He practised in partnership with John H. Reynolds, 1851-53, and in 1853 retired from the law profession to become secretary, treasurer and general counsel to the New York Central railroad, which office he held, 1854-60. He was a member of the New York senate in 1861-62, and devoted his salary to the poor of Albany. He was a Democratic representative from the fourteenth New York district in the 38th congress, having been elected to complete the term of Erastus Corning, resigned, and was re-elected to the 40th congress, serving 1863-65 and 1867-69. He was married first, Oct. 22, 1840, to Harriet Corning, daughter of Thomas and Mary Ruggles (Weld) Turner, and secondly, Sept. 7, 1865, to Anna Fenn, daughter of the Hon. Amasa Junius and Harriet Langdon (Roberts) Parker of Albany, N.Y. He was a commissioner for the building of the new state capitol, 1865-70, and on July 7, 1869, laid the first stone. He was a regent of the University of the State of New York, 1844-77; succeeded Hon. Gerrit Y. Lansing as chancellor, serving 1862-77; was president of Albany Institute, 1857-77, founder and president of the New York State board of charities, 1867-77; president of the board of commissioners of the state survey, 1876-77; a trustee of St. Stephen's college at Annandale, N.Y., 1860-77; a member of the Centennial commission, 1871-76, and of the Association for the Codification of the Law of Nations. He was a corresponding member of the New York Historical society, honorary member of the Wisconsin Historical society; a member of the American Geographical and Statistical society, of the Literary Fund society of London, and of the Union club and the Century association of New York. He received the hononary degree A.M. from Rutgers college in 1835, LL.D. from Union college in 1845, and from the University of Rochester in 1852. He died at Clifton Springs, N.Y., Nov. 21, 1877.

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