History of Danby, (Tompkins County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

Mortimer Dormer Leggett, soldier, was born in Danby, Tompkins county. N.Y., April 19, 1821; son of Isaac and Mary (Strong) Leggett, members of the society of Friends; and grandson of Charles and Phebe (William) Leggett, and of James and Eleanor (Denton) Strong, the ancestors of the Leggert family, Abraham and Isaac Leggert (brothers), came from England to America about 1755. Mortimer Leggett removed to Ohio in 1836, where he worked on his father's farm until 1839. He then attended a normal school in Kirtland, Ohio, and on leaving there took a course at Western Reserve college. He taught school, studied law, and took a course in the Willoughby Medical school to qualify himself for the practice of medical jurisprudence. He was admitted to the bar in Warren, Ohio, in 1844. In 1845 he established the first system of graded schools west of the Alleghenies. In 1857 he removed to Zanesville, Ohio, where he was superintendent of the public schools. When the civil war broke out he was a volunteer member of General McClellan's staff, and accompanied him to western Virginia. In 1861 he raised and organized the 78th Ohio volunteers, and was commissioned its colonel. He commanded the regiment at the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Corinth. At Bolivar, Tenn., August, 1862, he met and for seven hours fought a brigade of cavalry under command of General Armstrong, his force being less than nine hundred men. He was wounded at Shiloh, and later at Champion Hills and Vicksburg. He commanded the 1st brigade, 3d division, 17th army corps at Vicksburg during the siege, and his brigade was assigned to the construction of the extensive mine that compelled the evacuation of that stronghold. In the Atlanta campaign he commanded the 3d division, 17th army corps, and on July 21, 1864, captured Bald Hill, and subsequently held the same against repeated attacks of the Confederate army, the position being the key to the possession of Atlanta. He marched with Sherman to the sea and through the Carolinas to Washington, and was commissioned major-general of volunteers, Aug. 21, 1865. In 1865 he returned to Zanesville, where for several years he was superintendent of a portable engine works. He was U.S. commissioner of patents, 1871-75, and then engaged in the practice of patent law in Cleveland, Ohio. He was an organizer of the Brush Electric company and became its president in 1884. He was twice married; first, July 9, 1844, to Marilla, daughter of Absalom and Marilla Wells of Montville, Ohio, and secondly to Weltha, daughter of H. C. and Sylvia Post of Sandusky, Ohio. He is the author of: A Dream of a Modest Prophet, and many pamphlets. He died in Cleveland, Ohio, Jan. 6, 1896.

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

Henry Webster Parker, author, was born in Danby, N.Y., Sept. 7, 1822; son of the Rev. Samuel (1779-1866) and Jerusha (Lord) Parker. He attended the schools of Ithaca, N.Y., and was graduated from Amherst college A.B., 1843, A.M., 1847, and from the Auburn Theological seminary in 1846. He was ordained by the presbytery of Cayuga in 1847 and was pastor at Aurora, N.Y., 1847-50; at Dansville, N.Y., 1850-52; at Bedford and Central Congregational churches (founding the latter), Brooklyn, N.Y., 1852-56, and at North Congregational church, New Bedford, Mass., 1856-63. After a course of study in the Lawrence Scientific school, Harvard university, 1863-64, he was Dodge professor of chemistry and natural science at Iowa college, 1864-70; professor of mental and moral science in the Massachusetts Agricultural college, Amherst, Mass., 1870-79, and Stone professor of natural history at Iowa college, 1879?89. He removed to New York city in 1889, devoted himself to cyclopedia work, was on the editorial staff of the Standard Dictionary, vol. II, and became editor of Popular Science News in 1896. He was married, first, to Helen E. Fitch , of Auburn, N.Y., April 20, 1852, and secondly to Susan M. Winkley of Amesbury, Mass., Nov. 6, 1876. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Iowa college in 1886. He is the author of: Poems (1848); The Story of a Soul (1851); a volume of verse (1862); The Spirit of Beauty 1888); and The Agnostic Gospel (1896).

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