JOSEPH
BUSH
Joseph Bush, the subject of this
sketch, was born in Bainbridge, Chenango county, N. Y., where he now
resided, on the 23d of February, 1823. He was the youngest of a family of
seven children, viz.: Horace, Alvah C., Maria, Leapha, Isaac, Jabin S.,
and Joseph; only three of whom are now living, Alvah C. and Jabin S., of
Tioga, Pa., and himself. His paternal grandfather was from Holland. His
grandparents emigrated from Massachusetts to Jericho, Tioga county, now
Bainbridge, Chenango county, as early as 1784. They were the pioneers in
the almost unbroken forest, and descended the Susquehanna river from its
head at Cooperstown, with their four children, in canoes constructed by
themselves; there being no roads through the wilderness in those days.
They settled in the valley of the Susquehanna and in the year 1790
selected and located on the very farm now occupied by their grandson whose
name heads this article. His father, Joseph Bush, was the youngest son of
the said four children. He died on the 23d of September, 1851. His
mother's name was Betsey Strong, a native of Connecticut. She died on the
5th of February, 1853. She was a sister of Cyrus Strong, former president
and founder of the old Broome County Safety Fund Bank at
Binghamton.
Mr. Bush had the advantage of
being reared and guided to mature manhood by parents of rare good sense,
shrewd business tact and remarkably good habits. He either benefited by
their judicious training and example, or inherited their sterling
qualities in large degree. But they have long since passed away and their
remains now rest, with other old pioneers and relatives of the family, in
a beautiful cemetery, walled in with cut stone by the present owner, (to
which he has perpetuated the title,) on the farm which they cleared nearly
a century ago, in which cemetery he has caused to be erected to their
memory, at large expense, an imposing and graceful monument of granite, to
stand as a lasting memorial of his respect and
gratitude.
Mr. Bush received a good English
education in the common and select schools in the village near him and was
much improved and benefited by the instruction and assistance of an older
brother, who was a graduate of Hamilton College, and for a short time of a
brief life, a practicing lawyer of much
promise.
Although he received from his father
a goodly inheritance, his enterprising disposition and special training in
the lumber business induced him to spend about five years, from 1852 to
1857, in lumbering in Upper Canada; where his uncommon sagacity,
experience and business talent enabled him to be
successful.
A year or two after this, in the fall of
1859, he was induced by his friends to accept a nomination for Member of
Assembly from Chenango county, and was elected; receiving in his own town,
where almost every voter had known him from childhood, every vote cast
except sixteen. While in the Assembly he served on one of the most
important committees, that of Ways and Means. He took an active part in
obtaining assistance from the State for the construction of the Albany
& Susquehanna Railroad and materially aided its construction by his
wealth and influence.
After the expiration of
his term in the Legislature he resided in New York city, and was engaged
in real estate and other speculations of those times successfully, until
1870, when he returned to his farm in Bainbridge, the old homestead above
referred to, which had descended to him from his grandfather and father,
and had always received his special care and supervision. It lies on the
Susquehanna River and consists of about 250 acres of the choicest lands,
in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Bush brings the same good sense, sound
judgment and business capacity to the cultivation and management of his
farm which has distinguished him in his other undertakings. The farm is a
model one for general convenience, neatness and judicious management, and
causes its owner to be ranked among the most successful agriculturalists
in the county.
Mr. Bush is six feet high, of
fine presence, prepossessing countenance and frank social and agreeable
manners, and a remarkably good judge of character; qualities which
peculiarly fit him for a successful politician. Yet he is entirely averse
to taking office, and has always, since his term in the Legislature,
refused. It is not because he has not decided political opinions. Few men
are better informed or have more thorough convictions on political
questions than he has. He assists his political friends zealousy and
liberally, and manifests a deep interest in the success of the Republican
party, to which he has belonged since its organization. Prior to that he
was a Whig.
His integrity is never questioned,
and his morals and habits are unexceptionable. He pays liberally for the
support of the gospel and charitable objects. Mr. Bush is a bachelor.
--- Smith, James H. History of Chenango
and Madison Counties, New York: with illustrations and biographical
sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. Syracuse, N.Y.: D.
Mason & Co., 1880. pg. 158a.
G. W.
WEBB.
Mr. G. W. Webb, of Greene, son of John William Webb, of
Westchester county, N. Y., was born in 1835, and settled in Chenango
county in 1869. In 1862 he married Miss Mary J. Barrett, of Otsego county.
She was born in 1842 and died in 1875, leaving one son, William, who was
born in 1865.
In 1876 Mr. Webb married for his second wife Miss Rosella
S. Barnett who was born in Chenango county in 1854, she is the
grand-daughter of Charles Felix Bo Lyne Barnett, of Chenango county,
who was one of the pioneers of this county.
Mr. Webb is one of the
energetic farmers of the county and has a fine farm of 160 acres, a view
of which may be seen on another page of this work. His residence commands
a fine view of the surrounding valleys.
In early life, after being
graduated from Gilbertsville Academy, he taught school for several years,
finally preferring farming he purchased his present residence. --- Smith, James H. History of Chenango and
Madison Counties, New York: with illustrations and biographical sketches
of some of its prominent men and pioneers. Syracuse, N.Y.: D. Mason &
Co., 1880. pg. 224.
DEVILLO WHITE, M.
D.
The original of this sketch,
Devillo White, of Sherburne, Chenango county, N. Y., was born Feb. 11,
1801, and was married to Caroline Pratt, oldest daughter of Joshua Pratt,
Esq., (one of the respected pioneers of the town,) in 1824. Devillo
White's early life was passed in a hotel kept by his father, and was not
of a characer that generally precedes a record so full of interest and
usefullness as his proved to be. At the age of 23 years, after having
sowed his share of the wild oats of his day, he found himself educated and
qualified to assume the arduous and responsible duties of a physician, but
without means to purchase his saddle-bags to begin with; but his
indomitable will and determination overcame all obstacles in his
pathway and he finally settled down to his life-work, resolved to succeed
professionally and financially.
After
over fifty years of active practice, we find he has fully suceeded in his
purpose, standing high as he does in his profession, and having amassed a
fortune second to none in this section. In politics he was always a
fearless and zealous advocate of the principles of the old Whig party, and
afterwards was warmly attached to the Republican party, ready and eager at
all times to do battle for the cause whenever opportunity presented
itself. During the late war, when the country was trembling for its very
existence, he gathered together all the means he could and invested the
same in government securities, and even borrowed money of his more timid
neighbors, who had no faith in the success of our arms, and invested as
above, thus proving his loyalty to his country in her
distress.
No more forbearing or lenient
creditor was ever known, and there is, to-day, many a happy and prosperous
family, made so by his pecuniary assistance, and now at his advanced age,
being in his eightieth year, he transacts all his own business without teh
aid of a book-keeper, and even finds time to attend professionally to the
wants of some of his old customers. ---
Smith, James H. History of Chenango and Madison Counties, New York: with
illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and
pioneers. Syracuse, N.Y.: D. Mason & Co., 1880. pg.
224.
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Melissa Allen Rodriguez