Rochester, Monroe, NY
Democrat & Chronicle
Fri Oct 24, 1902
DEATH COMES TO J. H.
ROCHESTER
Well Known Citizen Has
Passed Away
Prominent In Business
Death Followed a Long
Illness and Was Not Unexpected -
Mr. Rochester a Member of
the Family From Which City Was Named
John H. ROCHESTER died at
8:30 o'clock last night at his home, No. 56 South Washington
street. Mr. ROCHESTER had been ill for about two years. That
length of time ago he was very feeble, but his health improved
somewhat. For the past three months the family felt that the end
was near. He had been sinking rapidly since last Saturday. He had
another sinking spell Sunday, and was virtually unconscious for
forty-eight hours before death came. For hours he had been as if
in peaceful sleep. At 8:30 he slightly turned his head and sighed,
and the nurse told the family that the end had come.
He died surrounded by the immediate family, including one of his
two sons, Paul F. ROCHESTER, of New York. Dr. Thomas Moore
ROCHESTER was unable to come to Rochester, being very ill at his
home in Brooklyn. He returned last Tuesday from South America,
where he went for the voyage, in the hope of benefiting his
health.
John Henry ROCHESTER was the last male descendant in this city of
the famous Rochester family, by whom the city was founded and
after whom it was named nearly a century ago. He was born in this
city April 20, 1828. He received his education in the schools of
the city, and at the age of 18 entered upon his life work in the
Rochester City Bank, of which his father, Thomas H. ROCHESTER, was
president. He subsequently carried on a private banking business
for five years with his brother, under the firm name of John H.
ROCHESTER & Co. Then he became cashier of the Flower City
National Bank, a position which he held for three years.
When the Mechanics' Savings Bank was chartered and entered upon
its career, he became its secretary and treasurer, which position
he filled for nearly thirty years, being the oldest banker in
active service in this city. He was a man of extremely practical
ideas, a fact which made itself known throughout his entire
business career.
Mr. ROCHESTER was a member of the Genesee Valley Club, of the
Rochester Whist Club, and for three years of the Rochester Club.
He was the oldest member in St. Luke's Church in point of
membership; for twenty-seven years treasurer of the Church Home, a
denominational establishment on Mt. Hope avenue under Episcopal
control; treasurer of the Red Cross Society and yellow fever fund
and president of the Rochester Historical Society for two years.
He was among the first to be appointed to the board of park
commissioners, and has been its vice-president for many years. He
was seldom absent from the meetings of the board, and the present
magnificent park system of the city was brought about largely
through his efforts. He was also president of the local chapter of
the Sons of the American Revolution.
Mr. ROCHESTER has traveled extensively, both in this country and
in Europe, and was a well-informed man, with a wonderful
appreciation of the fine points of art and literature, having
always been a generous patron of the fine arts. Throughout his
life he has been intimately associated with the social, religious
and public life of the city. He always took a deep interest in
public affairs. He was not without clearly defined political
convictions, but never sought or held a public office.
In 1853 he married Miss Elizabeth L. MOORE, in Vicksburg, Miss.,
and had two sons, Dr. Thomas Moore ROCHESTER, born November 12,
1854, a practicing physician of Brooklyn and Paul Affordby
ROCHESTER, born August 23, 1857, vice-president and general
manager of the Murray Line of steamboats as the old Hudson River
Transportation Company is now called. There were two other
children, Francis C. ROCHESTER, born March 16, 1856, died January
6, 1857, and Susan B. ROCHESTER, who died April 1, 1859. Through
his son Thomas, there are five grandchildren, Haydon, Thomas
Affordby, John Cuming, Edward Fortescue and Katherine.
Mr. ROCHESTER was one of the few survivors of the California
argonauts. He belonged to the courtly type, the old-school
gentlemen. Few men in the city were better known or more highly
respected. In all measures for the general well-being of the city,
he took a deep interest, and was the kind of man who honors a city
by his public spirit and enterprise. As husband, father, friend,
he was equally admirable and reliable, and as a business man was
exceedingly capable, having a record that speaks with an eloquence
that will not be hushed for years to come. He was a man of a
genial, warm hearted, social disposition, and he drew around him
many sincere friends whose companionship he regarded dearer than
any practical worldly success.
Mr. ROCHESTER came from a family whose history is peculiarly
interesting to all residents of this city. It has been traced back
to 1558, in the county of Essex, England, Nicholas ROCHESTER was
the first member of the family to come to this country. He settled
in Virginia in 1680, and his direct descendants were respectively,
William, John, Nathaniel, Thomas H, and John H. ROCHESTER the
subject of this sketch. Nathaniel ROCHESTER, grandfather of the
deceased, known as the founder of this city, born in February,
1752, Westmoreland county, Va., on the plantation on which his
father, grandfather and great-grandfather had lived, afterwards
moved to North Carolina and then to Hagerstown, Maryland. It is
said that the chief impulse to the exodus of Colonel ROCHESTER
from Maryland in Western New York was his aversion to the
institution of human bondage.
In 1802 Nathaniel ROCHESTER, together with William FITZHUGH and
Charles CARROLL, bought what was known as the "Hundred Acre
Tract," lying on the west side of the Genesee river, on the
present site of this city. No steps were taken to settle this land
until 1810, and two years later the first postoffice was
established by fifteen residents, and the name of Rochester was
given to the locality. In April, 1817, however, the village was
incorporated as Rochesterville, and in 1834, when the city was
Incorporated, the name was changed back again to Rochester.
Nathaniel ROCHESTER was instrumental in getting the establishment
of the new county of Monroe, in 1817, the land then being included
in Ontario county. He laid the matter before the legislature, but
his efforts in this direction were not successful until February
23, 1821. March 5, 1821, he was made the first clerk of Monroe
county. In 1816 he was a second time elected a presidential
elector, and in the following year he was the secretary of the
convention which met at Canandaigua to urge the construction of
the Erie canal. He was the first president of the Bank of
Rochester, which was the last of his numerous public and corporate
trusts. He was attached to the Protestant Episcopal faith, and was
one of the founders of St. Luke's Church. He was at once the
builder of business establishments, the promoter of public
prosperity, and the founder of the present beautiful city of
Rochester.
Nathaniel ROCHESTER died May 17, 1831, leaving twelve children:
William Beatty, Nancy Barbara, Joan Cornelius, Sophia Eliza, Mary
Eleanor, Thomas Hart, Catharine Kimball, Nathaniel Thrift, Anna
Barbara, Henry Elie, Ann Cornelia and Louisa Lucinda ROCHESTER,
Thomas Hart ROCHESTER, father of John H. ROCHESTER, and son of
Nathaniel, settled in Western New York with his father, built the
old Red mill with his brother-in-law, William Montgomery:
superintended the construction of the Tonawanda railroad in 1834;
was the first cashier of the Commercial Bank; member of the board
of trustees of the Rochester Orphan Asylum in 1838, and of
Rochester City Hospital in 1847. Mr. ROCHESTER was a charter
member of Rochester Lodge, No. 660, Free and Accepted Masons. He
had a strong attachment for Masonry. For many years he was
treasurer of Rochester lodge.
He was mayor of the city in 1839, and throughout his life was one
of the most highly esteemed citizens of the city. Besides John H.
ROCHESTER, he had five children: Thomas Fortescue ROCHESTER; one
of the leading physicians of Buffalo; Nathaniel, who died in
California in 1849, a victim of the gold craze; Carolina Louisa
ROCHESTER, who still lives in this city; Colonel Montgomery
ROCHESTER, who resides at Albany, and Phoebe Elizabeth ROCHESTER,
who died in 1859.
Montgomery ROCHESTER, brother of John H., is well known in this
city. He was quartermaster of the Old Thirteenth Regiment. He has
one son, Montgomery Hewson ROCHESTER, born in 1860. Another
brother, Thomas Fortescue ROCHESTER, had nine children, one of
whom, Delaney, who is a practicing physician in Buffalo, was at
the bedside of his uncle during his last illness.
Besides his wife the immediate relatives of John H. ROCHESTER
residing in this city are Mrs. William PITKIN, of No. 104 South
Fitzhugh street, an aunt, who was Miss Louisa Lucinda ROCHESTER,
youngest daughter of Nathaniel; Mrs. A. J. CUMING, No. 13 Meigs
street, a cousin; and Mrs. Clinton ROGERS, of No. 127 Spring
street, and Miss Jane E. ROCHESTER, of No. 99 Atkinson street,
both cousins, being daughters of Henry Elie ROCHESTER, the
youngest son of Nathaniel ROCHESTER.
The death of John H. ROCHESTER is one that will be felt by every
lover of the traditions of the Flower City, in that he was the
last resident male representative of the oldest and most
distinguished family in Monroe county. When the bells of old St.
Luke's toll his funeral knell, the whole city will unite in the
general feeling of sorrow.
The funeral will be held Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock from St.
Luke's Church. Burial will be in the family plot on Rochester
Hill, Mount Hope Cemetery, where five generations of the ROCHESTER
family are buried.
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POLICEMAN BURNED
He Tried to Carry a
Blazing Oil Stove From a Burning House
Officer Walter J. PHALEN
was painfully burned yesterday afternoon in trying to remove an
oil stove which had exploded in rooms over those occupied by him
at No. 338 Monroe avenue. He is a night officer in the First
precinct and, of course, sleeps in the daytime.
Yesterday afternoon he was awakened by cries of fire in the
apartment of Mrs. Elizabeth MARCOTTE, who rents the lower part of
the house to the officer, but retains the upper floor for her own
use. Dressing hurriedly, he ran up stairs and found an oil stove
in the sitting room ablaze and setting fire to the carpet. He
threw a rug around it and attempted to carry it downstairs and out
the front door.
When he reached the first landing he was compelled to drop it, and
it immediately set fire to the woodwork and carpet on the stairs.
PHALEN was compelled to kick down a door to escape from the
flames.
An alarm had been sent in from box No. 54 on the Standard system,
and a stream from Chemical No. 2 quickly ended the excitement.
Officer PHALEN was badly burned about the face and hands as a
result of his attempt to remove the blazing oil stove. He inhaled
some of the flames, and his nose was badly swollen last night. The
damage to the house and furniture will amount to about $200.
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FREE HEBREW SCHOOL
A free Hebrew school has
been opened for poor children in the Chatham Street Synagogue,
with the following officers: A. BLOOM, president; M. WEINRIK,
vice-president; M. FEIN, secretary; M. ELDELSTEIN, treasurer. All
persons who wish to send their children have been requested to
report at the synagogue.
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STABBED WITH A FORK
Charles Searles Arrested
for Assault on Joseph Klubler
Charles SEARLES is under
arrest, charged with assaulting Joseph KLUBLER by stabbing him in
the face with a table fork. The attack seems to have been the
result of a quarrel over family matters that had for some time
been the cause of friction between the principals in the fight.
KLUBLER lives at No. 168 Webster avenue, where Mrs. Carrie THOMAS,
a sister of SEARLES, keeps house for him. SEARLES is said to have
objected to this arrangement, and when the two met last night at
SEARLE's house they quarreled and SEARLES jabbed a table fork into
KLUBLER's face over one of his eyes. The quarrel attracted the
attention of outsiders, who summoned an officer from the Third
precinct. Officer TWITCHELL responded and arrested SEARLES.
Last week SEARLES caused the arrest of KLUBLER on the charge of
assault in the third degree on Mrs. THOMAS. That affair caused bad
blood between the two men and, as much as any other cause, led to
the fight of last night, which occurred at No. 417 North Goodman
street, where SEARLES lives.
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MARRIED
FISHER - PEARCE - At
the residence of Lyon J. CAUGHEY, pastor of the Memorial
Presbyterian Church. Henry G. FISHER and Miss Bertha PEARCE, both
of this city.
NEFF - FULTON - At the
residence of Rev. Dr. CARDUS, Edwin S. NEFF and Miss Bertha F.
FULTON.
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DIED
BARNES - In this city,
Thursday, October 23, 1902, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs.
J. E. JACOBSON, No. 5 Rogers avenue, Mrs. Frances A. BARNES, aged
61 years. She leaves, besides her daughter, one son, Benjamin A.
BAKER, of Utica, N. Y.
-The funeral will be held
from No. 5 Rogers avenue, Sunday, October 26th, at 2 o'clock P. M.
Interment at Riverside. Syracuse Herald please copy.
CARTTER - In Chicago,
Ill., Wednesday, October 22, 1902, Mary F. LEWIS, wife of
Frederick O. CARTTER and daughter of the late Daniel E. LEWIS, of
Penfield, N. Y.
SELDEN - In this city,
Wednesday, October 22, 1902, at her home in Grove place, Laura
BALDWIN, widow of the late Henry Rogers SELDEN, aged 86 years.
-Funeral services at the
house on Friday, October 24th, at 2:30 o'clock. Burial private.
CONFLER - Thursday
afternoon, October 23, 1902, Baldwin CONFLER, aged 79 years.
-Funeral Saturday
morning, 9:30, at church.
ROCHESTER - In this city,
Thursday, October 23, 1902, at his residence, John H. ROCHESTER.
-Funeral from St. Luke's
Church Saturday, October 25, 1902, at 3 P. M. Kindly omit flowers.
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MORTUARY RECORD
Mrs. Alice S. BAIRD,
mother of Captain John A. BAIRD, of the Rochester Police
Department, died last night at his home, No. 450 Central avenue,
aged 98 years. One other son, Alexander BAIRD, of this city,
survives her. Mrs. BAIRD lived in Rochester for seventy years. She
had not been sick and death was a result of old age. Notice of
funeral hereafter.
Mrs. Frances A. BARNES,
aged 61 years, died yesterday at the residence of her daughter,
Mrs. J. E. JACOBSON, No. 5 Rogers avenue. She leaves, besides her
daughter, one son, Benjamin A. BAKER, of Utica.
Laura BALDWIN, widow of
the late Henry Rogers SELDEN, died at her house on Grove place,
Wednesday, aged 86 years.
Baldwin CONTLER died
yesterday afternoon, aged 79 years.
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SMALLPOX SPREADING
Several New Cases
Reported From Hope Hospital Yesterday.
Several new cases of
smallpox have developed in the city within the past forty-eight
hours. Yesterday afternoon three patients were taken to the
hospital: Frank EFFINGRER, of No. 11 Same street; Martha WATERSON,
of No. 124 Broadway, and Frank SHERRICK, of No. 40 Monroe avenue.
Other cases were reported from Central park and Rutgers street.
In the morning George KNAPP, of No. 40 Fifth street, and Charles
MINK, of No. 7 McFarlin street, were pronounced to be suffering
from the disease and were sent to Hope Hospital by Dr. BARRON. On
the previous evening Frances CADY, aged 76 years, was taken to the
hospital from the Church Home on Mount Hope avenue. Altogether
there are now at the hospital some fourteen cases of the disease
and one suspect. More will probably be sent there to-day.
The authorities are beginning to feel alarmed at the condition.
Commissioner of Safety GILMAN said yesterday that he expected to
be pretty busy on this problem before the end of another week, but
that it could confidently be stated that the authorities will take
care of all the patients, whatever the number may be. While those
in power have not provided for the erection of an isolation
hospital, which is so much needed, the officials are determined
that all who contact the disease shall have all the care that can
possibly be given them, considering the unprepared condition of
the city and the lack of facilities for handling an epidemic.
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