Montgomery County New York Family Sketches
Surnames L-N

Transcribed by Jeffrey Tooley

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Montgomery County New York Family Sketches extracted from the History of Montgomery County, Revised and Edited By Washington Frothingham, Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason and Co., Publishers and Printers, 1892.

James Lester Family Sketch

Lester, James, Amsterdam p. o., was born in Ireland, March 17, 1815, and is a son of John and Mary (Montgomery) Lester. When his parents died (1837) James came to this country to try his fortune. He first settled in Albany, where he remained less than two years, when he came to Amsterdam. His first work was the assisting to enlarge the locks on the Erie canal. He left that work, moving on the farm where he now lives, which he then rented; in 1861 he bought the farm. April 10, 1842, he married Fannie Shannon of Albany. Three children live to bless their union: Mary J., born July 14, 1844; she is now Mrs. Greene of Amsterdam; John W., born March 11, 1857; and Louisa J., born March 13, 1859. Mr. Lester has been a very successful farmer, and having started with small capital he is now the owner of one of the best farms of eighty-four acres that can be found in this section, and says he knows how he came by it; it was done by his own hard work, ambition, and putting his money to good use. Mrs. Lester's memory of the first village of Amsterdam is very distinct, and she has seen it grow from a very small place to the present prosperous city.

Peter J. Lewis Family Sketch

Lewis, Peter J., Amsterdam, was born in West Galway, Fulton county, November 25, 1836, and was educated in the public schools and studied law with Sacia & Smith of this city; he was admitted to the bar in 1867 and to the United States bar in 1888 and has always practiced in Amsterdam. He was a close student and attained a high degree of efficiency in his profession and is a member of the Stale Bar Association. Jnly 19, 1875, he married Annah Parkhill of Ehnira, a school teacher of that city and the ceremony was performed there in the First Methodist Clmrch. Mr. Lewis died January 10, 1892, monrned by a host of professional and other friends. Mrs. Lewis's father, Hamilton B. Parkhill, was born in Steuben county and married Angeline Earnest of the town of Florida, and had seven children: Elizabeth, Charlotte, Mary, Angeline, Delos L., Alberta and Annah.

Sylvester D. Lewis Family Sketch

Lewis, Sylvester D., Amsterdam, was born in Gorhara, Ontario county, on the 3d day of April, 1828; was prepared for college at Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, Lima, and graduated from Union College in 1857. He attended the Albany Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1859 and practiced law at Avoca, Steuben county, several years, but this not being to his taste, he began the study of medicine at the Albany Medical College, graduating in 1866. He practiced medicine in the.state of Illinois ten years. In the spring of 1876 he located at Amsterdam. On the 20th of August, 1857, he married Margaret E. Clute of Schenectady, who died April 29, 1888. He has two sons living: Francis D. and George G. The oldest is a graduate of Union College and is now private secretary of Congressman John Sanford. George G. is a graduate of Albany Medical College and in 1891 he went abroad to perfect his studies and was six months in Paris, and six months in Berlin, and is now in partnership with Dr. D. I. McMartin in Amsterdam.

William Lindsay Family Sketch

Lindsay, William, Amsterdam, Rockton p. o., was born in county Armagh, Ireland, November 4, 1859, and is a son of William and Martha (Totten) Lindsay, who came to this country in 1881 and first settled in Amsterdam where the family of fourteen children made their home, excepting Stewart, who died in September, 1884, and William, who came to Rockton in 1886. He had been educated in one of the regular schools of Ireland, and had spent five years apprenticeship in a grocery store, so when he came to Rockton he took up the business he was acquainted with and built and conducted a large grocery store which he sold March 1, 1892. While in the grocery store he began dealing in real estate, having built ten residences, five of which he still owns. He has worked hard and deserves all the success he has received. April 18, 1888, he married Elizabeth S. Ruman, daughter of Charles Ruman, who came from England about twenty years ago. Their union has been blessed with two children: Edna M., born September 10, 1889; Violet E., born March 21, 1892. Since he came here he has been in partnership with Mr. Austin in the ice business, also they have started the lime trade which is very successful. Mr. Lindsay has been very prosperous and he feels confidence in its continuance. He has held positions of honor and trust, has been postmaster since an office was opened in June, 1888; was town clerk in 1890; and a director of the New York Building and Loan Association.

Henry Lomeyer Family Sketch

Lohmeyer, Henry, Amsterdam, was born in Prussia, on the 27th of December, 1839, and was educated in the public schools of that country and at the age of fifteen his father gave him his time. He was the youngest of seven children and on the 6th of October, 1858, he came to America, landing at New York. He located in the Mohawk valley and worked for Aaron Pepper; he was always industrious and sober and has now accumulated a fine property and enjoys life in travel and leisure. On the 4th of December, 1866, he married Martha A., only child living of John and Eva Taylor of the town of Florida, on what is known as the Taylor farm. Her father, John, was born on tlie 3d of August, 1782, in New Jersey; he married twice, first to Anna Voorhees about 1807, and came to Charleston in 1808; in the same year he bought a farm in the town of Florida and also conducted a tannery for many years. They had seven children, four grew to maturity, three sons and one daughter: Ruluff F., Keziah W., David H., and Joseph C. Mrs. Taylor died in the year 1823. On the 3d of July, 1824, for his second wife he married Eve Schuyler, who was born in New Jersey in 1787. They had three children and all grew to maturity: Martha A., Alice J., and Jacob S. John Taylor died on the 7th of June, 1864; Mrs. Taylor died on the 12th of January, 1884, aged ninety-seven. The ancestry of the family is English, Dutch and German.

Mrs. John Lutton Family Sketch

Lutton, Mrs. John, Amsterdam, Hagaman's Mills p. o., was born in Amsterdam, May 1, 1834, and is a daughter of Jeremiah and Maria (De Graff) De Graff. (See De Graff biography.) Her early life was spent with her parents, she attending the district school at Manny's Corners. September 7, 1859, she married John Lutton, who came to this country in 1846 and settled in Amsterdam. Immediately after marriage they moved to Rochester where he rented a farm, remaining there fifteen years. Then they returned to Mrs. Lutton's birthplace, staying there two years, when they came to the large dairy farm of sixty-three acres where Mrs. Lutton now lives. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom are living: Fannie M., wife of Lewis Waterstreet of Amsterdam, was born December 2, 1860; Mary Alma, born May 24, 1868; Jessie G., born September 2, 1809; Elizabeth C, born May 28, 1871; Maggie De Graff, born November 10, 1873; Wales F., born January 11, 1875. John Lutton died October 17, 1890, aged sixty-two years.

William Lutton Family Sketch

Lutton, William, Amsterdam, Hagaman's Mills p. o., was born in County Down, Ireland, December 25, 1832, and is a son of Thomas and Rebecca (Hare) Lutton. His father died when he was but a year old and his mother when he was only twelve. He attended tlie public schools where he acquired education enough to answer him in his business. He came to this country in 1858, going directly to Hagarnan's Mills where he worked by the day for about six years, wlien he bought nine acres of land on which he built his house and barns. July 22, 1859, he married Agnes Beatty of the same county in Ireland, who was one of his schoolmates. Their union has been blessed by six children, four of them living: Sarah J., born April 30, 18C0; John, born December 4, 1861; Robert W., born April 5, 18G3; Fannie, now Mrs. Frazer, born January 11, 18G7. The names of those they mourn are George Albert, who died July 26, 1891, aged eighteen; and Rebecca, wife of B. Fitzgerald, who died April 18, 1892, aged twenty-seven. In 1874 he bought about seven acres to add to his little farm, and he with his happy family are comfortable and contented with their prosperity.