Stories in Stones: Stories from Oneida County, NY Cemeteries

       Richard Samuel Reynolds was born to Richard and Jane Benbow Reynolds on March 24, 1838 in New Hartford. He was one of 11 children. He graduated from Whitestown Seminary.       Richard Samuel Reynolds first worked in the telegraph business. He worked under a Mr. Reid who wrote the history of telegraphy in America. He later worked in Clyde and Fort Plain, NY.     In 1858 Richard Samuel Reynolds went west with John Butterfield. He first settled in Denver Colorado, which at the time was just a settlement with six log cabins. He then went to Julesburg, Colorado where he assumed charge of a telegraph station. After wards he moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas where he had charge of 400 miles of the overland stage route. Also for a year he worked as a placer mining for gold.      In April 1865 Richard Samuel Reynolds returned to Utica. In Utica Mr. Reynolds and his brother William H. started a company that manufac...

      Alexander T. Goodwin was born Aug 9, 1837 in Savannah, Georgia to Robert M. and Elizabeth Goodwin. His brother Ridgeley became a United States Senator from Maryland.     Alexander T. Goodwin graduated from Rutgers College. He came to Utica in 1858 and studied law in the law office of Conkling and Throop. A year later he was admitted to practice. Later he served in the Attorney General's office in Albany. Upon returning to Utica he was elected recorder as a Democrat. In 1877, overcoming a Republican majority in the county, he was elected a State Senator. In the 1880's he almost was elected County Judge. In 1890 he was elected Mayor of Utica. His popularity was so widespread that he became known as the Democrat of big majorities.      Alexander T. Goodwin with law partner with Dwight D. Porter and Joseph R. Ryan. In 1892 he moved to New York City.     Alexander T. Goodwin was a member of the Episcopal Church. He w...

       Robert S. Bice was born August 12, 1835 in Burne, Schoharie, NY. The family came to Utica two years later. After leaving school he worked in a farm in Marcy, NY. He worked as a farmer for about four years. When he was about 17 he moved to New York City and got a job on a merchant vessel that want around the world, the trip lasted about two years.     When the Civil War broke out Robert S. Bice enlisted in the Navy. He was on vessels on the North Atlantic blockading squadron including the Princeton and North Carolina. He was injured at Fort Fisher was confined to the naval hospitals in Norfolk and Brooklyn.     At the close of the war Robert S. Bice purchased a farm in Whitesboro, which he farmed for four years. He then was in charge of Gilmore's wood yard in Utica for another four years. He later purchased the Lakeview House at North Oneida Lake which he run for another four years. In 1879 he entered the real estate business from ...

    Walter Jerome Green was born October 10, 1842 in Hubbardsville, NY to Charles and Mary Jane Hubbard Green. He attended Cazenovia Academy and Madison University. Walter graduated from Albany University with a law degree in 1864. He only practiced law two years before he joined his father as a partner in his bank which soon changed its name to Charles Green and Son. An important department within the bank was the hop trade. It soon became one of the largest hop dealers in the United States.     Walter Jerome Green got involved in a railroad project in Florida which became known as Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Halifax River Railroad. He became president and sole owner. After it was constructed it shortened the time of transport for oranges between the east coast of Florida and New York by some eight days.     In 1867, Walter Jerome Green married Sarah K. Swartout. They had a son Walter Jr. who was born in 1874 (he became a prominent banker and work...

       Arthur W. Soper was born on July 16, 1838 in Rome, NY to Albert and Esther Soper. He got his education at Rome Academy. When he was 17 Arthur went to work in his father's lumber business. In 1858 he left that business and went to work at the freight offices of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdenburg Railroad. He advanced rapidly and when he left in 1871 he was Assistant Superintendent. He left to accept a similar position with the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad. A year later he became Superintendent and later General Superintendent and then General Manager.      In conjunction with George M. Pullman and others Arthur W. Soper organized the Pintsch Compressing Company and the Safety Car Heating and Lighting Company.      Arthur W. Soper was also director of the Citizen's Insurance Company and the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad Company. He was a member of a number of clubs and groups including: Union League, New...

      Dr. Theodore Dimon was born in Fairfield Connecticut on September 19, 1816 to Ebenezer and Mary Sherwood Hinmen. He graduated from Yale in 1835. In 1838, he received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He practiced for a year in Stockbridge Mass, he then moved to Utica where he spent a year before moving to Auburn, NY. In 1844 he returned to Utica.     In 1849 Dr. Dimon went as a surgeon of the first company who went to California to search for gold. While in California he was elected president of the San Francisco medical society.       He returned from California in 1853 and settled again in Auburn. For a number of years he was physician at the state prison in Auburn. He resigned in 1861 to join the army. He was surgeon of the 19th New York Regiment which later became the 3rd NY artillery. While at in Newbern, N.C. he was detached and became surgeon of 2nd Maryland regiment which he remained with during t...

      Theodore Williams Dimon was born July 6, 1844 in Utica to Dr. Theodore and Sarah Watson Williams Dimon. The family moved to Auburn, NY in 1852.       Early in the Civil War Theodore W. Dimon accepted an appointment to a position in the State Department under Secretary William Seward (also of Auburn). He resigned his position in 1873. During his last year in Washington he formed a friendship with the Japanese minister Mr. Mori. Mr. Mori offered him a position in the Japanese State Department which he accepted. He went to Japan with Mr. Mori. During their trip there they stopped off in Europe to study military organization of several countries. Sadly soon after their arrival in Japan and before his work there was began Mr. Dimon fall ill and had to return to America. He returned to Auburn in 1874.      Theodore Williams Dimon's  health approved enough that he was appointed to a consulship at Valencia, Spain. That winte...