Stories in Stones: Stories from Oneida County, NY Cemeteries

       Charles Leaf Dobson was born April 23, 1823 in Pickering, England to William N. and Margaret Dobson. The family came to the US and settled in Westmoreland in 1828. They moved to Utica in 1840. When Charles L. Dobson was 19 he entered the fruit and candy business. In 1852, he entered the grocery business which he sold in 1862 to his brother.     In 1850, Charles L. Dobson opened a dancing academy in Oneida Square called Dobson's Hall. Before Dobson's Hall opened he gave lessons in different locations around Utica including Washington and Apollo Halls. He retired in 1890. At the time he was the leading dance teacher in Central NY.     Charles L. Dobson invested in real estate. He owned the whole point south of Oneida Square, from Oneida Hall on Oneida Street through to Genesee Street. He also owned the stores on Columbia Street from the corner of Seneca Street to Ryan's Bakery.     Charles L. Dobson was married twice:...

       Ezra Smith Barnum was born June 21, 1792, in Danbury, CT. Moved to Utica in 1809 with his brother-in-law whom he was indentured as an apprentice in the shoemaking, tanning, and currier business. He stayed with him until his apprenticeship expired in 1812.     In 1812, Ezra S. Barnum moved to Buffalo where he worked in the leather business. When the War of 1812 started, he volunteered and was at the first taking of Fort Erie. He took ill and returned to Utica. While in Utica, the British burned Buffalo so he did not go back. He became partners with his brother-in-law in the manufacture and sale of boots and shoes.     On May 5, 1815, Ezra S. Barnum married Mary Ostrom. They had ten children.     In 1832, Ezra S. Barnum turned to farming. Later entered in the grocery and confectionery business on the corner of Genesee and Catherine. In 1849, Mr. Barnum visited Europe for the first time for health and business purposes and while ther...

     Amos B. Stafford was born in Syracuse in 1839. When he was young he moved to Utica. He became a bookkeeper for Theodore Butterfield who owned a livery. He later became partners with Theodore's father John on the Overland Mail which was used to carry mail from St. Louis to San Francisco. Mr. Stafford later moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas to became a station agent for it. He was there from 1858-1861 when it ended because of the Civil War.      After the Overland Mail system ended he joined Colonel Leeper in treating with the Native Americans on the plains. He also conducted a livery on Devereux Street in Utica.       Amos B. Stafford married Josephine Chubbuck. He passed away on Sept 28, 1906. He and Josephine are buried in Plot 21A Lot 2471 of Forest Hill Cemetery in Utica.    

     Harry E. Devendorf was born in 1859 in Delevan, Wisconsin to Lucien B. Devendorf. The family moved to Cedarville, Herkimer County, NY when he was young. Came to Utica when he was 17 and attended school.     After his schooling was over Harry E. Devendorf worked for the Christian Leader Newspaper. At the same time he studied shorthand and became an expert Stenographer. He was employed as a reporter by the following newspapers: Utica Daily Republican and the Watertown Dispatch. He was the city editor for the Amsterdam Times and the Watertown Dispatch. Mr. Devendorf came back to Utica to became managing editor of the Utica Sunday Tribune. He was editor for eight years. While he was employed by the Tribune he was also correspondent for the Associated Press and news of Utica and Vicinity for the Rome Daily Sentinel. He also did much work in the way of Special Correspondence for New York City Papers.     In 1896, when James S. Sherman was...

      Frank Hooker Doolittle was born Aug 15, 1859 in Belmont, Alleghany County, NY. When he was about a year old the family moved to Chittenango, Madison County, NY. Sometime later they moved to Mohawk, Herkimer County, NY.     Frank H. Doolittle was educated at the Polytechnic at Chittenango; and Genesee Wesleyan Seminary. When he was either 15 or 18 (hard to read in Obituary) he started teaching school to get funding for his own education.     After Frank H. Doolittle left school he started working at the National Mohawk Valley Bank at Mohawk as a clerk. A year later he moved to Lowville and started work as a bookkeeper at the Black River National Bank. Two years later he moved to Utica where he was a shipping clerk for the J.M. Childs and Co for two years. After Utica he moved to Kansas City, MO where he got a job in a large plumping warehouse store. He got Typhoid Fever two years later and returned to Utica where he went back to wor...

      William Joseph Schuyler was born July 9, 1861 in Westmoreland, NY to Joseph K. and Anne Williams Schuyler. He attended schools in Westmoreland and Utica.     William J. Schuyler studied medicine under the direction of Dr. Willis E. Ford of Utica. He then entered the Medical Department of the University of the City of New York. Mr. Schuyler graduated from there in 1885. After graduation he became a member of the staff of the Charity Hospital at Blackwell's Island. Dr. Schuyler stayed there for a year and a half before spending a year on the staff of Bloomingdale Asylum. He then worked at Butler Hospital for the Insane at Providence R.I. for a year before coming back to Utica.     When he returned to Utica Dr. Schuyler opened his own office. He was house surgeon at St. Luke's Hospital for a number of years. Dr. Schuyler was also a member of the staff of the General Hospital and visiting surgeon to the House of the Good Shepherd. ...

     Dr. Gilbert A. Foster was born on June 3, 1803 in Litchfield, Herkimer County, New York. He was educated at Paris Hill Academy. He leaned the trade of machinist at Willowvale. For some years Mr. Foster was employed in superintending the construction of the machinery at the New York State Prison in Auburn.     Gilbert A. Foster moved from Auburn to New Hartford. In 1827, he married Orpha Bogue. They had three children. They moved to Utica in 1832.       After moving to Utica he entered the practice of dentistry. His skill in mechanism helped him greatly to improve the rude methods in dentistry at the time. He was one of the first to devise and manufacture teeth.     Dr. Gilbert A. Foster passed away on Dec 7, 1877 and is buried in Plot 12A Lot 52 of Forest Hill Cemetery in Utica.