Chapter 8 of
The Kenyons of Cattaraugus Co, NY
Addison and Mary (Hunton) Kenyon
Richard L. Kenyon
This chapter is one of a series of 24 chapters which cover the lives and descendants
of the pioneer Kenyon and Kinyon families of Cattaraugus Co, NY. Their Kenyon
ancestors are traced all the way back to the first Kenyons to arrive in the Colony of
Rhode Island. Hall, Champlin and Mayflower ancestors are also included.
List of Chapters
Chapter
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
Title
Madison S. Kinyon (m1 Polly Warner, m2 Sarah Fults)
James and Elizabeth Kenyon
Erastus and Amy (Kenyon) Champlin
Ancestors of Erastus and Amy Champlin
Merritt and Lovisa (Fuller) Kenyon
Remington and Thankful (Barber) Kenyon
Jeremiah and Sarah (Emerson) Kenyon
Addison and Mary (Hunton) Kenyon
Horace and Delia (Lake) Kenyon
Winfield Scott Kenyon (m1 Mina Milks, m2 Olive Guernsey)
Nathan T. and Anna (Hall) Kenyon
Samuel and Clarissa (Trowbridge) Kenyon
Freeman and Mary (Reynolds) Kenyon
Josiah Kenyon and family (married 5 times)
Asa B. and Betsy Kenyon
Identifying M. S. Kinyon’s father and grandfather
Identifying M. S. Kinyon’s brothers
John S. (Sr.) and Susan (Sheldon) Kinyon
John S. (Jr.) and Eliza (Sherman) Kinyon.
Silvester S. and Tenta (Root) Kenyon
Mathew S. Kinyon (m1 unknown, m2 Rebeca Stanley)
Nelson S. and Louis (Smead) Kinyon
Thomas W. and Sylva (Saunders) Kinyon
The first Kenyons in America
Chapter 8 of
The Kenyons of Cattaraugus County, NY
Addison and Mary (Hunton) Kenyon and descendants
Richard L. Kenyon
32 Almond Tree Ln, Irvine CA, 92612-2230
e-mail:[email protected]
June 28, 2010
Introduction
In 1845, Addison and his parents Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon settled in New Lisbon,
Cattaraugus County, New York. There, Addison married Mary Hunton. They lived
in New Albion the rest of their lives. They had 5 children, 4 of whom were also
lifetime Cattaraugus County residents.
Grandson Neal Becker achieved widespread fame as the head of the Intertype
Corporation, which pioneered the typesetting machines that replaced hand
typesetting and revolutionized the printing industry. We describe his remarkable
career on page 11.
Chapter 7, “Jeremiah and Sarah (Emerson) Kenyon”, covers Addison Kenyon’s
parents and Kenyon ancestors.
Addison and Mary Kenyon
Addison was born on or about Aug 18, 1821 in New Lisbon, Otsego Co, NY, to
Jeremiah and Sarah (Emerson) Kenyon. About 1845, he came with his parents to
New Albion, Cattaraugus Co, NY.
Addison married Mary M. Hunton about 1847. Mary was born Jun 7, 1824,
probably in Royalton, Niagara Co, NY, the daughter of John and Anna (Day)
Hunton. With her parents, she moved by oxcart to Cattaraugus Co in 1832. She
taught school before her marriage to Addison.
Addison Kenyon and his wife Mary
8 Addison Kenyon
—Collection of Angela Leshak.
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1
Addison was a farmer. The family farm was located in New Albion, and stretched
for about a half mile along the road to Little Valley.
Addison died at age 49 on Jan 5, 1871 in New Albion. Mary’s brother George
Hunton was named as executor. He was a notary public and lived nearby.
Mary was to spend 40 years as a widow. She continued to live on the homestead in
New Albion, but by 1892 was living in Cherry Creek, Chautauqua Co, NY, with the
family of her daughter Eva. Mary probably did this to help Eva. Eva died in 1897.
By 1905, Mary returned to the old homestead where she lived with her daughter
Melissa who had married George Carey, and now farmed the property. Mary died
there at age 87 on Dec 15, 1911. Addison and Mary are buried in Tug Hill Cemetery
in New Albion.
Mary M. Kenyon in old age. Collection of Angela Leshak.
Addison and Mary had five children:
1. Louisa A.
2. Melissa A.
3. Eva
4. Merritt J.
5. Jeffrey
The following sections give detailed information on the children and their
descendants.
8 Addison Kenyon
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Addison Kenyon
Addison’s wife Mary
Jeffrey Kenyon (inscription: Jeffrey Kenyon, died June 7, 1861)
Gravestones of Addison, Mary and Jeffrey Kenyon at Tug Hill Cemetery, Town of
New Albion, Cattaraugus Co, NY. The year of death on Mary’s gravestone should be
1911, not 1912, as given by Mary’s obituary and death certificate.
—Photos from the Cattaraugus Co Historical Museum.
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1. Louisa Ann Kenyon
Louisa Ann Kenyon was born Jun 6, 1847 in New Albion, Cattaraugus Co, NY. She
married William Mackey Apr 7, 1864. William was born Mar 17, 1829 in Milford,
Otsego Co, NY, the last of seven children. He was the son of Charles and Harriet
(Thomas) Mackey. William moved with his family to Cattaraugus Co about 1839.
William was a farmer residing near Five Points in Mansfield, Cattaraugus Co.
After a lengthy illness, William died at age 65 on Dec 8, 1894 in Mansfield. Louisa
subsequently lived alone in Mansfield, where she died suddenly at age 69 on Mar 28,
1917. They are both buried in Little Valley Rural Cemetery, Lot 1, Block B.
Louisa and William had five children:
a. Reuben H. Mackey Born about 1865 in Mansfield, Cattaraugus Co. Married
Laura (maiden name unknown) about 1893. Laura died prior the 1920 census.
Rueben died Jun 23, 1922. They lived in Coldspring, Cattaraugus Co. Four
children:
i. Roy K. Mackey Born about 1896
ii. Gurth W. Mackey Born 1898 and died 1954. Buried in Maple Hills
Cemetery, East Randolph.
iii. Ruth L. Mackey (twin of Gurth) Born 1898. Married a Mr. Owen, who
was born about 1897.
iv. Donal S. Mackey Born about 1901.
b. Kate Mackey Born about 1867 in Mansfield. She is probably the same person
as the Katherine Mount who is buried in the Mackey lot at Little Valley Rural
Cemetery.
c. Emmett Mackey Born Dec 1873 in Mansfield. Married Pearl (maiden name
unknown) by 1900. She was born Nov 1881. Two children:
i. Eva L. Mackey Born on or about Jun 5, 1901 at Five Points, town of
Mansfield.
ii. Irene E. Mackey Born about 1904 in Mansfield
d. Avery Mackey Born Nov 1877 in Mansfield
e. (William) Floyd Mackey Born Aug 1883 in Mansfield
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2 Melissa A. Kenyon
Melissa was born Sep 24, 1851 in New Albion, Cattaraugus Co, NY. On January 1,
1868 she married George Washington Carey, who was born Feb 27, 1843 in
Napoli, Cattaraugus Co, the son of Ebenezer and Susan (Wyman) Carey. George
was a Civil War veteran who enlisted Aug 1863 in Company C, New York Heavy
Artillery, and served to the end of the war. The couple settled in New Abion,
Cattaraugus Co, on the homestead of Melissa's grandfather, Jeremiah Kenyon. They
observed their 60th wedding anniversary on Jan 1, 1928. George was a farmer.
George died at age 88 in Mar 23, 1931 at his home in the village of Cattaraugus,
Cattaraugus Co. A glowing obituary was published in the Cattaraugus Times, which
stated that he was “one of the widest known and most respected residents of
Cattaraugus County” and went on to praise his Civil War service and his prosperity
as a farmer. They stated that:
Mr. Carey took a lively interest in public affairs and was exceedingly progressive in his
views. He was one of the earliest advocates of Woman Suffrage in this section, and by
his advocacy of the principle of equality for women in participation in governmental
affairs, at a time when the cause was by no means popular, he did much to influence
sentiment in the direction which afterwards came to be generally regarded as correct.
George and Melissa (Kenyon) Carey (Collection of Angela Leshak)
For the last seven years of her life, Melissa lived in Salamanca with her daughter
Mabel Young. Melissa died at the age of 98 on Jan 8, 1950. She was buried beside
her husband in Liberty Park Cemetery in the village of Cattaraugus.
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Melissa Carey at age 79. (Collection of Angela Leshak)
Funeral of George Carey This photo shows a few of the large group of people who
attended the funeral of George Carey on March 21, 1931. The widow Melissa Carey, with
cane, is in the center of the photo. She is flanked on the left by her son Claude Carey,
and on the right by her daughter Mabel Young. The woman to the left of Claude is
probably his wife Sylvia. The man to the right of Mabel is Ole Becker. The woman
standing 3rd from right in the top row is Mabel’s daughter Muriel Peterson; her husband
Andrew is on the right end of the top row. Their two children Charlene and Paul are
probably the 2nd and 3rd from left in the bottom row. The men standing 1st and 3rd from the
left in the top row are Mackeys, probably children of Melissa’s sister Louisa Mackey.
—Collection of Angela Leshak
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George and Melissa had two children:
a. Mabel Carey Born Oct 1877 in New Albion, Cattaraugus Co. Married
Charles Vern Young about 1902. Lived in Cattaraugus Co. Two children:
i James C. Young, born about 1903.
ii Muriel Young, born about 1908. Married about 1927 to Andrew
Peterson, born about 1904 in PA. Two children as of 1930: Charlene age
3, and Paul age 1 year, 2 months.
b. Claude Carey Born Feb 1883 in New Albion, and died Dec 8, 1949. Claude
married Sylvia (maiden name unknown) about 1906. She was born about 1884.
Claude began his career as a drugstore clerk in New Albion, became a druggist,
and by 1920 owned his own drugstore. By 1930 he moved to Buffalo, NY, and
was president of a drug store chain. Claude and Sylvia had one child, Ruth, born
about 1907. Ruth married a Mr. Cash about 1929, but she was listed as a widow
one year later in the 1930 census!
3. Eva Kenyon
Eva was born Sep 25, 1856 in New Albion, Cattaraugus Co, NY. On Nov 21, 1875,
at New Albion, she married William E. Becker of Gowanda, Cattaraugus Co, who
was born Nov 1853 in New York. He was a grocer and later a traveling salesman.
They lived in Cherry Creek, Chautauqua Co, NY. Eva died at age 40 on Jun 9, 1897
in Cherry Creek, leaving two children aged 14 and 20. Eva’s widowed mother Mary
was then living with the family, and she remained until Eva’s children permanently
left home. Eva’s husband William apparently did not keep in close touch with his
children, for in 1923 his son Neal did not know if his father was still alive. William’s
date and place of death has not been found. Eva is buried in Cherry Creek Highlands
Cemetery.
Eva and William Becker had two children:
a. Ole L. Becker: Born Jul 16, 1876 in Rock Creek, OH. He died in New York
City at age 72, on Mar 29, 1949, and is buried in Cherry Creek Highlands
Cemetery in the same lot as his mother. He was an attorney for the New York
City subway system. He did not marry.
b. Neal Dow Becker: Born Feb 13, 1883 in Cherry Creek, Chautauqua Co, NY.
He died at age 72 on May 16, 1955 in New York City. On Jun 14, 1909, he
married Ivah Elizabeth Smith, the daughter of Charles W. and Effie (Kimball)
Smith. Ivah was born Nov 3, 1881, and died at age 69 on Jun 12, 1951 in New
York City. Neal then married Charlotte Dawn Allen, whose dates are unknown.
Neal was a prominent attorney and business executive. He is the subject of
Section 6, page 10.
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—Phtos from the collection of Angela Leshak
Eva Kenyon.
Sons Ole and Neal Becker
Eva and William Becker had two children:
(1) Ole L. Becker: Born Jul 16, 1876 in Rock Creek, OH. He died in New York
City at age 72, on Mar 29, 1949, and is buried in Cherry Creek Highlands
Cemetery in the same lot as his mother. He was an attorney for the New York
City subway system. He did not marry.
(2) Neal Dow Becker: Born Feb 13, 1883 in Cherry Creek, Chautauqua Co, NY.
He died at age 72 on May 16, 1955 in New York City. On Jun 14, 1909, he
married Ivah Elizabeth Smith, the daughter of Charles W. and Effie (Kimball)
Smith. Ivah was born Nov 3, 1881, and died at age 69 on Jun 12, 1951 in New
York City. Neal then married Charlotte Dawn Allen, whose dates are unknown.
Neal was a prominent attorney and business executive. He is the subject of
Section 6, page 10.
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4. Merritt J. Kenyon
Merritt was born Jul 21, 1859 in New Albion, Cattaraugus Co, NY. About 1884, he
married Clara Delaney, who was born Apr 28, 1861 in Buffalo, NY, the daughter of
Charles D. and Julia R. Delaney. After a lengthy illness, Merritt died at age 61 on
Aug 14, 1920 in Salamanca, NY. His widow Clara died at age 67 on Jun 7, 1928,
after several years of failing health, at the home of her sister, Mrs. A. G. Drummer in
Cattaraugus Co. Merritt and Clara are buried in Little Valley Rural Cemetery, Block
E.
Merritt and Clara Kenyon —Collection of Arthur Kenyon
Children of Merritt and Clara Kenyon. From left to right: Guy, Leonard, Leslie, Brett.
—Collection of Robert and Claire (Kenyon) Rost
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The family lived in Cherry Creek in Chautauqua Co, when sons Bret and Guy were
born in 1885 and 1887, but was back living in New Albion by 1900. They moved to
Salamanca circa 1916. Merritt’s occupations included farmer, furniture dealer, and
house carpenter.
Merritt and Clara had four children:
a. Bret Harte Kenyon Born Nov 1885, in Cherry Cr., NY. Died at age 60 on
Aug 20, 1945, in Wilkinsburg, PA. Married Bessie L. Cafall, who was born Aug
8, 1890 and died at age 83 on Aug 28, 1973, Wilkinsburg, PA. Both are buried
in Woodlawn Cemetery, Wilkinsburg. Bret was a watchmaker, who together
with brothers Leonard and Leslie founded Kenyon Brothers Jewelry in the
1920’s in Pittsburgh.
b. Guy Charles Kenyon Born Feb 26, 1887, in Cherry Cr., NY. Guy died at
age 89, in Warren, Tumble Co, OH, on Jun 26, 1976. First marriage Aug 30,
1910 in Cattaraugus Co, NY to Florence Adelaide Bailey, daughter of William
and Julia (White) Bailey, born Sep 22, 1889 in Salamanca NY. She died Apr 7,
1935 in Warren, OH. Second marriage Jul 22, 1936 to Treva May Mills, who
was born Jul 17, 1896, in Hartford, IN, the daughter of Cyrus and Elizabeth
Mills. Treva died at 78 on Oct 19, 1974, in Warren, OH. Guy was an officer of
the Warren Transportation Co, having worked his way up from streetcar
motorman and later bus driver.
c. Leonard L. Kenyon Born Aug 1889, in NY. Died at age 85 on Feb 19, 1975
in Wilkinsburg, PA. Married Mary Moran, who was born in 1889 in Pittsburg
and died in 1962 in Pittsburg. Leonard was a watchmaker who with his brothers
Bret and Leslie founded Kenyon Brothers Jewelry in the 1920’s in Pittsburgh.
d. Leslie A. Kenyon Born Jul 1899, in Little Valley, NY. Died at age 79 on
May 8, 1979 in Wilkinsburg, Alleghany Co, PA. Buried in Woodlawn
Cemetery, Wilkinsburg, PA. Did not marry. During his last years, he lived with
Leonard L. Kenyon (Jr.) the son of his brother Leonard. Leslie was a
watchmaker who with his brothers Bret and Leonard founded Kenyon Brothers
Jewelry in the 1920’s in Pittsburgh. In addition to his skill as a watchmaker, he
was a talented electronics hobbyist who built his own radios and TV.
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Descendant Chart for Merritt Kenyon
Merritt J. KENYON b. Jul 1859 New Albion, Cattaraugus Co, NY; d. 1920 Cattaraugus Co.
m. Clara DELANEY b. Apr 1861 NY, d. Jun 1928 Cattaraugus Co.
Bret Harte KENYON b. Nov 1885 Little Valley, Cattaraugus Co, NY; d. 1945 Wilkinsburg, PA
m. Bessie L. Caffall b. 1890; d. 1973 Wilkinsburg, PA
Arthur KENYON
m. Mildred Putzlocker
Kathryn KENYON
Susan KENYON
Judy KENYON
Elizabeth KENYON b. 1930; d. 1944 Pittsburgh, PA
Guy Charles KENYON b. Feb 1887 Cherry Cr, Chautaqua Co, NY; d. 1976 Champion Twp, OH
m1. Florence Bailey (mother of children) Sep 1889 Salamanca NY; d. Apr 1935 Warren OH.
m2. Treva May Mills, b Jul 1896 Hartford IN, d Oct 1974, Warren, OH.
Harold KENYON b. 1911 Warren, Ohio d. 1995 Warren, Ohio
m. Wilma Parks b. 1922; d. 1999 Warren, Ohio
Lynette KENYON
Douglas KENYON
Elaine Sue KENYON
Kenneth KENYON
m. Lucille Parks
Paul KENYON
Sandy KENYON
Leonard Lewis KENYON b. Aug 1889 Little Valley, NY; d. 1975 Wilkinsburgh, PA
m. Mary Inez MORAN b. 1889 Pittsburgh, PA; d. 1962 Pittsburgh, PA
Anna Mae KENYON b. 1925 Pittsburgh, PA d. 1981 Pittsburgh, PA
m1 John Weston McAllister. m2 Robert Carroll.
Craig Weston McAllister
Mark Robert Caroll
Leonard Lewis KENYON
m. Marion FARKAS
Carol Lynne KENYON
Karen Leigh KENYON
James Merritt KENYON
Claire L. KENYON
m. Robert E. Rost
James Kenyon Rost
Mary Anne Rost
Joan Christine Rost
Sally Marie Rost
Thomas Moran Rost
Amy Frances Rost
Mary Katherine Rost
Leslie A. KENYON b. Jul 1899 Little Valley, NY; d. 1979 Wilkinsburgh, PA (did not marry)
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5. Goeffry/Jeffrey Kenyon
There was a fifth child, Jeffrey, who died in infancy on Jun 7, 1861 and was buried in
Tug Hill Cemetery, New Albion, Cattaraugus Co.
6. Biography of Neal Dow Becker
Neal was born Feb 13, 1883 in Cherry Creek, Chautauqua Co. New York to William
and Eva (Kenyon) Becker. He died at age 72 on May 16, 1955 in New York City.
On Jun 14, 1909, Neal married Ivah Elizabeth Smith, the daughter of Charles Walter
and Effie May (Kimball) Smith. She was born Nov 3, 1881, and died at age 72 on
Jun 12, 1951 in New York City. Neal then married Charlotte Dawn Allen, whose
dates are unknown.
Neal obtained a law degree from Cornell University in 1905. He was a member of
the law firm of Kelley and Becker from 1910 to 1925. In 1926 he became President
of the Intertype Corporation, and was elevated to Chairman of the Board in 1932,
serving until his death in 1955. At Intertype, he played a key role in the development
of the typesetting machine. He traveled extensively on business in Europe, and was
an exponent of expanded foreign trade. He served on the board of directors of a
number of corporations and civic organizations, including Cornell University. He
was a member of the Hoover Commission, which sought to identify ways of reducing
government expenses. A more complete account of his career is given in the
obituary reproduced on page 13.
Neal Becker and wife Ivah (Collection of Angela Leshak)
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Neil was a good friend of president Hoover. His great granddaughter Angela Leshak
wrote:
Yes, Neal was an impressive man . . .
What the obituary [page 13] omits to highlight is the personal friendship that
developed between Neal and President Hoover. I actually was able to get a hold of
copies of the correspondence between President Hoover and my great grandfather from
the Herbert Hoover presidential library. At one point during some ceremonial
celebration that they attended together, Neal and President Hoover ended up switching
top hats by mistake and the letters banter back and forward about getting the hats
exchanged back. Those are the finds that give a personal touch to people we may only
know on paper.
Interestingly also my mother also tells me that her grandfather Neal was one of the
sweetest men she has ever met despite the fame.
Neal and Ivah had two children:
Jane Becker Born Jun 5, 1910 in New York City, died Jul 19, 1988 in New York
City. Married George DeWolf Wever, who was born in 1903 and died in 1979.
Buried in Onteora Cemetery in Tannersville, NY.
Marilee Becker Born 1916. Married Alexander Sanford Kellogg of Bar
Harbor, Maine.
Neal has a headstone erected in his memory at the Onteora Cemetery in Tannersville,
NY, but his ashes were scattered over a golf course, the location of which is no
longer known. The stone is next to his wife Ivah, daughter Jane Becker and Jane’s
husband George D. Wever.
Neal Dow Becker (Collection of Angela Leshak)
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Reproduction of the obituary of Neal Dow Becker printed by the
Intertype Corporation.
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Questions, Corrections and Additions
I welcome questions, corrections and additions. I can be contacted at the
e-mail or postal address at the top of page 1.
Acknowledgements
There would be no photographs, and far less information if it were not for the
contributions of Angela Leshak and Karen Kenyon. Angela’s contributions included
copies of photos and documents preserved by and inherited from George and Jane
(Becker) Wever. Karen obtained the photos and data from her aunt Claire (Kenyon)
Rost and from her uncle Arthur Kenyon. Cattaraugus Co Historian Sharon Fellows
and the Cattaraugus Co Historical Museum were indispensable as a source for hardto-find records. Diana Mackey, Randolph, NY, Town Historian and President of the
Randolph Historical Society provided information on William Mackey. Nancy
Waterhouse of Salt Lake City copied documents for me at the LDS Family History
Library. Special thanks to the Salamanca, NY, Public Library, and its Director Tom
Sharbaugh, for extraordinary help in obtaining obituaries.
Sources
Sources for Addison
Addison: Birth date calculated from age at death. Year agrees with age in earliest census (1850).
Death: 1) Cattaraugus Co Wills 5:82, proved Feb 2, 1871. 2) Cattaraugus Co Letters Testamentary
3:311, Feb 2, 1871. 3) Probate case file of Addison Kenyon, Cattaraugus Co, Box 81. 4) Records
of Tug Hill Cemetery, Cattaraugus Co Historical Museum: “died 5 Jan 1871, age 49 years 4 months
17 days.” Named as the son of Jeremiah Kinyon in William Adams, Historical Gazetteer and
Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus County, New York, Syracuse, NY, 1893, p 833. Mentioned
in Adelos Gorton, The Life and Times of Samuel Gorton . . , 1907, p 484. The year that he came to
New Albion is from 10 years in town of New Albion in the 1855 census.
Addison’s wife Mary: Biographical details are from her obituary. Birth date from obituary and
death certificate. Her obituary gives her place of birth as Holly, Oneida Co, but there is no place
named Holly in Oneida County. The 1855, 1865 and 1875 censuses state that Mary was born in
Orleans Co, NY. There is a village in Orleans Co that is called Holley and that is where Mary’s
parents were married (see next paragraph). The 1875 census gives Orleans as the county of birth.
But, the death certificate of her daughter Eva states that Mary was born in Royalton, about 30 miles
west of Holley in Niagara Co. Our best guess is that this is correct (see the discussion on Mary’s
parents in the following paragraph). Marriage year estimated from year of birth of first child.
Death date from NY State Death Certificate, Cattaraugus Co, Cattaraugus Village, informant
George W. Carey. Obituary: Cattaraugus Times, December 22, 1911. The Tug Hill Cemetery
inscription (Cattaraugus Co Historical Museum) gives “Mary M., wife of Addison, born 1824, died
1912 [sic].” The will of Mary M. Kenyon was executed Jun 16, 1900 in Cherry Cr. Chautauqua Co,
NY, and submitted for probate Dec 19, 1911 in Cattaraugus Co.
Mary’s siblings and parents: The death certificates of Mary’s son Merritt and daughter Eva each
give Mary’s maiden name as Hunton. There is a biographical sketch of a George Hunton in
William R. Cutter, Genealogical and Family History of Western NY, Vol. II, 1912, p. 821-822. It is
based on information that George furnished in his own handwriting. It gives information on
George’s siblings including a Mary M., and states that the children moved to Cattaraugus Co.
Strong circumstantial evidence suggests that this George Hunton is Mary’s brother: Addison
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named a George Hunton as executor of his will. There was only one George Hunton in Cattaraugus
Co at the time. Born in Orleans Co, NY, he lived in New Albion near Addison and Mary (1855 NY
State Census, New Albion, p 25). He was a carriage maker in New Albion and was elected Justice
of the Peace 1863-1891, according to the chapter on the History of New Albion in the Historical
Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co, NY, 1893, and History of Cattaraugus
Co NY 1879, p 384. It is clear that this is the same George Hunton who was Addison’s executor,
based on occupation, place of residence, place of birth and his having a sister Mary M. Cutter
states that George was born Sep 19, 1927, the son of John and Anna (Day) Hunton. George’s sister
is surely the same Mary M. who gave her birthplace as Orleans Co and married Addison—it was
appropriate for Addison to name as executor his wife’s brother who was also a justice of the peace.
Cutter states that Mary’s parents were married in Holley, Orleans Co, at an unspecified date, and
that George was born there in 1827. However, after their marriage the parents could have initially
lived in Royalton, where Mary was born in 1824, but returned to Holley by 1927 when George was
born. Therefore, George’s birth in Holley does not necessarily contradict the birthplace of
Royalton given in Mary’s death certificate.
Family of Addison in the census:
1850 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 29, family of Addison Kenyon.
1855 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 25, family of Addison Kenyon
1860 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 534, family of Addison Kenyon
1865 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 619, family of Addison Kinyon
1870 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 29, family of Addison Kenyon
1875 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 616, family of Mary Kenyon, widow
1880 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 352D, family of Mary Kenyon, widow.
1892 NY, Chautauqua Co,Cherry Cr., p 6, widow Mary living in the family of son-in-law William Becker.
1900 NY, Chautauqua Co. Cherry Cr., p 3B. Mary is living in the family of son-in-law William E. Becker.
1910 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 6B. Mary is living with her daughter Melissa and her husband
George Carey.
Sources for Louisa
Note: There recently appeared an article titled “The parents of William Mackey” in the January
2014 issue of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, p 5-24. It provides a great deal
of additional information on William Mackey. The entry for William Andrew Mackey on p 20-21
agrees with the sources that I used.
Louisa: Named in the probate documents of both parents. Birth date from 1900 census. Death
date from obituary (Cattaraugus Times, Mar 30, 1917, p 1) and burial record from Little Valley
Rural Cemetery (Cattaraugus Co Historical Museum). Number of children from 1900 and 1910
census and obituary.
William: Birth and marriage date from obituary. Mother’s given name from 1865 census, family
of William Mackey: “Harriet Mackey, mother”. Father’s name and mother’s maiden name from
Diana Mackey, Randolph, NY, Town Historian and President of the Randolph Historical Society.
Obituary of William Mackey: Cattaraugus Republican, Dec 14, 1894, p 8. Burial record: Little
Valley Rural Cemetery (Cattaraugus Co Historical Museum).
Census: The family of William and Louisa Mackey, and some of their children after they left
home, appears in the census as follows:
1850 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 20, family of Harriet Mackey. William is living with his mother
and some of his siblings.
1860 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 545, William Mackey (single), head. His mother and some of
his siblings are living with him.
1865 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 619, William Mackey (single), head. William’s mother and
some of his siblings are living with him.
1870 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Mansfield, p 340, family of William Mackey
1880 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Mansfield, p 334B, family of William Mackey, indexed as “Nancky”
1892 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Mansfield, p 7, family of William Mackey
1900 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Mansfield, p 1A , Louisa Mackey, widow. Son Emmet and wife living next
door
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1905 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Mansfield, p 6, family of Emmet Mackey, Louisa next door.
1910 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Mansfield, p 8B, Louisa Mackey, widow, indexed as “Masky.” Louisa is living
alone, two families away from family of Emmet Mackey.
1910 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Mansfield, p 8B, family of Emmet E. Mackey
1910 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Coldspring, p 6B, family of Reuben H. Mackey.
1920 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Mansfield, p 2A, family of son Emmet E. Mackey.
1920 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Mansfield, p 3A, family of son Reuben H. Mackey
1930 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Mansfield, p 5A, family of Emmet Mackey
1930 NY, Cattaraugus Co, Little Valley, p 11B, family of Bert Mackey
Children: Number of children from 1900 and 1910 census. All information on children comes
from the above censuses, except: 1) The dates and place of burial of Gurth, which are from the
record of Maple Hill Cemetery, East Randolph, Cattaraugus Co, NY. 2) The birth of granddaughter
Eva is from the Ellicotville Post, Jun 5, 1901. 3) The burial records for the family plot (lot 1) in
Little Valley Rural Cemetery, which includes Rueben Mackey, Emmet Mackey, Pearl Mackey,
Floyd Mackey, and Katherine Mount who died “Jul 3-62 1978” [sic].
Sources for Melissa:
George and Melissa are named in the will of Melissa’s mother, Mary M. Kenyon. George’s birth
and marriage date and parents’ names from his obituary and Adams, Historical Gazetteer and
Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co, NY, p 833. The month and year of George’s birth
reported in the 1900 census agrees. George’s death from his obituary, Cattaraugus Times, Mar 26,
1931.
Melissa’s birth and death dates are from her obituary, Salamanca Republican Press, Jan 10, 1950.
The family appears in the census as follows:
1880 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 353B, family of George Cary
1892 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 2, family of George W. Cary
1900 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 21A family of George W. Carey
1910 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 6B, family of George Cary
1920 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 1A, family of George W. Carey
1930 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 12A, family of George Carey
Children are from the census and the above obituaries. Claude Carey, after leaving home, appears
in the census as follows:
1900 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 7B, Claude Carey boarding in the family of Robert E. Kysor.
1910 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 1B, family of Claude Carey.
1920 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 10A, family of Claude C. Carey
1930 NY, Erie Co, Buffalo, family of Claude Carey, p 6B
All of the information on Claude is from the above census records, except his death date from the
obituary of his mother. His sister Mabel appears in the census after her marriage as follows:
1910 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 5A, family of C. Vern Young
1920 NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 6A, family of Charles V. Young
1930 not found
Mabel’s daughter Muriel appears in the census after her marriage as follows:
1930 NY, Chautauqua Co, Jamestown, p 15B, family of Andrew Peterson
Claude’s daughter Ruth is found living with her parents in the 1930 census, last name Cash, widow,
married the previous year.
Sources for Eva:
Married name and names of children from will of Eva’s mother Mary M. Kenyon. Marriage from a
certificate signed by the justice of the peace who married them, and from a marriage announcement
in the Cattaraugus Republican, Dec 2, 1875, p 2. Occupations from the census. Birth date from
age 49 yr, 8 mo, 15 days at death from death certificate. Agrees with a family record in the
collection of Angela Leshak, and with age 3, 1860 census. NY State death certificate 24185,
Chautauqua Co. Death notice: Jamestown Evening Journal, Jan 9, 1897. Cemetery identified from
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online roster of the Cherry Creek Highlands Cemetery, Chautauqua Co GenWeb (does not include
inscriptions).
Family of Eva and William Becker in the census:
1880 NY, Chautauqua Co, Cherry Cr., p 118C, family of W. E. Becker
1892 NY Chautauqua Co, Cherry Cr., p 6, family of William E. Becker
1900 NY Chautauqua Co. Cherry Cr., p 3B, family of William Becker.
Son Ole Becker: Birth date from WW I draft registration card, and passenger list of the S. S.
Grisholm sailing from New York Jul 26, 1935. There is no birth certificate. Other details from
obituary of Ole Becker, Olean (NY) Times Herald, May 13, 1949, p 4.
Son Neal Becker: See page 19.
Sources for Merritt:
Merritt: Birth date from death certificate. Agrees with Jul 1859 in 1900 census, and age 11 mo. in
1860 census. Death date from New York State Death Certificate #47792, Cattaraugus Co.
Cemetery record online at www.paintedhills.org, for Little Valley Rural Cemetery: “KENYON,
Merritt, spouse of Clara, born 1859, died 1920, Section E”.
Wife Clara: Maiden name from the Social Security application of son Guy,from Guy’s obituary,
and from Guy’s marriage record to Florence Bailey. Wife’s birth date from her obituary. Same
month and year in 1900 census. Death from obituary her obituary in the Cattaraugus Times, Jun
14, 1928, p 7, and her cemetery record at Little Valley Rural Cemetery: “KENYON, Clara spouse
of Merritt, born 1861, died 1928, Section E”. Clara’s is found with her parents in the 1870 census
for Buffalo, NY, Ward 1, p 39.
Census: The family of Merritt Kenyon appears in the census as follows:
1892, NY, Cattaraugus Co, Salamanca, p 14
1900, NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 21A
1905, not found
1910, NY, Cattaraugus, Little Valley, p 3A
1920, NY, Cattaraugus, Salamanca, p 6B
Son Bret: Birth date from WW II draft registration. Death date from burial permit. Name of wife
from census and cemetery records. Date of her death from burial permit. Place of burial of Bret
and wife from burial permits, Woodlawn Cemetery Assn., Borough of Wilkinsburgh, PA. Bret in
the census:
1920, MO, St. Louis city Ward 13, p 9A, Bret H. Kenyon (indexed as Kennon) is living with the parents of
his future wife, family of Alfred E. Caffall.
1930, PA, Alleghaney Co, Wilkinsburg, p 10B, family of Bret Kenyon (indexed as Hanyon)
Son Guy: Parents and birth date from his Social Security application, SSN 278-05-8084. Birth
date also given in his WW2 draft registration and the Social Security Death Index. Guy’s obituary:
Tribune Chronicle, Warren OH, Apr 10, 1935. Marriage to Florence Bailey from FHL film 583817
"Marriage Records of Cattaraugus Co, NY". Information on Florence from her obituary, Warren
Tribune Chronicle, Warren OH, Apr 10, 1935. Information on second wife from her obituary,
Tribune Chronicle, Warren, OH, Oct 19, 1976, p 5. Guy’s family in the census:
1920, OH, Trumble Co, Warren, p 4B, Guy C. Kenyon, family of Guy C. Kenyon.
1930, OH, Trumble Co, Warren, p 30B, Guy C. Kenyon, family of Guy C. Kenyon.
Son Leonard: Birth date from his obituary. World War I and II draft registration and the Social
Security Death Index. Death date from obituary, Pittsburgh Press, Feb 26, 1975. Wife’s name
from Leonard’s obituary. Her death date from family records via Karen Kenyon. Leonard in the
census:
1920, PA, Allgheney Co, Wilkinsburg Borough, p 4B, lodging with the family of Charles Carter.
1930, Not found
Son Leslie: Birth date from Social Security Death Index, and World War I draft registration. Death
date from Social Security Death index and burial permit, Woodlawn Cemetery. Not found in
census after leaving home. Biographical detail from Karen Kenyon.
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Descendant Chart: Based on a chart by Merritt’s great granddaughter Karen Leigh Kenyon, Jul
25, 2003, largely from family sources supplied by Claire (Kenyon) Rost. I edited the chart to
include the documented information that I found.
Sources for Jeffrey:
The caption on the back of Addison’s portrait includes “Goeffry” as one of his children. The
information from Karen Kenyon (see Merritt Kenyon) includes a son “Jeffery.” The Tug Hill
Cemetery record (Cattaraugus Co Historical Museum) lists “Kenyon, Jeffery, no birth or death
date, child (doesn’t say who).” Jeffrey does not appear in any census. It is assumed that Jeffery is
a son of Addison who died young.
Sources for Neal Becker:
Angela Leshak, the great-great granddaughter of Neal Becker, provided most of the information
including the marriage and death certificates of Neal and Ivah, the cemetery inscriptions, and the
obituary of Neal printed by the Intertype Corporation (from which most of the biographical detail
was obtained). Other sources for biographical detail are Neal’s obituary in the New York Times,
May 17, 1955, and the biographical sketches of Neal Dow Becker in Who's Who in Commerce and
Industry, 1938, and Marquis’ Who Was Who (database online). The State of NY does not have a
birth record for Neal or Ivah; the birth dates were taken from their death certificates. Ivah’s
gravestone inscription, from the Onteora Cemetery, has her born in 1883, while her death certificate
(Neal Becker informant) gives 1881. Ivah is found living with her parents Charles W. and Effie
Smith (as named in her death certificate) in the 1892 census for NY, Cattaraugus Co, Olean, p 1,
where Ivah’s age was reported as 10, as of the enumeration date of Feb 16. This confirms the 1881
birth date. The Onteora cemetery information is online at RootsWeb:
George Dewolf Wever, b. 1903, d. 1979
Jane B. Wever, b. 1910, d. 1988
In Memory of Neal Dow Becker, b. 1883, d. 1955
Ivah E. Becker, b. 1883 [sic], d. 1951
Neal’s marriage to Eva Becker is recorded in Marriage Records of Cattaraugus Co NY, FHL film
583817.
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