Benjamin, a son of Mortimer, was born in Schenectady County, New York, and went with his father to Silver Lake, where he assisted him in the work of the farm, besides following the trade of shoemaker, and to some extent that of carpenter, erecting many buildings on the farm and in its immediate vicinity. He started out for himself at the age of twenty-one, purchasing a piece of land covered with a heavy growth of forest trees, which, with the indomitable energy of those days, by persevering toil he cleared, and made for himself and family a comfortable home, where he died at the age of seventy-two years. Benjamin Gage married Miss Lydia M. Soule, by whom he had sixteen children, two of whom died in infancy. The fourteen who grew to maturity are as follows: Truman H., Joel S., John C., Susanna, Benjamin J., Jane E., Elma E., Edwin, Caleb S., Franklin P., Eli, Dorcas, Estella, and Henry M. The mother died January 20, 1879, at the homestead. The father died September 18, 1884.
At the district school of the neighborhood, where Caleb went with his brothers and sisters, he obtained a fair rudimentary education. Although the course of study was not so extensive and varied as that of the present day, the teaching was thorough. The lessons there learned he did not need to learn over again. He has not neglected, however, to further improve his mind by observation and reading. When his schooling was finished, he came to New York, and began to work at the trade of blacksmith with Messrs. Wilber & Patterson at Conklin in Broome County, where he remained for some time. After this he was for a little while in Windsor, whence he moved to Hawleyton, and formed a partnership with a Mr. Mosher in the wagon and blacksmith business, and continued in this for fifteen years. At the end of that time the shop was burned. In 1889 a new building was erected; and Mr. Gage carried on the same business alone until February of 1893, when he purchased the creamery located at Hawleyton, and began manufacturing butter. This creamery is the largest of its kind in this region, the product being from three to four hundred pounds of butter per day, from about eight thousand pounds of milk. This industry is a very extensive one now in this part of the State, as it is a fine grazing locality and the milk is obtained from the best breeds of imported cattle.
Mr. Gage in 1874 married Miss Eliza Mosher, daughter of Benjamin Mosher, of Hawleyton. They have two children living, Walton H. and Alida. Mr. and Mrs. Gage met with a heavy sorrow in the death of a bright and promising son, Albert N., at the age of fifteen. Mrs. Gage is an active and faithful member of the Methodist church, and proves in the beauty and goodness of her everyday life that her religion is not simply a profession, but an abiding reality.
Mr. Gage has belonged to many of the fraternal orders, notably the Anawan Tribe of Red Men, the Good Templars, and a number of lodges of different cities. He is an active member of Sexennial League, a beneficial order of Binghamton; a member of Quequechan Tribe of Red Men, No. 114; also member of Binghamton Lodge, No. 177, A. F. & A. M. Mr. Gage is an ardent friend of the Republican party, whose candidates receive his unswerving support. By his manly enterprise and industry, and his upright course in his business, Mr. Gage has deservedly won the esteem of his community as a good citizen and neighbor.
Source: pages 220-222.
ALEXANDER GARDINIER, general farmer and stock-raiser, of the town of Windsor, Broome County, N. Y., was born in the town of Sanford, in this county, December 21, 1855. His parents were Zedekiah and Abigail (Alexander) Gardinier. The father was born in Schoharie County, New York, 1804; and his early days were spent in various occupations. He was married in 1838 to Miss Abigail Alexander, who was born in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, in 1817. After their marriage they settled in Broome County on the well-known Watson Tract, where he carried on farming and lumbering until his death, at the age of sixty-six years. He owned about two hundred and fifty acres of land, and was a successful farmer. He was a Democrat in his political views. Mr. and Mrs. Zedekiah Gardinier had twelve children, of whom eleven grew to maturity, and ten are now living. They are as follows: Daniel, Sarah, Rachel, William, Mary, Dorcas, Jacob, Henrietta, Alexander, Grace, and Phebe. Daniel died at the age of forty-nine years. He was among the first to volunteer in the late war. The mother died at the age of sixty-two years.
Alexander Gardinier started in life as a farmer. When quite a young man, he went to Nebraska, and lived there for a while, but at the time of his mother's death returned to Windsor, where he has since resided. His marriage to Miss Hattie Manwaring took place on April 22, 1886. They now live on part of the old homestead owned by her parents for many years, where he carries on general farming and stock-raising. Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Gardinier have one daughter --- Ruth M., born June 5, 1889. They attend the Presbyterian church, of which Mrs. Gardinier is a member. Mr. Gardinier, seeing the evils of intemperance and feeling the necessity for active legislation against this deplorable vice, votes the Prohibition ticket.
The parents of Mrs. Gardinier were Henry and Hepsey Maria (Martin) Manwaring. Her father was born March 10, 1813, in the town of Coventry, Chenango County, N. Y., son of Jabez and Sally (Hopkins) Manwaring, natives of Connecticut. Jabez Manwaring was an early settler of Coventry, and one of the most prosperous farmers in that vicinity. Of his nine children, only four now survive, namely: Edward S., residing in Windsor; Lucius, in Coventry; William, in Michigan; and Samuel, in Iowa. Jabez Manwaring died at the age of eighty, and his wife also lived to an advanced age. Henry Manwaring grew to manhood in the town of Coventry, and was educated in the district school of his neighborhood. At the age of twenty-one he hired himself out to William A. Martin, for whom he worked one year, receiving ten dollars per month. January 2, 1839, he married Miss Hepsey Maria Martin, daughter of William A. and Sarah (Stoddard) Martin, both born in Coventry, Chenango County, of which place Mrs. Manwaring was also a native. Her grandfather, Samuel A. Martin, was one of the first settlers in that town, he and his wife having gone there from Connecticut. He was a farmer and one of the leading men; and, being a far-sighted and judicious speculator in real estate, he was financially very successful. His residence was a log house, which he built himself when he first went to Coventry. His family consisted of seven children. He was a Presbyterian in his religious belief. William A. Martin, son of Samuel, also spent his days in Coventry, where he carried on general farming, and, like his father, was a speculator and a man of means. He was an active and earnest worker in the Presbyterian church, of which he was a Deacon for many years. He was fifty-six years of age when he died. He was twice married, and had two children by his first wife; by the second, four children. Mrs. Manwaring, of Windsor, and Mrs. Wright Dean, of Iowa, are all that survive.
Henry Manwaring, after his marriage to Miss Martin, purchased a farm of one hundred acres, and resided in West Coventry for some years. He was a hard-working man, and by close attention to his business added to his original acres until he owned one square mile of land. In 1865 he sold this property, and removed to Broome County, where he bought a farm of four hundred acres in the town of Windsor. This place was called the Shaker farm. Mr. Manwaring lived there for two years, and then purchased the farm of one hundred and fifty acres where he remained until his death, October, 1886, at the age of seventy-three years, and on which his widow still makes her home. He was a Presbyterian in religion, and politically a Democrat. To himself and wife four children were born, all of whom are still living. They are as follows: Albert and Sarah Elizabeth (Mrs. Edward Sleeper), both residents of Windsor Village; Charles H. and Hattie L. (wife of Alexander Gardinier), who reside on portions of the home farm.
Mrs. Manwaring, the mother of Mrs. Gardinier, was born February 25, 1817. She still keeps the home farm, and is a strong, mentally vigorous, and energetic lady, taking an interest in current events as well as in everything pertaining to the past. She gives a great deal of attention to local history and biography, having just reason to be proud of the part taken by her own and her husband's ancestors, and, with her son-in-law, Mr. Gardinier, is much interested in the present popular revival of colonial reminiscences. Alexander Gardinier is considered by all one of the most promising and enterprising among the young farmers of Windsor Village, and is honored and respected by his neighbors and fellow-citizens.
Source: pages 272-273.
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All biographies are from Biographical Review - The Leading Citizens of Broome County, New York
Boston - Biographical Review Publishing Company - 1894
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