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LIVINGSTON
A. NIMS, proprietor of the Riverside
Hotel, Depauville, New York, is a descendant
of John Nims (great-grandfather), who
came with some of his family to this region
and settled near Sackets Harbor. Later
he removed to Clayton, when that town was
practically in the wilderness, and there
spent his last years, dying at the
extraordinary age of one hundred and two
years.
Appleton Nims, son of John Nims,
was born in 1808, in Sackets Harbor, and
came to Clayton with his father. He
was a very successful farmer and continued
his agricultural labors to an advanced
period of life. He married Louisa
Phelps, who came from the Mohawk period
of life. He married Louisa
Phelps, who came from the Mohawk Valley,
and they were the parents of the following
children: Augustus S., who is now
living in Clayton; Sarah Elizabeth,
who became the wife of Eldridge
Burchall and resides in Antwerp;
Alonzo, mentioned at length hereinafter;
Livingston; and a fourth child who is
deceased. Both Mr. and Mrs. Nims
were members of the Methodist Episcopal
church, to the support of which they
contributed liberally. Mrs. Nims
at the time of her death was eighty-five
years old, and her husband, while not as
remarkable for longevity as his father had
been, attained to the somewhat unusual age
of eighty-four years and four months.
Both were active in the church, and full of
good deeds in every relation of life.
Alonzo Nims, son of Appleton and Louisa
(Phelps) Nims, was born in 1836 in
Sackets Harbor, and was there reared and
educated and trained to agricultural
pursuits. He graduated from West Point
in the same class with Frank Peck,
and for thirty-one years taught in a
district school. He took up and
cleared two hundred and eighty acres of land
in what was then a wilderness, near Clayton,
and this farm was his home until 1884, when
he retired and moved to Clayton village.
He was a member of the Masonic fraternity
and belonged to the Lincoln League of
Watertown. He married Harriet,
born in July, 1841, in St. Lawrence,
daughter of Benjamin and ______ (Dellenpaugh
) Phillips. The father was a pioneer who
came to Jefferson county and cleared up a
farm, and his wife belonged to one of the
Dutch families of the Mohawk Valley.
Of their eight children who were born in
Clayton, two are now living: Kate,
who married John Weaver, and
resides at St. Lawrence; and Libbie,
who became the wife of Farley
Kellogg, of Clayton. The following
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Nims:
Gilbert, who died at the age of five
years; John, who died at the age of
six years; Livingston A., mentioned
at length hereinafter; Cora, born July 2,
1875, and two others who died in infancy.
Cora was born in the town of Clayton,
educated in the common and high schools of
Clayton, then taught twelve terms in the
schools of Jefferson county. On Sept.
4, 1901, she became the wife of Walter B.
Allen, who was born in the town of
Clayton, July 27, 1854, a son of Reuben
and May Jane (Stiel) Allen, the former
named having died May 29, 1878, aged
forty-two years, and the latter is now
living at the age of seventy-five years.
They were the parents of a number of
children, four of whom are living: 1.
Melzer, who married Mabel
Hanson, and their children are: Clayton
and an infant. 2. Riley, who married
Jennie Williams, and their
children are: Ruth, Jessie and
Jeanie. 3. Jessie, who
attended the common schools of Clayton,
graduating in 1904, resides in Clayton . 4.
Ruth, who also attended the common schools
of Clayton, graduating in 1904.
Alonzo Nims died May 14, 1901, in
Clayton, aged sixty-five years. His
death was mourned by the whole community,
his winning personality having attracted to
him a host of friends by whom he was
esteemed no less than beloved by reason of
his upright life and conscientious devotion
to principle. He was well-educated and
well-informed on all the topics of the day.
His wife, Harriet (Phillips)
Nims, died Oct. 10, 1897, aged
fifty-six years. She was a member of
the Baptist church, and was much esteemed
and beloved.
Livingston A. Nims, son of Alonzo and Harriet
( Phillips ) Nims, was born June 8,
1867, at Depauville, New York. He was
educated in the common schools, and at the
age of sixteen went west and took a position
as cook on a vessel plying on the great
lakes. This position he held for ten years.
He was then employed on another vessel,
which in 1894 filled and sank. On his
return to Jefferson county Mr.
Nims bought out the Bon Ton Restaurant
in Clayton, and conducted it for four years.
He then sold out, came to Depauville May 1,
1903, and be came the proprietor of the
Riverside Hotel. He is a Mason,
affiliating with a lodge in Depauville, and
a member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows of Clayton. In politics he is
a Republican .
Mr. Nims married in June, 1902, Edith,
daughter of William Denny of Clayton
.
*Source: Genealogical & Family History of
Jefferson Co., NY, publ. 1905 - Page 1184 |
