TOWNER, DANIEL AKIN, M.D.—This skillful and successful physician was the first one to introduce into Southern and Western New York the homoeopathic system of the practice of medicine. His ancestors came from Wales late in the seventeenth century and settled on Long Island. His grandfather, Samuel Towner, went thence into Putnam County, where he became the owner of hundreds of acres of land and gave his name to a post office, railroad station, and small hamlet, still called thereby Towner's. James Towner, Dr. Towner's father, was county judge, county clerk, and member of Assembly of his county at times and a conspicuous man always of his locality. Martha Towner, one of James Towner's sisters, married Dr. John Hayt, of Ithaca, who became one of the earliest settlers of Corning, N.Y., and was the father of the Hon. Stephen T. Hayt, still prominent in that locality. Another sister of James Towner married James Haviland, father of Ward Haviland, one time a prominent citizen and miller of Elmira, and himself father of Addison T. Haviland, also for many years an esteemed citizen of Elmira, who died in 1891. Judge James Towner's wife was a member of the Akin family, also of Putnam County, members of which have always been well known in its history. There were ten children in the family, seven boys and three girls. One son, James Orville Towner, lived many years in Ithaca, N. Y., and married a sister of Samuel B. Strang, of Elmira. Two other sons, Benjamin A. and Samuel Towner, were among the early lumber merchants in Elmira and removed thence to Albany. Daniel Akin Towner, the second child and eldest son of the family, was born in Towner's, September 6, 1806. He was educated in the schools in the neighborhood of his father's home, finishing under the tutorship of the Presbyterian clergyman of the town, Dr. Benedict, a highly cultured gentleman of the old school. After some preliminary studies in the office of Dr. Howland, a physician of much more than local fame, Dr. Towner attended the famous medical school at Fairfield, Herkimer County, N.Y., and was graduated from that institution with high honors. He remained for a time in Putnam County and then took up his residence in Etna, Tompkins County, which at the time, in 1833, was of much more promise than its aspiring neighbor, Ithaca. In 1834 he, however, removed to Ithaca. He served several terms as coroner of Tompkins County and was prominent in. the social, church, and political circles of the region. On January 23, 1833, he married Maria Birdsall, of Otego, Otsego County, N.Y. She was born April 1, 1810, and was the member of a family some of whom have been citizens of Elmira, notably William Birdsall, who was among the early lumber merchants of that city and for many years well known there. Mrs. Towner's mother was Wealthy Webster, of the family to which Daniel Webster belonged. A brother of Mrs. Towner, the Hon. Ausburn Birdsall, was member of Congress from the Binghamton district in 1847-48, was naval officer of the port of New York during the administration of James Buchanan, and married a daughter of the Hon. D.S. Dickinson. Another of Mrs. Towner's brothers, Lemuel, married Ophelia, a daughter of Elder Crane, a famous Baptist minister of his day and a cousin of Elder Ezra F. Crane, of whom something has heretofore been said in this record. Dr. Towner's family consisted of seven children, three of whom died in infancy. The eldest was Emma Ophelia, who married Freeman Cornish, a member of the Cornish family, of Plymouth, Mass. She died in St. Louis, Mo., on January 28, 1859. Dr. Towner's oldest son was James Ausburn Towner, born in Ithaca, May 12, 1836. On January 25,1870, he married Annie Augusta Fassett,of Albany, N.Y., and their children are: Ausburn Fassett Towner, born in Albany, December 3, 1870; Mabel Fassett Towner, born in Elmira, April 12, 1873 ; Neile Fassett Towner, born in Elmira, August 11, 1875; and Isabel Louise Towner, born in New York city, May 24, 1884. Dr. Towner's second daughter, Louise, was born in Elmira, N.Y., January 7, 1843. She was married to Edward Birdsall Youmans on February 25, 1868, and their children are Edward T. Youmans, born in Elmira, November 11, 1869; Grace Louise Youmans, born August 24, 1876; Elizabeth May, born in Elmira, August l5, 1878. E.B. Youmans, descended from Holland Dutch stock, was born in Otego, Otsego County, N.Y., on May 15, 1836, and was educated at the Delaware Literary Institute, Franklin, Delaware County, N.Y. He studied law in the office of his brother, the Hon. William Youmans, of Delhi, N.Y. On his admission to the bar he practiced for a time in Otego, removing in 1872 to Elmira, where he has since resided. His practice has been successful and remunerative. Soon after coming to Elmira he was elected secretary of the Board of Education and served as such for three terms. He was afterward a member of the board from the first commissioner district for four years, from 1881 to 1885. He has always been a firm and consistent Democrat, working in the ranks with earnestness and zeal, often with vehemence and impetuosity. In the presidential campaign of 1884 he was the chairman of the Chemung County Democratic Committee, and in July, 1885, he was appointed chief clerk of the Treasury Department at Washington. He served as such throughout the Cleveland administration, retiring from the office in May, 1889. He is at the head of the prominent law firm in Elmira of Youmans, Moss & Knapp. Dr. Towner's youngest son, Charles Frederick Towner, was born in Elmira on December 31, 1848. On December 3, 1873, he was married to Elizabeth Beales, of Brooklyn, N.Y. One daughter, Leslie Towner, was born to them on September 1, 1874. She died November 1, 1889. Charles F. Towner is now a resident of New York city. Dr. Towner removed from Ithaca to Elmira in the spring of 1837 and for a time was engaged in the mercantile business, but becoming interested in the new method of medical practice just then beginning to gain ground in this country, convinced of its excellence and sincere in the belief that by its means he could make his life a useful one, he resumed the practice of the profession for which he was especially fitted by nature and for which he had been trained by a long course of study. He was eminently successful and won for the new and scientific discovery of Hahnemann in all the region where he practiced a place and a hold that time has only widened and strengthened. He won also for himself friends on all sides, such as a sympathetic physician is always sure to win, and in a great many families in the valley he is yet remembered and his name yet spoken with tenderness and respect. He died August 28, 1857, in Lyons, Iowa, whither he had gone on account of certain real estate operations into which he had entered in that State. His widow is now a resident of Washington, D.C. T.
Bibliographic information
Title: Our county and its people: a history of the valley and county of Chemung, from the closing years of the eighteenth century Author Ausburn Towner Publisher D. Mason & Co., 1892
Bibliographic information
Title: Our county and its people: a history of the valley and county of Chemung, from the closing years of the eighteenth century Author Ausburn Towner Publisher D. Mason & Co., 1892
TOWNER, DANIEL AKIN, M.D.—This skillful and successful physician was the first one to introduce into Southern and Western New York the homoeopathic system of the practice of medicine. His ancestors came from Wales late in the seventeenth century and settled on Long Island. His grandfather, Samuel Towner, went thence into Putnam County, where he became the owner of hundreds of acres of land and gave his name to a post office, railroad station, and small hamlet, still called thereby Towner's. James Towner, Dr. Towner's father, was county judge, county clerk, and member of Assembly of his county at times and a conspicuous man always of his locality. Martha Towner, one of James Towner's sisters, married Dr. John Hayt, of Ithaca, who became one of the earliest settlers of Corning, N.Y., and was the father of the Hon. Stephen T. Hayt, still prominent in that locality. Another sister of James Towner married James Haviland, father of Ward Haviland, one time a prominent citizen and miller of Elmira, and himself father of Addison T. Haviland, also for many years an esteemed citizen of Elmira, who died in 1891. Judge James Towner's wife was a member of the Akin family, also of Putnam County, members of which have always been well known in its history. There were ten children in the family, seven boys and three girls. One son, James Orville Towner, lived many years in Ithaca, N. Y., and married a sister of Samuel B. Strang, of Elmira. Two other sons, Benjamin A. and Samuel Towner, were among the early lumber merchants in Elmira and removed thence to Albany. Daniel Akin Towner, the second child and eldest son of the family, was born in Towner's, September 6, 1806. He was educated in the schools in the neighborhood of his father's home, finishing under the tutorship of the Presbyterian clergyman of the town, Dr. Benedict, a highly cultured gentleman of the old school. After some preliminary studies in the office of Dr. Howland, a physician of much more than local fame, Dr. Towner attended the famous medical school at Fairfield, Herkimer County, N.Y., and was graduated from that institution with high honors. He remained for a time in Putnam County and then took up his residence in Etna, Tompkins County, which at the time, in 1833, was of much more promise than its aspiring neighbor, Ithaca. In 1834 he, however, removed to Ithaca. He served several terms as coroner of Tompkins County and was prominent in. the social, church, and political circles of the region. On January 23, 1833, he married Maria Birdsall, of Otego, Otsego County, N.Y. She was born April 1, 1810, and was the member of a family some of whom have been citizens of Elmira, notably William Birdsall, who was among the early lumber merchants of that city and for many years well known there. Mrs. Towner's mother was Wealthy Webster, of the family to which Daniel Webster belonged. A brother of Mrs. Towner, the Hon. Ausburn Birdsall, was member of Congress from the Binghamton district in 1847-48, was naval officer of the port of New York during the administration of James Buchanan, and married a daughter of the Hon. D.S. Dickinson. Another of Mrs. Towner's brothers, Lemuel, married Ophelia, a daughter of Elder Crane, a famous Baptist minister of his day and a cousin of Elder Ezra F. Crane, of whom something has heretofore been said in this record. Dr. Towner's family consisted of seven children, three of whom died in infancy. The eldest was Emma Ophelia, who married Freeman Cornish, a member of the Cornish family, of Plymouth, Mass. She died in St. Louis, Mo., on January 28, 1859. Dr. Towner's oldest son was James Ausburn Towner, born in Ithaca, May 12, 1836. On January 25,1870, he married Annie Augusta Fassett,of Albany, N.Y., and their children are: Ausburn Fassett Towner, born in Albany, December 3, 1870; Mabel Fassett Towner, born in Elmira, April 12, 1873 ; Neile Fassett Towner, born in Elmira, August 11, 1875; and Isabel Louise Towner, born in New York city, May 24, 1884. Dr. Towner's second daughter, Louise, was born in Elmira, N.Y., January 7, 1843. She was married to Edward Birdsall Youmans on February 25, 1868, and their children are Edward T. Youmans, born in Elmira, November 11, 1869; Grace Louise Youmans, born August 24, 1876; Elizabeth May, born in Elmira, August l5, 1878. E.B. Youmans, descended from Holland Dutch stock, was born in Otego, Otsego County, N.Y., on May 15, 1836, and was educated at the Delaware Literary Institute, Franklin, Delaware County, N.Y. He studied law in the office of his brother, the Hon. William Youmans, of Delhi, N.Y. On his admission to the bar he practiced for a time in Otego, removing in 1872 to Elmira, where he has since resided. His practice has been successful and remunerative. Soon after coming to Elmira he was elected secretary of the Board of Education and served as such for three terms. He was afterward a member of the board from the first commissioner district for four years, from 1881 to 1885. He has always been a firm and consistent Democrat, working in the ranks with earnestness and zeal, often with vehemence and impetuosity. In the presidential campaign of 1884 he was the chairman of the Chemung County Democratic Committee, and in July, 1885, he was appointed chief clerk of the Treasury Department at Washington. He served as such throughout the Cleveland administration, retiring from the office in May, 1889. He is at the head of the prominent law firm in Elmira of Youmans, Moss & Knapp. Dr. Towner's youngest son, Charles Frederick Towner, was born in Elmira on December 31, 1848. On December 3, 1873, he was married to Elizabeth Beales, of Brooklyn, N.Y. One daughter, Leslie Towner, was born to them on September 1, 1874. She died November 1, 1889. Charles F. Towner is now a resident of New York city. Dr. Towner removed from Ithaca to Elmira in the spring of 1837 and for a time was engaged in the mercantile business, but becoming interested in the new method of medical practice just then beginning to gain ground in this country, convinced of its excellence and sincere in the belief that by its means he could make his life a useful one, he resumed the practice of the profession for which he was especially fitted by nature and for which he had been trained by a long course of study. He was eminently successful and won for the new and scientific discovery of Hahnemann in all the region where he practiced a place and a hold that time has only widened and strengthened. He won also for himself friends on all sides, such as a sympathetic physician is always sure to win, and in a great many families in the valley he is yet remembered and his name yet spoken with tenderness and respect. He died August 28, 1857, in Lyons, Iowa, whither he had gone on account of certain real estate operations into which he had entered in that State. His widow is now a resident of Washington, D.C. T.
Bibliographic information
Title: Our county and its people: a history of the valley and county of Chemung, from the closing years of the eighteenth century Author Ausburn Towner Publisher D. Mason & Co., 1892
Bibliographic information
Title: Our county and its people: a history of the valley and county of Chemung, from the closing years of the eighteenth century Author Ausburn Towner Publisher D. Mason & Co., 1892
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