|
NAVAGATION
Jefferson County Biographies
Names A to B
Names C to E
Names F and G
Names H to K
Names L to O
Names P to S
Names T to Z
===========
QuickLinks
Online Biographies
Jefferson County
History
New York History
|
Bearup, David. - The subject of this sketch was born in the year 1829 at the hamlet of Etonbush in the county
of Herkimer, State of New York. His father and mother were of Scotch descent; his great-grandfather emigrated to
America in the 17th century and his mother's family in the 18th. David Bearup's parents removed to the southeastern
part of the town of Alexandria (since set off and organized as Theresa) in Jefferson county about 1832, and soon
thereafter removed to Plessis, where they occupied a farm on which David remained with them until the age of twenty
years. Of his opportunities for early education and mental training nothing can be said further than that they
were almost wholly wanting, the little that was attained being derived chiefly from occasional study of an occasional
book. Between the age of eighteen to twenty-one he taught three terms of district school, and at twenty-one settled
in the village of Theresa and embarked in the study of law, without pecuniary means or assistance and without expectation
of following that profession. In 1854 he was admitted to the bar and has continued in the practice as his chief
employment. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association. In 1864 he was elected supervisor of his town
and continued in that office by successive elections seven years, and since that date has been connected with numerous
industrial affairs. In 1865 under appointment by the Legislature he superintended the excavation and removal of
the reef of rocks from the bed of Indian River at Dayton's Falls, St. Lawrence county; in 1867 built and fitted
out a steamboat for service on Indian River, the largest boat ever placed on that river; owned it and controlled
its operations until recent years; in 1869 contracted with the Montreal Telegraph Company to extend its lines to
Theresa and was appointed manager for that locality, and continues such to the present time. In 1870 he was the
chief factor in the organization of the Black River and Morristown Railroad Co. for constructing the railroad from
Morristown on the St. Lawrence River to Philadelphia, Jefferson county; was elected the first president of the
company April, 1871, and continued in office by successive elections over thirteen years, when he secured the consolidation
of the company with the Utica & Black River Railroad Co., and its separate existence terminated. For many years
past he has dealt considerably in real estate, especially agricultural lands located in several States, and is
at present owner of several considerable tracts which are carried on by tenants. Practical politics have always
been distasteful to Mr. Bearup, although he takes great interest in all public questions and is a voracious reader
and keeps himself well surrounded by a large library of substantial literature covering a wide field, in addition
to an excellent law library, and he aims to keep abreast in a general way of the best thought of the times. He
spent the winters of 1884-5 and 1889-90 with his family in Europe, chiefly on tours of observation, traveling in
England and Scotland, France, Belgium, Holland, Prussia, Switzerland and Italy. He still resides at Theresa and
is actively engaged in his affairs though he has largely withdrawn from practice in the courts by reason of impairment
of his hearing.
Source:
Our County and it's people
a descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York
Edited by: Edgar C. Emerson
The Boston History Co., Publishers, Syracuse, N. Y. 1898
|
|