William Oliver
William Oliver was born in Scotland on September 15, 1840, the son of Samuel Oliver, a mason and bricklayer, and the former Margaret Rutherford. The family emigrated to New York in 1851, with William, his older brother Samuel Jr., and his younger sisters Halla and Mary all joining their parents on the journey to America. After arriving in New York, 2 brothers and 2 sisters were added to the family, which eventually settled in Fayette, Seneca County.
By 1860, William and his brother Samuel had set out on their own. 20 year-old William worked as a farm laborer, while 22 year-old Samuel had married, moved to Canada, trained as a cooper, had a son, Lewis, and returned to Fayette to raise his family. His wife Emily was pregnant with the family's second child, a daughter, Francis.
As the Civil War broke out, both Samuel and William enlisted. Samuel joined the 15th NY Volunteer Engineers, and was appointed corporal. William waited and joined the 44th New York on August 27, 1862. He served continuously in the Normal School Company until May 5, 1864, when he was shot in the left shoulder at the Battle of the Wilderness and severely wounded, missing duty for an extended period of time. Samuel Oliver Jr. died December 7, 1864, while he was still in the service. He left behind his wife Emily, and children Lewis, Francis, and Nora. William was transferred to the 140th NY on October 11, 1864, and then to the Veteran Reserve Corps on March 20, 1865. He was officially mustered out of the army on June 28, 1865.
After his discharge, William returned to Seneca County. By 1870, he had a wife, Nancy, a son, Frederick, and a farm in the town of Canoga. Both his wife and son apparently died, and by 1880, William had married his wife, Caroline and moved to Seneca Falls. He worked as a gas fitter for the gas company in Seneca Falls. By 1894, he had become superintendent of the company, and had a home in the nearby city of Waterloo. Carrie, his wife, taught for over 20 years in the Seneca Falls School District.
William resigned from the gas company in about 1901 and moved his family to Memphis, Tennessee, where he lived at 697 Arkansas Avenue. He remained in Memphis until about 1913, when he returned to New York and moved to the town of Fairport, located just outside of Rochester. At the age of 73, he entered the employ of Empire Gas and Electric, where he continued working up until the time of his death on June 15, 1921, at the age of 80. He was survived by his wife; his son Edward, who lived in Brooklyn; his daughter Florence, who lived in Rochester; and his stepdaughter Mrs. Avery Lord, who also lived in Rochester. Carrie Oliver lived until 1927, and was buried beside her husband in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Rochester.