USA > New York > Westchester County > Biographical history of Westchester County, New York, Volume II > Part 11
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He was born in New York city, in 1837, and spent his boyhood in Pel- ham, Westchester county, receiving a good public-school and academic edu- cation. His father was a farmer and a worthy citizen of his community. Our subject began his business career as a clerk for Harper Brothers, of New York city, and in 1867 became a member of the firm of Maxfield & Company, dealers in and importers of fruit, doing business at the corner of Washington and Fulton streets, New York. That partnership was dissolved in 1876 and he came to New Rochelle, Westchester county, where the firm of Grenze- bach & Carpenter was formed, our subject having purchased the interest of Charles Hoffmeister in the lumber and coal business. The firm soon won an enviable reputation and were wonderfully successful. The January before his death Mr. Grenzebach practically retired from the company, though he was still retained as a special partner, and the name was changed to Car- penter, Todd & Company
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He married Miss Annie E. Carpenter, a sister of his partner, Robert P. Carpenter, and they became the parents of four children, one son and three daughters, who yet survive him. All are unmarried with the exception of Mrs. Harry H. Todd.
Mr. Grenzebach was one of the first members of the Enterprise Hook and Ladder Company; also belonged to the Yacht Club and the Maenerchor; and was an honorary member of the Rowing Club. In politics he was an ardent Democrat, and he was often called upon to fill public positions of honor and trust, being trustee of the village in 1879, 1880, 1881, 1883, 1884, 1888 and 1889. He was also village treasurer in 1889 and again in 1892, being unanimously elected in the spring of the latter year. For fourteen consecutive years he was a member of the board of education, and spent much time and energy as a member of the committee on buildings and grounds. He was always willing to lend a helping hand to any good cause, or to sympathize with and aid those in distress. Although quick to resent an injury, he was always willing to forgive, and was deeply attached to his home and family. The large attendance at his funeral testified to the esteem in which he was held by the entire community, and his remains were laid to rest with honor in the Woodlawn cemetery. Generous and sympathetic, he made friends easily, and he justly deserved the high regard in which he was uniformly held.
JAMES W. TODD.
The late James W. Todd was for many years one of the most prominent and influential citizens of New Rochelle, New York, always taking a leading and active part in public affairs, and in his death the community realized that it had lost one of its most useful and valuable citizens. He was born December 6, 1837, and began his business career as a boy in the employ of Berrian & Company, then the leading dealers in house furnishings in New York city, and he remained with the firm some years, advancing step by step until he became manager. After his marriage he embarked in the jewelry business with his father-in-law, George W. Platt, at the corner of Maiden Lane and Liberty Place, New York city, and for many years he successfully engaged in that business, giving it up on account of ill health. Thinking that country air would benefit him, he came to New Rochelle and opened an office as a real-estate and insurance agent. However, he continued to visit the city every other day to attend to an optical business which he had estab- lished, and in which he retained an interest as long as his health and strength would permit. His death occurred August 4, 1893, and his remains were laid to rest in Woodlawn cemetery.
Being a public-spirited and progressive man, Mr. Todd wielded a wide
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influence in the village, and his record is a monument of good citizensl For twenty-three years he was one of the most efficient and untiring worl on the board of education, during most of that time serving as either president or secretary, and both positions he filled with marked abil though he received no compensation for his valuable services. For four ye he was also secretary of the sewer commission and took a deep interest ; pride in its work. In 1875 and 1876 he was the efficient and popular pr dent of the village of New Rochelle.
Mr. Todd was a hard worker and successful business man, and for sc time was one of the directors of the Bank of New Rochelle. On his remc to that place he purchased a beautiful site on Long Island Sound, and th erected a most comfortable home, where he continued to live until cal from this life. After his health began to fail he made frequent trips Florida, where he and several of his New Rochelle friends had invested orange plantations. He was a prominent member of Huguenot Lodge, F A. M .; Huguenot Council, Royal Arcanum, and formerly was an honored : active member of the Enterprise Truck Company. He was a noted mar man, and often carried away the first prize at contests, including those h at Wimbleton and Creedmoor. During his busy and useful career he ne neglected the holier duties of life, but was an active an influential member the Salem Baptist church, at New Rochelle, and served as its treasurer. was a man of whom it may truly be said that the world was better for having lived.
Mr. Todd married Miss Mary N. Platt, and at his death left a widow a five sons: William, the eldest, is engaged in the real-estate business in W San Francisco, California; Walter Herbert is an assayer; Harry H. is tre urer of the New Rochelle Coal & Lumber Company; George is a c engineer ; and Irving is a clerk in the Bank of New Rochelle.
REV. JOHN A. KELLNER.
The rector of St. Gabriel's Catholic church, of New Rochelle, the R John A. Kellner, was born in New York and acquired his preliminary edu tion in the parochical schools, after which he attended St. Francis Xav College, of his native city, in which institution he was graduated in 1875. Al acting as assistant for several years in the parishes of St. Nicholas, Secc street, and St. Joseph, One Hundred and Twenty-fifth street, he was selec by Archbishop Corrigan to form the chancel choir and take charge of musical part of the services of St. Patrick's Cathederal. There he labo for six years, with remarkable success, and at the close of that period he v selected to take charge of St. Gabriel's church, whither he came in 1893.
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has since lived and labored in New Rochelle, and his efforts have been most effective. When he assumed charge there was a membership of three hun- dred families, representing a parish of two thousand souls.
The beautiful church edifice and rectory were the gift of the Iselin fam- ily, and occupy one of the most desirable sites in New Rochelle. The church is constructed in the Roman-Norman style of blue granite and is one hundred feet long, eighty feet wide and seventy feet high. A square Norman tower containing a clock and peal of bells rises many feet above the highest point of the roof, which is covered by beautiful dark red Venetian tiles. The work of the church in its various departments is in a flourishing condition. There is a prosperous Sunday-school, also an excellent parochial school, in charge of the sisters, and it was through the instrumentality of Father Kellner that the Adrian Iselin gymnasium was donated to the sisters school. It is a beautiful brick structure, appropriately equipped in keeping with the purpose for which it was designed. A handsome residence, also the gift of Mrs. Iselin, has recently been erected for the sisters of charity.
Father Kellner not only organized his own parish and made it an excel- lent working one, but also extended his field of labors in 1896 by erecting and equipping St. Catherine's church, of Pelham, making it one of the most beautiful little churches outside the metropolis. He is a man of scholarly attainments, of broard, general information, as well as versed extensively in church lore, and is regarded as one of the most respected and beloved priests in the archdiocese of New York. He gives his labors untiringely to the advancement of the cause of the church, and his efforts have been followed by excellent results.
CHARLES PRYER.
One of Westchester county's most distinguished and honored citizens, and an author of considerable prominence, is Charles Pryer, who resided upon the old Pryer homestead in the town of New Rochelle, where he was born in 1851. His father, John Pryer, was born in the city of New York, in 1802, and after completing his education in the schools of the metropolis, he began his business career there as a merchant. In 1839 he removed, with his family, to the town of Mamaroneck, Westchester county, where he pur- chased one hundred and fifty acres of land, but soon afterward disposed of that property. His death occurred April 18, 1875, and his wife, who sur- vived him for some years, departed this life June 9, 1887, at the age of seven - ty-five. They were the parents of five children who reached years of matur- ity, but George is now deceased, and William E. died September 24, 1888, in New Rochelle, where he successfully engaged in the practice of medicine from 1867 up to the time of his death, having a large practice; John T.
CharPayer.
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resides in New York city; Adeline C. makes her home in New Rochelle; and Charles completes the family.
On both the paternal and maternal sides our subject is descended from most distinguished ancestry. Jasper Pryer, the founder of the family in America, was a Norman Knight and a descendant of Sir Thomas Pryer, guardian of Prince Edward, known as the Black Prince. It was in 1692 that Jasper Pryer came to the New World and located in New York city, where he removed his family. One of his sons later became a resident of Bergen county, New Jersey. Our subject's great-grandfather was Thomas Pryer, and his grandfather was Captain Thomas Pryer, who made his home in New York city during life and was in the United States Navy for a number of years. Mrs. Pryer, our subject's mother, was in her maidenhood Miss Eliza Matilda Chardovoyne de Crevecoeur, and was the daughter of William St. John Chardovoyne, who was a son of Eli Chardovoyne de Crevceoeur and was America's first minister from France.
Charles Pryer was principally reared upon the farm, and at a private school in New York city he prepared for college, and passed a college course under private tutors. He has since given his attention mainly to the opera- tion of the farm and to his literary work, contributing to different magazines many able articles, which have received most favorable notice. He is also the author of a work entitled Reminiscences of an Old Homestead, Legends of Westchester county, New York; the Booklet for historic New York, en- titled National Ground; and a history of American yachting, which appeared in the Sporting Encyclopedia. His works have all been most favorably com- mented upon by the press and literary critics of the day.
On the 17th of June, 1880, Mr. Pryer was united in marriage with Miss. Julia C. Miller, a daughter of A. B. Miller, of New Rochelle, but she died in October, 1884, leaving one son, Harold C. He was again married in 1888, his second union being with Miss Mary E. Harmer, daughter of John H. Harmer, and to them has been born a daughter, Alice de Crevecoeur.
In politics Mr. Pryer is conservative. He is a leader in social circles, taking quite an active and prominent part in a number of societies and clubs. He is a director of the Knickerbocker Press, in which he has filled the office. of secretary; was commodore of the New Rochelle Yacht Club, and of the Corinthian fleet for three terms; is a member of the Century Club, of New York city; the Atlantic Yacht Club; Larchmont Yacht Club; New York Yacht Club; the Wood Club; and the New York Historical Society; and is also a fellow of the American Geographical Society; the American Numismatic and Archæological Society; and the Botanical Garden and Zoological Society, of New York city. He has a fine private library and one of the most extensive collections of foreign coins in the state. He is a man of marked ability,,
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forceful character and distinctive culture, -one who will leave his impress upon the world, -and the community is certainly fortunate that numbers him among its citizens.
GEORGE T. DAVIS.
The village of New Rochelle, in which Mr. Davis now resides, is also the place of his nativity. He was born December 12, 1843, and traces his ancestry back to an old and prominent family of New England that was founded in America in 1665 by ancestors who came from Wales and located in Derby, Connecticut. His great-grandfather, Colonel John Davis, was born in Oxford, Connecticut, and was colonel of the Connecticut militia. The grandfather, Truman Davis, was born in Oxford, New Haven county, Connecticut, in 1787, and was a carpenter by trade, but in his later life he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. He loyally served his country in the war of 1812, and died in his eighty-second year. His wife was Mary Allen, of Woodbury, New Haven county.
Captain Clark Davis, the father of our subject, was born in the town of Naugatuck, New Haven county, Connecticut, in 1815. Having attained his majority he wedded Mary Ann Toffey, a native of the town of New Rochelle, Westchester county. She died in 1880, leaving four children: George T .; Mary Esther, wife of Homer Riggs, of New Rochelle; Anna Eliza, wife of Albert Cornell; and Francis H., superintendent of the New Rochelle Water Company. Captain Davis was for a time engaged in shipping interests, owning and running a sloop between New Rochelle and New York city, but the major part of his life was spent on his farm. He was one of the pro- gressive men of the county, and was importuned to accept office, but always refused except in a few cases of local preferment. He died in October, 1 898.
The boyhood days of George T. Davis were passed in his native town and there he acquired his literary education. He entered upon his life career as a farmer. In 1862 he enlisted in the Twenty second New York Militia, Colonel Monroe commanding, and was sent to Baltimore, Maryland, later to Harper's Ferry. In 1863 he took part in the Gettysburg campaign, being in action at Hampton or Sporting Hill and Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
After receiving an honorable discharge Mr. Davis returned to the farm. In 1864 he entered an undertaking establishment and became thoroughly acquainted with the business in its various departments. He assisted his father in an undertaking business until 1871, when he opened his present establishment, and has since worked up a very large trade, having a splen- didly equipped establishment, fine horses and excellent teams. His store is
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located on Huguenot street, and his reliability and honorable dealing have secured to him a good patronage.
In 1869 Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Henrietta Palmer, of New Rochelle, daughter of John Palmer, and they are now parents of three children, -two sons and a daughter: George M., who is associated with his father in business; and Harry F. and Edith M., at home. The family occu- pies a leading position in social circles and the members of the household enjoy the hospitality of the best homes of New Rochelle, where intelligence and true worth are taken as the passports into good society.
In his political views Mr. Davis is an earnest Republican and always keeps well informed on the issues of the day. His fellow townsmen, appre- ciating his worth and ability, have called him to public office and he has served as trustee of the village one term and village clerk for five years. He is a member of Huguenot Lodge, F. & A. M., and Flandreau Post, No. 509, G. A. R., Old Guard of New York city. In 1898 he made strenuous efforts to enlist in the military service of this country against Spain, but his advanced age prevented his acceptance as a private, and radical changes in military tactics since the civil war prevented his taking a command. He started to raise a company, but the government refused to accept raw recruits. He always takes an active interest in all things pertaining to military affairs. He is treasurer of the New Rochelle Building & Loan Association and is a man of pronounced business ability who carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes. For twenty-seven years he has been connected with the fire department of New Rochelle, and probably has done more than any other one man in perfecting the fire-alarm system. He was for a time fore- man of the Hook & Ladder Company and of the Huguenot Engine Company, and for one year was chief engineer of the department. He is a public-spir- ited and progressive citizen who gives a loyal support to all measures for the public good. His life is one commanding the highest regard, for his fidelity to duty and honesty in business and his faithfulness to his friends have won him unqualified confidence and good will. .
M. FOLEY.
The proprietor of the Pocantico Hills Hotel, of Pocantico Hills, New York, is a prominent hotel man of Westchester county, having been in busi- ness at his present place since 1891. The house is a well arranged hotel containing sixteen rooms, and is situated in the midst of a beautiful lawn covered with shade and ornamental trees and shrubs and flowers, making a very picturesque scene. It stands opposite the depot, has a good bar, and has become headquarters for politicians, commercial travelers, tourists and
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others stopping at Pocantico Hills on business or pleasure bent. The land- lord, Mr. Foley, is a man in the prime of life, of pleasing personality, frank, genial and accommodating in manner, is well informed on subjects of general interest, and the guest or traveler that tarries at his fireside is loath to leave the place. He has had many years' experience in the hotel business, and it is therefore not surprising that he is so successfully conducting his present house.
Like many of the hotel men of New York, Mr. Foley is a native of the Emerald Isle, born in 1848, of worthy parents, and there he was reared and educated until fifteen years of age, when he came to America, stopping first in New York city. From there he came to Tarrytown, Westchester county, and later was engaged in the hotel business in Yonkers, this state, and in 1891 came to Pocantico Hills. He was married at Yonkers to Miss Honora McCarthy, who has been a true helpmeet to him, and nine children bless their union: Hannah, Katty, Joseph, Mary, Jennie, Nellie, John, Tillie and Honora.
Mr. Foley exercises considerable influence in political affairs and takes an active interest in the same, but votes independently, supporting the man whom he believes best qualified to fill the office, regardless of party affilia- tions. For himself he cares nothing for the honors or emoluments of public office, preferring to give his entire time and attention to his business interests.
WILLIS S. PAINE.
Willis S. Paine was born in Rochester, New York, on the Ist of Janu- ary, 1848. His father, Nicholas E. Paine, was born in the state of New Hampshire, and after attending Phillips Exeter Academy was admitted to the- bar upon attaining his majority. Shortly afterward he removed to the state of Maine, and was appointed a member of the staff of Governor Fairchild, with the rank of colonel. He married, at South Berwick, Maine, Abby M. Sprague, who was a descendant of the ante-colonial Governors, Bradford and Prence, of Massachusetts Bay. His brother, Robert Treat Paine, was for many years one of the shining lights of the Boston bar. After marriage Colonel Paine removed to the city of Rochester, New York, where he was elected district attorney of Monroe county. He subsequently held the offices of mayor and president of the board of education of that city. Twenty-five years ago Colonel Paine bought the McKeel farm and a part of the Underhill farm at Yorktown and laid out a town site, which with the advent of the rail- road became the locality now known as Yorktown Heights.
In 1885 Nicholas E. Paine and his wife Abby celebrated their golden wedding in true New England style, surrounded by their children, relatives-
Willis S. Paine
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of the family and cherished friends. In 1887 he departed this life, holding at the time of his death the presidency of the Dakota Railroad Company. He left a daughter, Mrs. Wallace Darrow, and two sons. The elder son was Oakman S. Paine, M. D., who served through the civil war with conspicuous gallantry and fidelity and was brevetted lieutenant-colonel and colonel for meritorious services. At the time of his death, November 8, 1891, he was the surgeon in chief of St. Elizabeth's Hospital in the city of New York.
A biography of Mr. Darrow and children appears on the following pages.
The younger son, Willis S. Paine, entered the Rochester Collegiate Institute in the year 1862. When he graduated at this institution he was chosen valedictorian of his class. He continued his studies at the Rochester University, graduating with honor in the class of 1868. Before receiving his college diploma he became a law student in the office of Sanford E. Church, afterward chief judge of the court of appeals. In 1868 his father removed to New York city, and our young law student continued his studies in the the offices of the late Charles A. Rapallo, also one of the judges of the court of appeals. In the spring of 1869 Mr. Paine was admitted to the bar, and for some time practiced his profession in the office of Judge Rapallo.
But another and very important field was soon to be opened to Mr. Paine, into which he was well qualified to enter and where he has won his highest laurels. In 1874, when the legislature passed a law authorizing the bank superintendent to cause an annual examination to be made of the trust companies of the state, Mr. Paine was appointed by the superintendent as one of the three examiners. It was a work in which from the first he took the deepest interest and showed the most careful and thorough research. The examination soon resulted in the closing of three trust companies in the city of New York, which owed depositors six million dollars. These deposi- tors were subsequently paid in full, and the public press praised Mr. Paine for the successful accomplishment of this result. He also made the exami- nations of the same corporations the succeeding year.
In 1876 the doors of the Bond Street Savings Bank, one of the largest institutions of the kind in this country, were closed by order of the court. Mr. Paine's success as a lawyer and bank examiner was such that on the recommendation of the attorney-general and the bank superintendent he was appointed by Judge Landon, at Schenectady, as receiver of the insolvent concern.
Upon assuming the duties of the trust he began an investigation of the transactions of the bank from its beginning, and then decided to bring suits against the trustees for losses incurred for certain acts which, while not made with wrongful intent, were unauthorized by law. These suits were novel in their character and were stoutly defended, but the result justified his theory, 37
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inasmuch as the trustees paid him in settlement the sum of one hundred and thirteen thousand, five hundred dollars. The court recognized the services of Mr. Paine in that long and tedious warfare, in which so many nice legal points were involved, by stating " that the duties of this trust have been administered by the receiver with rare diligence, fidelity and discretion." At the time of the 'failure of the bank a meeting of the depositors was held, and a committee of their number was appointed to look after their interests. Before the pay- ment of the final dividend this committee met and passed a series of exceed- ingly laudatory resolutions referring to the manner in which the receivership had been conducted, and had the same engrossed and presented to Mr. Paine. So far as known this is the only instance of the kind in the history of these insolvent institutions - oftentimes quite the opposite feeling existing on the part of the creditors of such institutions toward the receivers.
Mr. Paine succeeded at the close of his receivership in paying the gen- eral creditors eighty-six and five-eighths per cent., while the preferred cred- itors were paid in full. The whole sum received and disbursed in the winding up of the affairs of the bank was nearly thirteen hundred thousand dollars. No other receivership of the twenty-three savings banks that failed in New York city and vicinity during 1873 and subsequent years paid so large a percentage: several paid less than twenty per cent. Upon his peti- tion his accounts were examined by referees or by attorney-general deputies eight times, and each time the report presented to the court was of an encomiastic character, and in the order of closing the receivership Mr. Paine received "the thanks of the court for the faithful manner in which the duties of the trust have been discharged."
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