USA > New York > Westchester County > Biographical history of Westchester County, New York, Volume II > Part 14
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June 21, 1884, is the date of Mr. Ultcht's union in matrimony with Miss Elizabeth E. Terwilliger (daughter of William and Glorianna (Wy- gant) Terwilliger, and they have two children, -William Albert and Floyd Stanley.
ALFRED LAWRENCE.
One of the most prominent residents of Tarrytown, New York, is Alfred Lawrence, a brief biography of whom follows. Mr. Lawrence is a son of John and Mary Lawrence, and was born in New York city, June 15, 1809. There his grandfather lived and there his father, who was a lawyer and a public man, was born, his death occurring in New Orleans, Louisiana, of yellow fever. John and Mary Lawrence had but one child, our subject.
When his father died Alfred Lawrence was but a mere lad. He attended.
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Alfred Laurence
Emiline Laurence
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the old Duane street school, where many since eminent New Yorkers received their primary education, and when he was old enough learned the trade of horse-shoeing, at which he busied himself three years. Then he went to boating between New York and Albany and became a captain, being well known along the lower Hudson. For fifteen years he was thus employed and then located at Tarrytown and engaged in marketing and the saloon business. Later he became a popular hotel-keeper, and as such for nearly half a century greeted those who came to Tarrytown.
Mr. Lawrence was an old-time Democrat, and, as events proved, a war Democrat. He took an active interest in politics as a young man, and an even more active interest in fighting fire. He had been a member of the "Old Fourteenth" engine company of New York city, with headquarters at Vesey and Church streets, and had done gallant service with "Old Number One." He was the organizer of the fire department at Tarrytown, and his experience in New York, - including that at the great fire which, on Decem- ber 16, 1835, burned out a block opening from Broadway to the East river,- was useful in that work and in the active operations which naturally fol- lowed as occasion demanded. He gathered the original Phoenix Company together and then, at his own expense, secured for "the boys" an engine from Syracuse. It cost six hundred dollars, but he did not stop working and giving until a suitable engine-house was erected. When the department was reorganized, in 1861, he was elected its chief, and he held that office most efficiently for many years, except while in military service in the south. For several years he was chief of police at Tarrytown.
May 31, 1861, Mr. Lawrence enlisted in Company H, Thirty-second New York Volunteers, and his oldest son, Henry A. Lawrence, enlisted with him. The regiment proceeded to Washington, thence to Alexandria, and was soon at the front. At Bull Run, young Lawrence, who had been pro- moted to sergeant, was wounded and later perished by fire as he lay helpless on the field! The fire company he had organized at Tarrytown formed the nucleus of Company H and contributed thirty members to it. Mr. Lawrence was made sergeant at the beginning. He was promoted to be second lieu- tenant June 12, 1862, and to the first lieutenancy of the company March 20, 1863. He was mustered out of service June 9, following. He was in the Second Brigade, Fifth Division of the Army of Northern Virginia until Octo- ber 15, 1861; in the Third Brigade, Fifth Division of the Army of the Poto- mac until May, 1862; in the Second Brigade, First Division, Sixth Corps of the Army of the Potomac until May, 1863, -almost at the expiration of his term of service. He participated in duty in the vicinity of Washington and at Fairfax Court House, in the Blackburn's Ford affair, in the memorable Bull Run fight, in the skirmish near Munson Hill and in that at Annandale,
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in the Peninsula campaign, in the siege of Yorktown, in the expedition to West Point and in the engagement at West Point, in the affairs at Barbours- ville and Ethan's Landing, in the seven-days battles before Richmond, in the engagements at Gaines' Mills, Gamett's and Golding's Farms, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, Bakersville, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Mayer's Heights, Salem Church and inter- mediate points, doing soldiers' duty in camp, on the field of battle and on many long and weary marches.
Mr. Lawrence is an active and enthusiastic G. A. R. man and was a member of Acker Post, of Tarrytown, until it was disbanded, and since then he has been a member of Kitching Post, of Yonkers. He has been for many years identified with the Masonic order. He has in his posession a badge of the Richmond, Virginia, chief of police which was taken off the coat of that officer during the war at Morrisonville, near Richmond.
Mr. Lawrence was married, in August, 1841, to Emily Minnerly, of Mount Pleasant, who died July 17, 1878, and who bore him the following named children: Edward A., who was killed in the battle of the Wilderness; Henry A., who is deceased; Louisa, wife of Wilson Acker, ticket agent for the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company, in New York city; Peter, of Tarrytown, who married Rebecca Knapp, died June 5, 1899; Sarah, wife of John McNally, postmaster of Sing Sing; Alfred, Jr., who died at the age of fifteen; and George and Nellie, who died in infancy. August 5, 1885, Mr. Lawrence married Emeline (Cole) Lake, daughter of Jacob and Aletta Cole, of Pleasant Valley, Dutchess county. Mr. Cole was a farmer of prominence, and he died in 1852, aged sixty-one. By his present wife, Mr. Lawrence has no children. Mrs. Lawrence's family is well known in this part of the state. One of her sisters was Mrs. Euphemia Bishop; another is Mrs. Susan Ann King, a widow; a third is Mrs. Mary Lake, of Yonkers. By her marriage with Jeremiah Lake, deceased, Mrs. Lawrence has four children: Emma, Mrs. William DeRevere, Mrs. Cornell and Mrs. Mollie Beesmer.
JAMES D. McCABE.
" The proper study of mankind is man," said Pope, and aside from this, in its broader sense, what base of study and information have we? Genealog- ical research, then, has its value, -be it in the tracing of an obscure and broken line or the following back of the course of a noble and illustrious lineage whose men have been valorous, whose women of gentle refinement. We of this end-of-the-century, democratic type cannot afford to scoff at or hold in light esteem the bearing up of a 'scutcheon upon whose fair face appears no sign of blot; and he should thus be the more honored who honors
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a noble name and the memory of noble deeds. The lineage of the subject of this review is one of the most distinguished and interesting order, and no apology need be made in reverting to this in connection with the individual accomplishments of the subject himself.
The paternal great-grandfather, James McCabe, was a native of Scot- land and served as a trooper under Prince William of Orange in a war against the king of Ireland. John McCabe, the grandfather of our subject, was born on the Emerald Isle at Tanderagee, county Armagh, where the family lived until it was transplanted to American soil by James McCabe, the father of James D., who established the old McCabe homestead in the town of Scarsdale, Westchester county, New York. There he spent his remaining days. He was united in marriage to Mary Donovan, who was born in this country, where her maternal ancestors (the Kipps and Fishers) have resided since the year 1630. Her father belonged to one of the distinguished families of the Emerald Isle, whose ancestry has been traced back in Burk's History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland to the year 960, and the. line embraces earls and other members of the nobility. They owned a very extensive estate in Ireland, and were possessors of much wealth. The great- grandfather of our subject was Edward Donovan, of the Ballymore estate. near Dublin, Ireland, who wedded Mary Broughton, of Maidstone, Kent, Eng- land, whose mother was Mary Ogle, only daughter of Samuel Ogle, Esq., a mem- ber of parliament for Berwick, England. He was also governor of the Mary- land colony from 1732 to 1733, from 1735 to 1742. One of the sons of Edward and Mary Donovan was the Rev. George Ogle Donovan, who was born in the city of Dublin and was educated at Kings College, Dublin, and studied for the ministry of the Established Church of England, but afterward left that church, became a Wesleyan preacher and traveled for seven years in Ireland under a license from John Wesley. He then came to the United States and took an active part in furthering the cause of Methodism in this country, as a local preacher, and about 1797 he located at Jamaica, Long Island. He married Mary Devereux, who was born in New York city, but was of French descent. Her ancestors, De Evereux, removed from France to England, on account of the religious persecution in the former land, and they were married in Wexford, Ireland. Her father was Captain James Devereux, a shipping merchant, who owned the vessels which he sailed and their cargoes, and sailed under the British flag. His home at this time was in New York city. He made voyages between Liverpool, New York and West Indies. At the time of the American Revolution he was a loyalist and was three times captured and held as a prisoner of war by the colonial troops. One of the two daughters of George and Mary (Devereux) Donovan was Mary, who became the wife of James McCabe. She was born May 2, 1799,
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in Jamaica, Long Island, and died in the old home at Scarsdale, April 16, 1887. The other daughter was Phebe, who died a spinster.
The father of our subject passed away February 26, 1855, his wife long surviving him. They were the parents of five children: Mary J., who died November 7, 1892; James D .; Phoebe A., who departed this life May 15, 1892; Ellen A., who resides with her brother at the old home; and George D. died when an infant.
At the old family homestead in the town of Scarsdale, Westchester county, James D. McCabe was born, December 16, 1826. He spent his boyhood on the farm and was sent to the district school of the neighborhood, where he acquired a fair English education. For many years he successfully carried on agricultural pursuits, and though he has now retired from that vocation he is still the owner of fifty acres of rich and valuable land. He extended the field of his endeavors by becoming agent for several fire-insur- ance companies and for some years past has given his attention to the fire- insurance business.
March 12, 1861, J. D. McCabe was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Fish, only daughter of Nathaniel Fish. She died May 6, 1864, leaving a son, Edward Devereux, who married Miss Madeline B. Kipp, a daughter of George O. Kipp, and resides in Brooklyn.
In politics Mr. McCabe is a stanch Jeffersonian Democrat, firm in his allegiance to the national principles of his party. For several years he was justice of the peace and for some time was also assessor of the town of Scarsdale. His time is now given to the management of his business and property interests. His entire life has been spent in this locality, and that the acquaintances of his youth are numbered among the friends of his man- hood stands in unmistakable evidence of an honorable career.
JOHN H. TREMPER.
For thirty-eight years John Henry Tremper has been connected with the business of Yonkers, and he to-day occupies in commercial circles an honored place accorded him by reason of his straightforward dealing, his enterprise and his diligence. A native of the Empire state, he was born in Clarkstown, Rockland county, July 20, 1837, and is a son of Harmann and Eliza Ann (Bell) Tremper. Although the history of the origin of the family is lost in the remote regions of antiquity, the following record of the family to which the paternal grandfather of our subject belonged is authentic; Christiana, the eldest child, was born October 31, 1732, was baptized on the IIth of Novem- ber following and married Ebenezer Wood; Anna Christine, born September 13, 1735, was followed by Margretje, born February 8, 1737; John Jacob,
John Ho Tramper
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born April 28, 1739; Elizabeth, born April 5, 1741; William, born July 13, 1743; Harmann, born September 15, 1745; John, born November 21, 1747; and Johannas Jerry, born June 13, 1751. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a farmer of Clarkstown, New York, and in his political views was a Democrat. He had nine children: Rebecca, Sallie, Maggie, Elizabeth, Mrs. Myder, Hance, Jacob, Peter and Harmann.
The last named, Harmann Tremper, was born at Clarkstown, New York, December 25. 1784, and died March 5, 1861. He learned the weaver's trade and followed that pursuit in connection with farming. He served his country in the war of 1812, and was afterward granted a pension in recognition of the aid he rendered the nation. He was married to Eliza Ann Bell December 31, 1802, and to them were born nine children: Catherine, wife of Joseph Daniels; George R., who wedded Mary E. Town, Hannah Maria, wife of Harman Hoff- man, who was engaged in the ice business at Rockland Lake, New York, and died March 12, 1889, at the age of fifty-nine years; Harvey, who died in 1848, at the age of sixteen years; Abraham, who died August 11, 1883, at the age of forty-seven years; John H., of this review; Eliza Ann, wife of Ebenezer Hazzard; Harriet, wife of John Rogers; and Emily, who died September 9, 1847.
In the public schools of his native town John H. Tremper acquired his education, but put aside his text-books whon fourteen years of age in order to learn the carpenter's trade, which he followed for seventeen years. In 1861 he carne to Yonkers, where he engaged in carpentering for some years, but for a quarter of a century he has dealt in ice, and has become one of the leading merchants in his line in the city. He formerly owned a pond from which he took the ice, but now deals in Hudson river ice. His trade con- stantly increasing, has demanded six wagons with which to deliver ice to his patrons, and his business thus grew to large proportious. As his financial resources have increased he has made judicious investments in real estate, and is now the owner of considerable valuable property both improved and and unimproved, including a fine residence.
On the 3rd of January, 1863, Mr. Tremper was united in marriage to Miss Frances Tompkins, a daughter of William S. Tompkins, a celebrated drum manufacturer, residing in Yonkers. Their union has been blessed with five children: Fannie E., wife of John S. Hoyt, an official in the armory at the Battery, in New York city, but a resident of Yonkers; George R., who married Gertrude King and is in the ice business in Yonkers; Louise T., Ella B. and Mary A., at home.
Mr. Tremper gives his political support to the men and measures of the Republican party, with which he has affiliated since attaining his majority. He feels a deep interest in its success and keeps well informed on the issues
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of the day, but has never sought office, preferring to devote his time and energies to the management of his business interests. He is a man of marked business and executive ability, and from the time when he started out to learn carpentering, at the age of fourteen, he has steadily advanced, until he now occupies a leading position in commercial circles in Yonkers. His course has ever been characterized by strict adherence to duty and the right, and he enjoys the public confidence in a high degree. The family attend the Reformed church in Yonkers.
MICHAEL HENRY REAGAN.
This well known Democratic politician of Yonkers is a native of this. place, his birth having occurred in the old third ward, February 2, 1853. His parents were Patrick and Johanna (Monahan) Reagan, the father a native of county Kerry, Ireland. After his marriage he came to the United States, and for years was the flagman and agent at Glenwood Station, this city, and later was employed at the local gas-works plant. He was a Republican and was a hero of the civil war, his life being offered up as a sacrifice to the land of his adoption. He served in the Sixth New York Heavy Artillery, under command of Captain Meyer, who was killed at the battle of the Wilderness. Mr. Reagan was wounded in the ankle and was left for two days and two nights on the battle-field, and while being conveyed to Richmond, as a prisoner, died in the hands of his captors, his sufferings and exposure to the elements having proved too much for even his strong constitution. He was a brave soldier and had participated in numerous other engagements and battles. Religiously, he was a Roman Catholic, belonging to St. Mary's parish. His widow died in 1876, aged about forty-two years. Of their chil- dren, Ellen is the wife of Martin Coyne; Mary died when young; Arthur is the next in order of birth; and Catherine. Murphy and Margaret are deceased.
The subject of this sketch attended St. Mary's old and new parochial schools in the city, and also went to the public grammar school No. 6. He left his studies at an early age and commenced the struggle for a livelihood. For some years he worked in a silk mill, and by the time he was sixteen occupied the very responsible position of foreman of the spinning-room. He was with the firm, W. B. Copcutt, for about five years in the capacity men- tioned, and gave general satisfaction. He mastered the trade of hat-finisher, and has filled the place of superintendent of this special department with several large concerns in Reading, Pennsylvania, continuing in that line of business up to 1887. He then returned to this city, and on the site of the old homestead built a substantial business block. Here he embarked in gen- eral merchandising, and carried a special line of sea food.
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é
For a quarter of a century Mr. Reagan has been a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and was prominently connected with the organ- ization of the Division No. 14, one of the strongest lodges in the county to-day. He has been treasurer of the same since its organization, about ten years ago. For two consecutive terms he was the chairman, and for a period the treasurer, of a volunteer fire company, but has served out his time and is now an honorary member and belongs to the Exempt Firemen's Asso- ciation. He is an active member of the Columbia Hook & Ladder Com- pany, No. 2. In the local Democratic ranks he has always been an important factor since he arrived at his majority; has been a delegate to various conventions, and is a member of the general committee of his party hereabouts. In 1898 he was a candidate on the independent ticket for alderman from the sixth ward, and won against a very strong Democratic vote. There are thirteen hundred and fifty-six voters in this ward; twelve hundred votes were polled, and of these he received a majority of fifty-six votes. He is a member of the Holy Name Society of St. Joseph's Catholic church, and is a member of the church, as well.
In 1878 Mr. Reagan married Anna Bach, and of their eleven children seven are living, namely: Margaret, Ellen, Michael, Mamie, Catherine, Julia and Rose. This worthy couple have also adopted a son, John Murphy.
WILLIAM MORTON, JR.
This prosperous business man of Croton, New York, has been a resident of Croton all his life. He was born here November 11, 1847, son of Will- iam and Eliza J. (Sherwood) Morton.
The Mortons have long been identified with Westchester county. Will- iam Morton, the father of our subject, was born in Somerstown, this county, in 1812, and was for forty years a freighter on the Hudson river, owning a line of sailing craft that ran between Croton and New York city. He was well known and highly respected here. He died in 1883, at the age of seven- ty-two years. His parents were William and Chloe Ann (Teed) Morton. William Morton, the elder, was a farmer. He was born in the north of Ire- land, and came to America in 1780, locating in Westchester county, New York. He married, in Somerstown, Miss Chloe Ann Teed, a native of New York, and to them were born four children, namely: William, father of the subject of this sketch; John, a resident of Brooklyn, New York, now eighty- four years of age; George, who died at the age of twenty; and Chloe, who died at the age of twenty-two. As far back as their history is traced the family have been stanch Methodists. The grandfather of our subject built a Methodist church at Mount Airy, New York. William and Eliza J. (Sher-
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wood) Morton had nine children, namely: Chloe Ann, deceased wife of Ebenezer Fowler; Eliza J., wife of Isenhort Flewellyn; George, a resident of Peekskill, New York, successor to his father in the freighting business; John, a resident of New York city, is by occupation a brickmaker; William, whose name forms the heading of this article; Sherwood, a pilot, has his residence at Croton; Frank, deceased; Maria L., wife of J. G. Miller, of Sing Sing, New York; and Ella, widow of George W. Barmore.
After finishing his schooling Mr. William Morton engaged in boating with his father on the Hudson river, and was thus occupied until he reached his majority. He then entered the employ of Cyrus Frost, a merchant of Croton, with whom he remained for two years, at the end of that time going into business for himself, and entering upon a career that has proved a most successful one. He began with a small stock of goods purchased with money he had earned by his own efforts, and with no aid he has pushed forward to the marked success he has achieved. From time to time he has made valu- able investments with his surplus. He has bought property and erected a number of dwellings in the town and in this way has he done much to pro- mote the growth of Croton. Politically he is an ardent Democrat, and a number of local offices have been ably filled by him. Fraternally he affiliates with the Improved Order of Red Men.
Mr. Morton was married in 1872 to Miss Elizabeth Grattan, daughter of John and Mary Grattan, and their happy union has been blessed in the birth of ten children, all now at home, namely: Alice, Grace, Frank, Elizabeth, Minnie, Robert, Arthur, Albert, Gertrude and Esther. He and his family are members of the Episcopal church, of which he is a vestryman.
JAMES F. MERRITT.
This well-known and highly esteemed citizen of Bedford township, Westchester county, has accomplished a most satisfactory work as a farmer and has succeeded in accumulating a valuable estate. He was born on the 20th of May, 1820, on the farm where he now resides, and is descended from good old Revolutionary stock, his grandfather, John Merritt, also a native of this county, having aided the colonies in their successful struggle for independence. Both he and his wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Miller, died in Westchester county. Their children were David, Stephen, John and Ruth, now Mrs. Elliott Smith.
John Merritt, Jr., father of our subject, was born in Bedford township, and on reaching manhood married Miss Hannah Gregory, daughter of Stephen and Chloe Gregory, whose family also was represented in the Revolutionary war. Six children were born to John and Hannah Merritt, namely: Mrs.
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James Fre Meritt
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Ruth A. Timberman; Mrs. Phoebe Newman; Chloe, wife of Colonel E. Avery, a state officer; James F., our subject; and Norman and Caroline, both deceased. The father, who was a farmer by occuption, a Democrat in politics, and a Methodist in religious belief, died at the age of sixty-six years, and his estimable wife passed away at the age of eighty-six.
James F. Merritt was reared to rural life, his education being obtained in the public schools near his boyhood home. Throughout his business career he has engaged in agricultural pursuits with marked success, and is now the owner of several fine farms, known as the Newman, the Daniel Bouton, the John Banks, and also a part of the Peter Miller farm and a part of the Alva Miller farm, aggregating over four hundred acres, most of which are under a high state of cultivation and well improved. In connection with general farming he has been interested in stock-raising and the milk business for forty-eight years, and in these branches of his business has also met with success.
At the age of twenty-six, Mr. Merritt was united in marriage with Miss- Lucy A. Whitlock, a daughter of John B. and Rachel (Umsted) Whitlock, of Whitlockville, and by this union two children have been born: John B., who married Phoebe Teed, and has one child, Ella Maud; and Ella, wife of Isaac Turner, of Bedford township, this county. For over half a century this worthy couple have traveled life's journey together, sharing with each other its joys and sorrows, its adversity and prosperity, and now in their declining years they are surrounded by a large circle of friends and acquaint- ances who esteem them highly for their genuine worth. He is an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics Mr. Merritt is a Democrat; and she is a member of the Protestant Episcopal church.
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