USA > New York > Westchester County > Biographical history of Westchester County, New York, Volume II > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
JOHN ROMER.
Captain John Romer, the last surviving soldier of the Revolution, living in the town of Greenburg, died in 1855, aged ninety-one years. He was the youngest of five brothers, sons of Jacob Romer and Trena née Horlocker, who came from Switzerland and after their marriage in the old Dutch church in Sleepy Hollow, in 1759, settled at what is now known as East View, near Tarrytown. It was at this house that the seven captors of Major Andre ob- tained their breakfast and had a lunch prepared by Mrs. Romer and placed in a pewter basin for them to take with them. James Romer, the brother of John Romer, being one of the party of seven who had slept the night prev-
742
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
jous in a hay barrack near Chappaqua, guided his little band to the secluded home of his father, to which place they brought Major Andre immediately after his capture. Whilst dinner was being prepared they discovered that they had forgotten the pewter basin, containing their lunch, in their hurry to get their captive away from the public highway. John Romer, being the youngest, was sent to obtain it from their place of concealment by the noted tulip tree standing on the east side of the lower highway, some six hundred feet west of the upper road, where the other party of four had stationed them- selves. Upon his return with the basin he accompanied the captors, with their prisoner, across the fields to the nearest military post, where a detach- ment of Shelden's dragoons were stationed, under command of Lieutenant- Colonel Jameson. John Romer, together with the seven captors, were all members of the local militia regiment, five companies of which, having com- pleted some few weeks previous to Andre's capture one year's active service, desired to re-enlist under the urgent call for volunteers, but were detained on account of the inability of the state authorities to provide them sufficient pay to support their families for a period of three months. The depression of the Continental currency was finally overcome by the state substituting twelve bushels of wheat in lieu of money to each volunteer for that period of time.
After the Revolution, John Romer married Leah, only daughter of Lieutenant Cornelius Van Tassel, of Colonel Drake's regiment. In 1793 they erected upon the site of Lintenant Van Tassel's former residence, that was burned by the British in November, 1777, the noted stone and frame dwelling that was used for more than fifty years as the town house and place for holding all the elections and public meetings of the town of Greenburg. The annual muster of the militia for a large portion of the county was held here; also the meetings of Solomon's Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons that was organized at Mount Pleasant, now known as Pleasantville, after the Revolution. The subject of this sketch was made a member in the year 1800, after which the lodge was removed to White Plains, and from there to the Lieutenant Van Tassel house in Greenburg. It was here, in 1805, that the Hon. Daniel D. Tompkins, who became governor of the state, and afterward vice-president of the United States, was first admitted a member of the Masonic fraternity. During Governor Tompkins' administration, Captain Romer took an active part in organizing the various companies and battalions of militia required to complete the various quotas of troops called by several acts of congress, and was one of the first to engage in repairing Fort Wash- ington, on the upper end of the city of New York. He took a very active part in all public matters, and was one of the twenty-four prominent citizens of Westchester county who signed the celebrated certificate given to Isaac Van Wart, one of the captors of Major Andre, whose character had been
743
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
fiercely assailed in the debate in congress upon the bill to increase the pen- sion of John Paulding, one of his associates in that memorable event. At the dedication of the monument to the captors of Major Andre at Tarrytown, in 1853, Captain John Romer was the guest of honor, and the only one then living who had seen Major Andre in person. He designated for the commit- tee the correct place of capture upon the east side of the highway. The owner of the property objecting to locating it upon the place designated, the committee of arrangements accepted the offer of a piece of land on the west side of the highway, some distance south of the actual place of capture, which was generously deeded to them by Mr. Taylor, formerly a slave, who had purchased his freedom from bondage.
Captain John Romer died at his old homestead on the 27th of May, 1855, and was buried by Solomon's Lodge in the church-yard of the Presby- terian church of Greenburg, near the monument of his life-long friend, Isaac Van Wart. All the local traditions and reports concerning him indicate that he was kind, honest and upright, a good citizen and a pleasant neighbor, possessing during life the respect and esteem of all who knew him. The fact that he was a soldier at sixteen, and again at the age of forty-eight, serving his country at the two extremes of life, as it were, is a sufficient indication that in patriotism he was a worthy representative of the Westchester county yeo- men, whose fidelity, perseverance and endurance did so much for the cause: of American liberty in the days that tried men's souls.
ARTHUR W. NUGENT.
Lieutenant Arthur Wellesley Nugent is a son of Richard and Elizabeth (Scarner) Nugent and was born at Yonkers, New York, September 11, 1863. He was one of ten brothers, five of whom are living. and more than one of whom possessed a patriotic and a military spirit which impelled them to endure hardship and risk life in the service of their country. Frederick was killed at Kobe, Japan, while with Admiral Proctor in a United States flag- ship. He was a graduate of the school-ship St. Mary and a promising young officer in the naval and merchant-marine service. Charles served during the recent Spanish-American war as first lieutenant of Company B, Two Hun- dred and Third Regiment. Robert was a member of Company D, Sixteenth Battalion, and participated in its operations at Verplanke Point, Peekskill, and other localities.
Arthur Wellesley Nugent enlisted in the Fourth Separate Company, Na- tional Guard of New York, July 7, 1885; was warranted corporal December 24, 1889; was warranted sergeant January 20, 1894, and commissioned second lieutenant of the National Guard of New York March 4, 1898, by Governor
744
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
Black. On July 6th following Governor Black commissioned him first lieu- tenant in the Two Hundred and Second New York Volunteer Infantry, and he was assigned to duty with Company G, and did gallant service in the Spanish-American war. He was mustered into the service of the United States with his regiment at Buffalo, July 21, and was stationed successively at Camp Black, Long Island, Camp Meade, at Middletown, Pennsylvania, and Camp Haskell, at Athens, Georgia. Thence the regiment went to Savannah, Georgia, and from Savannah, by transports, to Havana, Cuba. For a month it was stationed at Pinar del Rio, in the province of the same name, later, with headquarters at Guanajay, it did garrison and provost duty at different points. He subsequently saw varying service elsewhere in Cuba and was mustered out of the service April 15, 1899, at Savannah, Georgia, and returned home. He is still a member of the Fourth Separate Company, -Company A, First Regiment, N. G. N. Y.
Lieutenant Nugent was educated in the public schools of Yonkers, and under private tutors, and while yet quite young engaged in electrical contract- ing. He secured many large contracts to fit up public and private buildings with electrical apparatus and conveniences, at times employed twenty-five to thirty men, and in a general way won a flattering success.
Politically, Lieutenant Nugent affiliates with the Democratic party and personally he is so popular that it would be hard for him to keep out of office entirely. He has served one term as a member of the board of alder- men of Yonkers, and has done good work as chairman of the committee on laws and ordinances and as a member of other important committees. He is a prominent Mason and Odd Fellow and a member of Shaffner Encamp- ment and one of its past chief patriarchs. In Rising Star Lodge, A. F. & A., M. and in Yonkers Lodge, I. O. O. F., he is a faithful and efficient worker.
The Lieutenant was married March 22, 1888, to Frances Ewing, daugh- ter of the late John Ewing, who will be remembered as a prominent citizen and a landscape-gardener of artistic.accomplishments. They have three chil- dren, named Edith A., Helen and Arthur Wellesley Nugent, Jr.
ISAAC PURDY.
Mr. Purdy is one of the best and most favorably known citizens of West- chester county, having long been prominently identified with the business interests of his locality and recently the most popular member of the county board of supervisors. Of great business and executive ability and broad resources, he has attained a prominent place among the substantial citizens of his part of the county, with Purdy Station, named in honor of his father, as his residence and the center of his operations. He has won success by
The Lewis Publishing Co.
745
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
his well directed, energetic efforts, and the prosperity that has come to him is certainly well deserved.
Mr. Purdy was born November 3, 1852, and is a representative of an old and well-known family, being able to trace his ancestry back for many generations. His great-grandfather, Joseph Purdy, was born September 5, 1744, and married Letitia Guile. Their son Isaac, the grandfather of our subject, was born January 6, 1773, and on reaching man's estate wedded Miss Lydia Clift, by whom he had five children,-Samuel C., Sallie Ann, Roxanna, Clarissa and Lydia. After her death he married Anna Hart, and by this marriage there were two children, -Isaac Hart and Mary Eliza. For his third wife Mr. Purdy was united in marriage with Jane Grant, and to them were born three daughters,-Jane, Letitia and Christina. Mr. Purdy filled the office of supervisor from 1823 to 1827.
Isaac H. Purdy, our subject's father, was born June 19, 1813, and in 1839 was united in marriage with Miss Mary W. Lyon, a daughter of Thomas Lyon, a representative of an old and honored family, and his wife, Mary (Totten) Lyon, who was a daughter of Gilbert Totten. Mr. and Mrs. Purdy became the parents of five children, namely: Elizabeth Lyon, Mary, Anna Hart, Isaac and Thomas Lyon. The father, who was a Democrat in polit- ical sentiment, and highly respected as a citizen of this county, died in 1891 at the age of seventy-eight years. The widowed mother now finds a pleas- ant home with our subject. Mr. Purdy was the supervisor of his township from 1846 to 1850 and from 1856 to 1857.
Reared in Westchester county, Isaac Purdy obtained his education in its public schools, and since leaving the school-room has devoted his attention to business pursuits. He has been engaged in the milling business and other enterprises, and in all he has met with marked success.
Like his father, he gives his political support to the men and measures of the Democratic party, and he is now serving most creditably as a county supervisor. Both in his party and as a member of the board of supervisors, he is a leader, and has become one of the best and most favorably known men in the county. His election as a Democrat to the board of supervisors is particularly significant of his popularity in both the great parties, as he is thus elected in a county that has heretofore been represented by a long line of Republican supervisors, and his district, North Salem township, has always been the strongest Republican locality in the county. It is only his personal popularity that has drawn votes so heavily from both parties. His re-election in 1898 is a testimonial to the fidelity to all the duties of his office. At the time he was first elected he was acting as school trustee, and an attempt was made in the courts to oust him from the supervisorship. He served during thesessi ons of 1896-7, and was placed on many important committees by
-
746
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
Gideon W. Davenport, who was then chairman of the board, but was debarred from acting at the opening sessions of the board in 1897-8 by a decision of the courts, which held that the holding of the office of school trustee made him ineligible for election as supervisor. The town officers of his county, when all Republican, appointed Mr. Purdy to fill the vacancy caused by the decision of the courts, and his re-election later approved this appointment, and he received the largest majority ever given a Democrat in North Salem township, carrying with him into office the full Democratic ticket for the first time in the history of the town. Chauncey Secor, chairman of the board at that time, honored him with appointment on three of the most significant committees, namely, those on the county treasurer, the auditing of the sheriff's bills (of which he was appointed chairman), and also a special committee to prepare plans for the erection of an addition to the court-house, of which also he was chairman. In the auditing of the sheriff's bills he was brought in contact with a wide range of business, which involved the auditing of bills aggregating more than a hundred thousand dollars. During the campaigns the public press gave uniform testimony establishing his high moral character, business efficiency and official integrity.
JOSEPH H. LEWIS.
The healthy growth and development of a community depends largely upon its real-estate dealers, who exercise a wide influence in the settlement of a locality. It largely lies in their power to determine the class of people that shall become residents of a given district, the property of which they handle, and thus their labors may prove of great benefit or detriment. Joseph H. Lewis, one of the most enterprising citizens of White Plains, in his province as a leading real-estate dealer, has done effective work for the advancement and upbuilding of the city, and belongs to that class of repre- sentative Americans who while securing individual prosperity also contribute materially to the public good. His business reputation is unassailable, his honorable methods and correct policy winning him the confidence and regard of all with whom he has been brought in contact.
Mr. Lewis was born in Williamsburg, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, July 31, 1835, a son of Joseph J. and Mary R. (Rhoades) Lewis. Prior to the Revolutionary war the family was founded in Massachusetts, and Joseph Lewis, the great-grandfather of our subject, loyally aided in the struggle for independence, taking part in the ever memorable battle of Bunker Hill. The grandfather, also named Joseph, was born in the Bay state, but the father of our subject was a native of Middletown, Connecticut, his birth occurring there in 1810. He married Miss Rhoades, who was born in Chesterfield,
747
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
Massachusetts, in 1811, a daughter of Stephen and Mary (Flower) Rhoades, who also were natives of Chesterfield. In 1840 Joseph J. Lewis removed with his family to Westchester county, New York, settling in the village of Sing Sing, where he engaged in the manufacture of saddlery hardware for several years. He died in 1867, and his wife passed away in Sing Sing, December 27, 1884.
Joseph H. Lewis, whose name introduces this record, was only a small boy when brought by his parents to Westchester county. He obtained his- elementary education in Sing Sing and for several years attended a school at Pittsfield, Massachusetts, supplemented by a course in the Peekskill Academy. After spending two years in New York city he went to Columbus, Ohio, where for four years he was employed in the manufacture of saddlery hard- ware for Peter Hayden. Later he spent several years in the manufacture of malleable iron, in Newark, New Jersey. In 1867 he came to White Plains and was appointed by J. Malcolm Smith to the position of deputy county clerk, in which office he continued by reappointment for fifteen years, dis- charging his duties in a most acceptable and faithful manner. On the expira- tion of that period he turned his attention to the real-estate business and has since handled both city and farm property, meeting with excellent success in his endeavors.
On the 9th of December, 1863, Mr. Lewis was united in marriage to Miss Deborah A. Newman, youngest daughter of Ebenezer M. and Amanda J. (Combes) Newman. She was born in the town of Mount Pleasant, West- chester county, and is a representative of one of the old and prominent fam- ilies of this locality. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have three children, - two sons and one daughter, - namely: Joseph H., Mary Amanda and Frank Tilford. In his political views Mr. Lewis is a Democrat, and the religious faith of himself and wife is in accord with the teachings of the Dutch Reformed church. They hold membership in the church of that denomination at Elms- ford, and Mr. Lewis is serving as one of its deacons. Their beautiful home, Woodside, is one of the attractive residences of White Plains, and for its- hospitality it is widely celebrated.
THE WILDEY FAMILY.
The Wildey family, prominent in Westchester county in early days, is. descended from Thomas Wildey, who probably came here from Mamaro- neck, though at a still earlier date, 1698, the names of Wilde and Elizabeth, his wife, appear in the census of Flushing, Long Island. Very probably they were the parents of Thomas Wildey, of Philipse manor, who was the great- grandfather of Mrs. Storm, the wife of Captain John I. Storm, whose sketch
748
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
appears in this work. His will, dated October 7, 1776, showed him to be possessed of a considerable estate. After the Revolution his farm, of two hundred and sixty-two acres, comprising the present Benedict-Cobb estate and other lands adjoining, came into possession of his sons-in-law, Colonel Hammond and Captain George Comb, who were his executors. He left the following children: Griffin, Joseph, Jacob, Caleb, Thomas, John, Nencia (wife of Colonel Hammond), Elizabeth (wife of Captain Comb) and Sarah. Of these, Thomas Wildey, Jr. (as the name is now spelled), had a son Will- iam, who was the father of William H. Wildey, now of Peekskill.
Caleb Wildey, son of Thomas, Sr., lived on the property at the corner of Wildey street and Broadway in Tarrytown. He married Deborah McKeel, and among their children was Pierre, who wedded Mary Ann Mandeville, and was the father of Pierre W. Wildey., Esq., of New York. The other sons of Caleb Wildey, Sr., were Caleb, Jr., William A. and Elisha. A daughter married the late Henry L. Haight, who was engaged in business with his brother-in-law, Pierre Wildey, at Philipse manor, for many years, being well known and influential members of the old Point Dock Regency. Another daughter, Sarah, married Jasper Odell and was the mother of John J. Odell, of Tarrytown.
JOHN C. L. HAMILTON.
John Cornelius Leon Hamilton, the youngest son of John C. A. Hamil- ton and Angeline, née Romer, was born in Galena, Illinois, November 29, 1842, and is a direct descendant of General Alexander Hamilton, and Eliza- beth, née Schuyler, on his paternal side. Captain John Romer, his grand- father, and Lieutenant Cornelius Van Tassel, both of the Revolution, were his maternal ancestors. He was educated in the public and private schools of the town of Greenburg, Westchester county, New York.
After completing a three-years course of study at the noted Paulding Institute at Tarrytown, he was sent to Rutgers College, New Jersey, and while engaged in his studies there the call for seventy-five thousand volun- teers to uphold the flag was made by the president, Abraham Lincoln, under which he enlisted as a private in Company C, Fifth New York Volunteers (Duryee's Zouaves), and participated with that heroic regiment in the first real battle of the rebellion, at Big Bethel, Virginia. On the arrival of a por- tion of the regiment at Baltimore from a protracted march of one hundred and fifty miles down the eastern shore of Maryland, in December, 1861, he was detailed as private secretary to the brigade commander, and while acting as such revised and corrected for publication a voluminous manuscript upon the "Art of War," and at the same time continued the study of military
ICHHamelhor
749
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
engineering, under the supervision of Colonel Gouverneur K. Warren. Upon the organization of the Third New York Artillery, early in 1862, he was com- missioned a second lieutenant and joined Company G of that regiment, sta- tioned at Fort Woodbury, near Bull Run, Virginia, and was immediately detailed to drill and instruct the officers in infantry and artillery practice at Fort Cochran, that state. The regiment having been ordered to reinforce General Burnside's expedition in North Carolina, Lieutenant Hamilton, imme- diately after its arrival at New Berne, that state, was detached by orders of Generals John G. Foster and Burnside from his regiment and assigned to the engineer corps. His services in this particular line of duty were of the most arduous kind. Several thousands of unskilled contrabands were employed that required constant supervision. The construction of forts, redoubts and breast-works, and strengthening of strategic points, permitting of no rest or relief from the extreme heat and enervating climate.
Fort Macon, distant forty-two miles from New Berne, having been cap- tured, Lieutenant Hamilton was directed to open an air line through the woods and swamps and construct observatories for the use of the signal corps to that point. When this important work was completed he was carried to the hospital, where the ravages of typhoid and malarial fever soon reduced him to a mere skeleton, so that he weighed but eighty-five pounds. His friends gave up all hope, and the chaplain had taken note of the last requests to family and friends. The turning point toward recovery came rapidly, however, and when application for a leave of absence for thirty days was made it was returned endorsed, " Request denied:" the services of this officer were too valuable to be spared. The attention of the medical director of the department having been called to the matter, that officer issued the desired leave, and upon its expiration, September 1, 1862, orders from. Major-General Foster directed Lieutenant Hamilton to proceed and fortify Washington, North Carolina. Four days after his arrival there the enemy made a fierce attack upon the small garrison. For several hours the unequal hand-to-hand struggle continued in the streets and severe losses occurred upon both sides. Lieutenant Hamilton upon this occasion displayed the utmost coolness and bravery, and although the enemy had taken a large number of his men prisoners and captured four brass field pieces, the contest was continued with the fifth gun until he alone was left, twenty-two of his command having fallen around him before the order to retreat was given!
After the battle active work upon the fortifications was continued for several months, during which Mr. Hamilton gave all his spare time, in con- nection with Lieutenant John J. Lay of the navy, in perfecting an experi- mental torpedo vessel, which, upon its trial, proved a great success, and by direction of the secretary of the navy five vessels were directed to be built
750
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
after the plans developed. The first constructed was sent to the fleet at the mouth of the Roanoke river in Albemarle sound, and under the command of Lieutenant Cushing destroyed the iron-clad ram Albemarle, at Plymouth, North Carolina. Orders were then issued assigning Lieutenant Hamilton chief engineer to Major-General Hunt, afterward the chief of artillery of the Army of the Potomac. That officer gave him a number of men with instruc- tions to construct a fort upon Neuse river, afterward known as Fort Heck- man, but, owing to the large number of men and government supplies at Washington, North Carolina, and the urgent necessity of completing the works at that point, Major-General Palmer, commanding the department, directed Lieutenant Hamilton to return there. On March 31, 1863, Major- General Foster arrived and ordered Lieutenant Hamilton to ascertain whether the Confederate forces of General Hill that he expected would soon attack the garrison had arrived with artillery at Red Hill, a Confederate out- post. In executing this order one captain and five privates of the Forty- fourth Massachusetts Volunteers were wounded. The enemy had not then arrived in force, but did during the night and completely surrounded the town.
At daylight, April I, they commenced an attack upon one of our naval vessels, the Commodore Hull, which unfortunately was aground. Lieuten- ant Hamilton was ordered, with two small rifle cannons, to take position upon an exposed point on the river and endeavor to draw the enemy's fire away from the gunboat, which had been struck one hundred and four times and had all her guns dismounted. The enemy were so intent upon sinking this vessel that no attention was paid to the guns on shore until the gunboat, released from her position by the rising tide, started rapidly away. Then they turned their fourteen Whitworth guns against the two, and kept up a constant fire until dark. General Foster directed that a fort be constructed at this exposed point during the night, and siege guns mounted. This he built and named it Fort Hamilton, in honor of its commander. It bore a conspicuous part in that memorable siege that lasted twenty days.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.