Biographical history of Westchester County, New York, Volume II, Part 33

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 736


USA > New York > Westchester County > Biographical history of Westchester County, New York, Volume II > Part 33


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DR. JOHN KRESS.


Our history proves the value, to the United States, of its sturdy, honest, progressive and industrious German-American element, which has long been very strong in this county and always favorable to the best interests of the- general public. Our German citizens are workers, voters and fighters. An illustration of the foregoing statement in New Rochelle is Dr. John Kress, a son of John and Mary (Kern) Kress, who was born in Munich, Germany, September 5, 1855. John Kress, Sr., and his good wife lived out their days in Germany. The former, also a native of Munich, served in the German army six years, was afterward a prosperous blacksmith, and in time became chief of the fire department of Waldorf. This worthy couple had two sons- and four daughters, most of whom came to America. Mary is Mrs. Keamey, wife of a well known Chicagoan. Katie married Joseph Zehn, an Iowa ranchman who owns seven hundred acres of valuable land and thousands of fine cattle. Anna is an inmate of a convent in Germany. Joseph followed in his father's footsteps as a blacksmith and was also a wheelwright. He- succeeded his father as chief of the police of Waldorf, was mayor of the.


John Press


press


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town and held other local offices of importance. John Kress, Sr., died at the age of forty-five years, and his wife at the age of fifty-two.


Dr. John Kress was educated in the public schools of Munich and then served his country three years as a soldier. He was an under officer in a cavalry regiment and his services were so meritorious that he was honored in consequence. He had, through his cavalry service, become interested in horses, and possessed a natural aptitude for treating them when injured or diseased. On leaving the army he entered the King's Veterinary College at Munich, where he was a diligent student during the years 1874-76. After- ward he was for a year the veterinarian to a German cavalry regiment by special appointment, and in 1877 he came to the United States and located at New York city, with headquarters on Fifty-sixth street, and subse- quently on Fifty-fifth, where he practiced veterinary medicine and surgery and gave expert attention to horse-shoeing and allied blacksmithing.


Meanwhile he pursued his professional studies at the New York Veter- inary College, where he at length graduated, in 1898. About that time he removed to New Rochelle, after having had a successful business career in the city, which had brought him an extensive amount of real estate, especially in flat property on One Hundred and First street and East Fifty-fifth street. He still retains his mechanical and professional business in New York, where his establishment affords employment to five skilled men; but he is prac- tically retired, living a quiet life after years of study and labor in his chosen field.


Politically Dr. Kress is a Democrat, and he has always taken an active part in practical politics, both in New York and at New Rochelle. In 1899 he was elected alderman at large to represent the third ward. His popu- larity as a citizen is attested by the fact that he is a member of the Union Club of New York, treasurer of the Hohenzollern Club, the Oriental Sharp- shooters, and other prominent organizations of New York and New Rochelle. He is identified with the volunteer fire department of New Rochelle and a member of the local board of trade, and also takes a helpful interest in all the affairs of the little city. He and his wife and other members of the family are communicants of St. John's church.


Dr. Kress was married, September 5, 1883. to Clara, the daughter of Joseph Hubert, on Greenpoint avenue, Long Island. Mr. Hubert was a cabinet-maker by trade, a successful business man and a patriotic citizen. He was a corporal in the Fifty-seventh Prussian Infantry, with which he served three years. He came to the United States in 1861, and after living for a time at St. Louis, Missouri, took up his permanent residence on Long Island. Of his six children Clara, wife of Dr. Kress, was the first born; the others are deceased. Mr. Hubert died at the age of sixty-four years, and 49


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Mrs. Hubert at the age of fifty-four. John Dunski, Mrs. Kress's maternal grandfather, now about eighty-nine years old, was a soldier in the German army for a time. Coming to America, he found an abiding place at Green- point, Long Island, where he passed the active years of his life as a cabinet- maker. He is a very religious man. His wife is living, at the age of eighty-eight years. Dr. and Mrs. Kress have had three children, -Ida, Clara and John J.


WILLIAM H. LAKE.


The successful conduct of an extensive business enterprise demands ability and talent of a no less pronounced order than that of the poet, the musician, the inventor or the scientist. Comparatively few, indeed, are the men who are capable of handling successfully mammoth business enterprises. Great energy, industry, perseverance and ability are of most potent essentiality. But to these must be added, as of equal importance, an executive and organiz- ing power of a high order. together with tact in the handling of men. While some of these characteristics are in a measure the heritage of the individual, they are by no means incapable of culture and development by their proper exercise and application. The above is a just allusion to the individuality of the gentleman who stands as the subject of this review.


William Henry Lake is a son of Edward and Harriet (Thorn) Lake, and was born in Brooklyn, New York, October 21, 1867. His father, Edward Lake, was born September 1, 1824, in Devonshire, England, and his grand- father Lake was a wealthy tanner and manufacturer of Devonshire. He was an extensive property-holder and a man prominent in industrial and public affairs, having served as justice of the peace and in various other official capacities for many years. He passed away, in the land of his birth, at the advanced age of ninety-eight years, -three years the senior of his wife, who died at ninety-five years.


Although possessed of a very meager scholastic training, Mr. Lake early acquired a studious disposition and throughout his life continued to be a student and a great reader. He became an expert silk-worker by trade as well as a carver. In 1859 he came to this country with his wife and seven children, locating at Brooklyn, New York. He there became engaged in the general mer- cantile business, operating during the war period as many as nine stores at a time, in different parts of the city. He prospered in business and became wealthy, retiring early in life upon a handsome but well earned competency. He continued to reside in Brooklyn up to his death, December 7, 1893. He had been prominent in the social and political affairs of the city, having served as an alderman from the fifteenth ward for several years. Fraternally


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he was a member of the Sons of St. George, and religiously was a zealous member of the Baptist church. He was twice married.


His second marital relation was with Harriet Thorn, a daughter of Edwin Thorn, who for many years was connected with the Brooklyn post- office, in charge of the money-order department. She died March 4, 1889. Their children were: Harriet; Thomas, deceased; Edwin T .; and William H., the subject of this review.


William H. Lake graduated from the Brooklyn high school at eighteen years of age, and subsequently pursued and completed the four-year course of the Chautauqua College. He then spent two years in an office in New York city in the study of architecture. At the expiration of that time, hav- ing mastered a knowledge of the theoretical as well as the practical elements of the subject, he connected himself with a building company for the pur- pose of learning the building business, and subsequently, for two years, was engaged in contracting and building on his own account. Having had a long cherished desire to learn the banking business, and a favorable oppor- tunity presenting itself at this time, he accordingly accepted the position of clearing-house clerk with the Third National Bank of New York.


While serving in that capacity, having displayed a business tact of a superior order, he was sought by the First National Bank of Yonkers as head bookkeeper for their bank, a position which he accepted and filled, with credit to himself and fidelity to his employers, for seven years.


During that time he became interested in building in a small way, devoting such time to the same as his duties at the bank would permit. Finally his building operations developed to such proportions as to demand more of his time, and he accordingly resigned from the bank to devote his entire time to his rapidly growing business. Since then he has become an extensive operator in New York city, as well as Yonkers. He has erected some of the handsomest blocks in New York. Noteworthy among the many is a block of brown-stone residences on One Hundred and Fourty-fourth street, erected at a cost of three hundred thousand dollars; another block of eight handsome stone residences, at a cost of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, at St. Nicholas avenue and One Hundred and Fifty-fourth street, besides any number of apartment houses and cottages in different parts of the city.


He has also done a considerable amount of building in the city of Yonk- ers, having completed in 1898 a block of apartment houses on Riverdale avenue, which was the largest block built in that city in that year. He is an extensive dealer in real estate, and through his efforts many houses have been built in Yonkers and many families brought to reside there.


He is secretary and treasurer, as well as confidential manager, of the


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Yonkers branch of the Mercantile Co-operative Bank of New York, in which capacity he has had over a quarter of a million dollars pass through his hands. To the credit of Mr. Lake it may be noted that in the Yonkers branch of the bank's interests are the most profitable of its investments. Possessing a natural talent for business, by conservative, calculating and care- ful methods, he is fast forging to the forefront as one of the most reliable and substantial business men in the city of Yonkers. The history of his busy life presents a splendid example of the great possibilities the less economic con- ditions of our country offer to ability and a determination to succeed. The successful achievement of his short career bespeak for him a rich future.


During the Spanish-American war he, in July, 1898, organized Company I for the One Hundred and Eighth Regiment, from New York city and Yonkers, of which he was made captain. He is a member of the Yonkers City Club and the Palisade Boat Club. He is a Republican in politics, and is a member of the Baptist church.


Mr. Lake was happily married October 23, 1890, to Miss Laura Spof- ford Wiltsie, a daughter of John R. and Mary Susan (Spofford) Wiltsie, of Newburgh, New York. She was educated largely under private tuition. She is accomplished as a vocalist and possesses an artistic talent as a landscape and figure painter of a high order. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Lake has been blessed with three children, who brighten their home, namely: Anis- worth Spofford, Henry Rapelyea and John Wiltsie.


THE PHILIPSES AND THE MANOR-1672-1775.


Well nigh a hundred circling years Dwelt princely lords in affluence great, In Manor Hall, and proudly rode The forests of their vast estate. At nuptial feast, where pleasure cheered, And guests their merry-making had, An Indian, tall and grave, appeared, In scarlet blanket closely clad. From door of banquet hall he spoke


With measured words, and strange, and few, Which in the nearing days of war, To wondering bride proved sadly true,


"From you shall these possessions pass," (For thus the portent message came), " What time the eagle shall despoil The tawny lion of his mane." -Manor Hall Legend.


During more than one-third of the three centuries which the recorded history of Yonkers covers, most of the territory within the bounds of the


ASIUS 1 6 8.2


A


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-


Manor Hall.


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present city was owned by three members of the Philipse family, each of whom was named Frederick, and each of whom was known as the lord of the manor. It is to be remembered, however, that the term "lord of the manor " is a technical one, and means simply, the owner, the possessor of the manor: nothing more. The lords of the manor in the colony of New York were never invested with the powers, privileges, rights and burdens of the old feudal manors of England, with their military tenures. The grant of a manor did not carry with it a title. Under the English law the sovereign alone is the "source of honor," and the sole power that can, or ever conld, grant a title or confer nobility. It is. therefore, incorrect to write "Lord Philipse." The word manor is an English corruption of the French word manoir, a habitation, or mansion, in which the owner of the land dwelt per- manently, and that is derived from the Latin verb maneo, to remain, to abide in a place, to dwell there. Another derivation of the word has been given; but it is very doubtful.


Frederick Philipse, the first lord of the manor, purchased in 1672 a portion of the tract included in the present Yorkers and owned nearly all* of it about thirty years. The manor was confirmed to Frederick Philipse in 1693, with the customary privileges of the lordship, of holding court-leet, court-baron, exercising advowson, etc. He died in 1702. His grandson, Frederick Philipse, the second - lord of the manor, owned the territory included within the boundaries of the present Yonkers about forty-nine years. He died in 1751. Frederick Philipse, the third lord, and the son of the second, owned the manor about twenty-eight years. It passed out of his possession in 1779, when it was confiscated by the state. The three Philip- ses, therefore, were owners of the territory embraced within the boundaries of the Yonkers of to-day, about one hundred and seven years.


C. LE GRAND WASHBURNE.


The present efficient commissioner of New Castle township, and one of the brave defenders of the Union during the civil war, is C. Le Grand Wash- burne, who is a native of Westchester county, born on the old homestead October 12, 1847. His father, Samuel Washburne, was born in 1812, in Mount Pleasant township, this county, and on reaching manhood married Miss Mari- ette Hyatt, a daughter of 'Squire Nathaniel Hyatt. They became the par- ents of nine children, namely: Mrs. Melissa Hull; Frank H., who was a soldier of the civil war and died in Arkansas in 1894; Julia, deceased; C. Le


*Miles Square was not included in the patent of 1685. In 1685 John Doughty, of Flushing, sold sixty-four acres, near the Bronx, in one square mile, to Francis French, Ebenezer Jones and John Wescott.


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Grand, our subject; Amy, deceased wife of E. Gedney; Warren; Harry, a contractor of Pleasantville, this county; Kate, deceased wife of Joseph Burr; and George B. McC., who died at the age of eight years. The parents are still living, the father having attained the venerable age of eighty-six years, while the mother is seventy-six years of age. Both hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and he is identified with the Republican party.


Reared on the home farm, C. Le Grand Washburne early became famil- iar with every department of farm work, and obtained a good practical edu- cation in the local schools. Although only seventeen years of age, he en- listed, in 1863, in the Fourth New York Heavy Artillery, and took part in the battles of Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and the Wilderness, being honorably discharged at Hart's Island, in October, 1865, when hostilities had ceased and his services were no longer needed. For sixteen years he fol- lowed carpentering and contracting, but is now devoting his energies to agri- cultural pursuits, with good results.


In 1873 occurred the marriage of Mr. Washburne and Miss Hester Rey- nolds, a daughter of Smith Reynolds, a leading blacksmith of Mount Kisco, Westchester county, and his wife Matilda (Knapp) Reynolds, who now makes her home in Brooklyn, New York. The children born of this union are James H., now of Brooklyn; Mabel, who is a student in the high school of that city; Frank, Amy, Le Grand, and an infant son deceased. Since the war Mr. Washburne has been an ardent supporter of the Democracy, and is an active and zealous worker in its interests, always taking quite an active and prominent part in political affairs. Socially he is a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows.


BENJAMIN BRANDRETH.


Benjamin Brandreth, the inventor of the proprietary medicines the sales of which have reached such enormous proportions, was born in England in 1809. His maternal grandfather was a skillful physician, and enjoyed a large practice near Liverpool, and at an early age his grandson was employed under his direction in compounding pills for gratuitous distribution among the poor. After the death of his grandfather he resolved to seek a larger field, and in 1835 he came to America with his wife and three children. A house was rented in Hudson street, New York, and this was not only the residence of his family, but his entire business establishment. The attic was used as his laboratory, where he prepared his pills, his wife pasted the labels on the boxes, and his eldest son, George, was just large enough to count the number of pills for each box. After paying rent and advertising bills, he had remaining of the money which he brought from England the


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sum of thirty dollars, the entire cash capital of a business which afterward rose to millions. His sales so rapidly increased that it was necessary to hire the adjoining house, which he filled with his assistants, and during the sec- ond year four hundred thousand boxes of pills were sold. In 1837 he removed his business to Sing Sing, and purchased land to such an extent that he was able to build his various factories at such a distance apart as to prevent any chance of total destruction in case of fire. In 1848 Dr. Brand- reth purchased an interest in "Allcock's Porous Plasters," and in 1857 became the sole proprietor, and added thus to his already immense business. The career of Dr. Brandreth is the most important episode in the history of advertising. During his life he expended for that purpose alone the enor- mous sum of three millions of dollars, and the various ways by which his medicines were brought to the attention of the public were almost number- less. The appreciation by the people of his great energy and business capacity was manifested by his election to the state senate in 1850, and he was again elected to that position in 1858. In 1854 he purchased land in New York and built the Brandreth House, at the corner of Broadway and Canal street, a very valuable piece of property. .


Dr. Brandreth was twice married. His first wife was Harriet Small- page, whom he wedded in England. By this union he had three children- George A .; Charles; and Ellen, wife of Henry Bacon, of Goshen, Orange county. Mrs. Brandreth died in 1836, and he was married a second time, to Virginia Graham. They were the parents of ten children: Beatrice, wife of Colonel Henry C. Symonds; William; Henry; Franklin; Annie, wife of Edwin McAlpin; Gertrude, wife of Frank B. Robinson; Florence, wife of Lieutenant Herbert J. Slocum; Kate, wife of Lieutenant Henry L. Green, United States Navy; Ralph; and Isabella. Dr. Brandreth was for many years president of the village of Sing Sing, and his death occurred February 19, 1880. His business, which had grown to vast proportions, was left to his sons, of whom Henry is the general agent in England, while the others conduct the manu- facture in this country. The annual productions by the firm are two million boxes of pills and five million of Allcock's Porous Plasters. The history of the country affords few instances of a larger result arising from so small a beginning.


JOHN D. IHLDER.


John D. Ihlder was born at Vegesack, Bremen, Germany, on the 28th of January, 1848, and is a son of John D. and Johanna (Schaeffer) Ihlder. His paternal grandfather, Gerhart Ihlder, was a sea captain of Bremen and a man of good education. He had four sons, namely: Gerhart, Hilebrich, John D. and Wilhelm. The grandfather died at the age of eighty-five years,


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while his wife passed away at the age of eighty-four. The father of our sub- ject, also a native of Bremen, died at the age of seventy-six years. His widow is still living, at the age of seventy-seven, making her home in Berlin. In their family are four children,-Gerhart, Heinrich, John D. and Elizabeth.


In his youth John D. Ihlder, of this review, attended the public schools of Bremerhaven and was graduated in the high school there. Later he graduated in a navigation school, and during his early manhood served for one year in the German navy. On the completion of his education he went to sea, became captain of a vessel, and remained in command until 1883, when he resolved to seek a home in the New World. Accordingly he entered the electrical-engineering department of Cornell University, from which institution he was graduated in 1887, with the degree of Mechanical Engineer. Immediately afterward he entered the employ of Eickemeier & Osterheld, of Yonkers, as an electrical engineer, and continued in their service until 1892, when he became associated with the Otis Electric Com- pany as chief electrical engineer.


In 1875 Mr. Ihlder was united in marriage to Miss M. A. Mott, a daugh- ter of Elijah and Rebecca Mott, and their children are: John W., who is a student in the science department of Cornell College; and Rebecca, who is now pursuing her education in Wellesley College.


JOHN G. P. HOLDEN.


The subject of this sketch, John George Parker Holden, was born in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, New York, on the 22d of August, 1834, being the eldest child of Thomas and Sarah (Parker) Holden. After acquir- ing a thorough common-school education, he entered the Quintilian Semi- nary, of Poughkeepsie, conducted by the Rev. Eliphaz Fay, and on the completion of his course was graduated at that institution. When his school life was ended he at once began preparation for that vocation which he so highly honored for more than forty years, going into the office of the Pough- keepsie Telegraph, and through six years of faithful application working his way, step by step, to a mastery not only of every detail of the practical requirements of the newspaper-publishing and job-printing business, but also to editorial fitness as well, filling satisfactorily and ably every place in the office from that of "devil " up to that of editor. During this time he also served two years as assistant postmaster of Poughkeepsie, under President Franklin Pierce.


In the summer of 1858 Mr. Holden went to New York city for a brief season of work upon the Journal of Commerce. Returning to Poughkeepsie


J. G. P. Holden.


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in November of that year, he became local editor and cashier of The Daily Press of that place, and in April, 1859, purchased a quarter interest in the same, his associates being Albert S. Pease and John W. Spaight. From this time until 1863, with the exception of a few months' service as reporter, proof-reader and editor, respectively, on the New York Sun, then published by Moses Y. Beach, Mr. Holden continued his connection with the Pough- keepsie Daily Press, the paper being published the latter part of the time by Holden & Spaight, the partners being J. G. P. Holden and J. W. Spaight. Early in the year he entered into a co-partnership with J. Henry Hager for the establishment of a new daily in Poughkeepsie-The Poughkeepsian-with which venture his interests were allied until the close of 1863.


On the 6th of May, 1864, Mr. Holden was summoned to Yonkers by a telegram from Elon Comstock, at that time one of the proprietors of the New York World, who wished him to assume the business management and local editorship of The Yonkers Herald, which was the pioneer paper of the place, and had just been purchased by the Democratic Publishing Association. With this journal, the name of which was soon changed to The Yonkers Gazette, Mr. Holden was connected for over thirty-three years, or until the fall of 1897, when failing health compelled him to relinquish his charge. For about thirty years of this time he was the sole owner and editor. His conduct of the paper proved his eminent fitness for the profession of journalism, the fame of The Yonkers Gazette becoming world-wide not only for its elevated tone, versatility and humor, but also for its splendid make-up and typographical beauty. To every element of this success Mr. Holden contributed his genius, personally superintending the weekly arrange- ment of its forms and imparting to its letter press not only much of editorial force and effectiveness as well as no little of that pungency which put the Yonkers Gazette in the front rank of moral, enterprising, progressive, enter- taining and phenomenally successful journals. As a writer of political editorials he excelled in that power of concentration which is especially effective. As one of the noted coterie of original paragraphists on the Ameri- can press (in which his nom de plume of "Nonpareil Quadrat, X. P. D." was well known) he gave the sparkle of wit to many brief comments on the news and foibles of the day. His quick conception, too, of humor and senti- ment in others was of rare service in brightening the weekly issues of his paper, and as Ralph Redwood he had for some years demonstrated this by his " diamonds of thought " gleaned from the best current literature.




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