USA > New York > Westchester County > Biographical history of Westchester County, New York, Volume II > Part 47
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Of these children William, who married Elizabeth Leggett, died about 1865, at the age of eighty-three, leaving eight children: Mary, wife of A. B. Royce; Eliza, wife of William Lewis; Esther, wife of William Colyer;
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Nancy, wife of Lewis McCord; Rebecca, wife of Andrew L. Purdy; Gert- rude, wife of Levi Wilson; William L., who died at the age of twenty-two; and Daniel D., our subject.
The last named was born at Sing Sing, May 1, 1828. In his early youth he was a student at Mount Pleasant Academy, but left home and school at the age of fourteen and found a position as clerk in a grocery store. He remained there for three years and then entered a dry-goods store, but two years later he commenced business on his own account, by opening a store at Sing Sing, Shortly afterward he sold out and removed to New York, where he had an interest in the mills of William D. Mangam, son of his uncle Stephen, who was the founder of one of the oldest produce and grain commission houses now doing business in the city. William D. Mangam died in 1866, and Mr. Mangam succeeded to the entire business, which he has carried on at the old stand till the present time. The following state- ment from the Commercial world shows the extent of the business. It is proper to state that since its publication Mr. Mangam has become the lessee of half of pier No. 6, North river, and two floating elevators.
The city business of the house is transacted at 92 Broad street, New York, but the mills and warehouses are located at the foot of Degraw street, Brooklyn. Here there are spacious premises occupying a space about one hundred and fifty by two hundred feet, the ground floor being used for mill- ing purposes and offices, the floor above containing bins, many of them forty feet high. From twenty-five to thirty hands are constantly employed in operating the steam elevator -- which hoists all the grain and corn from ves- sels in the river-and the four 'run' of mills, the latter have a capacity of about fifty bags an hour, and grind on an average some six hundred bags per day.
As a dealer Mr. Mangam handles vast quantities of corn, oats, feed and hay for the home market; in the export market he deals chiefly in white and yellow corn, making a specialty of fine hay, grown for the most part in New York state. This export trade is mainly with the West Indies, the southern states and South America.
Mr. Mangam, like his father before him, is an active member of the Baptist church and has labored without ceasing for its advancement and wel- fare. He united with this church as a member at the early age of fourteen, and for fifty years has been connected with the Sunday-school and has been the superintendent for the last thirty-eight years. At the time of the build- ing of the present church edifice Mr. Mangam had the plans prepared and was one of the building committee, and it is largely owing to the efforts of himself and a few others that the society is established on a firm foundation.
Mr. Mangam married Deborah, daughter of Thomas Horton, of Mount
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Pleasant. Their children are Ella E., wife of Louis W. Williams; William L., who is now engaged in business with his father; Susan J .; Daniel D., a graduate of Yale College; and Deborah L., who is now a student at the Packard Institute.
ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The first record of any Roman Catholic church in Yonkers is about 1836-9, at which time the Rev. James Cummisky began his ministration among the workmen who were engaged in the construction of the Croton aqueduct from Sing Sing to New York. Many of the laborers on the bridge over the Sawmill river, now the Nepperhan river, occupied the adjacent uplands, which belonged to Anthony Archer, Sr. A building in the neigh- borhood of Summit street became the first Catholic chapel in Yonkers. Here the Father heard confessions and said mass for the people.
In 1848 Father Ryan received a deed for a church site from Judge Woodworth, the present site of St. Mary's church, and this church was built; through the request of Father Ryan the church was dedicated as the Church of Immaculate Conception or St. Mary's, and it is yet known by either name. The building committee was Judge Woodworth, Thomas C. Cornell and Hugh Donoghue. It suffered greatly for lack of funds, most of which was contributed in small amounts and from those of other religious sects. At the end of 1849 the church had cost, exclusive of land, four thou- sand five hundred dollars.
Father Ryan organized a Sunday-school, taught the children himself, and devoted the afternoons to teaching musical notation. In 1850 he became president of St. Francis Xavier's College in Fifteenth street, New York city, and he was thus unable to continue his mission at Yonkers. The work was, however, continued to a degree by Father Bienvenne, who came up from Fordham weekly, on Saturday evening and Sunday. He attended the mission Sundays and holy days in 1849-50, and he was succeeded by Father L. Jouin, S. J., 1850-51. In 1851 the church feeling able to sup- port a pastor, Rev. Thomas S. Preston, now the Right Reverend Mon- signor Preston, holding the dignity of prelate of the papal household, arrived in Yonkers and took charge of the new parish.
After Father Ryan became president of the College of St. Francis Xavier, his mission at Yonkers had been continued with some intermissions by his successors. Father Jouin brought in lay teachers to assist him, and numbered one hundred pupils at the coming of Father Preston in 1857, who, preferring to teach the children himself, excluding lay teachers, taught the children on Sunday afternoon. The Yonkers mission at this time included Hastings, Dobbs Ferry and Tarrytown. Father Preston at first boarded,.
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there being no parochial residence; but in 1853 a small residence was built, but scarcely completed when Father Preston was recalled to become the sec- retary of Archbishop Hughes. He was subsequently made chancellor of the diocese and has now long been vicar-general and one of the archbishop's council. Rev. Father McMahon succeeded Father Preston and continued in charge from October, 1853, to May, 1854, and was succeeded by Rev. Eugene Maguire, who remained in charge from May. 1854, to February, 1856. Rev. Edward Lynch succeeded him February 22, 1856, and continued until 1865, his assistants being Rev. S. A. Mullady, S. J., 1859-1861; Rev. Father Biretta, O. S. F., 1861-1862; Rev. Patrick Brady, from January, 1863, to May following; Rev. T. Byrnes, from June, 1864, to October fol- lowing; and Rev. William H. H. Owen in 1864-65.
The coming of the Sisters of Charity to Yonkers is an important event in the history of St. Mary's church.
The present site was purchased from Edwin Forrest, at a cost of one hundred thousand dollars, the purchase being negotiated through Mother M. Angela, a sister of Archbishop Hughes, who was the Mother Superior of the mother house of the Sisters near Fifth avenue and One Hundred and Seventh street, New York city. The title is in the name of the Sisters of Charity, a corporation organized under the laws of the state of New York. The con- vent was begun in 1857, the corner-stone being laid that year by Archbishop Hughes. In 1859 Father Lynch began the erection of a school-house, fifty by fifty-five feet, which was completed in 1859, at a cost of ten thousand dollars. Sisters Chrysostom and Winifred remained in charge of the school until the death of former in 1865; and she was succeeded by Sister Ambrosia, who sub- sequently was put in charge of the Girls' Protectory at Westchester, and who is now Mother Superior of the Sisters of Charity in the diocese.
The Brothers' School opened in 1871, under Brother Clementine, now vice-president of Manhattan College.
After the building of the school-house the enlargement of the church was begun, and transepts, chancel and vestry were added; enlarged from two aisles and eighty-four pews in the old church to three aisles and one hundred and sixty-two pews on the floor and thirty-four in the gallery, thus giving it a capacity for seating one thousand persons. The church was com- pleted in 1863, at a cost of thirteen thousand dollars.
Father Lynch died in 1865, in the tenth year of his pastorate here. His successor was Rev. Charles T. Slevin, in 1865. In 1866 he had erected a white marble altar and tabernacle in the place of the wooden altar, and he made several other material improvements. The parish school was con- tinved by Father Slevin. Sister Ann Cecilia and Sister M. Maurice con- ducted the girls' school, which numbered one hundred and fifty-five children, 57
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and the Brothers, one hundred and fifty boys, in 1865. The boys' school was discontinued in 1876 and was opened again by Charles R. Corley, suc- cessor of Father Slevin. Father Slevin's assistants were Albert A. Lings, 1867-71; Rev. Bernard Goodwin, 1871-2; Rev. J. Byron, 1872-4; Rev. Eugene McKenna, 1874-5; James W. Hays, 1875, short time; and Rev. Father Andrew O'Reilly, 1874 to present time, 1899.
Father Slevin died July 18, 1878, at North Easton, Massachusetts, and Rev. Charles Raymond Corley succeeded him in June, 1877. During his pastorate there were two important events, -the founding of St. Aloysius' Academy at Yonkers in 1868 and the setting off of the new parish of St. Joseph in 1871. The Academy of St. Aloysius was established in 1868 with Sister Ann Cecilia as first Sister Superior. The academy is situated on lower Broadway, on what was formerly the residence property of Judge Aaron Vark. The site, comprising four and one-half acres, was purchased at a cost of forty-two thousand dollars, and occupies an elevated position in the neighborhood, and many additions have been made, rendering the property valuable. The institution has been successful, being always filled with pupils. Its chief importance and influence has been in bringing to Yonkers a community of the Sisters of Charity. It has been made the home of the Sisters teaching in the parish schools.
Rev. Charles R. Corley has been pastor since 1877. He was born on St. Raymond's day, 1848, received his classical education at St. Xavier's College, New York city, entered the Provincial Theological Seminary, was ordained by Bishop McQuaid in 1871, and in June of that year was sent to St. Mary's, Rondout, New York, where he was assistant for two years. In July, 1873, he was sent to St. Peter's, New York, as one of the assistants of Father Farrell, now bishop of Trenton, New Jersey, where he remained until the archbishop sent him to Yonkers, in June, 1877. Father Corley's assistants have been: Rev. Edward Sweeny, 1877; Rev. Michael Mont- gomery, 1880-81; and since 1884 James F. McLaughlin has also been an assistant. Rev. Andrew O'Reilly, D. D., who was assistant when Father Corley came to the church, has done a great deal of the pastoral work in recent years. The parish school was one of Father Corley's first cares, and he re-opened the boys' department under the Christian Brothers. Rev. Brother Elwaren was made principal in 1877. The sodalities of the parish school are as follows: St. Aloysius Society of Boys, Holy Angels of Girls, and Society of the Holy Infant. The total number of children enrolled in all these at the present time is 1, 112. The parish school building has been enlarged from time to time during Father Corley's rectorship, until at present it is three stories in height, one hundred and twenty-three feet front by fifty- three feet in depth.
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St. Mary's church has several societies, -the Sodality of the Sacred Heart, the Confraternity of the Living Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Children of St. Mary, a ladies' temperance society and a young men's temperance society.
St. Mary's parish is one of the fourteen in the archdiocese of New York that has been honored by making its rector immovable. The immovable rectors have a voice in selecting the bishop of the diocese when there is a vacancy. Rev. Father Corley has continued to be rector since 1877, win- ning the respect of all with whom he comes in contact by his scholarly attain- ments and gentle bearing. During his rectorship a handsome new church edifice has been erected, at a cost of one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars, located at the corner of South Broadway and St. Mary's street. The structure is one of stone, with a seating capacity of one thousand and four hundred; there is a chapel wing to the church with a seating capacity of two hundred. The style of architecture is known as rounded arched Gothic. The building is one of the finest and most costly Catholic houses of worship in the diocese. The corner-stone was laid May 4, 1890, and Right Rev. Monsignor Preston officiated at the ceremony.
The number of persons confirmed during Father Corley's pastorate to date is about one thousand and eight hundred.
St. Joseph's Hospital was erected in 1889 on the site formerly occupied by St. Aloysius' Academy, and opened March 19, 1890. It is under the management of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, and it is attended by the priests of the church.
CAPTAIN JAMES M. REQUA.
More than two centuries ago a gentleman of a distinguished French Huguenot family, Glode Requa by name, crossed the Atlantic ocean in one of the slow-sailing vessels of that day and found a home in America, the land of promise. He proceeded to the locality of Tarrytown, where the great natural beauty of the place attracted him, and he decided to settle per- manently here. He was succeeded by a son, who had been christened in his honor, Glode, and he, in turn, left the old home place to his son, Samuel Requa, who was the grandfather of the subject of this narrative. Samuel Requa chose for his wife a Miss Van Wart, of an old and honored Holland family.
The parents of Captain James M. Requa were Isaac and Bridget (Dunn) Requa, the former born in 1794 on the old Tarrytown farm, and the latter born in 1806. The father died here in October, 1870, and the mother departed this life in 1896. They were the parents of seven children, six of
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whom grew to mature years, namely: Maria, Isaac, Ann, James M., Julia, who married David Kent, and Grace, wife of Frank D. Millard, of Tarry- town.
The birth of Captain J. M. Requa occurred in Tarrytown September 24, 1861. He received his early education in the public schools and later it was his privilege to attend Irving Institute for some time. Upon leaving the school-room he entered the law office of W. H. Ely, and for several months was employed there in the capacity of a clerk. He then embarked upon his mercantile career, and in partnership with his brother, Isaac Requa, opened a grocery, the style of the firm being I. & J. M. Requa. This business enter- prise, founded in June, 1881, is yet in existence, and a large and flourishing trade is carried on by the brothers. In 1891 James M. Requa purchased a half interest in the steamboat named Armitage, the other half being owned by Captain James Duell. The boat is used for both passengers and freight and makes three trips weekly between Tarrytown and New York city. In his various business undertakings Captain Requa has met with gratifying success, as he justly deserves, for his financial methods are above reproach, and his well directed energy, sound judgment and intelligent supervision of his affairs insure the best results.
A man of great public spirit, active in the Republican party, he has officiated in several minor positions in this locality. In June, 1891, he was appointed postmaster of Tarrytown, and continued to discharge the responsible duties of this office until the change of administration, when he tendered his resignation. March 29, 1899, he was again appointed to the position, by President Mckinley. Socially, he stands high in the regard of all who know him, and he is considered one of the leading spirits in the Young Men's Lyceum, the Tarrytown Gun Club and in the Con- queror Hook & Ladder Company, in all of which organizations he has been an active member for some years.
Captain Requa's marriage to Miss Myra R. Lee, of Pottsdam, St. Law- rence county, New York, was celebrated May 10, 1887. Mrs. Requa is a daughter of Henry and Harriet G. (Bloss) Lee, and by her marriage has become the mother of four interesting children, namely: Harriet Ruth, born September 27, 1890; James M., Jr., April 18, 1895; Helen, April 24, 1896; and Frances, January 15, 1899.
CHARLES ELDREDGE.
Mr. Eldredge, the prominent and efficient supervisor of the town of Rye, Westchester county, has been an important factor in the business circles of the community, and for many years has served as secretary of the Port Ches-
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ter Bolt & Nut Works, of Port Chester, New York, having held the position since the organization of the company. It is one of the largest manufactories of the kind in the country, and its products are sold not only in the United States but in England and other foreign countries.
Mr. Eldredge was born July 15, 1855, in Binghamton, New York, and is a son of Charles Eldredge, who was for several years one of the most promi- nent attorneys of this section of the state. The grandfather, Christopher Eldredge, was born in Stonington, Connecticut, of English extraction, and was one of the founders of Binghamton. The father was a native of that place, where he was reared and continued to make his home until about 1865, when he came to Westchester county and purchased a residence at Orienta, in the town of Rye. He was a graduate of Geneva College, being a class- mate of James G. Blaine and Secretary Folger. While a resident of Bing- hamton he successfully engaged in the practice of law and in 1858 went to California to take charge of a case for his brother, and was there employed as counsel on many silver cases iu the supreme court. He was a Republican in politics but took no active part in partisan work, and was a faithful mem- ber of the Episcopal church. He married Miss Jeanette Waterman, a daugh- ter of William and Pamela (Whitney) Waterman, of Binghamton, the latter a daughter of General Whitney. Mrs. Eldredge, who also was an active member of the Episcopal church, died in 1892, at the age of seventy-four years, and her husband passed away in 1866, at the age of sixty. In their family were five children, namely: Olive P., wife of John Haviland, of Rye, New York; Jennie, wife of Baron Von Fresckow, of Berlin, Germany; Thomas W., a business man of New York; Jeanette, wife of Joshua Friro, an attorney of New York city; and Charles, the subject of this sketch.
Charles Eldredge remained at home until fourteen years of age, when he entered the St. Paul's Boarding School at Concord, New Hampshire, where he pursued his studies for three years. He next attended Columbia College, where he was graduated with honors in the class of 1879, and later he took a two-years course at the College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York, but did not enter the medical fraternity. Since that time he has been identified with the business at Port Chester, with which he is still connected, and as a business man he has displayed marked ability, being sagacious, far- sighted and progressive.
Mr. Eldredge married Miss Ida E. Sanford, of New York, and they now have four children: Charles, Sanford, Ida and Margaret. The family have a most beautiful and pleasant home at Rye, two miles from Port Chester, and their hospitality reigns supreme, their many friends always feeling sure of a hearty welcome. Both Mr. and Mrs. Eldredge are active members of the Episcopal church.
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As a Republican, Mr. Eldredge has always taken a prominent and influ- ential part in local politics, and for some time he served as one of the trust- ees of the Rye public schools, resigning that position on his election to the office of supervisor. He never sought the nomination and reluctantly con- sented to run, accepting the responsibility as a duty a citizen owes to his fellow taxpayers, and not because he believed the office would be of benefit to him. His popularity and the confidence and trust reposed in him was mani- fest by his election in a township which usually was strongly Democratic. For six years he was one of Columbia College's champion oarsman.
EMMETT S. CROWE.
Mr. E. S. Crowe, the station agent at Harrison, and justice of the peace of Harrison township, is one of the well-known and popular magistrates of Westchester county, who has the reputation of dispensing justice in a manner worthy of a judge of the higher courts. He carefully weighs the evidence of each case, and is never hasty in his conclusions. Although a strong Democrat in politics, his name appeared on both the Democratic and Republican tickets, and he was elected in March, 1894, for a five-years term. His father, the late Esquire Charles C. Crowe, who died in 1895, was a justice and migistrate for nearly thirty years, and was known far and near as an officer who dealt out justice according to the dictates of his judgment without fear of conse- quences.
Mr. Crowe is a native of Columbia county, New York, born February 22, 1863, when all the nation was celebrating the birth of the father of our country. His paternal great-grandfather was an officer in the Revolutionary war, and made an honorable record as a soldier. The family is an old and prominent one in this country. Our subject's father was for many years act- ively identified with the interests of that county, was a leader in the local Democratic organization, and besides serving as justice of the peace he filled the office of township clerk for a time. For years he was a deacon in the Baptist church. He married Miss Maria Williams, a native of Columbia county, who is still living, at the age of seventy-one. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Loomis, lived to the age of ninety-three years, and belonged to a family noted for longevity. She was the youngest of five chil- dren, living on the Livingston grant or manor farms, some of whom lived to be over one hundred years old. Four children were born to Charles C. and Maria Crowe: Charles, now a dry-goods merchant of Troy, New York; Linda, wife of Dr. William Hogeboom, of Troy; Laura, wife of Allen Conk- lin, of Hillsdale, New York; and Emmett S.
The subject of this review received a good practical education at Hills-
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dale, New York, and in 1882 became connected with the railroad. The fol- lowing year he came to Harrison, where he has since acceptably served as local agent. On the 22d of July, 1887, he was united in marriage with Miss Ida R. Roser, of Harrison, a daughter of John E. Roser, a well-known mer- chant of that place. They now have two interesting children: Mabel R. and Charles E. Mr. and Mrs. Crowe are both members of Hope Chapel Associa- tion, and she is serving as organist and teacher in the Sabbath school. Socially, Mr. Crowe affiliates with Apawarmiz Lodge, No. 800, F. & A. M., of Rye Neck, of which he is the secretary and was one of the promoters; and he is a trustee of the Harrison Fire Company, of which he was one of the organizers and promoters. He is a very popular and influential citizen and has made a host of warm friends since coming to Harrison.
SILAS J. OWENS.
For a number of years the gentleman whose name heads this sketch has been numbered among the leading members of the legal profession in Peeks- kill, New York. He is one of the native sons of the Empire state, his birth having taken place in Putnam county December 2, 1831. He is of Welsh descent, as his paternal grandfather, Jonathan Owens, was one of three brothers who passed their early years in Wales, the land of their birth, and together came to seek new homes and fortunes in America toward the latter part of the eighteenth century. The brothers were named respectively Jesse and Solomon. They settled in Saybrook, on Phillip's Patent, in 1783, buy- ing farms, which they proceeded to develop and cultivate, with the energy and application common to those of their country.
Family tradition states that the first ancestor of the family who came from Wales was Jonathan Owens, who settled at Saybrook, Connecticut, about 1650. His grandsons were Solomon, Jonathan (who was the great- grandfather of our subject) and Jesse. Jonathan Owens, the great-grand- father of our subject, settled in Putnam county, New York, on part of the land of the old Phillip's Patent land grant, known as the Robinson's long lot. This patriarch of the Owens family of New York had sons, among whom was Jonathan, who served in the continental army during the Revo- lution; Levi was the grandfather of Silas J., and Solomon, Samuel and Israel were the other sons. Levi Owens, the grandfather of our subject, married Sarah Sherwood, succeeded to part of his father's estate in Putnam county, New York, and died at the age of forty-five years, leaving sons and daugh- ters as follows: Jesse, Levi (the father of Silas J.). Jasper, Phoebe (Mrs. Jasper Horton: Mr. Horton died and his widow married Silas Whitney), Nancy (who died in early womanhood), Jane (Mrs. William Terry), Maria
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