USA > New York > Schoharie County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 16
USA > New York > Schenectady County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 16
USA > New York > Greene County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Schenectady, Schoharie and Green counties, New York > Part 16
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EORGE W. BELLINGER, editor and publisher of the Cobleskill Index at Cobleskill, N. Y., was born in this town, De- cember 18, 1843. His father, George Bel- linger, was born, bred, and educated in Seward, Schoharie County, where he worked at farming until sixteen years old, and then learned the blacksmith's trade. When ready to establish himself permanently, George Bel- linger came to Cobleskill, and was here indus- triously employed at his trade until his death, June 26, 1867. He married Miss Caroline Shafer, a daughter of Jacob Shafer, a prosper- ous farmer of this town, and a descendant of one of its earlier pioneers. Two children were born of their union; namely, George W., and a child that died when young. The mother is still living in Cobleskill.
George W. Bellinger received a practical education in the public schools of his district. Having become interested in the subject of
photography when a young man, he had an opportunity to learn the art in 1865, when Mr. Oswald Burnett opened the first regular studio in the town on the third floor of the building now occupied by Charles H. Schaffer. Mr. Bellinger proved an apt pupil, and in a short time bought out his employer. Being a man of enterprise and good business ability, well endowed with artistic talent, he met with ex- cellent success, and, having gained a wide reputation for superior skill, he won an exten- sive and lucrative patronage in this and sur- rounding towns. Removing to the present site of the dental parlors of Dr. L. T. Browne, he there carried on his work until the fire of 1873, which destroyed all of his equipments.
The following month Mr. Bellinger em- barked in a new career. He bought the Cobleskill Inder, which was established in 1865 by William H. Week and the Hon. Henry E. Abel, and during the twenty-six years that this paper has since been under his management he has kept it in a leading posi- tion among the local journals of Schoharie County. It has been greatly enlarged, its cir- culation increased fourfold, and its subscrip- tion rate reduced from a dollar and a half to one dollar per year. Through its columns he has been a strong advocate of all movements tending to benefit the community, and has ren- dered valuable aid to the Democratic party by his sound and stirring editorials. He has also been influential in establishing different organ- izations in the locality, among them being the Cobleskill Agricultural Society, formed in 1876, largely by his personal efforts and his
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"talks" on the subject in the Index. Mr. Bellinger was a member of this association's board of management from its inception to the year 1898, and during a like period he served without salary as its secretary.
lle has also been secretary and treasurer of the Cobleskill Rural Cemetery Association six years, and has served two terms as one of the village trustees. He is prominently connected with the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank, of which he was one of the projectors, as a mem- ber of the finance committee, and is president of the Schoharie and Otsego Mutual Fire In- surance Company. In politics he has always been a loyal Democrat.
In the year 1871 Mr. Bellinger married Miss Minnie Moulton, the only daughter of the Ion. F. P. Moulton, an able and influen- tial citizen of Montgomery County. Mr. and Mrs. Bellinger have two children, namely : Vernon M., teller in the Farmers' and Mer- chants' Bank; and Maud S.
ERBERT KIPP, general merchant and proprietor of the Kipp House, Lex- ington, Greene County, N. Y., was born in this town March 6, 1852, son of Isaac and Nancy (Van Heusen) Kipp. He is of Dutch descent. Isaac Kipp, first, his great- grandfather, was a pioneer settler of Dutchess County, New York. Benjamin Kipp, son of Isaac, first, resided in Dutchess County until twenty-one years old, when he came to Greene County. The trades of a carpenter and mill- wright, which he had previously learned, he
followed in this locality for twenty years, or until 1802, when he purchased a farm in Lex- ington. Here he resided until his death, which occurred in 1837, at the age of sixty years. He married Sally Noyes, a native of New Jersey, and became the father of eleven children. The survivors of this family are: Isaac, second; and Harriet, who married a Mr. Jones, of Hartford, Conn. Mrs. Sally N. Kipp died at the age of seventy-one years.
Isaac Kipp, second, father of Herbert, was born in this town, April 12, 1818. He fol- lowed farming on the homestead until 1850, when he went to California, and was fairly successful in the gold mines on the middle fork of the American River. After spending a year there, he returned to Lexington, and re- mained on the home farm until 1858, when he made a trip to Pike's Peak. In 1877 he opened the general store now carried on by his son, and under the firm name of I. Kipp & Son conducted a profitable enterprise until 1887, when he disposed of his interest and went to Nebraska. The next five years he spent upon a farm in that State, and then he once more returned to his native town, where he is now residing with his son. In politics he is a Democrat. lle was Supervisor two terms, and he acted as a Justice of the Peace forty years. He is a member and a trustee of the Baptist church. His wife, Nancy, was a native of Lexington, daughter of Cornelius Van Heu- sen, a farmer. She died at the age of sixty years, having been the mother of six children. The five now living are: Mary, who married William H. Mosher, of South Dakota; C. 1 ..
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Kipp, who is Postmaster at Lexington; Her- bert, the subject of this sketch; Jennie, who married R. L. Hogaboom; and Edwin L. Kipp.
Herbert Kipp was educated in the schools of Lexington and at Eastman's Business Col- lege, Poughkeepsie. He worked on the home farm and also had charge of a stage route until 1876, when he went to Illinois and spent one year. In 1877 he, in company with his father, engaged in general mercantile business in Lexington, and the partnership continued until 1887, when he bought the elder Kipp's interest. For the next two years he was asso- ciated with his brother, C. L. Kipp, and since 1889 he has conducted the establishment alone. He occupies two floors, the main store being thirty by forty feet, with an annex forty by twelve feet, and carries a full line of gro- ceries, boots, shoes, hats, caps, hardware, flour, grain, drugs, carpets, oil cloths, dry goods, notions, and other articles of general merchan- dise. In connection with his mercantile busi- ness he conducts the Kipp House, a favorite summer resort, accommodating fifty guests.
In 1881 Mr. Kipp was united in marriage with Miss Mary F. Jones, of Jewett, daughter of Benjamin Jones, a farmer, who resides with a son, and is now ninety years old. Mr. and Mrs. Kipp are the parents of three children -- Pearl, Clara May, and Ralph.
Politically, Mr. Kipp acts with the Demo- cratic party. He was Postmaster under Cleve- land's first administration four years, held the same office three years during President Harri- son's administration, and was Supervisor one
term. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias. Mr. and Mrs. Kipp attend the Bap- tist church.
OHN H. FRANCE, the representative of a pioneer family of Seward, Scho- harie County, has a well-improved farm located on the road to the Seward Depot, about six miles from Cobleskill and two miles from the village of Hyndsville. He was born in Seward, March 30, 1834, and this town was also the birthplace of his father, Peter France - or Uncle Peter, as he was familiarly known.
Tracing the line back to the great-grand- father, we find a Revolutionary patriot, of whom and his family this story is told : While he was off at Schoharie defending the fort, his sons, Henry and John, who had re- mained at home, were taken prisoners. John was killed; but Henry, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, fortunately escaped from his captors, and after lying in the woods for a day or two made his way home.
Henry France came to Seward in Colonial days, while yet a young man, and took up a tract of unbroken land in the depths of the for- est. A few years later he removed to an ad- joining farm, and was there engaged in agri- cultural pursuits until his death, at the age of fourscore and eight years. He united with the Lutheran church in early manhood, but was afterward an active member of the Meth- odist church. He was interested in the cause of temperance, and through his influence the use of liquor in the harvest field was abolished.
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His wife bore him fourteen children, one of whom is now living - Gilbert, a farmer in Seward.
Peter France spent his life of seventy-four years in Seward, receiving his education in the district school, and on the home farm acquir- ing a practical knowledge of agriculture. On leaving the parental roof he purchased land at Seward Valley, then known as Neeley Hollow, where he spent some years. Selling that he bought the estate on which his son, John H., now resides, and from that time until his death was prominently identified with the agricult- ural interests of this part of the town. Pos- sessing a good fund of general information, and being a man of sound judgment, he was often called upon for counsel and advice, and his opinions were always respected. In poli- tics he affiliated with the Democrats prior to the Rebellion, but after that time was a stanch
Republican. Influential in local affairs, he served as Overseer of the Poor and as High- way Commissioner for several years. His wife, Elizabeth Diefendorf, was born at Frey's Bush, Montgomery County, N. Y., one of the twelve children of a pioneer farmer, John Die- fendorf. Both parents united with the Meth- odist church when young, and as true Chris- tians exemplified its teachings in their daily lives. Both were active in church work, the father being class leader of the Seward Valley church society for many years, and their hospi- table home was ever open to the ministers of the circuit. They reared three children, as follows: John II., the subject of this sketch; Emeline, wife of Sylvester Rewland, of Mor-
risville, N. Y. ; and Louisa The latter, who died October 17, 1892, after many years of illness, was wife of the late Norman Ottman, a graduate of the Normal School. Mr. Ott- man was for some years a teacher in Seward, and afterward was here engaged as a merchant until the breaking out of the Civil War. En- listing then as a private in Colonel Ellsworth's regiment, the One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry, he went bravely forth to serve his country, and was killed in battle.
John H1. France received a good common school education, and till he was twenty-five years of age assisted his father in farming. Then taking the farm on shares, he carried it on successfully until the death of his father, when the whole estate of one hundred and twenty acres came into his possession. He has since continued in his chosen vocation, and besides harvesting excellent crops of hay and grain each season he has raised large quan- tities of hops, a staple product of this region. He keeps about fifteen Jersey and Durham cows, and makes a fine quality of butter, with which he supplies private customers in Troy and Albany. His farm is well equipped with modern machinery and implements for carrying on his work; and the buildings, which were nearly all erected by his father, are kept in fine repair.
Mr. France is a Republican in politics, and has served as Inspector of Elections in his town. He is a charter member of the local organization of Good Templars, and also of the Seward Grange, P. of HI., in which he has
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held all the offices up to Master. In the former society he was for several years the Chaplain. One of the most active and influ- ential members of the Methodist church, he materially assisted in building the new house of worship of this denomination, and in remod- elling the old one at Seward Valley. He was the first child christened in the first frame church edifice erected in this part of the coun- try, and having joined the church at the age of sixteen, he is now, with but few exceptions, the oldest member of this locality. He has been trustee and class leader, and was for a number of years chorister of the Methodist Episcopal choir, in which he and his children sang. Since a boy of fourteen he has been connected with the Sunday-school as pupil, teacher, or superintendent, having held the latter position three terms, and during the past five years has had charge of the ladies' Bible class.
Mr. France has been twice married. On June 12, 1855, was solemnized his union with Orpha Diefendorf. She was born in Seward, a daughter of George Diefendorf, and was one of fourteen children ; namely, Susan, Sylvester, Jacob, Henrietta, Salina, Jane, Judson, Orpha, Sophronia, Peter, Abraham, Wealthy, Rensse- laer, and Nancy. She died at the age of thirty-four years, leaving five children, of whom the following is a brief record : Clarence L., a skilful farmer and able business man of Cobleskill, married Allie Rose, and has three children - Anson, Grace, and Harry; Emory died at the age of four years ; Welton, a farmer in Seward, married Clara Hevener, and has
four children - Ezra, Sadie, Norman, and Hattie; Allie May, wife of Charles Sutphen, a farmer near Richmondville, bas three chil- dren - John, Emma, and Orpha; Lizzie mar- ried Jacob Van Woert, a son of the Rev. Jacob Van Woert, formerly pastor of the Dutch Re- formed church. Her husband, who for several years was an instructor in the Cobleskill High School, died at the age of twenty-five years, leaving her with two children - Dora D. and Jacob H. She now lives with her father.
On June 27, 1869, Mr. France married Mrs. Sarah Wigley, who was born at Fonda, Mont - gomery County, N. Y., a daughter of Frederick Dockstaden, a farmer. By her first husband, Gilbert Wigley, she has one child, William Wigley, who is a fireman on the New York Central Railway. He married Ella Card, and has had three children - Willie, Bernice, and Byron, the last two being deceased.
LEXANDER MACMILLEN, one of the most influential citizens of Carlisle, Schoharie County, was born in Bethlehem, Albany County, N. Y., on October 4, 1842, son of James and Ellen N. (Waldron) MacMillen. His great-grandfather MacMillen was a Scotch emigrant who settled in Albany. His grandfather, who resided in New Scot- land, N. Y., died there at eighty-six years of age. He was a farmer and a leading politi- cian among the old-time Whigs. He occupied prominent civil offices, such as those of Super- visor and Collector, and was one of the active and influential members of the Presbyterian
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church. He had a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters, all of whom are now deceased. They were: John, Andrew, James, Henry, Alexander, William, Aaron, Mary, Nancy, Catherine, and one whose name is not remembered. Of these, James, father of Alexander MacMillen, was the only one that settled in this county. Most of these brothers were Republicans politically, and were asso- ciated with the Presbyterian church. James, however, was a Methodist. He was a quiet, conservative man, thoroughly well-informed on the topics of the day. He left his childhood's home at about fourteen years of age, and a number of years after his marriage he came to Carlisle and bought the farm where his son Alexander, then eight years old, now lives. It was then known as the Henry Best farm. It contained, originally, a hundred acres, but since it came into possession of its present owner it has been enlarged by the addition of twenty acres. James MacMillen was married three times, and had two children - Alexander and William. The latter enlisted in the northern army when under the age of the draft- mark, saw gallant service at Fairfax Court- house, and subsequently died of typhoid fever. He had previously worked with his father on the farm; and his death, while a severe shock to all his family, was especially affecting to his father.
Alexander MacMillen is the leading Repub- lican in Carlisle, and one of the most promi- nent in the county. Somewhat singular is the fact that he has attended only two caucuses in his whole life. Three times he has been Su-
pervisor of Carlisle, being the second Repub- lican in this strongly Democratic town to hold that office, the other Republican holding it for only one term. Though a member of the minority party, he met with defeat only once or twice, and then by no larger majority than twenty. Ile has served for many years on the Republican county committee. Mr. MacMillen is the largest land-owner in town, and the wealthiest citizen of Carlisle. For the last twenty-eight years he has been a suc- cessful hop-grower, probably making a greater success of that industry than any other farmer in the locality. About a hundred acres of his farm are cleared land, and in addition to his hop crops he has raised general produce. He formerly owned three other farms, which had come to him through the foreclosures of mort- gages, but these he has now disposed of. Hc is the largest tax-payer in Carlisle. Mr. Mac- Millen was a stockholder in the old bank at Cobleskill, and is a charter member, stock- holder, and director in the new bank. He owns fifty shares, the largest number owned by one man. Mr. MacMillen and his wife are among the strongest supporters of the Meth- odist church in this place, and both sing in the choir. Mrs. MacMillen is a member of the church, and an active worker in the Sun- day-school, in which she has been a teacher for many years. When the Christian En- cleavor Society was started here, she became its president.
The maiden name of Mrs. MacMillen, who was married in 1864, was Eveline Bradt, and she is a daughter of William Bradt, deceased,
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formerly a farmer of Cobleskill. Her paternal grandfather, who came hither from Albany County, cleared the farm and built the house now standing on it. Her grandfather, James Boughton, who lived to the advanced age of ninety years, was the leading man in the Pres- byterian church at Carlisle, and in his last years he sat in one of the chairs inside the altar rail. Mrs. MacMillen's father was a member of the Dutch Reformed church. He had a family of four children. Mr. and Mrs. MacMillen have one child, William A., who since attending the Albany Business College has been in business with his father. He married Ada Dockstader, and has one son, Irvin A.
RANK AKELEY, dealer in general merchandise at West Fulton, was born here on October 20, 1851, his parents being James and Sally J. (Shutts) Akeley.
James Akeley, who was born in January, 1812, came to this town in 1840, and settled on a fine farm of about two hundred acres, near what is now his son's store, and here he re- mained engaged in agriculture until his death in 1861, at about the age of fifty. His wife, Sally, survived him many years, and died in February, 1898. She was the daughter of John Shutts, of Greenville, Greene County, a lifelong and prominent farmer, and also a veterinary surgeon. Her mother was of Con- necticut birth. Mr. and Mrs. Shutts had a family of four children. Of these the only survivor is Mrs. Salome Ilart, who resides
near Greenville. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. James Akeley, and all are liv- ing. They are: Edgar, who resides at Coble- skill; Emily, who is the wife of William Richards; Dr. John S., who is a physician in Ravena, Albany County; Martin A., who is County Clerk of Schoharie County; Lorenzo, farmer and Supervisor (1899) ; Frank, the sub- ject of this sketch; and Mary J., who married John Hinds, of Greenville. Both parents at- tended the Methodist church.
Mr. Frank Akeley, after obtaining his educa- tion in the common schools of his native vil- lage and at the Normal School at Albany, taught school for a while. In 1871 he went to work in the store of M. B. Fellows, situated opposite his present place of business, and there remained until 1875, when he went to New York for a short time. Later in the same year he returned, and began teaching the school at West Fulton. During the farming season of that year, 1876, he worked for six months on a farm, but in the fall taught school at Fulton. Not long after he bought his pres- ent building, and since that time he has had a prosperous career as a merchant. He carries a large stock of goods, including groceries, boots and shoes, dry goods, ready-made cloth- ing, underwear, glassware and hardware, patent medicines, and, to some extent, farming im- plements. A gradual increase of stock has made it necessary for him to have enlarged quarters; and, since starting, he has opened a second floor, so that he has now an exceedingly well-equipped business.
In politics Mr. Akeley is a Republican.
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For a time he served as Assistant Postmaster. He was married in 1881 to Elmina Zeh, a na- tive of Breakabeen, and daughter of Adam and Nancy (Shafer) Zeb. Mr. Zch was a lifelong farmer. He had four children. After his death his widow married a second time. Mr. and Mrs. Akeley have one child, Hazel, who is at school. Mr. Akeley has served on the county committee. He is liberal in religious views, and believes in dealing with unques- tionable honesty in all his business transac- tions.
EV. CHARLES WADSWORTH PITCHER, pastor of the Reformed Dutch church at Middleburg, Schoharie County, is one of the most able, progressive, and popular clergymen of his de- nomination and a highly esteemed citizen. Ile was born March 2, 1849, near Cohoes, Albany County, a son of the Rev. William Pitcher, whose birthplace was Red Hook, Dutchess County, N. Y. His paternal grand- father, who was an officer in the War of 1812, was a prosperous farmer and an extensive land- holder at Upper Red Hook, where he died at the advanced age of fourscore years. }lis wife, Catherine Kipp, also attained a ripe old age. Both were members of the Dutch Re- formed Church of Upper Red Hook. They had five children, none of whom are now living.
The Rev. William Pitcher was reared on the home farm, and obtained his elementary educa- tion in the district schools. Ile subsequently studied at Williams College and Princeton
Seminary. He began his professional life as pastor of a Dutch Reformed church at Jackson, N. Y. ; and three years later he assumed charge of the " Boght " church at Watervliet, three miles from the village of Cohoes. After a faithful service of thirteen years in that place he accepted a call to South Branch, Somerset County, N. J., where a church, small in num- bers, had been but a short time organized. lle labored there twenty-seven years, a long and successful pastorate, in which he built up a flourishing society. Going then to Greenwich, Washington County, N. Y., he there lived in retirement until his demise, at the age of seventy three years. He was a gifted speaker, a sermonizer of especial note; and many of his pulpit discourses, published in book form, were forcible exponents of his theological be- lief. A man of strong personality and unusual sweetness of character, he led a pure, Chris- tian life, and in a rare degree won the love and esteem of all with whom he came in con- tact. He was three times married. His first wife, Mary Ann Wadsworth, died in young womanhood, leaving one son, De Witt Pitcher, now a book-keeper in Hudson, N. Y. Ilis second wife, Jane E. Wadsworth, sister to his first wife, was born at Bantam Falls, Litch- field County, Conn., a daughter of Ilenry Wadsworth, a prosperous merchant. She was a sister of the Rev. Charles Wadsworth, D. D., of Philadelphia, and James L. Wadsworth, who is now living retired from active pursuits in Darien, Conn. Of the children born of this union two are now living, namely : Charles W., the special subject of this sketch ;
CHARLES W. PITCHER.
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and Jane E., wife of W. B. Warner, a photog- rapher at Northport, Long Island. The mother died at the age of thirty-six years, and the father subsequently married Mary Ann McLean.
The Rev. Charles W. Pitcher received his elementary education in the public schools of South Branch, N. J., which he left at the age of sixteen years to go to New York City, where he was clerk in a jewelry store and in a dry-goods store for four years. He then con- tinued his studies at a select school in Ne- shanic, N. J., and at Rutgers Grammar School in New Brunswick, which he attended two years, and after that at Rutgers College four years and at the theological seminary two years. On January 26, 1876, having pre- viously been licensed to preach by the Newark Congregational Association, he was ordained to the ministry at Randolph, N. Y., and at once took charge of the weak and struggling society, which in 1883 he left in a most flour- ishing condition, it having doubled numeri- cally and financially under his efficient labors. The ensuing four years he was pastor of the church at Stanton, N. J., which under his guidance was wonderfully revived, large num- bers being added to the organization, which increased in usefulness each year, and, accord- ing to the stated clerk of the classis to which it belongs, reached the highest degree of pros- perity in its history. From 1887 until 1891 Mr. Pitcher had charge of the Kirkpatrick Me- morial Church at Ringoes, N. J., where his efforts were again blessed with success. Under his fervent and eloquent preaching of the gospel, great interest was awakened; and, dur-
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