Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 11

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1354

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Robert Fulton Crary spent his boyhood in New York City, and in June, 1861, was gradu- ated from the General Theological Seminary. His first charge was as a missionary in Warren county, N. Y., where for six years he labored for the upbuilding of the Church. As lasting monuments to his work for these years are three stone churches, which were erected through his energies. In 1867 he accepted a call to become rector of the Church of the Holy Comforter at Poughkeepsie. This Church was dedicated in 1860, and our subject was its second rector. His long term as priest in charge has given him an intimate acquaintance with his parishioners, and he is now baptizing the children of those little ones whom he bap- tized in the early days of his pastorate.

On September 11, 1862, by the Rev. Dr. Hawkes, Dr. Crary was married at Trinity Chapel, New York City, to Agnes Boyd Van- Kleeck, daughter of Rev. Robert B. Van- Kleeck, D. D., and Margaret Schenck (Teller)

Van Kleeck. Mrs. Crary now owns the old Teller homestead at Matteawan, Dutchess Co., N. Y., said to be the oldest house in the county, having been erected in 1709 by Lieut. Roger Brett, of the Royal Navy, who married Katharine Rombout, only child and heir of Francis Rombout, a famous and influential citizen of New Amsterdam, who in 1682, with Gulian Ver Planck, was granted, by King James II, the large tract of land on the Hudson river, known as the Rombout Precinct. The union of Dr. and Mrs. Crary has been blessed with six children-five daughters and one son: Amy: Cornelia Fulton; Alice; Ella deceased) ; Edith Livingston, who married Charles H. van Braam Roberts, June 3, 1896; and Fulton.

Believing that before God the souls of men stand stripped of all temporal guises, and whether high or low, rich or poor, each one alike meets that same justice tempered with mercy, Dr. Crary has always had a free church, never having any charge for pew rent. The degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on him by St. Stephen's College, Annandale, Dutchess Co., N. Y., in 1892. Mrs. Crary is a worthy helpmeet of the Doctor, and nobly typifies "the mission of woman on earth! Born to nurse and to soothe, to solace and to heal the sick world that leans on her." She is a member of the Daughters of the Revolu- tion and of the Colonial Dames.

Of Robert Fulton, the grandfather of Dr. Crary, we will give but few words. His life and works speak so well for themselves, and have been so exhaustively treated by our most able writers, that nothing more remains to be said. He was married in 1806 to Harriet Livingston, daughter of Walter and Cornelia 'Schuyler) Livingston, the latter an intimate friend of George Washington. Harriet Liv- ingston Fulton was a niece of Chancellor Liv- ingston, and doubly connected with him by the marriage of her brother to his daughter.

AMES C. GRIGGS, the popular proprietor of the " Morgan House," Poughkeepsie, was born at Milton, Ulster Co .. N. Y., October 10, 1847. and is the son of Lewis and Eliza (Harcourt ) Griggs. The maternal grand- father, Benjamin Harcourt, was also born at Milton, where his father, who came to this country from England and located in Ulster county, secured a large tract of land. On attaining man's estate Benjamin Harcourt was

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

united in marriage with Miss Eleanor Wygant,. a native of Ulster county, and took his bride to his extensive farm in that county, where their seven children were born : James C., Charles A., Eli, Eliza, Althea, Deborah A. and Sarah. The grandfather was a prominent Democrat of Ulster county, and filled the office of sheriff for some time.

The birth of the father of our subject oc- curred at Cornwall, Orange Co., N. Y., but he was reared at Milton, Ulster county, where he afterward taught school. He there married Miss Harcourt, and the only child born to them was our subject. Shortly after their marriage they located upon a farm in Orange county, to the cultivation of which the father devoted his time and attention until his death in 1850. He supported the Whig party in politics, and in his religious views was a Presbyterian. His widow later married his brother, Henry Griggs, and they now make their home in Washington- ville, Orange county.

Mr. Griggs, the subject proper of this sketch, spent his boyhood upon the farm of his grandfather Harcourt in Ulster county, and attended the district schools of that locality. but completed his education at Newburg, N. Y. At the age of fifteen years he entered the hardware store of J. C. Hardenbergh, of New- burg, N. Y., where he remained as clerk for about four years, and for the following six years was engaged in the crockery business for himself in that city. Ile then began the manu- facture of brick at Fishkill, Dutchess county; but after carrying on that occupation for one year he leased the " Orange Hotel" at New- burg, which he conducted for five years. Dur- ing the next year he carried on a summer hotel at Delaware Gap, after which he became the proprietor of the "United States Hotel " at Newburg, where he remained for seven years. In November, 1883, Mr. Griggs came to Poughkeepsie and purchased the " Morgan House," situated on the corner of Main and Catherine streets, which he has since success- fully conducted. There are found all modern improvements, including hot and cold water, electricity, etc. ; it is convenient and comforta- ble, while the cuisine is unexceptionable. The hotel will accommodate one hundred and fifty guests, whose interests and comfort are well looked after by the genial and pleasant land- lord.

On the roth of October, 1869, Mr. Griggs was married to Miss Josephine Cammack, a

native of Orange county, and a daughter of Robert Cammack, who was of Scotch descent, and a leading stove dealer and plumber of Newburg, N. Y. Three children were born of this union: Lilly, who died at the age of eleven years; Harry E., who died at the age of twenty years, and Fred R., who is with his father. Mr. Griggs was called upon to monrn the loss of his wife, who died October 7, 1893. In politics he is a stanch adherent of the prin- ciples formulated bythe Republican party, while socially he is connected with the Masonic frater- nity, the Order of Friends and the Knights of Pythias. lle has taken a prominent part in public affairs, always lending his influence to promote the best interests of the community, and is one of the most highly-esteemed citi- zens of Poughkeepsie.

C APTAIN CHARLES W. BRUNDAGE (deceased), late a well-known forwarding and freighting merchant and coal dealer at Fishkill Landing, was born January 16, 1830, at Gay Head, Dutchess county.

Alton Brundage, father of our subject, was a native of East Fishkill, born April 30, 1805. and during his active life was a shoemaker at Stormville, and a steadfast supporter of the Democratic party. He married Lucy Ann Burrus, who was born in 1800, at Hopewell Junction, the daughter of Joseph Burrus, a prosperous merchant of New York City. Of the six children of this union, Charles W. was the eldest, the others being: James, Alonzo, Melissa, Catherine and Mary.

Captain Charles W. Brundage attended the district school of Stormville until he was thir- teen years old, when he entered the em- ploy of Francis H. Bowne as clerk in his dry- goods and grocery store. Two years later he went to Fishkill Landing to clerk for Charles B. Pugsley in the same business, and remained with him a year. He then became clerk of the " Mansion House " at Fishkill village, con- ducted by Mr Lampson; but after a few months he left to take a position as clerk on the steamer " William Young," running be- tween Low Point and New York City. On this boat he spent two years, and one on the steamer "Caledonia " with Captain Wardrop, of the firm of Wardrop, Smith & Co., of New- burgh. Afterward he became a clerk for Brett & Cromwell, forwarding and freighting merchants at Long Dock, Fishkill Landing,

C.H. Brunday

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

and up to the time of his death he had ever since been connected with that business, being at that time the sole proprietor. At Mr. Cromwell's death in 1869 the firm was changed to Brett & Matthews, and two years later it became Walter Brett & Co., composed of Mr. Brett, John Place (now treasurer of the Mechanics' Savings Bank at Fishkill-on-Hud- son) and Captain Brundage. In 1874 Mr. Brett withdrew from the firm of Walter Brett & Co., and the firm became Brundage & Place until 1885, when Captain Brundage bought Mr. Place's interest, and up to the time of his death conducted the business alone. In Au- gust, 1895, he purchased the coal and mer- chandise business of Aldridge & Dorland on Main street, which he added to his own exten- sive coal trade that was established over twenty- five years ago, selling in recent years about ten thousand tons a year. He ran a daily transpor- tation line from Fishkill to New York, trans- ferring all kinds of freight to the Ransdell Transportation Co. Line of Newburgh. Cap- tain Brundage was for many years captain of the "Walter Brett" and the " Independence," both of which ran from Fishkill to New York City.

On August 2, 1853, Captain Brundage was married to Miss Mary Boice, daughter of Henry Boice, a citizen of Williamsburg, N. Y .; she died in 1873, leaving no children. His second wife was formerly Miss Ella E. Murphy, daugh- ter of Prof. John G. Murphy and his wife, Sarah C. Myer. Mrs. Brundage is a lineal de- scendant of Timothy Murphy, of Revolution- ary fame, who participated in the battles of Bunker Hill and Saratoga, and was a noted Indian fighter, the scene of his exploits being largely laid in Schoharie county. Mrs. Brun- dage has a pleasant home on Ferry street, Fishkill-on-Hudson; she attends the Reformed Church of that place. In politics the Captain was a Republican.

G EORGE ESSELSTYN, a prominent at- torney of Rhinebeck, Dutchess county, is a man who has brought his keen discrimina- tion and thorough wisdom not alone in pro- fessional paths, but also for the benefit of the community where he has so long resided, and with whose interests he has been so closely identified. He holds and merits a place among the representative legal practitioners of Dutchess county.

Mr. Esselstyn was born in Claverack, Columbia Co., N. Y., on September 27, 1841, and can trace his ancestry back to Martin Esselstyn, who arrived in America about 1640. He had two sons, Jacob and Cornelius, the latter of whom married Cornelia Vreden- burg, of Kingston, N. Y., and among their seven sons were Jacob and Gabriel, who removed to Claverack in 1710. Jacob wedd- ed Magdalen Brodhead, of Ulster county, and to them were born five daughters and two sons, the latter being Richard and Cornelius. Among the children of Cornelius was Richard, who was born in 1731 and died in 1783. the year in which peace with Eng- land was declared. He was a patriot and soldier, holding the rank of major in a regi- ment of militia raised in Claverack to resist the northern encroachments of the British troops. He had two sons-Jacob, born in 1762; and Cornelius, born in 1765, who were the more immediate ancestors of the branch of the family now residing in Rhinebeck town- ship, Dutchess county. From Jacob have descended Tobias, who occupies the very soil which has been transmitted down to the sixth generation in the same family; Jacob, a resi- dent of Wisconsin; and John, of Mellenville, Columbia county.

Cornelius Esselstyn, who was also born at Claverack, was the grandfather of our sub- ject. He was a large land owner of that locality, and one of the leading citizens. By his marriage with Clarissa Vonsburgh, he be- came the father of the following sons: Rich- ard; Jacob, who during his lifetime occupied the place of the former patroon; Charles, a distinguished member of the bar; Isaac; Will- iam; Robert, the father of our subject: and Martin; all of whom were well-known citizens. worthy of their ancestry.

The birth of the father also occurred at Claverack, about 1807, and his entire life was devoted to the occupation of farming. He was an intelligent, well-read man, of high so- cial ideas and great natural ability, and was one of the substantial citizens of Columbia county. In early life he supported the Whig party, and was a great admirer of Henry Clay, later joining the Republican party. Deeply in- terested in educational matters, he served for many years as trustee of the Claverack Acad- emy, filling that position most of his life. He was married to Miss Catherine Vedder, daugh- ter of Rev. Herman Vedder, who made his

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

home near Mt. Ross, in Gallatin, Columbia county, and for sixty years served as minister of the Reformed Dutch Church. After many years of usefulness he died at the ripe old age of ninety-six years. The Vedder family, as well as the Esselstyn, was of Holland-Dutch origin. Two children were born to Robert Esselstyn and his worthy wife: George, sub- ject of this review; and Henry, who died in 1883.

The preparatory education of our subject was received at Claverack Academy, where he took the regularly prescribed course, and at the age of sixteen entered Rutgers College, taking the full classical course there, and graduating in the class of '61. He took up the study of law in the office of Gaul & Esselstyn (the latter being a cousin), and was admitted to practice December 10. 1863, before the supreme court. He remained with his old instructors until March 20, 1865, when he opened an office at Rhinebeck, where he conducted business alone for seven years. In 1872 he formed the part- nership with Mr. McCarty, which has con- tinued from that time, and is now the oldest law firm in Dutchess county. He is a man of imposing presence, and is one of the most suc- cessful attorneys of the community. .

On June 17, 1868, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Esselstyn and Miss Florence Cowles, who belongs to one of the old and prominent families of Rhinebeck, and is a daugh- ter of William S. Cowles, of that village, where for years he has carried on merchandising. Seven children grace this union-two sons and five daughters: Louise, at home; Catherine, wife of Rev. William H. Morrison, an Episco- pal clergyman of Stafford Spring, Conn. : Florence E., wife of Charles L. Brooke, son of Charfes W. Brooke, one of the most promi- nent criminal lawyers of New York City; Henry, of Stafford Spring, Conn. ; Clara Perle and Mabel at home; and Robert, who is at- tending school at Sing Sing, New York.

For thirty-one years Mr. Esselstyn has served as attorney for the First National Bank of Rhinebeck. He is a stanch Republican in politics, working hard for the interests of his party; in 1872 was candidate for the Assembly, and in 1882 candidate for district attorney. For two terms he served as supervisor, being chairman of the board half of the time, and was also president of the village for two terms, while he is one of its oldest directors in point of time. For twenty-five years he has been

one of the trustees of the Starr Institute, of Rhinebeck, and has served as secretary of the board the greater part of that time. He takes a prominent part in the Masonic order, being a Knight Templar, and for several terms has been master of the lodge, and past chancellor commander of the order of K. of T. Relig- iously, he belongs to the Reformed Dutch Church, but most of his family are Episco- palians.

H ENRY H. HUSTIS (deceased ), late attor- ney and counsellor at law, Fishkill-on- Hudson, and one of the oldest and most promi- nent members of the Dutchess County Bar, was born March 9, 1829, at North Highlands, town of Phillipstown, Putnam county, N. Y., and died at Fishkill-on-Hudson December 14, 1896.

His family is of English origin, and the first of the American line came to New England about 1630. He was of the sixth generation from Robert, who came from Fairfield county, Conn., about the year 1664, and settled at Westchester, Westchester county, N. Y., where David Hustis, our subject's great-great-grand- father, was born. He was a captain in the Revolutionary army in Col. Van Rensselaer's regiment, and must have been over sixty years of age at that time. In 1730 he bought from the Indians several hundred acres of land in Putnam county, three miles from the present village of Cold Springs, and this estate has since been owned and occupied continuously by the family, a portion of it, 120 acres, being now owned by our subject. A part of the old house built by Capt. David Hustis is still stand- ing as it was during the Colonial period, addi- tions have been made to it from time to time. The farm adjoining is now owned by Samuel D). Hustis, whose great-grandfather was a brother of our subject's grandfather. The house upon that estate was also built in Colonial times, and Gen. Washington and his staff stopped there on their way to West Point from Connecticut, and were met by a messenger who told them of the treason of Benedict Ar- nold. Capt. David Hustis had a son Joseph, who married Mary Hunt, and had three sons: Robert, Joseph and David. Robert Hustis married Tamar Budd, and had a son Nicholas, who was born at the old homestead in 1803, and was a farmer there all his life. He mar- ried Martha Haight, who was born in 1804, and they reared a family of nine children. The

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

father died in 1866, and the mother passed away in 1886.

Henry H. Hustis attended the district schools near the old home for some time in boyhood, and later studied for two years in a Quaker school, finishing his academic educa- tion at Amenia Seminary. He began the study of law in Newburg with Judge William Fullerton, the great criminal lawyer of New York City, and afterward spent one year in the office of Judge Monell; and one year with Judge George. In September, 1852, he was admitted at Poughkeepsie to the bar of the Supreme Court, and June 3, 1853, he opened his office at Fishkill-on-Hudson, taking the practice of John Owens. For forty-three years he was continuously engaged in profes- sional work, and won a high reputation as a practitioner. He took an active interest in local politics, and was an able worker in the Republican party. In 1866, 1868, 1870 and 1873 he was president of the village, and in 1874 he was elected supervisor of the town, and was chairman of the board of supervisors of Dutchess county in that year. The family have a pleasant home on South avenue. His wife was Miss Elizabeth V. W. Anthony, daughter of Nicholas and Maria (Knapp) An- thony. They had five children.

J OHN P. ATWATER, M. D. This well- known and highly respected citizen of Poughkeepsie. Dutchess county, is a native of Carlisle, Penn., where he was born March 4, 1813, and where his early life was spent. The rudiments of his education were obtained at Hopkins' Grammar School, in New Haven, Conn., then, in 1830, he entered Yale College, and was graduated with the class of '34, after which he attended the medical college in New Haven, where he secured a practical know]- edge of medicine.

In 1836 Dr. Atwater went to Cincinnati and practiced medicine there for a few years, when he retired, and returned to New Haven, where he lived quietly. In 1870 the Doctor moved to Poughkeepsie and took up his resi- dence there. On July 27, 1845, he was mar- ried to Miss Lucy J. Phelps, who was from West Townshend, Vt., where she was born January 14, 1828. Her father, Charles Phelps, was a native of Vermont, and a son of Timothy Phelps, whose ancestors were English. To our subject and his wife were

born the following children: Edward S. and Lucy. The Doctor is a Republican and, with his wife, contributes to the support of the First Reformed Church. They have a beautiful home, surrounded by spacious drives and walks, well-kept lawns, cosy nooks within the shadow of stately oak trees, and charming summer houses.

Jeremiah Atwater, father of our subject, was born in New Haven, Conn., October 1, 1774, where he grew to manhood, and was graduated from Yale College. He organized Middlebury College, and was selected as its first president; in 1809 he held the same office of Dickenson College, Carlisle, Penn. After moving to New Haven he lived a retired life. He married Miss Clarissa Storrs, a native of Sandisfield, Mass., where she was born Janu- ary 7, 1776. Her father, Eleazer Storrs, was born in Mansfield, Conn. Mr. and Mrs. At- water had three children: John P., our sub- ject: William, formerly a druggist in Brook- lyn, N. Y., who died April 20, 1873; Clarissa, born in 1803, who became the wife of Rev. Oliver Butterfield, and died January 16, 1871; and William, born in 1806.

Jeremiah Atwater, grandfather of our sub- ject, was born in New Haven, Conn. He married Miss Lois Hurd, and they settled in New Haven, where he followed the occupation of a merchant. Their children were as fol- lows: Jeremiah; John, a carriage maker; Charles, who settled in North Branford, Conn. ; Lewis, who was a carpenter and house builder; Fannie, who married Zebul Bradley, a jeweler : Nancy, who died unmarried. Jeremiah died in 1835. His son, Jeremiah, died July 29, 1858.

Edward Storrs Atwater, a son of our sub- ject, was born April 10, 1853, at Cincinnati. He took a preparatory course at Phillips Acad- emy, Andover, Mass., and was graduated at Yale College, in 1875, from the classical course. After leaving college he studied law in Pough- keepsie with Judge H. M. Taylor, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1880. He engaged in the practice of law in office work until 1896, when he was elected president of the Farmers & Man- ufacturers' National Bank, of Poughkeepsie, which position he has held ever since. In 1880 he was married to Miss Caroline P. Swift, a daughter of Charles W. Swift, and a gradu- ate of Vassar College in the class of '77. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Atwater: Morton, Lucy, Eliot and Evelyn, all

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

living at home. Mr. Atwater was formerly a Republican, but is now a Democrat, although he does not take an active part in politics. Ile is a member of the First Reformed Church, and of the Dutchess Club and Amrita Club, of Poughkeepsie. In public matters he is one of the leading men of the city, and is a director of the Poughkeepsie Iron Co. and of the For- est of Dean Iron Co., and a trustee of the Savings Bank: [Since the above was written Dr. Atwater died in May, 1897.]

R EV. ACMON P. VAN GIESON, D. D., pastor of the First Reformed Church of Poughkeepsie, is now in the thirtieth year of his beneficent service at that charge. He be- longs to one of the old Holland-Dutch families, the first ancestor to cross the ocean having been Reynier Bastiansen Van Gieson, who settled in New Amsterdam prior to 1660, and later made his home in New Jersey, where many of the name now live.

A majority of the early members of the family were agriculturists, and our subject's grandfather, Reynier Van Gieson, followed that occupation all his life. He married Sarah Kent, daughter of Jacob Kent, who entered the Colonial army as a volunteer at the opening of the Revolutionary war. and served until peace was declared. Ira Van Gieson, the Doctor's father, was reared upon a farm, but engaged in business as a manufacturer, being one of the original members of the Newark (N. J. ) Lime & Ce- ment Company. His wife, Sarah Thompson, was a native of New Jersey, and a daugh- ter of Thomas J. Thompson. Both parents died at their home in Newark, N. j. Of their five children, the Doctor was the eldest. Another son, Ransford E. Van Gieson, M. D., of Brooklyn, N. Y., was a surgeon in the navy during the war of the Rebellion, and has a son, Ira Van Gieson, M. D., who is a member of the staff of instructors in the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, and chief of the Commission on Path- ology of Insanity for the State of New York.

The subject of our sketch was born Janu- ary 13, 1830, in West Bloomfield, Essex Co., N. J., and at four years of age was taken by his parents to Newark, N. J., where he grew to manhood. Love of study was a marked characteristic even in youth, but previous to entering college he taught school and clerked

in a grocery for a time. He took a course in the University of New York, graduating in 1849, and in 1852 he completed his prepara- tion for the ministry in the Theological Semi- nary of the Reformed Church, located in New Brunswick. He took charge of the Reformed Church at Catskill, N. Y., in the same year, and was ordained as its pastor in 1853. In 1855 he accepted a call to the First Reformed Church in Brooklyn, where he remained until 1859. For the six years following he was stationed at Claverack, Columbia Co., N. Y .. and in 1865 a call was accepted from the Church of Greenpoint (Brooklyn , his ministra- tions there being continued until September, 1867, when he assumed the pastorate of the First Church of Poughkeepsie, one of the principal congregations in the city. This so- ciety was organized in 1716, being the oldest in Dutchess county.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 11

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1354

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1354