Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 132

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

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David Teal, the grandfather of our subject, whose ancestors came to this country from Palatinate, Germany, was a native of Ulster county, N. Y. He received a common-school education, and began life as a farmer, which occupation he followed up to the time of his death. Early in life he married Miss Rebecca Sipperly, and soon after they became residents of the town of Red Hook, Dutchess county, where their only child, Jacob Teal, was born in 1804. He was the father of our subject. His education was such as the district schools of the locality afforded and he early learned the trades of blacksmithing and wagonmaking, at which he worked more or less all through his life. He also engaged in teaching school

for a few years. In the early training days he commanded a company. For his second wife he married Miss Anna Maria Teal, daughter of John I. Teal, of the town of Rhinebeck, Dutchess county, who, though bearing the same name, was no relative. Two children were born to them: Mary C., who became the wife of William Moul, of the town of Red Hook, where he is successfully engaged in farming; and John D., subject of this sketch.

Our subject's birth occurred in the town of Red Hook, where he entered the common schools, and, on completing his education, he succeeded his father, who was otherwise en- gaged, to the management of the farm, and thus began life for himself as an agriculturist. In 1867 Mr. Teal was married to Miss Mary Rossman. They are the parents of three chil- dren, all born on the old homestead. Frank L., who was educated at the Hartwick Semi- nary, and, after his graduation from that insti- tution in 1890, served on the force of civil engineers engaged in the construction of the Broadway Cable road in New York City, at the completion of which he engaged in teach- ing and land surveying, holding the position of teacher in the public schools of Germantown for two years. He then became principal of the North Germantown Union School, which position he resigned after two years to enter upon a course of studies at St. Stephens Col- lege. Agnes received a thorough training in music, and is now a teacher of that art. She is also organist of the Stone Church in the town of Rhinebeck located near the town line of Red Hook. Eve Alice completes the family.

John G. Rossman, the grandfather of Mrs. Teal, was born in Livingston, Columbia Co., N. Y., was there educated, and followed the vocation of a farmer throughout life. He married Miss Catherine Best, daughter of Rev. Lewis Best, a Christian minister of Livingston. Their family consisted of ten children: Susan married Reuben Lapham; George married Johanna Weisman; Jacob was the father of Mrs. Teal; Margaret married Henry Van- Etten; Eve married Samuel Lape; Mary mar- ried Edward Stickle: Ann married Samuel Shutts; William married Lucy Cunningham, of Georgia; James remained single; and Edward died in infancy.

Jacob Rossman was also a native of Liv- ingston, Columbia county, where he received a good common-school education, and be- came an agriculturist. He wedded Miss Eve

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Patrie, by whom he had two children: Mer- vin J., who married Mary Gardner; and Mary. the estimable wife of our subject. Her ma- ternal grandfather, Christian Patrie, who was also a farmer, married Mary Pinder, daughter of Edward Pinder, second son of Lord Pinder, London, England, and to them were born ten children: Pamilla married Dr. William Jones; Rachel married Rensselaer Livingston: Alex- ander married Clarissa Bennaham; Rufus mar- ried Jane Stickle; Eve was the mother of Mrs. Teal; Susan married Samuel Pender: Mary died at the age of twenty-five years; Edward married Margaret Potts; Seth married Mary Patrie, a cousin; and Fannie married Jacob Miller.

T HOMAS WRIGHT, one of the well-to-do and influential citizens of the town of Lagrange, is now occupying a valuable farm that is conspicuous for the manner in which it has been improved and cultivated, and gives every evidence of being the homestead of one of the most enterprising men of Dutchess county.

The Wright family is of English origin, and was founded in this country first on Long Island. Thomas Wright, the grandfather of our subject, and one of the early residents of the town of East Fishkill, Dutchess county, had a family of eight children, all now de- ceased. As he was in somewhat limited cir- cumstances, his son, Lewis, the father of our subject, was given but an ordinary education, and he started out in life as a poor boy. He was born in the town of East Fishkill, March 22, 1800, and in his twentieth year first be- came a resident of the town of Lagrange, lo- cating upon the farm now occupied by our subject, which he operated for some time be- fore he was able to purchase it. Upon that place he spent his remaining days.

On November 3, 1820, Lewis Wright was married to Maria Vermilyea, who was born September 26, 1801, and died December 31, 1827, and they became the parents of three children: Mary, born July 24, 1821, died in June, 1894; John G., born May 31, 1824; and Abraham, born in December, 1826, and died October 18, 1828. Mr. Wright was again married, this time on November 13, 1828, to Miss Zillah Anderson, who was born February 24, 1799, and was the daughter of John Ander- son. Four children came to this union: Ann

Elizabeth, born August 24, 1830. married Draper Hall, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. ; Thomas, subject of this sketch; Susan Jane, born De- cember 25, 1834. married Rutsen Hall, of the town of Unionvale, Dutchess county: and An- derson, born May 1, 1838, died May 10, 1867. The mother of these children departed this life in November, 1885.

Thomas Wright, whose name introduces these lines, was born February 26, 1833, on the farm which is now his home, in the town of Lagrange. His education was acquired in the district school, and at a private school of the neighborhood. On April 20, 1859, he was married to Miss Phoebe Rogers, who was born October 18, 1840, a daughter of Laban Rog- ers, of the town of Beekman, Dutchess coun- ty. To this worthy couple were born fourteen children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Charles L., January 21, 1860; Homer A., June 19, 1862; Carrie R., July 31, 1864; Susan A., August 21, 1866; Jennie, October 3, 1868; Mary E., May 12, 1871; Lewis T., March 12, 1873; Alice Z., October 27, 1874: John R .. October 11, 1876; Ruem- ma, September 2, 1878; Arthur, October 23, 1880: Augusta M., March 21, 1883; and Jo- sephine and Pauline (twins), August 10, 1885. Of these, Josephine died July 22, 1886. Mrs. Wright's father was born in the town of Beek- man, in 1805, married Jane Sincerbox, of East Fishkill, by whom he had five children- two sons and three daughters, of whom, one son and daughter are now deceased. The mother died in 1884, the father in 1886.

In 1859, Mr. Wright became a resident of the town of Beekman, where he remained until 1879, when he removed to the old Vermilyea homestead in the town of Lagrange, which he operated for ten years, when he returned to the farm where his early life was passed, and has there continued to make his home. He is now the owner of three fine farms in the town of Lagrange, and another in Beekman, aggrega- ting 750 acres of as good land as is to be found anywhere in the county. While living in Beekman, he was elected justice of the peace, but declined to qualify. A stanch Democrat in politics, he is recognized as an honorable, upright man, the encourager of educational institutions, and during his younger years served as school commissioner in the town of Lagrange. The career of Mr. Wright has ever been such as to warrant the trust and confidence of those with whom he

Wright-

Thebe Wright

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has come in contact, for he has ever con- ducted all transactions on the strictest princi- ples of honor and integrity.

G EORGE W. HOWELL, a leading and in- fluential member of the agricultural com- munity of the town of Pleasant Valley, Dutch- ess county, resides upon his fine farm of 197 acres. Besides the regular duties pertaining to the cultivation of the soil, he also deals quite extensively in stock, which he buys and ships to the city.

Mr. Howell is a native of Dutchess county, having been born at Salt Point, November 12, 1849, and he is a son of Benjamin Howell, at one time also a prominent farmer of the town of Pleasant Valley. He received his education in the common schools of the neighborhood. and lent his assistance to his father in carrying on the farm. On attaining his majority he became postal clerk on the Poughkeepsie & Eastern railroad, which position he filled some fourteen years. In 1878 he married Miss Adelia Hicks, who was born in the town of Washing- ton. Dutchess county, where her father, Fred- erick Hicks, carried on farming. She died June 20, 1886, leaving two children: Mabel and Grace.

In 1880 Mr. Howell purchased his present farm, and has since resided there. In politics he is a straight and stanch adherent of the principles formulated in the platform of the Republican party, and in the exercise of his elective franchise invariably supports the can- didates offered by that organization. During President Harrison's administration he served for four years as postmaster of Washington Hollow. He is a public-spirited man, aiding in all kinds of improvements for the good of the community, and is especially active in pro- moting educational interests. Socially, he be- longs to the Masonic fraternity, and he merits and receives the warmest confidence of his fellow-citizens.

E LIAS W. BERRY, a prosperous farmer of the town of Lagrange. Dutchess county. was born in the town of Hyde Park, Dutchess county, August 6, 1854. His parents were Lebbens Howe and Wilhelmina ( Westervelt) Berry, the latter being a daughter of Elias and Ruth Westervelt.

Nicholas N. Berry, the paternal grandfather

of our subject, was born in 1792, in East Fish- kill, N. Y., and settled in the town of Pough- keepsie when a young man. He was twice married, his first wife being Miss Ida Vanalts, a native of Fishkill, N. Y., who bore him two children: Lettie Ann and William, both of whom are now deceased. By his second wife, whose maiden name was Ida Howe, he had four children, namely: Lebbens H. and John P. (both deceased), the latter of whom was superintendent of the Street railroad in Eliza- beth City; Tunis, a resident of Elizabeth, N. J., was supervisor of the town of Poughkeep- sie; and Sarah, who married Tunis Conklin, and lives at Hyde Park. The family were all Presbyterians in their religious belief.

Lebbens H. Berry, the father of our sub- ject, was a school teacher in his younger days. but most of his life was spent in farming. He lived for a year on the plank road, and for ten years farmed on the land now occupied by the State Asylum buildings. He sold this property, and for a year resided in Hyde Park, subse- quently going to the town of Clinton, where he remained four years. In 1865 he took up his residence in the town of Lagrange, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1887. His wife survived him until 1891. He was a stanch Democrat in his political views, and held several minor town offices, being commissioner of highways in the town of Poughkeepsie, and collector at various times. He was a man of considerable business ability, and during his life accumulated a comfortable fortune. The children born to himself and wife were: William, residing in Danbury, Conn .; Henry, living at Roselle, N. J. ; Sarah W. ; Lettie Ann, who married Shryver Tomp- kins, of Lagrange; Elias Westervelt, the sub- ject of this sketch; Lebbens H., living in La- grange; Mary Frances, wife of the Rev. Edwin C. Bennett, of Buffalo, N. Y .; Seymour, resid- ing in Roselle, N. J. ; and Ida Ruth.

Elias W. Berry obtained his education in the district school at Freedom Plains, and lived on the home farm in Lagrange with his parents, until the death of his mother in 1891. On March 9, 1892, he was married to Mrs. Louisa Seaman Brill. a daughter of Jacob and Clara Seaman. Mrs. Berry has three children by her first marriage: Richard, Clara and Fred- erick. After his marriage Mr. Berry purchased the J. R. Flagler farm near Overlook, in the town of Lagrange, which consists of ninety acres of fine land. Here he carries on general

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farming, in which he has been quite successful. He is a hard worker, thrifty and energetic, and is highly respected by all his acquaintances. He is a Democrat in politics, has been justice of the peace two terins, and also one of the inspectors of election.

J OSEPH B. ROZELL, a very prominent and energetic farmer of the town of Union- vale, Dutchess county, was there born April 29, 1859, and secured his education in the schools near his home. His paternal grand- father, Henry Rozell, was a native of Tarry- town, N. Y., where he attended school, but early in life removed to Chestnut Ridge, Dutchess county, where he followed agricult- ural pursuits. He wedded Miss Eleanor Cypher, and to them were born the following children: Thomas, who married Jennie Strait; Elizabeth married Caleb Oakley; John, who married Miss Black; Samuel, who married Rhoda Rozell; Gilbert, who married Eliza Shear; Henry, who married Catharine Holmes; William, who died in infancy; William, who married Julia Burnett; Alexander, the father of our subject; Jacob, who married Jane Austin; Matilda, who married Dewitt Connor; Annie, who married Harvey Simeon; Egbert, who married Priscilla Cooper; and Maria, who married Robert Hicks.

Alexander Rozell was born at Chestnut Ridge in 1808, and in the common schools of Dutchess county acquired his education. He learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked for fourteen years, and then devoted his time and attention to farming, until life's labors were ended. He was a progressive and public-spirited citizen, and enjoyed the respect and confidence of all who knew him.

On January 31, 1854, was celebrated the marriage of Alexander Rozell and Miss Sarah Frances Potter, a daughter of George and Hannah (Baker) Potter, farming people of Nantucket. Four children blessed this union, of whom our subject is third in order of birth: George, born December 8, 1854, in the town of Unionvale, received a common-school edu- cation, and learned the carpenter's trade, at which he is now employed. He married Miss Anna M. Syncerbaux, who was born January 30, 1860. Annie was born July 25, 1856, in Unionvale town, and married Jesse Oakley, an agriculturist, by whom she has one child,

Alexander, born in 1890. Ella H., born No- vember 4, 1860, is the wife of William E. Ferris, a shoemaker of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and they have one son, William H., who was born October 2, 1895.

George Potter, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was born October 20, 1786, and in September, 1812, married Miss Han- nah Baker, whose birth occurred August I, 1790. They became the parents of five chil- dren, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Joseph, August 7, 1813: Anthony, April 6, 1815; William B., March 12, 1817; Sarah F., December 27, 1819; and Milton, April 23, 1821.

M RS. MAY LOSEE DUTCHER, of Do- ver Plains, is descended from well-known families of Dutchess county. Her paternal grandfather, William Losee, a lifelong farmer, was a native of Syracuse, N. Y., and received his education in the schools of that place. He married Miss Mary Watterman, of the same place, and they became the parents of twelve children, namely: Harris married Ra- chel Butts; William married Anna Carbardt; John married Phobe Veiley; Henry married Mertha Lake; Joseph married Harriet Han- neston; George was the father of Mrs. Dutch- er; Julia married J. Cooper; Delia remained unmarried; Caroline married Hicks Hustes; Adelaide married Seneca White ; Catherine married Vincent Tripp; and Mary married Egbert Butler.

George Losee, a member of the above fam- ily, was born at Dover Plains, February 14, 1817, and in the schools of that village acquired his education. Like his father, he also followed agricultural pursuits. He mar- ried Miss Anna Sherman, daughter of Darius and Myra (Tabor) Sherman, who were resi- dents of the town of Dover, where her father died July 25. 1858. His father was born De- cember 1, 1757, and died May 25, 1847, in the town of Pawling, Dutchess county, where for many years he had engaged in farming. He was united in marriage with Abigail Pierce, who was born in 1767 and died in 1818. They became the parents of ten children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Oli- ver. May 27, 1787 ; Chloe, November 27, 1788; Isaac, June 15, 1791; Henry, July 17, 1793: Daniel, October, 1795; Stephen, April,

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1798; Darius, November 7, 1800; Sylvia, De- cember 6, 1802; Lydia, April 16, 1805; and Olive, May 11, 1807.

To the parents of Mrs. Dutcher were born six children: Ella, who became the wife of Frank Secor; May, of this review ; George, who wedded Mary Hutchinson ; William; Daisy, who married Charles Wyman; and Joseph. Of this family, May was born in the town of Dover, Dutchess county, and during her girlhood attended the common schools of the neighborhood, where she acquired an excellent education. She married George Dutcher. She has many friends throughout the county, and is loved and respected by all who know her.

J ARVIS C. ROBINSON. Dutchess county has many well-to-do and successful farmers, men who have accumulated what they have of this world's goods through individual effort. Among this class the name of the subject of this notice is entitled to a place. He is resid- ing upon his fine farm in the town of Stanford, where he is industriously engaged in the prose- cution of his noble calling, and is meeting with far more than ordinary success.

Anative of Dutchess county, the birth of Mr. Robinson took place in the town of Fishkill, September 25, 1827, but since the early age of seven years he has been a resident of the town of Stanford, and there his education was ob- tained in the district schools. As a young man he worked as a farm hand, and at the age of nineteen began work for Mrs. Canfield upon the farm which he now owns. At her death he purchased the place, the improvement and cultivation of which he has since continued with remarkable success. On August 20, 1856, he was married in the town of Stanford to Miss Mary E. Mosher, daughter of Allen Mosher, and to them were born the following children: Fremont (now deceased); Homer E., of whom special mention will presently be made; Leo- netta, who married Emerson Gregory, by whom she has two children-Jennie and Ma- bel; Tamma, who married Newton J. Barlow, of the town of Stanford, by whom she has a daughter-May; Allen, who married Nellie Northrup, by whom he has two children --- Clifton and Clara; and Edward and Amy Alida (both deceased). The mother of these chil- dren, who was a faithful member of the Bap-

tist Church, died May 6, 1877, mourned by many warm friends.

Politically Mr. Robinson was first a Whig, later a Republican, and has efficiently served in the offices of inspector and town auditor. He is a self-made man in the truest sense of the term, and in the various relations of life has maintained a character and standing that have impressed all with his sincere and manly purpose to do by others as he would have oth- ers do by him.

Homer E. Robinson, the eldest living son of our subject, spent his boyhood days upon the home farm, aiding in its work and attend- ing the district schools of the neighborhood. At the age of twenty-two years he removed to the town of Milan, where for seven years he operated the farm of John Wilson, but since that time has resided upon the old homestead. Like his father, he votes the straight Repub- lican ticket, and socially is a member of Pough- keepsie Lodge No. 43, K. of P. He married Miss Emma Hicks, daughter of Gilbert Hicks, and two children have been born to them: Edward and I. Leslie.

T HERON CUTLER, an extensive farmer of Dutchess county, was born in the town of Washington, April 10, 1821, and is the son of Stephen and Sally (Fitch) Cutler.

Stephen Cutler, the father of our subject, was born in Dutchess county, in 1783, a son of Stephen and Amy (Lester) Cutler. He grew up on a farm, and on reaching man's es- tate married Miss Sally Fitch, a native of Nor- walk, Conn. They settled on the old home farm, and reared a family of eight children, namely: Amy, deceased; Philo F. was a farmer in western New York; Rachel, deceased; Stephen, deceased, married Miss Louisa Will- iams, and followed farming in the town of Washington; Lorenzo, deceased, married Miss Hannah Brown; Theron, our subject; Ben- jamin A., deceased; and Mordecai L. is a re- tired resident of Washington. Mr. Cutler re- mained on the farm all his life, and politically supported the Whig party; he died in 1858; his wife had preceded him, dying in 1853. Stephen Cutler, the grandfather of our subject, was raised in Dutchess county, where he mar- ried Amy Lester; he was a son of Jonathan Cutler, a native of Rhode Island, who came to Dutchess county at an early day.

Our subject spent his boyhood on the home

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farin and on October 28, 1857, was married to Miss Amelia Mitchell, a native of the town of Washington, and a daughter of Josiah and Jane Ann (Elsbree) Mitchell. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cutler came to their present home, where he carries on general farming on his 220 acres of excellent land. Three children were born to this couple: Dwight, who died in 1869; Olin, whose death occurred in 1891; and Franz S., who is unmarried and lives at home.

In politics Mr. Cutler is a Republican, and religiously he and his wife attend the Episcopal Church. . He is one of the progressive and sub- stantial farmers of his county.

Josiah Mitchell, father of Mrs. Cutler, was born in Nantucket in 1807, the son of Ben- jamin and Eunice ( Barney) Mitchell, and came to Dutchess county in 1809, where he after- ward made his home and followed the occupa- tion of farming. Benjamin Mitchell was of Scotch extraction, born on Nantucket; he was a relative of the late Maria Mitchell, the famous astronomer of Vassar College. Mrs. Cutler's maternal grandparents were from Rhode Island.

F RANK P. LASHER. In the busy com- munity located in the thriving little vil- lage of Pleasant Valley, Dutchess county, we find several energetic and thoroughgoing busi- ness men, who have attained success through their own tact, good judgment and persever- ance. Among the number is the gentleman whose name introduces this biographical no- tice, and who at the present time is a repre- sentative of the hardware trade of the place. He deals in stoves, tinware, crockery, glass- ware and all kinds of house furnishing goods, slate and metal roofing, hot-water and steam- heating apparatus, and, as a member of the Dutchess County Artesian Well & Wind Mill Co., he deals in tanks, pumps and pipes, also well supplies.

Mr. Lasher was born in the town of Stan- ford, Dutchess county, July 20, 1852. His father, John Lasher, is a native of Columbia county, N. Y., and one of the four children of Hannah and Samuel Lasher, farming people of that county, where their deaths occurred. Their ancestors were originally from Holland. The children were Edward, who was the pro- prietor of several hotels in Hudson, N. Y., and Millerton, Dutchess county; John; Sobrina, widow of Caleb Woolcut, who was a farmer of

Columbia county; and Elmira, who married and removed west.

In his native county, John Lasher was united in marriage with Sarah Bates, who was born in the town of Washington, Dutchess county, and they began housekeeping upon a farm in Stanford town, where their ten chil- dren were born as follows: Alice, who died young; Florence, wife of Lewis Earl, a farmer of Stanford town: Frank P., of this sketch; Samuel J., an agriculturist, who removed to California about twenty years ago; George B., a liveryman of Bangall, Dutchess county; Isaac C., who was a tin and copper smith of Pleasant Valley, and died in 1888; Dora, who died while young; Ida; Allie, wife of Norman Irish, of New York City, and one who died in infancy. The mother of these is deceased; the father has always engaged in farming and con- tracting, and in politics is an ardent Democrat.

Until eighteen years of age Frank P. Lasher remained upon the home farm, assist- ing in its cultivation and improvement, and his education was such as the district schools of the neighborhood afforded. He bought his time of his father, paying him $200 for the same, and then started out to fight life's bat- tles unaided and empty-handed; and so well did he succeed that by the time he was twenty- one years old he had saved $500. Going first to Bangall, he began learning the tinning and plumbing trade with John June, with whom he remained for about two and one-half years, spending the following three months at Pough- keepsie. In 1871 he came to Pleasant Valley and engaged in the tin and plumbing business with Henry Sacket, under the name of Lasher & Sacket, the connection continuing for three years, when our subject bought out his part- ner. He has since been alone, and has built up an extensive business. He is known all over the county as one of its leading business men, and the success he has achieved is well merited.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 132

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