Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 171

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

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Mrs. Cornelia B. White's ancestors were early residents at Ancram, Columbia Co., N. Y., where her grandfather, Charles Traver, was born. His education was obtained in the local schools, and later he engaged in agricult- ure there, passing his life in that pursuit. He was a private soldier in the war of 1812. A family of six children was born to him and his wife Elizabeth, all of whom lived to adult age

and married as follows: Hiram-Eliza Brusie; John-Salina Summers; Freeman-Sarah Col- by: James-Betsy Race; Elizabeth- William Cannam; and Polly-Ebenezer Guernsey.

Hiram Traver, Mrs. White's father, was born in Ancram in 1805, and the common schools of that town furnished him his educa- tional opportunities. Engaging in early man- hood in farming, he followed that occupation all his life, and, for twenty years, he also car- ried the mail from Sharon to Cornwall, Conn .. and from Poughkeepsie to New Paltz, N. Y. His wife was a daughter of Nicholas and Lo- retta (Egleston) Brusie, her father being the well-known wagon maker of Boston Corners, N. Y. Mrs. White was born in 1838, the sec- ond of a family of four children-Charles, Cor- nelia, Mary and Alva. The eldest, Charles, was born in 1836, in Sharon, Conn., studied in the public schools there, and learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed the greater part of his life. Shortly after the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in the 19th 2d C. V. H. A., as a corporal, and served through- out the war with honor, being mustered out, in 1865, as a lieutenant. He received a wound in the battle of the Wilderness. He married Miss Susan Kellog, and has had four children: Julia, wife of Eugene Halleck; Frederick, who married Paulina Halleck; Fannie, wife of John Platt; and William, who is not married. Of the two younger children of Mr. and Mrs. Hi- ram Traver, Mary Brusie was born in 1840, at Dover Furnace, married Sanford Palmer, and had two children: (1) Emma, who married William Root, and has three children-May, Claude and Bertha; (2) Dora, who married Fred Calkins, and has four children-Charles, Emma, Eugene and LeRoy. Alva Brusie Traver was born in 1855, at Sharon, Conn., and, after attending the public schools there for some years, studied music, and is now a professor in that art at Central Valley, Orange Co., N. Y. He married Miss Adelaide Strick- land, and has had two children-Levern and Carl, both at home.

A BEL SMITH, one of the substantial agri- culturists of the town of Pawling, Dutch- ess county, is a descendant of an old and pa- triotic family of Westchester county, N. Y. His grandfather, Richard Smith, was born in North Castle, and followed agriculture there. He did good service in the Revolutionary war,

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and, as the locality in which he lived was the scene of much disturbance, many memories of that trying period are connected with his farm. On one occasion a man was shot in his house, and the blood stains can still be seen upon the fioor. He and his wife, Elizabeth Miller, reared a family of seven children: Jacob, Richard, Isaac, Benjamin, Sophia, Het- tie and Phœbe.

Jacob Smith, our subject's father, was born and educated at North Castle, and he gave evi- dence of his patriotism, by serving as a soldier in the war of 1812. By occupation he was a farmer and shoemaker. He married Miss Betsy Carpenter, and had ten children, of whom our subject was the youngest. The others all lived to adult age, and married as follows: Ruth-Hiram Lewis; Esther A. - Merritt Sarls; Abigail-Chauncy Hall; Morris C .- Charlotte Foster; Mary-William Wright; Deborah L .- John Griffin; Richard-Mary Peck; Sarah S .- Griffin Hunter; and Eleanor -Edward Simmonds.

Our subject was born March 5, 1831; he was reared at the old homestead at North Cas- tle, and attended the public schools of that town. He learned the blacksmith's trade, and followed it there for several years, but, in 1860, he moved to the town of Pawling, and he has since devoted his attention to farming. He married Miss Ann Maria Odell, and has had five children: (1) Benson was born at Mount Pleasant, Westchester county, in 1854, and, after receiving a common-school education, en- gaged in farming, but later became interested in shirt manufacturing. Hc and his wife, for- merly Miss M. Frances Reynolds, have four children-Herbert; Belle (Mrs. Watson Bal- lard); Lilly M., and Wilby; of these, the first and the last two are not married. (2) Elnora, born in 1856, married Casper Davis, a wheel- wright, of Connecticut, and has five children -Maude, Della, Edna, Abel and Casper, all at home. (3) Lemuel, born in 1860, married Miss Alice Carrey, but has no children. (4) Ida, born in 1863, is at home. (5) Grace, born in 1870, married Riley Peck, and has three children-Arthur, Everett L. and Odell.

The wife of our subject is also descended from a well-known Westchester family. Her grandfather, Benjamin Odell, was born there, and lived and died there, following in his mature years the occupations of farming and blacksmithing. He married, and had seven children: Jacob, Isaac, Benjamin, Clinton,

Rosette, Mary and Lackey. Jacob Odell, Mrs. Smith's father, was also a native of Westchester county, and on completing his common-school course there engaged in farm- ing and blacksmithing at Mount Pleasant. He married (first) Miss Taner, and (second) Miss Jane Lint, daughter of Peter and Maria Lint. Seven children were born of the second union: Abram married Esther Angevine; Peter mar- ried Lutetia Ycarkes; William married Charity Nodine; Jackson married Mary Buckhaupt; Julia A. is not married; Ann Maria is now Mrs. Smith; and Benjamin married Martha Whitney.

G EORGE J. LEE, a prosperous farmer of the town of Unionvale, Dutchess county, is a representative of the well-known Lee family, who long made their home in the town of Washington, Dutchess county. His grand- father, Samuel Lec, was there born, reared and educated. He learned the trade of a mason, which he followed throughout life, and was an expert workman. In Unionvale there is a house still standing, now over one hundred years old, which was erected by him. He married Miss Pattie Haight, by whom he had nine children: John, the father of our subject; Frederick, who wedded Margaret Crouse; James; Joseph; Herman; Moses; Isaac, who married Mary Lee; George; and Phœbe A., who became the wife of Talmadge Sutherland.

The birth of John Lee occurred in the town of Washington, in 1805. He received a common-school education, and learned the carpenter's trade. Many of the finest resi- dences of Dutchess county are the work of his hands. His vote was cast in support of the principles of the Whig party, but he carcd nothing for political preferment. He married Miss Ann Wilbur, daughter of Enoch Wilbur, a farmer of Washington town, and they be- came the parents of four children, namely: (1) Enoch H., who after the completion of his education,engaged in painting in Washington town. On the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion he enlisted in the 44th N. Y. V. I., and was, later, transferred to the 146th regi- ment; he was killed in the last battle of the war, at the time of Lee's surrender. (2) Brownell W., the second son, learned the wheelwright's trade, at which he has since been employed, having a shop at Arlington,

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N. Y. He also served in the Civil war, be- coming a member of the 6ist N. Y. V. I., and on his re-enlistment joined the 66th New York Cavalry, with which he served until hostilities had ceased, when he was mustered out with the rank of sergeant. At one time he was confined in Libby prison and endured all the privations and hardships of army life. He married Miss Jane Owen, by whom he has ten children-George; Ida, wife of Clinton Kerry; Eva; Harvey; Weston; John; Mabel; Oneta; Myron; and Louis, who died in infancy. (3) Our subject is next in order of birth. (4) Elizabeth, the only daughter, died at the age of five years.

George J. Lee, of this review, was born in the town of Washington, in 1847, and there obtained a common-school education. In early life he learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed only to a limited extent, giving his at- tention principally to his farming interests. In 1896 he purchased the Caroline Congdon farm in Unionvale town, which comprises 223 acres of fine land, and is now engaged in its cultivation and improvement. He is an enter- prising and progressive agriculturist, thoroughly understanding his business, and well deserves the success which has come to him. He is a valued citizen of the community, one who has the esteem and confidence of those with whom he comes in contact.

In 1875 Mr. Lee was married to Miss Car- rie Jones, whose birth occurred in the town of Clinton, Dutchess county, June 6, 1854, and whose education was obtained in Broome county, N. Y. They have an interesting fam- ily of three children: Enoch J., born Janu- ary 19, 1880; Estella, born June 28, 1883, and Minnie A., born August 21, 1892.

The paternal great-grandfather of Mrs. Lee spent his entire life in Columbia county, N. Y., and reared his six children, namely: Hugh; Mary; Margaret; John; Thomas, who married Jane Allen ; and William, who married Abigail. Hugh Jones, the eldest of the children, and the grandfather of Mrs. Lee, was a native of Columbia county, and throughout life followed the occupation of farming. He was united in marriage with Miss Matilda Burrows, a daugh- ter of Benjamin Burrows, and to them were born children as follows:

(1) Sarah M. Jones was born in Columbia county in 1829, but was educated in Dutchess county, where her parents had removed when she was quite young. She became the wife of

George Morey, a native of the town of Clin- ton, Dutchess county. However, most of his life was devoted to farming in Washington town. He was the son of Joseph Morey, who was born and reared in the town of Clinton, and was also a farmer by occupation. By his marriage with Miss Mary Winslow, Joseph Morey had six children: Benjamin, who mar- ried Jane Burhans; Edmond, who died when young: George; Jane A .; Margaret; and Eliz- abeth. The eldest daughter, Jane A., mar- ried Robert Buck, and they have two children: Elizabeth, who married Godfrey Wolven, and they have two children: Lottie, wife of Paul Burger, and Annie; and George, the only son of Mrs. Jane Buck. Three children were born to George and Sarah M. (Jones) Morey, as fol- lows: (a) Robert, who was born and educated in Washington town, and during his youth learned the blacksmith trade, at which he has since worked. For his first wife he married Delia Bishop, and they had one child, Georgiana, who wedded Amos Thorn, a carpenter, and to them has been born a son, Harry. After the death of his first wife, Robert Morey was joined in wedlock with Minnie Clement, and they have two children: Oakley and Allerton. (b) Egbert Morey was also born, reared and edu- cated in Washington town, and follows the pursuit of blacksmithing. He married Ella Travis, and they have one son, Chester. (c) Annie Morey, the only daughter, died at the age of eight years. The family are widely and favorably known throughout the community where they make their homes, and have the re- gard of all who know them.

(2) Darius was a native of Columbia county, N. Y., and a carpenter by trade. He married Miss Jane Gallagher, and had four children: Ida; Charles; Mrs. Viola Horn; and Elry.

(3) Michael Jones is the father of Mrs .. Lee. He was born in Columbia county, but acquired his education in the common schools of Dutch- ess county, and throughout life has been em- ployed at the mason's trade. He wedded Miss Adaline Gildersleeve, daughter of Alfred Gilder- sleeve, a farmer of the town of Pleasant Val- ley, Dutchess county, and they became the parents of the following children: Lemuel, a machinist of Oneonta, N. Y., who is married and has three children, Lillie, Dora and Effie; Carrie, the wife of our subject; Emma, wife of Augustus West (an employe on the Albany & Susquehanna railroad), by whom she has two sons-Herbert and Harry; George; Hugh;

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Paul; John; Laura; Harry; and one who died at the age of two years.

(4) David Jones, a native of Columbia county, carried on farming. He married Het- tie Davis, and in their family were five chil- dren: Annie, who married Irving Jones; Mary, who wedded Byron Robinson; Dora; Alfrette, who married William Robinson; and Alice, who became the wife of Arthur Haight.

(5) Diana Jones married Cornelius Morris, and had two children: William, who married Annie Shaw; and Annie, who married William Martin. (6) Elizabeth married Walter Stew- art, and had three children: Mrs. Mary Hop- kins; Harry; and Zadie. (7) Lydia married Orlando Monroe, and had three children: Frank O .; Elizabeth, who married Hiram Tripp; and Clark, who married a Miss Hor- ton. (8) Josiah Jones, an agriculturist, mar- ried Elizabeth Horn, and has one son, Will- iam. (9) Mary Jones wedded William Cham- berlain, and had two children: Willis and Hugh. (10) Alonzo Jones died when young. (11) Louisa Jones married Henry Briggs, by whom she had one child, Orlando. (12) Rodger T. Jones, the youngest of the family, married Diana Davis, and they have two chil- dren: Judson and Eva.

G EORGE INNIS, a son of Aaron Innis, mention of whom is made in the sketch of a son, Aaron, elsewhere in this volume, where will also be found the ancestral history of the family, is a representative manufacturer of Dutchess county, born in Poughkeepsie, where his early life was spent and where he received his education.

In 1842 our subject became associated with Gifford & Sherman in the dye-wood business, in which he has continued ever since. That year the style of the firm became Gifford, Sherman & Innis, and so continued until the death of Mr. Sherman in 1858; the firm name stood as formerly until 1884, when it was Innis & Co. Our subject has been one of the lead- ers in all matters relating to public improve- ment, and among other projects he contributed a large sum of money for the construction of the Poughkeepsie & Eastern R. R., which he was instrumental in getting through Pough- keepsie. Mr. Innis was elected president of the old village of Poughkeepsie in the " 50's," was mayor of the city for three terms of two years each, during the Civil war, and has held

the office of village trustee and supervisor. He has always been a stanch Republican in politics, and was a Presidential elector at the first election of General Grant. Religiously he is a member of the First Reformed Church, to which he is a liberal contributor. In 1855 he was married in New Paltz, Ulster county, to Anna Bevier, daughter of Levi Hasbrouck, and two children were born to them: (1) Martha, who married William H. Young, a lawyer in New York City, living on Prof. S. F. B. Morse's place; they have two children- Annette Innis, and Innis. (2) Hasbrouck, of the firm of Innis & Co. Our subject is a com- petent business man, social in nature and well- liked by everyone.

J JOHN McGLASSON, the able superintend- ent of the Poughkeepsie (Dutchess county)

Rural Cemetery, has made that place one of the most admirably managed burial grounds to be found along the Hudson river, his suc- cess fully justifying the confidence reposed in him by the officers of the association.

The ancient home of his family was in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. His grandfather Mc- Glasson was a native of that locality, and fol- lowed the business of quarrying, in which he lost his life. He and his wife, Elizabeth Elliott, had three children: Robert, our subject's fa- ther; Jane, who married Jacob Read, of An- nan, and Jessie, who married Mr. Wilkinson.

Robert MeGlasson was born in July, 1818, and was a mere boy when his father's death occurred. He became a miller by occupation, and in 1848 came to the United States, lo- cating first in Stanford, Conn., where he was foreman of the spice mills for some time. Later he moved to the town of Lewisboro, Westchester Co., N. Y., and spent six or seven years conducting a flourmill, but about 1857 he disposed of this business and removed to Dover, Dutchess county, where he ran the Hancut Mills on shares for many years. With the exception of two or three years at Little Rest, the remainder of his life was passed there. Possessing good natural abilities, he was suc- cessful in business, and was regarded as one of the substantial citizens of the town. He was a Presbyterian in religion, and in politics was a Democrat, voting for Pierce, but later was a Republican, though liberal in his views. His wife was Mary Irving, daughter of John and

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Jeannette (Thompson) Irving, and they had six children, viz .: Jeannette T., who married S. B. Shaw, a farmer of Fairfax Court House, Va .; John, our subject; Thomas Irving, now the owner of an undertaking establishment and paint shop in Matteawan; Elizabeth Elliott, the wife of Robert J. Shadbolt, a lawyer of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Robert A., a railway con- ductor, residing in Harlem; and Minerva }., the wife of Samnel R. Hanna.

John McGlasson was born September 1, 1843, at the old home. The family settled in Dutchess county during his boyhood, and his education was obtained mainly in the district schools of Dover Plains before the age of fif- teen years, although after he was twenty-one he attended night school in New York City, at Cooper Union and in the grammar schools. While his carly advantages were not as liberal as might have been desired, he has done much to offset this by reading and private study, and is well-posted upon current topics. At the age of fourteen he left home and spent two years working for the father of W. T. Ketcham, and two summers with the father of George W. Perry. He began to learn the marble-cutter's trade, when he was seventeen, serving an apprenticeship of four years with Charles Smith, and then worked for him two and a half years longer. He went to New York and remained seven years, and in 1870, he established a marble yard at Pawling, and continued it until 1882, when he went to Poughkeepsie as foreman for Richard Gra- hamn. He worked seven years for him, and one year for Mrs. Graham. In December, 1889, he was appointed to his present respon- sible position, being one of twenty-eight appli- cants. He is now one of the leading workers in his line, and his management of the grounds with the force of from twenty to twenty-four men is beyond criticism.

He was married to Miss Ollivia Hurd, daughter of William and Laura Hurd, of Pawling. Her father was formerly a well- known merchant at Hurd's Corners. Four children were born of this union : Minnie Reed, Maud Campbell, Mable Irving and Will- iam T., all of whom are at home.

Mr. MeGlasson sympathizes with the Dem- ocratic party in national issues, but is inclined to be independent in local politics. He at- tends the M. E. Church and contributes to its support, and to the advancement of other worthy causes, and he is a member of Triune

Lodge, F. & A. M., Poughkeepsie Chapter No. 173, Poughkeepsie Commandery No. 43 and to the Royal Arcanum.

J OHN LYKE is now retired from the active labors of life, and occupies a comfortable

home in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county. He is a native of the vicinity of Johnstown, Co- lumbia Co., N. Y., where his father, George Lyke, was born. There the latter spent his boyhood days, and on reaching maturity was united in marriage with Anna Scofield, by whom he had two children, Margaret and John, but the sister and parents of our subject are all now deceased. The father was a farmer of Columbia county, and was the son of John Lyke, who was of German ancestry, and one of the first settlers of that county where he carried on agricultural pursuits.

Our subject spent his early years near Johnstown, N. Y., in the usual manner of farmer lads, until fourteen, when he went to Copake and completed his education. From the age of twelve years until he reached his majority he worked as a farm hand, but at that time entered a store at Ancram, where he clerked for a year and a half. He next se- cured a position in a store at Sheffield, N. Y., and later was employed in a hotel at New York City. He then began the show business . H with G. F. Bailey & Co., and afterward was with Van Ambergh & Co. for sixteen years, during which time he purchased an interest in the firmn. On selling out he traveled for a few years with the London Show, and has visited nearly every town of any size east of the Mis- sissippi river.

On giving up that life, Mr. Lyke returned to Copake, N. Y., where he lived retired un- til coming to Poughkeepsie in 1882, in order to educate his sons. At the former place he was married in 1861, to Sarah Sweet, a daughter of Rowland Sweet, and their family includes three sons: J. Hyatt, a dentist of Millerton, N. Y., wedded Georgiana Rowe, and has two children, Clinton and Stewart; Fred S., a stenographer, married Hattie Will- iams, by whom he has a son, Fred; and John J. belongs to the hospital corps of the United States Army and is stationed at Washington. For about fourteen years our subject has made his home in Poughkeepsie, during which time he has gained many warm friends and is held in the highest regard by all who know him.

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He was identified with the Masonic fraternity in New York City, belonging to Polar Star Lodge; he is now a faithful member of Trin- ity Methodist Episcopal Church of Pough- keepsie.

C HARLES E. VAN KLEECK, a prosperous farmer and representative citizen of Pough- keepsie, was born in the town of Beekman, Dutchess county, January 14, 1843. He worked on his father's farm and attended school during his youth.

On November 17, 1869, he was married to Miss Kate B. Rogers, who was born in the town of Beekman August 4, 1842, and they settled on a farm in the town of Wappinger, where they remained for three years, and in 1873 moved to Poughkeepsie. After living here a year they moved to their present farm, where they have reared their two children, Mary E. and Robert M. Mr. Van Kleeck has a farm of eighty-seven acres in the town of Fishkill, and twenty acres in Poughkeepsie. He is a Republican, a public-spirited citizen, and, with his wife, is a member of the Presby- terian Church.

James W. Rogers, the father of Mrs. Van- Kleeck, was born in the town of Beekman, where he married Miss Mary Besley, a native of Fishkill, and there were born to them the following children: Helen A., John A., Mar- garet, Kate B., Charlotte, Phoebe, Mary E., Walter, Henry, George and James. John A. and Walter are farmers in Dutchess county. The others, with the exception of our subject's wife, are deceased. Mr. Rogers died January 29, 1884. and his wife November 22, 1888. Micah Rogers, the grandfather, was also born in Beekman.

Robert M. Van Kleeck, the father of our subject, was born in the city of Poughkeepsie August 10, 1804. He grew up there, and in early life learned the harness and saddle mak- ing business of David B. Lent. He married Hannah Rogers, the daughter of John Rogers, a farmer in the town of Beekman. After their marriage, the parents of our subject located in Beekmanville, where he carried on the busi- ness of making harness, trunks, saddles, etc. One child, our subject, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Van Kleeck. In 1843 they bought a farm in Fishkill, to which they moved and car- ried on farming until his death, which occurred October 4, 1872, his wife dying November 19,

1874. He was a Republican, and both were members of Christ Church. The Rogers family was of English ancestry. Hezekiah, the grandfather, was a tanner and currier in the town of Beekman. John, the father of Mrs. Van Kleeck, married Mary Skidmore, a native of Beekman, where they settled and reared the following family: Phoebe, Ruth, Stephen, Laban, James, Judith, Gilbert, Mariah and Hannah.

John M. Van Kleeck, the paternal grand- father of our subject, was born in Poughkeep- sie September 15, 1776. His father, Myndert Van Kleeck, was born in Dutchess county, and died there December 17, 1799. He was a direct descendant of Baltus Van Kleeck, who came from Holland. John M. married Miss Eliza Noxon, the daughter of Bartholo- mew Noxon, a physician, for whom Noxon street was named. John settled in Pough- keepsie, where he carried on a general store on the corner of Main and Academy streets. He also did a shipping business between Pough- keepsie and New York City. He was the father of these children: Robert M., father of our subject; George M., a dry-goods mer- chant of Poughkeepsie; Edgar M. was in early life a merchant in Poughkeepsie, and later re- tired; Hester F. died unmarried. The old folks were members of Christ Church.

D AVID F. PHILLIPS, one of the ener- getic and progressive farmers of the town of Red Hook, Dutchess county, where he has resided since 1861, is now devoting his atten- tion to the improvement and cultivation of his land with most excellent results. He is hon- ored and respected by the entire community, who look upon him as one of the most wide- awake farmers and model citizens.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 171

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