Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 21

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

USA > New York > Dutchess County > Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York > Part 21

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C HARLES A. HOPKINS, an able young attorney of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., has made unusually rapid advancement in his profession, his success in difficult cases having already won for him an enviable standing. He is a native of Dutchess county, and was born in Stormville October 20, 1864, the son of Ben- jamin Hopkins, Esq., a well-known and highly- respected citizen of that place, whose biogra- phy appears elsewhere.

Our subject attended the common schools of his native town until the age of seventeen. when he entered the employ of Thomas O'Don- nell, a contractor in the construction of the New York & New England railroad, as time- keeper; was with him several months in the summer of 1881, and in the following winter entered the Eastman National Business Col- lege at Poughkeepsie, graduating May 2, 1882. On the 31st of the same month he entered the law office of Hackett & Williams, and was a student there until he passed the examination for admission to the bar at the General Term at Brooklyn, in September, 1885, about one month before he became of age. After his admission to the bar he remained with Hackett & Williams as managing clerk under salary until January 1, 1889, when he commenced active practice of law at Poughkeepsie for him- self at No. 4 Garden street, corner of Main, and he has continued in practice at that place to date. Mr. Hopkins has a general practice,

and is attorney for several estates. Some time ago he brought an action to compel the Pongh- keepsie Bridge Co. to open up the bridge for foot passengers, in compliance with the act creating the company, and defining its powers and duties. This was one of his most notable cases. For five or six years he has been attor- ney for the State Game and Fish Protection Commission for the Third District of the State of New York. Mr. Hopkins was elected Jus- tice of the Peace for the City of Poughkeepsie in November, 1890, his term expiring January 1, 1895: his decisions in this office were never reversed. Mr. Hopkins is a Democrat in poli- tics, and has always taken quite an active in- terest in his party. In 1894 he was the candi- date for City Recorder, and ran about 300 ahead of his ticket; but, as it was the year of the Republican tidal wave, he was not elected.

In 1895 he was candidate for the Assem- bly in the Second Assembly District of Dutch- ess county, and again ran ahead of his ticket. Socially, he is a member of the K. of P., Triumph Lodge No. 165, and of the Dutchess Social Club. He was married October IS, 1888, to Mary Eno Stewart, daughter of Wal- ter Stewart, a leading farmer in Clinton. Dutchess county, and by this union there are two sons: Frank Stewart, born August 18, 1889, and Ralph Adriance, born January 31. 1892.

The Hopkins family is of English origin, and the head of the American branch came over on the "Mayflower." They were Hick- site Quakers in religious faith. Benjamin Hopkins, our subject's great-grandfather, was a native of Rhode Island, and in early life was engaged in the coasting trade; but after his marriage to Sarah Palmer and the destruction of his property by the British, which hap- pened soon afterward, he came to Dutchess county in 1779, and bought 400 acres of land in the town of East Fishkill, where he passed his remaining years as a farmer. He had eight children, among whom was John Hopkins, our subject's grandfather, who was born at the old farın September 6, 1779, and also became a farmer. In 1819 he married Miss Mary Brill, daughter of John and Hannah (Cornell) Brill, both natives of Dutchess county. Four chil- dren were born of this union: Benjamin, Gil- bert P., Solomon P., and Sarah P. (Mrs. S. B. Knox). John Hopkins was prominent as a Whig, and served the public interests with great credit in several town offices. He was a

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Friend, but his wife was a member of the Re- formed Dutch Church, and both proved the sincerity of their faith by their devoted Chris- tian lives.

Benjamin Hopkins, our subject's father, re- mained at home until the age of sixteen, when he entered school at Poughkeepsie. After four years of study, he engaged in teaching, and also traveled extensively in the State. In 1842 he went into mercantile business at Low Point, Dutchess county, but in the following year he became the owner of the old home- stead, purchasing the interests of the other heirs. He has 290 acres of excellent land, and has been mainly engaged in general farm- ing, but he now makes a specialty of the dairy business. On December 6, 1844, he married Miss Eliza Montfort, a native of Beekman township, Dutchess county, by whom he had five children: Cornelia (Mrs. John Taber), of Dover township, Dutchess county; Phœbe, de- ceased, who never married; Sarah (Mrs. Will- iam H. Ogden), of Kansas City, Mo. ; Loda V. (Mrs. John Ogden), of the same city; and John G., a business man of Chicago. The mother of the family died October, 1859, and subsequently Mr. Hopkins married Miss Mar- garet Lasher, a native of Columbia county, N. Y., and daughter of Jacob Lasher. Seven children were born of this union: Charles A. (our subject), Benjamin, Mary, Harry W., Bertha M., and George and Edith M. (twins). Benjamin Hopkins is a successful auction- eer, and has followed the business for thirty years in addition to his other pursuits. In politics he was a Whig in early years, and later a Democrat, and he has repeatedly held the highest official positions in his township, his faithful discharge of every duty deepening the esteem and confidence of the people.

W ILLIAM JAMES CONKLIN, M. D., of Fishkill, Dutchess county, is one of the most prominent members of the medical fraternity of this section, more than a quarter of a century having been given by him to the successful practice of this noble calling.

The Conklin family has been long known in the vicinity of Cornwall, N. Y., the Doctor's grandfather, David Conklin, having been a leading resident there for many years. Be- fore the days of railroads, David Conklin re- moved to Elmira, N. Y., where he spent his last days. The late Dr. Peter Elting Conklin,

our subject's father, who was born in 1809, followed his profession at Cornwall for thirty years, and had an extensive practice. He married Miss Sarah M. Slater (whose an- cestor in the country was one of the . May- flower's " passengers), a native of Poughkeep- sie, born in 1808, and had six children, of whom three died in childhood; the eldest, Cornelia P., married Henry B. Breed, of Cornwall; and Sarah Louise resides in New York City. Both parents are deceased, the father dying August 17, 1867, and the mother on April 3. 1886.

Dr. Conklin was born at Cornwall, N. Y., January 28, 1846, and after attending the public schools there for some time spent three years in the Cornwall Collegiate Institute, and two years in Madison ( now Colgate) University, at Hamilton, N. Y. He then took a course in the Eastman Business College at Pough- keepsie, and followed mercantile pursuits for a time; but in 1867 he began the study of medicine, and in 1870 was graduated from the medical Department of the University of the City of New York. On March 17, 1870, he opened his office in the village of Fishkill, where he has built up a large practice. For five years he was health officer of the town, and for six years was one of the coroners of the county. His standing among his profes- sional brethren is high; he has been a member of the Dutchess County Medical Society for twenty-five years, and a permanent member of the State Medical Society for ten years.

He is actively interested also in local affairs of a non-professional nature, and at present is a director of the First National Bank of Fish- kill Landing, and a trustee of the Fishkill Sav- ings Institute. His sympathies are always on the side of progress, and he is an earnest sup- porter of the free-school system, is now, and has been for fourteen consecutive years. a member of the board of education of Fishkill, and for a time its president. He is a member of Beacon Lodge No. 283, F. & A. M., and of Hudson River Lodge No. 57, K. of P. On May 27, 1875, the Doctor was united in mar- riage with Miss Barbra E. B. Walcott, daugh- ter of Halsey F. and Jane H. (Bogardus) Walcott, prominent residents of Fishkill, of whom further mention will be made. Three children were born to them, of whom one died in childhood; William E. is now a student in Cornell University, at Ithaca, N. Y .; and Clarence J. is attending school at Cazenovia Seminary, Cazenovia, New York.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Halsey F. Walcott is a well-known busi- ness man of Fishkill-one of the oldest now actively engaged in commercial life in Dutchess county. His well-preserved energies and ripened judgment make him a valued adviser, and aside from the management of his hard- ware store he is interested in some of the most important enterprises in his town. He was born May 1, 1817, at Cumberland, R. I., the old home of his family. His grandfather, Dr. Jabez Walcott, was a leading physician and surgeon of his day in that locality, and his son, Abijah Walcott father of Halsey F. Walcott), passed an honored life there, dying at the age of sixty-seven. He married Miss Sophia Smith, daughter of Rev. Jonathan Smith, a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and a pastor of the Baptist Church, who preached for sixty years, his life being pro- longed to the old age of ninety-four years. Halsey F. was the eldest of four children, the others being: Angeline, the wife of Rev. T. W'. Clark, a Baptist minister, and a chaplain in the army during the Civil war, now residing in Boston; and William and Sophia, both now deceased.

Halsey F. Walcott attended the public schools of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In 1846 he married Miss Jane Bogardus, whose father, the late Joseph Bogardus, owned and conducted the " Union Hotel" at Fishkill, which was destroyed by fire in 1872, and after his death, which occurred February 3, 1859, Mr. Walcott continued the business until 1863. He then sold the hotel, and after four years of retirement from business life, purchased the hardware store of Charles Owen, which he has ever since conducted. He was a director of the First National Bank of Fishkill, and trustee of the Savings Bank at Fishkill, and has been a trustee of the Fishkill Cemetery Association for years, and is now its president. As a progressive citizen, he has taken great in- terest in educational matters, serving as a member of the board of education for a num- ber of years, and for part of the time as its president. In politics he is a Republican; he was town clerk for two years, justice of the peace some twenty years, postmaster for four years, and has held many minor offices, such as town auditor, etc. He is the oldest mem- ber of Beacon Lodge, F. & A. M., with which he united forty-one years ago, and he formerly belonged to the I. O. O. F.

Mrs. Walcott's father was a direct descend-

ant of Everardus Bogardus, the first clergy- man in the New Netherlands. Her mother, whose maiden name was Barbra Moffat, of Paterson, N. J., was born in Glasgow, Scot- land, the granddaughter of Lady Barbra Gil- more. Of the two children that have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walcott, one died in youth, and the other, Barbra Etta, is now the wife of Dr. W. J. Conklin, of Fishkill.

W ALTER FERRIS TABER, the subject of this sketch, is descended from an- cestry antedating the settlement of this coun- try as snown by the family Coat of Arms, whose motto " Virtue alone ennobles " carried the stamp of character.

The Tabers were among the early settlers in the Massachusetts Colony, and Thomas Ta- ber (great-grandfather of our subject), born in New Bedford, Mass., in 1732, and his wife, Annetheresa, came on horseback from Rhode Island to Dutchess county, in 1760, and located upon a grant of land of 500 acres obtained from King George III, on Quaker Hill in the town of Pawling, a tract known as the "Oblong." They had two sons, William and Jeremiah (and several daughters), the latter son remain- ing upon the farm during his life. [For a more extended account see sketch of Geo. K. Taber.] He married Delilah Russell, a native of the town of Dover, and had six children: Russell, a farmer in Dover; Thomas, a farmer, first in Dutchess county and later in Broome county; John, who died in childhood; William, our subject's father; Harriet, who married Jona- than Akin, a farmer in Pawling; and Eliza, who married Joseph Carpenter, a farmer in Westchester county.

William Taber, our subject's father, was born at the old homestead December 10, 1796, and always resided there until his death in 1863. He was a Democrat, and a birthright member of the Society of Friends. He mar- ried Eliza Sherman, a native of Quaker Hill, born March 19. 1803. and died February 5. 1841, a daughter of Abiel Sherman 'one of the stalwart family of nine sons that averaged six feet in height, and were the terror of the Tories in the Revolutionary war), whose ancestry traces back on the same lines with Gen. T. W. Sherman and Senator John Sherman of Ohio. He was a prominent man, and member of the State Legislature. Four children were born of this union: Eliza, who died in infancy;

Matrof Haber

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William H., who now owns and occupies the old farm; Walter F. , the subject of this sketch; and George A., who died at the age of six years. The father died in 1863, the mother on February 20, 1840.

Walter F. Taber was born October 29, 1830, and attended the schools of his native town until he was fourteen years of age, after which he attended boarding schools during the winter terms for five successive years in Wash- ington, Dutchess county, and in Sherman and Warren, in Connecticut, afterward teaching, one winter, a public school, and having charge of the Willets Boarding School in Washington, Dutchess county, for one winter. Having a natural taste for mechanics, while remaining upon his father's farm, he made and repaired many farm implements, and after using one of the first mowing machines that was invented, which was driven by one wheel, he saw the necessity for improvement, and after much study and trial devised the first mowing ma- chine that was ever placed upon two driving wheels and having a hinged cutter bar that could be raised or lowered by a lever while riding the machine. The model of said ma- chine is in the Patent Office at Washington. This was when Mr. Taber was but nineteen years of age. Like many other inventors, he failed to secure the benefits of his invention, but it made him an efficient agent for the well- known Buckeye mower, which he sold for six- teen years after leaving his father's farm, which he did at the age of twenty-four years to en- gage in mercantile business with his brother, William H. Taber, at Pawling Station, where he resided for abont sixteen years.

On February 16, 1859, Walter F. Taber was married to Miss Mary Emma Arnold, daughter of Dr. Benjamin F. Arnold, a prom- inent physician of Pawling and a descendant of one of the pioneer settlers, the family being, like the Tabers, of English origin. One son was born of this union, Franklin A. Taber, who is engaged with his father in his present business.

Mr. Taber has been a member of the Soci- ety of Friends for many years; is treasurer of the Society, and was superintendent of the Sabbath-school for a number of years. Polit- ically he was formerly a Democrat, but for several years past has been an advocate of Prohibition and working with that party, and its candidate for both State and Congressional honors.

On June 27, 1870, Mr. Taber moved from 8

Pawling to his present residence, which he had previously purchased, one of the old land- marks, formerly known as the Judge Sweet place, now known as " Lakeview Fruit Farm," a short distance outside the limits of the city of Poughkeepsie, where he has since re- sided. For nearly twenty years he has been devoting his attention to the cultivation of all kinds of fruits, making a specialty of small fruits, and sparing no labor or ex- pense in preparing the soil and producing fruits of high quality that should find ready sale in both home and distant markets. He is an authority upon his specialty, and a contrib- utor to the horticultural papers. He has given addresses on fruit culture at many of the State Farmers Institutes, and at the annual meeting of the Western New York Horticultural Soci- ety in Rochester in February, 1895, of which Society he is a member. He is also one of the promoters of the Eastern New York Horti- cultural Society, and its present vice-president. For nine years he has been connected with the Dutchess County Farmers Club, and its president for most of that time. With a desire to contribute something to help mankind, he is ever trying some experiment or making some improvement whereby to arrive at the most successful results and contribute to the general good by freely giving of such knowledge as he may have acquired in his particular line of horticulture.

1 ISAAC HAVILAND (deceased). The sub- ject of this sketch was born in the town of Washington, Dutchess county, February 28, 1812, and was the son of Isaac and Lydia (Weaver) Haviland. After marrying, Isaac Haviland, Sr., settled on a farm on Quaker Hill, Dutchess county, where he followed farm- ing and reared the following children: Isaac our subject; Joseph, a farmer in Washington town; Daniel, who was a farmer and minister; Jacob, who was a farmer in the town of Poughkeepsie; Abram, who farmed in Paw- ling; Charlotte, married to Alfred Moore, a farmer and Hicksite (Quaker) minister; Sarah, who died unmarried; Lydia A., who became the wife of John Martin, a farmer, and Alex- ander, who was a farmer at Clinton Corners. Mr. Haviland was an Orthodox Quaker, and died on Quaker Hill.

Our subject was reared on the farm, and attended the district school, later continuing

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his studies at the Providence school. In 1835 he married Miss Maria Ann Swift, who was born in the town of Washington, June 6, 1815. Lemuel Swift, her father, was the twin brother of Zebulon Swift, whose sketch appears in that of Isaac Swift. Our subject and wife went to live on the farm where Mr. Davidson now resides, near South Millbrook. It was in an uncultivated state, and during Mr. Havi- land's residence of thirty years he much im- proved it. He and his wife moved to S. Mill- brook and lived a retired life there for about twenty years and then came to Millbrook, where he died March 31, 1894, aged eighty-two years. No children were born to our subject and his wife. In politics he was a Democrat. He was a member of the Orthodox Friends Church, was benevolent and greatly respected, and died a Christian, with a prayer on his lips. Mrs. Haviland is still a member of the Friends Church, in which she is an elder.

S MITH L. DE GARMO, member of the well-known dry-goods firm of Luckey, Platt & Co., Poughkeepsie, is worthy of promi- nent mention in the pages of this volume.

The family is of French origin, and were among the early settlers of the country. The first of whom we have definite mention was Rowland De Garmo (grandfather of our sub- ject , who was born November 29, 1785, and died June 6 1838. By occupation he was a tanner, carrying on business near New Paltz, Ulster Co., N. Y. He married Phebe Sutton, born March 12, 1791, and died February 24, 1875. Their children were David S., Elias, William Henry, Mary, Eliza and Daniel.

David S. De Garmo (father of our subject ) was born March 6, 1813, and in early life was a tanner. On November 1, 1838, he married Phebe Il. Lawrence, and turned farmer, pur- chasing a farm near Highland. In 1851 they removed to Hibernia. Dutchess county, re- maining there till 1866, when Mr. De Garmo built a new house in Salt Point, where he passed the remainder of his days, dying of paralysis of the throat May 29, 1875. His wife survived him until October, 1894, when she, too, passed away at the age of eighty-two, after five years of much physical suffering. made as comfortable as po ssiblein the care of her only daughter, Mrs. William E. Smith, in one of the most attractive of the beautiful

and far-famed homes of Millbrook, provided by her son, the subject of this sketch.

Capt. Jonathan Lawrence, the maternal great-grandfather, served as a captain in the Revolutionary war, and a monument to his memory stands in an old family burying ground at Esopus, Ulster county. Thomas, his son, was a Quaker preacher.

Smith L. De Garmo was born October 10, 1842, on the farm above mentioned, at High- land, and as will be seen was nine years old when his parents moved to Dutchess county. His education was received in part at the common schools, partly at the New Paltz Academy, and later at aprivate school kept by Rev. Sherman Hoyt, a Presbyterian minister. In November, 1868, Mr. De Garmo came to Poughkeepsie as clerk in the furnishing-goods store of Thomas A. Lawrence. In the follow- ing spring he entered the service of William 1}. Broas, and got his first experience in hand- ling dry goods. Here he found a congenial occupation, and his marked ability brought him, in the spring of 1870, to the notice of Messrs. Luckey and Platt, who were then doing a moderate but successful dry-goods business. It was early manifest to his employ- ers that they had secured a valuable factor, and he was rapidly promoted. He proved a perfect genius in salesmanship, and tireless in his efforts. He enjoyed a very large acquaint- ance, and by his rare magnetism attracted them as customers. Just before his admission to the firm, Mr. Luckey said to one from whom we get a part of our data for this article: "We have been paying Mr. De Garmo prob- ably the largest salary received by any clerk on the street, and we are satisfied that he fully earns it by the new business alone which he brings to us." Such merit had its natural reward, and February 1, 1872, he became a partner in the concern. When the time came for Mr. De Garmo to show his capacity as a buyer, he was found equal to the occasion, and became conspicuous in the market as hay- ing in a large degree the courage, caution and knowledge of men, methods and conditions necessary to the successful buyer. The busi- ness of the firm grew rapidly and steadily, until it became, probably, the largest of its kind in any place of the size in this country, and in many respects may be considered the model dry-goods concern in this section of the State. They were among the first in their line to in- troduce the profit-sharing plan with employees.

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In the year 1894 Mr. De Garmo bought the Taggart place, containing the largest and most beautifully appointed grounds in the city, where he has since made his home. Socially, he is a member of the F. & A. M. Lodge, No. 266, in Poughkeepsie. In politics he is a Re- publican.

J OHN P. ADRIANCE (deceased). Among the men whose enterprise and sound judg- ment have developed the industries, and extended the commerce, of the city of Pough- keepsie, the subject of this sketch held a prom- inent place. The family name is derived from the given name of a remote ancestor, Adriaen Reyersz, son of Reyer Elberts, of Utrecht, Holland, whose wife was the mother by a former husband of Goosen Gerritse van Schaick, ancestor of the Albany van Schaicks.

Their son, Adriaen Reyersz, came to Amer- ica in 1646, and settled at Flatbush, L. I. He was married July 29, 1659, to Anna, daughter of Martin Schenck, a name of celebrity in Holland. One of their chil- dren, Elbert, born in 1663, settled in Flush- ing, and was married in 1689 to Catalina, daughter of Rem. Vanderheeck, the ancestor of the Remsens. They had three children, Rem, Elbert and Anneke, with whom the use of the present surname began. Rem married Sarah, daughter of George Brinckerhoff, and died in 1730 at the age of forty. His sons were Elbert, born in 1715; George, 1716; Abraham, 1720; Isaac, 1722; Jacob, 1727, and Rem, 1729; of whom, George, Abraham and Isaac settled in Dutchess county. Abra- ham Adriaanse married Femmetje Van Kleef; their son Abraham Adriance, born in 1766, married Anna Storm; their son John Adriance, our subject's father, born in 1795, married Sarah Ely Harris. Their home was in Pough- keepsie, where he was among the leading busi- ness men of his day, and one of the first man- ufacturers of harvesting machinery.

John P. Adriance was born March 4, 1825, and after acquiring such education as the schools of the city afforded at that time he spent three years and a half as clerk in the hardware store of Storm & Uhl. He then went to New York City, and took a similar po- sition with Walsh & Mallory, remaining until 1845, when the firm placed him in charge of their store in Manchester, N. H. He eventu- ally suceeded to the business there; but in | He never held any public office except that of

1852 he returned to New York and went into the wholesale hardware trade with a brother- in-law, Samuel R. Platt, and Samuel W. Sears, under the firm name of Sears, Adriance & Platt. About this time he became interested in some experiments which his father was making with the Forbush mower, and seeing the possibili- ties opening up in this branch of manufactur- ing he decided to engage in it. In 1854 the firm purchased the patents of the Manny mower for the New England States, and began making the machines at Worcester, Mass., the business there being conducted under the name of Mr. Adriance. The enterprise wasnot wholly successful, but in 1857, at a great field trial of mowers and reapers held at Syracuse, N. Y., under the auspices of the United States Agricult- ural Society, Mr. Adriance became impressed with the merits of a mower patented by Aultman & Miller, of Canton, Ohio, which received the first premium. Notwithstanding the opposi- tion of his partners to further ventures in that line, he succeeded in overcoming their objec- tions, and after acquiring the patent rights, he began the manufacture of a new machine in Worcester, Mass., giving it the name " Buck- eye," because of its Ohio origin. In 1859 the factory was transferred to the old " Red Mills" at Poughkeepsie; but the business increased so rapidly as to necessitate the building of more commodious quarters, in 1864, on the banks of the Hudson, extensive additions and improve- inents having since been made from time to time. In 1863 the firm of Sears, Adriance & Platt was dissolved, Mr. Sears retaining the hardware business, and a new firm for the manufacture of mowers and reapers was formed, consisting of John P. Adriance, Sam- uel R. Platt and Isaac S. Platt, and known as Adriance, Platt & Co., under which name it was incorporated in 1882 as a stock company, with the following officers: John P. Adriance, president ; S. R. Platt, vice-president; and I. S. Platt, treasurer. Mr. Adriance continued his connection with the business until his death, which occurred June 18, 1891.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 21

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