Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 22

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

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Although his time and energy were so largely spent in forwarding his business inter- ests, Mr. Adriance was much more than a business man, taking keen interest in all that concerned the welfare of his fellows, and he took a prominent part in the promotion of many worthy enterprises which might have failed but for his ready and substantial help.

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alderman for one year, but was repeatedly urged to accept the nomination for mayor, his election being considered certain il he con- sented to become a candidate. But, unwilling as he was to hold any public office, he was warmly interested in political affairs, and was a recognized leader in the local Republican organization. Possessing pleasing address, his courtesy readily won friends whom his sterling virtues retained. He was married in 1848, to Mary J. R. Platt, who died Decem- ber 24. 1895. One daughter and five sons- three of whom are connected with the corporation of Adriance, Platt & Co .- survive him.

JOHN ERSKINE ADRIANCE, the second son, was born in New York City, December 23, 1853, and received his education at the Pough- keepsie Military Institute, the Churchill School at Sing Sing, and Riverview Military Academy. In 1871 he entered the arena of business, and is now vice-president of the Adriance, Platt & Co. On April 27, 1882, he was married to Miss Mary Hasbrouck, of Poughkeepsie, and they have two daughters: Jane Hardenbergh and Marguerite Platt.

F ERDINAND R. BAIN, a prominent real- estate dealer, of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, is among the youngest of the enter- prising and successful business men of his city. Ile was born in Chatham, N. Y., May 3, 1861, the third son of Milton and Charlotte (Nash) Bain, the others being Francis M., proprietor of the ". Palatine Hotel " at Newburgh, N. Y., and Horatio N., proprietor of the " Nelson House," Poughkeepsie.

At the age of sixteen our subject left school to assist his brother Horatio N. in the " Poughkeepsie Hotel," and has ever since been engaged in business, but he has supple- mented his early educational acquirements by reading on a wide range of subjects. His first instructor was Miss Wood, a private teacher from the Lebanon Academy, and he later at- tended the school of George N. Perry, at Dover Plains, also Bishop's select school for boys, No. 50 Academy street, Poughkeepsie. In 1885, after eight years of hotel work, he embarked in the real-estate and insurance business, and has built up one of the most ex- tensive enterprises of its kind in the city, having platted and opened up several import- ant additions, among them Bain avenue, Tay-

lor avenue, a portion of N. Hamilton street, the Dean property, and Livingston Manor. Ile has also been influential in securing new pavements in various parts of the city.

Mr. Bain has been largely interested in street railways, and for some time was a mem- ber of the syndicate which owned the Pough- keepsie City Street R. R. Selling out his stock, however, he afterward bought a one- half interest, and in 1892 was elected presi- dent of the road. Under his management and upon his suggestion, the Vassar College and Driving Park line, and the Wappinger Falls line have been added to the system, and made electric roads. He is vice-president and active manager of the West Coast Steam Line, running from Port Tampa to St. Peters- burg. The latter was anything but a paying business when he took charge, but he has placed it on a profitable basis. He is a di- rector of the Farmers' and Manufacturers' Bank, and Poughkeepsie Gas Co., a member of the Board of Trade, and hasinterested him- self in several new manufacturing concerns, to bring them to Poughkeepsie. As secretary of the Dutchess County Agricultural Society, he was successful in raising an incumbrance of $9.500, and he helped to incorporate the organization in 1894; also was instrumental in securing its meeting in Poughkeepsie in 1890. His career has been an honorable one, and his investments have so far invariably proved suc- cessful. Some of his enterprises give em- ployment to large numbers of men.

In 1885 Mr. Bain married Hattie I. Ken- worthy, a daughter of Richard Kenworthy, who was at one time sheriff of Dutchess county, and treasurer of the Hudson River State Hos- pital. Three children were born to this union: Ethel M., Mary K. and Kathleen. Mr. Bain and his wife are prominent members of the Sec- ond Reformed Church. He takes an active interest in the work of the Republican party; was elected supervisor from the Fourth ward in 1888, and alderman in 1890 and 1891; and at present is city assessor. Socially, he is a member of Triune Lodge, F. & A. M. ; Knights of Pythias, and of the Amrita, Bicycle, Driving and Dutchess Clubs.

G AIUS C. BOLIN, a talented and enter- prising young lawyer of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, was born in that city Sep- tember 10, 1864.

F. R. Bain

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Abraham Bolin, his father, is a native of Dutchess county, born at South Dover, Feb- ruary 10, 1830. He lived upon a farm until he was twenty-five years old, having begun to make his way in the world at the early age of seven. In 1855 he moved to Poughkeepsie, where he married Alice Ann Lawrence, an educated and refined woman of unusual mental ability and foresight. She was also a native of Dutchess county, as were her mother and grandmother before her. Her father having died during her childhood, leaving his widow with a large family of children, some kind friends in New York City took the bright little girl into their home and gave her an excellent education and training.

Abraham Bolin is an intelligent and suc- cessful business man, and has conducted at different times a meat market, a grocery store and a produce commission business, and has also engaged in selling live stock. In every enterprise his wife has been an indispensable helper and adviser. They have had thirteen children whose careful and thorough education has been their main object, and their willing self-sacrifice is already receiving a reward in the satisfaction of seeing them fitted for useful and honorable stations in life. The names of their children living are: Mrs. Alvaretta Deyo, George W., Gaius C. (the subject of this sketch), Livingsworth W., Paul C., Rev. Mrs. Blanche Bolin Crooke, and Miss Oscafora Stra- della Bolin; of these Paul C. Bolin is an ad- vanced student of the piano, and an instructor on that instrument at the National Conserva- tory of Music, New York City.' For more than thirty-five years they have lived at their present residence on North Clinton street.

Gaius C. Bolin attended the public schools of Poughkeepsie during his boyhood, and after graduating from the high school in 1883, he took a two-years course at Prof. John R. Les- lie's select classical school, then conducted on Academy street, Poughkeepsie. In the fall of 1885 he entered the freshman class of Will- iams College, Williamstown, Mass., and was graduated from that institution in June, 1889, being the first colored man graduated by this historic old college. For a year after leaving college he 'assisted his father in the produce commission business, and on September 15, 1890, he entered the law office of Fred. E. Ackerman, Esq., of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., as a student. He was admitted to the bar at the General Term of the Supreme Court, held in

Brooklyn, N. Y., and presided over by Hon. Joseph F. Barnard, December 15, 1892, but remained in Mr. Ackerman's employ, extending his knowledge of legal principles and gaining experience in their practical application. On May 23, 1895, he opened an office of his own at Nos. 46-48 Market street. His watchful de- votion to the interests of his clients, as well as his upright fair dealing, has won the confidence of the public, and he has enjoyed a greater measure of success than falls to the lot of some practitioners who have no connection with an established business.

A dutiful and affectionate son, he never fails to give credit for his success to the advice, encouragement and Christian example of his father and mother, and the influence of a home where love abounds.

G EORGE B. CHAPMAN, M. D., was born May 20, 1849, in the town of Dover, Dutchess county, and received his academic education there and in Phillips Academy at Exeter, N. H. He afterward entered Bellevue Hospital Medical College for two years, then attended the Medical Department of Yale Col- lege for one year, graduating from the latter in 1875. He began his professional career in Amenia Union, N. Y., and remained there for thirteen years, building up a large practice. In 1888, on account of the overwork and ex- posure incident to his profession, his health gave out, and he was obliged to give up active practice, and spend the two following winters in Virginia, and the summers in Minnesota and Dakota, While in the West he became much interested in real-estate investments, was one of the organizers, and the first presi- dent of the Webutuck Investment Co. of Duluth, Minn., and a director in the Amenia and Sharon Land Co. of North Dakota.

In 1890 he located at Dover Plains, and became interested in the invention of Charles E. Buckley, since known as the Buckley Watering Device, an automatic arrangement for securing a plentiful supply of fresh water to cattle and horses while confined in the stable, a patent being secured in 1891. The im- portance of this invention, both from a eco- nomic and humanitarian standpoint, was soon appreciated by all intelligent and progressive stock-breeders and dairymen, and the system is now in general use throughout the country. Dr. Chapman has made many improvements

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on the original idea, and is now actively en- gaged in the manufacture and sale of the De- vice, having bought out Mr. Buckley's interest in 1892.

Dr. Chapman is actively interested in local affairs, and is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity. In 1874, he married Miss Martha Root (daughter of Oliver and Mary Root, of Kent, Conn. ), who died in February, 1876, leaving no children. In September, 1877, hc married Sarah Ilitchcock, daughter of Homer and Rebecca Hitchcock, belonging to an old and well-known family of Amenia, N. Y. One child blessed this union, Rebecca, born July 3. 1878.

Israel Chapman, our subject's great-grand- father, was born at Bethlehem, Conn., and reared a family of sons, among whom was William Chapman, the grandfather of our sub- ject. He was educated at his native place, and early in life followed the carpenter's trade, but later moved to South Dover, Dutchess county, and conducted a hotel and general store. His wife was Miss Rachel Cherrytree, and their seven children all lived to maturity. They were Israel, who never married; Homer, who married (first) Ann Howard, and (second) Helen Thompson; Reuben Wooster married Marilla Ward; Lyman married Deborah Sher- man; Alfred, our subject's father, in 1831 married Adaline Mabbett; Maria became the wife of Charles Thomas; and Betsey became the wife of William Tabor.

Alfred Chapman was born in South Dover, Dutchess county, December 11, 1807, and after receiving a common-school education learned the carpenter's trade, and engaged in the business of contracting and building, in which he was successful, the high order of his work bringing him custom from an extended territory.

Dr. Chapman is the fifth in a family of seven children: (1) Ann E., born in 1832, was married in 1854 to William Tabor, a farmer. They have had eleven children: John and Louisa are unmarried; Florence married Frank Van Auken; Jennie married William Sebring: Frank and Harriet are still unmarried; and Mary is the wife of Everett Travis; the other children died in infancy. (2) Benjamin FF. was born in 1835, educated at Michigan University and the Albany Law School. On graduating in 1860 from the lat- ter institution, he began the practice of law at Dover, but his death in 1870 cut short a

promising career. He married Miss Helen Reed. and left one son, David B. R. Chap- man, who graduated from Columbia College, and is now in the coal business in New York City. (3) Mary J. was born in 1836, and in 1865 married Nicholas Ryan. now residing in Brewster, N. Y. She died in 1867, leaving two children: Minnie, living in Petersburg. Va., and George B., now living in Clove Valley, N. Y. (4) Sarah M., born in 1839, married Peter T. Young, a live-stock dealer in Norfolk and Petersburg, Va. They have two children, Hattie C., born in 1876, and Homer T., born in 1884. (5) Our subject. (6) William and (7) Walter died in infancy.

J OHN VAN WYCK (deceased). The family name of the subject of this sketch has been

held in high esteem, both in Holland. the ancient home of the family, and in this coun- try, where many of its representatives have held positions of usefulness and honor.

Dr. Van Wyck, our subject's grandfather, a native of Dutchess county, owned a large tract of land in the town of Fishkill, which he cultivated, in addition to his extensive labors as a medical practitioner. His son, Gen. John B. Van Wyck, our subject's father, was an officer in the war of 1812. He married Susan Schenk, by whom he had nine children: Alfred, a farmer in Fishkill; John, our subject; Jo- hanna, who married Mr. Holmes, a merchant in New York City; Mary, the wife of Edward Remsen, also a merchant in New York City; Catherine; Susan, who married O. Holmes; Cornelia; Jane, the second wife of Mr. Holmes; and William.

John Van Wyck, our subject, was born in the town of Poughkeepsie, and was educated at the Dutchess County Academy. On leay- ing school he went to New York City, and en- gaged in the wholesale dry-goods business. He married Miss Sarah Mesier, a native of New York City, born in 1810. Her father, Peter A. Mesier, was a native of New England, and became a bank stationer in New York City. He was a Whig in politics, and he and his family were members of the Episcopal Church. His wife was Catherine Mesier, a first cousin, and they reared a family of five children: Mary; Sarah (Mrs. Van Wyck); Peter, a merchant in New York: Jane; and Margaret, who married James Clonny, an artist in New York. The Mesiers are of French Huguenot ancestry, and

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their coat of arms bears the appropriate motto. "Tiens a la Foi."-Hold to thy faith. The | Van Wyck family also possesses a coat of arms, the nearest description of which in the absence of any work on heraldry, is as follows: Arms -A cross or, in each quarter two tassels, arg., inverted, crossed; over all an escutcheon charged with a cart-wheel, proper. Crest-A crown, arg. (in English heraldry this would be a ducal crown). Supporters-Two gryphons (or griffins), sal., regardant, each supporting a banner, the dexter banner charged with a cross, as on the shield; the sinister banner charged with a cart-wheel, as on the escutcheon.

Shortly after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Van Wyck settled upon a farm near Manches- ter, and, in 1835, moved to the present home- stead near New Hamburg, a beautiful estate overlooking the Hudson river. Here they built an elegant residence, which has been for sixty years one of the most charming homes of this vicinity. Eight children were born to them: Kate, Mesier (deceased), Sarah, Henry, John, Mary, William, and Edmund (deceased ), who was a physician at Wappingers Falls. Mr. Van Wyck died September 18, 1878, but his widow is still living, blessed with unusual vigor, both physical and mental, and surrounded by her children who are all at liome. The family has been identified with the Episcopal Church of Wappingers Falls for more than half a century, and is well-known in the most exclusive circles of Poughkeepsie society.

W ILLIAM LOUIS DE LACY, a well- known attorney of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., is recognized as the leading pension lawyer of that city. He was himself a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting as a boy of sixteen years, August 13, 1861, and serving until mustered out October 11, 1865, and his own experiences on the battle fields and in the prisons of the South have doubtless turned his attention to the disabilities that the hardships of that long struggle have brought upon the brave "boys in blue," and certainly his record as a soldier must have done much to gain for him the con- fidence of his large circle of clients.

His family is of ancient lineage, and, it is thought, originated in Lassy, Normandy, and was transplanted to England at the time of the Conquest. The progenitor of the Amer- ican branch, William Lacy, came from the Isle of Wight at an early period, and settled in

Bucks county, Penn., where many of his descendants still live. The family is one of the oldest and most substantial in that region, and its members have usually been engaged in agriculture. The first record concerning the family is that of a marriage which occurred in 1718 in the Quaker Church at Wrightstown, Bucks Co., Penn. Brigadier-General John De Lacy, of Revolutionary fame, was a mem- ber of this family. William De Lacy had a son William, who had a son William, who had a son William, our subject's grandfather. There were five brothers of that generation, and while William remained at the old home. one went to Michigan, one to Mississippi, one to Ohio, and the other settled west of the Mississippi. William married Miss Mary Chidester, and had three daughters-Mary, Ann and Jane -and six sons-Israel, the owner of the Trenton Pottery at Trenton, N. J .; Joseph, a confectioner; Lafayette and Na- poleon Bonaparte, who were on the police force in Philadelphia: John P., our subject's father; and Aaron, a lumberman of Pike coun- ty, Penn. John P. De Lacy was born at the old homestead January 27, 1814, and became a prominent citizen there, noted for his sterling qualities of character. By trade he was a carpenter, and he was active in local politics as a Jacksonian Democrat, although he never sought or held office. He was a birthright Quaker. His wife, Caroline Car- tier, was a native of Bucks county, Penn., and a daughter of Jacob Cartier, who was born in Leipsic, Saxony. Six children were born to them: Hester, who married Richard Parsons, of Bucks county, Penn. : Harriet, deceased; William L., our subject; Jacob Alfred, a resi- dent of Lambertville, N. J .; John Franklin, a mining prospector in the West; and Charles Henry, a seaman. The father died October 8, 1878, but the mother is still living, and at the age of seventy-six has not a gray hair in her head.

Mr. De Lacy was born at New Hope, Penn., July 10, 1845. His opportunities for an edu- cation were meagre, his early years having been spent mainly upon the Lehigh canal. He worked for one year in the office of the Pco- ple's Beacon, at Lambertville, N. J., employed by Clark Pierson for a time, and he gained some knowledge of reading, both in script and print, but at the age of sixteen, when he was required to sign the pay roll, on his enlistment, he could only make his mark. He soon learned

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to write, however, and the next time his sig- nature was wanted he was prepared to write it.

He was a member of Company C, 4th N. J. Inf., ist N. J. Brigade, of which Gen. Phil Kearny was the original commander. He took part in many important engagements, being at West Point, Va., May 7, 1862; at White House Landing; at Mechanicsville, twice; and at Gaines' Hill, June 27, 1862, on the second day of the Seven-Days' fight, near Richmond. Here he was wounded and capt- ured with the bulk of his regiment, and, after being confined in Libby Prison for some time, was sent to Belle Isle with the first detach- ment of one hundred prisoners, who were com- pelled to put up the first tent on the island, intended for prison purposes; he spent about seven weeks there, and on being exchanged, August 12, 1862, rejoined his regiment at Har- rison's Landing. Then followed the Second Battle of Bull Run, and the engagements at 'Crampton Gap, or South Mountain. Septem- ber 14; Antietam, September 17, and Freder- icksburg, December 12, 1862. He was de- tailed for train guard duty after this, and his next battle was at Rappahannock Station, in October, 1863, followed by that of Mine Run, November 26, after which the regiment went into winter quarters until May, 1864, when Grant took command. In the battle of the Wilderness Mr. De Lacy was seriously wound- ed, and, as he could not take his place in the field again, he remained in the hospital at Newark, N. J., until he was mustered out, October 11, 1865. On his return to the life of a civilian, he spent eight months in the Pennington Theological Seminary, and this may be said to be the only real schooling that he ever had. He left this institution, reluc- tantly, to enter business life, taking a place as clerk for James E. Goll, an insurance agent at Newark, N. J .; later he went into a market on Pacific street. In October, 1866, he went to Poughkeepsie with a physician, and, being left penniless, he worked for some time in the offices of the Press and Eagle. On Septem- ber 1, 1873, he bought the Amenia Times, in partnership with William Wiley, the firm being at first De Lacy & Wiley, and afterward De- Lacy & Walsh. Mr. De Lacy edited the paper until 1877, when he sold out to Mr. Walsh, and during this time he was twice elected jus- tice of the peace, and once appointed to that office to fill a vacancy. He had also been studying law in private, and after a further

course with Cyrus Swan, of Poughkeepsie, he was admitted to the bar in September, 1879, and has since been in active practice, making a specialty of pension claims.

In politics he has always been a Democrat, and formerly he was quite active in party work. He served two terms as police commissioner under Mayors Rowley and Arnold. Since De- cember, 1872, he has been a member of the I. O. O. F., Fallkill Lodge No. 297, and he belongs to the Order of Chosen Friends, Dutchess Council No. 50; the Queen City As- sembly Royal Society of Good Fellows, No. 124, and is an honorary member of Phoenix Hose Company. He is also a member of Hamilton Post No. 20, G. A. R., in which he takes great interest, and has been a delegate to the National Encampments at San Francis- co, Denver, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Boston, Washington and Baltimore. In 1892 he was senior vice-commander of the Department of New York.

On March 30, 1868, Mr. De Lacy married Weltha A. Wiley, daughter of Clark Wiley, a prominent resident of Poughkeepsie. They have two sons: George W., an architect and draughtsman, and Charles, who is a clerk in the office with his father.

S HERIDAN SHOOK. The spirit of self- help is the source of all genuine worth in the individual, and is the means of bring- ing to man success when he has no advantages of wealth or influence to aid him. It illus- trates in no uncertain manner what is possible to accomplish when perseverance and deter- mination form the keynote to a man's life. Depending on his own resources, looking for no outside aid or support. Mr. Shook has secured a handsome property, although he started out in life with naught save a pair of willing hands and a determination to succeed.

Our subject is a native of Dutchess county, born February 19, 1828, in the town of Red Hook, and is a son of George Shook. He re- ceived his education at Piermont Academy, and at the early age of fourteen years went to New York City, "to make his fortune," in which he certainly succeeded. For ten years he clerked for John Boyce, a dealer in butter and cheese, at the expiration of which time he and Henry N. Morgan took charge of the business, Mr. Boyce having retired. At the opening of the war of the Rebellion, our subject was ap-

Showdann -

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pointed treasurer of the "Relief Fund. " which had been raised in the city to meet the needs of the families of those who had gone to the front. In 1861 he was appointed by President Lincoln to the position of Internal Revenue Collector, which position he held seven years, and about the same time he was elected to the board of supervisors of New York City. In 1865, at an outlay of $40,000, he fitted up "Gilmores Garden," in New York, which he conducted for two years. In 1871 he built the Union Square Theatre, corner of 14th street and Broadway, and for several years conducted same, under the able management of A. M. Palmer. Mr. Shook was also engaged in the brewery business, at New York, under the firm name of Shook & Everhard, and was also pro- prietor of the "Morton House," one of the leading hotels of New York, which he carried on until 1895.

Mr. Shook has been twice married, his second union being on December 21, 1881, with Miss Ellen M. Gillespie, a native of Al- bany county, N. Y., born at Greenbush, in 1846, a daughter of Charles Gillespie, of Al- bany, N. Y. She is a member of the Lu- theran Church. Mr. Shook in his political preferences is a Republican. He is the father of four children: Louise Week (Mrs. H. A. Hoffman); Sheridan Shook, Jr., of New York; Lillie; and one that died in early youth. He still has business interests in New York and Red Hook, but is not personally engaged there- in. He has a fine farm and beautiful residence situated about four miles from his birthplace. No more genial man can be found than Mr. Shook, and he and his estimable wife have many friends to whom their hospitality is ever extended. They hold a high position in social circles, having the esteem and respect of all who know them.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 22

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