Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 42

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

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Dr. Tetamore's earthly career began Au- gust 28, 1851, at Hudson, but until he was eleven years of age his time was chiefly spent in Red Hook. He then returned to his native place, and attended the public schools for about two years. At thirteen he went to Albany as clerk in the drug store of Collins & Kirk, and after two years there he went to Staten Island in a similar capacity. Later he returned to Albany and entered the employ of H. B. Clement & Co., druggists, for a time, and then he took charge of the drug store of Dr. William H. Peer, of Brooklyn, remaining a year and a half. While there he attended the New York Dental College, and although he did not graduate, he began to practice at Brooklyn, and at the same time began to read medicine with Dr. George R. Fowler, surgeon of the Second Brigade, N. Y. N. G. Contin- uing his medical course, he was graduated in 1882 from the Long Island Hospital College, and after spending a short time as Curator of the college, he established an office at Brook- lyn, and began his work as a practitioner.

John W. Tetamore, the Doctor's father, | His abilities have received recognition from

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many sources. He was appointed hospital steward of the Fourteenth Regiment, N. Y. N. G., in 1879, assistant surgeon in 1885, surgeon in 1890, and State medical inspector of U. S. Camp at Peekskill, N. Y., in 1896. As has been noted, he went to Matteawan in the fall of 1896, and has leased the residence of the late Dr. J. P. Schenk, where he has an office on Leonard street, near Fountain Square.

On November 25, 1873, Dr. Tetamore married Miss Mary E. Davison, daughter of William Davison, of Brooklyn. Three chil- dren have blessed this union : Walter D.,

born in 1874; Florence M., born in 1876; and Clarence, born in 1878. Politically the Doctor is a Republican. In religious faith he is a Baptist, and while living in Brooklyn he served as superintendent of a Sunday-school, which increased under his care from fifty pupils to 1,200. He belongs to the l. O. O. F., also the Junior Order of American Mechanics, and is a prominent member of the N. Y. County Medical Association. Altogether it will be seen that Matteawan has reason to congratulate herself upon Dr. Tetamore's choice of a home.

G EORGE NORTON MILLER, M. D., a prominent citizen of the town of Rhine- beck, Dutchess county, resides upon a beautiful estate two miles from the village of Rhinebeck. It was there that he first saw the light Sep- tember 27, 1857, and in his mature years he finds it the pleasantest spot in which to pass the leisure which culture and refinement can so well employ in congenial tasks.' He attended school in his boyhood in New York City, and later entered Harvard College, and was graduated from the literary department with the degree of A. B., in 1879, and from the medical department, in 1882. A trip to Europe followed, with two years of study at Vienna and Heidelberg, and he then returned to his native land. April 18, 1886, he was married to Miss Martha LeRoy Glover, who was born in New York City in 1864, and received there a liberal education. Ever since their marriage the Doc- tor and his wife have resided at the old home. They have three children: George Norton, born January 6, 1888, the third of the name in direct line of descent; Helen LeRoy, born July 8, 1889, and Catherine Caroline, born March 7, 1890.

The Miller family is of English origin, and

the Doctor is of the sixth generation from Will- iam Miller who settled in 1648 at Ipswich, Mass., where he became a freeholder and was one of the heaviest tax payers. He and his wife Patience had a son Abram, who was born Jan- uary 20, 1671, at Northampton, Mass. He married Harriet Clapp, and had a son Jona- than, who was born in 1703, and died in 1787. He was married January 2, 1723, to Sarah Allen, and had a son Elisha, our subject's great- grandfather, who was born in Connecticut in 1730, and died in 1807. October 18, 1764, he married Sarah Fowler, whose death occurred in 1772. Their son William, our subject's grand- father, who was born in Connecticut in 1768, became a well-known minister of the Congre- gational Church. He died in 1818; but his wife, Anna Starr, who was born in 1772, lived nearly a century, passing away in 1865.

George Norton Miller, our subject's father, was born in Hartford, Conn., July 27, 1805, and for many years was a prominent business man in Charleston, S. C. In October, 1855, he married Miss Caroline Tucker Chace. She passed to her eternal rest September 19, 1872; but his life was prolonged until March 10, 1892. Of their four children all but one, a daughter, survive, viz. : William Starr, H. Ray, and the subject of our sketch.

J OSEPH FIELD (deceased) was born in the city of New York, January 7, 1829, and was a son of Joseph and Hannah ( Dusen- berry) Field, the former a native of Westches- ter county, N. Y. In that city he was reared and educated in its public schools. After learn- ing the wagon-maker's trade, in 1851 he went to Kings Bridge, N. Y., where he engaged in that business. It was there that he met Tem- perance R. Darke, to whom he was married, December 8, 1853; in the following spring, on account of ill-health, he gave up wagon- making.

About 1865 Mr. Field removed to a farm near Sharon, Conn., which he operated until 1868, when he came to the village of Amenia, where he conducted a market up to the time of his death, January 27. 1892. He was made a Mason in Shekomeko Lodge at Washington Hollow, Dutchess county, and later affiliated with Amenia Lodge No. 672, F. & A. M ... while politically he was an ardent Republican, but would never accept official positions. He was faithful in the discharge of every duty, was

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a man of excellent principles and a blameless life, and thoroughly enjoyed the esteem and respect of every community in which he re- sided, and died, mourned by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

Mrs. Field, a most estimable lady, was born June 24, 1832, and is the daughter of Charles and Temperance R. (Hayden) Darke. By her marriage she became the mother of three daughters: Ella, born February 12, 1855, married Charles Jenkins, by whom she has three children-Maria Louise, Harry and John Roy; Maria, born May 26, 1860, died March 21, 1864; and Gertrude, born June 14. 1872, completes the family.

Charles Darke, the father of Mrs. Field, was a native of Bloomingdale, N. Y., and most of his life was engaged in the market business at Kings Bridge. However, he spent his last years in Amenia, where both himself and wife died and were buried. They had four chil- dren: Temperance; Charles H., of Poughkeep- sie, N. Y .; Isaac D., of Springfield, Mass. ; and Emma, wife of George T. Willson.

M EERMANCE FAMILY, THE, now rep- resented in Dutchess county by Martin and Dewitt Heermance, is descended from Jan Heermance, who came to America from Holland in 1659. His will, written in Dutch, is on record in the surrogate's office in New York City. His descendants settled, at an early date, in Dutchess county. One of them, Hendricus Heermance, married a daugh- ter of Gerrit Artsen, one of the partners to the first purchase of land from the Indians, at Rhinebeck (the Kipsberger) in 1686, subse- quently confirmed by royal patent in 1688. In 1716 Hendricus Heermance bought, of his father-in-law, property now known as Ellers- lie, the present home of Governor Morton. Catharine Heermance, a granddaughter of Jan Heermance, married John The Baptist Kip, a grandson of Jacob Kip, one of the original grantees under the royal patent of 1688.

Jacob Heermance, a grandson of Jan, and brother of Catharine, married Catharine Vos- burgh, a daughter of Jan Vosburgh and Cor- nelia Knickerbocker. They had cight chil- dren-four sons and four daughters Jacob, John, Andrew, Martin, Cornelia, Anna, Doro- thea and Eleanor. Cornelia Heermance mar- ried Gen. David Van Ness; Eleanor married Peter Cantine; Dorothea married Henry De-

Witt, and Anna married Isaac Stoutenburgh. Martin Heermance married a daughter of Dr. Hans Kiersted, a direct descendant of the Dr. Hans Kiersted who in 1642 married Sarah Roeloffe Jans, daughter of Anneke Jans, from whom came the inillions now possessed by the Trinity Church Corporation of New York City. Martin was the only son of Jacob Hecrmance, who left sons. For many years he was a leading citizen of the county, and was com- missioned brigadier-general in the war of 1812. One of his daughters married Archibald Smith, a prominent lawyer of Saratoga county, while another daughter married Dr. Henry Van- Hoevenberg, at one time health officer of the Port of New York. Andrew J. Heermance, one of his sons, bought the property on which stands the house built by the Kips in the year 1700, and which was subsequently owned by the Beekman and Livingston families. It is still in a good state of preservation. He was a public-spirited, progressive man, and an honored citizen, and for several terms repre- sented the town of Rhinebeck in the board of supervisors of Dutchess county.

Rev. Harrison Heermance, another son of Gen. Martin Heermance, was a minister of the Reformed (Dutch) Church. At the breaking out of the Civil war he was settled in Lenawee county, Mich. ; but he resigned his charge and entered the army with the 4th Mich. Cav., and subsequently served as chaplain of the 128th N. Y. V. His son, Isaac Henry Heer- mance, then under sixteen years of age, en- listed at the same time, in the same regiment, and died in the service before he was eightcen. At the close of the war Rev. Harrison Heer- mance resumed his residence at Rhinebeck, his native town, and died there in 1883. His wife was Rebecca A. Van Denbergh, of Lan- singburg, N. Y. Their two surviving sons, Martin and De Witt Heermance, were born in Michigan, but from their early childhood have lived at Rhinebeck, and were educated in the De Garmo Classical Institute, then located in that town. They have since taken up their residence in Poughkeepsie. In 1881 MARTIN HEERMANCE was elected supervisor of the town of Rhinebeck, and was re-elected in 1882. In 1883 he was admitted to the bar, and entered upon the practice of his pro- fession in Poughkeepsie. In 1888 he was elected district attorney of Dutchess county, and his brother DeWitt, who had graduated at the Albany Law School several years be-

Martin Hermance

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fore, and was then in partnership with him in the practice of law, was assistant district at- torney. In 1896 Martin Heermance was ap- pointed one of the three State assessors of New York, by Gov. Morton, and was made chairman of the board. Both Martin and De- Witt Heermance are members of the Holland Society. Martin is a member of the Masonic order, and while residing at Rhinebeck was twice elected master of Rhinebeck Lodge. In 188I he married Nina Radcliffe, daughter of the late David Van Ness Radcliffe, of Albany, N. Y., and they have one child, Radcliffe Heermance. In 1892 DeWitt Heermance married May Hallenbeck, daughter of the late John J. Hallenbeck, of Montclair, N. J., and they have one son, Andrew Hallenbeck Heer- mance. Jacob Heermance, the great-grand- father of Martin and DeWitt, had a brother Nicholas, who left descendants, none of whom are known to be residents of Dutchess county. The late Rev. Henry Heermance, of Kinder- hook, and Col. William L. Heermance, now residing at Yonkers, are descended from this branch of the family.

H ENRY L. YOUNG, a prominent resident of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, now living retired from active business, was born in New York City, August 28, 1818, the son of Henry L. and Mary L. (Hyde) Young.

The Young family is of English extraction, and Quakers in religious belief. Alexander Young, the grandfather of our subject, was a farmer at Sing Sing, N. Y. He married Miss Ann Slausson, and they reared a family of five children, namely: Jacob, who became captain of a Hudson-river vessel. Hiram, who was a sailor; Nathaniel, who was a farmer in West- chester county, N. Y .; Charlotte, married to William H. Smith, a merchant of New York, and Henry, father of our subject.

Henry Young was born in 1792 at Sing Sing, N. Y. His wife, Mary L. (Hyde), was born at Norwich, Conn., and her family was also of English descent. After their marriage they lived in New York City, where Mr. Young carried on a large hardware business. They had four children, namely: Henry L., our subject; Mary, who married a Mr. Barnes, a merchant in New York City (now deceased); James, who lives in New York City, and is re- tired from business, and Martha, married to Henry S. Leavitt, a merchant of New York 15

City. The father served in the war of 1812, and he and his wife were members of the Pres- byterian Church.

Henry L. Young, the subject proper of this re- view, spent his boyhood days in New York City, where he attended the private schools, and on completing his education clerked in his father's store for four years. He then went to Avon Springs and settled on a large farm, where he remained for eleven years. On June 23, 1842, Mr. Young was united in marriage with Miss Mary E., daughter of Henry Dwight, of Utica, N. Y., and who was of English descent. Five children have been born to them: Edmund, who resides in Poughkeepsie; James H., resid- ing in Brooklyn; Mary D., at home with her parents; William H., an attorney in New York City, and Henry D., who died while a student at college.

In the fall of 1853 Mr. Young removed to Poughkeepsie, which has since been his home. He has a beautiful residence at No. 98 South Hamilton street, with fine grounds filled with flowers, and every comfort and luxury attaina- ble. Here, with no cares of business to annoy him, he is passing the evening of his life in peace and happiness, his only sorrow being the loss of his beloved wife, who passed from earth January 9, 1890. She was a member of the Reformed Church (as is also Mr. Young), and was a most estimable woman.

Mr. Young held various positions of honor and trust, having been a trustee of Vassar Col- lege for ten years; vice-president and director of the Farmers' and Manufacturers' Bank for sev- eral years; trustee of the Savings Bank; presi- dent of the cemetery board; and president of the board of water works for three years. He was one of the committee who drafted a new charter for the city of Poughkeepsie, and has always taken an active interest in its growth and prosperity. He is a man of sterling integ- rity, and has frequently been made executor of large estates. In every relation of life Mr. Young has borne an unblemished reputation, and his worth as a man and a citizen is well known and thoroughly appreciated, not only by the public generally, but by a host of warm personal friends.

R EUBEN WILEY (deceased). During the Civil war, the subject of this sketch, then in the prime of his manhood, offered himself to the Union cause. Enlisting in the Eighth

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N. Y. H. A., he served with the quiet heroism of the true soldier until death came to him in the midst of the hard-fought struggle before Petersburg, June 16, 1864.

Mr. Wiley was of Scotch descent, his great-grandfather, Hugh Wylie, being the first ancestor to come to America. Arriving in early inanhood, he located in the town of Clinton, Dutchess county, where he became the owner of a farm of 300 acres near Clinton Hollow. He married Mary Hall, and had two children: Reuben and Mary. Reuben Wiley's son, John Wiley, our subject's father, was born and edu- cated there, and also engaged in farming in mature years. He married Sarah Allen, and eight children were born of this union: En- sign :deceased , Allen, Reuben (our subject), Mary Jane, Hannah M., Martin (who served as a soldier in the 150th N. Y. V. I.), and William and Adeline (both deceased).

Reuben Wiley was born at the old home- stead July 17, 1827, and received his early edu- cation in the neighboring schools. At the age of seventeen he went to Saratoga and engaged in a general mercantile business, later moving to New York City, where he went into the commission business on Washington street. While there he married Miss Mary T. Adee, a native of Pleasant Valley, Dutchess county. Of this marriage two children were born: Samuel, now a resident of Fairbury, Neb .. and SARAH A., who was married October 13. 1875, in the town of Clinton, to John W. Dutcher, a son of Lotan Dutcher and Eliza (Doughty) Dutcher, of Lagrange. He was educated at Clinton Hollow and Pleasant Plains, later engaging in farming, and is now one of the agriculturists of his vicinity. After their marriage they lived in the town of Clin- ton for two years, when they moved to the town of Washington, remaining there twelve years. In 1889 they returned to Clinton Hol- low, where they have since resided. They have two children : Reuben W. and Lotan I1. In politics Mr. Dutcher is a Republican.

A RTHUR FRANCIS HOAG, M. D., a prominent physician of Millerton, is a native of the town of Northeast, Dutchess county, born November 11, 1856. His family is of English origin.

William P. Hoag, our subject's father, was born in the town of Pine Plains, Dutchess county, in 1819, and received a good literary

education. He was of a scientific turn of mind, and while he was always an interested reader on general subjects, he made a special study of geology. Until 1873 he was a farmer in the town of Northeast, whence he removed to Wabasha, Minn., where for some years he conducted a storage elevator for grain, later going to Cass county, North Dakota, and en- gaging in farming. He married Mary Jane Sim- mons, daughter of John Simmons, a wealthy farmer of near Chatham, Columbia county, N. Y., and had four sons: William Edward, born May 4, 1852, now a traveling salesman; Arthur Francis, our subject; Robert Henry, born November 22, 1858, a commission mer- chant of Minneapolis; and Charles Simmons, born November 25, 1860, a farmer at Nor- cross, Minn. On his removal to the West, Mr. Hoag was accompanied by all of his fam- ily except our subject, and since 1890 has made his home with his son in Minneapolis. He has always been a Republican, but has never sought or held office. In religious belief he is a Quaker, and has by his upright and consist- ent life commanded the esteem of his asso- ciates.

Dr. Hoag received an excellent education in his youth, studying the English branches, and also the classics with Rev. A. H. Seeley, of Smithfield, Dutchess county. At the age of seventeen he entered the office of Dr. Sidney Stillman, of Millerton, as a medical student, where he remained three years, making a spe- cialty of surgery. In 1876 he entered the med- ical department of Columbia College, and was graduated in 1879, having taken special work in anatomy and surgery in addition to the pre- scribed course. He took clinics with Dr. Sands, and did a great deal of hospital work. On August 16, 1876, he returned to Millerton and formed a partnership with Dr. Stillman, which continued three years, since which time he has practiced alone. His preparation for his work has been most thorough, and he is no less painstaking in his practice, and as a result he has a large business extending throughout the northeastern part of the county. He holds in a high degree the confidence of the cominu- nity, and has been health officer of the town of Northeast and the village of Millerton for about ten years, being elected on the Republican ticket. He is also medical examiner for eight life insurance companies; he is a member of the State Medical Society and the County Med- ical Society. The Doctor is a liberal-minded

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inan, and holds to the simple and tolerant Quaker faith in which he was reared. So- cially, he is a member of Webatuck Lodge No. 480, F. & A. M., in which he has held various offices. He takes an active interest in local affairs, and is now a member of the board of education.

In 1881 Dr. Hoag was married to Miss Jessie L. Wheeler, daughter of the late Nor- man Wheeler, of the town of Northeast, and they have two sons: Arthur Edmond and William Harvey.

G EORGE W. CONKLIN (deceased). A life so strongly marked by worthy ambi- tion and well-directed energy as that of the subject of this brief memoir, cannot fail to convey to every reader a practical lesson which they would do well to heed. Although of good family, Mr. Conklin's chief inheritance con- sisted of the vigorous mentality and upright character upon which his success was based. His ancestors were among the early settlers of Putnam Valley, Putnam county, and his par- ents, William and Phoebe (Sirrine) Conklin, resided upon the old Conklin homestead north of Oscawana Lake, where on January 3, 1828, our subject was born.

Mr. Conklin was educated in the schools near his home, and had no other advantages; but, being fond of books, he supplemented his common-school education by extensive read- ing, and became a man of broad information. As a student of human nature, he enjoyed fic- tion, and Dickens' works were his especial favorites. He was phenomenally successful in business. When seventeen years of age he went to Maryland to get out ship timber, and immediately after arriving there he was recog- nized as a young man of good ability, and was put in charge of a gang of men who were en- gaged in that work. He remained there until 1850, when he was married to Miss Elizabeth Jenkins, of Phillipstown, Putnam county. He then gave his attention to building bridges on the Hudson River railroad, having charge of a gang of men on the extension from Poughkeep- sie north, and was in the employ of the road until the last year of the Civil war. He went to Port Royal in March, 1865, returning in July of that year, and then entered the ein- ply of the government in the navy yards at Brooklyn. He laid tracks, and was the gen- eral overseer during his stay of four years.

There he became acquainted with R. G. Pack- ard, and later he formed a partnership with him in the dredging business. This was an extensive enterprise, and he was quite success- ful, continuing for twenty-six years at least. After leaving the navy yard Mr. Packard and Mr. Conklin went with Morris & Cumings; but after a while Mr. Packard went into busi- ness for himself, and Mr. Conklin accompanied him, and continued in the business until within three years of his death, which occurred May 8. 1893. He helped in the making of dredg- ing machinery, and in all the different branches of the business, having a natural talent for mechanics. By nature he was energetic and forceful, and would have been successful in anything.

In his political faitlı Mr. Conklin was a strong Republican, but he was not especially active in party work. For some time he was a member of the fire department at Pough- keepsie, Cataract Company No. 4, and be- came 'an exempt fireman. In religion he was was a Methodist.

Mr. Conklin had a pleasant home and a charming family. His wife was a daughter of David and Ann (Stevens) Jenkins, of Phillips- town, Putnam county. Six children blessed their union: (1) George L., born November 14, 1852, is a machinist, and has been in the dredging business. He married Miss May Pickert, and has three children: May Eliza- beth, George Wesley and L. Clyde. (2) Lillie J. is married to William Saltford, an English- man, and a florist by occupation. They have two sons: W. Arthur and George C. (3) Minnie C. married William Seeholzer, of Mid- dletown, N. Y., proprietor of the R. R. res- taurant, and has one daughter, Helen C. (4) Lizzie M. is at home. (5) Josephine and (6) Carrie died in infancy.

Mrs. Conklin is the granddaughter of Joel Jenkins, a native of Maine, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He and two broth- ers were among the first to enlist in that strug- gle, and the three were engaged in the first battles. One brother was shot in one of the early engagements, but Joel Jenkins and other brother served throughout the war, and after its close he settled south of the Croft's church, in the town of Phillipstown. The Jenkins family of that place are descended from him. He married Elizabeth Garrison, and had the following children: David, Mrs. Conklin's fa- ther; Polly, who married Daniel Bishop; Sarah

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

(Mrs. Masters); Isaac, who lived at Garrison ; Abram, the fifth in order of birth; Hannah Mrs. Curry ; Susan, wife of James Croft; James: and Ann, who married Mr. Jennings.

H ENRY E. ALLISON, M. D., medical superintendent of the Matteawan State Hospital, at Matteawan, was born December 1, 1851, at Concord, N. H., a son of William H. and Catherine (Anderson) Allison.

He received his preliminary education at the public schools of his native city, later at- tending Kimball Union Academy at Meriden, N. H., where he graduated in 1871. In the fall of the same year he entered the classical department of Dartmouth College. He was elected president of the class in his Senior year, and graduated with honors in 1875. Among his classmates was Gov. Frank S. Black, of New York. After graduation, in the fall, he taught the high school of Hills- borough Bridge, N. H., and during the follow- ing year attended the full course of lectures and instruction at Dartmouth Medical Col- lege. In June, 1878, he received the degree of M. D. at Dartmouth, and in August com- menced the practice of his profession in the capacity of an assistant physician at the Wil- lard Asylum, in the town of Ovid, N. Y., an institution then containing some twelve hun- dred patients. Here he remained in charge of various medical departments of the service until March, 1883, when he resigned, although strong inducements were offered him to re- main. After pursuing a post-graduate course at the New York Polyclinic, he commenced the general practice of medicine at Waterloo, Seneca Co., N. Y., where he remained some fourteen months, meeting with excellent suc- cess. During this time (1883-84) he served as town physician. At the urgent request of the board of trustees of the Willard Asylum, he returned in 1884 to that institution as first assistant physician, passing the State Civil Serv- ice examination for that position held in New York City. On July 1, 1889, he was ap- pointed medical superintendent of the State Asylum for Insane Criminals at Auburn, Ca- yuga Co., N. Y., an institution at that time containing two hundred and nineteen patients. By virtue of this office he also became, by statute, a member of the commission created by the Legislature to erect a new asylum for insane criminals which was founded at Mat-

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 42

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