Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 44

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

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Mr. Van Wyck ran stages from Yreka to Red Bluff, Cal. (160 miles), for several years, carrying Wells, Fargo & Co.'s express daily. and having at times from 500 to 1,000 pounds of gold dust to be minted at San Francisco and carried back as coin. He never lost one dol- lar by the "road agents," and it was said that he was " in with the 'road agents,' " as, know- ing them all, and being very kind to them, loaning them money whenever they needed it, they had promised him that his stage coaches should never be attacked, while the robberies of other coaches were constant. Both Idaho and Yreka Camp were filled with the roughest elements in the world in those days, and mur- ders were of daily occurrence, as from one to

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seven men were found murdered every morn- ing in the streets. Mr. Van Wyck ran the Bonaparte Gold & Silver (in which he was a quarter-owner) for five years, doing his own amalgamating, retorting and assaying, having received a perfect knowledge of this science as a student of the celebrated Joseph Oesstricher, the gold and silver assayer of Idaho City.

Mr. Van Wyck was at one time given a pass-word by Caw-Ta-Pish, chief of the Klam- ath's tribe (whose life he had saved on one occasion), which was often of great service to him among the tribes who understood the jargon language. The pass-word was this- Cho, Ko, Nez, Wa, Gee, which expresses that Mr. Van Wyck had been a great friend of the Indians. Mr. Van Wyck at this point again asserts his belief that there never would have been bad Indians if it had not been for the bad whites, some of whom would shoot a poor Indian for their own amusement.

George P. Gordon, the inventor of the Gordon printing press, with whom Mr. Van- Wyck had been acquainted since 1839, induced him to sell his interests in Idaho and join him in Southern speculating, and in 1869 Mr. Van- Wyck went to Norfolk, Va., to look after property to purchase. Being pleased with the outlook and location, he wrote for Mr. Gordon to come down immediately, and their first pur- chase was the Mallory plantation, for which they paid $51,000 cash, at the same time buy- ing four other estates adjoining at a cost of $21,000 more, making three thousand acres in all of the most beautiful trucking land in Vir- ginia. Mr. Gordon died in 1879, and three years later Mr. Van Wyck married his widow, who died in California in 1890 of pneumonia. Mr. Van Wyck was the pioneer in the garden truck business in Virginia, working 180 negroes, and eighty mules, and six horses daily, and he still has an interest in the plantations which will soon be sold to close up the estate of the late Mrs. Van Wyck. He also owns many buildings in Norfolk, Va., including Van Wyck's Academy of Music on Main street, which was built twelve years ago at a cost of nearly $171. - 000, and is a temple of the dramatic and lyric arts, of which Norfolk is justly proud. It is four stories high, 200× 150 feet ground plan, and has an auditorium seating 1,600 people, at the same time affording standing room for some seven or eight hundred more. Its stage is 45 × 60 feet, with a height of twenty feet to the grooves, and a height in the clear of sixty-

five feet. The proscenium arch is thirty-two feet wide by forty feet high. These dimensions, the general design of the house and its hand- some decorations and finish, have earned for it the reputation of being the finest theatre south of Washington. The best talent on the Amer- ican stage is engaged for this house. The present manager, who has had charge for the past five years, is A. B. Duesberry, a Rich- mond man of considerable experience in the- atrical matters. The treasurer, C. M. Mayes, has been with the house, in various capacities, for the last seven years.

In 1890 Mr. Van Wyck purchased the property known as the Ross farm, at Fishkill, Dutchess Co., N. Y., and constructed the lake and buildings known as Knickerbocker Lodge, Van Wyck Lake, improving and beautifying the place at a cost of $51,000. The spring of water located there has no equal in the world for the cure of diabetes, and the charming scenery and other advantages make it a delight- ful summer resort.

E DMUND L. HENDRICKS (deceased). The family name of Hendricks has long been prominent in business circles in this re- gion, and the subject of this sketch sustained well the reputation for enterprise, good judg- ment and public-spirit which was his birth- right. His grandfather, Lawrence Hendricks, was a well-known resident of Red Hook. He had a son, Jacob L. Hendricks, our subject's father, who married Anna Moore, and reared a family of children whose names with dates of birth are as follows: Edmund L., July 12, 1809; Magdalene, October 19, 1811; Jeremiah, November 2, 1813; and Philip, January 29, 1816.

Edmund L. Hendricks received the name of Lawrence Edmund at his baptism, but in later years he transposed it to Edmund Law- rence. He was educated at the Upper Red Hook Academy; then learned harness making, and afterward engaged in the manufacture of harness at Red Hook. He retired in Septem- ber, 1863. On September 25, 1832, he was married to Miss Barbara Ann Davis, of Red Hook, and six children were born of this union: Francis Theo, Mary Elizabeth, Cornelia A., Edmund D., William E. and Magdalene A. Of this family all are now deceased except Mary E. and Magdalene A. Their home was char- acterized by refinement and quiet devotion to

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Christian principles. After fifteen years of wedded life, the mother died August 19, 1847, the father surviving until November 27, 1883.

The Misses Hendricks still occupy the resi- dence built by their father in 1842. They were educated in Red Hook, and have taken a leading position in social, religious and phil- anthropic enterprises, and both are regarded as most ready, active and generous supporters of any measure tending to promote the welfare of their community, or of that wide circle which includes all humanity as one family.

A BRAM WRIGHT, one of the most prom- inent business men of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, was born November 8, 1812. in the town of East Fishkill, and now carries the burden of his eighty-five years with a sprightliness and vigor which many men younger than he might envy.

Isaac Wright, his father, was born in 1764 in Westchester county, N. Y., where he grew to manhood and married Miss Mary Hamilton, who was born in 1763, a native of the same county. Her father was born in the North of Ireland, of Scotch-Irish parentage. Thirteen children came of this union, of whom our sub- jeet is the youngest and now the only survivor. Isaac Wright engaged in farming at his native place after his marriage, and a few years later moved to East Fishkill, being one of the ear- liest settlers there. He was a man of very strong constitution, and never knew what ill- ness was until his last years. He died in 1839, his wife surviving him nine years. They were members of the M. E. Church, and so hospit- able were they to ministers and other travelers in those days that their home was known far and near as the " Methodist Tavern ."

Abram Wright passed his boyhood on the farm where he was born, his educational op- portunities being limited to the neighboring district school. His first money-making em- ployment was in a country store at Coldspring, Putnam county, at $4 per month and board. Later, while visiting a brother at New Orleans,

he was persuaded by him to go into the cotton commission business at Manchester (now Yazoo City), Miss. There he remained six years, when he was burned out, sustaining a loss of $50,000. Gathering up what he could, he again embarked in business, locating at Vicks- burg, where for eight years he dealt extensively in plantation supplies. He then returned to

New Orleans, holding an interest with his brother Hamilton for two years, but sold out and came back to his early home. After a few years passed at Coldspring he moved to Poughkeepsie, where in 1857 he bought his present place. He is a man of great energy and business acumen, and has engaged in vari- ous profitable enterprises. He was a stock- holder in the company which built the Pough- keepsie bridge, a director in the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank, and is now one of the trus- tees of the Poughkeepsie Savings Bank. He has also speculated in real estate to some ex- tent, and has built five stores on Main street between Academy street and Eighme place. Business cares have not, however, engrossed his thoughts to the exclusion of matters of public moment, for he has always been ready to forward any movement for the welfare of the city; he has held office on the board of ed- ucation, and on the alms house commission; has been alderman from the Sixth ward, and has served several times on the waterworks board, having been a member of that board at its organization. Politically, he has always been a stanch Democrat.

Mr. Wright was married, in 1837, to Mary Warren, a daughter of Judge Warren, of Cold- spring, and has had seven children: Eliza, Charlotte, Webster, Sarah ( Mrs. Leonard Car- penter), Cornelia, Ida and William, of whom only two are now living: Webster, a resident of Plainfield, N. J., and William, who lives in Poughkeepsie.

C HARLES DAVIS, whose death occurred in 1895, was one of the leading and influ- ential agriculturists of the town of Dover, Dutchess county. Timothy Davis, his grand- father, was a native of Delaware county, N. Y., and was also a farmer. He wedded Miss Mary Wilbur, by whom he had five children: Zilla, Wilbur, Silas, Ruth and Sarah.

Wilbur Davis, the father of our subject, was born and educated in Delaware county, N. Y., and followed the occupation to which he was reared. He married Miss Ethel Man- chester, and seven children came to bless their union, as follows: (1) William, who was born and educated in the town of Dover, Dutchess county, there engaged in farming, and married Miss Janet Clark. To them were born six children-Walter and Chester, who died in infancy; Mary, who wedded James Wood;

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George, who married Emily Tripp: Mina. who married Lewis Waldron: and Harry, who died in infancy. 12 Betsy married William Smith. a farmer of Dover Plains, Dutchess county, and they had two children - Frances, who married Charles Cocper: and Jane, who mar- ried James Deacon. [3] Charles, subject of this sketch, was the next in order of birth. 4 Silas, a hat manufacturer, enlisted in a Connecticut regiment. and served all through the war of the Rebellion. He married Miss Margaret Abbott, but no children were born to them. (5) Sarah was never married. (6 Theron was engaged in the foundry business. and married Miss Anna Hart, by whom he had three children-Mary. John and Albert. 10

Henry carried on farming in the West.

married Miss Margaret O'Conners, but they had no children. All of the above-named family were born in the town of Dover, Dutch- ess county, and were there educated.

The subject proper of this sketch was born in the town of Dover. Dutchess county, in IS24. and like the other members of the fam- ily attended the common schools near his home. He early became familiar with the work that falls to the lot of the agriculturist. and made farming his life work. He was a highly-respected citizen, having the confidence and esteem of all who knew him, and many friends mourned his death.

Mr. Davis was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Benson, a daughter of Jeffer- son and Fannie (Glenn) Benson. of Amenia, Dutchess county, and they became the par- ents of eight children, namely: George, born in 1849, has for several years been a conductor on the Harlem railroad: he married Ellen Duncan, and has one child-Ed J .: JOHN. born in 1851, was for years conductor on the Harlem railroad, and had his arm crushed in 1891: William, born in 1853, was on the same road for years, and is now on the Brooklyn bridge: he married Eliza Benson, and has eight children-Charles, Albert, Nellie, Anna, Emma, Sophia, Arthur and Lula. Edward. born in 1855, died at the age of nineteen years. Frank. born in 1857. was a conductor on the Staten Island road, and was killed in a colli- sion in 1893; he married Katie E. Spencer. Walter, born in 1859. is a fireman on the Harlem road; he married Jennie Proper, and has two children-Ida and Ethel. Jefferson, born in 1860, is an engineer on the Brooklyn bridge: he married Emily Duncan, and has

three children-Edith. Harry and Mabel. Arthur. born in 1862, was a policeman at the time of his death in ISss; he married Georgia Schamerhorn, and had one child-Katie E .. who died in infancy.

B ENJAMIN N. BAKER, M. D., one of the ablest and most successful medical practi- tioners of Rhinebeck. Dutchess county, was born October 2, 1833. in Montgomery county. Pennsylvania.

His family is of English origin, and has long been established in Nottingham. England, where his grandfather. John Baker, was a well- known resident in his day. Rev. John J. Baker. our subject's father, was the first of the family to come to America, and fifty years of his life were spent as a devoted minister of the Baptist Church in Philadelphia and in different towns in New Jersey. He married Miss Elizabeth Nicholson, daughter of Benjamin Nicholson, a Revolutionary soldier, who was at one time imprisoned in a man-of-war in New York har- bor. Thirteen children were born of this union, of whom the following seven lived to adult age: Benjamin N .. William, Lansing B., John J .. Catherine. Margaret and Allie. The father died in 1890, and the mother in 1891.

Dr. Baker received a good education in his youth, graduating in 1848 from the Central High School in Philadelphia, to attend which he walked three miles each day. Soon after leaving school he engaged in the drug business in the same city, and later took the general course in medicine in the Pennsylvania Med- ical College, and was graduated in 1857. He then began the practice of his profession at Lawrenceville, N. J., and remained there twelve years, with the exception of one year in the army, in 1862-63. He entered as second as- sistant surgeon of the ist N. J. C., and later became first assistant of the 28th N. J. I., and then first surgeon of the Third Division, Second Corps, Hospital in the field, and was mustered out while holding this rank. He returned to Lawrenceville, but in 1868 moved to Rhine- beck, and has been in general practice there ever since, winning an enviable reputation throughout the surrounding country for the successful and scientific treatment of difficult cases. In his professional work he is naturally a diligent reader. and he keeps well informed also on the topics of the day. Political work he has left entirely alone. He votes the Dem-

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ocratic ticket, though formerly a Republican, and he is interested in all movements for the public benefit, and has been health officer for several years.

On April 7, 1858, he was married to Miss Sarah S. Exton, daughter of Thomas Exton, a well-known citizen of Clinton, N. J., and granddaughter of Hugh Exton, who came from England at an early date and purchased one thousand acres of land, now known as Union farms. They have had eight children, four of whom are now living: Lizzie, who married Edward Holley, of Hudson, N. Y .; Ella, the wife of R. R. Jarvis, of Arlington, N. J .; Harriet, the wife of Thomas J. Sinclair, of Philadelphia; and Mae, who is at home. The Doctor united with the Presbyterian Church in his youth, but he and his wife are now active members of the Reformed Dutch Church. The Doctor takes great interest in the G. A. R., being a member of Armstrong Post, and he also belongs to the Masonic order.

T HOMAS W. EMBLEY, M. D., of Fish- kill, Dutchess county. Among the tal- ented young physicians of this region, we should name the subject of this sketch as hay- ing demonstrated in an unusually short time the possession of native ability for his profes- sion, as well as the thorough training which, however necessary to a successful practitioner, is useful only where the other exists to be de- veloped.

Dr. Embley is a native of Fishkill-on-Hud- son, where he was born July 22, 1874. His family originated in England, and for 300 years there has been a Thomas Embley in the direct line of descent. The Doctor's great-grand- father, Thomas Embley, lived in Lancashire, England, and was a mason by trade. He was accidentally killed by the falling of a scaffold, and left a small family, among whom was a son, Thomas, our subject's grandfather, who was born at Clitheroe, in northern Lancashire. He became a carder of cotton goods in his youth, and later followed teamning, but finally engaged in the grocery business. He died in 1857, aged seventy-five years, and his wife, Ann (Tiplady), followed him a year later, aged fifty-eight. Her father, John Tiplady, was a lead miner of Yorkshire, England. Thomas and Ann Embley were devont members of the Church of England. Of their three children,

the youngest, Thomas, our subject's father, is now the only survivor. Mary A. married William Fitton, now deceased, and Alice was the wife of the late John Seddon.

Thomas Embley, the Doctor's father, was born at Hyde, Cheshire, England, August 6, 1839, and was the only one of the family to cross the ocean. The first eleven years of his life were spent at his native place, and he then became a switch-tender in a railroad yard at Gorton. At fourteen he went to Manchester to learn the art of decorating interiors, and for several years he was successfully engaged in painting and paper-hanging. In 1873 he came to America, and visited Fishkill and neighbor- ing towns in his search for a suitable location. The prospects there being favorable he began working at his trade, but in 1876 he estab- lished a saloon business at Fishkill Landing, and has met with marked success. In 1889 he built the brick block at the corner of Wal- nut and Main streets, where he has since con- ducted his business, and until taking possession of that place he was also engaged to some ex- tent at his old trade of decorator. At present he is treasurer of the Liquor and Beer Deal- ers' Association of Fishkill.

In his political views Mr. Embley is inde- pendent, voting for the best men and measures without regard to party. He inclines toward the Episcopal Church, having been a member of the Established Church before coming to the United States. While living in Godley, England, he was active in Church work, and was a teacher in the Sunday-school. He also joined the I. O. O. F. in his native land. He was married in the old country, August 6, 1869, to Miss Lucy J. Fisher, daughter of William Fisher, of Leiston, Suffolk, England. Only one child, our subject, lived to adult age, and to him we will now return.

Dr. Embley was educated in Fishkill, and on completing his course in the local schools he began the study of medicine with Dr. J. G. Dawson, of Matteawan. After eighteen months of preparatory reading he was enrolled in Oc- tober, 1893, as a student at Hahnemann Med- ical College at Philadelphia, Penn. He was graduated in 1896, and in July of that year opened his office at Fishkill village, where he is making his way by his own merits. He has already had some difficult cases, and was asso -. ciated with Dr. Dawson, his former preceptor, in a very important operation requiring intelli- gence and skill, by which they saved a leg for

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

a man who had been run over by the cars. So far the Doctor has not donned the Hymeneal yoke.

R EV. JAMES NILAN, D. D., pastor of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church. Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, is a native of Ireland, born in County Galway, in 1836. At the age of seventeen he came to this country. and was educated at St. John's College, Ford- ham, N. Y., from which he graduated with the first gold medal conferred by Archbishop Hughes. Subsequently he pursued his theo- logical studies at Rome, where, in 1863, he was ordained to the priesthood, at St. John Lateran.

On his return to this country he was as- signed to missionary service at the Church of the Holy Cross, New York, and in 186S he was sent by Cardinal McCloskey to the charge of the Catholic Church at Port Jervis, N. Y. Here, during his pastorate, he succeeded in securing the erection of one of the finest church buildings in that diocese. In Novem- ber, 1877, on the appointment of Dr. Patrick McSweeney to St. Bridget's Church, New York, Dr. Nilan was transferred to the pas- torate of St. Peter's Church, Poughkeepsie.

During the pastorate (1844-1870) of Rev. M. Riordan, the present St. Peter's church building was begun and completed, two large school buildings and a rectory being also erected. In 1872, during the pastorate of Rev. Dr. McSweeney, the rectory was en- larged, and arrangements were made whereby the parochial school buildings were placed under the control of the city board of educa- tion. The parish of St. Mary's was estab- lished in the upper part of the city. During Father Nilan's pastorate the church building has been enlarged, and provided with stained- glass windows at a cost of $10,000. Its Sab- bath-school numbers nearly seven hundred. It has five sodalities for the young members of the congregation; a young people's literary society, with a good library; a boys' temper- ance society of over 300 members; and a total abstinence and benefit society of several hun- dred men and women. The average income of the church is $8,000, nearly $5.000 of which is from pew rent.

Few churches present a more complete ar- ray of parish organizations, in successful oper- ation to-day, than does the Church of St.

Peter's. Dr. Nilan's pronounced temperance principles, his warm sympathies with the hum- blest of his flock, and his frank acceptance of all the responsibilities of citizenship, have com- bined to give him an enviable position, not only with the members of his parish, but in the community at large. In the general benevo- lent, temperance and literary movements of the city, Dr. Nilan has always taken a promi- nent part, and he possesses in a marked degree the esteem of all classes of the people.

M T. PULTZ, M. D., a prominent physi- cian of Stanfordville, Dutchess county, is a great-grandson of one of the pioneer agri- culturists of the town of Rhinebeck, David Pultz, who came from Germany at an early day to make a home in this country. His son, Michael D. Pultz, our subject's grandfather, was reared to the occupation of farming, and also worked at the carpenter's trade. He was a member of the old militia, and took an act- ive part in the local affairs of his day. He and his family belonged to the Lutheran Church, attending at Wurtemburg. By his first wife, who was a Miss Cookingham, he bad six children: Julia, Reuben, Mary, Mar- tin, Griffin and Lavina, of whom Mary is now the only survivor.

Martin Pultz, our subject's father, always resided at the old homestead, receiving his education in youth in the neighboring schools. In politics he was a Whig, and in movements of his time and locality he was influential, be- ing especially interested in the early agitation of the temperance question, and an active worker in the Sons of Temperance. He mar- ried Catherine Traver, a daughter of Phillip I. Traver, of Milan. His death occurred in 1850; his widow makes her home with our subject.

Monroe Traver Pultz, the only child of this union, was born at the old home farm July 17, 1843. After making the most of the somewhat limited facilities afforded by the local schools, he studied for some time at Rhinebeck Academy, then one year at Wilbra- ham Academy in Massachusetts, and a year at Fort Edwards, N. Y. He then for a time pursued the scientific course in Union College with the class of '67, and later began the study of medicine with Dr. I. F. Van Vliet, at Rhinebeck, after which he took a three-years' course in the College of Physicians and Sur-

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geons, New York City, graduating in 1868. In June of the same year he located at Stan- fordville, where he has since practiced with great success, his native abilities and fine scholarship giving him high rank in his profes- sion. He has been twice married, first to Miss Emma Amelia Bailey, a daughter of Richard Bailey, a well-known resident of Rhinebeck. She died in 1877, leaving two sons, Fred A. and Lee, the latter a graduate of the Albany Medical College in the class of '95. In 1878 Dr. Pultz was married, the sec- ond time, in the town of Stanford, to Miss Alice Clark, daughter of Almon Clark.

In politics the Doctor is a Democrat, but he takes no share in party work, although he is a supporter of all measures tending to the public welfare, and has served as health offi- cer of the town of Stanford. He is a member of the Christian Church, and of the F. & A. M., Rhinebeck Lodge; he holds a prominent place in the Dutchess County Medical Associa- tion, in the New York State Medical Asso- ciation, and in the American Medical Associa- tion.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 44

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