Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 48

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

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Mr. Hadden and his wife are members of the First Reformed Church, in which he is a leading official. He is a Mason, a member of

Triune Lodge No. 782. In local matters he lends his assistance to all worthy measures and movements. He is not a politician in the strict sense, but he is a strong supporter of the Republican party.

F RANK LATSON, D. D. S., a leading dentist of Rhinebeck, Dutchess county, was born in that township, August 26, 1853, his family having been residents of that local- ity for four generations.

Dr. Latson's ancestors were French Hugue- nots, who were among the early settlers of this region, and his grandfather, Peter Latson, a native of Rhinebeck, was a prosperous carpen- ter there. He married Betsey Hannaburgh, and had nine children: Henry; William, a dentist in New York; James, a carpenter; Regina, who married Stephen H. Powers, of Brooklyn; Margaret, the wife of Philip Van- Steenburgh, of Red Hook; Rachel; Amanda; Maria; and Matilda.

Henry Latson, our subject's father, was born in the town of Rhinebeck in 1814, and, after learning the carpenter's trade, engaged in the business of contracting and building, which he carried on successfully for about fifty years. He was a self-educated man, possessed great natural ability, at the same time displaying marked originality of thought and keen analyt- ical powers. He was his own architect, and the many structures designed and erected by him give evidence of fine artistic taste. His business was extensive, four-fifths of the build- ings constructed in Rhinebeck and vicinity, during his active life, being his work. The beautiful interior of the M. E. church was de- signed by him, and was but one proof of his devotion to the welfare of that society, of which he was a member and an official for many years. He was not active in politics, although he was an ardent Republican in principle, and fre- quently served as trustee of the village. He married Maria Teal, daughter of Peter W. Teal, a well-known resident of the town of Stanford, and had three children, of whom our subject was the youngest. John is a physician, ¡ and Norman L. died at the age of twenty-nine years. The father died May 19, 1885; the mother, now at the age of seventy-eight, re- sides with our subject.

Dr. Latsou was educated at De Garmo Classical Institute, and later took a course in the New York College of Pharmacy. In 1878

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he entered the New York College of Dentistry, from which he was graduated in ISSo. He located in his native place, where he has built up an extensive practice, and ranks among the most successful men of the town. He was married in 1886 to Miss Bertha Bradley, of New York City, daughter of Perry Bradley, and a descendant of one of the old families of Kinderhook. They have two children: Lillian Kirkland and Frank Waldo. Politically, the Doctor is a Republican, but he is not a party worker. He is, however, greatly interested in local improvements, and is a member of the village board of trustees and the local fire department.

B ENJAMIN MALTBY FOWLER, a promi- nent attorney of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, was born at Durham, Conn., April 27, 1854. He comes of pure New England stock.

William Fowler, of whom he is a direct lineal descendant, arrived at Boston from England in 1637, with Rev. John Davenport. He was one of the prominent founders and officials of the New Haven Colony, which was afterward annexed to and became a part of Connecticut. Many of the early ancestors of Mr. Fowler (the subject of this sketch), took an important and conspicuous part in public affairs in the early days of the colonies; one of the most prominent among them being John Read, who was Queen's attorney for the Colony of Connecticut in 1712, and later attorney-general of Massachusetts for several years, and also a member of the Governor and Council. Robert Treat Paine, one of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, was a member of the family from which he also traces descent.

Jonathan C. Fowler, his grandfather, was a highly-respected resident of Northford, Conn. He married Eliza Maltby, a descendant of a large and influential family of that name in Connecticut.

Dr. Benjamin M. Fowler, our subject's father, was born at Northford, Conn., in 1821. After practicing his profession for awhile at Durham, Conn., he in 1856 moved to Pough- keepsie, where he died two years later (Sep- tember 8, 1858) full of promise and greatly beloved and respected by a large circle of acquaintances, which he had formed in the short time that he resided there. On Sep-

tember 11, 1850, he married Mary Payne, whose ancestors were among the early settlers of America. Three children came of this mar- riage : William S., born May 31, 1852, died . February 7, 1871; Benjamin M., our subject; and Harriet J., born March 16, 1856, married Julius Maltby, of Waterbury, Conn. Thomas Payne, the father of Mary Payne, was a lead- ing resident of Amenia. Dr. John C. Payne, her brother, has been for many years a leading physician in Poughkeepsie. Although the Paynes early settled in Amenia, Dutchess county, yet they also came from New England. Thomas Payne (or Paine, as the name was then spelled), the first one of that branch of the family to arrive in America, landed at Plymouth in 1621, having emigrated from the County of Kent, England. Most of his descend- ants settled in Connecticut.

Thomas Payne, grandfather of our subject, married Sarah Bartlett. The Bartletts were a distinguished family of Redding, Conn., but many members of which settled in Amenia. Daniel C. Bartlett, the father of Sarah Bart- lett, was a valiant soldier of the Revolutionary war; her grandfather, Rev. Nathaniel Bart- lett, second pastor of the Congregational Church in Redding, Conn., served as such for fifty- seven years-the longest pastorate, it is said, known to the New England Churches. He was an ardent supporter of the Revolutionary cause, as appears from the local histories of Redding, Conn.

Benjamin M. Fowler has lived in Pough- keepsie since boyhood. After graduating at the high school there, he took a special course at Riverview Military Academy, and shortly afterward began the study of law with Thomp- son & Weeks, with which firm, and its suc- cessor, Thompson, Weeks & Lown, he spent most of his clerkship, although for a time he was with Anthony & Losey and Robert E. Tay- lor. He was admitted to the bar May 13, 1875. While studying law Mr. Fowler also took up the study of shorthand. As he was the pioneer stenographer in Dutchess county, his services were in constant demand in the various courts in that locality, and he was fre- quently called upon to report speeches and lec- tures of various sorts, as well. He was official stenographer of the Dutchess County Court, Surrogate's Court and State Board of Assess- ors, for a number of years. Many important cases were reported by him during this time. His experience in the surrogate's court and his

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connection with Thompson & Weeks, who were largely employed in the settlement of es- tates, gave him unusual opportunities for ac- quiring a knowledge of the procedure in that line of legal business.

In 1889 he gave up the practice of stenog- raphy to give attention to the settlement of the late John Guy Vassar's estate; he having been appointed by Mr. Vassar an executor of his will. As the estate was an unusually large one, and was the subject of considerable liti- gation, it attracted much public attention. Notwithstanding the litigation was carried through the various courts, including the court of appeals, the estate was finally settled and distributed within three years, a remarkable record, which reflected great credit on Mr. Fowler and his associates. In 1891 he was appointed one of the administrators of the es- tate of the late Hon. Homer A. Nelson, and since 1888 he has been secretary and assistant treasurer of Vassar Brothers' Hospital. While he has never sought or held public office, the fact that these and other large interests have been committed to his care, indicates the es- teem and confidence which his energetic and conscientious discharge of duty has won for him.

On December 15, 1881. at Jersey City, N. J., Mr. Fowler married Miss Ada M. Douglas, daughter of the late M. S. Douglas, a New York merchant. Of this union three children were born: Douglas P., August 11, 1883; Maltby S., July 18, 1886; and Benjamin M., Jr., September 1, 1890.

D R. W. E. ACKERT, a well-known veter- inary surgeon in the town of Rhinebeck, Dutchess county, and an agriculturist of prom- inence, was born in that town October 5, 1840.

Like so many of the substantial and pros- perous citizens of this country, his family was of German origin, the first of the American line coming from the Fatherland at an early date. The grandfather of our subject, John M. Ackert, born about 1784, in the town of Rhinebeck, was a leading farmer in his day; his son William, our subject's father, also a native of Rhinebeck, was born in 1809, and married Maria Pultz, of the same town, born in 1812, a descendant of an old Holland fan- ily. In politics Mr. Ackert was a Republican; and in religious faith was a devout and consist- 17

ent adherent of the Lutheran Church, as is also his wife. They were the parents of four children: John H., a farmer of Rhinebeck, now deceased; Virgil A., a farmer near the old home; Sarah A., who married Egbert G. Tra- ver, also a farmer of that vicinity; and W. E., the subject of this review. The mother is still living and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Traver.

Reared as a farmer's boy, the Doctor en- joyed the educational opportunities afforded by the public schools, and his natural abilities have enabled him to improve upon them by private reading, until he is an unusually well- informed man. In his specialty, the treatment of that noble animal-the horse-he has made thorough study of all the related branches, and stands at the front of his profession. He owns a farm of fifty acres, of which his sons assume the active work, while he devotes his time to his extensive practice.

On November 24, 1864, Dr. Ackert was married to Miss Sarah Hanaburgh, a daughter of Peter H. and Eliza Ann (Montfort) Hana- burgh, of Rhinebeck, the former born in 1812, in the town of Rhinebeck, of German descent. and the latter born October 2, 1849. Four children have been born to the Doctor and his wife, as follows: Edward E., who died March 5. 1891; David H., Jennie and Raymond P., who are all at home. Mrs. Ackert has in her possession a quilt made from the dress of an old slave-Aunt Betta-in the Montfort family. "Aunt Betta " was at least one hundred years old at the time of her death, and had worked in the Montfort family when Mrs. Ackert's mother was a child. In politics the Doctor is a Republican, and takes an active interest in all movements of the day.

R EV. DOCTOR CORNELIUS VINCENT MAHONY, pastor of the Catholic Church at Wappingers Falls, Dutchess county, is a native of New York City, where his birth took place December 1, 1851, and he is a son of Cornelius and Anna O'Connell Mahony, both natives of County Cork, Ireland, the former born on January 18, 1818. After their mar- riage they emigrated to the New World, and in New York City the father engaged in mercan- tile pursuits for about thirty years. He then lived retired until his death in 1893. His wife had long preceded him to the other world. dy- ing in 1869. In their family were two children:

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Michael Juseph, who was born in 1say, and Cornelius Vincent, subject of this sketch.

Doctor Mahony spent his boyhood days in New York City, attending the public schools until eleven years of age, when he entered the Jesuit College, where he remained for seven years. After graduating there he became a student in the Troy Seminary, completing the theological course there at the age of twenty- one: but being too young for ordination he went to Rome, where he took the entire theo- logical course, receiving the degree of D. D. He then traveled through Europe with Dr. McGlynn for three months, after which he re- turned to America. and was located for one year at St. Stephens, in New York City. Dur- ing the following five years he was professor of menta' philosophy and ethics in the Troy Sem- inary, which position he then resigned, and in 1884 came to Wappingers Falls, where he has since been located.

His force of character. talent and ability are phenomenal, and he possesses great power for good among his people. Father Mahony is himself a very intelligent and cultured man, and has done much toward instilling into the minds of his parish children a taste for literature.

E GBERT VAN WAGNER (deceased). The subject of this sketch was born July 21. 1821. in Pleasant Valley. Dutchess county. where he passed his youth. following farming. On May 31. 1848. he was united in marriage with Miss Cornelia B. Pulver, who was born in the town of Pine Plains August 3, 1826, a daughter of Andrus Pulver, a native of the same place. He married Miss Margaret Thomas, and the following children were born to them: Mary, who became the wife of Lewis D. Hedges, a merchant of Pine Plains now deceased : Frances, who married Henry Myers, a farmer and speculator |now deceased ); Cornelia B., our subjects widow: Elizabeth, and Nicholas, who died in infancy. Andrus Pulver was a farmer and hotel keeper. Both he and his wife are deceased.

Our subject and his wife. after their mar- riage, ived a few years on the farm in Pleasant Valley, and hve years in Pine Plains. They then moved to Poughkeepsie. in 1856, and bought the farin wn which Mrs. Van Wagner nw resides. The following children were hoorn to them . Henry. a farmer here, married

to Miss Ruth Brown: Margaret, married to Eley R. Deyo, a merchant. who died August 4. 1887: Albertson, who died October 19. 1855. at the age of twelve years: Walter, who died March ;. isso: and Elizabeth, who became the wife of John J. C. Howe, a farmer. Mr. Van Wagner was a Democrat. and held the office of commissioner of highways for several terms. He took an active part in politics. He was public-spirited, and took a deep in- terest in all matters pertaining to the town and its affairs. He donated the site of the present depot, and was postmaster of the Van Wagner station for about twenty years. His wife was a member of the Presbyterian Church.

John Van Wagner. the father of our sub- ject, was a native of Pleasant Valley. where he was reared. and where he was married to Miss Elizabeth Albertson, born in Pleasant Valley. These children were born to them: Sarah. who became the wife of David Doty. a farmer of Pleasant Valley: Isaac, married to Sally Ann Vincent: Hiram. a farmer, who married Mary Badgley: Elsie, who became the wife of Tunis Conklin, a farmer: Mary A., who died unmarried: Willett, married to Catherine Sill he was a farmer and merchant ; Egbert. our subject: Susan. who died unmarried: and Eli, who died in infancy.

Nicholas Van Wagner, the grandfather, came from Long Island and settled on the farm in Pleasant Valley, where he reared the following children: John, our subject's father; Jacob. a farmer in Pleasant Valley, where he lived and died: Evert, who farmed for a while in Clinton. and then went to the western part of the State, where he died: Solomon. who farmed in Schoharie county: and Esther, married to John Van Wagner, a farmer in the town of Poughkeepsie. The Van Wagners were in the war of 1776.

G EORGE W. CANNON, a prominent resi- dent of Poughkeepsie. Dutchess county, was born July 31. 1834. in New York City. which had been the home of his ancestors for many years.

His grandfather Cannon was a man of note in his day, a soldier in the war of 1812, and at one time the sheriff of New York City. The late Arnout Cannon, our subject's father. was a prominent contractor and builder in Poughkeepsie. He was born July 13. 1805,

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in New York City, and there learned the trade of a mechanic, in 1836 coming to Poughkeep- sie and engaging in the building business, in which he continued until his death, September 12. 1882. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, Lodge No. 266. Poughkeepsie, and held a leading place in many of the pro- gressive movements of the day in his locality. He was married in New York City to Miss Naomi Chilson, a native of Orange county, N. Y., born June 11, 1812, and eight children came to this union: Hester (deceased ); George W., our subject; Charles H., a well-known carpenter of Poughkeepsie; Arnout, Jr., a prominent architect there: William H., a resident of Chicago; Maria, widow of James Gifford: Cornelius L., a leading contractor and builder of Poughkeepsie; and Emma Kate, the wife of Charles E. Schon. The mother of this family is still living in Poughkeepsie.

George W. Cannon, the subject of this review, attended the public schools of Pough- keepsie until he was twelve years old, and then entered the Dutchess County Academy on South Hamilton street. After completing his course there he learned the carpenter's trade in his father's shop, serving an apprenticeship of seven years. His first independent business venture was the establishment of an art store with a photograph gallery attached, which he conducted successfully for six years in the building now occupied by W. H. Van Keuren. He sold this, giving up the artistic surround- ings of oil paintings, and bronze and marble statuary for the prosaic business of a coal dealer, which he followed for three years on Hooker avenue. In this as in all his proj- ects he displayed great enterprise, and he bought and operated the first wood-splitting machine ever seen in the city. After dispos- ing of this business Mr. Cannon traveled through the West for twenty years. and then returned to Poughkeepsie to reside. In 1890 he purchased the old Hicks place, with a man- sion now known as River Villa, the building of which cost over $35.000. Here he enter- tains his friends with lavish yet elegant hospi- tality. During the triangular boat race on the Hudson in June, 1895, between Corneli, Pennsylvania and Columbia, the Cornell crew Inade their home there: also in 1896. Mr. Cannon has been married three times, first time, in the city of Poughkeepsie. to Miss Harriet Hall, who died leaving three children: Irene, now Mrs. Charles Wells, of Indianapo-

lis: Julia, who resides in Indianapolis; and Arnetta, a trained nurse in New York City. Mr. Cannon's second wife was Miss Elizabeth Wyley, of Detroit. Mich., who lived less than a year after their marriage. At Detroit he subsequently married Mrs. Emma Rich, a native of Deep River, Conn., but at that time a resident of Bay City; she has one daughter, Mary B. Rich, a graduate of the School of Music of Vassar College, and now the wife of David Gibson, of Indianapolis. Indiana.

Mr. Cannon has a high standing in financial circles, his business abilities being widely rec- ognized. He owns the patents for the New York Safety Dumb Waiter. also for the Dia- mond Point Nail Set, and derives a large roy- alty from each.

Charles H. Cannon, a younger brother of our subject, was born in Poughkeepsie Novem- ber 6, 1826, and was educated in the city pub- lic schools and the famous old Dutchess County Academy. He learned the trade of sash and blind making with Harry Seaman and Joseph Irish, and after an apprenticeship of two and one-half years he opened a shop of his own on South Hamilton street, where he did well for a few years. But the breaking out of the war bringing " hard times" to his line of work, he gave it up and became foreman of a large car- penter shop at Providence. R. I. , having charge of over forty workmen. After three years there he went to Detroit and spent five years, when he returned to Poughkeepsie and em- barked in the saloon business on Main street, but was burned out in 18;1, since which time he has been engaged in the carpenter's trade.

On June 24, 1855, at Buffalo, N. Y., Mr. Cannon was married to Miss Margaret O'Con- nor, and in 1860 he built his residence on Hooker avenue, Poughkeepsie, where the fam- ily still resides. Of his ten children five are liv- ing: Ettie (Mrs. Albert Jenks ; Fannie, wife of William Brown, of New York City; Emma Kate (Mrs. Fred Rogers : William, a resident of Pittsfield, Mass. ; and Minnie, who married Clarence Martens, of Mt. Vernon.

B URTON A. SNYDER deceased was born in 186;, in the town of Gallatin. Colum- bia Co .. N. Y., and died on Easter eve, April 18, 1897.

Henry Snyder, paternal grandfather of our subject, was born in the town of Livingston. Columbia Co., N. Y., received a common-

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school education, and at an early age began farming, which occupation he continued to follow throughout life. When quite a young man he married Miss Eliza Robison, who was the daughter of a farmer of the town of Liv- ingston. To this worthy couple were born five children: Celia, who married Charles Moore; Mary, who became the wife of William Finger; Catherine, who wedded Theodore Hapeman; Annie; and Charles. The last-named, who was the father of our subject, was born in the town of Livingston, Columbia county, and after completing his literary training in the public schools he took up farming as a life work. He married Miss Mary Warehouse, daughter of John Warehouse, a farmer of the same township, and one child graced this union, Burton A., our subject.

Burton A. Snyder, like his ancestors, re- ceived only a common-school education. At the early age of twelve years he began farm- ing with his uncle, and afterward followed that occupation. In 1889 he married Miss Gertrude Snyder, a daughter of Albert Snyder, a farmer of the town of Red Hook, Dutchess county. The farm, which belongs to Mrs. Snyder, has been in the possession of her fam- ily for many years. It contains 225 acres of as fine farming land as is to be found anywhere in the locality, and is supplied with all the accessories and conveniences to be found upon a model farm of the nineteenth century.

William Z. Snyder, the grandfather of Mrs. Snyder, was a native of the town of Rhine- beck, Dutchess county, where he acquired his education in the district schools, and he also followed farming as a life work. He wedded Miss Margaret Traver, of the same township, and to them were born two children: Albert; and .Anna, who became the wife of Edgar L. Traver. The former was also born, reared and educated in the town of Rhinebeck, but he later purchased the farm in the town of Red Hook, which his daughter now occupies. He was united in marriage with Miss Gertrude M. Burger, of Rhinebeck town, and their only child is Mrs. Gertrude M. Snyder.

W ARREN P. LASHER was one of the most straightforward, energetic and successful business men who ever lived in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, where he de- parted this life in March, 1890. In his death the community was deprived of one of its best.

most useful and public-spirited citizens, and rich and poor alike mourned his departure from their midst, for he was beloved by men in every walk of life.

Mr. Lasher was born at Tivoli, Dutchess county, April 8, 1841, and was the only son of Philip and Catherine (Millham) Lasher, though he had one sister, Carrie C., now the wife of R. C. Brewster, who resides in Brooklyn, N. Y. His father was a merchant of Tivoli, and quite a prominent man in the locality, who served as brigadier-general in the State Militia in the old training days, as postmaster of Tivoli, and as a member of the General Assembly in 1858. He was twice married, his second wife being the mother of our subject.

The education of Warren P. Lasher was obtained in the schools of Tivoli and Claverack, N. Y., and when only sixteen years old he served as Assemblyman's Clerk, while his father was a member of the Legislature. Three years later he became a clerk in the general store of Faulkner Brothers, at Wappingers Falls, where he remained until he was twenty- three years of age, when he came to Pough- keepsie and secured a position in the dry-goods store of Cornwell & Elting. He was after- ward with Spring & Thalheimer, whom Saun- ders & Lasher bought out in 1871, and the firm later became Lasher, Haight & Kelley. They also began the manufacturing business, making ladies' skirts; and after selling out the retail dry-goods business, the firm was changed, Mr. Lasher associating with Luckey & Platt, while still later it became Forbey & Lasher. In the manufacture of skirts and overalls they ran forty machines by water power. The new firm had been in existence about a year when Mr. Forbey, the silent partner, died, and his interest was purchased by Frank Hull, the name being then changed to Lasher & Hull. At the end of eight years our subject sold out his interest to Mr. Hull, and formed a company composed of Lasher, Eastmead & Osborne, for the manufacture of overalls. Mr. Lasher was also a member of the firm of Hermance & Hance, manufacturers of shirts, but later Messrs. Eastmead & Osborne purchased Mr. Hermance's interest, and the name was changed to Hance & Co. On account of failing health, in 1889, Mr. Lasher disposed of his share in in the company of Lasher, Eastmead & Os- borne, but retained his interest in Hance & Co. up to the time of his death.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 48

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