Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 54

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

USA > New York > Dutchess County > Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York > Part 54

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The Deans were prominent adherents of the Democratic party for generations previous to the Civil war, and Mr. Dean's first vote was cast for Franklin Pierce in 1852; but in 1855 he joined the Republican party at its organi- zation, and has held to it ever since. In 1859 he was elected town clerk, and the following year justice of the peace, holding each office one term, and declined a renomination. For twelve years he was postmaster at Fishkill, previous to November, 1885, his commission, which was signed by President Grant, bearing date of June 16, 1873. Since 1863 he has shown his interest in educational advancement by continuous service as a trustee of Union Free School, District No. 6, town of Fishkill.

Mfr. Dean was one of the earliest promot- ers in the organization of the Fishkill Rural Cemetery, of which he was made trustee and treasurer, and held both positions for thirty years, but declined re-election as treasurer in 19

1895. His father held the positions of justice, postmaster and school trustee in the same vil- lage for many years before him, and his son, Herman, is now the successor of both, as justice.

Mr. and Mrs. Dean have four children: William Edward is a well-known lawyer in Fishkill; Anna is at home; Herman is justice of the peace, and the editor of the Fishkill Weekly Times ; and Robert Edo is in the mnon- ument business with his father. Mr. Dean's ancestors have been identified with the Re- formed and Episcopal Churches for genera- tions, and most of the family are now members or regular attendants of Trinity Episcopal Church, Fishkill. By virtue of his ancestry Mr. Dean is a member of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution, New York branch, and is also eligible to membership in several other similar societies. Mrs. Dean's grandfa- ther served in the same regiment (the 3d West- chester) that Mr. Dean's ancestors did in the Revolution, and from both sourcees his daugh- ter derives her claim to membership in the Society of Daughters of the American Rev- olution.

W ILLIAM BOSTWICK, one of the busi- est, most energetic, and most enter- prising men of Pine Plains, Dutchess county, is now the president of the Stissing National Bank, the history of which is here given:

A meeting was held at the home of Henry C. Myers, in the village of Pine Plains, February 15, 1839, at which Aaron E. Winchell was chosen chairman, and F. 1. Cur- tiss, secretary, for the purpose of forming a bank under the general banking law passed April 18, 1838. At this meeting Aaron E. Winchell, R. W. Bostwick, Backus Culver, Justus Booth and Cornchus Husted were ap- pointed a committee to report a board of directors, which was as follows: Aaron E. Winchell, R. W. Bostwick, Walter Reynolds, Justus Booth, Backus Culver, Corne- lius Ilusted, Frederick I. Curtiss, George W. Barton, Henry Hoffman, John Ferris, William W. Pulver, bram Dibble, William Winchell, Samuel Deuel, Miles Hart- well, William Eno, and Leonard Kowe. At a meeting of the directors held March 16, 1839, Reuben W. Bostwick was elected president; Witham Eno, vice-president; and Walter Reynolds, attorney for said bank; and April 15, following, Frederick W. Davis was called as cashier. The bank was located in the Dibble store March 23, 1839. At a meeting held August 26, 1817, F. W. Davis resigned, and John F. Hull was appointed. The latter resigned at the meeting of May 4, 1:52, and Reuben Bostwick was appointed cashier. This organization was known as the " Pine Plains Bank."

At a meeting appointed for the organization of a bank held May 29, 1858, the subscribers to the stock thereof voted the name should be " Stissing Bank," and Justus Booth was made president, with Reuben Bostwick as cashier. The lot was purchased June 19, 1858, and contract for building the banking house was made July 10, following. Justus Booth dechning re-election for an-

290

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

other year, Wilham S. Eno was elected president May 14, 1864. At a meeting held March 4, 1865, the name of the bank was changed to "Stissing National Bank." Reuben Bostwick continued as cashier until July 11, 1870, when, at a special meeting, Fred Bostwick, his old- est son, was elected cashier, and William Bostwick was chosen clerk. This continued until the resignation of Fred Bostwick was accepted May 9, 1885, and William Bostwick was appointed cashier by the board and officers. On May 16, 1885, William M. Sayre was appointed assis- tant cashier, and, after his death, J. H. Bostwick was elected asst. cashier May 21, 1887. On Jan. 14, 1896, Will- sam Bostwick was elected president in the place of Will- iam S. Eno, who retired, and J. H. Bostwick was ap- pointed cashier. The bank is now in a flourishing condi- tion, for which great credit is due its efficient officers.

The Bostwick family was founded in Amer- ica by English immigrants. Reuben Bostwick, the father of our subject, was a native of Dutchess county, born in 1821, and was the son of Reuben W. Bostwick, who for many years was a general merchant of Pine Plains. The son was reared in that village, and therc spent his entire life, being associated with his father in the store until he was elected cashier of the bank, in 1852, which position he con- tinued to fill until 1870. He was an able busi- ness man, possessed of more than ordinary ability. He was married to Elizabeth Hunt- ing, daughter of John Hunting, of the town of Pine Plains, and their family included seven children: Fred, of Pine Plains; William, sub- ject of this review; Ida; Hattie; Walter and Walker, both of whom died when young; and J. Hunting. The father did not take an active part in political affairs, but voted the Repub- lican ticket, which is also supported by his sons, and in religious belief the family are Presbyterians.

On December 28, 1851. William Bostwick was born in the town of Pine Plains, where his primary education was received. Later he was a student at College Hill Military Acad- emy, and also at Riverview Academy. At the age of fifteen years he left the school room, and soon afterward obtained a position in the bank, where he served as clerk until 1884, and was then cashier until elected president, in 1896. The banking interests of Pine Plains have for many years been well represented by members of the Bostwick family, and our sub- ject has been one of the most discreet and able officers of the Stissing National Bank. Hle has a remarkable faculty for the conduct- ing and dispatching of business, and his ability to fill the important position which he now occupies has been well proven by his faithful service as cashier.

Mr. Bostwick has been twice married, his

first union being with Miss Belle Eno, who died in 1883. The lady who now shares his name and fortunes was in her maidenhood Miss Eugenia Covey, daughter of Lyman Covey, and to them have been born three sons: Walker, Harry C. and Ralph. Although only interested in politics as a citizen anxious to have good government, Mr. Bostwick has made a careful study of political matters, and casts his ballot in support of the Republican party. Socially, he is identified with the Royal Arca- num. Courteous, genial, well informed, alert and enterprising, he stands to-day one of the leading representative men of his county -- a man who is a power in his community.

H ENRY A. ALDEN (deceased). The his- tory of the privations, anxieties and struggles of the Pilgrim Fathers after the land- ing at Plymouth Rock is brightened by one beautiful strain of romance, the story of John and Priscilla Alden, who were the direct an- cestors of the subject of this sketch. John Alden was one of those (the seventh) who signed the compact in the cabin of the " May- flower" in 1620, and was the last male sur- vivor of the devoted band of voyagers. He was not of the Leyden Church, but, as Brad- ford in his " History of the Plymouth Planta- tion " informs us (the spelling in the original being preserved), " was hired for a cooper at Southampton, where the ship victuled; and being a hopful yong man was much desired, but left to his own liking to go or stay when he came here ; but he stayed and maryed here."

Ile was distinguished for his practical wis- dom, integrity and decision, and carly acquired and retained during his long life a command- ing influence over his associates. He was much employed in public business; was an assistant to the Governor for many years, and in every position he fulfilled his duties promptly and to the satisfaction of his employers. His ances- tors in England have not been traced, so far as is known. He was born in 1599, and died at Duxbury, Mass., September 12, 1687. His marriage took place probably in 1621. Priscilla was the daughter of William Molines (or Mullins), who with his wife came also with the " Mayflower," and both died in February succeeding their landing. Tradition repre- sents Priscilla as being very beautiful in her youth, and John also was a comely person, and considering his other accomplishments it

201

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

is not surprising that when he was sent by Capt. Standish, after the death of his wife, to solicit her hand for the Captain in marriage, she preferred the messenger to the message. " As he warmed and glowed, in his simple and eloquent language, quite forgetful of self and full of praise of his rival, archly the maiden smiled, and, with eyes overrunning with laughter, said, in a tremulous voice, . Why don't you speak for yourself, John?'" Their residence after a few years was in Duxbury on the north side of the village, on a farm still in the possession of their descendants of the seventh generation, having never been alien- ated. He made no will, having distributed the greater part of his estate among his chil- dren during his lifetime.

Jonathan, his third son, with whom he re- sided on the old homestead, administered on his estate and made a final settlement with the heirs, June 13, 1688. The settlement is as follows: " We, whose names are subscribed, personally interested in the estate of John Alden, Sr., of Duxbury, Esquire, lately de- ceased. do hereby acknowledge ourselves to have received, each of us, our full personal proportion thereof from Jonathan Alden, Ad- ministrator thereof, do by these presents for ourselves, our heirs, and executors, acquit, discharge fully, the said Jonathan Alden, his heirs, forever of and from all right, dues, de- mands, whatsoever relating to the aforesaid estate. In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed and sealed this 13th day of June, Anno Domini 1688."- John Alden ( scal), Joseph Alden ( scal). David Alden ( scal); Priscilla Alden ( scal ), William Paybody ( scal), Alexander Standish ( scal) in the right of Sarah. my wife, deceased, John Bass (scal) in the right of my wife Ruth, deceased, Mary Alden (scal . Thomas Dilauno ( seal ). As only eight children are named in this instrument it was · supposed, until recently, that he had no more. Bradford, however, states in his history, that, at the time of his writing, John Alden and his wife Priscilla were both living and had eleven children, and that their eldest daughter was living and had five children. In the document copied above her name is written Priscilla. According to this account the children were: John, born about 1622; Joseph, 1624; Eliza- beth. 1625; Jonathan, Sarah, Ruth, Mary. David, the names of the other three being unknown.

Second Generation: Joseph Alden, of

Bridgewater, farmer, son of John (1), was born 1624, died February 8, 1697. He married Mary, daughter of Moses Simmons, Jr., and had five children, viz .: Isaac, Joseph (born 1667), John. Elizabeth and Mary.

Third Generation: Deacon Joseph Alden, Bridgewater, farmer, son of Joseph, was born in 1667. He married Hannah, daughter of Daniel Dunham, of Plymouth, who died June 13, 1748. Their children were, viz .: Daniel, born January 29, 1691; Joseph, August 26, 1693, died December 9, 1695; Eleazer, Sep- tember 27, 1694; Hannah, in February, 1696; Mary, April 10, 1699; Joseph, September 5, 1700, died October 5, 1700; Jonathan, Decem- ber 3, 1703, died November 10, 1704; Samuel, August 20, 1705; Mehitabel, October 18, 1707; and Seth, July 6, 1710.

Fourth Generation: Samuel Alden, of Titicut, son of Deacon Joseph, was born Au- gust 20, 1705, and died in 1785. He was married in 1728 to his first wife, Abiah, daugh- ter of Capt. Joseph Edson, and had nine chil- dren, viz. : Abiah, born 1729; Mehitabel, 1732; Sarah, 1734; Samuel, 1736; Josiah, 1738; Simeon, 1740; Silas died aged twenty-one years; Mary; Hosea, killed by the kick of a horse. Samuel Alden married, in 1752, his second wife, who was a daughter of Josiah Washburn.

Fifth Generation : Josiah Alden was a. farmer at Ludlow, Mass. He was married, in 1761, to Bathsheba Jones, of Raynham, and had nine children: Elijah. Azel, Abiah, Bathsheba, Charity, Josiah, Lucy, Rebecca and Benjamin.

Sixth Generation: Josiah Alden, of Lud- low, a farmer, was born September 3, 1773, and died in 1833. He married Olive Brown, and had ten children, viz .: Azel, Justin, Char- ity, Zenas, Washington Brown, Charles, John, Mary, Oramus, Eunice.

Seventh Generation: Zenas Alden, of Lud- low and Springfield, Mass., was born Novem- ber 1. 1795, and died in January, 1840; he married Betsey Taylor, of Hartford, Conn .. and had six children, viz .: George Washing- ton, who died at Springfield in 1863 or 1864; Henry A., our subject; Charles, a resident of Hartford. Conn .; Jane; Caroline married a Mr. Taylor. of Hartford, Conn. ; and William.

The late Henry A. Alden was born March 10, 1823, at Springfield, Mass., where his father was engaged in manufacturing rifles for the U. S. Government. During his boyhood

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

he attended the public schools of his native place, and at eighteen he became associated with Charles and Henry Goodyear. the well- known inventors, in the manufacture of India- rubber goods. After several years with themn. he opened a factory on Staten Island in 1847. under the name of the New York Rubber Co. In 1857 the works were removed to Fishkill- on-Hudson, and, as Mr. Alden had become familiar with the rubber-goods trade in all its branches, he was made superintendent. Hav- ing become a leading stockholder in the com- pany, he was elected president, and held this position until his death, which occurred De- cember 6, 1882. His business cares prevented him from taking an active part in public affairs, but he was a stanch Republican in politics, and was always ready to encourage any measure for local improvement.

On July 16, 1847. he was married to Miss Mary M. Bishop, of Woodbury, Litchfield Co., Conn .. and two sons were born of this union. The elder. Henry Bishop Alden, was born at Newtown, Conn .. February 17, 1850. and died September 30, 1875. He was married June 20, 1872. to Miss Susie B. Van Liew. daughter of Henry and Mary Fitzgerald Van- Liew, of Sing Sing. N. Y. They had one daughter posthumous . Mary, born February 3. 1876, at Sing Sing. The youngest son, George Fuller Alden, was born March IO, 1853, at Newtown, Conn .. and died March 7. IS86. He was married June 14. 18;7, to Miss Cornelia DuBois, daughter of Henry and Adelia (Van Voorhis) DuBois, of Fishkill. N. She survives him with one daughter, Edith, who was born at Fishkill. December 15, 1881.

Mrs. Henry A. Alden was the second in a family of four daughters, the others being Fannie, Emily M., and Elsie M .. who is the wife of George C. Smith, of Fishkill. The father, Miles Bishop, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and his regiment was stationed at London, Conn., to guard Fort Griswold, when Roger Griswold was governor of Connecticut. Mrs. Aiden's paternal great-grandfather was Miles Bishop, and her grandparents were Lu- ther and Sybil |Long, Bishop, who had nine children: Charles, Salmon, Julia, Raney, Thyrza, Seth, Salle, Garwood and Miles. Her maternal great-grandparents were Aner Ives, who was born January 13. 1740, and his wife Rachel, born June 11, 1744. Their son Asael. Mrs. Alden's grandfather, born June 25.

1,64, married Elsie Foote who was born October 19. 1756. They had eight children, whose names with dates of birth are as follows: Amasa. October 15. 1784: Asael W .. August 31. 178 ;: Fannie, February 16, 1790: Garrett, March 19, 1792; Cynthia, January 23. 1795; Harmon, March 31, 1797: Nancy, January 17, ( Soo died in infancy); and Nancy 2%, April 16. 1804.

Elsie Foote Ives, Mrs. Alden's grandmoth- er, was a daughter of Abraham and Lucy Willnot) Foote; her father was a captain in the Revolutionary army, and also served in the French and Indian war.

G EORGE W. OWEN, the well-known edi- tor of the Fishkill Journal, which has been for many years a powerful aid to the best interests of the community, is one of the most prominent citizens of Matteawan, Dutchess county.

On the paternal side Mr. Owen is descended from a family which has long been held in es- teem in Putnam and Westchester counties, his ancestors having been among the earliest set- tlers in the vicinity of Peekskill. He first saw the light in Orange county, N. Y., near the southwestern border of the town of New Wind- sor, and his youth was spent upon a farm. Possessing an active and inquiring mind. he devoted his evenings and the few moments of leisure that he could nind, amid the exacting duties of farm life, to reading and study, thus supplementing the limited educational advan- tages afforded by the brief winter terms of the country schools. In this manner he mastered not only the ordinary branches but the higher mathematics and the natural sciences, and made a thorough study of the English language and literature, giving also some attention to Latin, on account of the assistance which it would give in the analysis of English. Saving something from his earnings, he managed to take a course in a large academical institution, where his time was chiefly spent in reviewing the studies that he had pursued in private. He had feared that some erroneous conclusions might have been made by him, but it is hardly necessary to state that he found that his thor- ough work in the seclusion of the farm enabled him to take a high rank among the pupils to whom "Dame Fortune " had apparently shown more favor.

The employment which first became avail-

293

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

able was that of teaching school, and this he followed for about eight years. In 1865 he purchased the Fishkill Journal, then a small weekly published in Fishkill Village. It was printed upon an old-fashioned hand press, as were most of the similar papers of that time; but after working for a year with this anti- quated plant, he procured a cylinder press and new type, and brought out the Jour- mal in a new dress. He also enlarged it, and, as he was a Republican, he could not re- frain from making the paper, which had pre- viously been neutral, reflect his own views upon the stirring issues of the Reconstruction period. Andrew Johnson, raised to the Presi- dency through the death of Abraham Lincoln, was then setting himself at variance with the party that elected him, and the Fishkill Jour- nal, with its earnest discussions of the prob- lems of the hour, became a power in Dutchess county politics. In the fall of 1877 Mr. Owen purchased a job-printing office in Matteawan, and for several years conducted this, as well as the Journal office in Fishkill Village. In August, 1882, he removed the Journal plant to Matteawan, and combined the two estab- lishments. On September 14, 1885, he started the Fishkill Daily Journal, which he con- ducts in connection with the weekly edition.

In his journalistic work Mr. Owen has been identified with all that is enterprising and up- lifting to the community, encouraging philan- thropic movements and endorsing every effort for advancement in whatever line. Some sub- stantial advantages gained of later years could no doubt be traced to his influence exerted either personally or through the columns of his paper, and his power for good has been none the less real for being quietly used. Mr. Owen has also devoted some time to literary work, and is the author of two works of fiction of a somewhat practical nature, which were well received by the public, and had a large sale.

Although Mr. Owen has never sought pub- lic office, he was for several years a member of the Matteawan board of education, and his fine abilities make him a valued adviser in vari- ous enterprises, notably the Matteawan Sav- ings Bank, of which he is a trustee. He has been for many years a member of the F. & A. M., Beacon Lodge No. 283.

During his journalistic career, Mr. Owen's recreations have consisted chiefly in making tours through various parts of the United States. Having a passion for natural scenery,

he has most frequently visited the regions whose features were picturesque, grand or beautiful. The wilderness of the Adirondacks; the grand cataract of Niagara; the picturesque St. Lawrence river, with its Thousand Is- lands, its rushing rapids, where the steamboat, with its human freight, plunges down between the rocks asif to certain destruction, the quaint old city of Quebec; also the rugged White mountains of New England, with their snow- capped Mount Washington ; the orange groves of Florida; the far West; the grand Sierra Nevadas; California, with all its marvelous beauties and resources-these have all been scenes of his travels and themes for his pen, wherein he entertained his readers with many a well-written article. Thus he combined business with pleasure and profit to his readers.

The most important of these travels was an extended tour across the continent, when the Pacific railroad had been completed but a comparatively short time, and the country opened up by this great thoroughfare was still in almost its native wildness. Going by rail, he took plenty of time, stopping at various points of interest along the way, writing, graph- ically, descriptive articles for his paper. The unique features of the desert plains, then roamed over by the buffalo, the antelope, the lively coyote, and other wild animals in their native freedom, were set forth in entertaining articles. He visited Salt Lake City, when Brigham Young was living and reigning in all his glory, and had an interview with the great Mormon. Continuing his journey by rail to California, he passed over the Sierra Nevadas in the month of June, when the snow in huge banks still lay in the gorges, and the scene was one of wild and rugged grandeur. Arriv- ing in San Francisco, he remained in that city for a considerable time, and then started out in excursions through various parts of that remarkable country. Railroads were not as numerous there then as now, and a large part of the travel was done in stages over thorough- fares which could only be termed roads by courtesy; and on horseback through trackless forests. He reached the famous Yosemite Valley in this manner, part of the way by stage, and when a point was reached where no trace of a road existed, the remainder of the journey was performed on the back of a mus- tang, the only paths being simply trails where previous traveling parties had left footprints. Here, also, he visited the famous Mariposa

294

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

grove of big trees, the greatest known giants of the forest, and performed the oft repeated feat of riding on horseback through a hollow log which lay prostrate on the ground.

After establishing himself for a time in the Yosemite Valley, and familiarizing himself with its grand and wonderful features, he made frequent excursions on horseback among the lofty mountains of the Sierra range in the vicinity, among snow banks in summer, the intrepid mustang climbing cliffs where a man alone would find it difficult to keep his footing.

Mr. Owen's articles on the Yosemite Val- ley and the big trees were pronounced to be fine literary productions, highly entertaining to his readers; and after his return he embodied some of these in a lecture, which he delivered free on several occasions. These articles are preserved now only in the old files of the Journal.

H ENRY TIEDJE, a leading confectioner of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, was born August 27, 1858, in the village of Ring- stead, Province of Hanover, Germany, the son of Henry and Bertha Tiedje.

Our subject was educated in the schools of his native place, and at the age of seventeen started out to make his way in the world, with with no capital but his own abilities. He bame to America to find a better field for his energies than the Fatherland afforded, and lo- cated first in New York City, where a brother secured him employment in a small confection- ery store. In New York he remained seven years, engaged in various occupations, and then went to Poughkeepsie to work as a candy- maker for Charles H. Gerdes. On May 24, 1883, Mr. Tiedje bought the business of his employer, and has continued it since at the old stand, No. 358 Main street, with the ex- ception of three years at No. 366 Main street. In 1893 Mr. Tiedje bought the building in which his store is located. His success has been remarkable, and is based solely upon industry, economy and good business man- agement. He manufactures his own plain candies, soda water and ices, in which he has an extensive trade.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 54

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