Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 61

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

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Morgan L. Mott, the fourth in order of birth, was born April 14, 1818, and was only a few years old when his parents moved to New York. On leaving school he engaged in the grocery business, and before many years became prominent in the Democratic party there. He was warden at Blackwell's Island for several years. In 1849 he went to Cali- fornia with a party, among whom was Senator Broderick, of New York, who was afterward assassinated. Mr. Mott was in business in San Francisco until 1853, during which time he was active in promoting order, being one of the first aldermen, and serving for several months as president of the board and as act- ing mayor of the city. He also made a trip to San Diego, and brought back nearly 2,000 horses and cattle. On his return to New York he conducted a hotel there until 1863, when he moved to a farm at New Hackensack, where he spent his remaining years.

Mr. Mott married Miss Jane McIntosh, a native of New York City, whose father was a Scotchman. Of their several children, two died in childhood; William B., a farmer, died at the age of forty-five; MORGAN L., JR., is a farmer at the old homestead; Edmond died at fifteen; Robert lives at home, and with his brother manages the farm; Mary Elizabeth, a

lovely girl of beautiful character, died when just budding into womanhood. The home farm is a fine estate of about 200 acres of level land, beautified by trees, and the buildings and other improvements speak well for the enter- prise and good taste of its owners.

L OUIS C. FEIERABEND. Among the prosperous and popular citizens of foreign birth who made their homes in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, will be found the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch, and who was born at Wimpfen-on-the-Neckar, Hessen- Darmstadt, Germany, July 13, 1849.

Jacob Feierabend, grandfather of our sub- ject, was born at Wimpfen, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, July 4, 1780, and died September 20, 1846; was a farmer by occupation; he married Johanna Bramminger, who was born June 1, 1786. and died March 20, 1847.

Fredrick Feierabend, father of our subject. was born April 16, 1811, also at Wimpfen, aud learned the business of comb-making, which he followed all his life. On September 6, 1838, he married Miss Eva Christina Hess, who was born June 20, 1818, at Biebrach O. A. Heilbrom, Wurttemberg, Germany, and children, as follows, were born to them: (1) Christoph F., born February 19, 1840, mar- ried Miss Louisa C. Weying, of Wimpfen, December 18, 1866. (2) Christina Johanna, born February 14, 1841, married Carl Speer, a locksmith, of Wimpfen, March 14, 1865. (3) Christoff Ludwig, born June 6, 1842, died July 17, 1842. (4) Christina Louise, born September 10, 1844. (5) Elizabeth Louise, born October 31, 1846, came to America, Oc- tober 15. 1872, and married William Kraft, of Laufen O. A. Heilbrom, Wurttemberg. Ger- many, April 20, 1874; and (6) Louis Christian, our subject. The father of this family died November 19, 1892; the mother is still living.

Louis Feierabend, the subject proper of this review, learned the comb-making business with his father, but afterward took up butcher- ing as an occupation, following same for two years in Germany. On September 1, 1868, he came to the United States and located in Poughkeepsie, where he had an aunt living. Here he worked for various persons in the butchering business until May 1, 1874, when he started a meat market of his own, on the corner of Jefferson and Church streets. As a partner in the concern he received William

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Kraft, which connection lasted until 1877, when Mr. Feierabend took entire charge. In ISSI he formed a partnership with Charles Haberman, which continued for four years. His present partner is William Knauss, and the firm is well known as an enterprising and reliable one. They do a large retail business in meats of all kind, also some wholesaling.

On May 6. 1874, Mr. Feierabend was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Miller, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., daughter of Valentine Miller, and four children blessed their union: Peter C., born August 29, 1875, died July 8, 1896; Louis Frederick, born July 22, 1877: William Henry, born June 11, 1882; and Louisa Elizabeth, born March 29, 1885. Mr. Feierabend has been very successful, finan- cially, and owes his prosperity solely to his own hard work and good management. He came here a poor young man, working at first for eight dollars a month; to-day he is the owner of a good business, and much valuable property, comprising his brick business block and handsome brick residence, two stores ad- joining his meat market; and two tenement houses on Jefferson street. He stands high in business circles, and is popular with all classes of people. In politics he has always been a stanch Republican, and in religious faith is a member of the German Lutheran Church, in which he has been a trustee for ten years. As a loyal citizen he takes an active interest in all matters of public improvements, and what- ever is projected, tending to the welfare of the city and county, receives his ready support.

R EV. EDWARD J. CONROY, pastor of St. Mary's Church, Poughkeepsie, Dutch- ess county, was born July 10, 1853, in New York City. , His primary studies were made in St. Bridget's Parochial school, and his gram- mar course in the old school on West 24th street, and in the new school house on West 20th street. In 1866 he entered St. Francis Xaviers College, West 15th street, and after a full collegiate course graduated in 1873.

On October 4, 1873, our subject sailed for Europe on the Cunarder "Batavia," and No- vember 5th entered the American College, at Rome, Italy, where, after attending the lec- tures in the Propaganda four years, he was raised to the priesthood May 26, 1877. After several months " doing " Europe, he returned

to America on the then crack Cunarder, " Russia.

Rev. Father Conroy's first missionary work was in the Cathedral on Mott street, New York (now St. Patrick's Church), and after filling, temporarily, a few missions was assigned per manently to St. Michael's Church, West 32nd street, under the charge of Rev. Arthur J. Donnelly, afterward the vicar-general. After three years' duty in St. Michael's, Father Con- roy was assigned to St. Monica's, East 79th street, at that time a new parish under the charge of Rev. James J. Dougherty, LL. D. Almost ten years were spent by him in this new field of labor, when he was assigned to the rectorship of the Church of St. Francis of Assissi, Mt. Kisco, N. Y. After the comple- tion of the church building, which was effected in five months, he was transferred to the charge of St. Joseph's Church, Kingston, N. Y. Three years were spent by him in the spiritual and temporal labor of that parish, about the end of which time he received word to take up his present charge, and finish the new church building that had been commenced under the administration of Father Earley.

The congregation of St. Mary's was organ- ized in 1873. when the edifice on Cannon street, for many years occupied by the Univer- salists, was purchased. This building, now torn down, was erected by the Presbyterians in 1826. The building was purchased for the Catholics by the Rev. Patrick F. McSweeny, D. D., then pastor of St. Peter's Church, of this city, now pastor of St. Brigid's Church, New York City.

The first pastor of St. Mary's was the Rev. Edward McSweeny, D. D., now of Mount St. Mary's College, Emmittsburg, Maryland. The old building was dedicated by His Grace Arch- bishop (afterward Cardinal) McCloskey. The clergymen who assisted the Archbishop were Rev. John M. Farley, his secretary, now assist- ant Bishop and Vicar-General of the Archdio- cese of New York; Rev. Edward McGlynn, D. D., then of St. Stephen's Church, New York; Rev. R. L. Burtsell, D. D., now of Rondout; Rev. P. F. McSweeny, D. D .; Rev. Edward McSweeny, D. D .: Rev. J. C. McSweeny; Rev. Patrick Rigney; and Rev. Fathers Shee- han and Briody.

In 1879, all the church property belonging to St. Mary's was transferred by the Archbishop to a corporation, consisting of the Archbishop, his Vicar General, the pastor, and two laymen.

Edward . & C

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In 1880, the pastor, Rev. Edward McSweeny, being absent in Europe, the Rev. Michael Mc- Swiggan, then acting pastor of St. Mary's, su- perintended the erection of a new parochial school, on South Hamilton street, which was opened in September of that year, with one hundred pupils. Up to the year 1881, the pastor had no regular assistant. In that year, the Rev. John B. Creeden, now pastor at Sing Sing, began his mission in the priesthood as the first assistant pastor of St. Mary's. In 1883, the Decennial was celebrated, and it was then, after ten years of steady growth, and prosperity, that the nucleus for a new edifice was commenced. In 1885, the Rev. Edward McSweeny resigned from parish work to accept a professorship in Mt. St. Mary's College, Em- mittsburg, where he has since been, with the exception of a short time spent in St. Paul, Minnesota. Then came the Rev. Cornelius Donovan (since deceased), who acted as pastor for a short time. On May 13, 1887, the third pastor of St. Mary's was appointed, the Rev. Terence J. Earley. It was under the adminis- tration of Father Earley that the present new edifice was begun. He labored for four years with incessant industry, and was then promoted to the charge of the parish of St. Peter's, at New Brighton, Staten Island.

The present pastor, the Rev. Edward J. Conroy, whose portrait appears here, was ap- pointed pastor of St. Mary's, on April 23, 1891, and under his management the work of com- pleting the new church edifice has been brought to its present satisfactory state. Thus, after a quarter of a century, the congregation of St. Mary's takes possession of one of the hand- somest church edifices in the city.

The general design of the building is of the Gothic order, of the simple rather than the ornate style. The principal façade is faced with Indiana limestone, treated in the rock- faced order, with just sufficient dressed stone trimming to relieve the monotony of the gen- eral rough stone. The front has been extended to embrace porch and tower entrances, and from the tower access to the organ and choir gallery is had by means of a solid ash staircase, trimmed in cherry. On the choir level, or second floor of porch, is a choir meeting room, lighted by a system of small Gothic windows which ex- tend continuously across the entire front. The ceilings of the porches, tower, and under side of organ gallery have been finished in the old English style of exposed rafter and deep panel-

work. The main church ceiling has been treated in the open-work type of truss, the sur- faces between trusses laid off in deep panels, diagonally sheathed and heavily molded. Each truss is finished with cherry-molded tracery work, and bracketed cornice. The aisle ceil- ings are treated to match main roof, but of a more simple style. The entire body of the church has been wainscoted nearly six feet high with Gothic panel work, in combination of cherry and white wood, with neat molded capping and base. The columns are wains- coted to match the walls, as also the face of the gallery. The entire floor surface of the church has been laid, first with one and one- eighth-inch white pine flooring, and on top of this a two-inch thick floor of the best clear long-leaf, comb-grain Georgia pine.

The plaster work of the church is one of its principal merits. It is done in a pearl gray tint stucco plaster, tracery moldings over all windows and other openings, as well as over the interior arches. The iron columns were first encased in fire-proof clay tile, and the finished plaster work then applied. Each column is surmounted by an ornate Corinthian capital, from which the clere-story arches spring in succession. Owing to the large num- ber and size of the windows, it was deemed advisable not to assume the expense at this time of ornamental figured windows in leaded glass work, and for this economic reason the windows have been temporarily glazed with plain amber-tinted glass of several shades, the foliated tracery work of the upper parts being treated in brighter color effects. The building is heated by steam by means of handsome radiators. The gas fixtures, of polished brass, are very handsome, and the gas is lighted from an electric battery placed under the gallery. Any required number of the fixtures may be lighted, one, a dozen, or the entire comple- ment, as may be desired-by a simple turn of the battery crank. There are over three hun- dred lights in the church. Taken in its entirety, the Church of St. Mary's, so near to completion, is a grand tribute to the untiring zeal and ability of its pastor, Rev. Edward J. Conroy.

S TEPHEN A. PERKINS, a well-known merchant, holds a leading place among the enterprising and prominent men of Poughkeep- sie, where his birth occurred May 1, 1846. having always identified himself with its inter-

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ests. He belongs to a family of English or- igin, whose members mostly belonged to the Reformed Dutch Church. His paternal grand- father, Warren Perkins, was a farmer of the town of New Paltz, Ulster Co., N. Y., and his family included two sons: Alexander W., the father of our subject: and Stephen, a car- riage maker, of Washington, Pennsylvania.

The former was born March 1, 1818, upon a farm in the town of New Paltz, Ulster coun- ty, where the first seventeen or eighteen years of his life were passed. He then came to the town of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, and entered into agricultural pursuits, which he has followed, with very few years exception, his entire life; he has held several town offices. He enjoys in a marked degree the confidence and esteem of his neighbors; his vote al- ways being cast with the Democratic party. He was twice married, his first wife, the mother of Stephen A. Perkins, was in her maidenhood Miss Rebecca M. Ackerley, a na- tive of the town of Poughkeepsie, where her father, Lemuel Ackerley, engaged in farming. She was of English lineage, and was called to her reward in 1856. By her marriage she be- came the mother of six children: Jacob A., a business man of Poughkeepsie, who is inter- ested with our subject in the ice business; Syl- vester, who was a carpenter, of Pine Plains, Dutchess county, and died in November. 1893; Stephen A., of this sketch; Jane A., who be- came the wife of J. L. Donaldson, of Ulster county, who died in March, 1894; Elizabeth H., who died unmarried; and William J., a resident of Poughkeepsie, who is interested with our subject in the coal business.

Upon a farm about three miles outside the city limits of Poughkeepsie, Stephen A. Per- kins grew to manhood. attending the dis- trict schools of the neighborhood, and finished his education at the Dutchess County Acad- emy. For one year he was then employed as teacher of a district school, after which he learned the carpenter's trade. following that occupation for about five years. He next be- came connected with the Poughkeepsie & Eastern railroad, serving in a number of differ- ent capacities for about eighteen years. In 1888, in connection with his brother Jacob A., he entered into the ice business, leasing the Morgan Lake. He conducted this business very successfully and made many friends for himself and brother. In May, 1894, he formed a co-partnership with his brother. William J.

Perkins, and Herman King in the coal trade, under the firm name of Perkins, King & Co. They now do a flourishing business, their courteous treatment of customers, and upright, honorable dealings, having won them a liberal patronage.

In 1875 Mr. Perkins was married, the lady of his choice being Miss Charlotte Holmes, who was born in the town of Pleasant Valley, Dutchess county, and is a daughter of George Holmes, also a native of that county, and a farmer and merchant by occupation. He died

about 1886. One child blesses the union of our subject and his wife: Bertram R., who is now a dentist by profession. They are mem- bers and contribute to the support of the Pres- byterian Church, while socially, Mr. Perkins is a prominent member of the Masonic Order, and politically votes the Democratic ticket.

S AMUEL HILTON AMBLER, who is now practically living retired in the village of Stissing, Dutchess county, was for a quarter of a century a prominent merchant of the place. The Ambler family, of which he is a worthy representative, was founded in America during its early history. The first to locate in New England was Richard Ambler, who was born in Somersetshire, England, in 1609, and was one of twenty-four men who organized the town of Watertown, Conn., taking deed for the same from the Indians, and he became a leading resident of that town. He was twice married, and became the father of three chil- dren: Sarah, Abram and Abraham. His death occurred in 1699. Of his family. Abraham, who was a Baptist minister in Bedford, Conn., was born in 1642, and he was also twice mar- ried, his union with Mary Bates being cele- brated in 1662; they made their homein Stam- ford, Conn. Their son John was born in 1668, and in his family were three children: John, Stephen and Martha. The birth of John Am- bler, of this family, occurred at Stamford, Conn., in 1695. and he became a resident of Danbury, in the same State, where he died. By his will he bequeathed his gun and sword to his only son, John. He was the father of seven children: John, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary, Martha, Anna and Rachel. The only son was born in 1733, and died October 21, 1814. By his marriage with Huldah Fairchild he had eight children: Peter, Squire, Stephen, Gilead, Diodote, Silas, Huldah and Deborah. The

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father of these was sergeant of a company of 100 men raised in Danbury, May 17, 1775. which joined the 6th regiment, commanded by Col. David Waterbury.

Peter Ambler, of the above family, was the grandfather of our subject. He was born at Danbury, Conn., September 20, 1759, and there continued to engage in farming through- out life, owning the land on which the Dan- bury fair is now held. During the Revolution- ary war he served as artificer in the Colonial army, and later took a prominent part in pub- lic affairs, being a member of the State Legis- lature for one term. He held meinbership with the Baptist Church, in which he served as deacon, and died in that faith March 7, 1836. On October 21, 1784, he had married Miss Hannah Shove, who was born October 27, 1761, and was the daughter of Deacon Benjamin and Sarah Shove, and their family included the following children: Fairchild, Benjamin, David, Thomas, Joseph, Silas, Sarah, Rachel and Hannah. The mother of these died April 22, 1843.

Rev. Silas Ambler, Baptist minister, father of our subject, was born at Danbury, Conn., March 12, 1798. He was married August 29, 1822, to Miss Eunice D. Olmstead, who was born October 28, 1800, at Wilton, Conn., and died October 3. 1892, at Stanford, N. Y. They had a family of seven children: Samuel H., our subject; Mary E., who makes her home in Greene county, N. Y., is the widow of Ezekial Griffin: Augustus, born April 19. 1829, died April 22, 1852: Catherine, born May 23, 1831, is the widow of Levi Boyce, of Greeneville, N. Y .; Sarah, born January 31, 1835, is the wife of Henry Knickerbocker, of Bangall, N. Y .; Emeline, who was born April 6, 1837, and died April 3, 1869, was the wife of Charles Sheldon, now deceased; and John P., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere. The father was for a time a minister in the Baptist Church, having charge of congregations at Cornwall and Norfolk, Conn., but in 1840, on account of ill health, he gave up preaching and located upon a farm in the town of Stanford, Dutchess Co., N. Y., near Stissing, which is now owned by our subject. He there spent his remaining days, dying November 22, 1857, honored and respected by all.

The birth of Mr. Ambler, the subject of this review, occurred at Danbury, Fairfield Co., Conn., June 3. 1824, but most of his early life was passed at Norfolk, in the same State,

where he attended school and remained a member of the parental household until his marriage, March 20, 1851, in the town of Stanford, Dutchess county, to Miss Olive Boyce, a daughter of Jacob and Olive Morse) Boyce. To our subject and wife have come the following children: Franklin A., born De- cember 31, 1856, died at San Jose, Cal., June 11, 1884; he had married Hattie Vassar (daughter of John E. Vassar;, by whom he had two children-Alice May and Edward Vassar. Emma D. was born May 20, 1858. Asa T., born March 1, 1860, wedded Mary Deuell, and they have two children-Chester Franklin and Olive Martha. Charles, born February 2. 1864, married Elizabeth Vande- water. Alfred Silas, born November 25, 1867, is now the medical superintendent of the Kingston Avenue Hospital, at Brooklyn, New York.

For twenty years after his marriage, Mr. Ambler engaged in agricultural pursuits, but in 1870 he sold his farm, as he had been ap- pointed agent on the N. D. & C. R. R., and erected a store building at Stissing, where he was engaged in general merchandising for twenty-five years, which store is now con- ducted by his sons, Charles and Asa T. He was made postmaster of the village, and also served as agent for the P. & E. R. R. In politics, Mr. Ambler casts his ballot is support of the men and measures of the Republican party, and has held the office of excise commis- sioner. For forty years he has been a member of the Baptist Church, at Bangall, and his genial, social nature makes him a popular citizen.

A LFRED ALLENDORF (deceased was born September 17, 1829, a son of Philip and Elizabeth (Stickle) Allendorf, prosperous farming people of the town of Red Hook, Dutchess county.

After completing his literary education Mr. Allendorf began his mercantile career as a clerk, and gradually worked his way upward. At the close of a few years of preparatory labor in this line, he left the firm by whom he was employed, and established a general mer- chandise store at Upper Red Hook, which they conducted some three years, then coming to Red Hook, they opened a store under the firm name of Conkling & Allendorf, which yen- ture proved highly successful. Through hon-

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

orable and upright dealing they soon gained the confidence of the public, which they suc- ceeded in holding for over twenty years, at the end of which time the partnership was dis- solved, Mr. Allendorf taking the store and Mr. Conkling the lumber and coal business.

On October 11, 1854, our subject was mar- ried to Miss Catherine A. Shook, who was born July 6, 1830, at the old homestead of the Shook family, where her father was engaged in farming. Two daughters blessed this union: (1) Nellie S., born at Red Hook, February 28, 1856, who became the wife of Silas S. Schoon- maker, October 30, 1878, and they now re- side at Poughkeepsie, N. Y .; they have one child A. Allendorf, born January 14, 1880. (2) Fannie L., born at Red Hook, April 27, 1860, married Charles B. Hoffman, and they have two children-Bessie C., born November 11, 1881; and E. Marjorie, born May 15, 1885. Mrs. Schoonmaker and Mrs. Hoffman received their primary educations at the schools of Red Hook, completing their studies at the De- Garmo Institute, Rhinebeck.

John Shook, the father of Mrs. Allendorf, was also a native of the town of Red Hook, where his entire life, was devoted to agricult- ural pursuits. He wedded Miss Nellie Shoe- maker, daughter of George Shoemaker, of Red Hook, and they became the parents of the following children: George Adam, born May 3. 1803, was educated for the ministry of the Reformed Dutch Church, at Carlisle, but ow- ing to ill-health was prevented from accepting a call, and died in 1836; Anna Maria, born March 18, 1805, became the wife of Moses Ring; Cornelia, born June 22, 1807, married Lewis Elseffer: Helen, born September 20, 1809, wedded Everet Traver; Aaron, born Sep- tember 6, 1811, married Catharine Cramer; Gertrude C., born December 21, 1813, re- mained single; Walter, born April 4, 1816, married Eliza A. Allenford; Alonzo, born May 4, 1818, died in infancy; Archibald, born July 24, 1820, wedded Elizabeth Lamoree; Alex- ander, born October 6, 1822, married Clar- issa Squires; John A., born July 3, 1825, mar- ried Frances Lathrop; and Catherine A. (wile of our subject) completed the family.

The integrity of Mr. Allendorf stands as an unquestioned fact in his history-endowed by nature with a sound judgment and an accu- rate, discriminating mind, he did not fear the laborious attention to business so necessary to achieve success. This essential quality was

ever guided by a sense of right which would tolerate the employment only of the means that would bear the most rigid examination, by a fairness of intention that neither sought nor required disguise. He was a thorough Christian, a devout member of the Lutheran Church, and was prominently identified with the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being at the time of his death one of the members of Christian Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Red Hook.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 61

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