Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 69

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 69


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As an ardent Republican Mr. Haight takes an active share in party work, and has been a delegate to several county conventions. Since 1856 he has been a member of the M. E. Church, of which he has now been a steward for eight years and trustee for six years. He and his wife are both helpful in Church work,


and are teachers in the Sunday-school. He is also a member of the Sons of the Revolu- tion. Of his nine children by his first wife five died in infancy, and a brief record of the others is as follows: Eleanor A., the eldest survivor, married John R. Phillips, of Fishkill, and died March 20, 1886, leaving one son, Charles H. Edgar Holden resides at the Bev- erly Haight homestead. Beverly W. is in the grocery business at Newark, N. J. Grace A. married Charles D. Rogers, a farmer and dairy- man near Fishkill village. Mr. Haight has been engaged for several years past in the compilation of a genealogy of the Haight Family with the expectation of publishing it in book form.


A KIN FAMILY, whose name both in past and present times has been closely asso- ciated with the most important events in the history of this section, is of Scotch origin.


John Akin, the first ancestor of whom there is a definite account, was born in Scotland in 1663, and when about seventeen years of age he came to America and located at Dartmouth, Mass. He married Mary Briggs, who was born August 9, 1671, a daughter of Thomas Briggs. Of their ten children, the eldest son, David, born September 19, 1689, at New Bedford, Mass., engaged in farming, and after his marriage to Sarah Allen came to Dutchess county and made his home at Quaker Hill. Two children were born to him, John and Jonathan. John Akin, the great-grandfather of Miss Mary J. Akin, of Pawling, married Margaret Hicks, by whom he had one son, John: that son, John, married Mollie Ferris, and had the following children: Albro, Sarah, Margaret, Ann, Daniel and Amanda. John Akin also had three daughters: Ann, Mary and Abagail.


Albro Akin, our subject's father, was born at Quaker Hill, March 6, 1778, and in his day was one of the leading citizens of Dutchess county. On March 24, 1815, Gov. Daniel D. Tompkins appointed him to the office of judge of the court of common pleas for life, as was the custom in those days. When he was sixty years old he resigned, having been judge for twenty-three years. This position he filled with distinguished ability. His first wife, Paulina Vanderburgh, who was born Decem- ber 15, 1783, died in 1810, leaving three chil- dren: Albert John, who married Jane Will-


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iams; Almira V., the wife of Joshua L. Jones; and Helena Maria, who married John W. Tay- lor. Mr. Akin's second wife, Sarah (Merritt), died without issue, and he married a third wife, Jemima Thorne Jacacks, daughter of David and Mary (Thorne) Jacacks. Seven children were born of this union: (1) Mary J., who has always been a leader in the social life of the locality, filling every duty with grace and dignity. Among other events in which she took part was the ceremony attending the opening of the Harlem railroad, where she was chosen to hand the shovel to the one who broke the first sod for that undertaking. (2) William Henry, who married (first) Martha Taber, and (second) Sarah Miller, and had two children: Albro, who married Emma Read, and has two children-Albert and Helen; and Amy, who married Benjamin Aymer Sands, and has one daughter-Mary E. (3) Cornelius is still single. (4) Gulielma Maria Springet Penn was named after William Penn's wife, whose name was Gulielma Maria Springet Penn. (5) Amanda, who married Dr. Charles W. Stearns. (6) Annie, who married Will- iam Hamilton Ogden, and has one daughter- Harriet Hamilton. (7) Caroline, who married Adolph Wilm-Beets, from Hamburg, Ger- many.


L EACH FAMILY, THE, which has long held a prominent position in the town of Pawling, Dutchess county, is one of Colonial stock, and by intermarriage it is related to others of our leading pioneer families, notably the Akin and Ferris lines, so well known in the history of this region. The genealogical rec- ords of these families give interesting data of the early times.


Amos Leach (I), the head of the Leach family, came from Wales to America with two brothers, and landed in Massachusetts. After living there for some time he moved to Con- necticut and settled in Leach Hollow, town of Sherman. He married Mercy Martin, of Do- ver, Dutchess county, and to their union were born seven sons and five daughters, as follows: (1 )Amos Leach HI) married Deborah Wan- zer, November 25, 1752. 12) John Leach married (first Martha Wanzer, April 2, 1760, and (second Hannah Page, July 9, 1772; he removed in 1785 to New Fairfield, Vt., with his large family of children, where many of his later descendants are still living; he was


the executor of his father's will, which is now on file at Danbury, Conn. (3) Simeon Leach married Elizabeth Prindle, January 22, 1766, (4) Ephraim Leach married Dorothy Bennett, February S, 1762. (5) Ebenezer Leach is more fully spoken of farther on. (6) James never inarried. (7) Ichabod Leach married Ruth Marsh, January 1, 1776. (8) Mercy Leach married Ebenezer Wright. '9) Sarah Leach married Silas Hall, January 4, 1757. (10) Jemima Leach married David Prindle, January 19, 1763. (11) Miriam Leach mar- ried Samuel Marsh, November 13, 1771. (12) Johannah Leach married Thomas Northup, August 25, 1757.


Ebenezer Leach, fifth son of Amos Leach (I), married Mary Marsh, daughter of Elihu and Mary Marsh, whose children were: Elihu, Joseph, Samuel, John. Daniel, Amos, Sophia, Eunice, Lydia, Mary and Ruth. Ebenezer Leach and his wife Mary (Marsh) had three children: Lucy, who married Husted Wan- zer; William, who is mentioned below; and Susanna, who married Gilbert Lane, and had eleven children.


William Leach (I), second child of Ebe- nezer Leach, was married 25th of the 10th month, 1792, to Charlotte Stedwell, who was born 19th of 5th month, 1772, daughter of Gilbert and Mary Stedwell. To William Leach and his wife were born the following children: (1) Anna Leach, born 27th of 9th month, 1793. married Abraham Wanzer (no issue). (2) Mary Leach, born LIth of roth month, 1795, died November 30, 1875, aged eighty years; she married Philo Woodin, of Columbia, N. Y., February 26, 1822, and had three chil- dren. (3) Moses W. is more fully spoken of below, (4) Lucy Leach, born 4th of 7th month, 1800, died May 28, 1885, aged eighty- five years lacking five weeks, married Ebene- zer Wanzer, October 26th, 1820, and had three children. (5) Susan Leach, born 21st of Ist month, 1803, died February 27, 1885, married George Mooney, November 17, 1825, and had five children. (6) Phebe Leach, born 1 3th of 6th month, 1805, died January 16, 1867, married Jacob Wanzer, October 26, 1826, and had six children, (7) Ira Leach, born 4th of roth month, 1807, died May 7, 1857. married Elizabeth Haviland, November 12, 1830, and had three children. (8) Merritt H. Leach, born 11th of 12th month, 1809, died October 13, 1850, aged forty-one years, ten months; he married (first) Phebe Dorland


L


MARTIN LEACH


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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHIICAL RECORD.


Purdy, and (second) Susan W. Marriot, Octo- ber 10, 1838, by whom he had three children. (9) Paulina Leach, born 26th of 12th month, ISHI, died July 14, 1882, in the seventy-first year of her age; she married Dr. David Sands, of New York City, June 16, 1834, and had eleven children. (10) William Leach (11), born 4th of 6th month, 1815, died October 19, 1874, aged fifty-nine years, four months and thirteen days, married Catherine Peck, of Brookfield, Conn., and had three children. (II) Jane Charlotte Leach, born 31st of Ist month, 1818, died March 9, 1852, aged thirty- four years, one month, married David Sanford Dunscomb, of Reading, Conn., and had three children. The father of this family died No- vember 20, 1860, aged eighty-nine years and thirteen days. The mother passed to her final rest in September, 1846, aged seventy-four years and four months.


Moses W. Leach, third child of William Leach (I), was born 18th of 3rd month, 1798, died October 18, 1848, aged fifty years and seven months. He married Phebe Akin, Sep- tember 26, 1821, and they became the parents of seven children, as follows: (1) Peter A., born January 16, 1824, died March 29, 1888, aged sixty-four years, two months and sixteen days. (2) Anna A., born October 19, 1825, died Au- gust 31, 1860. (3) LILLIUS CORNELIA, born August 22, 1829, is the one who furnished the data for this memoir. (4) Isaac A., born No- vember 20, 1833, died July 22, 1855. (5 & 6) Elizabeth F. and Abigail (twins), born April 9, 1837; the former died May 17, 1856, aged nineteen years, one month and four days, the latter died August 8, 1837, aged four months. (7) MARTIN, whose portrait here appears, was born September 6, 1839, at Kinderhook, Co- lumbia Co., N. Y., and is the only male de- scendant living of this Leach family. He had a high-school education, is a farmer by occupa- tion; he is living at the old Akin homestead, as is also his sister, Lillius C. In religion and politics, father and son represent the same.


Moses W. Leach, the father of this inter- esting family, was of an ingenious turn of mind, and invented the first mowing machine. He had a good education for his day, and was well-informed on all questions of the times in which he lived. In religious faith he was a member of the Friends Society, and in politics he was a stanch Democrat, but no office- seeker.


Jonathan Akin (1), son of David and Sarah


Akin, of Quaker Hill, the great-grandfather of L. C. Leach and her brothers and sisters, was represented in the government ; also his grand- son, Jonathan Akin ( Il), the son of Isaac A. and Anna Wing Akin, of Pawling. The fore- fathers were people of large estates, and agri- culturists by profession. The Akin family were people of high standing, and were well known at home and abroad.


GENEALOGY OF THE AKIN FAMILY, OF DARTMOUTH .- John Akin, of Scotland, emi- grated to America about 1680, and settled at Dartmouth, Bristol Co., Mass. He died June 13, 1744, aged eighty-three years. He was twice married, first to Hannah Briggs, and (second) to Miss Sherman. He had fifteen children, namely: (1) David, born September 19, 1689, married Sarah Allen, and they set- tled on Quaker Hill. (2) Thomas, born March 20, 1702, married Abigail Allen, of Dartmouth, in 1727. (3) James, born August 1, 1706, married, November 14, 1728, Anne Fish; his second wife was Ruth Sandford. (4) Benjamin married Eunice Taber, September 13, 1739; second wife, Lydia Almy; third wife, widow Barker, from whom he separated in about one year; he died in 1800, aged eighty-seven years. (5) Ebenezer, who was a militia captain, died November 16, 1770. (6) Timothy, born June 6, 1695, died a bachelor. (7) Elihu, born Au- gust 6, 1720, married Ruth Penny, in 1744; for his second wife he married Miss Wilcox, when he was seventy years old. (S) Joseph was lost at sea. (9) Deborah, born December 30, 1692. (10) Mary, born January 23, 1697, married a Mr. Aldin, and died aged over ninety years. (11) Hannah, born March 12, 1699. (12) Judith, born January 1, 1691, married John Getchel, April 10, 1727; she died aged ninety-three years. (13) Elizabeth, born May 20, 1704. (14) Susanna, born September 27, 1718, married Hicks, of Fall River. (15) Abigail.


David Akin, eldest son of John Akin, came to Quaker Hill and there settled. He and his wife Sarah (Allen) reared a family of ten chil- dren, as follows: (1) John Akin married Mar- garet Hicks, of Portsmouth, R. I., January 29, 1742, she died October 8, 1803, and he passed away April 7, 1779. (2) Mary Akin married Abraham Thomas, at Dartmouth, July 24, 1740. (3) Elisha Akin married Elizabeth Tripp, July 5, 1734. (4) Josiah Akin married Judith Hurdleston, of Dartmouth, in 1746. (5) Abigail Akin married Murry Lester. (6) Sarah


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Akin died young. (7) Hannah Akin married James Birdsall. (8) James Akin married Patience Howard. (9) David Akin ( 11) mar- ried Deborah Gray. (10) Jonathan Akin (born July 26, 1737) married Lillius Ferris, daughter of Benjamin (I) and Phebe (Beecher) Ferris. They had eight children, whose names and dates of birth and their matrimon- ial partners are here given: Elizabeth, April 3, 1758, married Peleg Howland, son of Na- thaniel Howland. (2) Isaac, August 27, 1759. married Anna Wing (daughter of Jersham Wing and Rebecca, his wife), moved to Canada, and their two children were-Martha, who married Daniel Merritt, and Jonathan Akin (11), who married Harriet Taber. (3) Martha, March 1, 1761, married William Taber, son of Thomas Taber. (4) Benjamin, October 26, 1762, married Martha Palmer, daughter of John and Hope Palmer; moved to Green- bush; Benjamin Akin was drowned in the Hud- son river. (5) Abigail, March 9, 1764, mar- ried Mathew Pendergast, and had two children -William and Lillius. (6) Sybil, November 26, 1767. married William Field. (7) William, June 13, 1769, married Matilda Cary, daughter of the eldest Dr. Ebenezer Cary (lived in Greenbush). (8) Peter is more fully referred to below.


Peter Akin, of Pawling, Dutchess county, was the youngest child of Jonathan and Lillius (Ferris) Akin, grandson of David and Sarah (Allen) Akin, of Quaker Hill, and great-grand- son of John Akin, of Scotland, who came to America about 1680, and settled at Dart- mouth, Bristol Co., Mass. He was born Jan- uary 8, 1771, and married Abigail Ferris, only child of Mathew and Sarah (Kelly) Ferris. They became the parents of the following chil- dren: (1) Sarah Akin married Jesse Skid- more, and had four children, viz .: Peter A., who married Ruth Moore; Andrew J., who married Fannie Wing; and Elizabeth and Abi- gail (both deceased ).


(2) Mathew F. Akin. (3) Phebe Akin, born September 1, 1803, married Moses W. Leach, died February 21, 1858, aged fifty-four years [record of children, etc., given in Leach genealogy]. (4) Lillius Akin married Daniel P. Haviland, and had nine children, as follows: Elizabeth F. mar- ried Thomas Wetherald; William T. married Elizabeth D. Hoag; Abigail A, married Philip H. Haviland; Isaac HI. died August 15, 1858, aged eighteen years; Jonathan A. married Angeline Hungerford; Daniel J. was drowned;


Lydia W. married Merritt Haviland; Lillie A. married Samuel R. Neave; and Joseph H. married Ella Patchen. (5) William P. Akin, born July 23, 1810, died August 16, 1882, aged seventy-two years and twenty-three days: he married Lydia Moore, October 23. 1833, and to their union came the following chil- dren: Ruth M. Akin married Franklin Haight (deceased); Abigail F. Akin married Charles Wild; Jonathan Akin married Anna Tweedy (both now deceased ;; Lydia Akin married Cyrus Hiliker (deceased); Anna MI. Akin mar- ried Daniel Edward Wanzer (both now de- ceased). (6) Isaac Akin (2) died February 17. 1863, aged forty-nine years. (7) John Akin died March 28, 1829. (8) Peer Akin died in October, 1805. (9) Infant son, died 1797. (10) Infant daughter, died 1799. The father, Peter Akin, died December 2, 1860, aged eighty-nine years, ten months and twenty-five days. The mother, Abigail, passed away July 16, 1844, aged seventy years.


GENEALOGY OF THE FERRIS FAMILY .- Samuel Ferris and Jerusha Reed, Presbyterian or Puritans, came from Reading, England, probably about the year 1678. There are records in Stratford showing that the Ferris family were in America in 1650.


Zachariah Ferris, son of Samuel Ferris, married Sarah Noble in 1698, and had eight children, whose names with dates of birth are as follows: (1) Deborah, June, 1700; (2) Jo- seph Ferris, September 27, 1703, married Hannah Weltch, November 11, 1725; (3) David Ferris, May 10. 1707; (4) Benjamin Ferris, November 10, 1708; (5) Sarah Ferris, Novem- ber 10, 1710 (the first white child born in New Milford, Conn.); (6) Hannah Ferris, August 6, 1712; (7) John Ferris, February 6, 1714, more fully spoken of below; (8) Zachariah, September 30, 1717. Five children of this family, viz. : David, Benjamin, Hannah, John and Zachariah became eminent and valuable Quaker preachers. Their lovely mother also became a Friend or Onaker in the early days of that society.


Benjamin Ferris, fourth child of Zachariah Ferris, married Phebe Beecher, of Litchfield, Conn. They had eight children, whose names with dates of birth are here given: Zebulon, born March 19, 1729; Reed, born August 16, 1730, married Anna Tripp; Susannah, born September 8, 1731, married Elijah Doty; Lillius, born July 9, 1736, married Jonathan Akin, son of David Akin; Benjamin, born Sep-


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tember 25, 1738; Gilbert, born March 15, 1740; Phebe, born and died 1734; and Ed- mond, born July 4, 1748.


Benjamin (III) Ferris, son of Benjamin ( H), married Mary Howland, and seven children were born to thein, as follows: Walter, Jan- uary 1, 1768; Lillius, September 25, 1769; Wayman, September, 1771; Edwin, February 20, 1778; Peleg, January 21, 1781; Ebor, May 26, 1784; Phebe, January 28, 1788.


John Ferris, seventh child of Zachariah I), and grandson of Samuel Ferris, was tortured and killed by the Indians betwen 1740 and 1750. He married, and had two children- Zachariah and Huldah (the last named married a Mr. Beardsley). Zachariah married Huldah Adams, granddaughter of John Adams, from Wales, who lived to the age of 110 years. To their union were born the following children: (1) Mary, who married Seth Whittock, and had one daughter -- Nannie, who married Philo- men Prindle, and had eleven children; (2) Betsey, who married Ebor Ferris, son of Ben- jamin Ferris, of Quaker Hill, thus bringing to- gether the two branches of the family. They had twelve children, of whom three died in childhood, and one, Zachariah, in 1825, at the age of seventeen. (3) Julia Ann, married Cal- vin Hyde, and had nine children.


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L EWIS D. HEDGES (deceased) was for several years one of the leading merchants of Pine Plains, Dutchess county. He is a na- tive of that section, born at Jackson Corners, town of Milan, Dutchess county, in 1812, and on both the paternal and maternal sides was descended from old English families, who lo- cated on Long Island at a very early day in the history of this country. His grandfather, John Hedges, was there born, and his farm on Long Island is now owned by one of his grandsons. He there married Jerusha Hunting, daughter of Rev. Hunting, the first Presbyterian minister on that island, who had seven daughters. To Mr. and Mrs. Hedges were born seven chil- dren: Mrs. Jerusha Huldred; Mrs. Lucinda Hedges; Mrs. Harriet Hand: Stephen; John; Josiah; and Harriet, who died unmarried.


Prior to 1812, Josiah Hedges, the father of our subject, removed to Dutchess county, lo- cating in the town of Milan, where he engaged in farming, and was one of the prominent and representative men of the community. He was


united in marriage with Elizabeth Dibble, daughter of Christopher and Eliza Dibble, and to them were born two children: Mary, wife of Isaac Smith, whose descendants now live at Millbrook, Dutchess county; and Lewis D. The father was called from this life in 1844, and his wife died in 1851.


In the district schools of the town of Milan, Lewis D. Hedges secured his elementary edn- cation, and being a great reader he became a well-informed man. In 1840 he began general merchandising in Pine Plains, and later formed a partnership with William Davis, which con- nection was continued for about a year. He carried on mercantile pursuits up to the time of his death, which occurred on January 4, 1859, and met with a well-deserved success. His first location was where the opera house now stands, but he later removed to the store which is now owned by W. S. Eno. He was one of the foremost merchants of the place, and was highly respected by all with whom he came in contact.


On August 1. 1844, Mr. Hedges led to the marriage altar Miss Mary Pulver, daughter of Andrus and Margaret (Thomas) Pulver, who were of English descent. Her paternal grand- father. Nicholas N. Pulver, resided on a farin east of the village of Pine Plains, and by his marriage with Polly Parks had children : Andrus, Nicholas, Filer, Mary, Sutherland, Matilda, Lewis and Julia. His death occurred in 1850, and his wife died in December, 1856. The father of Mrs. Hedges was born in 1800, and in later life purchased of Dr. Reynolds what is now known as the " Stissing Hotel." but was then called the " Pulver's Hotel, " which he conducted for many years. He stood very high in the estimation of his fellow- men, and had the confidence of all who knew him. In his family were three children who grew to years of maturity: Mary; Frances Thomas, wife of Henry Myers; and Cornelia B., wife of Egbert Van Wagner. The mother of Mrs. Pulver bore the maiden name of Den- ton, and her mother was a Peck. Mrs. Pulver for her second husband married Henry C. Myers. Two daughters blessed that union: Elizabeth, wife of B. C. Rizedorf, and Mar- garet, who married first) Eben Husted, and (second) William Juckett.


Three children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Hedges: Lewis M., of Chicago, who married Catharine O. Crononin: Henry C., who is at the head of the advertising agency of


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Barnum's circus; and Elizabeth, wife of Isaac Rollins, of the town of Milan, by whom she has two children-Mary H. and Lewis H. H.


In politics, Mr. Hedges affiliated with the Whig party, was very positive in his views, and was greatly interested in all local political affairs. He was public-spirited and progress- sive, giving his support to all measures for the benefit of the community, and was an impor- tant factor in the upbuilding of the locality. He was one of the refiable members of the Presbyterian Church, and was a conscientious Christian gentleman.


J WATSON VAIL, a prominent citizen and leading photographer of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, whose gallery is located at Nos. 254 and 256 Main street, is a native of Dutchess county, born May 18, 1849, on a farm in the town of Unionvale, where the family have lived for several generations. They were of English origin, and the great- grandfather of our subject, who served as a captain during the Revolutionary war, was born probably on the old family homestead in Unionvale.


There the birth of Israel Vail occurred, and on attaining adult age he was united in mar- riage with a Miss Hall, also a native of Dutch- ess county, by whom he had nine children: Hiram, who became a builder and, later, a banker of Amenia, Dutchess county; Jarvis, a farmer of Dutchess county; Isaac, who was also an agriculturist; Edmond, the father of our subject; Hubbard, a mason by trade; Alan- son, who carried on farming; Mary, wife of Alfred Van Black, a miller of Unionvale; Re- becca, who never married; and Phoebe, wife of James Losee, a farmer. On the old homstead the father of this family departed this life.


Edmond Vail, the father of our subject, was born and reared there, and educated in the district schools of the neighborhood. He wedded Martha Husted, who was born in the town of Washington, Dutchess county, and was a daughter of Lewis Husted, a farmer by occupation and a native of Dutchess county, his birth having occurred in the same house where his father was born. The parents of our subject began their domestic life upon a farm in the town of Unionvale, but later removed to Poughkeepsie, where the father was en- gaged in the insurance business until his death in 1884. In politics he was an ardent Repub-


lican. The parental household included five children, namely; Lewis H., who is president of the Dutchess County Insurance Co .; Her- bert, now engaged in clerking; J. Watson, the subject of this sketch; Alonzo H., who is in partnership with our subject, and is also in the insurance business; and Dr. Edwin S., a spe- cialist, who is engaged in the practice of medi- cine at Enfield, Connecticut.


Until he was seventeen years of age J. Watson Vail, whose name introduces this record, remained upon the home farm, assist- ing in its cultivation and attending the com- mon schools of the locality. His first inde- pendent effort in life was as an employe in a carriage factory which he entered in 1865, and there remained for about a year and a half. He then took instructions in photography un- der Isaac N. Van Wagner for about fifteen months, after which he went to Fishkill, N. Y., where he opened a small gallery; but at the end of five months he returned to Poughkeep- sie. On May'20, 1868, he opened his present gallery, where he has since successfully en- gaged in business.


On April 5, 1876, Mr. Vail was united in marriage with Miss Flora H. Sterling, of Poughkeepsie, a daughter of Junius Sterling, a dry-goods merchant of that place. Her father was born in Salisbury, Conn., and was the son of William C. Sterling, who owned large iron interests in that State, but later in life came to Poughkeepsie, and was president of the Fallkill National Bank. The political support of Mr. Vail is given the Republican party, in the success of which he takes a deep interest. In manner he is pleasant and genial, in disposition kindly, and is universally held in the highest regard.




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