Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 71

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

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Mr. Sickley married Miss Olivia M. Town- lev, a native of New Jersey, and a daughter of Albert Townley, a farmer by occupation, who is of English lineage. One child blesses this union, Katherine O. The parents attend the Episcopal Church, and are widely and favor- ably known.

C ORNELIUS R. VAN WYCK (deceased) was one of the influential and highly re- spected citizens of the town of East Fishkill, where almost his entire life was passed. There his birth occurred, March 28, 1814, and there his great-grandfather, Richard Van Wyck, a native of Long Island, located at an early day, the grandfather of our subject, Cornelius R. V'an Wyck, being born there January 26, 1753. C. R. Van Wyck was a lineal descendant of Cornelius Baruse Van Wyck, who emigrated from Ilolland in 1650, and settled in New Amsterdam.

Col. Richard C. Van Wyck, the father of our subject, was also a native of the town of

East Fishkill, born June 11, 1783, and through- out life engaged in milling, farming and mer- chandising, in Dutchess county. He married Elizabeth Thorn, and to them were born the following children: Rynier, a farmer of Fish- kill, who married Elizabeth Van Wyck; Cor- nelius R., subject of this review; Jane E., who became the wife of John Adriance, a farmer; Anna, who married Jacob Horton, a farmer of East Fishkill; Phobe, who married Cornelius S. Van Wyck, also an agriculturist; Henrietta, who married James Du Bois, a farmer of Hud- son, N. Y .; and Mary, who wedded Robert McMurry, a merchant of New York City.

Our subject was reared to agricultural pur- suits, but for a short time during early life he was engaged in merchandising in Poughkeepsie, after which he again turned his attention to farming. He continued to operate his farm in the town of East Fishkill with the exception of seven years, when he carried on the same occupation in Culpeper county, Va., and was quite successful in his undertakings.

On January 11, 1843, Mr. Van Wyck was united in marriage with Miss Phoebe C. Wort- man, who was also born in the town of East Fishkill, and is the daughter of Denis and Elizabeth (Rapalje) Wortman, the former a native of Westchester county, N. Y., and the latter of East Fishkill town, this county. Her mother was the daughter of Jeromus and Eliz- abeth (Bedell) Rapaije, the former born on Long Island, while her paternal grandfather, James Wortman, was a native of Westchester county, and a farmer and architect by occupa- tion. James Wortman, father of Dr. Denis Wortman, was a descendant of Dirck Jansen Wortman, who emigrated from Holland in 1646 and settled in Brooklyn, and was of Huguenot descent. After their marriage her parents located at East Fishkill, N. Y., where her father engaged in the practice of medicine for the long period of forty-seven years, and was a most successful physician. He died greatly lamented May 2, 1864, surviving his wife only a few months, her death having occurred Jan- uary 14, 1864. They were earnest members of the Reformed Dutch Church, and reared a family of four children: Elizabeth, who mar- ried John P. Flagler; Phoebe, widow of our subject; Denis, a prominent Reformed Dutch minister of Saugerties, N. Y. ; and Ann Aletta.

Mr. and Mrs. Van Wyck commenced their married life at Fishkill Plains, N. J., afterward moving to the home in Hopewell, N. Y., for-

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

merly the home of Dr. Wortman and wife (the father and mother of Mrs. Van Wyck). Ten children were born to them: Richard C .. a prominent and beloved physician, who mar- ried Charlotte Underhill, and died January 28, 1896; Denis W., a merchant of Wappingers Falls, N. Y., who married Mary E. Harcourt, and they had one child, Phebe Ellen (he died August 4, 1880); Eliza, who died at the age of five years; Anna; Eliza Janette: Mary, who died August 18, 1873: Phoebe Jane; Margaret W .; James C., a merchant of Matteawan,. N. Y. ; and Henrietta Du Bois.

Richard C. Van Wyck, M. D., eldest son of Cornelius R. and Phobe C. Van Wyck, was a prominent and beloved physician. He was graduated in medicine from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, March 12, 1867, after which he served two years in Bellevue Hospital on the Surgical Staff. He then went to Europe for the pur- pose of perfecting himself in his chosen profes- sion. Returning, he practiced awhile in Den- ver. Col .. and afterward in Virginia 'where he went on account of his health ;. Recovering his health, he settled in Hopewell, and con- tinued in active practice until his death. He was thrown from his carriage, his horse taking fright at a railroad crossing, and fatally in- jured January 25, 1896, and died January 28, 1896. There are few physicians who possess more completely the confidence of their pa- tients than he did, and few have been more : widely missed or so sincerely mourned. Denis Wortman Van Wyck, second son, was greatly beloved and respected, and was a merchant at Wappingers Falls.

The parents were both devout members of the Reformed Dutch Church, and in political sentiment Mr. Van Wyck was an ardent Demo- crat. His death occurred June 14, 1879, and was mourned by many warm friends. He was an active, public-spirited citizen, who had the respect of all who knew him, and took a prom- inent part in those matters relating to the best interests of the community.

W ILLIAM PLATTO. Among those who followed the old flag on Southern bat- tlefields is this gentleman, now one of the lead- ing business men of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, where he is conducting a successful carriage manufactory. He was born in that

city, December 23. 1845, and is the son of Thomas Platto, a native of Schenectady, N. Y. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Platto, who was a farmer by occupation, was born in the Mohawk Valley, and became the father of five children. It is a family tradition that great-great-grandfather Thomas Platto was killed by Indians at Tribes Hill in the Mohawk Valley.

In Schenectady, Thomas Platto, Jr., passed his boyhood days midst play and work, and learned the carriage maker's trade. When about twenty years of age he came to Pough- keepsie, where he met and married Mary Proper, who was born in the town of Milan. Dutchess county, and was the daughter of Isaac and Mary Proper, agriculturists of that locality. The young couple began their domestic life in Poughkeepsie, where the father engaged in the manufacture of carriages during the remainder of his active career. He died there in 1872. and his wife in 1891. He was first a Whig in politics, and later cast his ballot with the Re- publican party; both he and his wife were de- vout members of the Baptist Church. The family of this worthy couple consisted of five children. (1) James H., who was engaged as a bookkeeper in Chicago, Ill., died in 1881; he belonged to the Knights of Pythias frater- nity, and was also a member of the Masonic order. 2) Charles V. L. is an assistant edi- tor of some newspaper and a resident of Iloos- ick Falls, N. Y. (3) Wilham is next in order of birth. (4) Sarah married Frank Kennedy, of Syracuse, N. Y .; (5 Catherine G. is the wife of Charles H. Baker, of the same city.

William Platto, whose name introduces this review, spent his boyhood days in Pough- keepsie, receiving his education at the Dutch- ess County Academy, but when a youth of only seventeen summers, the Civil war having broken out, he enlisted in July, 1862, in Company D. 128th N. Y. V. I. After participating in many hotly-contested engagements, and making for himself an honorable war record, he was dhis- charged and returned to his home in Pough- keepsie. In 1866 he took charge of his father's carriage business, and was very successful in its operation. The plant was located at Nos. 7, 9 and rt South Hamilton street, and our subject still owns that block, which has been in the hands of the family for about sixty years.

Mr. Platto is an unswerving Republican, taking an active part in political affairs, and in January. 1895, was appointed chief of the po-

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

lice department of Poughkeepsie, in which of- fice he is still serving with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of all concerned. He is an active worker in the Grand Army of the Republic, belonging to Hamilton Post, of which for three terms he served as commander, and is numbered among the valued citizens of Poughkeepsie who have been devoted to the public welfare. He has manifested the same loyalty in days of peace as in days of war, and all who know him have for him the highest regard.

W ILLIAM H. SHELDON, in whose death Poughkeepsie lost one of her brightest, most progressive and useful young business men, was born October 29, 1859, in Beekman, Dutchess county, New York.

Jeremiah Sheldon, father of our subject, was born in the town of Dover, Dutchess county, of English ancestry, and was a farmer by occupation. A stanch Whig and Repub- lican, he took an active part in political mat-

ters. He married Miss Sophia M. Doughty, also born in Dutchess county, daughter of Jo- seph Doughty, and their children are as fol-

lows: Amelia B., married to Kromaline An- drews (they make their home on the old farm); Mary J., unmarried; and William H., the sub- ject of these lines. The father died May 19, 1882, the mother on February 1, 1886.

William H. Sheldon passed his early days on his father's farm, attending the district school, and, later, the academy at Moores Mill. Subsequently he entered Claverack (Columbia county) College, and completed his education at Wilbraham (Mass. ) Academy; then returned to the farm, where he remained until his uncle. Wilson B. Sheldon, was elected county clerk, when he became his assistant in the office, there remaining some time. Our subject then formed a partnership with R. D. Cornell in the hay, straw and feed commission business; but after a short time this partner- ship was dissolved, and in the fall of 1881 Mr. Sheldon embarked in the coal business. He began in a very small way, but was so success- ful, and his trade grew so rapidly, that he be- gan wholesaling, supplying coal for the Har- lem Railroad Company. At the time of his death he was the largest wholesale and retail dealer in the vicinity, and had a prosperous future before him, his well-known integrity and fair dealing making him popular throughout the

county, and bringing him customers from all parts. Besides attending to his regular busi- ness he acted as general manager of the Poughkeepsie & Eastern railroad, which was purchased some years ago by Russell Sage, who appointed Mr. Sheldon general manager of that road. So faithfully and thoroughly did our subject do his work, that his employer took him into his confidence, and was influ- enced by him in his business probably more than by any other man. Too close applica- tion to business, however, and his earnest de- votion to the many societies, etc., of which he was an active member, began ultimately to make inroads upon his health, and for some- time prior to his death evidences of a breaking up of his constitution became apparent to his friends, and even to himself. The close of the year 1894 found him engaged in a more than usual amount of work, preparing for the ensu- ing year. thereby necessitating additional ex- ertion from his already impaired system; nev- ertheless, unflinchingly he worked early and late, carrying all his duties to a successful ter- mination. The strain, however, was more than exhausted nature could stand, and one evening, while at the home of a neighbor, his tired brain refused longer to work. Kind hands guided Mr. Sheldon to his home, where the best of care was given him for a time, but his frenzies became so wild and uncontrollable that, for the better protection, he was taken to the State Hospital for the Insane, where, in spite of all that science and medical skill could accomplish, he grew weaker every day, till January 19, 1895, death relieved him from his sufferings.

The earthly career of William H. Sheldon was cut short just when most promising, and when he had made the reputation of being one of the ablest and most enterprising business men in Poughkeepsie. In his home circle and among his personal friends his untimely de- parture from their midst was most deeply felt. Full of life and energy, buoyant in spirits, and of a loving, generous disposition, he was missed as few men are, and his place will be hard to fill. He was a member of nearly all the fraternities in the county, and also of the New Manhattan Athletic Club of New York City; was a Thirty-second degree Mason in high standing, and also a member of the Methodist Church. In politics he was a stanch Repub- lican, and he served as alderman of the Fifth ward of Poughkeepsie. No better citizen, or

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one more highly esteemed, has left his impress upon the community.

On December 26, 1883, Mr. Sheldon was married to Miss Augusta Baright, who was born in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., January 27, 1863. Her father, Daniel S. Baright, who was a native of the same township, born March 25, 1838, married Mary Wing, who was born in the town of Clinton, June 15, 1840, and their children were: Augusta, William M., Irving G. and Frederick. Mr. Baright is a farmer, and also deals in agricultural im- plements. His grandfather was a native of Holland, and his father, Elijah Baright, born in the town of Pleasant Valley, N. Y., was a wealthy farmer. He married Amny, daughter of Samuel Carpenter, and a relative of J. Du- Bois Carpenter, elsewhere represented in this volume. In religious faith the Barights were all Hicksite Quakers, and in politics were Whigs or Republicans. The maternal grand- father of Mrs. Sheldon, Alexander Wing, a quiet, unassuming man, spent his entire life on a farm in Clinton; he was a Democrat in politics, and attended the Christian Church. One child. George B., born December 3, 1891, is all the family born to our subject and his wife, whose all too short happy married life was brought to so sad a close.

C HARLES EDGAR FOWLER, of Pough- keepsie, Dutchess county, was born in Carmel, Putnam Co., N. Y., April 6, 1841. He is a son of Ammon Merrick Fowler, who was a son of James H. Fowler, of Car- mel, and a grandson of Ammon Fowler, of Bedford, Westchester Co., N. Y., and a great- grandson of Joseph Fowler, of West Patent.

Ammon Fowler (the father of Charles) lived near Lake Mahopac, in the town of Car- mel, Putnam county. He was an upright, un- assuming man, of noble, Christian character, and for many years was an elder in the Gilead Presbyterian Church of Carmel. His wife (the mother of Charles) was a woinan of clear intelligent Christian faith, and a worthy mem- ber of the same Church as her husband. She was Charlotte Louisa Crane, daughter of Na- thaniel Crane, of the town of Carmel, and granddaughter of John Crane, of the same town. John Crane held a captain's commis- sion under the Provincial Congress of the Province of New York, and after the Declara- tion of Independence received a captain's 25

commission from George Clinton, then Gov- ernor of New York, and held it through the war. John Crane's grandfather was Joseph Crane, and Joseph Crane's grandfather was John Crane, from England.

Charles E. Fowler received a common- school education, and from 1857 to 1861 worked at wagon-making; from 1861 to 1869 at mill construction and repairs, and the develop- ment of water powers. During this latter period he pursued the study of mechanical, hydraulic and civil engineering. In 1869 he married Louisa Maria Richards, daughter of David Belden Richards, of the town of South- east, Putnam Co., N. Y., a man of marked integrity of character. D. Belden Richards wife, mother of Louisa, was Delia Foster. daughter of Thomas Foster, of the town above mentioned. She was a most worthy woman, and a consistent member of the Pres- byterian Church. Thomas Foster, father of Delia, was the son of James Foster, grandson of Thomas Foster, and great-grandson of Chil- lingworth Foster. Chillingworth was the son of John Foster, and grandson of Thomas Fos- ter, who came from England in 1634.

In 1869 Charles E. Fowler entered the employ of the Peekskill Manufacturing Co., of Peekskill, N. Y., as draughtsman and me- chanical engineer. In 1871 he began the practice of land surveying and civil engineer- ing, in connection with the work of the Manu- facturing Co. In 1872 he opened an inde- pendent office, but continued the work for the Manufacturing Co. This practice continued until 1881. During this period he, as chief engineer, designed and supervised the con- struction of the public water works of the vil- lage of Peekskill, also a system of water works for the village of Tarrytown, N. Y. He was also corporation surveyor for the village of Peekskill during several years of this period. In January, 1881, he was appointed superin- tendent of the water works and sewers of the city of Poughkeepsie, which office he held until May, 1896, when the water works and sewers, under a revised charter, became a part of the public works of the city, and he was appointed superintendent of public works, which office he now holds.

In 1857 he united with the Presbyterian Church of Carmel, and in 1870 with the First Presbyterian Church of Peekskill. He was an elder in the latter Church from 1874 till his removal to Poughkeepsie in 1881. In 1881

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he united with the First Presbyterian Church of Poughkeepsie, was chosen an elder in that Church in 1891, and still retains that office.

The water and sewer systems of the city of Poughkeepsie, with which Mr. Fowler has so long been identified, are worthy of note for the fact that they were constructed by the same commission, at the same time, were designed to work in harmony and have continued under the control of one department of the city gov- ernment, thereby securing the best attainable sanitary results. The water system is further notable for being the first in this country to adopt artificial purification by means of sand filtration on the European method. The Hudson river is the source of supply, the water being pumped from the river to the sand filters, and thence to a reservoir on College Hill, at an elevation of 280 feet above mean high water in the river. The works were built in 1869-1872, and originally comprised about seventeen miles of water mains and about thirteen miles of sewers. Seven miles of water mains and three and one-quarter miles of sewers have been added during Mr. Fowler's term of service. The original water commissioners, in 1869, were Stephen M. Buckingham, Edward Storm, Edward L. Beadle, Edgar M. VanKleeck, James H. Weeks and Abram Wright.

The water commissioners held their final meeting on May 2, 1896; the last commis- sioners being Charles L. Lumb, Edmund Platt, Howard W. Welles, Abraham S. Humphrey and Charles H. Shurter. The numerous commissioners holding office be- tween the years 1869 and 1896 comprised some of the most esteemed citizens and busi- ness men of Poughkeepsie. The Board of Public Works, having charge of the water works, sewers, streets, bridges and parks, was organized May 2, 1896. The commissioners were James E. Dutcher, James B. Platt and Walter R. Case.

C HARLES M. WOLCOTT (deceased). The Wolcott family have held a distinguished place in the history of this country from the earliest times, Colonial records showing vari- ous members to have occupied high positions, and one of the name is enrolled among the immortal signers of the Declaration of Inde- pendence.

The first of the family to leave the ances-

tral home in Somersetshire, England, was the Puritan Henry Wolcott, who crossed the ocean with his son Simon in 1630, and settled in Windsor, Conn. The town of Wolcottville (now Torrington) was named in honor of the family. These early pioneers were men of in- dependent means, and Henry and Simon were active in the administration of the public busi- ness of the colony. Simon's sou, Roger Woi- cott, who was born in Connecticut, was elected Governor in 1750, and served for four years. Oliver, Wolcott, a son of Roger, and the grand- father of the gentleman whose name opens this sketch, was one of the representatives of the Colony of Connecticut, whose names are affixed to the Declaration of Independence, and during the Revolutionary war he held the rank of brigadier-general in the patriot forces. His part in the struggle was a notable one, and the histories of that time make frequent mention of him. An incident in his life was interesting. A leaden equestrian statue of George III stood in the Bowling Green, in the city of New York. At the breaking out of the war this was overthrown, and, lead being highly valuable, it was sent to Gen. Wolcott's at Litchfield, Conn., for safe keeping, where, in process of time, it was cut up and run into bullets by his children and their friends. Oli- ver Wolcott was elected Lieutenant-Governor in 1786, and Governor in 1796, which office he held until his death, December 1, 1797.

Judge Frederick Wolcott, the father of our subject, preferred the practice of law to public life, and on two occasions declined a nomina- tion as a gubernatorial candidate. His brother Oliver, however, did not share this disinclina- tion for official duties, and not only served as Governor of Connecticut but was Secretary of the Treasury under President Washington. Judge Frederick Wolcott was a graduate of Yale College, and prepared for the bar in early manhood; later he engaged actively in pro- fessional work, and served as judge for many years. He was one of the leaders in the Whig party of his day, and despite his reluctance to enter political life was elected to various posi- tions, which he filled ably, including the post of representative in the State Legislature. He married (first) a Miss Huntington, daugh- ter of Joshua Huntington, a well-known citi- zen of Connecticut, and (second) Mrs. Amos Cook, daughter of Samuel Goodrich, of Berlin, Conn., a member of another old and influential family which has been prominently represented

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in political, social and business life, and has produced a number of eminent clergymen.

Charles M. Wolcott was one of a family of twelve children, his birth occurring in Litch- field, Conn., November 20, 1816. On com- pleting his education he left home to en- gage in commercial life, entering the commis- sion business in Philadelphia. After a time he transferred his offices to New York City, form- ing a partnership with his brother Henry, who went to China in the interests of the firm. On November 26, 1849, he married Catharine A. Rankin, daughter of Henry Rankin, Esq., a prominent merchant of New York City, who was a native of Scotland, and for forty years was an elder in the Scotch Presbyterian Church, under the pastoral care of the cele- brated divine, Dr. John Mason. After his marriage Mr. Wolcott settled at Fishkill-on- Hudson, upon an estate known as " Rose- neath," where his wife had previously resided. From that time his attention was chiefly occu- pied with the management of his extensive landed interests, and he wasidentified with all the progressive movements of the locality, whether in agriculture and manufacturing or in the no less important fields of art and litera- ture. In politics he was an Independent. His wife passed away June 24, 1889, and he sur- vived her but a short time, breathing his last on November 20, of the same year.

Three children were born to this union: Henry Goodrich, a well-known attorney at Fishkill; Katharine Rankin, wife of Samuel Verplanck; and Annette Rankin, who is not married. Mrs. Verplanck still resides at the family homestead "Roseneath," which is a charming place overlooking the Hudson, the elegant residence and extensive grounds dis- playing in their appointments a refined and cultured taste.

A BRAHAM W. IRISH. The early ances- tors of our subject were French, were military men, and served in the first and second Crusades; the name was originally "D'Irey." The family moved to Germany, where the D' was dropped, and the name be- came Irey. In the wars between Germany and England the [reys espoused the cause of the English. They were successful as generals, and one of them was knighted on the field of Flodden.

When the family went to England the

name was changed to Irish, and one of the members became sheriff of London, holding the office for nine years. Another. member of the family came to this country as a common soldier under Miles Standish, and it is from this ancestor that the family in America are descended.

Abraham W. Irish was born in the town of Pleasant Valley March 31, 1825, and after his mother's death was taken by his uncle, Abra- ham Wing, and his wife, by whom he was brought up and educated, and who were the only parents our subject ever lived with. Mr and Mrs. Wing were Quakers. Abraham lived with them until he was of age, when he went to New York City and secured a situation in a store in Bleecker street, remaining there during the summer of 1844. In the summer of 1845 he went to Matteawan, and taught school there for six years. In 1851 he was mar- ried in that city to Miss. Caroline West, and began farming. His health failing him from overwork, he bought a store on his grandfa- ther's place in the town of Lagrange. This he sold in 1863 and moved to Poughkeepsie, where he took a position as cashier for Smith Broth- ers. In politics Mr. Irish is a Republican. He was in the county clerk's office for nine years, and in the surrogate's office for eight years. He is now clerk of the surrogate's court, which position he has held for six years, during which time he has not missed a day at the office on account of sickness. When he was out of office Mr. Irish was in the millin- ery and fancy-goods business, and at one time was with a Mr. Sisson, dealer in second- hand furniture. Mrs. Irish died in 1887, and our subject subsequently married Mrs. Rachel Le Roy.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 71

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