Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 73

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 73

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The childhood days of our subject were mostly spent in Wilbur, N. Y., where he was educated, and early began to learn the stone business with his father, with whom he con- tinued operations until the latter's death. He still continues to deal in stone at Poughkeepsie, and has built up a large and lucrative business.

Mr. Seaman was united in marriage with Miss Catherine DuBois, a native of Dutchess county, where her father, James DuBois, fol- lowed the occupation of farming. One child has been born to them: Mary N., now the

wife of William L. Dobbs, of Poughkeepsie. The parents are earnest Christian people, faith- ful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and take an active interest in everything in. tended to promote the moral or material ad- vancement of the community. Politically, Mr. Seaman votes the Prohibition ticket, as the platform of that party embodies his principles on the temperance question.

M ARTIN FENDEL, the well-known and popular proprietor of the "Old German Tavern", No. 229 Union street, Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, was born at Bingen-on-the- Rhine, Germany, March 7, 1864. He spent his boyhood in Germany, attending school in the town of his birth, and was then in the coal business with his father for two years.

In 1885 Mr. Fendel came to America on a visit, and traveled throughout the United States selling wines to wholesale dealers, and he traveled back and forth between the two countries thirteen times. He was married in New York City, in 1889, to Miss Messerschmidt, a native of that place. Of this union the fol- lowing children were born: Freddie, born in Bingen; Josephine and Kate, born in New York City; and Gertie, born in Poughkeepsie. There was also an adopted child, Joseph, who died when three months old. After his marriage our subject spent one year in Germany, and two and a half years in New York City, en- gaged in selling wines to the wholesale trade. In March, 1894, he came to Poughkeepsie and opened the "Old German Tavern," a typical German inn.

Mr. Fendel is a member of Concordia Lodge, Knights and Ladies of Honor, and at- tends the Catholic Church. He is a natural- ized citizen, but takes little interest in politics.

C HARLES H. BUCKINGHAM, a promi- nent resident of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, whose extensive travels have made him at home in nearly every country on the globe, is in direct descent of the eighth gener- ation from one of the earliest settlers of Con- necticut.

The name Buckingham is derived from "Bucan," "Becen," or "Beechen"-beech trees-and "ham"-a village-as a family name it doubtless has its origin in the county of Buckingham, England, whose shire town is

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also Buckingham. Many members of the American branch of the family have filled po- sitions of honor and importance in various fields of effort. Thomas Buckingham, the Puritan ancestor of this line, was one of the company to which Eaton and Hopkins, two London merchants, and two ministers, Daven- port and Prudden, belonged. They arrived at Boston June 26, 1637, in the ship "Hector." and on March 30, 1638, sailed for Quinnipack (now New Haven), where such records as this are found on the old town books: "Mr. Wilke is ordered to pay Thomas Buckingham five bushels and a half of Indian Corn destroyed by Mr. Wilke's hogs."

In 1839 Thomas Buckingham settled in Milford, Conn., where his name stands fifth on the list of Free Planters, and he was one of the " seven pillars of the church " there. He was married twice, first to Hannah by whom he had five children: Hannah, Daniel, Samuel, Mary and Thomas. For his second wife he married Ann His youngest son, Rev. Thomas Buckingham, was born November 8, 1646, and began preaching in Wethersfield when only eighteen years old. In 1665 he preached in Saybrook. He was one of the founders of Yale College, and a Fellow of that institution. Among the clergy- men of his time he held a high rank, leading in all the efforts for the prosperity of the Church, and he was one of the Moderators of the famous Synod of 1708, which convened at Saybrook, and formed the platform for the Churches. On September 20, 1666, he mar- ried his first wife, Hester Hosmer, by whom he had nine children: Hester, Thomas, Daniel, Stephen, Samuel (1), Samuel (2), Hezekiah, Temperance and Anne. His second wife, whom he married August 10, 1703, was Mary Hooker. He died April 1, 1709.

Thomas Buckingham (3) was born Sep- tember 29, 1670, and lived to be nearly one hundred years old, dying September 12, 1769. He was a landholder in Lebanon, Conn., and a prominent man in town affairs, being ap- pointed to many offices of trust, and was also a leading member of the Church. On Decem- ber 16, 1691, he married Margaret Griswold, and had eight children : Thomas, Samuel, Jedediah, Margaret, Mary (1), Mary (2), Jo- seph and Sarah.

Thomas Buckingham (4), the great-great- grandfather of our subjeet, was born January 24, 1703, and became a seafaring man. On

April 5. 1722, he married Mary Parker, by whom he had four children, whose names with dates of birth are as follows: Jedediah, Janu- ary 20, 1727; Stephen, September 20, 1729; Mary, July 27, 1732; and Sarah, 1734. He died December 13, 1760, and his wife survived him at least eleven years.

Jedediah Buckingham, our subject's great- grandfather, was born at Saybrook, Conn., married Martha Clark, of Lebanon, and set- tled in Columbia, Conn., where he died July 9, 1809, his wife surviving him until May 20, 1821. They had children: Sarah, Thomas, Joseph and Mary (twins), Jedediah P., Sarah, Stephen, Esther, Martha and Nancy Ann.

Stephen Buckingham, our subject's grand- father, born May 12, 1763, was a farmer and large land owner at Columbia, Conn. He served three years in the Revolutionary war, was sent to France to effect an exchange of prisoners, and was absent about a year, being shipwrecked in the Bay of Biscay. On Janu- ary 2, 1798, he was married to his first wife, Polly Dorrance, of Lebanon, who died Janu- ary 26, 1799, and on June 30, 1807, he mar- ried, for his second wife, Polly Brewster, of Exeter Society, Lebanon, a descendant in the sixth generation from Elder William Brewster, of Plymouth, Mass., and daughter of Ishabod and Lucy Brewster. She was born August 12, 1777, and in 1869 was living in Poughkeepsie in her ninety-second year, in good health, able to walk about the house withont assistance. Stephen Buckingham died February 26, 1814, leaving four children whose names with dates of birth are here given: Mary Dorrance, Jan- uary 26, 1799; Stephen M., July 12, 1808; Charles J., July 7, 1810, and Ichabod B., Au- gust 3, 1813, who died November 8, 1819.

Charles J. Buckingham, the father of our subject, passed his childhood at the old home in Columbia. Conn .. and prepared for college at Boston Academy, Colchester, Conn. He entered Trinity College in 1829, with a view to the ministry of the Episcopal Church; but, his health failing, his studies were remitted for a time. On resuming them, he again found it necessary to desist. After a long voyage in the Mediterranean he made a third attempt; but was finally compelled to relinquish his lit - erary pursuits. He made another voyage to Europe, and on regaining his health engaged in the mercantile business there and in New York City, where he resided until his removal to Poughkeepsie in 1849. During the later

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years of his life he devoted much of his time to the public schools of the latter city, and to other educational interests.

On October 16, 1839, he was married, at Poughkeepsie, to Emily Williams, a native of New York City, born January 21, 1818, the daughter of Josiah and Martha (Loomis) Williams. She died in Poughkeepsie, January 26, 1848, and he survived her until October 2, 1889. They had four children: Emily Adelia, who was born November 7, 1840, and died December 30, 1840; Charles Henry, our subject, born September 13, 1842; Richard Cook, born January II, 1844, who died July 20, 1845, and Martha Williams, born Septem- ber 26, 1845, who was married December 27, 1871. to George W. Wood.

Charles H. Buckingham, our subject, was born at Bowling Green, New York City. His boyhood was mainly spent in Poughkeepsie, where he attended the College Hill School. At the age of twenty he went to New York and engaged in the dry-goods commission business with Hunt, Tillinghast & Co., with whom he remained eight years. He was also interested in mining in Colorado and ranching in Ne- braska. Since 1870 he has spent most of his time traveling, and has circumnavigated the earth once, and been partly around it several times. He was on the first merchant steamer that entered the harbor of Osaki, Japan, and was one of the first Americans to visit the city of Pekin, after it was taken by the English and French in 1860. Some years were spent in visiting points in France, South America, Mexico, Java, the island of Juan Fernandez, and other places of interest, and he has been in nearly every country on the globe. On March 22, 1888, in Poughkeepsie, he was married to Elizabeth Van Loan, daughter of Benjamin Van Loan, a well-known resident of Catskill Village. His wife has accompanied him on many long journeys, but they are now enjoying the comforts of their elegant home in Poughkeepsie.

L EWIS CARMAN (deceased), who in his lifetime was a well-known business man of Bangall, Dutchess county, a dealer in coal and farm produce, and the efficient agent of the N. D. & C. R. R., was born in the town of Stan- ford February 1, 1860.

The family name was originally Preston, and his paternal grandfather, Martin Preston,

was a native of the town of Milan, Dutchess county, where, in his later years, he followed farming. He was a Quaker in religious faith; married and had three children: Ada M., who died in 1886; Leonard L., our subject's father, and Nathan C., who was in the United States naval service for many years, including the stirring times of the Civil war. He died in

1 886.

Leonard L. (Preston) Carman, our sub- ject's father, lived in New York City until the age of seven, later moving to Stanfordville, where he spent some years, meanwhile attend- ing the schools of that village; for two win- ters he studied at the Nine Partners Boarding School, in the town of Washington. At the age of nineteen he was adopted by an uncle, Leonard L. Carman, of the town of Stanford, his name being changed by act of Legislature from Preston to Carman. At the age of twen- ty-one he took charge of the farm, on " Bangall Lane," relieving his adopted parents of care during their later years, and on their death, in 1860, he succeeded to the estate, where he continued to reside until his death, October 30, 1892. He was a member of the Baptist Society. In his earlier years he was a Whig, later becoming a Republican. He was twice married, first to a Miss Sackett, who died leav- ing no children. His second wife was Miss Emma J. Preston, a daughter of Ebenezer Preston, a leading resident of the town of Stanford. Two children were born of this union: Lewis, our subject, and Ada M., who married Joshua R. Traver (deceased ).

Lewis Carman, the subject of this sketch, attended the district schools of the town of Sanford during early boyhood, and later studied at a private school in the same locality. After he had learned all that they were prepared to offer, he studied for some time at the Pelham In- stitute, Poughkeepsie. Returning home, he assisted upon the farm until 1884, when, hav- ing learned telegraphy at home, he accepted the position of agent of the N. D. & C. R. R. at Bangall. He also dealt extensively in coal and farm produce. Politically he was a Re- publican and was one of the leaders among the younger members of the party in his vicin- ity. For several terms he served as town clerk, and April 1, 1889, he was appointed by President Harrison postmaster at Bangall, re- tiring August 1, 1893. He was married April 12, 1887, to Miss S. Jeannette Crampton, a daughter of H. E. Crampton, M. D., of New

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York City, and four children were born to them: Lewis C., Jeannette, Leonard and Ward. Mr. Carman was a leading member of the Baptist Church, and he belonged to the K. of P. Lodge No. 43. at Poughkeepsie. He died September 27, 1896, of typhoid fever, after an illness of only two weeks.

J ULIUS BENEDICT, a prominent resident of the town of Northeast, and proprie- tor of an extensive iron foundry in New York City, is a direct descendant in the eighth generation from Thomas Benedict, who was born in Nottinghamshire, England, in 1617, and came to America in 1638, settling on Long Island.

His son Samuel, from whom this branch of the family traces their descent, was one of the early settlers of Danbury, Conn. Samuel's son, Nathaniel, born March 27, 1679, had a ' son Nathaniel, who was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary war. He had a son Nathaniel. whose son, Nathaniel, our subject's grand- father, was born January 1, 1768, and became a farmer at Salisbury, Conn., where he died January 23, 1835. He was married (first) August 24, 1787, to Jerusha Terry, who died at Sharon, Conn., October 10, 1822, and he married (second) Rebecca Darrow. By his first wife he had eight children, whose names with dates of birth are as follows: Ethel, November 15, 1788; Abel, November 3, 1789; Delia, November 23, 1791, married January 30, 1817, to Nathaniel Cady; Benjamin, March 7, 1793, moved to the town of Northeast, Dutchess county, where he became a well-to- do miller, owning the stone mill now belong- ing to Martin Paine; Nathaniel, who married Polly Fuller, and lived in Connecticut and later in Yellow Springs, Ohio, was an iron founder, and a man of political and military prominence, being a member of the Connecticut Legisla- ture in 1833. '34, '38 and '51; a justice of the peace at Salisbury, Conn., in 1830, '43 and 49: assessor in 1850; captain of the Con- necticut Militia in 1820, major in 1828, and lieutenant-colonel in 1835: Asahel, also an iron founder, married Betsey, daughter of Charles Belden, of Canaan, Conn., and died in May. 1839; Olive, April 6, 1803, was mar- ried (first) on April 24, 1825, to Horace Wheeler, and (second) to Ammon Williams; James, May, 1805, was married April 11, 1831. to Maria, daughter of Richard and Eliza-

beth Kellogg, of Sharon, Conn., and resided at Wellington, Ohio, where he died.

Abel Benedict, our subject's father, was a native of Bethel, Conn., but spent most of his life at Sharon, where he and his brother Na- thaniel owned an iron foundry. He was of an inventive turn of mind, and was the main factor in the success of the enterprise. In later years he engaged in farming at Sharon. He was never active in politics, but was much interested in local improvements and in re- ligious movements. He married Wealthy Wheeler, daughter of Amos Wheeler, and had six children, as follows: Angeline married Francis Rogers, of Parma, Mich .; Caroline married Charles Lamb: Julius, born November 3. 1818; Horace ; Lucy A. married Edwin Hartwell, of Sharon: Mary married Lee Can- field, Jr .; and Matilda M. married Charles Lamb, of Sharon.

Julius Benedict was born at Sharon, Conn., and during his early years he attended the public schools there. He also studied for a short time at Salisbury, and acquired a fair English education. which he has supplemented by a generous course of reading on current topics. He remained with his father until he was about twenty-four years of age, learning the details of work in the foundry, and in 1845 he established a foundry at Falls Village on his own account. This he carried on suc- cessfully until 1854, when he removed to Iron- dale, Dutchess county, and built a blast fur- nance, which employed eight or ten inside workmen and several colliers. In 1860. he disposed of this, and then conducted a small foundry at the same place for two years, man- ufacturing shot and shell for Mr. Hotchkiss, the inventor. The exigencies of the war cre- ating a large demand for these articles, the business was transferred to New York, and conducted on a larger scale, and Mr. Benedict leased the foundry on East Seventeenth street, where he remained three years, removing after- ward to West Forty-sixth street. In 1878 he bought the property at No. 548 West Fifty- fifth street, where his foundry now stands. Since 1867 he has been engaged principally in manufacturing sash weights, and grate bars for steam boilers, and for some years he has made the patent grate bar of W. W. Tupper & Co. He employs a force of about thirty-five men usually, and enjoys an extensive and profita- ble trade.

On January 5, 1846, Mr. Benedict was

Julius Benedict

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

married to Maria, daughter of Lee Canfield, of Falls Village, Conn., and made his perma- nent home on the old Wheeler homestead, near Coleman Station, a fine farm of 140 acres, which he purchased in 1887. His wife died June 9, 1885, leaving one son, William B., who was born April 13, 1848, was a banker in New York City, but died in Denver, Colo., in February, 1886; there was also a daughter, Clara Maria, born February 2, 1855, and died in February, 1872. Mr. Benedict's close at- tention to business has prevented him from taking an active part in political life, but he is a generous sympathizer in all movements for the public welfare. In early life he was a Whig, voting for Gen. Harrison in 1840, and and he became a Republican on the formation of that party.

J OHN J. BAHRET, a well-known business man of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, is a native of that thriving city, born May 15, 1840.

Jacob Bahret, father of our subject, was born in 1809 in Wurtemberg, Germany, was educated in the schools of Burgstal, and learned the tailor's trade. In 1835 he came to Amer- ica, locating first in New York City, where he remained three years. He then moved to Poughkeepsie and engaged in merchant tailor- ing at the head of Jay street, near Market, but after a time he entered the employ of Smith & Fineley at No. 280 Main street, and in 1844 he bought their business, which he carried on until his death, in 1865. He was a man of sterling qualities, fully identifying him- self with the best interests of his adopted coun- try, and during the Civil war he was an active member of the Union League. He was mar- ried in New York City in 1836 to Miss Dor- othea Furch, a native of Germany, by whom he had six children: Julia Caroline, the wife of August Koch; John J., our subject; Phæbe R. (now living), who married C. Buechler (now deceased); Mary C. and August P. (twins both deceased ); and George, a resident of St. Louis, Mo. The mother of these died in 1849 and the father subsequently married Miss Fred- erica Dietz. Seven children were born of this union, of whom only three are now living : Louisa Nesbit, Charles H. and Frederick, all residents of Poughkeepsie.

John J. Bahret received his early education in the public schools of his native city, also at

the Lancaster school. At the age of thirteen he became a salesman for his father, as time passed learning the trade, and after the death of his father he took charge of the business in partnership with August Koch, at Nos. 276 and 262 Main street. In 1882 the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Bahret continued the business at No. 262 until 1894, when he moved to No. 174 Main street, where his sons, A. H. and P. E. Bahret, now conduct it. For over thirty years Mr. Bahret held a prominent place in business circles, and was for some time a director in the Farmers' & Manufacturers' Na- tional Bank of Poughkeepsie. He was twice married, first on September 6, 1863, to Miss Mary Griffin, of West Redding, Conn., who died in October, 1869. Two children were born to them, Willie G. and Dora, both of whom died in infancy. Mr. Babret was mar- ried the second time September 5, 1870, in Saugurties, Ulster county, to Miss Sarah T. Allard, and their children are Adella, James L., Arthur H., Percy E. and Ruth E. He and his wife are leading members of Trinity M. E. Church, of Poughkeepsie, and the fam- ily have taken an influential part in many philanthropic movements within and without the Church.

A BRAM B. CRAPSER, the well-known engineer of the steamer "Hasbrouck," was born November 21, 1832, in Pleasant Plains, town of Clinton, Dutchess county, and is of German origin. His great-grandfather was a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and on coming to America his passage was paid by his mother. On his arrival he bound himself out to a man living in Wurtemburg, town of Rhinebeck, Dutchess county, which village was named for his birthplace. At that time he had some money, and as his employer was in need of financial assistance, he aided him. Later he became a large property owner in Clinton town, Dutchess county. He was mar- ried at Wurtemburg, N. Y., and became the father of four sons, one of whom was John Crapser (the grandfather of our subject), who was born May 20, 1750.

On February 19, 1778, John Crapser was married to Charity Ostrum, who was born March 12, 1760, and fourteen children were the result of this union, their names and dates of birth, etc., being as follows: John J., July 5, 1780, died September 12, 1860; Anna, Oc-

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tober 27, 1781, d. December 7, 1859; Albertus, January 14, 1784, d. September 4, 1880; Fred- erick. September 20, 1785, d. March 1, 1861; Cornelius, August 30, 1787; Catherine, August 23. 1789, d. May 8, 1832; Elizabeth, Septem- ber 25, 1791, d. August 21, 1854; Margaret, January 24, 1794; Mary, June 1, 1796, d. Jan- uary 12, 1823; Levi, July 14, 1798, d. May 21, 1855; Gertrude, August 25, 1800, d. Jan- uary 5, 1852; Philip, June 3, 1803, d. Sep- tember 19, 1872; Sarah Ann, March 27, 1805, d. July 3, 1860; and Elias, June 21, 1807, d. February 7, 1786. The father of this family was a member of the Lutheran Church, and devoted his life to agricultural pursuits in the town of Clinton until his death, which occurred February 24, 1824. His wife was called from earth December 28, 1851.

Elias Crapser, the youngest in their family, and the father of our subject, was born in the town of Clinton, where his early life was passed in rural pursuits. In 1830 he went upon the river, at first as the owner of a sailing vessel, and afterward, for half a century, as pilot and captain on steamboats, for many years being with the Commercial Transportation Co. From 1850 up to the time of his death he made his home at Poughkeepsie, passing the last four years with his son, Abram B. Crapser. He was married January 14, 1830, to Rebecca C. Nickel, of the town of Rhinebeck, and they became the parents of the following children: Anna M., born September 22, 1830, became the wife of Abram Wallace, December 2, 1847; Abram B., whose name introduces this sketch, is the next in order of birth; Emeline G., born November 15, 1835, married Ransom La Paugh, January 6, 1855 (he died May 16, 1896); Catherine E., born April 5, 1838, wedded George Clarke, February 12, 1861; Levi, born April 8, 1841, married Mary J. Ackert, June 29, 1864; William H., born No- vember 3, 1843, married Catherine Whitner, of Brooklyn, August 15, 1868; Henrietta was born September 22, 1846; Rebecca, born De- cember 7, 1849, died July 23, 1851: Nelson, born March 15, 1852, married Julia Fraleigh, October 1. 1873; and Charles, born Novem- ber 4, 1854, wedded Rose Golden, January 5, 1882. The mother of these died April 18, 1879.

Our subject spent his boyhood in New York City, where he was educated, and at the early age of ten years began boating with his father during the warmer months, while in the

winter he attended school. At the age of six- teen he secured a position as deck hand on a steamer, where he remained for nearly one year, and then was made assistant engineer on the "Cygnet," being thus employed by the Commercial Transportation Co. of the Phila- delphia and Albany line for four years. At the age of twenty he was made chief engineer, filling that position on the "Swan." " Pa- troon," " Commerce," " Tempest," "Consti- tution," " Commodore Foote," "Commodore Du Pont," "William H. Aspinwall," " Col- umbus," "Francis King" and "Reliance." During the Civil war he was chief engineer on the . Vidette, " in the Burnside expedition, and for three years was in the government service. Since the close of the struggle he has been chief engineer of the steamer " John L. Hasbrouck," all of which will indicate his faithful discharge of duty, and the high regard in which he is held by his employers. He is the pioneer en- gineer of the Crapser family, and he now has four brothers, a nephew, son-in-law and two sons, who are also engineers, raised by him to the trade, besides a brother-in-law (now de- ceased.)

On December 13, 1855, Mr. Crapser was married, to Adaline Ackert, who was born in Pleasant Plains, town of Clinton, September 1, 1833, and seven children blessed their union, namely: Lester A., born February 22, 1858, and married Carrie Falk June 5, 1882; Ethel- ward V., born December 12, 1859, married Mary Tracy, March 18, 1885; Ida M., born February 12, 1862, became the wife of Walter L. Simmons July 1, 1883; Ella R., born April 25, 1865, died February 19, 1868; Ira E., born October IS, 1868, died February 2, 1869; Lil- lie Belle, born August 26, 1872, married Sam- uel H. Miller November 14, 1894; and Freddie B., born June 3, 1874, died on the 26th of July following. The children that married all have families.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 73

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