Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 81

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

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Robert Hicks married (first) Elizabeth Mor- gan, and had the following children: Eliza- beth, Thomas, John, Stephen. For his second wife he married Margaret Winslow, and had children, viz: Samuel, Ephraim, Lydia, Phoebe. His son, John Hicks, and the third child of his first marriage, married Rachel Starr, and had three children: Thomas, Hannah and Eliza- beth. Their son, Thomas Hicks, married May Washburn, and had two children: Thomas and Jacob. He married, for his second wife, Mary Doughty, and had the following chil- dren: Isaac, William, Stephen, John, Charles, Benjamin,1 Phebe, Charity, Mary and Eliza- beth.

Jacob Hicks, the second child of the first union, married Hannah Morgan, and had the following children: Samuel, Stephen, Thomas,

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Joseph, Jacob, Benjamin,? Elizabeth, John, Sarah and Hannah. Their son, Joseph Hicks, married (first) Elizabeth Desler, and had the following children: Mordecai, Thomas, Ber- nard, Elizabeth. For his second wife he mar- ried Catharine Filkins, and has the following children: Isaac, Benjamin," Catharine, John, Joseph, Abraham, Sarah, Samuel and Stephen. -Benjamin Hicks3 married Deborah Doty, and had the following children: Elias, Joseph, Benjamin,4 David, Amy, Elizabeth, Sarah, Deborah, and Annie .- Benjamin Hicks + mar- ried Hannah Couse, and had the following children: Samuel, Ury, George, Annie, Ed- ward, Asa, Zadieann, Perry, Elizabeth, Cath- arine, and Benjamin." -- Samuel Hicks married Eliza Ann Link, and had the following chil- dren: Emily, Willard W. (our subject), Esther, Jasper, Irving, and Samuel E .-- Willard W. Hicks married Fannie H. Smith, daughter of Egbert Smith, a well-known citizen of Pine Plains, and has had two children: Iduma E. and Emma Z.

Our subject is one of the leading residents of the town of Pine Plains, Dutchess county, and was born May 18, 1844, in the town of Milan, near Fayetteville. Until the age of eighteen he attended the district schools of that neighborhood, and then spent one term at the little Nine Partners School at Millbrook. At nineteen he taught a term of four months in the Bartlett district, town of Milan, also a winter term in his home district, and the fol- lowing year he spent nearly two terms as a stu- dent at Charlotteville, Schoharie county, to further prepare himself for the work of teach- ing. In this calling he was very successful, having natural talent and inclination for it, and he became known as one of the leading educators of the locality. He taught three successive terms at home, several years in the Germain district, two terms in the Carroll dis- trict, in the town of Stanford, and one in Mt. Ross district, but he has also given his atten- tion to other pursuits. In the summers of 1865 and 1866 he was engaged in carpentering, and he has followed this trade intermittingly since that time. Since 1873, the year of his mar- riage, he has owned and cultivated a farm of 153 acres in the western part of the town of Pine Plains, to which he added ninety-six acres more in 1883. He is quite extensively engaged as a dealer in sheep and cattle, Michigan sheep being his preference on account of their thrift, hardiness, quiet and orderly inclinations. From

that State he has brought many car-loads to his locality, where at all times he finds a ready market. He is also engaged somewhat as an auctioneer, and has the credit of succeeding in securing first-class prices for goods which he sells. He says his motto is " Better wear out than rust out," and that he has no affinity with idleness or inactivity-"God helps him who helps himself."

Mr. Hicks is a director in the Farmers Mu- tual Insurance Company, of Milan, Pine Plains and Stanford townships. As a well-read man, versed in legal forms, he is often engaged by his neighbors to draw up contracts, leases, deeds, mortgages, wills, and other papers, and, as may well be supposed, he is a very busy man. Enterprising in private business he is no less so in public affairs; and, having in mind the difficulties with which he contended in gain- ing his education, he has been especially active in the interests of the local schools, serving as trustee for a number of years. On national questions he has always been a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, but in local matters he votes independently, choosing the best man. He has been town assessor for five years. He and his wife are leading members of the Chris- tian Church of West Pine Plains, in which Mr. Hicks holds the office of deacon.

M RS. MARY J. VELIE) TRAVER. The name of Velie is a reminder of the early days to any one familiar with the history of the development of Dutchess county, the an- cestors of this respected Holland-Dutch family having been pioneer settlers in the town of La- grange. Minard B. Velie, the grandfather of the lady whose name appears at the opening of this sketch, was born and educated in that town, and at an early age engaged in agricult- ural pursuits, which he continued throughout his life. He married Miss Mary Baldwin, and had seven children: Isaac, who married Pam- alie Wheeler; Baltus, who remained single; Mary A., who never married; Richard, our subject's father; Susan ( Mrs. Elias Tompkins); Carrie, the wife of Peter Pells; and Phoebe (Mrs. John Losee).

Richard Velie was born in the town of La- grange, and after receiving an education in the common schools of that town, he engaged in farming, as had his father before him. His wife, Rebecca Traver, was a daughter of David and Catherine (Pells) Traver, who were

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prominent among the agricultural residents of the town of Rhinebeck, Dutchess county. Of their two children, our subject was the elder. The younger, Phoebe R., was born and edu- cated in the town of Unionvale, and has never married.

Mrs. Mary J. Traver was also a native of the town of Unionvale, and her education was obtained in the common schools of that local- ity. She married (first, Albert Ingraham, a farmer of the same locality. They had no children. By a second marriage, to Herbert L. Traver, also a farmer and well-known citi- zen of Unionvale. she has one son, Arthur E.

Another branch of the Velie family in this section traces its descent from William Velie, who lived and died in the town of Lagrange, Dutchess county, where his son, Baltus, was born February 19, 1785. The latter also passed his life in that town and died there May 25, 1871. His early years were spent upon his father's farm with the common-school ad- vantages of that time, and later he learned the details of tanning and shoemaking at Pleasant Valley, Dutchess county, but his main business throughout his active career was agriculture. He owned an excellent farm, upon which he built a comfortable residence and other build- ings. He was a self-made man and a good citizen, taking a hearty interest in public ques- tions; the Whig party received his support until the Republican organization was formed, when he became one of its steadfast adherents. He was married at Pleasant Valley to Miss Nancy Losee, a lady of French descent, who was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church. Ten of the fourteen children of this union have joined the silent majority, and their names with dates of birth and death are as follows: Simon, July 12, 1808 - Novem- ber 4. 1876; Hepsibeth, April 5, 1807-March 14, 1867; Egbert, December 12, 1809, died in childhood; Zacheus, March 12, 1811-June 29, 1885; Eliza Ann, March 21, 1813-July 15, 1849. (married John Pells); Catherine, June 4, 1815 - November 16, 1851. ( married Jacob Baker); Jacob O., February 26, 1817 -1829; Mary Rebecca, August 26, 1819- August 2, 1869; Alonzo B., July 8, 1822- February 26, 1896; Isaac, January 5, 1825- October 16, 1829. Four of the family are still living: William Morris, December 31, 1826, resides on Main street, Poughkeepsie; William J., May 17, 1829; Susan Jeannette, March 29, 1831, is mentioned below, and

George Edward, September 28, 1833, lives at Poughkeepsie.

Susan J. Velie was married January 28, 1857, to John Henry Brinkerhoff, who was born in the town of Fishkill, Dutchess county, in September, I$35, son of John H. Brinker- hoff, a prominent agriculturist residing in Dow Point. Mr. Brinkerhoff's boyhood was spent in his native town, and on learning the car- penter's trade he settled in business there, re- maining until 1869, when he moved with his family to Lagrange, where they lived for sev- eral years. The only son, Clarence V., was educated at Leslie's private school at Pough- keepsie, and became a pharmacist in that city, first with Strickler & Swartz, and later with A. M. Doty. On January 28, 1891, he wedded Miss Stella Van Wyck, daughter of Abram C. Van Wyck, and granddaughter of James Van- Wyck, of Unionvale. Two children were born of this union: George, March 11, 1892; and Frank Raymond, January 14, 1894.

J LOHN REDMAN, an enterprising and pros- perous business man of Fishkill-on-Hud- son, is one of the leading plumbers of the county, and a member of the New York State Master Plumbers' Association, also of the National Plumbers' Association. His exten- sive establishment at Fishkill contains a show room fitted up with all the latest appliances for gas, steam, and hot water plumbing, and for arrangement and workmanship it will compare favorably with any in the United States.

Robert Redman, our subject's father, was a native of Bradford, Yorkshire, England, and followed the occupation of a plumber. He married Rhoda Jennings, who was a descend- ant on the maternal side of an old and well- known family, the Ogdens. To their union were born two children: Susanna, who mar- ried John Horrocks, and resided in Fishkill, where she died in November, 1895; and John, our subject. The father died in 1842.

John Redman, our subject, was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, in 1839, and was baptized in Haworth Church by Charlotte Bronté's father. He was left fatherless at the age of three years, and received but little schooling, his attendance being limited to half-days from his ninth to his twelfth year, the other half of his time being spent in work- ing in a factory. From twelve to fifteen he was employed full time in a woolen-factory,

Askedman

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and then he began to learn the plumbing busi- ness, receiving seventy-five cents per week during his apprenticeship. He worked at his trade in different shops until I870, when he came to America, and, in 1871, he opened a shop in Fishkill, which he carried on with gratifying success. In 1895 he built his pres- ent show room, with a workshop adjoining show room, that are considered models in con- struction, fitting and arrangement.

In 1864 Mr. Redman married Miss Susan Taylor, daughter of John and Jemima Taylor. Their only daughter, Rhoda, married Dr. James Richard English, of Matteawan. The family are all members of the Episcopal Church, and take a leading part in the social life of the locality. Mr. Redman votes the Republican ticket, but is not an active political worker. He is interested in fraternal society work, and is a member of the K. of P. Our subject is the only Redman of his branch of the family living. In 1880 he made an ex- tended tour throughout England, visiting among other places the scenes of his child- hood. In 1881 his wife and daughter (the latter being but eight years of age) made a similar tour.

DR. JAMES RICHARD ENGLISH, our sub- ject's son-in-law, one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Fishkill, was born August 27, 1865, at Constableville, Lewis Co., N. Y., the son of Dr. R. S. English and his wife Marga- ret (Gormully). He was the youngest of four children, the others being John Bernard, Gus- tavus Pierce, and Alice E. His academic education was obtained in the public schools of his native town, and after graduating from the high school he began the study of medi- cine at the Long Island College and Hospital, in Brooklyn, N. Y., from which he was gradu- ated in 1892. He began the practice of his profession at Fishkill-on-Hudson, and has al- ready established a large and lucrative busi- ness. In politics he is neutral. Socially he and his wife are prominent, and he is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., the R. A., and I. O. F., of the home lodge of which latter organization he is a ph sician.

G EORGE HUFCUT has been a leading and prominent citizen of Dover Plains, Dutchess county. His father, who was a lawyer and surrogate, practiced his profession in Dover Plains for many years; was also a

politician of ability, and a leader in his party. He was honored with a number of town offices, and was a prominent worker in Masonic cir- cles, taking a great interest in that order.

Our subject was born at Dover Plains, and in early life entered upon a mercantile career, engaging in that business for some years. Later he conducted the mill of his father in the town of Dover, but at the latter's death the plant was sold to a Mr. Reiner. He has been called upon to serve in several local offices, in- cluding that of assessor of his township. Socially, he is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, and is affable and pleasant in manner, winning friends wherever he goes. The house in which the family lived for years was burned to the ground in March, 1897.

Mr. Hufcut was united in marriage with Miss Jennie Flinn, who was born and educated in New York City, and they have become the parents of two children: William M., and Sara B. Her father, John Flinn, was a native of Dublin, Ireland, and belonged to the nobility of that country, his father being a titled gentleman and one of the large land owners there. The son was highly educated in his native city, and had in his own right a large income after he had reached man's estate. Owing to his love of adventure, he with his valet and fortune, embarked for the United States without the knowledge of his family. He located in New York City, where he established himself in the crockery and glass- ware business on an extensive scale. This venture proved very successful, and after con- ducting the business for a number of years, he laid aside business cares, and lived a retired life. Mr. Flinn married Miss Sarah Powell, daughter of William Powell, a prominent and wealthy lawyer of England, and to them were born six children: Morris R., Charles B. and John f., all of whom died in infancy; Mary T., who became the wife of George Terry, of Bos- ton, Mass .; Sarah, who died in infancy; and Jennie A., the estimable wife of our subject.

P ETER V. W. MONTFORT, a leading agriculturist of the town of Wappinger, Dutchess county, is the owner of one of the choicest farms in that vicinity, a tract of 450 acres, which has been in the possession of his family for more than a century. Ile is a de- scendant of two of the oldest and most dis- tinguished families in the county. On the

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paternal side, his great-great-grandfather, Peter Montfort, was a native of Holland, coming to America in Colonial times with three sons, one of whom located on Long Island, and the other in New Jersey. Our subject's great- grandfather, Peter Montfort, who about 1735 settled in Fishkill, Dutchess county, upon land of which the present homestead is a part (it being then known as the Verplank Patent). was born in 1711 and died in 1791. The farm consisted of 370 acres, and he built and oc- cupied the stone house still standing. He had five children: Mary, who married Albert Mont- fort, from Long Island; Peter, who will pres- ently be spoken of; Magdalene, who married Cornelius Van Wyck; Jacobus, married to Ruth Van Voorhis; and Jeanette, wife of Major Fort.

Peter Montfort, grandfather of our subject, was born December 14, 1760, on the home- stead just referred to, and passed his entire busi- ness life as a farmer. At the age of sixteen he served in the Revolutionary war, and our subject has the musket which he carried at that time, and a fowling piece which in those days cost a hundred bushels of wheat, rated at $3 per bushel. For a short time after the close of that struggle grandfather Montfort lived near Harlem, where he married Susan Waldron. Returning home after his father's death to his half of the farm, he there built a residence on the site of the one now occupied by our sub- ject, and which was burned in 1860, and he also added ninety acres to the farm. He died in 1824. His brother Jacobus lived in the original stone house until 1825; he had five sons: Cornelius, Elias, Peter J., James and Abraham.

Peter P. Montfort, our subject's father, was the only son of his parents, and was born at the old homestead November 10, 1795. After the death of Jacobus Montfort, his uncle, he bought the stone-house part of the farm. Agriculture was his principal occupation throughout his life; but he was also engaged for some time in boating and in mercantile business. He was a man of great force of character, active in local affairs as a member of the Whig party, and at his death, February 26, 1854, he was a member of the State Leg- islature. Ilis wife, Maria Du Bois, to whom he was married November 26, 1817, was a native of Fishkill, born April 22, 1798. She was a daughter of Garret Du Bois, and a granddaughter of Christian Du Bois, both in

their time leading residents of Fishkill, the family being descended from the old Huguenot stock which has been represented by so many able and prosperous citizens in Dutchess and Ulster counties. She died October 13, 1836. and of the family of four children our subject is the only survivor. Susan, born July 1, 1819, married George Brinkerhoff, and both died at an early age; Garret, the twin brother of our subject, died at the age of thirteen; and Han- nah, born May 13, 1825, died in September, 1855.

The subject of our sketch, the second child of this union, was born January 19, 1821, and has always lived at the old farm. On December 27, 1843, he was united in marriage to Julia A. Stockholm, daughter of John C. Stockholm, a native of Dutchess county, and a prominent farmer of the town of Fishkill, and his wife, Eliza Underhill, who was from Eastchester, Westchester county. Mrs. Mont- fort died November 5, 1871, leaving seven children, all of whom are still living: John P. is a traveling man, and resides in New Paltz, Ulster county; Charles D. B. is a farmer in the town of Wappinger; Maria L. is at home; Eliza is the wife of Jeremiah Fowler, of Providence, R. I .: Meta married George White, of the town of Wappinger; Julia A. married Milo J. White, a lawyer, of MIt. Ver- non, and Eugene is a farmer in the town of Wappinger.

Mr. Montfort's time has been mainly em- ployed in the supervision of his farm, upon which he raises a variety of crops. He has always been prominent in local affairs, and although he has never sought political office is an influential member of the Republican party. The Montforts have always been zealous sup- porters of the Reformed Dutch Church, and their influence has been a helpful factor in every line of progress.

M RS. MARY LEE is the widow of Ward Lee, who, prior to his death at Dover Plains, Dutchess county, a few years ago, was one of the well-esteemed and earnest-hearted men of that village whose influence always count for social well-being and advancement in the community in which they live. He was unassuming in manner, but was called by his fellow-citizens to serve in various local offices, among which were those of commissioner of

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highways for three terms and collector for two terms.

Mr. Lee was a native of Connecticut, where he was born in 1820. His parents were Will- jam and Mahetable ( Ward ) Lee, who were descendants of New England people. Ward Lee was a boy, in his early .' 'teens," when he left his native State and settled in the town of Dover, Dutchess county. He was the eldest of six children, as follows : Ward, Egbert, Jane, Louise, Emily and Emiline ( twins ). He was married at South Dover, November 7, 1848, to Miss Mary Cutter, who was born at Dover Furnace, and is the daughter of Calvin and Kesiah ( Varney ) Cutter, of Amer- ican ancestry for generations. Four children were born to Ward and Mary ( Cutter ) Lee, namely : Adelia Ann, born July 14, 1849 ; Emily S., who was born July 1, 1850, married Alvin Maray, and has since died, her husband surviving ; William, born November 17, 1851 ( now deceased ); and Angeline K., born Janu- ary 26, 1853. By trade Mr. Lee was a car- penter, and he followed this calling through life. His political affiliations were with the Democratic party. He died August 12, 1888, aged sixty-eight years, and was buried at South Dover. Mrs. Mary Lee, his widow, survives him, and is now living at Dover Plains in a pleasant home which is her own property, and among friends whom she has known almost from her childhood.

M RS. MARY FLAGLER FOOTE, now a resident of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess coun- ty, spends a portion of the season at her resi- dence at Green Haven, town of Beekman. The property owned by her is a portion of the large tract of land owned by her great-great- grandfather, Joshua Carman, who came from Long Island and settled here, being a large land owner and prominent in the early history of Dutchess county.

Her great-grandfather, Capt. Cornelius Van Wyck, married Sarah Carman, and lived at Hopewell, Dutchess county. He served with distinction in the Revolutionary war, and was killed in the battle of White Plains, Octo- ber 31, 1776. Her other great-grandfather. Joseph Doughty, was born in England in 1744. He came to this country when a boy with his mother (then a widow), and settled on Long Island. His mother, for her second husband, married John Carman, and moved to Green

Haven, town of Beekman. Joseph Doughty, married Psyche Wiltsie, of Fishkill, and paid £100 for the right to settle on a tract of land adjoining the Carman estate. He had the honor of entertaining Gen. La Fayette when on his travels through Beekman about the year 1824. Her grandfather, William Doughty, married a widow, Sarah Van Wyck Vander- burgh, and was a highly respected citizen of his time. The above are ancestors on her mother's side.

On her father's side, her grandfather, Zach- ariah Flagler, was born in the town of Beekman. His first wife was a Miss Wilkinson, by whom he had one daughter, Mary. His second wife, Catherine Collins, was a native of the town of Unionvale, and to them were born ten chil- dren: Collins, John, Zachariah, David, Frank- lin, Enoch, Philip, Shadrach, and George and Gilbert twins). Religiously the family were members of the Society of Friends.

Gilbert Flagler, the father of Mrs. Foote, was also a native of the town of Beekman. He married Psyche Doughty, daughter of Will- iam Doughty, and after his marriage located on a farm near Green Haven. To them were born five children: Mary, Martha R., who is the widow of John Peters, and resides in Fish- kill village, Dutchess county; Theodore V. W. now deceased) married Helen Jones; Henry died unmarried; and Sarah died in infancy. Mr. Flagler was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, dying in that faith in 1873. His widow passed away in 1894 at the ripe old age of eight-six years. They had many warm friends, and were held in high esteem in the locality which was so long their home.

Mary Flagler was married September 10, 1851, from her home in the town of Beekman, to George Benton Foote, of New Haven, Conn. Mr. Foote was a merchant in New York City for a number of years, engaged in the import- ing of fine cloth. The latter part of his life was passed in the town of Beekman, where he died December 11, 1871. Two sons were born to them: Gilbert F. and George B., Jr.

Gilbert Flagler Foote married Clara Will- iams, of Poughkeepsie, December 5, 1893. and to them two children were born: Andrew Giraud, February 2, 1895; and Gilbert Flag- ler, Jr., September 1, 1896.

George Benton Foote, Jr., married Ida Williams, of Poughkeepsie, June 14, 1894, a sister of Clara Williams, and daughter of Orren

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A. and Josephine Giraud Williams, both families being prominently known in Pough- keepsie society.

All of Mary Flagler Foote's ancestral fam- ilies have been prominent in the history of Beekman and Dutchess county. Mrs. Foote merits and receives the esteem of all who know her, and is beloved by all with whom she comes in contact for her noble traits of character.

M RS. MARY H. ROSS, like many of the prominent and highly respected citizens of the town of Dover, Dutchess county, comes of an honored family that was early established in Connecticut. There her paternal grand- father, Josiah Hungerford, was born, on Sep- tember 15, 1774. in the town of New Milford. Litchfield county. On the completion of his literary studies he began harness and saddle making, which he continued to follow through life. He married Miss Hannah Miles, who was born November 18. 1779, and to them was born a son, Abner G., the father of Mrs. Ross. The wife and mother died September 12, 1805, and Mr. Hungerford was again mar- ried, his second union being with Miss Mary Miles, a sister of his first wife; she was born August 19, 1786. His death occurred Decem- ber 25, 1852, and that of his wife, Mary Miles Hungerford, March 5, 1829. They had two sons: (1) Averil, born February 14, 1808, in the town of New Milford, Litchfield county, mar- ried and had one child that died in infancy; his second wife bore the maiden name of Cor- nelia Demorest; his death occurred December 28, 1878, and that of his second wife, Decem- ber 27, 1879. (2) Fred G., born October 18, 1812, married Miss-Mary M. Freer, and they had one daughter, Mary Frances, who married George Neilson, a prominent lawyer of New York City, and died one year later; Fred G. died February 26, 1881.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 81

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