Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 90

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

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During his boyhood the subject of this sketch attended the district schools near his home, and a private school in Sharon, Conn., later studying for one year in Cazenovia Sem- inary, a Methodist institution at Cazenovia, N. Y., receiving a good English education. As he has always been a reader, he has ac-

quired a large fund of information on subjects of general interest. At nineteen years of age he returned home, where he remained for some time, but on June 16, 1881, he entered the service of the Harlem Railroad Co., as agent at Coleman Station, having the entire charge of their interests there. He remained twelve years without interruption. with the exception of a six-months' leave of absence.

He married Miss Alice N. Clark, a member of one of the oldest families of Northeast, and a daughter of Philo W. Clark, a well-known farmer there. They have one son, Raymond Lathrop, born June 21, 1894, and one daugh- ter, Louisa Alice. born April 16, 1896. In 1892 Mr. Barrett purchased Mr. Clark's farm of 215 acres, and January 16, 1893, he resigned his position with the railroad company to en- gage in agriculture. He gives especial atten- tion to horticulture, and has a fine orchard upon the estate. As a careful yet progressive manager he has been successful in his enter- prise. In politics he is a Democrat, but he has never done any political work, although in local affairs, which do not involve any par- tisan issues, he has at times been a prominent helper. He and his wife are active members of the Presbyterian Church, and he is also a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Webatuck Lodge, of Millerton, in which he has held all the offices, Poughkeepsie Chapter No. 172, and Commandery No. 43.

SAAC CORBIN. Among the pleasant rural homes of the town of Pawling, Dutchess county, is that of Mr. Corbin, a prosperous agriculturist and one of the leading citizens of the town. His present wife, whose maiden name was Mary F. Allison, was born in Hast- ings county, Canada, Aug. 29, 1860, and re- ceived her education in the common schools of her native country. Their marriage took place in 1883. By his first marriage, to Miss Jennie Sherman, Mr. Corbin had three children: Al- bert J., born November 6, 1872; Anna M., February 12, 1875; and Charles L., March 3, 1876; and there are six children of the sec- ond union: William, born April 4, 1884; B. Frank, September 11, 1885; I. Cecil, June 12, 1887; Ethel B., May 11, 1889; D. Lewis, April 21, 1891; and Clement, April 27, 1896.

The Allison family has been identified with Prince Edward county, Canada, from a very early period. Mrs. Corbin's grandfather, John

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Allison, was born in New Jersey and educated there, and served in the British army in the Revolutionary war. On his return home he purchased land there and followed farming and weaving throughout the remaining years of his life. He married Miss Ann Sprague, and had eight children, of whom Benjamin I., Mrs. Corbin's father, was the first. Of the others, Henry B. married Delanie Schamerhorn; Da- vid wedded Jane Smith; Joseph-Catherine Wood; Phoebe-Griffin Howell; Betsy-Myron Wood; Catherine died in infancy; and Sophia married Samuel Parks.

Benjamin 1. Allison was born at the old home in Canada in 1817, and after availing himself of the educational privileges afforded in the common schools of his native place, be- came a farmer there. He was a great sports- man, and was much interested in political questions, espousing the liberal side, but he never aspired to public office. He married Miss Eliza H. Greeley, daughter of Jonathan and Harriet (Roblin) Greeley, the former of whom was a well-known surveyor and farmer. Twelve children were born of this union, all of whom were educated in the schools of Hast- ings county: (1) Absalom G. has been a train dispatcher on the Grand Trunk railroad in Canada for over thirty years. He married Miss Nancy Simpkins, and has had five children: Maude, who married Ned Dickson, and has two daughters-Florence and Nettie; Florence, who married Kep C. Lyons, and has one daugh- ter-Grace: Arthur; Claude; and Emma. (2) John S., a farmer in Pennsylvania, mar- ried Miss Mary Wilson, and has had four chil- dren: Benjamin, William, Fred and Maggie. (3) Jonathan, a farmer in Canada, married Miss Sarah Prentice, and has had five children : May, Olive, Flossie, Pearl and Lena. (4) Harriet married William Toppings, and has had four children: James, Jonathan, Eva and Laura. (5) William H. has been train dis- patcher on the Credit Valley & Canadian Pa- cific railroad for eighteen years. He married Miss Georgiana Cole, and has one son, Cecil. (6) Benjamin R., a speculator in Canada, married Miss Kate Hazzel, and has one daugh- ter, Gertrude. (7) Phoebe E. married James Ferris, and has had three children: Allison, Bessie and Greeley. (8) Sarah C. married Charles Baker, of Winnipeg. Manitoba, and and has seven children: Dufferin, Horace, Robert, Elma, Victoria, Ruth and Florence. (9) Eva H. married John Noble, of St. Paul,

Minn., and has had five children: Frank, Clara, Benjamin, Mabel and Marion. (10) Mary F. is the wife of Isaac Corbin. (11) Martha N. married Benjamin Frank Burr. (12) Joseph C. died in infancy.

JOHN OSBORNE WHITEHOUSE (de-

ceased) was born July 19, 1817, at Gonic,

a village near Rochester, N. H., and was of French and English descent. His father, who was a farmer, gave his son the best education which the neighborhood afforded, but the young man developed an early desire for a wider field, and when scarcely more than sixteen years old went to New York, which has been so aptly termed the "City of Opportunity," and few ever made better use of the city's opportunity. Entering a jobbing house in boots and shoes, utterly without experience, he in a very few years thoroughly mastered the business, out- stripping many older employes. He went to live in Brooklyn, and in 1838, when but twen- ty-one, married Fanny Smith, later buying a house and establishing his home in Clinton avenue. In the meantime he started in the boot-and-shoe business in Brooklyn for him- self, as head of the firm of Whitehouse & Co. His success was marked, and his advancement rapid. Among other remunerative contracts which he had during the next few years was one on Randall's Island.

In 1863, having sold his Brooklyn business, Mr. Whitehouse removed to Poughkeepsie and built an immense shoe factory, which he con- ducted with increasing success until his death, often employing as high as five hundred opera- tives. His close attention to business, indom- itable energy, skill in adapting himself to the needs of the times, prudence and upright char- acter brought their logical rewards, and he amassed a large fortune. Interests outside of his business attracted his serious attention but once. In 1872 he consented to become a can- didate for Congress on the Democratic ticket, in the district comprising the counties of Dutchess, Putnam and Columbia, a district supposed to be hopelessly Republican. Into this campaign Mr. Whitehouse brought the same energy and sagacity which had marked his business career, and though skilled and ex- perienced politicians were pitted against him, he was elected by nearly a thousand majority, defeating John H. Ketcham. The campaign was an exciting and memorable one, and is

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still spoken of as a remarkable instance of what a trained business man may accomplish in politics when so disposed. Two years later he was re-elected, but declined a third nomina- tion. His terms in Congress were marked by hard and honest work, and were satisfactory to his constituents.

On moving to Poughkeepsie Mr. White- house bought a large estate on the edge of town and established a country home, the beautifying and enlarging of which became his pride. This estate adjoined "Springside," the home of Matthew Vassar. In 1868 "Spring- side " was annexed and incorporated with the Whitehouse property. Mr. Whitehouse was a stockholder in various financial institutions, and the largest stockholder and managing director of the Ninth National Bank, of New York. During the Civil war he was loyal to the Union and active in promoting its cause, and became a member of the Union League Club.

Mr. Whitehouse may probably best be described as a typical American in the best sense of the term. No trait of his character was more marked than his independence and self-reliance. He made up his mind on a given subject carefully, and from a thorough understanding of all its details, and then acted with the full courage of his convictions. Loyalty to his friends was another of his marked characteristics. He died at Pough- keepsie August 24, 1881 ; his wife passed away January 13, 1893. Of their six children, John O., Spencer S., William, Fanny A., and James H. are deceased, leaving Mary Jose- phine, wife of EUGENE N. HOWELL, as the only surviving child. She, with her husband and son, John Whitehouse Howell, reside dur- ing the summer months at Poughkeepsie, on the old Whitehouse estate.

F RANK BENTLEY WILBUR, an expe- rienced farmer and most genial and com- panionable gentleman, has made his home on his present fine farm in the town of Stanford, Dutchess county, since 1869. He is a man of great energy and perseverance, and has effected many improvements on his place since taking possession. He is recognized as a valued ad- dition to the community, a man possessed of excellent judgment, and giving his support and encouragement to those enterprises calcu- lated for the general welfare.

His grandfather, Samuel Wilbur, who was a native of Milan town, Dutchess county, mar- ried Elizabeth Hicks, by whom he had eight children: George, Hiram, Ephraim, Benjamin (father of our subject), Jeptha, Cynthia, Mary and Phœbe, all now deceased save Hiram and Phoebe. The family is of English origin, and was founded in this country at an early day. The grandfather of our subject spent most of his life engaged in farming in Pine Plains, where he was a well-known and highly-respected citi- zen. His political support was given to the Whig party.

Benjamin Wilbur, the father of our sub- ject, was born in the town of Pine Plains Jan- uary 17, 1815, and, after completing his edu- cation in the common schools, taught there for several years. On December 10, 1842, in his native township, he was united in marriage with Miss Antoinette Bentley, a daughter of Hiram Bentley, of Pine Plains, and to them were born four children: Frank Bentley, sub- ject of this review; Emma V., who was born January 9, 1846, and is now the wife of Charles L. Carrol, of Pine Plains; Guliette, who was born September 9, 1855, and died December 24, 1859, and Cora L., who was born March 1, 1859, and died on the 28th of December following. After his marriage the father lo- cated upon a farm in Pine Plains town, where he followed agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred July 23, 1893. He took a leading part in the affairs of the town- ship, served his fellow citizens in the offices of assessor and commissioner, and was promi- nently identified with all public interests. Po- litically he was an ardent Republican in later years, and previous to the organization of that party supported the Whig candidates. He was a faithful member of the Christian Church at Pine Plains, in which, for many years, he served as deacon. His loving wife died July 12, 1893, only a few days previous to his death.

Frank B. Wilbur remained at home until his marriage, assisting his father in the opera- tion of the farm during the summer months, while in the winters, during his boyhood days, he attended the district schools, where he ac- quired a practical education, and was thus fitted for the responsible duties of life. In the town of Stanford, October 19, 1869, he mar- ried Miss Mary B. Sackett, daughter of Phineas K. Sackett, of that township, and they have become the parents of three children, namely:

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Nina B., who was born March 12, 1871, and who was married June 20, 1894, to Henry E. Cornelius, of Stanford town (they have two children: Elinor, born April 26, 1895, and Mary, born December 29, 1896); Mae S., born October 9, 1873, and Effie G., born October 7, 1878. On July 17, 1895, Mr. Wilbur was called upon to mourn the loss of his estimable wife, who had ever been a faithful companion and helpmeet to him.

Politically our subject is a stanch adherent of the doctrines formulated by the Republican party, finding in that organization what to him seem the principles most calculated to perpet- uate our form of popular government. He is one of the prominent and representative men of his township, looked up to and esteemed by the entire community.

J OHN GOLLENBECK. Among the most enterprising citizens of this country are those who were born in Germany, and who have brought to this fertile and productive land the thrift and economy of the Old World. Among these there is no figure that stands out more prominently in the history of Dutchess county than the gentleman whose name intro- duces this sketch, and who is now a leading farmer in the town of Unionvale.

His paternal grandfather, John Wiseman, was born in Liebstadt, Prussia, and was a farmer by occupation. He wedded Miss Maria Linman, and to them were born six children: Stephen, Harry, John, Katie, Elizabeth and Mary. Stephen Wiseman, the father of our subject, was a native of the same place, was there educated and learned the wagon-maker's trade, at which he worked most of his life. His employer left his business to him, provided he would take his name, which was Gollen- beck. This he assumed, and took control of the property. He was united in marriage with Miss Maria Scheroff, and they had four chil- dren: John, William, Frank and Maria.

John Gollenbeck, our subject, was born in Westphalia, Germany, in 1825, and in the place of his nativity attended school. In the old country he also learned the wagon-maker's trade, at which he worked until crossing the Atlantic to America in 1855. He at first lo- cated in New York City, where he worked at his trade for thirteen months, but at the end of that time came to the town of Unionvale, Dutchess county, and turned his attention to

farming. During the dark days of the Rebel- lion, he resolved to aid his adopted country in preserving the Union, and at Poughkeepsie en- listed in Company A, 150th N. Y. V. I., with which he faithfully served until hostilities had ceased. He now holds membership with Ham- lin Post, G. A. R.

Mr. Gollenbeck was married to Miss An- toinette Austin, daughter of Irving Austin, a laborer of Dutchess county, and they have two children: Mattie and William. Mattie is the wife of Obed Hewett, a butcher, carpenter and farmer of Arthursburg, Dutchess county, and they have six children: Robert, Ephraim, Judson, Lehman, Mabel and Florence. Will- iam was born, reared and educated in the town of Unionvale, where he is now carrying on farming.

J. Austin, the grandfather of Mrs. Gol- lenbeck, was one of the Revolutionary heroes. He was a native of Dutchess county, and a farmer by occupation. By his marriage with Miss Sallie A. McIntyre he had five children : Sallie, who married Joseph Bowman ; John, who died when young; Irving, the father of Mrs. Gollenbeck; Jane, who married Jacob Rozell, and Mary, who became the wife of Clark Duncan. Irving Austin was born in Dutchess county in 1803, received a common- school education, and during his youth learned the shoemaker's trade, but the principal part of his life was devoted to general farming. He married Miss Ann Sweet, daughter of Uriah Sweet, a collier, of Dutchess county, and they became the parents of seven chil- dren: Almira, who married George Van Cott; Lavina, who married John Rosterhauft; Sarah A., who married Romaine Stevens; Amelia; George, who married Emily Dennis; Henry, who married Hannah Cooper; and Antoinette, the honored wife of our subject.

G EORGE W. RYMPH. This gentleman occupies no unimportant position among the leading citizens of the town of Hyde Park, Dutchess county. He is a native of Ulster county, N. Y., born in the town of Gardiner, near Tuthill, July 19, 1839, and is a son of James Rymph, whose birth occurred at the old Rymph homestead on the Hyde Park road in this county. The family name was origi- nally spelled Rim, and the great-grandfather, George Rymph, who was a native of Witten- berg, Germany, came to this country with the

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. Cookinghams, who settled at Wurtemburg. He arrived a few years prior to 1769, when the house on the old homestead was built, and the farm, consisting of 215 acres, was purchased of Dr. John and Susanna Bard, the Doctor being one of the Great Nine Partners. Mr. Rymph, being a thrifty and enterprising man, added to his land until at the time of his death he had 600 acres, and was one of the prosper- ous and prominent citizens of the locality. His sons were George, Abram, Luke, James and John, and, of his three daughters, one married a Mr. Buckingham, of Catskill, N. Y., and another married a Mr. Beeman. George mar- ried and went west, but the other four sons remained upon the old homestead in the town of Hyde Park, where they were held in the highest regard. Slavery was still tolerated at that time in this section, and the family owned a few slaves. With the exception of John Rymph, the grandfather of our subject, the other sons that remained on the homestead did not marry. He wedded Wyenna Has- brouck, who belonged to one of the old Hu- guenot families of Ulster county, and to them were born the following children: James; John; William George; David; Edward L .; Maria, who became the wife of Abram S. DuBois; Margaret, who married Benjamin L. Has- brouck; Sarah, who wedded Jacob Chambers, of Ithaca, Tompkins Co., N. Y., brother of Dr. George Chambers, of Stone Ridge, Ulster Co., N. Y .; Rachel, who married John P. Schryver, of Hyde Park; and Susan. All of this family lived to quite advanced ages. In early life their father was a captain and boat- man on the Hudson river, but after his mar- riage his time was devoted to agricultural pur- suits upon the old homestead farm.

James Rymph, the father of our subject, was joined in wedlock with Hannah Budd, daughter of James Budd, of the town of Pleas- ant Valley, Dutchess county, and the aunt of Gov. James H. Budd, the only Democratic governor elected in California; and the sister of Joseph H. Budd, a justice of the supreme court of that State. To this worthy couple were born six children, three sons and three daughters-Ellen, who died in infancy; George W., of this review; Jane, who died unmarried; John J., living in Clinton, Dutchess county; Mary A., twin sister of John, who died un- married; and Albert J., who is living in Har- per, Harper Co., Kans. During the first two or three years of his married life the father

lived in what is now Gardiner, and then pur- chased a farm in the town of Clinton, Dutch- ess county, where he spent his remaining years. For that farm of 148 acres he went $7,000 in debt, but so well did he succeed in his business undertakings that at the time of his death he had two other farms, was direc- tor in the City National Bank, and one of the original stockholders in both the Rhinebeck Bank and the City National Bank of Pough- keepsie, all of which property was the result of his own untiring efforts and perseverance. He was originally a Democrat in politics, but at the time of the Civil war he joined the Repub- lican party, and was ever afterward one of its stalwart supporters. He was a well-read, in- telligent man, a member in good standing of the Presbyterian Church at Pleasant Plains, in the work of which he took an active part, and was a leading citizen of the community. His earthly career was ended in 1884.

Mr. Rymph, whose. name introduces this sketch, was educated in a private seminary and the Dutchess County Academy (the latter of which he attended a part of two years), and is well informed on the current events of the day. On leaving the school-room he returned to his father's farm, where he remained until 1883, giving his attention to its management and also to the one his father had given to him. In the spring of 1884 he removed to the latter place, on the Hyde Park road, then comprising 165 acres, to which by purchase he added fifty acres, making the original 215 acres which belonged to his great-grandfather, George Rymph.

In December, 1883, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Rymph and Miss Estelle Pearsall, of the town of Hyde Park, daughter of Samuel H. Pearsall, and they have two sons and one daughter, -George H., James G. B., and Marguerite E. Reared in the Re- publican party, our subject has always adhered to its principles, but at local elections usually votes independent of party ties, supporting the man whom he thinks best qualified to fill the position. In 1875 he was elected assessor of his town, and in the spring of 1894 was elected justice of the peace for a period of four years. Socially, he is connected with Poughkeepsie Lodge No. 266, F. & A. M .; religiously, he is identified with the Reformed Dutch Church, which he attends. He is at present serving as secretary and treasurer of the Farmers Town Co-operative Insurance Company, of the town

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of Hyde Park, and is one of the stockholders of the Huguenot Bank of New Paltz, Ulster Co., N. Y. He has aided in the advancement of his town and county in many ways, and is uniformly the friend of progress and education.

F RANK HERRICK, an enterprising and prosperous merchant of Rhinebeck, Dutch- ess county, was born February 2, 1852, in the town of Pine Plains, where his family has long been prominent.

He is a great-grandson of Ephraim Herrick, who had a son Ephraim Herrick (2), whose son, John A. Herrick, our subject's father, was born in 1817, and became one of the leading citizens of Pine Plains. He followed farming during his active life, but is now passing his declining years in retirement in the village of Rhinebeck. His fine mental ability and high character have made him deservedly popular among a wide circle of acquaintances, and he has often been called upon to fill positions of trust, and was supervisor of the town of Pine Plains for eight years, and for a long period was assessor and commissioner of highways. Politically he was a Democrat, and has given much of his attention to the interests of his party in his locality. He married Miss Mar- garet Sherwood, daughter of Isaac Sherwood, a well-known resident of Milan. Of their three children, our subject is the second; the others are: Louisa, the eldest, married John D. Hedges, of Milan; and Minerva married Charles Ferris, formerly of Milan, now of Rhinebeck.

Frank Herrick received a good English ed- ucation in his youth, attending the district schools near his home for some years, and later the seminary at Amenia, and as he pos- sesses an active mind, and is of an investigating turn, he has since gained much information by reading and observation. On leaving school he began to learn the practical details of mer- cantile life in "Dibble's Store" at Pine Plains. where he clerked for one year, then, in 1875, went to Rhinebeck as a clerk for his uncles, I. & P. Sherwood, leading grocers of that town, and on the death of the senior partner. in 1881, he was taken into the firm, which became Sherwood & Herrick. In 1892 Mr. Sherwood retired and Mr. Herrick removed to his present stand, and added coal and lumber to his stock, an enterprise which has been jus- tified by its success. He has one of the most complete stores in the locality, it being ad-

mirably adapted in every way to the demands of the business, wholesale and retail. His ex- tensive trade is, perhaps, the largest in volume of any store in the town, is evidence of the confidence and esteem in which he is held throughout the community.

He is public-spirited; in politics a Demo- crat, and always ready to forward any meas- ure for local improvement, but he has not been active in political work, as his business inter- ests demanded his exclusive attention. In 1884 he was married to Miss Sarah Reed, a daughter of Thomas Reed, a leading citizen of Rhinebeck; she was born December 3, 1858, in Saugerties, Ulster county, and educated in the De Garmo Institute at Rhinebeck. .. [For history of her ancestry see sketch of Thomas Reed, elsewhere in this volume. ] Mr. and Mrs. Herrick are active members of the Bap- tist Church, in which he is an official. He belongs to the Relief Hook and Ladder Co., and served as foreman for several years.

N ATHAN W. SMITH, residing upon a valuable farm in the town of Amenia, presents in his life a splendid example of hard labor, close application to business, and perse- verance. He commenced life at the foot of the ladder, but by his own well-directed efforts he is now able to take life easily and comfort- ably, in the enjoyment of the fruits of his early industry.

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Commemorative biographical record of Dutchess County, New York, Part 90

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