USA > New York > Greene County > Dear old Greene County; embracing facts and figures. Portraits and sketches of leading men who will live in her history, those at the front to-day and others who made good in the past > Part 8
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Meetings were held in New Baltimore, Coxsackie, Leeds, West Catskill, Cairo and many other places.
If the enfranchisement of the women of New York State is accomplished at the coming constitutional convention, or if there is another twenty years work ahead of us, we are ready for the future. We are better organized, have more money and more de- termination than ever before. Every year teaches women more politics, makes them better co-workers with men and women. There has never in the world's history been such a large, intelli- gent and enthusiastie body of citizens ready and eager to give of their time and their means for the betterment of their govern- ment. They are ready now for the vote. The opponents of the cause are the politicians with big money and little work, the graft- ers who fear women's well known economical use of money, and the white slavers who wish to keep good women out of all public places.
A Grand Charity
In the northern end of the village of Catskill, at the corner of New and High streets stand> the Home for Aged Women of Greene County. It is the house known to old residents as the Wellington House which later became the property of Hattie Cowles Cater from whom it was purchased on the 2d day of Nov. 1908, by the corporation above named.
The house is on high ground yet easy of access, and is well adapted to the purposes of the Home, and when the necessary alterations were made, and a new system of lighting and heating were installed it became a model dwelling for those whose active years are passed and who need and deserve care and attention in their declining years.
Our county is small, and not wealthy. It was thought by many, therefore, that the dream of a Home to be supported by voluntary gifts was an idle dream indeed. Yet in the latter part of 1907 a small but earnest band of men and women saw the vision, and the way to its fulfillment, and on the 13th day of
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July 1908, a certificate of incorporation was granted to the" Home for Aged Women in Greene County."
In order to secure funds for the maintenance of the Home a committee was sent to each of the fourteen towns in the county for the purpose of forming auxiliary boards, each to have its own officers, and each board to solicit contributions of a small but stated sum of money from individuals in the respective towns, pledged for three consecutive years. This plan met with a most hearty response and the result enabled the incorporators to pro- ceed confidently with the work of establishing and furnishing the Home. Early in the year 1909 it was opened, and was quickly filled with those who had long since applied for admission. From that time until the present moment the list of applicants has been far in excess of the number that can be cared for. There has been from the first, general recognition that the Home has attained a worthy success in its efforts to meet a real and urgent need. This success is due to the wise and careful inception of the undertaking to legal advice freely given-to busy men and women who have laid aside their pressing duties to aid those less fortunate, and to the generosity of doctors, merchants, tradesmen and farmers, none of whom has ever failed to respond to the call for help. A small but promising endowment fund has been started, and when that becomes large enough, the Home will be supported by its in- come. In the meantime it is largely dependent upon voluntary gifts.
The managers and directors look forward hopefully to the time when on this foundation of the year 1908 a Home of greater capacity may be established. Perhaps the next History of Greene County will record the erection of a Home for Aged Couples.
The Catskill Monday Club
One of the foremost social organizations of Catskill and of Greene county as well, so far as the women are concerned, is the Monday Club.
This was organized in 1894 or 1895 and has represented the leading women of Catskill in social and literary effort.
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The charter members were Mrs. Benjamin Wey, Mrs. Samuel Penfield. Miss Mary B. Penfield. Miss Sarah Beach, Miss Georgiana Jackson, Mrs. Adelaide Elting Harris. Mrs. E. E. Elliott, Mrs. F. H. Osborn, Mrs. A. L. Fitch, Miss Emily Becker. Seven of these are still members, and to that number as the years have passed has been added a large number. During the winter season each year a literary program is taken up and the interesting and instructive papers that have been written would form a great vol- ume. Miss Mabel V. Root is president of the organization. The winter program comprised papers by Miss Root, Miss Gertrude Gardner, Mrs. Solloway, Miss Mary Hale, Mrs. S. H. Root, Miss Elizabeth Chapman, Mrs. J. Lewis Malcolm, Miss Louise Driscoll, Mrs. E. E. Elliott, Miss Edith Root, Mrs. J. A. Dykstra, Mrs. F. H. Osborn, Mrs. G. P. Grout, Mrs. Benjamin Wey, Miss Charlotte DuBois, Miss Elizabeth Fitch, Miss Emily Becker. Miss Georgiana Jackson, Mrs. Clarence Howland, Miss Anna B. Phelps, Miss Sarah Beach.
Order
Eastern Star
There are a number of other organizations in the county in which the women are at the head. They are successful in their work and without doubt fill an important place in the welfare of the county. In the absence of detailed information we give the facts that are at hand. Probably the most flourishing is the Order of Eastern Star, an affiliation of the Masonic fraternity, with or- ganizations at Catskill, Cairo, Oak Hill and Windham.
Catskill Chapter 293 was organized in August, 1903, with 21 members, and at present has over 100. The charter officers were: Mrs. Fannie C. Mott, worthy matron, Geo. F. Mott, worthy pat- ron, Mrs. E. M. Post, assistant matron, Annie E. Banks, treasurer, Mrs. R. L. Horton, secretary, Gretta D. Thorpe, conductress, Vic- toria Hallenbeck, assistant conductress, William E. Thorpe, con- ductor, Miss Conklin, organist, Mrs. N. E. Hill, warden, Geo. N.
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Hill, sentinel, Esther Hallenbeck, Adah, Sarah J. Hill, Ruth, Elise Hansen, Martha, Mrs. M. E. Maguire, Electa.
The present officers are: Mrs. Alice P. Magee, worthy matron, Lewis R. Magee, worthy patron. Miss Mabel G. Hill as- sociate matron, Mrs. Middie D. Haines, treasurer, Mrs. Emma S. Barnard, secretary, Mrs. Jennie A. Whitcomb, conductress, Miss Martha J. Ernest, associate conductress, Mrs. Fannie C. Mott, trustee for 3 years.
The New Year Club
One of the new organizations of 1915 was the New Years Club of Catskill. One thing appears certain and that is whatever their aims may be they are always up to date: Mrs. Geo. Egnor, president, Mrs. C. W. Overbaugh, vice-president, Mrs. H. R. Hinman, secretary, Mrs. L. K. Austin, treasurer.
Daughters of Rebekah-415 I. O.O. F.
The officers installed are as follows: P. N. G. Mrs. Rachel Smith, N.G. Mrs. Mabel Beare. V.G. Mrs. Helen Bates, Sec Mrs. Sarah Hill. Treas. Mrs, Mary Caniff, R. S. N.G. Miss Antionette Bloom, L.S.N.G. Mrs. Alice Egnor, R.S. V.G. Miss Lena Conklin, L. S. V. G. Mrs. Ella VanDyke, Warden, Miss Josephine Castle, Conductress, Miss Eva Hardwick, Chaplin, Mrs. Winifred Travis, I. G. Mrs. Lena Delamater, O. G. Mrs. Kate Lampman, R. A. G. Miss Mildred Myers, L. A. G. Mrs Jennie Hughes, Organist Miss Goldie Cuer, Degree Master, Mrs. Winifred Travis.
Ladies of The Maccabes No 128
The officers of the Ladies of the Maccabes are :-- Com., Mrs. Luella Brandow; Lieut. Com., Nancy Youmans; Past Com., Mrs. Elizabeth E. Klepser; Chap., Mrs. Mary Hammer; Record Keeper Mrs. Mabel Hallenbeck; Lady-at-Arms, Hattie Carpenter; Finance Auditor, Ruth Carpenter; Sergeant, Mrs. Catharine Gehbauer; Sentinel, Mrs. Alice Egnor; Picket, Mrs. Chas. Cummings; Official Prompter, Mrs Katharine Cummings; Musician, Agnes Youmans; Capt. of Guard, May Smith; Ist Color Bearer, Olive Smith; 2d Color Bearer, Hazel Carpenter.
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Ladies Catholic Benevolent Association
The Ladies Catholic Benevolent Association of St. Patrick's church is a fraternal organization similar to the Knights of Colum- bus, and has been doing a good work. It was organized in ('atskill about 1900, and has 50 members. The officers are: Mrs. P. D. Hitchcock, Pres., Mrs. Ellen Cooney, Ist V. P., Mrs. Joseph Hoy 2d V. P., Mrs. Medard Pierre, P. Pres., Miss Mary Shade, Treas. Miss Katharine O'Conner, Fin. Sec., Mrs. Mary Tynan, Rec., Miss Catharine Quinn, Ass't Rec., Mrs. Nora Hass, Guard, Mrs. Elizabeth Gaffney, Marshal.
Cairo has a chartered organization of Camp Fire Girls, starting off with eighteen members, and Mrs. Ira Tolley as Guard- ian.
Royalty at Leeds
One of the most sightly and imposing structures in the C'atskill Mountains was completed last summer on the Potic Mount- ain near Leeds and overlooks the valley of the Catskill. It is the property of two London women. The building has the appearance of one of the old Rhine castles. It was built under the direction of John Benn, a former member of Parliament of Greenwich, who has been conspicuous in the English navy, being a lieutenant com- mander. The Misses Benn are ladies of culture and their beauti- ful home is furnished with antiques representing the early English and continental orders.
Catskill has two fountains erected by women. The first one was the Frances Willard memorial fountain, erected by the W. C. T. U. of Catskill, in honor of the greatest of all temperance work. ers and orators, Miss Frances Willard, who was at the head of the Woman's Christian Temperance work in the United States, and who helped to organize the Union in Greene county. The date of the organization is uncertain, but it was about 1880. The fountain is located on Main street, near the postoffice, and gets a supply of the best and purest water from the spring on the H. L. Boughton place.
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The second fountain is located near the head of Main street and was the gift of Mrs. H. L. Boughton who has always taken a great interest in Catskill. The water is from the spring on her place and a gift.
Madam Jane Goelet Dise
Madam Jane Dise, Courteousy of Robert Story .
DEAR OLD GREENE COUNTY.
Before we leave the subject it would seem that further re- ference should be made to Madam Jane Dise, wife of John Dise, a major in the English army. He is said to have been a deserter, and that he fled from New York and came to Catskill around 1762 with his wife, and to have secreted himself in a secret chamber in the old house when the British made a search for him. He was said to be very intemperate. Jane Dise was the child of Jacob Goelet of Albany and later of New York. She died in March 1799 and the grave once on the farm of Huybartus Du Bois at Cauters- kill is now marked on the Du Bois plot, where F. N. Du Bois on the old farm has gathered together the Du Bois generations. A complete list of these generations will be found under the article in reference to F. N. Du Bois. The old house in which she lived was known as Dise Folly, and later as the Old Stone Jug. It was built of sand stone imported by a sloop from the quarries at Nyack. The picture of Jane Dise which we show was taken when she was about 16 years of age. Though beautifully dressed for the period in which she lived she was bare footed. John Dise is said to have built one of the first saw mills and grist mills at Gilboa. The date and place of his burial is not known.
John Dise to whom we have referred came to New York in 1743.
Some Of The Old Dutch
Johan Wilhelm Brandow to whom several hundred families in Greene county trace was a Palantine and came to this country in 1710, settling on the Loveridge Patent. He had four sons and two daughters Nicholas, who lived at Cauterskill, Johannis who settled at Athens, Frederick who settled at West Camp, Godfrey who settled at Athens, Ann Elizabeth settled at West Camp and married Peter Schumecher, Anna married Hannes Schermerhorn.
From the first generations of these children there were 51 descendents. All having raised large families. Nicholas 8, Anna 8, Frederick 8, Johannis 9, Godfrey 9, Elizabeth 9.
Then we get the Overbaughs, Schumakers, Lohmans, Van-
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denburghs, Defours, Welshs, Grooms, Coyns, Allens, Webbers, Ecklers, Lampmans, Bogarduses, Planks, Ostranders, Dedericks, Beckers, Hallenbecks, and a great many families of Brandows. Brandows in Catskill, Athens, Coxsackie, West Camp, Greenville, and all over the county. The great Brandow printing house in Albany is run by descendents of the Greene county family, and Sheriff I. W. Brandow traces to the same source.
Ccl. B. B. G. Stone.
Col. B. B. G. Stone, frequently pictured as Rip Van Winkle, was many years a land mark of the Catskill section, and was famous as an artist, and a man of great literary ability. He served in the Rebellion, and was connected with the Du Bois family.
DEAR OLD GREENE COUNTY.
Jan Wilhelm Dederick was also a Palantine and came to this country from Wurtenburg in 1710. He settled at West Camp and the Dedericks rival the Brandows for generations, and are still in Catskill and various sections of the county. Jan had three children, but his daughter Maria married Heinrich Graat and had 10 children, his son married Eva Graat and had 9 children, Jurry William did not believe in unlucky numbers and had 13 children.
There were two families of the original stock of the Halen- becks, Casper Jacobus, 1654, but where they came from we have not learned. They settled in the town of Athens and have a host of descendents.
Abraham Person settled on the Loveridge Patent in 1733, and he had 11 children. Their generations remain and have great- ly increased.
Sylvester Salisbury came from England in 1664 Their generations remain.
Reformed (Schuneman) Church at Old Catskill (Leeds).
Herman Schunemann, Captain of the Palantines, came to this country from Hamburg, Germany in 1708, and his children found their way to Catskill: Martin Schunmann, Catherina, Hen- drick, Wilhelmina and Johannes. Johannes became pastor of
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churches at Catskill and Coxsackie, and preached in them for over 40 years. Elsewhere we present a picture of the old parsonage, at Leeds occupied by him.
NUS
UN DRACHT
MACH
MAAKT
Familiar Insignia of the Old Dutch.
Martin Garretsen Van Bergen came from the New Nether- lands in 1640, and located at Rensselaerwyck. He was a great man and a member of the Government's Council. He was very wealthy and occupied a mansion on the west side of the Hudson. He had lands on the Catskill Patent, Coxsackie Patent and Cor- larskill Patent. He was shot and killed by the Indians in 1696, while occupying the Van Rensselaer place. He had 12 children, and the Van Bergens remain a great family.
The Van Ordens came on the Loveridge patent in 1746, from Kingston. William Van Orden had 7 children. A great family and it would take many pages of this book to trace them. They are all about the county and state.
Dirk Tunisse Van Vechten was among the first settlers and he came to this country in 1636, settling at Greenbush. He came from Norway or Holland and had 12 children, and they prospered in every way .
All these early families appear to have raised families of stirring qualities as well as numbers.
Abraham and Catharine Schuyler had 15 children. Samuel and Sara Overbaugh had 10. Nicholas and Maria Spoor had 10. Isaac and Sarah Collier had 10. Martje Van Vechten had two husbands and had 11 children. And 8 to 10 appears to have been the average family.
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Frederick Nelson DuBois
The picture of the Du Bois Mansion and Portrait of Mr. Du Bois will be found in the front of the book.
Frederick Nelson Du Bois was born October 6, 1829, and was the son of John D. Du Bois to whom we have referred. He was born in Catskill, and learned the trade of a silver smith with his brother at Buffalo. In 1855 he moved to Chicago, and in 1862 was working in the gold mines of Colorado, having with him his wife and two children. He was foreman; builder and conductor of several mines, but lost everything when the works were destroy- ed by fire. In 1871 he went into business in New York.
Most wonderful has been the transformation during the past years on the property known as the Du Bois place owned by F. N. Du Bois well known to every resident of Catskill. The old home- stead which was one of the early landmarks, near the mouth of the Catskill creek, has been rebuilt and changed into a place of great beauty. On the flats where formerly the tides swept a marsh field, a great sweeping terrace keeps out the floods and encloses a sunken garden, with flower beds, tennis court, driveways, etc. The frontage is securely docked and has a fine boat house and an ice house, cold storage, and a very pretty cottage and barns. Under the trees in a quiet plot near the entrance to this place have been gathered by Mr. Du Bois in a well kept enclosure the generations of the Du Bois family.
The farm has been trimmed and garnished with all the beauty of skilled landscape men, and seems like a great park with its roadways and drives set with shrubs, cairns, statues, etc.
Topping the hillside at the East end of Grandview avenue is the sightly and beautiful mansion of Mr Du Bois which over- looks the Hudson for many miles, and which catches the eye of all who pass up and down the river. This was built in 1898 by Edwin Lampman. It is furnished in keeping with the exterior, and shows much that is valuable and beautiful. One of the choice gems of his library is the costly and voluminous family history
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which covers several hundred pages and contains much early and valuable history and records.
Adjoining the mansion are the barns and farm buildings, bowling alleys, and the commodious homestead building occupied by Mr. T. J. Reilly, a nephew, the head farmer and his family,
The Du Bois place forms a part of the original patent to Mr. Loveridge, embracing about 6000 acres.
The Du Bois family has had a long and honorable record. See generations on another page.
Tracing down to the present owner F. N. Du Bois who on Tuesday, October 6th, 1914 celebrated his 85th birthday, he has occupied the place for the past 23 years and has become an inte- gral part of Catskill history and society, and he has expended in improvements on the place probably $100,000. Clinging like an ivy vine to a sturdy oak, he has entwined his affections about the interests and life of Catskill. Whether it was a new and better water supply, village improvement, church extension and main- tenance, schools or charity he has steadfastly stood at the front unassuming and unostentatious but always liberal and generous to a fault. It was his love for the young men of Catskill and the upbuilding of the moral interests of the town that prompted him to turn over to Catskill $30,000 for a Y. M. C. A. building, which a credit to all, and a beautiful structure, complete and commod- ious adorns Main street. Nor has his giving since been other than bountiful for its maintenance.
It was his careful planning and energy that saved to the business life of Catskill the street railroad, into which he put a large sum of money on several occasions. First several years ago, and then again in 1914 when it went into the receiver's hands. Under his plans maturing the creditors of the road will not lose a dollar.
Mr. Du Bois has been for many years at the head of a suc- cessful plumbing supply business in New York.
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DU BOIS CEMETERY.
Generations of the Du Bois's, interred in the Du Bois plot on the Du Bois Homestead, gathered from many points by Frederick N. Du Bois, of Catskill.
Joel Du Bois, born May 25, 1762, died April 29, 1844. (A Minute Man in the Revolution.
Cornelia, wife of Hybarius Du Bois, died August 25, 1795. Aged sixty-eight years.
Emily Ann, daughter of Isaac J. Du Bois, born January 10, 1817, died April 2, 1841.
Annaetje, daughter of Col. Cornelius Du Bois and Catharine Vanderpoel, wife of Joel Du Bois, born Mar. 17, 1769, died May 11, 1846.
Edward B. Manning, died February 22, 1861, aged two months and nine days.
Joel Du Bois, born Nov. 6, 1803, died Nov. 3, 1890.
Sally J. Hunter, wife of Joel Du Bois, born Jan. 12, 1810, died April 17, 1858.
Marry Ann, daughter of Joel and Sally Jane Du Bois, born July 22, 1845, died Nov. 7, 1848.
Catherine Du Bois, wife of John Du Bois, died August 24, 1850, aged eight-five years.
Gitty Du Bois, died October 16, 1814, aged fifty-two years.
Caty Du Bois, died August 3, 1796, aged thirty-three years.
John Du Bois, born March 25th, 1760, died July 30, 1841, aged eight-one years.
Fennet Du Bois, died May 15, 1794, aged thirty-four years, four months and fourteen days.
Isaac Du Bois, died October S, 1795, aged sixty-four years, four months and eight days.
Lanah Du Bois, died Feb. 25, 1795, aged sixty-four years, nine days. James Du Bois, born March 17, 1786, died January 4, 1871.
Esther, child of Robert F. and Esther Story, died October 17, 1877, aged thee years and two months.
Little Frank, aged one month and twenty-six days.
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Esther Du Bois, wife of Robert F. Story, born August 28, 1833, died August 16, 1891.
Elizabeth Abeel, wife of N. Hunter Du Bois, died September 17, 1898, aged sixty-five years.
N. Hunter Du Bois, died October 13, 1892, aged sixty-four years.
(BIG TABLET.)
Lewis Du Bois, born at Wigcres, near Lille, France, 1626. A Huguenot refuge to American. Settled at Esopus, now Kingston, N. Y., 1660. First Elder of French Reformed Church, New Paltz, 1663. Died at Kingston 1695.
Solomon, fifth son of Lewis Du Bois, born at Kingston, N. Y., 1669. Purchased land of about 900 acres at Catskill 1720. Died at New Paltz 1757.
Bejamin, second son of Solomon Du Bois, born at New Paltz, 1697. Settled upon his father's land at Catskill in 1728 and made additional purchase of over 500 acres. Died at Catskill 1767.
This Tablet was placed in the cemetery by F. N. Du Bois in June, 1907.
William, son of John D. and Rebecca Du Bois, died October 2, 1834, aged eighteen years, three months and twenty-four days.
John D. Du Bois, died June 3, 1845, aged sixty-one years, two months and thirteen days.
Rebecca Overbaugh, wife of John D. Du Bois, died March 14, 1869, aged eighty-two years.
Jane Dise, wife of John Dise, died March 5, 1799, aged seventy- eight years.
James Goelet, son of John Dies and Rebecca Du Bois, born July 2, 1818, died February 25, 1898.
Jane, wife of James G. Du Bois, died December 12, 1848, aged twenty-eight years.
Lewis Du Bois, born July 15, 1809, died May 23, 1876.
Elizabeth B., wife of Lewis Du Bois, born June 15, 1807, died May 5, 1864.
Lewis, son of Lewis and Reuhamay Du Bois, born February 15, 1870, died July 23, 1900.
Peter Schutt, born April 24, 1789, died December 28, 1863.
Rachael Rightmyer, wife of Peter Schutt, died August, 18, 1870, aged eighty-two years and seven months.
The cemetery is forty-four feet by eighty feet.
First interment was Mrs. Isaac Du Bois, 1793.
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Capt. Jacob Dunham
Among the remarkable characters who have resided in Greene county, perhaps no man ever had a more exciting life than Captain Jacob Dunham, and if we had the space to tell fully his experiences it would be very interesting matter.
Captain Dunham was a sea going man and had experiences that read like creations of Mayne Reid. Living in the time when pirates sailed the seas and when the English war vessels were blockading the coasts of this country he encountered all the varied exeriences that have made the foundations of marine fiction. Captured by the English war vessels on two occasions, and cap- tured by pirates and by Indians, running the blockades success- fully, and making no less than nineteen sea voyages, he finally died a battered piece of humanity in his home town Catskill, hav- ing lost every penny of his fortune.
He was a wonderful man and when near the close of his
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life an effort was made to have the government compensate him for the piratical robberies on the ocean that had taken his all, his character was vouched for in a certificate that was signed by Thomas O'Hara Croswell, postmaster of Catskill, Hon. Malbon Watson, Hon. John Adams, Caleb Day, Orrin Day, Zadock Pratt, T. B. Cooke, Jacob Haight, Robert Dorlon, James Power and other great men of Greene county.
Captain Dunham came to Catskill in 1785, with his father who was an officer in the American Navy during the Revolution- ary war, and who followed the sea all his life.
In his book of voyages he says that at that time there were only seven houses in Catskill, and that his father purchased a half acre of ground where the Greene County Hotel now stands. This was on what is now the court house lot, as may be seen by refer- ence to the map of the burned district in 1851, found on page 61 of this history.
In 1793 he was an apprentice in the office of the Catskill Packet, published by Mackey and Thomas Croswell, printers. He then went to Charlestown, S. C., where he was employed in a printing office, returning to Catskill in 1800. Then he went to boating on the Hudson, Then back to the printing business.
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