USA > New York > Dutchess County > History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 75
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Dr. Elias Trivett was engaged in the drug busi- ness in Poughkeepsie as early as 1807, and did an extensive business for a great many years, continu- ing till within a short time of his death, which oc- curred April 12, 1866, in his seventy-eighth year. Latterly he was associated with his son Robert, under the name of E. Trivett & Son, the latter of whom died about 1865. Dr. Trivett's successors are Wood & Tittamer, who represent . the most prominent and by far the oldest establish- ment of the kind in the city.
Benjamin Herrick was the first prominent mer- chant in Poughkeepsie, says James Bowne, who was for many years one of its leading men and merchants, as he is now one of its most honored citizens. Mr. Herrick was a native of North East, in which town his parents were early settlers. He came to Poughkeepsie from that town about 1810 or '12, and did business in the building now occupied by Wood & Tittamer as a drug store.
James Bowne, who was born in East Fishkill, Dec. 25, 1798, came to Poughkeepsie in 1814, and engaged as clerk in the hardware store of Albert Cox, which was kept where the Taylor House now stands, in the old Carman House, which was torn down in 1878. In March, 1816, he engaged as clerk with Nathan Conklin, who had served an apprenticeship with Benjamin Herrick, and then kept a country store where the Messrs. Trowbridge are located .*
Edmund Morris came here from Danbury, Conn., in the year 1811, and was engaged in the shoe trade for some years. He was afterwards engaged in farming, and was very successful, acquiring a handsome property by transactions in real estate.
Abraham G. Storm, who died Dec. 22, 1863, aged eighty-four years, was a member of the firm of Storm & Wilson, who were doing business in the city during the war of 1812.
Thomas S. Hopkins was an active and enter- prising business man here in the early part of the century. In 1812, as appears from the Republican Herald of July first of that year, he had no less than three stores.
Major Isaac T. Doughty was engaged in the
* For a brief account of the business and social career of Mr. Bowne we would refer to his biography at the close of the history of the city of Poughkeepsie.
book and stationery business in Poughkeepsie in 1819, being located under the office of the Dutchess Observer.
John M. Cable, who was born in Poughkeepsie, April 8, 1800, was engaged in the shoe business in this city from 1822 to 1865.
George Van Kleeck, says our informant, was probably the most prominent merchant in his day in Poughkeepsie. He was born in Poughkeepsie of a highly respectable family, July 4, 1803. His father was Teunis Van Kleeck, the pioneer hatter of Poughkeepsie. The house in which he was born was a little frame structure which stood on the site of Levi Arnold's foundry on Main street, and its eaves were so low that he could touch them with the tips of his fingers. He died at his residence on Cannon street in Poughkeepsie soon after his retirement from active business, Oct. 17, 1878. He was Director and Vice-President of the Bank of Poughkeepsie.
John B. Forbus died here Oct. 28, 1865, aged seventy-eight. John Adriance was for over half a century closely identified with the interests of Poughkeepsie. He died in April, 1873. "He was a gentleman of generous impulses, with ever a kind word and helping hand for the struggling needy. We seldom find one going to his rest and leaving behind him fewer enemies, or more sincere, earnest friends. His many noble acts of kindness will be gratefully referred to in the years to come."
David B. Lent and Stephen H. Bogardus were early merchants in Poughkeepsie. David B. Lent was the pioneer harness maker, and became a prominent man. He was born May 1, 1788, and died June 20, 1869. Stephen H. Bogardus learned the saddlery trade of Mr. Lent, and has been for a great many years engaged in it. His is among the oldest business houses in the city. He is the only one who was doing business here in 1836, still engaged in it.
John I. Innis, who was born in Poughkeepsie in 1832, was a brother of Hon. George Innis, and was for some years a prominent merchant here.
James H. Mills, grocer, John H. Dobbs, mer- chant tailor, John McLain, grocer, Elsworth & Dudley, hardware dealers, Carpenter Bros., grocers, and L. Carpenter's sons, grocers, are among the older of the present mercantile establishments in Poughkeepsie; while Hayt & Lindley, merchant tailors, Wm. R. Farrington, dealer in crockery, Walter Van Kleeck, dealer in dry goods, John W.
* The Sunday Courier, of Poughkeepsie, April 20, 1873.
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CITY OF POUGHKEEPSIE.
Candee, Luckey, Platt & Co., John Parker Heath, dry goods dealers, Charles Bowne, dealer in car- pets, Charles Dates, dealer in dry goods, Van Kleeck, the hatter, together with those named as among the older establishments, are among the most prominent merchants now doing business in Poughkeepsie.
CHAPTER XXXII.
POUGHKEEPSIE'S COMMERCE AND WATER TRANS- PORTATION -- PERSONS PROMINENTLY CONNECTED WITH POUGHKEEPSIE'S FREIGHTING AND COM- MISSION BUSINESS .- THE POUGHKEEPSIE TRANS- PORTATION COMPANY. - THE POUGHKEEPSIE & HIGHLAND FERRY CO., LIMITED .- THE EXPRESS BUSINESS IN POUGHKEEPSIE.
T THE extent and growth of Poughkeepsie's early commerce has been indicated in some measure in a previous chapter ; but a more par- ticular account of this and the early methods of water transportation will be of interest to the gen- eral reader, and is too important to be omitted in a work of this character. We find in The Sunday Courier, of Poughkeepsie, March 29, 1874, an article bearing so directly upon this subject, that, with the permission of the publisher, to whom we are indebted for many other similar favors, we transcribe it to these columns. The materials therefor were furnished by Capt. Abraham Chat- terton, of Poughkeepsie, who commenced his "boating career" in 1806, and was then believed to be the oldest Hudson River boatman living.
"Capt. Chatterton's recollections of affairs along our river front extend back to 1811, when what is known as the Upper Landing was called ' Hoffman's Landing.' At that time two sloops, the Mary and Driver, formed one of the packet lines between Poughkeepsie and New York. They left here alternate weeks. The first named vessel was commanded by Capt. Benjamin, and the sec- ond by Capt. Hoffman. The freighting firm at this landing was composed of James Reynolds, father of the late W. W. & J. Reynolds, Jr., and Aaron Innis, father of ex-Mayor Innis. Capt. Hoffman also had a share in it.
" The above vessels were run from this landing until about the year 1816, when they were replaced by new ones, the Huntress, built at Ponckhockie near Rondout, taking the place of the Mary, and the Counsellor, built on Elting Dock, opposite Poughkeepsie, being substituted for the Driver. In this year Capt. John Van Valkenburgh, father of Mr. Edwin Van Valkenburgh, of this city, bought Capt. Hoffman's interest in the concern, and our
informant thinks he also took the captaincy of the Counsellor, of which vessel Capt. Chatterton was sailing master.
" Messrs. Innis & Reynolds continued to use sloops for the transportation of freight and passen- gers until about the year 1820 or 1821, when they had built expressly for their line the barge Clinton. This vessel was built on the site now occupied by one of the dye-wood buildings on the south side of the Fallkill, at the entrance of that stream into the Hudson, and continued in service until re- placed by the barge Republic at a late day. In the meantime the landing and its business passed into new hands. The Upper Landing is next to the oldest in the city, and was always looked upon as one of the best for the freighting business.
"In 18II, the sloops Polly and Sally Ann formed the freight and passenger line from the 'Main street Landing,' which was in the hands of Dean & Killey, the latter the grandfather of the late proprietor of the Dutchess Farmer.
" The former was in command of Capt. Killey, and the latter of Capt. Joseph Smith. A few years subsequently they were sold and replaced by the Defiance and Egbert Benson, and these in turn, af- ter a few years service, were replaced by the Ameri- ca and Merchant. The latter vessel was built at the Lower Dock.
" Our informant is not positive, but thinks that all the landings introduced barges the same year, either in 1820 or '21. The America and Merchant were sold and a barge called the Duchess County was bought and put on the route. This vessel was replaced by the barge Union, built at the Union Landing, at the foot of Union street, and the Union in the course of a few years was followed by the barge Exchange, which vessel continued to run from this landing up to about fifteen years ago. The firm changed several times.
" The first freighting establishment of any note was established at 'Union Landing,' when Union street, leading to it, was the principal business thoroughfare in the village. In 1811 two sloops, the Duchess and Anna Maria, plied between this landing and New York. The first was commanded by Capt. Harris, father of the late Joseph C. Har- ris, and the second by Capt. North. About the year 1816, the firm had a new vessel, the Robt. North, built at their landing, and put her on the route in place of the Anna Maria, and a few years subsequently both sloops were sold and an old steamer called the Lady Richmond bought. Shortly afterwards the firin changed hands and the new owners sold the steamer, replacing her with the barge Union, which was subsequently sold to the Main Street Landing people. The steamer Ga- zelle was the last vessel run from this landing.
" Richard Davis, father of the late Hon. Richard D. Davis, carried on the freighting business at the ' Lower Landing.' His line was composed of the sloops Jay and President. These were followed in the course of time by the Sally Francis and Ameri- ca. The former was built on Mr. Davis' grounds, and the latter at what was known in later years as
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
Cramer's ship-yard. A few years later these were disposed of and two new sloops, the Richard Davis and William Henry, built at Sands' dock, Milton, put on the route. These were replaced by the barge Poughkeepsie, which vessel was the last to run from the landing established by Mr. Davis."
As early as the Revolutionary period, the Lower Landing was the property of the Davis family ; and in 1777, when the British under Vaughan ascended the Hudson and destroyed Kingston, its proprie- tor, we are told by Mr. Lossing, " saved his prop- erty by standing on his dock, waving his hat and shouting lustily, 'Hurrah for King George !' as the British ships sailed by."*
The introduction of steamboats on the Hudson River introduced a new era in the internal com- merce of the State. The passage of the Hudson by means of sloop navigation was a tedious and laborious undertaking, and was as much thought of, says Washington Irving, in his description of the voyage of Dolph Heyliger up that stream, as a voyage to Europe is at present. "The sloops," says that author, "were often many days on the way; the cautious navigators taking in sail when it blew fresh, and coming to anchor at night ; and stopping to send the boat ashore for milk for tea ; without which it was impossible for the worthy old lady passengers to subsist. And there were the much-talked of perils of the Tappan Zee, and the Highlands. In short, a prudent Dutch burgher would talk of such a voyage for months, and even years, beforehand, and never undertook it without putting his affairs in order, making his will, and having prayers said for him in the Low Dutch Church,"
But the innovation of steamboats scarcely pre- sented a greater contrast with the sloops which they superseded-only gradually however-than with the palatial steamboats with their magnificent appointments, which now cater to the demands of the traveling public. They were uncomfortable, unwieldy and unreliable, and those who ran them were unused to their requirements.
Messrs. Reynolds & Innis, (James Reynolds and Aaron Innis,) to whom reference has been made in connection with the Upper Landing, were the most prominent and reliable business men of their period, not only in the city, but in the entire coun- ty. They were men of strict integrity, and their character and standing as business men have not been surpassed here to the present day. They did a very extensive forwarding and freighting busi- ness in the early part of the century, and as late *Sketches of Local History, in The Dutchess Farmer, Dec. 12, 1876.
as about 1830. Mr. Reynolds was from Wickford, R. I., and lived in retirement here till his death. Mr. Innis died Nov. 10, 1838, continuing his resi- dence here till his death. He was the father of George and Aaron Innis, of this city, of which the former was Mayor from 1863 to 1869.
Wm. W. and James Reynolds, sons of James Rey- nolds, of the firm of Reynolds & Innis, established a commission business at the Upper Landing in 1820. On the death of Wm. W. Reynolds, April 27, 1873, the surviving members of the firm asso- ciated with themselves George E. Cramer, and have since continued the business under the name of Reynolds & Co.
In 1873, the freighting business at the Upper and Main Street Landings, the former of which had been conducted for some years by Doughty, Cornell & Co., and the latter by Gaylord, Doty & Co., was consolidated. Doughty, Cornell & Co. sold their business in that year to Homer Rams- dell, of Newburgh, who united his interest with Gaylord, Doty & Co., under the name of the Poughkeepsie Transportation Co., which was in- corporated Dec. 24, 1873, with a capital of $100,- ooo, and completed its organization Feb. 1, 1874. The company transact their business at the Main Street Landing, and run two boats-the Hasbrouck, which was formerly run from the Upper Landing, and the Daniel S. Miller, formerly run from the Main Street Landing.
A ferry has been in operation between Pough- keepsie and New Paltz, (now Highland Landing,) in Ulster county, from a very early period. The Poughkeepsie & New Paltz Ferry Co. was organ- ized for that purpose in 1829. The Poughkeepsie & Highland Ferry Co., Limited, which now con- trol this ferry, was incorporated August 14, 1875, by John W. Brinkerhoff, George Innis, Leonard M. Vincent, George E. Cramer and Wm. T. Reynolds, with a capital of $25,000, "for the pur- pose of operating and running a ferry by means of vessels propelled by steam power and to transport persons and property thereon across the Hudson River, from some landing place within the bounda- ries of the city of Poughkeepsie, on the east shore, to some landing place on the west shore of said river, between the ferry landing of the Pough- keepsie & New Paltz Ferry Co., as established prior to March 19, 1861, and a point on said west shore one mile north therefrom." The steam ferry boat, J. C. Doughty, the property of John H. Brinkerhoff, is run on this line. The landing on the east side is at the foot of Main street. A trip
FFICE
11.
11
MOSS ENGRAVING CO. NY.
5
THE J. O. WHITEHOUSE BOOT AND SHOE FACTORY, POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y.
387
CITY OF POUGHKEEPSIE.
across the river on this boat affords a most charm- ing view of the city.
The express facilities of the city are an important adjunct to its mercantile and commercial interests, and may very properly be considered in this con- nection.
The first express office in Poughkeepsie was opened by the American Express Co., June I, 1851, and was under the supervision of a Mr. Reynolds, who was superseded on the 12th of July, 1851, by the present efficient agent, A. A. Ver Valen, who, during twenty-nine years' supervision of the office was absent from his post only twenty- nine days. The office was located where the di- rectors' room of the City National Bank is now situated. It was a small affair, but was ample for the accommodation of the business, as one man sufficed for its transaction, and the daily receipts amounted to only $2 to $2.50, while they now average about $75, and the business requires the attention of eight persons in addition to that of the agent.
The enterprise was considered ephemeral, and only gradually won the confidence and patronage of the business community. The merchants, hav- ing previously been dependent on the line of boats and barges in summer and the stage coach in win- ter, had not acquired the habit of replenishing their stock with light orders, as is so frequently done at the present day ; but Mr. Ver Valen em- braced every favorable opportunity to impress on them the many advantages the express afforded, and labored diligently to increase the business. The first package that passed through this office was for Col. Wright, who was then engaged in the dry goods business at 314 Main street, and the second was delivered to W. W. White, a dry goods merchant at 308 Main street. At the end of the first year the business of the office had increased sufficiently to require an assistant. It has continued to increase to the present time, and the business men of Poughkeepsie, at first so reluctant to avail themselves of its benefits, would now be more loth to forego them.
During this long period of service, only three articles expressed by Mr. Ver Valen have gone astray, and those were lost through the negligence of other agents. The company has sustained a loss of only $300, and that was abstracted by burglars from the safe in the office in its first location .*
CHAPTER XXXIII.
POUGHKEEPSIE'S MANUFACTURES.
T THE manufactures of Poughkeepsie, if never very extensive, have always been respecta- ble, both as regards the number of establishments and the quantity and value of manufactured pro- ducts. The excellent, but limited water power furnished by the dashing Fallkill, with its numer- ous cascades, formerly of much greater volume than at present, was early utilized ; but steam has superseded water power as a motor, and notwith- standing this natural force has been vastly dimin- ished, the manufacturing interests of the city have increased.
The manufacturing interests of the city are va- ried and important as to. value and magnitude. They furnish one of the staples of its commerce and give life and activity to its other industries. They give direct employment to more than twenty- two hundred persons,* and require a capital of per- haps fully three millions of dollars,-thus demand- ing the labor of more than one-tenth of the popu- lation of the city, or, taking the statistical average as a basis of calculation, of more than one from every second family. With these facts before us, it is not difficult to understand how vitally is the prosperity of Poughkeepsie affected by the activity or depression of its manufactures, which, from its position with respect to the great highways of travel and commerce, must continue to be its chief de- pendence.
The Establishment of Wm. Whitehouse & Co. -This is among the largest and most complete es- tablishments for the manufacture of boots and shoes in the country. No individual proprietor, at all events, has conducted one upon a more extensive scale.
It was originally constructed and put in opera- tion by the Hon. John O. Whitehouse in 1870. It was located upon the main street in the city of Poughkeepsie at the corner of Cherry street, and upon the line of the City Railroad with rear upon the Fallkill. This structure was two hundred and ten feet in length, ninety feet in width on Main street, and five stories high, with a French roof, and was capable of giving employment to a thousand hands and of turning out from three to four thousand pairs of shoes daily.
The first factory was completely destroyed, with all its valuable machinery and stock, in July, 1879,
* Letter from Mr. A. A. Ver Valen, the agent, June 16, 188t ; The Sunday Courier, Feb. 16, 1873 ; and the Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle, July 14, 1880.
* This number does not include the large number of females-from 200 to soc-who find employment in caning chairs at their homes.
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
the result of a stroke of lightning. In consequence of a strong appeal on the part of his fellow citizens who were anxious for a continuance of an industry so valuable to the city, Mr. Whitehouse was in- duced to rebuild. The new structure was com- pleted and occupied by him the same year upon an enlarged scale and upon the same plot. The new factory building is two hundred and fifty feet long ; forty feet wide and four stories high. Partly in front is a building containing offices, store rooms, and the steam engine. This is one hundred and fifty feet long by forty feet wide, three stories high, and is finished with a handsome tower. Across the rear of the lot extends the box factory, one hundred and ten feet long.
During the lifetime of Mr. Whitehouse he con- tinued the production of shoes, and supplied them to his wholesale warehouse in the city of New York. All the modern inventions applicable to this work were supplied by him with a liberal and enterprising hand, and exhibit in a high degree the best results of inventive and mechanical skill. Soon after the death of Mr. Whitehouse the works were reopened by his son-in-law, Mr. Eugene N. Howell, of Phil- adelphia, who continues its operations under the superintendence of Mr. G. M. Hine, who acted in that capacity under the former principal. The value of such an enterprise to the city where it is located can scarcely be over-estimated, and it is properly regarded as a great beneficence, and bet- ter than charity.
The Buckeye Mower and Reaper Works rank next in the number of employés. They were es- tablished in Worcester, Mass., in 1855, by John P. Adriance. The first experience of Mr. Adriance in this line dates back to 1852. His father, John Adriance, who had a large experience in the iron and foundry business, sold during that year a few " Ketcham " machines, and arranged during the same fall to manufacture the " Forbush " machine, which many remember as a serviceable one-wheel machine. In the fall of 1854, John P. Adriance purchased the "Manny patents," of New England, and manufactured that machine at Worcester, Mass. At the great national trial of mowers and reapers at Syracuse, in 1857, the " Aultman & Miller Mower," now known as the " Buckeye," was in- troduced, and in an exciting contest, continuing through several days, was awarded the grand gold medal. Messrs. Adriance & Co., convinced that a two-wheel, flexible floating-bar machine was an improvement on any hitherto introduced, purchas- ed the patents for the States and other territory,
and commenced its manufacture also at Worcester. The first year they built less than three hundred machines. From the first the "Buckeye" was a success, and the careful manner with which it has been constructed has kept it in the front rank. The "Buckeye" of to-day bears but little resem- blance to that of 1857. For its improvements Messrs. Adriance, Platt & Co., the present propri- etors, are greatly indebted to their able superin- tendent, Thomas S. Brown, who is a thoroughly educated mechanician.
In the fall of 1859, Messrs. Adriance, Platt & Co., removed their works to Poughkeepsie, locating at the Red Mills, at the junction of Main and Mill streets. In the spring of 1865, they removed to their present location, on the bank of the Hudson, on South Water street, in the south-west of the city. The works occupy a dock and water front- age of five hundred feet. They comprise three large buildings, viz: a machine and work shop, of four stories, fifty by three hundred feet ; a foundry, fifty by two hundred feet; and a two-story black- smith shop, knife-shop and store-house, fifty by two hundred and twenty-five feet ; besides lumber and other sheds, occupying altogether nearly four acres of ground. These buildings were erected in 1864, but an additional story was built on the first, in 1873.
The materials annually worked up in this estab- lishment are as follows : pig iron 1,300 tons ; bar iron, 200 tons ; cold and rolled iron, 100 tons ; bar, sheet and spring steel, 100 tons ; malleable iron, 200 tons ; coal, 800 tons ; ash and oak lumber, 300,000 feet ; pine lumber 400,000 feet ; spruce boards, 50,000 feet.
The annual product of this mass of materials is about six thousand mowers and reapers, which, in addition to the home demand, find their way to nearly all parts of the globe. Beside those manufactured by Adriance, Platt & Co., there are several large establishments in the West engaged in building the Buckeye mowers and reapers. The works in Poughkeepsie give employment to about two hundred men. The pay roll foots up $10,000 per month. The motive power is furnished by a hundred horse-power engine.
The local office is in the main building, but the general sales-office is at 165 Greenwich street, New York city. The firm is composed of John P. Ad- riance, of Poughkeepsie, and Samuel R. and Isaac S. Platt, of New York.
The Poughkeepsie Iron Co., represents one of Poughkeepsie's most important industries. The
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