History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 42

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 993

USA > New York > Rockland County > History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 42

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. scribed in our general history, we need not repeat it, and will only remark that if the town of Haverstraw is in- debted to any one man for its prosperity, that man is James Wood.

Mr. Wood was the father of twelve children:

I. James, born March 22d 1794, married Ann E. Merritt; they had two sons in the late war, and one of them, Charles M., was killed at South Mountain, in Sep- tember 1862.

2. Samuel, born March 30th 1796.

3. Mary Ann, born March 10th 1798, died in infancy.

4. John, born March Ist 1799; died in infancy.

5. William, born March 22d 1800; married S. Joseph- ine Paulding, and is now living at Tarrytown.

6. Mary, born January 14th 1803; married Benjamin A. Sherwood, of Utica, N. Y., and has three sons, Ben- jamin F., Joseph B., and Abbott N., who are prominent business men in that city.

7. Elizabeth, born October 28th 1806; married Joseph T. Sands, of Brooklyn, and had three sons, James W., Charles J., and William P., each of whom took an active part in the late war; and three daughters, Josepha, Maria, and Alice.

8. George, born December 27th 1807, married Mary Brown of Tarrytown.

9. Frances, born January 8th 1810, married, Ist, J. P. Smith; 2nd, a gentleman named Trowbridge.

10. Sophia, born March 27th 1812, died young.

rr. Harriet, born March 30th 1813, inarried William P. Lyon, of New York, and had 4 sons, Roscoe, Lorenzo E., Charles G., and William Phebus; all but the first named served in the late war and two, Lorenzo and Charles, were killed.

12. Charles D., born January 12th 1817, married, Ist, Emeline Sloat, of Sloatsburgh; 2nd, Catharine Ward.

Samuel Wood, the second son, married Malvina Smith, October 28th 1820. The children of this marriage were:

I. George Smith, born January 31st 1823, married Laura P., daughter of Calvin Tomkins, November 16th

1864, and'has one child, Esther M. Mr. Wood is exten- sively engaged in brick manufacturing, and is one of the partners in the Tomkins Cove Lime Company. His home is at 'l'omkins Cove, where he has considerable real estate.

2. Mary E., born May 15th 1826, married George Gay- lor, of Stamford, Conn.

3. Caroline, born July 18th 1828, married C. W. Hor- ton, of Tarrytown.

4. Theodore, born July 30th 1830, married Henrietta Lennon. He died July 5th 1868, leaving one child, Theodore Irving, of New York.

5. Henrietta A., born January ist 1835, married George Smith of Stony Point.

6. Horatio Nelson, born March 23d 1839, married May O. Clark, of Washington, D. C., October 3d 1867. He joined the navy in 1863, and was on Farragut's flag ship Hartford. After the war he was employed four years in the navy department, and has since made his home in Haverstraw. He is one of the staff officers of the Grand Army of the Republic, Department of New York. Mr. Wood has three children, Rollins, born August 19th 1868, Samuel G., born October 21st 1870, and Lucy May, born March 22d 1874.

.7. Ellen E., born August 31st 1841, married J W. Odell, and has a son, Rutledge, living at Tomkins Cove.

8. Sophia L., born October 30th 1844, married J. Henry Vail of Tarrytown.

There were four other children, who died young.

The children of Frances Wood, who married J. P. Smith, are now living in Kansas City, Mo. A son, Wil- liam J., is largely engaged in the manufacture and sale of agricultural implements and is now building a cable rail - road through Kansas City. By successful business ven- tures he has amassed a large fortune.

James Wood remained in Haverstraw till 1842, when he removed to Tarrytown where he passed the remainder of his life.

In the beautiful cemetery at "Sleepy Hollow," hal- lowed as the resting place of Washington Irving, James Wood rests after a life full of years and usefulness. and the inonument erected to his memory bears the following inscription:

" The remains of James Wood, born at Colchester England, February 8th 1773, died March 5th 1853, aged 80 years and 25 days. Also Mary Bacon, wife of James Wood, born at Colchester, England, September 16th 1777, died January 16th 1854, aged 77 years and 4 months."

THE SNEDEKER FAMILY.

Tunis Snedeker, who was living at Hempstead, Long Island, in 1710, came to this county about 1730, and bought the north part of the "Pond Patent." He had eight children: I Theodorus, 2 Johannes, 3 Garret, 4 Abraham, 5 Rebecca wife of Harmanus Tallman, 6 Sarah wife of Peter Vandervoort, 7 Elizabeth wife of John Smith, and 8 Altie, wife of Harme Coerter. He died Au- gust 3d 1750.

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HAVERSTRAW-BIOGRAPHIES.

1. Theodorus, born March toth 1706, died April 29th 1767, married Dericke Vlet, November 16th 1729. His children were: Tunis, born June 29th 1732; Dericke; DAVID MUNN. Garret; Theodorus, born May Ist 1742, died October Ist 1816; Adriant, wife of Solomon Waring; Mary, wife of There are few men whose names are more closely con- nected with the business enterprise of Haverstraw and its modern history than David Munn, who was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1798, and came to this country in 1817. After landing in New York, a stranger in a strange land, he first obtained employment with a farmer named Campbell, in New Jersey. After remaining with -Stevens; Rebecca, wife of John Bronson; Sarah, wife of Luke Teller (from whom Teller's Point on the east side of the Hudson was named); and Nettie, wife of David Brown. Of this family Theodorus was probably the only son who had children. He married Affie Snedeker, daughter of his uncle Johannes, December 6th 1768, and had three chil- dren: Dericke wife of Peter De Noyelles, Affie wife of him several months he went to Orange county to look Solomon Waring, and Nelly wife of George Smith. Theodorus Ist was a member of the Colonial Legislature for several years from 1747, and sheriff of Orange county from 1739 to 1747.

2. Johannes was born in 1721 and died September 28th 1779. He married Affie, daughter of Daniel Martyne, and his children were: Garret, born April ist 1764, died April 13th 1843; Altie, wife of Abraham Storms; Affie, wife of Theodorus Snedeker; Sarah, wife of Jacobus Thew; Betsey, wife of Henry Wood; Annatje; Tunis; John; and Rebecca, wife of Dr. Dusenbury.

Of this family Garret married Elsie Brower and their children were: Abraham born March 15th 1793, (now living on the old homestead in Clarkstown); Anthony, born in 1794; Ann; and Jabez H.

Tunis, who died about 1809, married Betsey Corneli- son and their children were: Michael, Captain John, Garret, Tunis, Abraham, and Catharine, wife of Jones Conkling. Most of these have descendants now living in Haver- straw.

3. Garret died in 1776, and his estate went to."his heirs," John Thew, and Richard, Theodorus, Tunis, and | the business of brickmaking in that neighborhood. This Garret Snedeker, the latter probably his sons.

4. Abraham died in 1771 and left his estate to Abra- ham Thew, probably his grandson.

George Smith, who married Nelly, daughter of Theo- In the year 1843 began the celebrated controversy known as the "Worall law suit," which is one of the most important episodes in the history of Haverstraw. dorus Snedeker, December 31st 1800, was a son of Wal- ter Smith, born October 2d 1748, died 1798. Their children were: Mary A., Marian, Theodore S., Walter, The tract which lay next north of the Rosa Villa prop- and Caroline, who was born April 11th 1808, and married Samuel Wood. Their son, George S. Wood, is now a . prominent citizen of Stony Point.

Captain John Snedeker commanded a company in the war of 1812.

HERCULES LENT.

Hercules Lent was a son of Harrick Lent, of West- chester, and he owned a large tract of land there. He also owned the south part of the Stony Point Patent, which he left to his daughters, Rachel wife of James Lamb, and Catharine wife of Hendrick De Ronde. Hercules Lent died about 1765. His children were: Jacob, Hendrick, Abraham, Christina, Elizabeth, Rachel, and Catharine. Of these Christina died before her father. She is sup- posed to have married a brother of James Lamb. Her children, Abraham, Johannes, Leah, and Rachel are men- tioned in her father's will. Abraham was a colonel in

the Revolution. There are descendants of this family in this and Westchester counties.

up some friends and relatives who had also come to the New World. After engaging in various employments for two or three years, he apprenticed himself to John H. Walsh, in Newburgh, to learn the trade of paper making. He afterward kept a store at Newburgh, and finally re- solved to build a paper-mill on his own account, and succeeded in procuring a fine site, with good water power. at Marlborough, where he erected his mill and man- aged it successfully for several years until it was burned. After this he engaged in farming at Middle Hope, and then turned his attention to the manufacturing of bricks. This he commenced at a place near Newburgh, but find- ing the material of inferior quality he resolved to go to Haverstraw, where the vast deposits of clay were begin- ning to attract attention, and where a business had already been begun, which was soon to attain gigantic propor- tions. He landed at Grassy Point, and, after examina- tions, finding the locality all that could be desired, he purchased the north portion of the Point, of Dr. Law- rence Proudfoot, and proceeded to make extensive im- provements, by building a dock. He was the pioneer in business he carried on for some time, and then leased his yards to other parties. The property still remains in possession of his family.

erty, was at that time owned by David M. Prall, a drug- gist of New York (who sided with Mr. Munn throughout the whole controversy), and long previous to the events which led to the controversy, David M. Prall had as- sured Mr. Munn that whenever the property was offered for sale for brickmaking purposes he should have the refusal and an opportunity to purchase. Mr. Prall made one Effingham H. Warner his agent, with power to effect a sale of the property. Whether this agent knew of the assurances by which Mr. Prall was bound in honor, at least as a gentleman, to Mr. Munn, we cannot say, but however this may be, he made a contract to sell the tract to Henry Worall, while Prall himself, disapproving the acts of his agent, and fully alive to a strict sense of honor, fulfilled his promise and gave a deed to David Munn for the same premises with immediate possession. Suit was soon commenced by Noah Worall to compel a specific performance of the contract, it being claimed

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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

that Henry Worall was his agent to make the purchase, and the suit thus begun was not terminated till 1873. One of the important points in the famous controversy was the fact that Henry Worall claimed to have acted simply as an agent for Noah Worall, who was thus put forward as the real plaintiff, according to the laws at that time in force. Mr. Munn, as defendant, was pre- cluded from testifying in his own behalf, while it left Henry Worall free to serve as a witness in the case, and this was always claimed by Mr. Munn and his friends as working great injustice to his cause. The ablest legal counsel were employed in the suit, three times, upon various points, it went to the Court of Appeals, and be- fore a final decision was reached, some of the parties had gone to their repose. The case was decided in favor of Worall, and a man of less tenacity of purpose would probably have stopped here, but David Munn was not the man to be stopped in any enterprise till every point was tried. At this point a new complication arose. This tract had been sold by Dr. Lawrence Proudfoot to Francis Tillow, who, in his deed to David M. Prall, had reserved the roads which had been laid out across the tract. Mr. Munn, becoming aware of this fact, purchased from Til- low the fee of the roads, in 1856, and, when the owners of the numerous brickyards which had been started on this tract under authority of the Woralls, began in their excavations to encroach upon the land owners by the highways, they were immediately enjoined from proceed- ing further, and another suit was begun, which also went to the highest tribunal of the State. That court unani- mously sustained Mr. Munn in the ownership of the soil. When the decision was made the parties interested began to compromise, and the result was that the whole tract with the improvements was purchased by Mr. Munn, or his representative, for the sum of $200,000, so greatly had the premises increased in value during the interval which had elapsed between the time when the law suit began and its final termination. It may also be stated that much in the evidence and still more in the circum- stances of the case tended to show that Noah Worall was not the true purchaser or the real owner of the prop- erty, but was simply put forward as the instrument of others more skillful than himself. In addition to the property on Grassy Point, Mr. Munn purchased the the Crom farm, and the famous Smith House on Treason Hill where Arnold and Andre met to discuss their ne- farious plans to destroy American liberty, a full account of which will be found in our general history.

The most striking feature in the character of David Munn was his exceeding tenacity of purpose. Those who appealed to his generosity or kindness generally found their appeal treated with the broadest spirit of liber- ality, but whoever attempted to overreach him in business matters roused at once all the energies of his nature, and they invariably found the enterprise a losing game.

Mr. Munn was married in 1820, to Miss Janet Hunter, who died in 1822, leaving one daughter, Marian, who married Edward J. Strang. In 1823 he married Miss Catharine Cropsey, ot Newburgh. Their daughter, Rachel Cropsey, is now the wife of Adam Lilburn.

After a life of constant labor and many discourage- ments, met with the most unconquerable perseverance, Mr. Munn died December 22d 1875, and was buried in Haverstraw Cemetery, where a neat monument marks his resting place.

ADAM LILBURN.

Every student of English history knows the name of John Lilburn in whom Cromwell found a will more stubborn even than his own. From his race were the ancestors of Adam Lilburn who was born in County Down, Ireland, August 10th 1817. His father, Thomas Lilburn, resolving to find a home in the New World, came to this country in 1818 and settled in Albany. The next year his mother, with her four children, came to America and joined her husband in Albany, where they remained till the fall of 1824, when they came to New- burgh, Orange county. One of the events that made a deep impression upon his boyish memory was the cele- bration which attended the opening of the Erie Canal. He also saw General Lafayette in his second visit to this country, and was one of the crowd who welcomed the hero when he came to the land he had helped to free. Naturally of an industrious turn of mind he served a regular apprenticeship as a painter. In 1838 he com- menced the paint and oil business and afterwards set up an oil cloth factory and a linseed oil mill at Newburgh. This was at the time the largest building in Orange county. In these two branches of business he was very successful and amassed a handsome competence. Before Mr. Lilburn was 21 years of years of age, he was chosen lieutenant of a company, and afterwards was chosen captain of the "Black Feather company " of militia, and at a later period was major, and lieutenant colonel of the 14th subsequently the 19th regiment N. Y. S. militia, his commissions being signed by Governors William C. Bouck, and Horatio Seymour. When the village of West Haver- straw was incorporated, Mr. Lilburn was elected first president of the new village, and has lately entered upon his second term. In 1852 he received the Democratic nomination for sheriff. The canvass was very exciting, and he had for a competitor, Daniel Fullerton, a promi- nent lawyer and a man of great popularity, who found in Mr. Lilburn a foeman worthy of his steel. He was elected by a handsome majority, and served with good accept- ance to the people of the county. During his, residence in Orange county he was noted for his great industry, general information, and untiring energy. He next went to New York, and remained there, engaged in successful business ventures, till the breaking out of the late war, when he came to Haverstraw, which has since been his home. On December 17th 1849, he married Rachel Cropsey, daughter of David Munn, and was largely con- nected in the purchase of the real estate whose prospective value was so apparent to Mr. Munn's foresight. The first real estate bought by him was the Benson farm. The next was the famous Smith house on " Treason Hill" one of the landmarks in American history, and noted as the place of meeting between Arnold and Andre. None

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HAVERSTRAW-BIOGRAPHIES.

of its various owners, since the time when the Smith fam- living. John, who died about 1835, married Elizabeth Babcock, and his children were John, (born 1801, died 1862, who married Sarah A. Onderdonk, and had chil- ily parted with this ancient inheritance, have been more identified with the spot than Mr. Lilburn, who has done much to preserve the facts of its history. He became the dren, Alonzo, now living at " Thiell's Corners," Mary E. owner of the "Worall property " after the termination of and George); and James, who married Elizabeth Hop- per, and whose children were Abraham, George, of Stony Point, Charlotte, wife of John Davidson, and Emeline, wife of William Rose. William Floris Crom lived at Tap- pan. His uncle, Tunis Crom, left him all his property in 1743. Cyrus M. Crum, the present clerk of Rockland county, is one of his descendants. the famous lawsuit, which has made it prominent in our local history,and shortly afterwards he purchased the Rosa Villa property above the Narrow Passage, which was once one of the most beautiful residences on the Hudson River, and its wonderful increase in value has made it a very profitable investment. The historic Crom farm he in- herited from Mr. Munn, and there are few men whose real estate in Haverstraw is of greater valne. At the CAPTAIN JAMES LAMB. formation of the Haverstraw Clay and Brick Company, Mr. Lilburn transferred much of his real estate to that organization, but still retains an interest as one of the largest stockholders in the company.

Mr. Lilburn's present home is the elegant mansion once occupied by his father-in-law, David Munn, and stands on lot No. 8 of Cheesecock's Patent which was a part of the vast estate of William Sinith, the ancestor of the family, whose history is so important a part of the annals of Haverstraw.

Having a natural fondness for books and study, he was one of the first to assist in the forming of Mechanics' Library of Newburgh, and he was also instrumental in the formation of a debating society which was for years productive of great good. The library which he assisted in founding is now, with increased facilities for useful- ness, the widely known City Library of Newburgh.

Mr. Lilburn also inherited a fondness for stock breed- ing horses and horned cattle. He bred and owned the celebrated horse " Major Winfield," which he sold to Robert Bonner for $20,000.

Mr. Lilburn's character may be summed up in a few words. A man of untiring energy, of great foresight, and of good business capacity. Not a man to be imposed upon by others, nor one to be overreached in any way, but if any one wishes to find a friend that can be relied upon, or one who may be trusted, he will find in him one who will not abuse the confidence placed in him.

Mr. Lilburn's family consists of four children, George M., Kate M., David M., and Thomas B. The first is now a student in the law school of Columbia College.

CROM FAMILY.

Floris Willemse Crom came from Flatbush, Long Is- land, and with Hendrick Riker obtained a patent for the land between Minisceongo Creek and Stony Point, 1685. According to Ruttenber he was the first man married in this county. He was sheriff in 1690, member of As- sembly in 1702, and died in 1705. He had three sons: William Floris, Guisbert, and Dirck, and two daughters, Mary and Lucretia. Guisbert was probably the father of John.Crom (born about 1740 and died before 1795), who married Rachel, daughter of Captain James Lamb, and whose children were: John, Alexander, and Rachel, wife of Steplien Marsh. Alexander went to the western part of the State in 1815, where his descendants are now

Captain James Lamb was a large land holder and a prominent man here before the Revolution. His father is supposed to have been Jacob Lamb, mentioned very early in Orange county history. James Lamb was born in 1701, and married Rachel, daughter of Hercules Lent. He had four daughters: Elizabeth, wife of John Waldron; Catharine, wife of Jacob Waldron, born in 1741; Rachel, wife of John Crom; and Hannah, wife of John Arm- strong. These inherited from their mother a large tract of land at Stony Point. James Lamb's estate was confis- cated after the Revolution, but was given to his children by act of the Legislature in 1793.

PHINEAS HEDGES.

The ancestor of the numerous families of this name, which are found in various portions of this State, was William Hedges, who was one of the earliest settlers of Southampton, Long Island, and whose name occurs in the records of that town as early as 1647. Two years afterward he, with a small company, went tweive miles nearer the east end of the island, and there founded the town of Easthampton; and the same home lot laid out for William Hedges is now owned by his descendants of the sixth generation. Just before the Revolution, several members of this family left Long Island, and settled in Orange county, in the vicinity of Newburgh. From one of these was descended Peter Hedges. He married Naomi Terry, whose ancestors were among the first set- tlers of the town of Southold, Long Island. Their chil- dren were: Phineas; John (who was in the War of 1812, and whose family are now in Dutchess county); Eliza- beth, wife of Garret Smith; Margaret, who married Henry Massey; Elsie, wife of Jacob Gedney; Richard, whose children now live in Dutchess county; and Henry, who died in Virginia.

Phineas Hedges, the subject of this sketch, was born near Newburgh, February 25th 1805. When old enough to begin life's labors, he commenced working in brick yards, and after a few years, bought a half interest in a yard. He remained in Newburgh till 1837. That year the river was closed by ice till the end of March, and the vessel that landed him at Grassy Point, on the 3d of April, was the first that came down the river that season. At Grassy Point he engaged in his former business, with good success, and in 1842 he purchased the farm on which he now resides. This tract of 160 acres is the

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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

west end of Lot XI. of Cheesecock's Patent, and is part of the large tract purchased by Jacob Thiell. It was sold to Mr. Hedges by John Thiell, in 1842. Here, evening of his days in quiet repose.

under the shadow of the mountain, he is passing the the Grand Ariny of the Republic in Haverstraw. He

In politics he belongs to the Republican party, and in religion is an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Haverstraw. He is an ardent supporter of the temperance cause, both by word and example.

Mr. Hedges married Eliza Edwards. They were the parents of eight children: Anna M .; Ira M., who married Nettie S. Knapp; Melissa J., wife of William R. Spring- steen; George B., who married Ada L. Howell; Charles A., who married Agnes Johnson; Emma F .; Susan; and Aaron P., who married Adelia A. Rose. Of the sons, Ira M., Aaron P., and Charles A. are prominent business men in Haverstraw.

The subject of this sketch was born at Haverstraw July 31st 1839. He received his early education at the district school of his native town, and later at the Haver- straw Mountain Institute. At the close of his school life he entered the office of Edward Pye, County Judge of Rockland county, with the intention of becoming a member of the legal profession. When nearly prepared for admission to the Bar, the war of the Rebellion com- menced and changed the whole course of his life. He at once enlisted in the company raised by Judge Pye, which was subsequently attached to the 95th Regiment New York volunteers, and assigned to the Army of the Potomac, and served with that army in all its campaigns till the close of the war. Declining offers of commis- sions, he was satisfied with the modest rank of Quarter- master Sergeant, which position he held when mustered out of service at the close of the war.

He returned to Haverstraw, and worked upon his father's farm for one season, but finding that occupation not congenial he embarked in the wholesale and retail lumber and coal business, in his native place and pros- ecuted it successfully. In the winter of 1870-71 Mr. Hedges was mainly instrumental in organizing the Bank of Haverstraw, and was elected vice-president of the in- stitution. The following year he was elected president, a position which he still retains. In 1870 he engaged in the business of brick making and was instrumental in the incorporation of the Diamond Brick Company, of which he is president. This company has facilities for an annual product of 50,000,000, a larger amount than of William Benson. Alexander was a justice of the peace c.in be made by any other company in the country. He is also treasurer of the Haverstraw Barge and Towing

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History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 42

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 993

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 993