USA > New York > Rockland County > History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 43
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ing as president or treasurer in three of the largest com- panies in that section.
In 1880 Mr. Hedges succeeded in organizing a post of
was chosen its commander, and has ever since held that position by unanimous election. In January 1884 he was elected by a large majority Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic of the Department of the State of New York, from among five honorable competitors who were each supported by a strong body of friends, a flat- tering testimonial to his ability, moral worth, and per- sonal popularity.
Mr. Hedges is a gentleman of fine business talents, sound judgment, great energy, and marked decision of character. By his integrity he commands the respect of his fellow citizens, but he declines all political offices. Through successful investments and business enterprises, Throughout his life Mr. Hedges has been an honest, hard working, reliable man of the old school, and in all Island race from which he sprang. he has acquired a competence which he enjoys without ostentation, and from which he contributes liberally to his acts he is a worthy successor of the good old Long objects worthy of his benevolence. The bank over which he presides enjoys the confidence of the community as a IRA M. HEDGES. well managed institution, yielding regular and satisfac- tory dividends to its stockholders.
Mr. Hedges married Nettie S., daughter of Levi and Margaret Knapp, January 4th 1866. Mrs. Hedges was born in Haverstraw, September 19th 1843. Their chil- dren were Maggie K., Irene May, Nettie M., Ida P., and George S. Of these, Maggie and Irene are the only sur- vivors
WALDRON FAMILY.
The ancestor of this family in Haverstraw was Resol- vert Waldron, who, in 1751, bought of James Lamb the land between Floris Falls Creek and the land which was afterward the farm of Samuel Brewster, now Frederick Tomkins. He died about 1760, leaving children: Jacob, John, Adrian, Anne wife of Strauts Springsteen, Eliza- beth wife of Patrick Kine, Peggy wife of Abraham Lent. and Caty wife of Alexander Bulsen. Of these, Adrian married Hannah, daughter of Joseph Allison. Jacob, who was born November 16th 1737, died February 17th 1805. He married Catharine, daughter of Captain James Lamb. She died July 6th 1844, aged 103 years, 9 months. Their children were: Jacob, born in 1765; Re- solvert; Abraham, born March 14th 1769, died in 1815; Rachel; Catharine wife of George Weyant; Margaret; and Hannah wife of Eli Blancher. Neither of the sons except Abraham left children. He married Maria, daughter of Tobias De Ronde, and had three sons, Ja- cob, Tobias, and Alexander, and three daughters, Sarah wife of George Byron, whose daughter Wilhemina mar- ried John Neilly, of Stony Point; Maria; and Louisa wife
for many years and a well known citizen. He died un- married in 1877, aged 74. Tobias has no living descend- Company, which has a fleet of boats and barges capable ants. Jacob married Eliza, daughter of Richard Brew- of transporting 200,000,000 bricks annually. In 1882 ster, and his children were: Harriet, Abraham (who had sons, Charles and Frank), Catharine, Sarah, and Marga- Mr. Hedges assisted in developing the new salt fields in Wyoming county of this State, investing capital and serv- | garet, now in Nyack.
Phineas Hedges
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HAVERSTRAW-BIOGRAPHIES.
John, son of Resolvert Waldron, had four sons: Re- Dr. Freeman was married on the 10th of April 1850, solvert, Cornelius, Edward, and Joseph. The last named in the Reformed Dutch Church, of Lafayette place, New York, to Mary, daughter of John S. Conger, M. D., of that city.
had three sons: James, William, and Michael. Of these, James had eight children: James, Charles, Edward, Mad- ison, Henry, Jackson, Charlotte, and Sophia.
REV. AMASA S. FREEMAN, D. D.
The great-grandfather of Dr. Freeman was Rev. Thomas Prentice, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Charlestown, Massachusetts, from 1739 till his death, in 1782, at the age of eighty. His church was burned when Charlestown was destroyed by the British, in the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17th 1775. He con- tinued to minister to his faithful and loving people till his death, which occurred on the anniversary of the burn- ing of his church. His portrait, which was painted by Badger, of Boston, in 1755, now graces the study of Dr. Freeman, at Haverstraw.
Dr. Freeman's parents, who removed to New York during his childhood, were Nathaniel and Charlotte (Ket- tell) Freeman, the latter of whom is now living, in her eighty-ninth year.
He prepared for college at the Cornelius Institute, under the late Rev. J. J. Owen, D. D. He entered the Uni- versity of New York, of which Hon. Theodore Freling huysen was then Chancellor, in 1839, and graduated in 1843. He pursued his theological studies in Union The- ological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1846. On the Sabbath next following his graduation from the sem- inary, he preached to a small congregation that had just been organized, at Haverstraw. He becaine the pastor of this flock, and he has continued in that relation till the present time. His ordination took place in New York, in April 1847, on which occasion Rev. Dr. Erskine Mason preached the sermon. He was installed April 25th 1849, Rev. William Adams, D. D., of New York, preaching the installation sermon.
Dr. Freeman has led a life of quiet, earnest, and con- scientious devotion to his duties as a pastor and a cit- izen. He has identified himself with whatever, in his estimation, would promote the public interest and elevate the standard of morals. He has been an active and efficient member of the Rockland County Bible Society, and of the Sunday School Association. At the outbreak of the late Civil war, his patriotism was recognized by his fellow citizens, and he was frequently called on to ad- dress the Union troops, and to present them flags on their departure for the theater of active hostilities.
As an evidence of the esteem in which he is held by his people, it is only necessary to call attention to the long period during which he has served the church of which he has been the only pastor. In the thirty-seventh year of his ministry, his congregation placed on the church a tower, bell, and clock, as a memorial of the happy relations that had so long been sustained between them and their pastor.
The degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on Mr. Freeman by the University of New York city, in June 1878.
BREWSTER FAMILY.
Samuel Brewster, a son of Nathaniel Brewster, of Brookhaven, L. I., came to Orange county before 1750. He was born in 1737 and died November 29th 1821. His first wife was named Freelove, and a second was Mary. His children were: Samuel, whose descendants are now in Putnam county; William, who married Martha, daughter of John De La Montagne; Jonas, who married Mary, daughter of Rev. Robert Burns, and had a daughter Hannah, who married Hon. George S. Allison; Richard, whose children were: Walter, Samuel, Eliza, James, Susan and Mary, and Walter.
Samuel Brewster was one of the largest landholders in Rockland county. Besides large tracts in the mountain lots of Cheesecock's Patent he owned the "Gore Lot " or Lot No. 1, also the 2d and 3d tracts granted to Bradley's children, and 1500 acres in the Dunderberg tract or Kempe Patent. His house was on the land bought of Captain James Lamb, south of Stony Point, now owned by Watson Tomkins.
RICHARD A. VER VALEN.
Two brothers, Gideon and Bernardus Ver Valen, ob- tained a grant from Governor Cornbury in 1708, for a tract of 2,220 acres of land at the southeast corner of what is now Rockland county and a portion of New Jersey. It was mentioned as "lying between Hudson's river and Overpeck creek." They sold this tract to Cap- tain Lancaster Symes, June 8th 1709. He conveyed it to Barent and Resolvert Nagel, of Harlem, April 25th 1710. The descendants of these families are still living in that locality. The two brothers (Ver Valen) are spoken of as " late of New Rochelle " and it is possible that they may have been among the company of Hugue- nots who were the early inhabitants of that place. The immediate ancestor of the subject of this sketch was Samuel Ver Valen, who lived at Closter, New Jersey, and had two brothers, Daniel, whose descendants are now living near Stony Point, and Abraham, who left no children.
. Samuel Ver Valen had a wife (Mary) and children: Abraham; Elizabeth, wife of John Van Houten; Neltie, wife of Peter Smith; Yeantie, wife of John Wilkens; Richard, who married Anna M. Tallman (their children were Catharine, wife of George Lozier, and Cornelia, wife of Matthew Haring); and Peter, who left no descend- ants.
Abraham, the oldest son, was born April 5th 1788, and married Catharine Blauvelt, September 2d 1809. She was born July 12th 1790. They were the parents of four children: Samuel A., Daniel, Richard A., and Rachel, who married John Treadway, November 2d 1842.
Richard A. Ver Valen, the subject of this sketch, was born at Cluster, New Jersey, October 4th 1817. His
R. a. Vw Valeur
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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.
grandfather was a soldier in the Revolution, and, being taken prisoner, he was one of the many unfortunates who experienced the rigors of imprisonment in the "Old Sugar House " in New York. After his release he lived for many years at Tappan. Here his son Abraham was born and lived till after his marriage when he removed to Closter. He afterward went to Piermont, and from thence to Rockland Lake, where he died August 8th 1832, one of the victims of the cholera.
Richard A. went with his parents to Rockland Lake and at the age of nine years went to live with his moth. er's parents at Nanuet. He remained there till after his marriage when he went to Seneca county and from thence to Geneva. From the latter place he came to Haver- straw in 1848 and engaged in the manufacture of stoves and plows. At this time the business of brickmaking began to assume large proportions and the necessity of some improvement in the machines then in use led the the owners of the brick yards to apply to Mr. Ver Valen to turn his well known skill and ingenuity in that direc- tion. After many experiments and deep thought he at length invented the machine which must ever rank his name as one of the great promoters of the mechan- ical arts. Previous to his invention there had been many serious difficulties in the way of successfully operating the machines for brickmaking. By the old method the clay was forced into the moulds by a hand lever, and the moulds withdrawn by manual power. This required in the operator a combination of quickness and strength which few men possessed, and although extra wages were paid to men who were fitted for the task, it was soon found that the labor was so exhausting in its nature, that no man could continue it for more than a few days at a time. The advantages of the new machine invented by Mr. Ver Valen, may be stated in a few words. The material is forced into the moulds with greater power, and while in a much stiffer condition than could possibly be worked by hand. The moulds are shoved out of the press at the moment when the pressure is re- moved, and no unusual degree of strength is required on the part of the person operating. The communication of power from its original source, by means of a band, obviates all danger of the machine being broken by any sudden obstruction. So perfect is the arrangement of his machine is now in general use.
its various parts that up to the present time no radical improvement has been found necessary. These machines are now in use wherever the business is carried on in the most advanced manner, and wherever they have been introduced their advantages are fully recognized. Soon after the introduction of these machines the patentees of the machines formerly in use brought suits against several parties for using them on the ground of infringement on their patents. The suits were in some cases com promised and finally suit was brought against Mr. Ver Valen himself. The case was argued in the United States Court, and Mr. Ver Valen, by his personal explanations of the invention, so completely demonstrated his right to
WATERS-SOM
While engaged upon this work his thoughts were kept upon it night and day, and he could not banish it from his mind even during the Sabbath hours. It was in the middle of a sermon, whose eloquence was lost upon him, that the grand idea which he had so long sought flashed upon his mind, and he awakened from his deep revery just in time to hear the minister in his closing prayer in- voke the Lord " to have mercy upon those whose thoughts had been engaged upon other subjects during the hours of Divine Worship," a reminder which he could not help thinking applied to his own case with especial emphasis. This machine was patented in 1852 and the manufacturing of them has since been his principal business. His foundry and workshops employ from 20 to 40 hands and
Mr. Ver Valen has been intimately connected with the business affairs of the village of Haverstraw, and was among the first trustees elected after its incorporation, and is now its President. He is also one of the directors of the Haverstraw National Bank. He is Republican in politics, and in religious matters is connected with the Central Presbyterian church. Mr. Ver Valen married Catharine Eckerson, and has four children: Catharine, Elizabeth P., wife of Dr. H. H. House, Marian A .. wife of William L. Butler, and Martha W. In con- clusion we may state that it seems to be the unani- mous opinion of his fellow citizens, that the village has no man who is a fitter representative of the place be considered the inventor that the case was dropped in its business and social aspects than Richard A. Ver and never afterward resumed.
Valen.
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HAVERSTRAW-BIOGRAPHIES.
DE LA MONTAGNE FAMILY.
John De La Montagne was born in New York, August 27th 1759, and married Martha Devoe in 1784. His children were: Phebe, born September 6th 1785, married Walter F. Brewster; Sarah, born November 3d 1787, married Ist, Halstead Coe in 1811, and 2d, Robert Park- inson; Nancy, born November 27th 1789, married John I. Suffern, in 1810; Joseph, born April 27th 1791; John, born November 12th 1792; Janette, born September 3d 1794, married Matthew Coe; Martha, born August 31st 1796, married Ist, William H. Brewster, 2d, John Gurnee; James, born March 20th 1798; Markham Randolph, born March 11th 1800; and Frederick, born May 22d 1802.
James, Frederick, and John De La Montagne have descendants now living in this county. The first was a member of Assembly in 1833, and a member of Congress 1839-41.
The family name has been corrupted into " Montanya." John De La Montagne had a farm and homestead in the village of Stony Point where the Methodist Church now stands.
REV. JAMES J. MACMAHON.
The life of a country clergyman is usually one of that uneventful nature which impresses its mark of quiet re- pose alike upon the features and the manners of the per- son, and indicates to the most unobserving even, the pro- fession of the man and the nature of his calling. Of James John MacMahon, however, it can be truly said that there are probably few among his ministerial brethren whose lives have been marked with greater vicissitudes or more varied experiences.
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was that one of the wealthy men of the neighborhood, whose life was one of open wickedness, and whose oppo- sition to Christianity was very freely expressed, was moved to give a lot for the church and assist it by his influence. In a few months the building was completed and free from debt, and this in a location where it had been considered impossible to accomplish such an un- dertaking. At the close of the year he resigned his pas- torate of the Duval Street Church, and went on a tour of evangelization, commencing at Castle Craig. Here a series of meetings were held to which the people flocked from miles around, and the result was a large accession to the new church. From this place he traveled through- out the wilder regions of Virginia, putting fresh energy into old churches and establishing new ones wherever it could be done, and healing differences which often sepa- rated communities and impeded the work of the Gospel. A more extended tour, which he intended to make in order to visit the churches in Mississippi, was prevented by his being pressed into the service of the Presbyterian Witness, a newspaper which was the organ of that de- nomination in that portion of the country. His connec- tion with this paper continued till the outbreak of the Rebellion, which changed the whole aspect of things, and then began the most exciting period in his life. On the 13th of February 1860 he went to Marion, Smyth county, Virginia, as pastor elect of the church, and was in charge when the war began. In August 1861, Mr. MacMahon received a letter from the adjutant-general of the Confederate army, informing him of his appoint- ment by Jefferson Davis as chaplain of the 51st Virginia regiment in John B. Floyd's brigade. The whole coun- try at that time was wild with excitement. Most of the men of his congregation had joined the army, and like multitudes of others, whose wishes were to fight out the questions which agitated the nation in the Union, he was, in spite of himself, forced out of it by the resistless tide of surrounding sentiment. As one of the personal friends of General Floyd he was often made acquainted with his plans; and one of the many exciting events in his life in the army was a daring enterprise in which he risked his life to recover the sword of his general, which had been left behind in a sudden retreat. He continued with this brigade till near the close of the war, sharing its good and evil fortune, enduring privations and undergoing fatiguing labors, to describe which would require a vol- ume. Though there are many in our county who were connected with the Union armies in that eventful strug- gle, which was a new era in our national history, it is probable that Mr. MacMahon is the only one who had an opportunity to be the witness of events on the other side of the line.
Mr. MacMahon was born at Annahilla, County Tyrone, Ireland, December 10th 1825. His father was Patrick MacMahon, and his mother, Eleanor Montague, who came from a distinguished family in England. In 1844 he came to America and made his home in Canada till 1850, when he entered the Union Theological Seminary of New York, from which he graduated in 1853. On the 5th of April of that year he was licensed by the Third Presbytery of New York city to preach the Gospel, and was ordained to the work of the ministry on the 4th of November. December 25th he was installed pastor of the Duval Street Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Va. In this field he labored under many discouragements for five years, and lived a life of most arduous labor, which was crowned with well merited success. At the close of his ministry in that place there were three times as many members as when he took charge, the financial condition of the church was greatly improved, and a flourish- ing Sabbath school, established by his labors, was After the war Mr. MacMahon came to the North, and in December 1866, was installed pastor of the Presby- terian Church at Stony Point. At that time there were only eighteen members, and spiritual life was at a low ebb. The same active enterprise that had established churches in the mountains of Virginia was fully capable efficient in its influence for good. In 1858, in response to a pressing invitation, he went to Castle Craig, twenty miles west of Lynchburg, to make an effort for the es- tablishment of a Presbyterian church in that locality. This effort was very successful, and one of the many in- teresting circumstances connected with its early history of infusing new life in the little church on (the shores of
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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.
the Hudson. Through his efforts, promptly seconded by the liberal minded portion of the community, a new church edifice soon appeared in place of the former building, which had outlasted its usefulness, and an in- creased membership and a more elevated moral sentiment in the community were the best proofs of the success of his labors. In 1868 an arrangement was made by which Mr. MacMahon's labors were divided between the First Presbyterian Church at Haverstraw and the church at Stony Point. This arrangement continued till the close of 1875, when his connection with the latter church was severed, and since that time the pastorate of the church at Haverstraw has been his sole charge and the object of his care.
Mr. MacMahon was married March Ist 1859, to Mary M., daughter of Hon. George S. Allison. They were the parents of five children: George A., Ellen M., Arthur B., Hannah, and Mary A. He was married a second time to Miss Lizzie, daughter of Francis Gurnee, January 22d 1874. The children of this marriage were Lizzie S., Annagusta, and James, who died in infancy.
DE RONDE FAMILY.
The ancestor of this family, so far as we can trace the line of descent, was Hendrick De Ronde, who married Catharine, daughter of Hercules Lent, about 1740. Their children were: Abraham, who had a wife Catharine (his influence on that side whenever an opportunity pre- sents.
descendants are living in Ramapo); Leah, wife of Jacob Lent; Catharine, wife of Benjamin Benson; Rachel, wife of Abraham Cronk; . William; and Tobias. The latter was born January 6th 1746 and died February 25th 1820. He had a wife Sarah, and children; Maria, born February 3d 1771, married Abraham Waldron, and died in 1864; Catharine, wife of Jacob Rose; and Sarah, wife of Nicholas Call. William De Ronde had a son, Hendrick, the more highly. who had a wife, Sarah, and daughters Mary and Catha- rine, and sons Dennis and William; the latter has a son, Jacob, now living at Stony Point, and other children.
DANIEL R. WOOD.
The ancestor of Mr. Wood was Jonathan Wood, who was born August 31st 1720, and came to Orange county at an early date and settled in what is now the town of Ramapo. His wife, Joanna, was born October 6th 1725. Their children were: Joseph, born June 20th 1748; Mary, born 1749; Elizabeth, born 1750; Jonathan, born August 10th 1752; Martha, born 1755; Susanna, born 1757; Samuel, born April 29th 1760; Elandor, born 1762; Jonas, born July Ist 1764; John, born August 11th 1766; and Sarah, born January 26th 1769.
Jacob, born February 16th 1803; William, born 1805; Samuel, born November 19th 1807; Esther, born 1810; and Susanna, born 1813.
Jonas S. Wood married Mary, daughter of John Hess, of Herkimer county, August 4th 1829. Their children are: Angeline, wife of John Secor; Henry C .; Emily. wife of Andras Baisley; John; and Lena and Daniel R .. born September 5th 1845.
Daniel R. Wood, whose name appears at the head of this article, has been, for the greater part of his life, a resident of Haverstraw. The early part of his life was spent on his father's homestead on the mountains, and he worked in the saw mills and on the farin. In 1864 he went to Oneida county and remained there a few years. He returned about 1870 and engaged in the lum- ber business. He was elected Commissioner of High- ways in 1880. In 1883 he rented a large building which he fitted up as a warehouse for the sale and storage of carriages, harness, and farming implements, and carries on an extensive and profitable business. Mr. Wood is a member of Stony Point Lodge, No. 313, F. & A. M., and is now chaplain. In religious matters he is connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is an active and faithful member. In politics he is a Republican, but is too strong a friend of the temperance cause to allow his political associations to prevent his giving his vote and
Mr. Wood has been the architect of his own fortunes, and is not indebted to other people's help for his suc- cess. One of his first ventures was the purchase of 250 acres of land in the western part of the town, and the difficulty of holding it through the financial panic which occurred at the time of his purchase, makes him value it
Mr. Wood married Mary E., daughter of Abraham Waldron, February 13th 1873. They have three daugh- ters: Mattie L., Lucy C., and Allie M.
JOHN D. NORRIS.
The subject of this sketch was born in the city of Glas- gow, Scotland, March 5th 1841, where his boyhood was passed, and he received his early education in the excel- lent public and private schools for which that city is so justly celebrated. He sailed for the United States with part of his family in April 1854, arriving in New York the latter part of May, after a somewhat eventful passage of seven weeks and three days. Coming as he did in one of the sailing packets of those days, and encountering on the way the wreck of a large ship with several hundred passengers on board, who were rescued by his vessel and another from their peril and brought to New York, thus early was he brought face to face with that danger and. difficulty which gives decision of character and self pos- session in the midst of peril.
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