History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 73

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

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RAMAPO-BIOGRAPHIES.

went to Selina, Alabama, where he was appointed Quar- termaster U. S. Volunteers, and ordered to take charge of the United States Government stores at Camden, Ala- bama. He remained on duty there until January 1866, when, the war having closed, the 47th Regiment Illinois Volunteers was mustered out of service, and its members returned to their homes. Captain Shaughnessy was re- commended by his superior officers, and the generals commanding his brigade, division, and corps, for appoint- ment as lieutenant-colonel by brevet, for conspicuous gallantry and meritorious conduct in action. Colonel Shaughnessy returned home to Illinois with his regiment, and was mustered out of service with it. He afterward Colonel Shaughnessy was afterwards appointed by President Rutherford B. Hayes, United States Marshal of Utah, whither he removed his family in February 1878. He took charge of the United States Marshal's office and engaged in silver mining in that and adjoining territories. He resigned the position of United States Marshal in the fall of 1882, and was requested by Presi- dent Arthur to continue in office till his successor was appointed and qualified. went back to Alabama, and engaged in planting. He was appointed, by President Andrew Johnson, as United States Assessor of Internal Revenue. Having served in this office three years, he resigned, and moved to Colum- bus, Mississippi. During the days of reconstruction, he was selected by General Adelbert Ames, then military governor of Mississippi, as clerk of the Probate and Chancery Court, and was appointed, by the Governor, as brigadier-general of State troops. He resigned that of- Colonel Shaughnessy is president of the Mexico and Arizona Telegraph Company, and also president of sev- eral mining companies, and has permanently settled with his family on his farn near Suffern, Rockland county, New York. His mining interests comprehend large properties in the Territories of Utah, Montana, and Idaho. fice after a few months, and was appointed United States Marshal of the Southern District of Mississippi. He held this office during the Ku-Klux trials of that State, and was mainly instrumental in bringing to trial and con- viction prominent leaders of that organization, which re- sulted finally in breaking up and disbanding that dreaded organization in the State of Mississippi. He re- MAJOR JAMES SUFFERN, signed the office of United States Marshal after the close of the trials, and the restoration of the dignity of the law, From the account given of the nobility of France in the " Dictionaire de la Noblesse," by Mons'r de la Ches- naye Debois, Paris, 1778, volume 12, page 369, it appears that the family of which those of the name of Suffern, re- siding in this county, are descendants, came originally from the Republic of Lucca, to Provence, in France, in the 14th century, many of theni occupying prominent positions in the latter country. Several of them were officers of the French Navy, among whom was Pierre André de Suffein, a celebrated Admiral of that country during the last century. when he was appointed, by President Ulysses S. Grant, collector of internal revenue, in 1874, which position he held until August 1877. During his incumbency of this office he was unanimously selected to represent his dis- trict as delegate to the National Republican Convention at Cincinnati in 1876, and was elected as the vice-presi- dent of that convention, representing the State of Mis- sissippi. He was afterward nominated for Congress by the Republican Convention of his district (Third Con- gressional District), comprehending the capitol (Jackson) and surrounding country, running from Jackson to New Orleans along the coast. He made a thorough canvass of land, and from this branch the Sufferns in America are

his district (the largest in the State), on the Hayes ticket. The campaign was very animated and full of incident and adventure of an exciting character. Colonel Shaughnessy was rightfully elected to Congress, but cheated by the jugglery and manipulation of the oppo- sition as was the case with the whole of the electoral ticket. He filed a notice of contest with the clerk of the House of Representatives, during the pendency of which he got into a controversy over the murdered Chisholm family. Chisholm was an old friend and a candidate for Congress in an adjoining district. Colonel Shaugh- nessy came to the rescue of this family, and confronted, single-handed, the lawlessness and dangers to life then prevalent in the State, which resulted in the murder of the Chisholm family, including Senator John Gilmer, and some of their political friends. Colonel Shaugh-

nessy's action, in championing the cause of these people, sacrificed to the spirit of intolerance and thirst for blood which are an enduring blemish to the fair fame and manhood of the State, was denounced by one of the prominent editors of that State, of which, in due course, cognizance was promptly taken, calling forth from Co- lonel Shaughnessy a bitter card denunciatory of the aforesaid editor, which resulted in a challenge and its immediate acceptance, the latter being the challenging party. This carried with it, as a consequence, disfran- chisement, and resulted thus in ending Colonel Shaugh- nessy's political aspirations in that State.

One branch of the family passed from France to Ire- descended. The family in Ireland are mostly residents of Belfast and its vicinity, where many of them have held high and honorable positions.

John Suffern, grandfather of the subject of this biog- raphy, was a native of County Antrim, Ireland, from which place he emigrated to America, in 1763. He landed at Philadelphia, and settled first at Haverstraw. He moved to the Raniapo valley in 1773, and settled at the place which now bears his name. He was married to Mary Myers, of Burlington, New Jersey, and by her he had ten children. He was a man of remarkable en- ergy and force of character, and occupied from the first a prominent and influential place in the county. He was a member of the Assembly in 1781 and 1782, and upon the organization of Rockland county, in 1798, he becanie First Judge, which position he occupied until 1806. He

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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

was State Senator from 1800 to 1803. He accumulated, during his residence in this county, a large amount of property. He owned upward of 2,000 acres of land in this county, iron and woolen mills, and a large property near the present city of Elmira, New York. He was one of the organizers of the First Reformed Church of Mah- wah, New Jersey. His first wife died in 1813, and he married a second time when about seventy years of age. His second wife was Elizabeth Bertholf, widow of Jamies L. Bogert, a major in the Revolutionary army. John Suffern died November 11th 1836.

James Suffern, son of William Suffern and Martha Bertholf, was born in the town of Ramapo, January 3d 1805. His mother was a direct descendant of old Do- minie Bertholf, the first preacher at Tappan. His grand- father Bertholf, was a captain in the army of the Revo- lution, doing service at Elizabethport, New Jersey, and vicinity, and experienced much suffering in the patriot cause. James Suffern, at the age of 16 years, went to live with his grandfather, and, in course of time, assumed charge of the latter's business affairs. At his grand- father's death, he became executor of the estate, a con- siderable portion of which he inherited himself. He was married, in 1826, to Maria Winter, of Mahwah, New Jer- sey. Eight children have been born to them, three of whom lived to maturity: Andrew J., born in February 1828, died in September 1870; James B., born October 14th 1832; and Mary E., born May 12th 1337. From an early age, Major Suffern has taken an active interest in political affairs, and he has been called to occupy many positions of trust and honor. For twenty years he was a justice of the peace. He served as Supervisor of his native town for four years. He was a member of the Assembly in 1867, and again in 1869. He was County Superintendent of Poor for twelve years, and, as such, took part in founding and organizing the County Alms- house. He has also settled many estates. During the war of the Rebellion, he was active in raising funds to pay volunteers. He has been an ardent friend of edu cation, and has given liberally of his private means for the establishment and maintenance of public schools. At the age of 22, he was made captain in the State mil- itia, and rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and took great interest in his regiment. He is known throughout the county as Major Suffern, having held that rank tor many years. For thirty years he was in the iron manu- facturing business, in connection with his son. He has retired from active business life. In his 80th year he re- tains to an unusual degree his mental and physical vigor. Inflexible in his principles, most exemplary in his habits, strict in his integrity, wise in counsel, he has won for himself the highest approbation, and is universally es- teemed in the community in which he resides.

ALBERT S. ZABRISKIE M.I).

the present village of Hackensack. He was married to a lady of the name Van Der Linde, by whom he had five sons. The oldest son, Jacob, was, with the consent of his parents, taken, when a small lad, by the Indians, to their settlement at Paramus, called in their dialect Palamah, signifying " wild turkey," and grew up among the red men.

He afterward bought the Paramus tract of the Indians, who vacated the place, leaving him in possession. The subject of this sketch is a direct descendant of Jacob Soboroweski.

Albert S., son of Stephen Zabriskie and Sarah Wester. velt, was born at Paramus, Bergen county, N. J., May 6th 1830. After having received the best education afforded in the common school of his native district, he was placed, when fifteen years old, under the instruction of the late Hon. Jacob R. Wortendyke, a man of accomplished scholarship and rare ability, who was, for many years, the most noted teacher in Bergen county. He entered the Sophomore class in the University of the City of New York, from which he graduated, with the degree of Bach- elor of Arts, in 1851. For eighteen inonths after gradu- ating he taught the Lafayette Academy, at Hackensack, and at the same time entered, as a student of medicine, the office of Dr. Henry A. Hopper, of Hackensack. After attending two courses of lectures in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York city, he received his diploma from that institution in the spring of 1855. In the fall of the same year he settled at Mahwah, New Jersey, and commenced the practice of his profession in Bergen county, N. J., and Rockland county, N. Y. In September, 1857, he was married to Ann Elizabeth, daughter of John A. Winter, of Mahwah. She died in April, 1860, without issue.

December 31st 1861, he was married to Maria C., daughter of James S. Wanmaker and Nancy E. Sloat. Three children have been born to them: Mary S., Cath- arine, and Eleanor. In the spring of 1867, he purchased a farm of 135 acres, near the village of Suffern, where he has since resided. For nearly thirty years continuously, the doctor has devoted his time and talents to the sick and suffering for miles around, with scarcely a day of intermission, either on account of personal disability or for the sake of recreation, and he has been very success- fal in his chosen profession. As a physician, he is skill- ful and attentive; and as a citizen, respected and es- teemed.

Being a good classical scholar, and to gratify his taste for study, he has assisted several young men in their ed- ucation, and prepared them for college. He is still actively engaged in his professional work, and in attend- ing to the interests of his farm.

THEODORE F. REED.

Thomas Reed, ancestor of the Reed family in Amer-

The ancestor of the Zabriskie family, in America, was ica, was a native of England. He came to this country Albert Soboroweski, who emigrated from Poland to this with 12 sons and settled at Westford, Middlesex county, country about the middle of the 17th century. He set-

Mass. Of the early history of the family in this country tled on the east bank of the Hackensack River, opposite |little is known. Amos Reed, a grandson of Thomas, was

319

RAMAPO-BIOGRAPHIES.

married to Rachel Prescott, who belonged to a distin- guished Connecticut family. From early times the Reed family has been prominent in military affairs. Elnathan Reed, a brother of Amos, fought the Indians before the war of the Revolution, and was a major of infantry un- der Anthony Wayne.

One of the most interesting facts in connection with the history of the family is that an uncle of Amos Reed signed the Declaration of Independence, George Read, of Delaware.

Joshua Reed, son of Amos, was born in Westford, Mass., in 1786. He was married to Charlotte, daughter of Elnathan Reed. He served three months in the war of 1812, directly before its close, and moved to Sodus, Wayne county, New York, just after the sacking of So- dus Point by the British. He died at Sodus in Septem- ber 1846, and his wife died at the same place in April 1865.

Elnathan J. Reed, son of Joshua, was born at Sodus, New York, July 31st 1818. He was married, October 2d 1838, to Abigail, daughter of David Foster. The result | of this union was two sons: Theodore F., the subject of this sketch; and George F., who was born April 17th 1853, and married Ida Gee, November 20th 1873 (in 1881 and 1882 he was a postmaster in the State of Colorado). Elnathan J. Reed served seven years as orderly sergeant in the New York State militia. In 1853 he moved to Shullsburgh, Wisconsin, where he remained until 1856, when he moved to the western part of Michigan. He was one of the pioneer settlers of Michigan, which at that time was mostly a wilderness, his nearest neighbor being 12 miles distant. The village of Reed, Michigan, was named in honor of him. He held the position of postmaster nine years, was sheriff of Oceana county one term, and was Supervisor several years. In 1874 he re- moved to Syracuse, New York, where he remained until 1878. His next move was to Lincoln, Nebraska, where his wife died, July 8th 1880, aged 64 years. In 1881 he

came to Rockland county, and has since resided at Spring Valley, in the town of Ramapo.

Theodore F. Reed, one of the prominent citizens of the town of Raniapo, was born at Sodus, Wayne county, New York, May 14th 1845. December 3d 1863, he en- listed in Company I, Ist Michigan Light Artillery (after- ward Flying Artillery), and remained in the service until the close of the rebellion. He participated in over 40 engagements, among which may be mentioned Resaca, Altoona, Kenesaw Mountain, Marietta, Peach Tree Creek, Chattahoochee, and Atlanta. He was honorably discharged under general war orders, July 14th 1865. having passed through the campaign without losing a single day's service or receiving a single wound. Dur- ing the winter of 1865-6 he attended at Sodus Academy. Sodus, New York, and returned to Michigan in the spring of 1866. October 12th 1869, he was married to Julia A. Huggins, in Walworth, Wayne county, New York. By her he has one son, Elna J., born January 4th 1871. From early manhood Mr. Reed has been active and influential in political affairs. He has been honored with many official positions. He was a postmaster for five years, deputy sheriff one term, railroad commissioner one term, and for several years Supervisor. He took an active part in the election of Isaac P. Christiancy to the United States Senate in 1872, when that gentleman was elected to succeed Hon. Z. Chandler. In 1874 he moved to Syracuse, New York. In 1877 he came to Rockland county, and at the present time resides in the village of Spring Valley.

June 18th 1883, he received an appointment as Inspec- tor of Customs, Port of New York, having successfully passed the civil service examination. This position he still holds.

General John C. Foster and Hon. Wilder D. Foster, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, member of Congress, are cousins of Mr. Reed's mother, and Hon. John N. Foster uf Albany, New York, is her nephew.

E. Gay. fr

TOWN OF STONY POINT.

BY REV. EBENEZER GAY, JR.

GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY.

S TONY POINT, in its surface, is the most rugged and mountainous of the towns of Rockland coun- ty. In the northern and western parts are some of the highest hills of the Highlands; as the Dunderberg, Limp, Black Mountain, Pingyp, and Bear Hill, 1,350 feet high, from whose highest point may be seen Stamford, Con- necticut, and the waters of the Long Island Sound.

Many others lift their rugged heads, and, with the deep valleys beneath, form scenery of the most picturesque and striking beauty, while the broad Hudson, laving their feet, adds unrivaled loveliness to the view.

Only a small portion of the town is suitable for agri. cultural purposes.

The mountains are covered with a low growth of wood, which is cut to supply the demands of the brick yard fires. In the southern part of the town is some land which is highly cultivated, among which may be noted the extensive farms of the sons of Daniel Tomkins, and of Uriah H. Washburn, Brewster J. Allison, and others.

At Caldwells Landing arc extensive banks of sand and gravel. The sand is valuable for building purposes, and the gravel is considered the very best for roads. Immense quantities of it have been used in Central Park, New York. Some clay is also found at Caldwells and along the shore at various points; but it is only below Stony Point that those great beds of clay are found, over- topped with sand, which have made the manufacture of brick so important an interest to that portion of the town.

On the eastern line, the grand promontory of the Dun- derberg projects into the river, causing the chinnel to turn at a right angle. Three miles below, the rocky promontory of Stony Point is almost an island in the river, the low meadows behind it being covered with wa- ter at high tide.

formerly a high bluff of sand and clay, covered with grass, shaded with great willows, to-day presents the ap- pearance of a low and marshy ground.

Its extended banks have been cut and dug down, often below the river level, and their substance molded into millions of brick for building up the metropolis.

In the northeast part of the town lies lona Island, and south of that, Round Island. The extensive salt marsh behind these islands was formerly called Salisbury Meadow, and, according to a statement in the Patent of George 11. to the children of Richard Bradley, was "considered by some persons to be part of the Manor of Cortlandt."

A mile north of Stony Point, limestone cliffs two hun- drcd feet high line the shore for nearly a mile. llere are the extensive kilns and stone crushing works of The Tomkins Cove Lime Company. This limestone extends southwesterly across the town, and at several places has been worked for lime or for building stone.

Where the Pingyp Creek cuts through the strata, a quarry of "dove-colored marble " was opened and worked in or about the year 1830. This was on the parsonage grounds now owned by the Methodist Episcopal Church, of Stony Point.

TITLES OF LAND,

The earliest patents of the lands of Stony Point were those of George the Second to Richard Bradley and William Jamison, May 17th 1719; to Richard Bradley, July 30th 1743; to the children of Richard Bradley, Oc- tober 30th 1749; to Thomas Ellison and Lawrence Roome, November 12th 1750; and that of George the Third to William Kempe, James Lamb, and John Crum, March 18th 1769.

The first named lot is thus described: The Patent of George the Second to Richard Bradley and William Ja- mison, dated May 17th 1719, conveys " Land in Orange County, Beginning at a tree Marked for the Southern- miost corner of the lands formerly granted to Captain

Two miles further south Grassy Point projects into the Hudson, and is almost isolated by the low salt meadows and streams of water which, flowing from the hills, here unite to form the broad Minisccongo. Grassy Point, John Evans and since resumed, which Marked tree stands

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STONY POINT-LAND TITLES.

at the southerly part of a small hill there called Stony chains to the north end of the northernmost of 2 small Point, being on the South side of the Highlands, and the |ponds lying near together, and then S. 10° E. 151 chains first line of the said tract of land runs from the said Marked tree N. W. along the line of Marked trees so far that a line then running N. E. to Hudson's River and thence along by the same river as it runs, to the same tree marked for the said Southmost corner above men- tioned, may contain 1000 acres, besides the usual allow- ances for highways, being bounded by the Hudson's River and the said N. W. & N. E. lines."

This northeast line strikes the river near the "Molly Baker Rock," and at that point now divides the lands of then down the stream as it runs to the west line or King Weiant from those of Thomas Ten Eyck.

Adjoining this on the south is the Bradley tract, con- veyed July 30th 1743, by George the Second to Richard Bradley: "On the west side of Hudson's River near Stony Point, beginning at a White Oak Stump standing on the South side of the sd. Stony Point at the South- ernmost bounds of the lands there granted to the sd. Richard Bradley and William Jantison and runs from thence N. W. along the sd. lands 67 chains: then S. 2º E. 42 chains: then S. 76° E. 46 chains to Hudson's River: then Northerly along the River as it runs to the place of beginning, Containing 106 acres and the usual allowance for highways " (see p. 151).

By the same Patent was conveyed to the same Richard Bradley, the Bear Hill tract: "Beginning on the North side of a brook or Creek in the Highlands called Puplops Kill (falling into Hudson's River opposite to Anthony's Nose) where the line of the West bounds of the land there, formerly granted to Samuel Staats crosses the said brook or Creek, and runs thence N. 28° E. along the sd. line 4 chains; then N. 55° W. 49 chains: thence W. 31 chains: then S. [17 chains: then S. 62° E. 72 chains to a creek or run of Water on the west part of a meadow called Salisbury's Meadow; then down along sd. Creek or run of water as it runs to Hudson's River aforesaid: then up along said River as it runs to the said land granted to Samuel Staats then along the bounds there of the same land to the place where this tract began, con- taining 800 acres besides the usual allowance for high- ways, and in which last mentioned tract all Bear Hill and part of Puplops Kill or Creek and part of the lands thereto adjoining remaining unpatented are included."

On this tract was afterward erected Fort Clinton.

The Patent of George the Second to Sarah, Catharine. George, Elizabeth, and Mary Bradley, son and four daughters of Richard Bradley, dated October 30th 1749, conveys

and then S. 66° E. 99 chains to the bounds of a tract of 1,400 acres granted to Gabriel and William Ludlow called Queensbury tract; then along the bounds thereof N. 37° W. 79 chains, and then N. 58º E. 98 chains; then N. 28° W. 34 chains; then N. 22° E. 140 chains to the sd. Puplops Kill; then down the stream thereof as it runs to the bounds of 400 acres granted to the sd. Gabriel and William Ludlow; then along the north and east bounds thereof to the sd. Puplops Kill again and

bounds of the sd. Bear Hill tract, and then along the sd. line to the northwest corner thereof where this ist tract began, containing 4,290 acres and allowance for high- ways.'

The larger part of the above tract is in the present county of Orange.

" The second of the sd. 4 tracts begins at the most southerly corner of the sd. tract of 1,400 acres granted to Gabriel and William Ludlow, and runs thence S. W. 38 chains to the south bounds of the sd. resumed lands commonly called the N.W. line; then along the sd. line S. E. 65 chains. Then N. 25° E. 113 chs. to the sd. tract granted to Gabriel and William Ludlow, and then along the line thereof S. 67º W. 76 chains to the place where this 2d tract began, contain- ing 370 acres and allowance for highways.

"The 3d of sd. 4 tracts begins in the sd. N. W. line at the west corner of a tract of 1000 acres granted to Rich- ard Bradley and William Jamison called Stony Point Tract and runs thence along the sd. line N. W. 87 chains; then N. E. 40 chains; then N. 79° E. 152 chains to the line of the Stony Point tract and then along the same S. W. to the place where this 3d tract began, con- taining 840 acres and allowance for highways.

"And the 4th of sd. 4 tracts begins at the southeast cor- ner of the sd. Bear Hill tract and on the west side of a small creek which runs on the west side of a meadow called Salisbury's meadow and is esteemed by some per- sons to be a part of the manor of Cortlandt and runs thence along the line of the said Bear Hill tract N. 622 W. 16 chains; then S. 25° W. 79 chains; then S. 50° E. 43 chains; then N. 62° E. 86 chains to Hudson's River; then up along the sd. river to the meadow aforesaid, and then by the bounds thereof to the place where this 4th tract began, containing 500 acres and allowance for high- ways.

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History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 73

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