USA > New York > Ulster County > History of Ulster County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Vol. I > Part 26
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Mr. Hasbrouck's studious habits and love of literature continued to the close of his life. He was an indefatigable reader, and, what is remarkable, he never needed the aid of glasses in this earnest daily employment, nor was the finest print obseure or wearying by night or day to his naked eye. In the solace and refreshment he found in his books he realized Cicero's fine description of the serene delight. yielded by reading and study to the aged over whose path the shadows are falling. He kept abreast, too, of the times, taking a keen interest in all matters of moment which were passing on the world's great theatre, and with a patriot's ardor giving special attention to the affairs of his own country, quarking all events of interest in its policy, its opinions, its industry, its progress in science, its literature, and its religious life. Among his large collection of books were found the choicest recent issues of the press, which were not merely bought and glanced at and then shelved, but were thoroughly perused and their contents mastered, and then handed over to any friend who might wish to share the goodly repast.
Mr. Hasbrouck was charming in his domestic relations. Ile married in early life Julia Ludlum, an intelligent and excellent lady, who made his home the abude of taste and refinement, as well as of sympathy and affection. She died in a ripe old age, several years before her husband. Two sons-Jonathan H., of New York City, and James L., a resident of Kingston-survive. Jour daughters are also living: Caroline, the wife of Gen. George Il. Sharpe, speaker of the Assembly ; Eniily, wife of Judge Joseph F. Barnard ; Sarah, wife of the late Rev. John Lillie, D.D. ; and Mary, wife of Mr. Theodore Timpson, of New York City. The father's love for his children and sclicitude in all that per- Lined to their welfare knew no abatement or decay, and he received in return filial reverence, honor, affection, and devoted attention to the last hour of his life, showing how tender and strong were the ties that united them.
In early life Mr. Hasbrouck connected himself with the Reformed Dateh Church, which was the Church of his fathers, all his religious life being passed within its con- unmion. The doctrines, polity, order, worship, and history of this Church were all dearto him, yet in no narrow, sectarian .piri. He was a Christian with large views and liberal girit, and-loved Christian men of every name. He sup- ported with open hand the Church and her charities. The 51. Remy Chapel, near bis late summer residence, was pro- N
jected and built mainly by himself and members of his family, and in the several churches where he has worshiped as a member his influence was always positive in promoting every good cause and in connending the religious life by a blameless exatople. He died, as he had lived, in the faith of that gospel whose light had cheered his path and whose promises had been his unfailing refuge. His memory will be held in abiding honor, and the good influences of his life be perpetuated in the generations following.
CHARLES HI. RUGGLES, vice-chancellor, circuit judge (appointed in 1831), and elected to the Court of Appeals June 7, 1847. He was an impressive advocate, and was sound and able on the beach. Pure and upright in his walk, he had an exalted character both as a man and as a jurist.
ZACHARIAH SCHOONMAKER comueneed the practice of the law in Ulster County in the year 1807. He was a man of considerable ability, and died in 1818.
JUDGE JESSE BUELL, daring his residence in Ulster County, from 1803 to 1813, was connected mainly with the press as one of the publishers of the Plebeian. After his removal to Albany he was for several years member of the Assembly, a regent of the university, and was a Whig car - didate for Governor, but failed to be elected.
SEVERYN BRUYN lived to the age of seventy-two years, His home always in Kingston ; was a graduate of Princeton College, and practiced law for several years in Kingston. Ile died in 1856. See sketch in history of Kingston.
SAMUEL HAWKINS was associated in legal partnership with Judge Ruggles. He raised a regiment in the war of 1812, and not long after the close of the struggle moved Sonth.
JEREMIAHI ROMEYN practiced law here, from about the year 1831, for many years ; subsequently removed to Troy, where he became prominent, was elected county judge, and where he died a few years ago.
JOHN SUDAM was prominent as a lawyer, and influential in State politics. He was a member of the State Senate, and died, while in office, at Albany, in 1836. In early life he was a Federalist ; later, and to the close of his life, a Democrat.
DANIEL PRODUIRAR WAS surrogate a number of years, and died about 1820.
ABBAN D. SOPER, son of William Soper, was adnitied to the bar abont 1812 er 1314, aud practiced in Milton. Ile was the first postmaster of that place, was First Judge of Ulster County in 1823 and for many years, and also a member of the Legislature. He subsequently removed to Williamsburg, N. Y., where he died.
JOHN VAN BUREN was distinguished both as a lawyer and as a politician. He was of Democratic faith ; was a icetiber of the Assembly in 1831, aud a representative in the Twenty seventh Congress, 1841-43. Was a partner of Herman Romeyn, and later of Jonathan D. Ostrander. Died in Kingston.
CHARLES G. DE WITT, educated to the legal profession, and for a considerable period prominent at the bar, prac- ticed both at New Paltz and in Kingston ; he had a national reputation as a writer, and was editor of the Elster Sentinel for many years. In 1828 he was elected to the
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Twenty-first Congress ( 1829-31). He never resumed the practice of law. He was appointed in 1833, by President Jackson, charge d'affaires to Central America. While at home, on leave of absence from his post, he died, April 12, 1839, deeply lamented.
HERMAN M. ROMEYN had a great reputation as an ad- voeate. He came to Ulster County from Delaware County about 1323, and remained here in active and successful practice for twenty or more years, when he removed to New York City, where he died.
Jons COLE resided in the southern portion of the county, at Milton, where he commenced practice as early as 1820; he subsequently removed to Modena, Ulster Co., where he continued his profession. He was an eccentric man, a bachelor, but a " hard hitter" in forensic encoun- ters, and a man of much ability and power, who has left his impress upon the jurisprudence of Vister County.
JOHN J. FERRIS practiced at New Paltz Landing. lle died a few years since.
JUDGE GEORGE REYNOLDS began the practice of law at Milton about 1830, but a few years later removed to Brooklyn, N. Y.
NICHOLAS SICKLES came to Ulster County from Kin- derhook, N. Y., abont 1833. He was associated in part- nership with William Cockburn in the law practice; was an able and successful advocate; was surrogate of Ulster County, and continued in practice until his death.
PHILIP E. PITCHER practiced in Saugerties a few years, until about 1840, when he moved to Kingston, and prac- tieed in connection with N. Sickles until, his health failing, he removed to Red Hook, where he died, April 14, 1816. Ile " combined legal attainments of a high order with sound and discriminating judgment."
JAMES O. LINDERMAN was admitted to the bar about 1835. He held the office of county judge for twelve years ; was wonderfulis popular, enjoying the confidence of all classes and parties.
JAMES C. FORSYTE came to Ulster County about 1840. He was an able lawyer and active politician. He served one term as First Judge of Commou Pieas ; was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1846, and died in Europe about 1$55.
JOHN T. ROMEYN, a brother of Herman Romeyn, was an carly and a prominent lawyer in Ulster County.
WILLIAM SOPER practiced in Marlborough for a time, but subsequently removed to the State of Wisconsin.
ABRAM MYER commenced practice early in this een- tury ; was an able lawyer, and died between 1825 and 1830.
JONATHAN H. HASBROUCK, son of Abraham B. Has- bronck, was licensed about 1842; was a partner of Marius Schoonmaker, and, later, Jawies C. Forsyth; was a bank official, and is now in the United States District Attorney's office, New York City.
JOHANNES BRUYN born at Shawanguuk, May 16, 1820, was graduated at Yale College in the class of 1840, read law and practiced in Kingston for several years. He died in Kingston, Feb. 1. 1862.
OSCAR F. NOYES was admitted as an attorney at the January term, 1846, of the Supreme Court; practiced until his death, at Modeua.
WILLIAM WIGRAM followed his profession in Sauger- ties, and figured prominently in affairs during the first half of the present century.
PETER VAN GAASBECK never practiced much, if any, at the Ulster County courts, although his long-continued service in court and official clerkships gave him a sort of honorary connection with the bar. He was elerk of the Board of Supervisors, surrogate's clerk, and magistrate for years. He was during the war of 1815 captain of a volun- teer company in Col. Hawkins' regiment.
JONATHAN D. OSTRANDER was licensed about 1820, and became the partner of Jolin Sudam. Ile was surro- gate for many years. His forte was to make money as well as to keep it. He died in Kingston.
CHARLES W. CHIPP was licensed as a member of the bar, but never practiced; was elected county elerk in 1834. He died in May, 1846. Ile studied with John Sudam.
JOHN B. STEEL E was born in Delhi, Delaware Co., N. Y., March 28, 1814, and was the second of seven sons* of Na- thaniel Steele, who was among the earliest of the settlers in that county. Educated at the Delaware Academy and at Williams College, be commenced the study of the law, and was admitted to practice in 1839. Locating himself soon afterwards in Otsego County, in 1841 he was appointed district attoruey, in which position he continued until 18-47, when he removed to Kingston, Ulster Co., where he pur- sued his profession with marked success.
In 1850, Mr. Steele was elected special judge of the county ; and in 1859 he was the candidate of the Democratic party for the office of county judge, failing of an election by only a few votes. In 1860 be was elected representative to the Thirty-seventh Congress, serving on the committees on the District of Columbia and on Revolutionary pensions. lu 1862 he was re-elected by a largely increased majority, serving with decided efficiency on the committee on the Pacific Railroad, in addition to the committees above named.
In 1866 the candidacy of the Democratic party for rep- resentative in Congress was the object of an active canvass, and Mr. Steele became identified with the nomination early in the season. The remarkable and characteristic energy of the man gave assurance to his friends that the issue of the context ( which was to have been determined three days subsequent to that of his death) would not be unfavorable.
At about half past ten o'clock, on the morning of Monday, Sept. 23, 1866, Mr. Steele took a conveyance to go to Rou- dout, and as he was descending Hone Street, which is a sharp declivity, it appears that the horse started rapidly and became unmanageable. He was observed endeavoring to guide and check the animal, but without effect, further than at the foot of Hone Street, where Abeel Street faces it at right angles, either voluntarily or otherwise, a slight turn to the left was effected, which caused the wagon to partially turn over and ruu on two wheels. In this position the vehicle struck an awning-post, and the conenssion threw Mr. Steele out, his body first striking the post, and then falling on the curb with great force. He was taken up and
* The eldert son, Orman N Steele, was assassinated while sheriff, during the Anti-rent troubles ; the third is Maj .- Gen. Frederick Steele ; three others are farmers in California ; and the youngest, Williani, died at an early age.
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carried to a dwelling near by, and on the arrival of surgical aid it was found that the skull was fractured over the right eye, several ribs broken, with possibly other internal injuries which rendered death inevitable. He lingered in a partially insensible condition until about two o'clock, when he died.
The sad calamity excited profound and general sorrow in the community.
The funeral obsequies were held in St. John's Episcopal church, in Kingston, of which church he was a communi- cant. At the conclusion of the exercises in the church the remains were taken in charge by the members of the Ma- sonie order, under the direction of Warren Chipp, Worthy Master, and Brother Isaac Van Buren, of Kingston Lodge, No. 10, and conveyed to Wiltwyck Cemetery for burial, where the rites of the order were administered.
" As a lawyer, Julge Steele held a prominent position so long as he gave attention to his profession ; but, his tempera- went naturally adapting itself to the excitement and con- troversies of a political life, his strength was most apparent in that direction, and, while the Democratie party of Ulster did not omit to reward him, to him perhaps as much as any other man does the organization owe its vitality and power."*
HENRY VANDERLYN attended the academy about 1800; studied law here, and possibly practiced in Ulster before his removal to Chenango County, where he became prominent as a lawyer, and where he died at an advanced age.
ERASTUS COOK was connected with the Ulster County bar only about twenty years, fromn 1840 to 1860. Ile re- moved to Brooklyn, and is now Supreme Judge in the Second Judicial District.
CHARLES R. WESTBROOK commeneed practice about 1845 ; continued in successful practice until 1857, when he removed to Ogdensburg, where he now resides.
JonN CURRY removed here from Peekskill about 1853; practiced bere a few years, when he removed to California, where he now resides, and has served one terin there as judge of the Supreme Court.
AMos P. CATLIN studied law here ; was licensed shortly after 1840 ; practiced here a few years, when he removed to California, and is now a prominent lawyer in that State.
SAMUEL W. PIERCE Convence practice of law about 1330 at Milton, in this connty : shortly afterwards moved to Kingston to take charge of the Palladium, an anti- Masonic paper. He edited that paper a few years with marked ability, and then, relinquishing that, devoted himself to his profession until his death.
JAMES G. GRAHAM commenced practice in Shawangunk abont 1845 ; practiced there about fifteen years, when he re- moved to Newburgh, where he now resides.
JACOB HARDENBERGH commenced practice about 1846; was a man of much ability and prominence in his profes- sina and politically. He died at Albany in 1872, while " rving his second term in the Senate.
HENRY BRODHEAD, JR., was surrogate for four years, and for about the same length of time held the office of cuimy judge.
GEORGE H. SHARPE, born in Kingston, in 1528, was.
educated at the common schools, Albany Academy, Rut- gers College, and Yale College Law-School. After his graduation from the latter institution he engaged in the practice of law, following that profession until the out- break of the Rebellion, in 1861, when he entered the vol- unteer service as a captain in the 120th Regiment New York Volunteers, of which he was afterwards promoted colonel, and successively breveted brigadier-general and major-gen- eral. General Sharpe was special agent of the United States State Department in Europe in 1867, United States mar- shal in 1870, and surveyor of customs of the port of New York from 1873 to 1878. In politics he is, and always has been, a Republican, and long a prominent member of the State committee of that party, but was never a candi- date for an clective political office until the fall of 1878, when he was elected a member of the Assembly, and in the fall of 1879 was re-elected to the same position and chosen Speaker ef that boly. Although much absent from home by reason of his official duties, he continues to reside in Kingston.
THEODORE B. GATES studied law with Erastus Cook, and practiced at the bar of Ulster County for several years before the war of the Rebellion, when he entered the ser- vice as lieutenant-colonel of the 20th Regiment New York State Militia ( SUth Regiment New York State Volunteers), being subsequently promoted to colonel, and holding rank of brevet brigadier-general United States Volunteers. After the war he removed to Brooklyn, where he now resides.
AUGUSTUS SCHOONMAKER, JR.,
a prominent member of the bar of this county, and ex- attorney-general of the State of New York, was born March 2, 1828, in the town of Rochester, Ulster Co., N. Y. His early education was obtained at the district schools of his native town, supplemented by private study. At an early age he gave up agricultural pursuits. Ile taught in the district schools of this county in the years 1840-50, and his familiarity with, and interest in, the cause of edu- cation led to his being selected as town superintendent of schools the following year, serving as such the two following years. He was also for seven years a member of the school board of Kingston.
In boyhood Mr. Schoonmaker was an ardent Democrat of Free Soil proclivities, and so thoroughly alive to the issnes of the times that he stumped his county for Van Buren and Adams in 1848, being then but twenty years of age, and not yet a voter.
In December, 1851, he began the study of law in the office of T. R. & C. R. Westbrook, and was admitted to practice in December, 1853. The three years following he was managing clerk in the law office of Jacob Hardenbergh, and from Jan. 1, 1856, until the death of Mr. Hardenbergh, iu 1872, was associated with him as his law partner.
His superior abilities as a jurist led to his nomination and election, in 1863, as county judge, to which honorable station he was re-elected in 1867. Impartial and conscien- tions in his decisions, able and upright in his official actions, his judicial career has the commendation of both political parties.
He was the candidate of his party in 1875 as State
" Kingston Argue, Sept. 26, Is66.
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IHISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
senator of the Fourteenth District, embracing Uster and Greene, and was elected over his competitor, Henry C. Connelly, who was his predecessor in that honorable body the preceding term. To say that Mr. Schoonmaker " took a prominent position as Senator, and was among the ablest and most influential members of that body," but faintly ex- presses the magnitude of his labors and the far-reaching results of his action while in the higher branch of the State Legislature.
In 1877 he was elected (by a plurality of eleven thousand five hundred and forty-one votes) to the office of attorney- general of the State; he was a candidate for re-election in 1879, and with his party was defeated at the polls.
His opinions as attorney-general have been among the ablest that office ever has furnished. Dealing as they have with some of the most important questions of recent times, " they have harmonized law with administrative reform, and have been a model and incentive throughout the Union."
In his earlier years Mr. Schoomnaker was a frequent contributor to the press. He occupies a prominent position in the Reformed Church of Kingston, and is actively inter- ested in mission and church work.
While he was county judge of Ulster County he made it a practice to write a brief opinion in every case argued be- fore him, and which he was called upon to decide. Some of his friends disapproved of this practice on acconut of the labor it involved, and deemed it munecessary. But he found it a very valuable exercise in itself, and it proved after- wards, in subsequent position- held by him, to have been of great service, as well in acquisin, accurate habits of expres- sion as in familiarizing himself with legal principles, with their application to facts arising in various forms, and in acquiring a style of legal composition which should be clear and precise.
In the Senate of the State it was his misfortune to be in a political minority, that body at the first session being com- pored of twelve Democrats and twenty Republicans. One Republican having died after the first session, a Democrat was elected in his place, and at the secunil session it con- tained nineteen Republicans and thirteen Democrats, Judge Schoonmaker was placed upon three committees,-the ju-li- ciary connaitte, of which Judge Robertson wa- chairman, consisting of seven members; the joint library committee, of which Senator Harris was chairman, consisting of eight members ; and the committee on prisons, consisting of three incuibers, and of which Senator Wellman was chair- luan. He was also appointed a member of the committee of four named by the Senate to investigate the charges of official corruption made by a New York newspaper against Senator Woodin. the other members being Senators Carpen- ter, Spugne, and Bradley. Upon the judiciary committee Senator Schoonmaker performed his full share of the libors, and they were by no means easy or light. During the ses- sion of 1877 the twenty-two chapters of Mr. Throngs' .. Code of Civil Procedure" were most carefully, biberiously, and critically examined by the members of the judiciary com- mittee, and about five hundred amendments were proposed ari made to the two volumes. Senator Schoonmaker always made it a rule to examine carefully every bill upon which he was required to vote, and to vote for no bill of measure
unless it commended itself to the approval of his judgment and conscience. During the first session of the Legislature he prepared and introduced a bill to provide for a uniform- ity of text books in the common schools of the State. The measure was then new and was strongly opposed by many of the book-publishers, and, on account of their opposition, failed to pass before the next session. However, the subject received munch consideration from the public, and at that session a bill was passed based upon the principle of the bill which he had previously introduced, and it is now the law of the State.
At the second session, Judge Schoonmaker rewrote and put substantially in its present form the act for the goveru- ment of the prison reformatory at Elmira, and gave it a cordial support. At the first session he also introduced and scoured the passage of the act creating a commission, con- sisting of Messrs. Babcock, Tousey, Pillsbury, and Niven, to investigate and report upon the condition of the various prisons of the State, with the view of aiding the adoption by the people of the constitutional amendment to change the system of prison management.
When Judge Schoonmaker entered the attorney-general's office the 1st of January, 1878, he determined to make it a purely business office, to avoid political entanglements, and to conduct it upon the highest principles of honor and justice. With this view he selected for deputies and as- sistants men who would be trustworthy, capable, and useful for the duties of the office, without regard to political recommendations or political considerations. He prepared a bill to increase the office force, so as to give him one more derany and one more clerk, and it was promptly passed by the Legislature, although that body was politically adverse. Hle selected for his first deputy Hon. William B. Ruggles, of Steuben County, whom he had known in the Legislature, and who was a most trustworthy, careful, and industrious lawyer. His second deputy was Hon. B. Winslow Paige, of Schenectady, a brilliant and indefatigable young lawyer, thoroughly devoted to his profession, who had been the deputy under the previous administration. The clerks were young men all well qualified for their positions.
At the very outset of Judge Schoonmaker's term he en- countered some of the mest troublesome questions that ever devolved upon any attorney-general of this State. One was an application for the release from imprisonment of William M. Tweed, which was strongly pressed by numer- ous politicians and others. He carefully considered the subject, and decided that Mr. Tweed could not be released by any action of his. He wrote out at length his views upon the subject, which were never published, however, ou account of the death of Tweed, which occurred in the early part of April, 1878.
Judge Schoonmaker held that there was no sufficient assurance that Tweed would give the testimony against others which it was claimed he could furnish ; that any testimony that might be given by hun could not possess any legal value; and that the nature and character of his offenses were such that the officers of the State could not. consistently with the dignity of the State, with a due regard for public morals and the public interest, appear to condone them by releasing such an offender.
LITTLE
J. HARDENBERGII.
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Another subjeet which engaged his attention immediately was the protracted complications of the Erie Railway Cou- pany. That company had been harassed and alnost ruined by wasteful litigation for years, and the attorney-general was pressed by persons claiming to be stockholders and creditors to permit them to continue their litigations, and prevent a sale of the property of the company under fore- closure which was then pending, the purpose of which was a reorganization of the company on a better basis. Judge Schoonmaker decided upon a line of policy which he de- termined to pursue. He thought the best course for all really interested in the property, whether as stockholders or bondholders, was that a sale and reorganization should take place, and that litigations should cease. Ile therefore re- fused to give the sanction of his ofice to any further pro- ceedings to embarrass the company or to prevent a sale, and thought that all necessary investigations into the past man- agement could subsequently be made under the direct au- thority of the attorney-general's office. The result was that litigations speedily ceased ; the property was sold under foreclosure; the corporation was reorganized and placed upon a more solid basis ; and a thorough investigation was then made of the aets and proceedings during the receiver- ship of the company, which proved to be entirely satisfac- tory, and the new company was invested with the possession and title of the property, which was essential to the security of the bondholders and of the stockholders.
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