History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 158

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, ed
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1354

USA > New York > Westchester County > History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I > Part 158

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Among other productions of Dr. Todd's pen may be mentioned his " Discourse on the Character and Death of Washington Irving," 1859; "Memories of the Rev. Peter Labagh, D.D., with Notices of the History of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in North America," 1860 ; "The Law of Spiritual Growth, a re- view of Boardman's 'Higher Christian Life,'" in the Princeton Review of October, 1860; " The Man for the Times," an Oratio'n delivered before the Governor of the State, the Trustees, and the Alumni of Rutger's College, at the Dedication of Geological Hall, New Brunswick, N. J., June 18, 1872; " The Posture of the Ministers and People of the Reformed Dutch Church during the Revolution," prepared by request of a committee of the General Synod, and published by order of the Synod in the volume of Centennial Dis- courses, 1876; " The Good Fight and the Victor's Crown," a Memorial Discourse on the Life, Character and Services of the Rev. Abraham Moesle, D.D., 1882 ; " Letters from Europe, from Canada and the Saguenay, from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton, and Newfoundland," 1880-1884. Dr. Todd has also published a number of translations from the German and the Spanishi, both in prose and verse.

Since completing the two chapters included in this work, he has resigned his pastoral charge, but will continue to reside in Tarrytown, and be chiefly oc- cupied in literary pursuits.

James Parton, the well-known historical writer, received his early education in Westchester County. He is a native of England, born at Canterbury, Feb- ruary 9, 1822. Brought to the United States when but five years of age, he was educated in New York City and vicinity, chiefly at a school at White Plains. For seven years he taught school, finally becoming known as a writer by his editorial contributions to the Home Journal. His first published work, which appeared in 1855, was the " Life of Horace Greeley." It was a successful piece of work, and secured thie author employment in the compilation of "The Hu- niorous Poetry of the English Language," which ap- peared in 1857. It was followed, in 1859, by the " Life and Times of Aaron Burr," and in 1860 by the "Life of Andrew Jackson." In 1864 his "Life of Benjamin Franklin" appeared. Since then he has been a prolific writer of recognized popularity. In 1856 he married Sara Payson Willis, sister of N. P. Willis, the poet, and herself widely known for her literary productions under the nom de plume of Fanny Fern.

John Bigelow, the veteran writer and politician, was, for three years, a resident of Westchester County as one of the inspectors of the state prison at Sing Sing. Mr. Bigelow was appointed to this position in 1845, and during his term of service introduced va- rious reforins in the prison discipline. Mr. Bigelow is a native of Malden, Ulster County, N. Y. He was born November 25, 1817; graduated at Union Col- lege 1835; studied law, and was admitted to the bar in New York City in 1839. For ten years he was engaged in the practice of his profession, occupying himself, at the same time, more or less with literature and literary journalism. In 1850 he became one of the proprietors and editors of the New York Evening Post, and sustained this relation more than ten years. In 1856 he published a life of General Fremont, when the latter was a candidate for the Presidency. He spent the years 1859 and 1860 abroad, writing letters to the Evening Post. He had previously written interesting narratives of trips to Jamaica and Hayti ; the former presenting his views of the practical work- ing of emancipation in Jamaica. Early in the ad- ministration of President Lincoln he was appointed consul at Paris, and upon the death of the minister, Mr. Dayton, in 1864, was chosen to succeed him. While consul, he published in French, for the in- formation of the people of France, a valuable work on the resources of the United States. Early in 1867 he returned to the United States, bringing with him the original manuscripts of Benjamin Franklin's autobiography, which he published in the following year, with notes and an introduction by himself. Mr. Bigelow is the author of some valuable mono-

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graphs on social and political phases of French his- tory, as well as of many other papers and sketches. In December, 1871, he submitted to Senator Conk- ling, of New York, an elaborate scheme for the com- memoration of the first centennial anniversary of American independence in 1876, which was pub- lished in the New York Tribune, and first directed public attention to the approach of that occasion. Mr. Bigelow was a warm supporter of Governor Til- den for the Presidency, and for some years has been prominent before the public as Mr. Tilden's trusted adviser and intimate friend. Early in 1886 he was appointed United States Sub-Treasurer at New York, and confirmed by the Senate, but, before qualifying, resigned the position, not caring to undertake its arduous duties. Upon the retirement of Louis J. Jennings, he was appointed editor of the New York Times, but found the labors of daily journalism too arduous for his tastes.

Alice B. Haven, the author of a number of poems aud tales under the name of " Cousin Alice," is a resident of Mamaroneck. She was born at Hudson, N. Y. Her maiden name was Bradley. She became a contribu- tor to the periodicals of the day at an early age, and in 1846 was married to Joseph C. Neal, author of the " Charcoal Sketches." Upon his death a few months later, she took charge of the literary department of Neal's Gazette, of which her husband had been a proprietor, and conducted it for several years with success. She also contributed frequently to the lead- ing monthly magazines. " The Gossips of River- town, with Sketches in Prose and Verse," from her pen, was published in 1850. She is also the author- ess of a series of popular juvenile works published under the name of "Cousin Alice." In 1853 Mrs. Neal was married to Mr. Samuel L. Haven, and has since resided at Mamaroneck.

writings was published by the Harper's iu 1843. Mr. Mathews was also a constant writer in the journalism of the day and has beeu prominently identified with the discussion of the international copyright question.

William Leggett, the well-known writer, married in New Rochelle aud spent the closing years of his life there. Mr. Leggett was born in New York City in the summer of 1802 and was partially educated at Georgetown College. In consequence of his father's failure in business, he was withdrawn before the cour- pletion of his course, and iu 1819 accompanied his father to Illinois, where the family settled. In 1822 he eutered the navy as midshipman but resigned his commission in 1826. Shortly afterwards he published "Leisure Hours at Sea," a volume of verses written at intervals during his naval career. He also wrote a prose tale "The Rifle," in which he portrayed the scenes and incidents of western pioneer life. Other stories followed and were afterwards collected and published under the titles of " Tales by a Country School-master," aud " Tales of the Sea." In 1828 he married Miss Almira Waring of New Rochelle, and in November of the same year commenced the publication of The Critic, a weekly literary periodical. It was discontinued at the end of six months and united with the Mirror, to which Mr. Leggett became a contributor. In the summer of 1829, he became, with Wm. C. Bryant, one of the editors of the New York Evening Post, a position which he retained until December, 1836. He became a zealous Demo- crat and an earnest advocate of free-trade, as well as a strong opponent to the United States Bank. After his retirement from the Evening Post, he established The Plain Dealer, which he conducted with ability. It was involved, however, in the failure of its pub- lisher, and ceased to exist at the eud of ten months. Mr. Leggett did not engage in any literary or news- paper work after this, his health having become impaired. He passed the brief remainder of his life at his country place at New Rochelle, which had been his residence since his marriage. Iu May 1839 he was appointed by President Van Buren, diplo- matie agent to the Republic of Guatemala, but he died while preparing to start for his post, on the 29tli of May, 1839. He was a writer of great fluency and persuasive force, and a man who possessed iu an emi- nent degree, the conrage of his convictions.

Cornelius Mathews, the novelist, play-wright and journalist, was a native of Port Chester. He was born October 28, 1817. His early country life on the banks of Byram River aud the rolling uplands of Rye and its picturesque lake, made a deep impression on his mind, as is shown by traces in many pages of his writings. He was among the early graduates of the New York University in 1835, and began his literary career while still a youth. To the American Monthly Magazine of 1836, lie contributed both prose and verse. He was also a contributor to the New York Review and the Knickerbocker Magazine. In 1837 Elise Justine Bayard, daughter of Mr. Robert Bay- ard, of Glenwood, near Fishkill, was the author of a number of poems, some of which have appeared in the Knickerbocker Magazine and Literary World. She married Mr. Fulton Cutting, and died about 1850. he was admitted to the bar. In " Behemoth " he pro- duced an original romance, describing the efforts of a supposed anti-Indian race to overcome the pre-his- toric animal known as the mastodon. From Decem- ber 1840, to May 1842, he edited the Arcturus, Hon. William Cauldwell, so well-known as the a monthly magazine, besides writing a comedy and , editor and proprietor of the New York Sunday Mer- another novel. In 1843 he published a volume of cury and as a legislative representative of Westches- ter County, was boru in the city of New York, Octo- ber 12, 1824. His father, Andrew Cauldwell, who poems, and in 1846 his tragedy "Witchcraft," was successfully produced. This was followed by a nuin- ber of tales and sketches. A collected edition of his | married Margaret, daughter of William Giffen, was a

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native of Kilmarnock, Scotland, and came to this country about 1816. The primary education of his son was obtained at the then well-known high school in Crosby Street, New York, but at the early age of eleven he went at the request, of his uncle, Adam Giffen, to Louisiana, and lived for a while at St. Mar- tinsville in that State. He afterwards attended school at Opelousas, but his school-life there was somewhat suddenly terminated. His teacher, a Mr. Tinnerman, who was an old soldier of Napoleon, had heard that the noted Colonel David Crockett was to pass through that place on his way to Texas, where he was destined to end his eventful career at the fated Alamo. Re- solved to be one of the brave colonel's followers. he announced his intention to his pupils, and instructed them to inform their parents and guardians that the institution would close. After this, young Cauldwell attended Jefferson College, on the banks of the Mississippi River, south of Plaquemine, where he re- mained three years. He then returned to his native city, and entercd a dry-goods store, but at the end of two years, following the bent of his inclination, he drifted into a printing office, where he learned the trade. This office was conducted by Samuel Adams, whose murder by John C. Colt caused a great sensa- tion throughout the country. After the tragic death of Mr. Adams, young Cauldwell secured a position as compositor on the Sunday _Atlas, and remained on that paper till about 1850. At that time one-third of the Sunday Mercury was owned by Elbridge G. Page, who was a regular contributor to its columns nnder the name of " Dow, Jr.," and his "Short Patent Ser- mons," were a well-known feature of the paper, and a source of amusement to thousands of readers. This share Mr. Cauldwell purchased, and Page went to California, where he died some years after. At the time when Mr. Cauldwell became connected with the Mercury, it was a small sheet, with a comparatively limited eirculation. He immediately went to work with energy and vigor to make it the foremost paper of its kind. It was the pioneer of Sunday journalism, and from that time to the present its circulation has constantly increased, and its sales now number 75,000 copies weekly. The best humorous writers of the country have contributed to its columns, and here appeared the brilliant sketches, written by men of whose life and history the world knows nothing, but whose noms de plume, are household words, and known the length and breadth of the land. Among these were "Orpheus C. Kerr," (Robert H. Newell) whose witty papers were the delight of Abraham Lincoln ; " Doesticks," (Mortimer G. Thompson ) ; Charles F. Brown, known the world over as " Artemus Ward ; " Joseph Barber, author of a long series of racy papers under the name of the " Disbanded Volun- teer." and a host of others whose productions were the delight of the reader, and made the Sunday Mer- cury a welcome visitor to many thousands of house- holds. Under his skillful and energetie management.

the paper has increased its size to a journal of fifty- six columns, and two of Hoe's perfecting presses are required to work off its regular edition.

In the early part of the year 1848 an association of householders, of whom Mr. Cauldwell's father was one, purchased a traet of land north of the Harlem River, and laid out the village of Morrisania. His father, as well as his brother-in-law and himself, joined in the purchase of one share, or an aere of land, and Mr. Cauldwell's father was the first to erect a house, which he built on "Lot 64" of the vil- lage of Morrisania, located on Washington Avenue, between what is now One Hundred and Sixty-ninth and One Hundred and Seventieth Streets. In the autumn of 1848 William Cauldwell and family occu- pied a portion of his father's residence, and during this time he purchased from Robert H. Elton a plot of ground at the corner of One Hundred and Sixty- sixth Street (then George Street) and Boston Avenue (then known as the old Boston Post Road), and next north of the famous land-mark known as Pudding Rock, and here built in 1852 the mansion which has since been his home. In 1855 the inhabitants of Morrisania village, unwilling to remain longer a part of the town of West Farms, resolved to form a separate township, which was done in the same year. Of the new town, Gouverneur Morris was, in 1856, the first supervisor, and was succeeded the next year by Mr. Cauldwell, who held the office for fifteen terms, and up to the time (1874) when the town was annexed to the city of New York.

For twelve years Mr. Cauldwell was also a member of the Board of Education of the town of Morrisania, and was chosen chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Westehester County in 1866, and held the same position in 1868 and 1869. In 1867 the Board of Supervisors were equally divided between the Demo- cratie and Republican parties. Mr. Cauldwell re- ceived the Democratic nomination for chairman, having for his competitor ex-Senator Hezekiah D. Robertson. After one hundred and eleven ballots had been taken, the opposing candidates withdrew, and united upon Abraham Hatfield, an old and re- spected citizen of Westchester, as presiding officer for that year. The handsome gold mounted gavels which were presented to Mr. Cauldwell as testi- monials of his service as chairman of the board, are highly prized by him. His first appear- ance in active politics was in 1856, at which time he was an ardent worker to secure the election of James Buchanan, for President, and John B. Haskin for Congress, and in 1858 took a prominent part in the re-election of Mr. Haskin. In 1863 he was instru- mental in procuring the passage of an act authorizing the construction of a horse railway for Morrisania and West Farms, an enterprise which was rapidly pushed to completion, and since its organization has been treasurer of the company. In 1867 the ques- tion of rapid transit began to attract public atten-

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tiou, and having been in that year eleeted to the State Senate (his opponent beiug Hon. James W. Husted), his influence seeured the passage of the first act ever passed by the Legislature for that purpose. In 1869 he was re-elected, and in 1871 he again received the unanimous nomination of his party, but was defeated by the Hon. W. H. Robertson. To show Mr. Cauldwell's adaptability for publie affairs, he was at one and the same time holding the offices of State Senator, president of the Board of Town Trustees, chairman of the Board of Supervisors of the county, member of the Board of Education, president of the Saving's Bank and chairman of the Democratic General Committee of Morrisania, aud in all of these his duties, varied as they were, have been faithfully performed. True to the Union during the war, his duties as super- visor were so faithfully performed, that he was the recipient of most honorable testimonials from the Citizens' Mutual Protection Association, and an en- grossed copy of the action of that body, neatly framed, is among the treasures which adorn his library.

In 1874 his fellow citizens again called upon him to go to the Legislature, in order to perfect the sonie- what rudc Act of Annexation, which had been passed in 1873. He was elected by a very large majority, and devoted himself to the matter with such energy that a new aet was passed so perfect in its details, that no ueed to amend it has yet occurred. It is a somewhat eurious circumstance, that when elected to the Assembly, he met in the Legislature both of his former competitors for senatorial honors, Hon. W. H. Robertson and Hon. James W. Husted, the former as President of the Senate, the latter as Speaker of the Assembly. With every work of a public nature in the town of Morrisania, Mr. Cauldwell has been prominently identified. During the fifteen terms in which he held the office of supervisor, nearly a mil- lion and a half of dollars passed through his hands ; and his duties were performed with such exaetness as to merit and receive the complimentary endorsement of those who were appointed as a board of audit to examine his aceounts, and the fact remains on record that for this long service, Mr. Cauldwell received the sum of two hundred and twenty dollars for incidentals (his own services being voluntary), which speaks vol- umes for his unselfishness. It is also worthy of men- tion that the entire quota of eight hundred men re- quired from his town by the various drafts during the war, was filled by volunteersand substitutes procured through his efforts.

Among the meu who are much indebted to him for their sueeess in publie life, may be mentioned Waldo Hutchins and Clarkson N. Potter, both of whom be- came prominent members of Congress.

In 1876 Cauldwell became the sole proprietor of the Sunday Mercury, and in 1883 he purchased the building No. 3 Park Row, New York, which is fitted with every appliance for a first-elass printing and

publishing office. He was married October 27, 1845, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of George Dyer. Their children are Leslie G., Nettie G. and Emily L., wife of Thomas Rogers.

His career has been alike creditable to himself, aud to the county which he has so ably represented, aud in his profession as a publisher, few can show a more successful record, and none a more honorable one.

Horace Greeley, the noted journalist, spent much of his leisure at his country home in Westchester County, and breathed his last at Chappaqua. Mr. Greeley was born at Amherst, N. H., February 3, 1811. He received a common-schoool education, which was supplemeuted by his own unwearied efforts in the acquisition of knowledge. At the age of four- teen, his parents having removed to Vermont, he ob- tained employment as apprentice-boy in the office of the Northern Spectator, Pultney, Vt. In 1830 le re- turned home, owing to the discontinuance of the pa- per, but soon afterwards secured another position as apprentice at Erie, Pa., for fifty dollars a year.

In August, 1831, having saved enough money to pay his traveling expenses, besides giving twenty-five or thirty dollars to his father, he arrived in New York City " with a suit of blue cotton jcan, two brown shirts and five dollars in cash." He obtained work as a journeyman printer, and, in 1834, commenced with Jouas Winchester (afterwards publisher of the New World) a weekly paper, of sixteen pages quarto, called the New Yorker. Although conducted with much ability it was not suceessful, and was finally abandoned. While cditing this journal Mr. Greeley also eondueted, in 1838, The Jeffersonian, published by the Whig Central Committee of the State, and the Log Cabin, a campaign paper, published in the Presi- dential contest of 1840.

On Saturday, April 20, 1841, Mr. Greeley began the publication of the New York Tribune, which soon obtained recognition for the spirited and independent tone of its utteranees. In 1848 he was elected a mein- ber of the United States House of Representatives, and in 1851 visited Europe and was chosen chairman of one of the juries of the World's Fair, at London. While in Paris the Emperor had him imprisoned for his eaustic criticism of the imperial govern- ment, but he was soon released through the inter- vention of the American Minister. His letters from Europe, written to the Tribune, were pub- lished in a volume entitled "Glanecs at Europe." In 1856 he published his " History of the Struggle for Slavery Extension," and, three years later, " An Over- land Journey from New York to San Francisco," a series of letters reprinted from the Tribune. Of Mr. Greeley's editorial work on the Tribune it may be said that it was one of the most powerful of literary agen- eies in forming the Republican Party and in paving the way for the downfall of slavery. The Tribune was interdicted in many Southern homes, on account of

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its radical and uncompromising utterances, and Hor- ace Greeley drew upon himself the wrath of the en- tire slave-holding section. His style was rugged, trenchant and forcible ; always breathing the spirit of candor and sincerity. In 1864 and 1867 were pub- lished the two subscription volumes of Mr. Grceley's " American Conflict, or History of the War for the Union." The sale soon reached one hundred thou- sand copies, but was checked for some years after it had become known that Mr. Greeley had generously consented to affix his name to the bail-bond of Jef- ferson Davis.

In 1867-68 Mr. Greeley contributed to the New York Ledger a series of autobiographie reminiscences, which werc afterwards republished in a volume entitled " Re- collections of a busy life." In 1870 he reprinted from the Tribune a series of " Essays ou Political Econ- omy," defending the " protection theory," which were dedicated to the memory of Henry Clay. In 1872 he published " What I Know about Farming." He also originated and edited the Tribune Almanac, which for many years has been a standard book of reference.

In 1872 Mr. Grecley was nominated for President of the United States by the Liberal Republican and Democratic Conventious, but, as is well known, was overwhelmingly defeated by General Grant. His po- litical reverses and the death of his wife proved too great a strain for his frame, enfecbled by overwork, anxiety and weary vigils at his sick wife's bedside. He died November 29, 1872, at the residence of Dr. Choate, several miles from his home at Chappaqua. Mr. Greeley's strict integrity, guilelessness of charac- ter, simplicity and candor, as well as his lofty aspira- tions and great services to his country, caused him to be universally mourned, and nowhere more so than in Westchester County, where he was so well known.

James Watson Webb, the noted journalist, resided at Mount Pleasant from about 1848 to 1861, when he was appointed minister to Brazil. Born at Claverack, N. Y., February 8, 1802, he entered the United States Army as second lieutenant of artillery August, 1819, but resigned in 1827 to take charge of the Morning Courier, which had been established in New York City in May of that year. In 1829 he purchased the Enquirer and combined the two with the name of the Morning Courier and New York Enquirer. He became the sole editor, and, in the following ycar, sole pro- prietor, which position he retained for thirty-four years. At an early period his paper became identified with the principles of the Whig party, of which it was an able exponent. In 1851 he was appointed enginer in chief of the State of New York, with the rank of brigadier-general. In 1849 he was appointed minister to Austria, and in 1861 minister to Constan- tinople, but this appointment was exchanged for the mission to Brazil. In 1865, being in Paris, he nego- tiated a secret treaty with the Emperor Napoleon for the withdrawal of the French troops from Mexico. In 1869 he resigned the mission to Brazil and re-

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History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 158

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, ed Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co. Number of Pages: 1354

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, ed
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1354