History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 160

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 160

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What has thus beeu given shows that Rev. Dr. Cole belongs to one of the oldest New York families. It is not believed that there are auy older, though there may be a very few others as old. The family is of the Reformed Church of Holland from its very start in that country. It was identified with the organization of the first Reformed Church in New Amsterdam (the "Church in the Fort") and subse- quently with the organization of the Reformed Churches of Kingston, Tappan, Clarkstown and West Hempstead (or Kakiat), and it also, before 1800, founded a Reformed Church in Fondabush, Fulton County, which, however, was changed to a Presby- terian Church in 1825. Rev. Dr. Cole is thus, through his father, of strietest Holland deseent. He feels the derivation of his name from so historic a stock and is equally alive to the character for sim- plieity aud spotless business integrity which has been handed down through the American generations. With the exception of the first member of the line, who was a government officer, all the generations, clown to his father, were farmers. All of them were continuously, and many of them officially, eouneeted with the life and work of the Reformed Churches. Purity of life, probity in dealing, steadiness of aim and purpose have been the heritage handed dowu to him, and this heritage he cherishes with the most

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sacred reverence and would not exchange for any other form of inheritance whatever.

Rev. Dr. Cole was born at Spring Valley September 22, 1822, during a brief summer visit of his parents, then residents of New York City, to the old family homestead. Being the first child of a eonseientious and gifted teacher, his training naturally engaged his father's close thought. The course taken with him was such as to give to his mind an early and strong bias for the study of languages, without, however, impair- ing his edueation in other branches. But his father's view of the importance of languages was such that he was started in Latin at four, in Greek at six and in Hebrew at nine, and was prepared for college at twelve years of age. No effort was spared to lay his foundations solidly. The consequence was the awaken- ing of au enthusiasm for languages which has shaped a life, and is one of its leading characteristics. From twelve to sixteen years of age study was suspended during the summers, and training on a farm substi- tuted, for the building up of a physical and mental strength that had been too severely taxed. The winters, however, continued to be devoted to study. In November, 1838, at sixteen years of age, he entered the Grammar Sehool of Rutgers College. After a year spent in reviewing old studies, and especially in earnest work upou mathematics, he entered the Sophomore Class of the college in October, 1839, front which, iu July, 1842, he was graduated. Being too well prepared for college at his entrance, he had thrown himself upon his past studies to a large extent, and as a result, came to his graduation, though with credit, yet without distinction. At once after graduation he began to teach near his father's residenee at Tappan, and continued teaching from August, 1842, to No- vember, 1858, more than sixteen years, devoting him- self through almost the whole period to the teaching of the Latin and Greek languages alone. During his work as a teacher he prepared many young men for college, several of whom were graduated with honor. His greatest successes as a teacher were attained during several years in the principalship of an academy at Trenton, N. J., during which his students were sent to Princeton, Rutgers, Harvard, Yale, Union, Am- herst and the Universities of New York and Pennsyl- vania.

In 1855, prominently through his influenee, the State Normal School of New Jersey was brought into being, of which, by the appointment of Governor Rodman M. Priee, he was one of the first trustees. In 1857 he became a professor in that institution, resign- ing his trusteeship to accept the post. For several years during his teaching life, however, he had been privately studying for the ministry, and, iu connection with his teaching work, had established and earried on an enterprise, on which, as a foundation, many years ago, grew up the present Fifth Presbyterian Church of Trenton. Having induced his pastor and friends of the First Presbyterian Church of that city

to build a house for the purpose in the suburbs, he founded and eondueted a large Sunday-school in it, and soon after began, while still a layman and prin- cipal of an academy, to preach twiee in it every Sab- bath, and lecture in the houses of his hearers on Thursday evenings. From this work and from his professorship in the State Normal School he passed into the ministry in 1858. Several offers of pulpits were at onee made to him, but he decided to aceept the charge of the new Reformed Church at East Millstone, N. J. Here he was ordained November 23, 1858, and remained pastor until April 1, 1863. In February of that year he had been called to the pro- fessorship of the Greek language and literature in Rutgers College, and had accepted the call. Entering upon his new post March 16, 1863, he remained in it till January 1, 1866. During this period of three years, however, he was several times urged to re-enter the pastorate. The teaching in the college was a fascination to him, but the attraction to the pulpit proved the stronger, and in December, 1865, a eall from the Reformed Church of Yonkers was accepted. From the 10th of that month he has been connected, as its pastor, with the history and life of that church. During his professorship at New Brunswick the de- gree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by the trustees of Franklin and Marshall College, at Laneaster, Pa.

The period from 1861 to 1865 was with Dr. Cole one of strong decision and great activity. From the firing on Sumter he took the most pronounced position for the Union, and during his pastorate at East Mill- stone, and his college life at New Brunswick, was at all times forward in sustaining the goverment and making sentiment for it by writing and speaking in its behalf. Many incidents of interest in his history in that connection might be related, but want of space excludes them here.

Dr. Cole's activity as a writer began soon after his graduation from college, but confined itself for some years to newspaper articles. His first book was a small " Manual of English Grammar," published in 1848, and his only other book written during his teaching life was a larger one, entitled " Principles of English Grannar Applied," issued in 1853. These books were intended mostly for his own use, but had a con- siderable circulation in the schools of New Jersey in their day. It was not till about 1855 that he began to appear much as a public speaker. At this time, in addition to his evangelistic work, before alluded to, in Trenton, he became deeply enlisted in a new educational movement in the State of New Jersey, and, by permission of the State Legislature, joined with others in pressing the interests and wants of the publie schools upon the members assembled for the purpose in joint session. He also formed one of a company who visited the various counties of the State, speaking everywhere for the cause of popular education. Several of his addresses on these subjects,

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from 1855 onward, were printed. Besides this, he spoke in various places upon topics connected with higher education. In December, 1854, he read an important paper at the Smithsonian Institution on " Classical Education," which was published in Bar- nard's American Journal of Education, and drew commendation from both sides of the Atlantic. In 1855-56 he was New Jersey editor of the New York Teacher and wrote many of its editorials. After his entrance into the ministry, in 1858, he dropped speaking and writing in the special interest of edu- cation, finding enough to do for his pulpit and in the defense of the Union cause during the war. During his ministry he has been absorbed in two specialties, the one being his principal and the other liis second- ary object of pursuit.

The former is the critical study of the Bible origin- als and the development of the Bible's thought, and the latter is the tracing of Divine Providence through history. Of the results of his Bible study, he has written and printed very much, but not in pamphlet or book-form. Upon history, his researchies have been mostly of local bearing, being developments of church and local annals. In October, 1865, he delivered an his- torical address upon his first church at East Millstone, then ten years old; in 1868, another upon his church at Yonkers, then twenty-five; and in 1883, a third upon the same church, then forty years old. All these were published by the congregations. Hi Thanksgiving sermou of 1866 was also published by his people, and his Centennial Thanksgiving sermon (1876) on "Our American Republie, the Child of Special Providence," was called for by a representa- tion from the uniting congregations that heard it, and published. The General Synod of the Reformed Church published also a sermon he preached before it in 1874 on "Offerings to the Lord," being its " An- nual Scrinon on Benevolence." In 1876, Dr. Cole himself published a large octavo volume, the fruit of very great labor, giving the genealogy of his own Holland family from 1580 to date. In October, 1882, at the call of his fellow-citizens of Yonkers, he de- livered iu the open air, to many thousands of people, a bi-centennial oration commemorative of the found- ing of the Mauor (now the city) Hall of Yonkers, which was printed and very widely circulated. In 1883 and 1884 he edited the "History of Roekland County," alluded to above. In September, 1884, as president of the General Synod of the Reformed Church, he presided at the installation of Rev. John G. Lansing, D.D., as professor in the Thcological Seminary at New Brunswick, and delivered a sermon on "God's noteworthy preparations of the two original languages of the sacred Scriptures to become the conveyancers of His divine revelation to men, and His no less noteworthy preparations of a modern language to effect the spread of this revelation over the carth." The sermon was published with the proceedings of the day. In October of the same year,

in the same capacity, le presided at the first session of the centennial of the same seminary, and delivered the "Response" to the "Address of Welcome," which was printed in a volume with the proceedings. His latest publication has been the " History of Yon- kers," contained in this work. In all his published historical addresses he has had in view onc controlling object-to hold up in the most conspicuous light the Providence of God as manifested in the details of church, historical, community and family life.

Dr. Cole married, on the 18th of April, 1844, Abbie D. Wyckoff, a daughter of Jacob Wyckoff and Eliza- beth Van Deventer, of New Brunswick, both of purest Holland descent. The children have been six in number, of whom the third died in infancy, in 1855, viz .: Mary Elizabeth (wife of Rev. James Henry Bertholf, of Nassau, Rensselaer County, N. Y.), Isaac D., Ella, J. Wyckoff, Frank Howard and Edward R. None of the sons are married. Rev. and Mrs. Ber- tholf have four children, viz .: Harry W., Charles . Howard, Bessie and Griffith Dürst.

Thomas Henry Edsall is descended from Samucl Edsall, Esq., a native of Reading, Berkshire, Eng- land, by his marriage with Ruth Woodhull, daughter of Richard Woodhull, Esq., a native of Thenford, Northamptonshire, England. Samuel Edsall came to Boston, Mass., in 1648, settled among the Dutch in New Amsterdam in 1655, and afterwards became quite prominent in the colonial affairs of New York and New Jersey. Mr. Woodhull came to Lynn, Mass., about 1640, and was an early settler and leading eiti- zen of Southampton and Brookhaven, L. I. Other immigrant ancestors of Mr. Edsall came in the seven- teenth century from Holland and France (Huguenot). In the last century several of his progenitors bore arms in the old French War and in support of Amer- iean independence during the Revolution. He is the only son of the late Thomas Edsall, Esq., and Phebe A. Jones, daughter of the late Hon. Nathaniel Jones, of Orange County, N. Y., and was born Octo- ber 7, 1840, in the city of New York. After complet- ing his academic education he entered Brown Univer- sity at seventeen, and was graduated in 1861. The following year he assisted in raising a regiment of in- fantry, which was afterwards consolidated to form the Que Hundred and Seventy-sixth New York Volun- teers-" Ironsides "-of which he was commissioned adjutant. The regiment was assigned to the " Banks Expedition " and served in the Department of the Gulf. During the summer and autumn of 1863 Mr. Edsall was detached and assigned to duty at head- quarters under the chief engineer of the department. In November he returned to New York and was mus- tered out with his regiment. He then studied law with ()'Connor & Dunning and at Columbia College Law School, was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1865, and has since been in practice in New York City. He is now a member of the firm of Dunning, Edsall, Hart & Fowler.

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For several years Mr. Edsall has devoted much attention to historical and genealogical researches, and has contributed several papers on those subjects to the New York Historical and the New York Gen- ealogical and Biographical Societies, some of which have been published. He has given special study to the early history of King's Bridge and its neighbor- hood, where he has resided for several years, in Spuy- ten Duyvil. Mr. Edsall has prepared a very inter- esting and valuable history of that town for this work, which is published elsewhere. He is a member of the University Club, the New York Historical Society, a trustee of the New York Genealogical and Biograph- ical Society and the vice-president of the Society of the Sons of the Revolu- tion.

Josiah Sherman Mitch- ell, son of Minot Mitchell, one of the most distin- . guished members of the Westchester County bar, was born at White Plains, February 2, 1816. He studied law in his father's office, and was admitted to the bar in 1845. He is still (1886) pursuing the practice of his profession, and resides in White Plains. Mr. Mitchell has devoted a good deal of study to the history of his locality, and is recognized as an authority upon that subject. Besides writing the very able and inter- esting history of White Plains for this work, he has written a number of other articles on sub- jects relating to White Plains, or other points fant Coffey in the county, but none of them have hitherto appeared in printed form. He prepared two papers on "The French in Westchester County," which were read before a social club of White Plains, and has read two papers before the Westchester County Historical Society, of which he is a member, one of them being a "Life of Ann Hutchison," the other a review of the events succeeding the battle of White Plains, giving reasons for Howe's retreat. A paper has also been written by Mr. Mitchell in which he brings forward arguments to show that the sect of Methodists acquired a foothold in Westchester County before having done so in New York City,-a conclu- sion contrary to the received teaching on that point, which is, that the Methodist Society in this country | History of Westchester County from 1683 to 1774 ;"

acquired its first converts in the latter place. The paper is deposited with the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at White Plains.

Mr. Mitchell has been twice married. His first wife was Elizabeth Anderson, daughter of the Hon. Joseph H. Anderson. Their children were William Anderson, who is now a manager of one of the de- partments of the New York Safe Deposit Company, of New York City, and Anna Caroline. His second wife was Margaret Louise Dusenbury. Their only child is Charles Halsey.

Rev. William Samuel Coffey was born in the city of New York in 1827, and in 1847 graduated from Columbia College. After studying for the ministry he graduated from the General Theological Sem- inary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1850, and was ordained deacon in the same year at Trin- ity Church, New York. In 1851 he received the full orders of the priest- hood at Grace Church, Brooklyn Heights. On February 1, 1852, he be- came rector of St. Paul's Church, East Chester, and his pastorate has continu- ed to the present time, a period of over thirty-four years, during which he has been most efficient and active in his minis- terial labors, and has greatly endeared himself to the community. He has held the commissions of the State as chaplain of the Third Regiment and consequently of the Twenty-seventh Regi- ment N. Y. S. N. G. In 1856 he founded Trin- ity Church at Mount Vernon.

Mr. Coffey's literary work has only been second in importance and value to his labors in the ministry. He delivered the centennial address of the laying of the corner-stone of St. Paul's Church, East Chester, in October, 1865, and a memorial paper in 1875 upon the life and services of Rev. Thomas Standard, D.D., at the dedication of a tablet erected in his honor in the church. He also delivered a historical address in October, 1884, in St. Peter's Church, Westchester, upon the eminent career of Rev. Samuel Seabury as rector of that parish. To these volumes he has con- tributed three important chapters,-" The General

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" The General History of Westchester County from 1783 to 1860," and the "History of the town of East Chester," which is a complete review of that town in all its social, political and religious aspects from the earliest period to the present year. The public ad- dresses of Mr. Coffey upon religious and secular topics and occasions have been numerous, while for many years he has contributed to the newspapers of the country the results of his profound thought and thorough scholarship as brought to bear upon the questions which interest mankiud. On October 4, 1876, he married Henrietta, daughter of Henry P. Kellogg, of New Rochelle, and has two sons, both of whom are living.

John William Draper, M.D., LL.D., the late chemist and physiologist, was born in Liverpool, England, May 5, 1811, and at the time of his death, in 1886, lived at Irvington, in Westchester County. He was educated at the University of London. Emi- grating to America in 1833, he continued his chemical and medical studies at the University of Pennsyl- vania, where he took the degree of M.D. in 1836. Besides holding prominent professorships in various seats of learning, he contributed a large number of valuable works to the literature of America. Between 1838 and 1857 he furnished to the Edinburgh Philo- sophical Journal about forty treatises, besides con- tributing to other scientific journals. He was the author of a "Treatise on the Organization of Plants," 4to, 1844; a popular "Text-Book on Chemistry," 1846; another on "Natural Philosophy," 1847; a "History of the Intellectual Development of Europe; " "Thoughts on the Future Civil Policy of America;" "History of the American Civil War," 3 vols., 1867-68 ; and " Memoirs on the Chemical Action of Light." His most elaborate work is a treatise on " Human Physiology, Statical and Dynamical," 1856.

Robert Bonner, the proprietor of the New York Ledger, born iu Londonderry, Ireland, about 1820, of Scotch-Presbyterian ancestry, is or was a resident of Westchester. While a lad in the printing-office of the Hartford Courant it is said he could set up more type in a day than any man in the State. He went to New York City in 1844, purchasing the Ledger, then an obscure sheet, aud brought it to the position it now occupies by engaging Fanny Fern, Edward Ever- ett, Henry Ward Beecher and other eminent writers as contributors.

General Adam Badeau, the author of a "History of General Grant " and numerous newspaper and magazine articles, was born in New York and resided in Westchester County. He was made captain and aide-de-camp of United States Volunteers in April, 1862, and afterward appointed on the staff of General Sherman. He was severely wounded at Port Hudson, joined General Grant in January, 1864, as his military secretary, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and was made brevet brigadier-general United States army for faithful and meritorious services in the war.

He became colonel and aide-de-camp to the general of the army in March, 1865, and continued to May, 1869, when he was retired. He was secretary of lega- tion to the English court at London.

Rev. Wm. E. Turner, of Elmsford, kindly furnishes the following account of the early life aud literary labors of Jay Gould, the noted financier, who, while a mere lad, wrote the history of Delaware County :

"Jay Gould did not in early life enjoy the advan- tages of a literary education. His only opportunities were first in a private school taught in the neighbor- hood, for the benefit of a few of the neighbors, by a young man named Oliver. He subsequently removed to the academy in Franklin, where young Gould fol- lowed him and very early finished his education. Hence it could not be said that he everacquired much of a literary taste, but rather a business education. He did, however, write the history of Delaware County, which is still extant and certainly a very creditable performance for a youth of sixteen years of age. His education, as we have said, was more of a business character. Hence we see him, after spend- ing a little time as clerk in a country store, engaged in measuring the distances and assisting in plotting the maps of Ulster and Scoharie Counties. We should not forget to mention that his first business venture was with a mouse-trap which he had constructed and brought to the city of New York for the purpose of placing it among the curiosities and useful exhibits of the Crystal Palace. This venture seems, in some re- spects, to have been uufortunate; for, while on his way, as he was admiring the wonders of the city, a thief stole the trap. The offeuder, however, was caught and on his arraigument before the Police Court it was recorded that the mouse-trap had taken larger game -- it had caught a thief.

" At an early age-before he was twenty-he left his native town to engage in a large business in Penn- sylvania-managing the financial affairs of a tannery, said at that time to be the largest in the country, if uot in the world."

Mr. Gould's life story, as told by himself before the Senate Labor Committee in New York, in September, 1883, was as follows : Having stated that he was born in Roxbury, N. Y., on May 27, 1836, he said he as- sisted his sisters in tending the cattle and one day he said to his father he would like to go to school. The father replied that he was too young, "but," said the witness, "I was determined to secure an education, as I was then fourteen years of age. At last," said the witness, with a smile, "I fell in with a black- smith, and as I could write a good hand, I told him I could keep his books. He consented and that was the first occupation that brought me remuneration."

He had a taste for mathematics; used to get up at three o'clock in the morning and study till six and in this way prepared himself for a start in life.

Mr. Gould then proceeded to say that he heard of a man in Ulster County who was making a map of

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that county, and having a great taste for surveying he (the witness) went and offered his assistance. He was thereupon engaged at twenty dollars per month, but his work proved so unsatisfactory that his em- ployer told him the work he performed was a silly lot of stuff. "After that," said the witness, " I had not the heart next day to ask anybody to give me a dinner." He finally went to a quiet place, where nobody could see him, and had a good cry. He then went to his sister's house, where he went up stairs and prayed, after which he felt better. After that he resolved not to go home again, but to go ahead and die in the last ditch. He returned to his task of completing the map and made similar sur- veys of Delaware and Albany Counties, from which he realized five thousand dollars, which was his first capital.

After the panic of 1857 he came to New York and, owing to the depreciation of values in property, he was able to buy on credit the bonds of the Rutland and Washington Railroad for ten cents on the dollar. He took charge of the railroad and was its president, treasurer and general manager. He conducted the road until its consolidation with the Rensselaer and Saratoga road, when he was able to sell out his in- terest at a large profit. Subsequently he took a bank- rupt friend's interest in the Cleveland and Pittsburgh road and held it till he was able to sell it to advan- tage. He became a large owner of Union Pacific stock in consequence of a misunderstanding with parties interested and also owing to the illness of Mr. Horace F. Clark in Chicago. The road was then in a bad way, the stock going down to fifteen, and the only thing he could do to save himself was to hold on to what he had, while at the same time he still kept buying. He made up his mind to stick to the road and build it up, and he persevered till it at last paid dividends. Before the road became a success a great clamor arose that it was Jay Gould's road, as though that was a dangerous thing. He was then engaged in selling out his stock, which was soon in the hands of seven thousand investors, representing the earnings of many widows and orphans.

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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 160

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