History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 162

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

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. II > Part 162

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MY SO

EAGLE IRON AND STOVE WORKS, ABENDROTH BROTHERS, PROPRIETORS, PORT CHESTER, N. Y.

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RYE.

Street, about forty rods from the railroad. Between tained then three thousand two hundred and fifty-four inhabitants. But within the past few years the growth of the population has been rapid, and it is now believed to exceed the number of four thousand. There can be little doubt that Port Chester is destined to be an important manufacturing town. At present its leading establishments are the machine shops of Messrs. Abendroth, proprictors of the Eagle Foundry ; Seaman's tavern and the western end of the village there were three or four small houses. On the trian- gular lot west of the school-house, and near the Catholic Church, stood a building known as "the Haunted House." It was torn down some fifty years ago. Here a certain Captain Flood, who is said to have " sailed the first market-sloop out of Saw-pit," lived at the time of the Revolution. "John Flood the Port Chester Bolt and Nut Company, organized the boatman" was one of the persons examined by June 15, 1882; and the National Chuck Company ; the planing-mills of Messrs. George Mertz & Sons, and Messrs. Slater Brothers; and the shirt manufactory conducted by Messrs. Pond, West & Simons. These flourishing establishments, with others, give employ- ment to several hundreds of operatives. the Committee of Safety in 1776, in connection with the trial of certain Tories concerned in the spiking of cannon at King's Bridge. In this house, tradition states, a daughter of Captain Flood was murdered, and the neighborhood was thought to be haunted by her ghost. Timid persons were long unwilling to pass Port Chester possesses five churches and two banks -the First National Bank, organized May 9, 1864, and the Savings Bank, organized June 17, 1865. over the road approaching this house after dark ; and there were stories afloat of strange flickering lights that had been seen moving over the meadows near by in the night. Wiser heads, however, knew of the " Will o' the wisp " or the " Jack o'lantern," which frequents low marshy grounds like those around this spot ; for here, just in front of the Haunted House, were the "upper hassocky meadows," now compara- tively dry and salubrious, but once, doubtless, a dis- mal and unwholesome swamp.

In 1837 the village of Saw Pit took its present name, Port Chester. By an act of the Legislature passed on May 14, 1868, Port Chester was incor- porated as a village with specified limits, within the town of Rye. The limits of the village are thus stated in the charter :

" All that part of the town of Rye, in the County of Westchester, con- tained in the following limits, to wit : Beginning at a rock at the east- erly end of Byram bridge, on the boundary line between the States of Connecticut and New York ; thence, by said boundary line north 24 de- grees and 15 minutes west, 16 chains and 97 links to the boundary line between lands of E. L. Smith and the Misses Merritt ; thence by said boundary line and across the land of said Merritts and by the boundary between Mrs. Bush and said Merritts, south 75 and 34 degrees west, 42 chains and 45 links, to the easterly line of King street ; tlience by the same course, across said King street and lands of the estate of William Bush, Thomas Lyon, the estate of Nehemiah Brown, Alva Slater and E. B. Wesley, 48 chains and 45 links to the boundary line between lands of E. B. Wesley and Jethro Daggett ; thence by said honndary line and across lands of William Mathews, sonth 10 degrees and 10 minutes west, 20 chains and 95 links to the Purchase road ; thence, by the same course, across said Purchase road and through lands of Abraham Merritt, Thomas Lyon, Hannah M. Barton, the estate of Philip Duffy, decensed, Elizabeth Merritt, Samuel S. Bent, William P. Abendroth, and Charles T. Goodwin, 56 chains and 70 links to the centre of the road leading from the Boston post road to Ridge street ; thence through the centre of the said first mentioned road south 63 and 34 degrees east, 12 chains and 78 links, south 56 and a half degrees east, 3 chains and 24 links, and south 50 and 34 degrees east, 5 chains and 62 links, to the westerly line of the Bostou post road ; thence across said road and through lands of Ezrahiah Wetmore and the estate of Gilbert Bush, deceased, south 61 degrees east, 39 chains and twenty links to the Grace church street road ; thence by the same course, across said road and through lands of the estate of William T. Provost, deceased, 24 chains and 75 links to the northerly end of Horse rock at high water mark ; thence by the same course through the harbor or bay to the Connecticut State line ; thence northierly by said State line and Byram river to the place of beginning ; shall he hereafter known and distinguished as the village of Port Chester."

According to the census of 1880 this village con-

The Port Chester Banner was the first newspaper published in this town. Its first number appcared on Saturday, October 4, 1844. The editor was Evans Hollis. The Banner was a small paper, in politics " purely Democratic." It was continued for a little more than one year, the last number being issued at the closc of the State election in the autumn of 1845. The next newspaper was The Nineteenth Century, ed- ited and published by T. J. Sutherland. The first number was issued April 2, 1846. It was discontinued in the autumn of the same year. The Experiment was the title of another paper, started by Abraham G. Levy, August 12, 1848. It appeared in an enlarged form April 21, 1849, but ceascd with the issue of August 25th, in the same year. The Port Chester Mon- itor appeared for the first time February 13, 1864. Messrs. James E. Beers and George W. Smith were the editors. This paper was conducted with consid- erable ability. and continued its career until Au- gust, 1867. The Port Chester Journal, founded byB. F. Ashley, first appeared November 27, 1868. The present proprietor is M. L. Delavan. The Port Chester Enter- prise, another weekly newspaper, was commenecd September 3, 1884. It is conducted by B. F. McDer- mott.

The Presbyterian Church was the first house of worship built in what is now Port Chester. On the 26th of May, 1830, the frame of the edifice was raised upon a plot of ground which had been given for the purpose by Mr. George Adee. Only the basement was used at first. It was dedicated December 19, 1830, Rev. Joel Mann, of Greenwich, preaching. The church was completed and dedicated in September, 1833, Rev. Dr. Spencer, of Brooklyn, preaching. Rev. Williams C. Whittemore, of Rye, had charge of the congregation when the church was built. He was followed, at Rye and Saw Pit, by the Rev. David Remington, whose ministry commenced in April, 1832, and was terminated January 24, 1834, by his sudden death. Rev. Thomas Payne succeeded him, from 1834 to 1836; and Rev. James R. Davenport

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

was pastor from October 13, 1836, to April, 1838. In July, 1838, the Rev. Edward D. Bryan com- menced his labors at Rye. The service at Port Chester, which had hitherto been held in the after- noon, was now transferred to the morning, and an evening service was also maintained. Mr. Bryan resided for several years at Port Chester, as one or two of his predecessors had done, and no small part of his time was devoted to this field. "In 1839 a season of spiritual refreshing was cujoyed, which resulted in the addition of ten persons to the church."

The congregations of Ryc and Port Chester re- mained united for a period of twenty-three years. In 1852 it was found expedient to dissolve this eonncc- tion, and organize a distinct church at Port Chester. This was done on the 4th of August in that year, by the Presbytery of Bedford. The new church was constituted with forty-one members, all of whom had, until then, been connected with the church of Rye ; and with one elder, Mr. Ephraim Sours. Rev. Hen- ry Benedict, the first pastor, began his labors in June, 1853, and was installed October 9, 1854. He resigned his charge April 22, 1863, and was succccded by Rev. Valentine A. Lewis, ordained and installed November 1, 1864. His pastorate ended in October, 1867, and the Rev. Ezra F. Mundy was installed March 9, 1868. His resignation took cffcet April 1, 1877 ; and the Rev. Willis W. Dowd, the present pastor, was installed May 8, 1877.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Port Chester was built about 1831. Prior to this the district school- house had been used as a place of worship. The church was a small structure, which occupied the site of the present handsome and spacious church. The latter was dedicated on Sunday, August 15, 1858, Bishop Janes officiating. Its cost was about ten thousand dollars. In 1864 the church took the name of Summerfield Church, in honor of John Summer- field. The ministers in charge since 1847 have been Rev. Messrs. W. B. Hoyt, J. A. Edmonds, Justus O. North, William F. Smith, - Cotant, William Por- teus, G. S. Gilbert, Otis Saxton, C. T. Mallory, W. F. Hatfield. C. B. Ford, S. H. Smith, W. Platts, T. G. Osborn, S. M. Hammond, W. T. Pray, G. H. Good- sell, E. A. Blake. The present pastor is the Rev. John Pegg.

The King Street Methodist Episcopal Church was built about the same time with that of Saw Pit, though it would appear that the project of its ercc- tion was entertained much earlier. At a Quarterly Conference hell at New Rochelle, December 27, 1823, E. Halsted, D. Kirby and D. H. Mead were " appointed a committee to consider the propriety of building a church at King Street." This locality had been one of the appointments of the New Ro- chelle Circuit for several years.

The Protestant Episcopal Church was crected in in 1843-44, on land given by William Adec. Scr-

viee had previously been held in the old school- house at the foot of King Street Hill, in the Meth- odist Church, and in a building now known as Ar- monck Hall, then called Burger's Chapel. Rev. P. S. Chauncey, of Rye, had begun to officiate here in December, 1836. The corner-stone of the church was laid on the 25th of July, 1843, Bishop Onder- donk ofheiating. The building was completed at a cost of about six thousand dollars, and on Monday, July 15, 1844, it was eonseerated by Bishop Onder- donk as "St. Peter's Chapel, in connection with Christ Church, Rye," and under the pastoral charge of the rector of the parish. Mr. Chauncey eontinned to perform the duties of this part of his charge until January 30, 1848, when he resigned the rcetorship of Ryc. During the ministry of the Rev. Edward C. Bull, who succeeded him, steps were taken to form a distinct parish at Port Chester, and on the 12th of April, 1852, proccedings were instituted to incorpo- rate St. Peter's Church. The Rev. Isaac Peck was called, May 24, 1852, as rector. Hc accepted and en- tered upon his dutics in August. During the follow- ing summer the church was enlarged by an addition at the cast end. Mr. Peck resigned June 7, 1858, and was followed by the Rev. George C. Pennell, rec- tor from July 2, 1858, till August, 1859. His succes- sor, the Rev. Samuel Hollingsworth, D.D., entered upon his duties on the 5th of February, 1860. He re- signed his charge as reetor in June, 1872. Dr. Hol- lingsworth died in San Sebastian, Spain, August 15, 1884. The Rev. Brockholst Morgau became rector of this church September 15, 1872, and resigned in No- vember, 1879. His successor was the Rev. J. G. Rosencrantz, who entered npon his duties in March, 1880, and whose useful earecr was terminated by death in the autumn of 1881. The present rector is the Rev. Edward Kenney, B. D., elected May 16, 1882.

The rectory of St. Peter's Church was built in 1860; the ground, two acres and three-eighths, was given by Read Peck.

The Baptist Church of Port Chester was dedicated on the 2d of February, 1865. Its pastors have been Rev. Messrs. E. S. Raymond, Dr. Byrne, Lawson Stewart, Jonathan Bastow, A. C. Ferguson, W. H. Barnes, D. T. Phillips and W. F. Wakefield.

In 1834 the few Roman Catholics of Port Chester congregated for the first time, for religions purposes, in a private house. This they continued to do for several years, visited occasionally by pricsts from Harlem, Westchester and New Rochelle. About the year 1846 they purchased a small frame building on Main Street, which they used as a church until 1852, when the Rev. E. J. ()'Reilly became pastor of Port Chester and the adjoining missions,-New Rochelle, Mamaroneck and White Plains. After residing herc a few months he removed to New Rochelle, where he

! This church was destroyed by fire in December, 1883.

RESIDENCE OF GEO. W. QUINTARD, PORT CHESTER, N. Y. .

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remained until 1853, retaining charge of the above places. In 1852 the old church, which had become too small, was sold, a new site was bought and the present church, named "Our Lady of Mercy," was built upon it. Rev. E. J. O'Reilly was succeeded in 1853 by Rev. Thomas McLoughlin, who remained for one year. In 1854 Rev. Matthew Dowling, the present pastor, was appointed. Couuccted with this church there is a school for boys and oue for girls, and a convent, occupied by the Sisters of Charity, who have charge of the female department.

Charles w. Baird

BIOGRAPHY.1

GEORGE W. QUINTARD.

The life stories of many of our leading business men, whether abounding iu thrilling incidents and adventure and signaled by vicissitudes of fortune which have conspicuously evoked the nobler attri- butes of a worthy manhood, or merely characterized by a plain, matter-of-fact struggle upward and on- ward to the goal of success, must possess a certain degrce of interest to all, and particularly to those who are still striving along the beaten track with ends unattained and aspirations unsatisfied. Morc than this : a study of these life records suggests an instructive lesson to the youth of our country, and presents a guide to honorable distinction, which need only be appreciated to be advantageously utilized.

George W. Quintard ranks prominently among the successful business men of New York City. His rec- ord bespeaks an enterprise aud a genius, coupled with sterling qualities of head and heart, which afford an example worthy of imitation, and eminently fit him to be classed among the representative men of our day.

He was born in Stamford, Connecticut, on April 22, 1822. His father, Isaac Quintard, and his ances- tors resided in that town for several generations, and were most estimable citizens, distinguished for probity and intelligence. After receiving the usual educa- tion given in the public schools of the town, young Quintard, at the age of fifteen, followed the custom of most bright boys of Connecticut, and came in quest of fortune to New York. Finding employment iu one of the leading houses in the grocery trade, he followed that calling with industry and fidelity for five or six years, after which he embarked in business on his own account, continuing therein for four years.

Iu 1847, being then only twenty-five years of age,

he became one of the firm of T. F. Secor & Co., own- ing the Morgan Iron Works of New York ; and threc years later, in 1850, became co-proprietor of that large establishment with Charles Morgan, whose daughter he married, and who then, as now, was one of the leading and most opulent ship-owners and uierchants of the city. In 1852 Mr. Quintard as- sunicd control, and from that time up to 1857, with the exception of two years, was sole manager of the works which, for the volume of business and the high repute borne, was second to no similar manufactur- ing concern in the country.

During the eventful period of the war Mr. Quiu- tard enjoyed, iu the highest possible degrec, the con- fidence of the government at Washington. He was often consulted by the chief officials of the Navy De- partment regarding the construction of steam vessels of war, and built and sold to the United States a larger number of such ships than were turned out by any other establishment. Indeed, so honorably con- spicuous had become the reputation of the Morgan Iron Works that when, in 1863, the Italian govern- ment determined to build two first-class frigates in New York City, Mr. Quintard was selected to con- struct the engines for the " Re d 'Italia."

Between 1861 and 1864 he built for the United States government the engines for the following war steamers :

Onondaga,

Ammonoosuc,

Wachusett,

Chippewa,

Seminole, Katahdin,

Museoota,

Ascutney,

Chenango,

Idaho,

Ticonderoga, Tioga

Kinneo.

and engines for the following ocean steamers in the merchant service :

.Golden Rule,

General Barnes,

Herman Livingston,

Vera Cruz,

Manhattan,

Rapidan,

Raleigh

Hatteras,

Albemarle.

Eastern Queen,

Cambridge,

Continental,

City of Hartford.

Fah-Hee (China),

Everglade, Cosmopolitan,

Mississippi,

Orizaba,

Charles Morgan,

Nautilus,

Granite Statc,

Golden Age,

San Francisco,

George Law,

Fulton,

Yangsee (China),

Peiho (China),

De Soto,

Bienville,

Peruano,

W. G. Hawes,

Occan Quecn,

Flushing, New Brunswick,

Island Home,

Commonwealth,

Alabama,

Villa Clara.

1 The following biographical sketches were prepared and inserted in this chapter by the publishers.

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

Also the engines for the following steamers on the Western Lakes-steamers that in their day were of dimensions, and fitted up with appointments, not surpassed by those of any of the steamers on the North River or elsewhere :

Southern Michigan, Western Metropolis,

Northern Indiana, Crescent City.

In 1867 Mr. Quintard disposed of his interest in the Morgan Iron Works to John Roach, and became principal proprietor and president of the New York and Charleston Steamship Company, and still eon- tinues at the head of that corporation. In 1869 he beeame interested in the Quintard Iron Works, an extensive establishment for the manufacture of steam- engines and machinery, his principal associate in the proprietorship being James Murphy, long and favor- ably known as one of the prominent and most suc- cessful men in that partienlar branch of industry. Mr. Murphy's son is also a member of the firm. This business is now in the possession and under the management of N. F. Palmer.

Few men of his years have been participants in works of greater magnitude than Mr. Quintard; while, at the same time, few have been more active in institutions of practical benevolence. Successful from the outset, he has prosecuted that success stead- ily and surely, increasing in enterprise, so to speak, with augmenting ability to accomplish his undertak- ings.

In the administration of large and varied business interests his career has been without reproach ; and he has never deviated from those principles of integ- rity which were developed as fundamental elements of his character in early youth.

Besides the presidency of the two great corporations already named, Mr. Quintard is a director of the Manhattan Life Insurance Company of New York, and of the Butchers' and Drovers' Bank. He is pres- ident of the New England and Nova Scotia Steam- ship Company (Portland to Halifax) ; vice- president of the Eleventh Ward Bank, trustee of the Eastern Dispensary, director of the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad Company, and is, at this writing, widely known as the assignee of the great ship- buikdler, John Roach. In each of these corporations and businesses he takes an active and prominent part.

SAMUEL K. SATTERLEE.

persecuted and sequestered during the Protectorate for fealty to Church and King. The marriage took place August 2, 1682, and from the union sprang a numerous progeny.

Mr. Satterlee was born in the city of New York in 1818. At the age of sixteen he was appointed eorre- sponding and note elerk in the promineut banking- house of Morgan, Ketchum & Co., on Wall Street, the position having become vacant by the resignation of Junius P. Morgan, the present eminent London banker. Subsequently, and for seven years, he was cashier to the sueeessors of that house. Failing in health, he removed to Conneetieut, and for ten or more years served as financial officer of several banks, receiving special commendation in the reports of the bank commissioners of that State. In 1853 he re- moved to Rye, and a few years thereafter became one of the principal proprietors of the Stamford Mann- faeturing Company.

During the Civil War, though not in accord with the Republican party, he was appointed chairman of the military division of the " Union Defense Com- mittee of Rye," which rendered such effective service in the support of the government. It is noteworthy that although he has held more than a score of offiees of trust, they came to him without solicitation. Every position, ineluding his first elerkship, sought him.

He married Mary P., daughter of the late Judge Brown, of Rye, whose homestead they have occupied sinee his death, in 1855, and where they still reside with their grandsons, Satterlee Saltonstall and Dud- ley Winthrop Saltonstall, children of their only danghter.

He was one of the founders of the St. Nicholas Club of New York, and is a member of various other organizations. He is widely known throughout the county in which he lives, and is esteemed by one and all a worthy Christian gentleman and a thorough man of affairs.

ALEXANDER TAYLOR.

This well-known banker and business man was the son of John and Jane Lamont Taylor, and was born at Leith, Scotland, Angust 26, 1821. In 1822 he eame to New York with his parents.

His father was a well-known merchant in New York City. He died deeply regretted, in April, 1840, leav- ing his wife and a young family to push their way through the world alone. Though not twenty years of ago when the care of the family-then consisting of his mother, two brothers and two sisters-devolved npon him, Alexander Taylor, under the wise and gen - tle guidance of his mother, at once applied himself to the serious work of life, and, with the courage and self-denial of his race, slowly, but surely, made eom-

Mr. Satterlee is a member of the well-known New York family of that name, and comes of good old English stock. His ancestor, Captain Benedict Sat- terlee, emigrated from Exeter to New England in fulfillment of a marriage engagement with one of New England's fair Puritans, the daughter of James Bemis, fortable provision for them all. His father's illness of New London. Captain Satterlec was a member of had called him at the age of nineteen from his school to the active life of Wall Street. Here he entered the ofliee of a stock and money brokerage firm, with whom the Church of England, and son of one of the elergy- men mentioned in the annals of the time, who were

HOMESTEAD OF THE LATE JUDGE BROWN. RYE N. Y.

OCCUHILD . INCE 1 55 BY HIS SON. IN LAW, S K SATTERLEE.

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RYE.

he remained until it dissolved and went out of busi- ness, leaving the young broker without occupation. Nothing daunted, however, he resolved to make use of the experience he had gained in a trial of business upon his own account. Immediately hiring the office of the dissolved firm, he started on his long and suc- cessful career at 62 Wall Street, then known as Jones Court. His next-door neighbor at the time was Jacob Little, the famous financier, whose kindly words of advice and counsel did much toward the encourage- ment of the young beginner.

The business of Mr. Taylor was fairly successful from the start, and at a later period was transferred to 76 Wall Street, where his brothers, William L. and Peter B., as they became of age, were taken into the firm, and the name was changed to that of "Taylor Brothers." For more than a quarter of a century the reputation of this house has been honorably main- tained. Their bills on the Union Bank of London, Belfast Banking Company of Ireland and National Bank of Scotland were well known in every town, vil- lage and hamlet in the United Kingdom.

In 1870 Mr. Taylor retired from the firm, with the view of cstablishing his sons Alexander and George in business, under the firm-name of Alexander Tay- lor's Sons. After this was accomplished, desiring to reside in Europe, he accepted the very flattering pro- posal to become the resident partner in London of the banking-house of Clews, Habicht & Co. This house, then in very high standing, was the fiscal agent of the United States government in England.

Prior to his departure a farewell reception was ten- dered him at the Union League Club, on the evening of the 8th of May, 1872, by a committee of the most distinguished gentlemen in the city. Harper's Weekly, speaking of the event, says: "It may be doubted if any reception ever given in New York to a person of high political position or eminence in any walk of life was attended by a larger number of representa- tive men than was the reception given to Mr. Alex- ander Taylor on the evening of the 8th inst., at the Union League Club, prior to his departure for Europe. It was the first occurrence of the kind, on a large scale, that has taken place in New York, and was a brilliant success. It could not have been more so, for among the thousand gentlemen present were the notable men of the metropolis-merchants, bankers, men of letters, artists, dramatists, lawyers, doetors, &c., &c. It was a hearty expression of regard toward one who combines the qualities of a true gentleman and thorough man of affairs."

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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. II, Part 162

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286