History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 27

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 27

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In May, 1837, Mr. Olmsted married Incin- da, only daughter of William Davenport, of Spencertown, N. Y. They had six children, four of whom are now living.

Mr. Olmsted lived in New York till 1850, when he purchased a lot and built a house at Yonkers where he has since made his home. 'When the Bank of Yonkers was organized he was elected president and has re- tained the position till the present time.

Soon after the close of the late war he made a trip to Virginia and visited the battle-fields which are now famous

sons, he went to California, ria Isthmus of Pan- ama. The events of this journey were graphically described in a series of letters which appeared in the local papers and were afterwards printed in book-form for private cirenlation. In 1874 he erossed the At- lantic and traveled extensively in Europe, and in 1877 he again went abroad in company with his family.

Mr. Ohusted is for the third time a widower, hav- ing married for his second wife, Miss Lucy Flagg, of Yonkers, a grandniece of Lemuel Wells, on the 4th of October, 1854. She died in the summer of 1858, leaving one childl. In March, 1869, Mr. Ohnsted was , united to Miss Harriet Burr, a granddaughter of

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Major Van Campen, of Angelica, N. Y., and one of the pioneers of Western New York. Mrs. Olinsted died suddenly on the 13th of May, 1885.

Mr. Olmsted is a trustee of the First Presbyterian Church. He has been the treasurer of the church for more than thirty years, but has never held any polit- ical or civil office. In the business circles of the city there is no man who stands higher for business ability and integrity than he.

THE PEOPLE'S SAVINGS-BANK OF THE TOWN OF YONKERS .- This bank was incorporated April 5, 1866, and began business April 27, 1867. Its first trustees were Robert J. Douglass, Andrew Archibald, Orrin A. Bills, Jonathan Vail, William Radford, Wil- liam B. Edgar, George B. Skinner, James P. Sanders, William Macfarlane, George F. Coddington, John Phillips, Thomas F. Morris, Eli L. Seger, Nelson Ackert, Levi P. Rose, Henry F. Brevoort, Peter U. Fowler, M. W. Rooney, Clinton M. Davis, George B. Pentz and James W. Mitchell. Of these twenty-one men, Robert J. Douglass, Orrin A. Bills, William Radford, William Macfarlane, George F. Coddington, John Phillips, Nelson Ackert, M. W. Rooney, Clinton M. Davis and James W. Mitchell are now dead.

The trustees since elected have been John Wheeler, Philip A. Deyo, Isaac G. Johnson, Lawrence R. Con- don, Rudolf Eickemeyer, Joseph Masten, William A. Gibson, George Stewart, Peter E. Radcliff, John G. P. Holden, James C. Conrter, William H. Cop- cutt, J. G. Herriott, Peter J. Elting, Norton P. Otis, Rufus Dutton, Charles Reed, Charles H. Emerson James E. Bloomer, C. M. Moseman, Frank E. Wheeler, Halcyon Skinner, Robert Neville, John Embree, A. T. Kear, Abram C. Mott, Charles T. Mer- cer, John Wallace, Charles E. Gorton, John Crow- ther, George H. Selleck and A. P. Hazard. Of these, Joseph Masten, Peter E. Radcliff, Robert Neville and John Crowther arc dead.

The present trustees are Jonathan Vail, John Wheeler, John G. P. Holden, Charles H. Emerson, Halcyon Skinner, Jolın Embrec, Abram C. Mott, John Wallace, Charles E. Gorton, James P. Sanders, Law- rence R. Condon, Peter J. Elting, Rufus Dutton, Frank E. Wheeler, A. T. Kcar, Charles T. Mercer, George H. Selleck, Charles Recd and A. P. Hazard. The president is Rufus Dutton; the vice-presidents are J. G. P. Holden and Peter J. Elting ; the treasurer is George W. Cobb ; the secretary is A. C. Mott ; and the counsel is James P. Sanders.

The bank is open daily from ten to one and two to four; and on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday even- ings from half-past six to eight.

It reported to the Bank Department, January 1, 1886, its amount due to depositors as $445,970.47 and its surplus as $20,357.37. The whole amount credited to depositors since organization has been $172,184.00 ; the whole amount of money deposited since organiza- tion has been $2,898,641.47 ; total, $3,070,825.47 ; the whole amount of money paid depositors has been

$2,624,855.00 ; amount due depositors, as stated above, $445,970.47.

The presidents of the bank, in the order named, have been William Radford, Thomas F. Morris, George B. Pentz, Joseph Masten, Charles Reed and Rufus Dutton. Its only treasurer has been George W. Cobb. Its secretaries have been James P. Sanders, J. G. P. Holden and Abram C. Mott. Its first business was done in the Radford building, now belonging to Mr. David Hawley. Its present accommodations are in the Anderson building, next south of the First National Bank.

THE CITIZENS' NATIONAL BANK OF THE CITY OF YONKERS .- This bank was incorporated December 5, 1872. The first meeting ofits stockholders to elect direct- ors was held January 31, 1873, and the bank was opened for business the next day. The first dircetors elected were Charles H. Hamilton, Peter U. Fowler, Jona- than Vail, William H. Copeutt, Joseph Peene, Henry R. Hicks, William Macfarlane, James Ackerman, Lyman Cobb, Jr., William G. Ackerman, Charles R. Dusenberry and John Wheeler. Those elected since have been Charles E. Waring, Levi W. Flagg, Wil- liam S. Carr, Ezekicl J. Elting, William Fred. Law- rence, Philip A. Deyo, Peter J. Elting, John H. Keeler, Joseph Masten, Isaac M. Dyckman and Andrew Deyo. All these men are living except Wil- liam Macfarlane and Joseph Masten. The present directors are Charles E. Waring, Henry R. Hicks, Charles R. Dusenberry, William Fred. Lawrence, Ezekiel J. Elting, Philip A. Deyo, Peter U. Fowler, Isaac M. Dyckman, Peter J. Elting, Jonathan Vail, William H. Copcutt and Andrew Deyo

Charles H. Hamilton was the bank's first president, but held the office for one year only. From that time Jonathan Vail has been the only president. The only vice president has been Peter U. Fowler, and the only cashier has been John H. Keelcr. The tel- ler of the bank is Henry M. Anderson, the book- keeper is George W. Pcenc and the runner is Robert B. Light.

The bank began business in the Yonkers Savings- Bank building, but on the Ist of May, 1873, moved into the rooms then vacated by the First National Bank, in the south end of the Getty House. In these rooms it still remains.

This bank has one hundred thousand dollars' worth of United States four per cent. bonds to secure its circulation. The bonds were bought at ninety-nine and a half, and are now quoted at one hundred and twenty-six and a half.

The bank has paid regular semi-annual dividends from the beginning, twenty-four in all, amounting in the aggregate to $81,500. It has a surplus fund of twenty thousand dollars, and its undivided profits in hand are $10,000.00, showing in all profits, less expenses, premiums, loans, etc., amonnting to $106,187.19.

Its business statement for June 3, 1886, was as

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follows : Resources-loans and discounts, $267,488.77. Liabilities-capital stock paid in, $100,000; surplus fund, $20,000; undivided profits, $10,000; total liabilities, $548,553.14; total net deposits, $334,060,86.

The public confidence in all the Yonkers banks is thorongh. The stability of the directors and of all the prominent oflieers is shown by their history. Noted among the long-standing trustees of the say- ings-banks and the directors of the banks of dis- count, are a few who have been connected with them as sneh from the beginning, and many others of whom this statement is nearly applicable. The money and property foundation on which the banks rest has been shown to be solid, and most of the men who have been in their direction have been among the safest and strongest men the Yonkers business community has ever known. Among the officers of the banks, it will not be deemed invidious if we es- pecially speak of Mr. John Olmsted, the only presi- dent the First National Bank has ever had, and whose business carefulness and integrity through all the strain of the last thirty-one years of financial ex- perienee have been without a stain. He is now one of our most venerable citizens, but remains ever at his post, true to the trust committed to his hands. All whose affairs are to any spceial extent involved in the management of this bank feel a great sense of safety in having their business interests in the keep- ing of such a careful head.

In January, 1883, the Yonkers Savings-Bank had a little experience which cannot be left ont by one professing to give its history. At the beginning of the afternoon of Thursday, the 25th, a rumor was somehow started that it was in trouble. How it orig- inated has never been learned. Various statements were made at the time. One was that a woman hav- ing called at the bank to draw money just before two o'clock, and finding it not yet open, had immediately afterwards remarked on the street or in a store, that she had been to the bank for money, but that the bank had closed its doors and she could not get it. How- ever the rumor was started, the effect was electrie.

. A run on the bank began during its afternoon hours, and continued for the next two days, dying out grad- ually with the closing hours of Saturday. The otli- eers had securities in their hands at the time on which they could have realized $800,000, if it had been necessary. They continued courteously to mect every demand upon them during all their regular hours, and when they closed successively at twelve and five, remained with applicants yet in the bank till half-past one and half-past six, till the last applicant had his money. They paid out in all sey- enty-four thousand dollars, every dollar of which, as it went out, only strengthened the bank more and more, while those who were the victims of the excite- ment suffered the loss of their interest due, and a few of them were even so unfortunate as to dissipate within a few hours, all their principal besides. It is

said that nearly all the amounts were re-deposited in the bank within the next six months, and that most of them were returned in the identical bills and silver which had been paid out.

The instability of earthly things is proverbial, but it would seem that all the Yonkers banks are as solid and safe as any such institutions can be.

The ancestor of Jonathan Vail, the president of the Citizens' National Bank, was John Vail, who is said to have come to this country from Wales and settled at Goshen, Orange County. The old family homestead was located in what is known as " East Division." John Vail was succeeded by his son Abram, whose son John married Jane Reid, and they were the parents of the subject of this sketch, who was born at Minisink, November 15, 1824. When a child, he removed with his parents to Franklin Square, in the town of Wallkill. His education was obtained at Montgomery Academy, and at the age of twenty-one he went to New York and engaged in the dry goods business, which he carried on successfully for many years. In 1857 he came to Yonkers, which has since that time been his home, and, continuing in his former business, he established the firm of Vail & Elting. He retired from the firm in 1868. In 1873 he was one of the incorporators of the Citizens' Na- tional Bank, and was elected Vice-President. In the fall of that year he was elected President of the iusti- tution, a position which he still holls. In 1879 he was elected alderman for the second ward of Yonkers, and held that oflice for four years, and is at present one of the loan commissioners of the county, having been appointed by Governor Cleveland in 1882. In politics he is a staunch Demoerat, but his striet atten- tion to business has led him to take comparatively little part in political affairs.

Mr. Vail married Catharine, daughter of Jacob Devoe, of New York, and has two children, Frederick C. and Clara Jane.

William F. Lawrence, one of the directors of the Citizens' National Bank is one of Yonker's most progressive citizens. The families bearing the name of Lawrence, and which are so numerous in this county, are the descendants of three brothers -John, William and Thomas-who came to America in 1635, and in 1644, in company with several others, obtained a patent from Governor Kieft for the land now included in the town of Hempstead, Long Is- land.

Thomas Lawrence, the youngest of these brothers, in 1665 became the owner of a large tract of land in Newtown, 1. I., and afterwards bought the whole of Hellgate Neck, having an extended front on the East River. He was the ancestor of the family of the name now living in this county. His descendant, Major Samuel Lawrence, was a prominent citizen of Yonkers. His homestead was on the north side of the private road known as " Valentine's Lane," and west of Riverdale Avenue. He married Miss Abigail

owaMan

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Pell, and left a family of five children,-Jonathan ; Bishop; Mary, wife of William Scudder ; Isabella, wife of James Valentine; and Nicholas, who left 110 descendants.

Jonathan, the oldest son, married Sarah, daughter of Aaron Reed. They were the parents of six chil- dren,-Maria, wife of Isaac Taylor; Robert, who mar- ried Eliza Crisfield; Eliza, wife of Tice ; Jane, wife of Henry Danks; Samuel, who died unmarried ; and William H., who was born February 28, 1813, and died January 13, 1879. He married Maria V. Back. Their children are Harriet, wife of Milo S. Baker, of Los Angelos, Cal. ; Mary Frances, Fran- cis, Henry and Arthur, all deceased; William F., the subject of this sketch ; James V., who married Charlotte, daughter of Mrs. Emma D. E. N. Southworth, the well- known authoress ; Isa- bella; Arnette O., now living in Yonkers; Ceeil R., Herbert H. and Eu- gene G., all of whom are now residing in Colorado.

William F. Lawrence was born in Yonkers Jan- uary 15, 1841. His father, who was justly esteemed as an active and useful citizen, and held many publie positions, did not fail to instill into his mind at an early age habits of industry, which he has never ceased to exercise. Leav- ing home at the age of fourteen, he first found employment in the office of Hon. Wm. W. Scrug- ham, but shortly after entered as a elerk in a gro- eery-store, where he remained four years. He then became book-keeper for the firm of Reed, Speed- ling & Co., lumber and coal dealers, and soon after purchased the interest of Mr. Reed, and became a partner in the firm. One of the members of the firm retiring, the business was continued under the firm- name of Speedling & Lawrence. Mr. Speedling died in 1872, and Mr. Lawrence became the sole proprietor of the business, which has since been conducted with his brother, James V., under the firm-name of " Law- rence Bros." The business of this firm is very exten-

sive, and has kept pace with the rapid growth of the city of Yonkers. Mr. Lawrence, in addition to this, is largely interested in real estate in various parts of the city. He is also one of the directors of the Citi- zens' National Bank of Yonkers, a trustee of the " Yonkers Fuel, Light and Power Company," and a stockholder and trustee of the company owning the Weekly and Daily Statesman. A Republican in politics, Mr. Lawrence has been frequently solicited to serve as a candidate for local offices, but. has persistently declined, except when once induced to run for the office of alderman, his time and attention being wholly devoted to his business, which owes its success to his industrious energy.

Mr. Lawrence and his family are connected with the St. John's Episcopal Church, of which he is one of the vestry and a warm supporter. He mar- ried Mary J., daughter of Mr. William Weddle, of Rochester, N. Y., Novem- ber 21, 1869. They have four children, - W. HI. Stanley (who died October 16, 1880), Mabel, Maud and Arthur.

SECTION XVI.

Public Charities and Vol- untary Charitable Institutions.

All communities in our country have been called to provide for the helpless poor and suffer- ing. Yonkers must have felt this demand up- on it from a very ansEnce. early period. Till within the last fifty years, how- ever, the sparse- ness of the settle- ment and the simple habits of its people must have made living very cheap. Still there was some helpless poverty, and especially during inclement seasons, when work gave out. We have the preserved minutes of a " Yonkers Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor," in existence during the winter immediately preceding the incorporation of the village. It de- serves a few words of tribute, as being typical of many associations which have existed in the past, but for which more permanent arrangements have since been quite generally substituted. The winter

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of 1854 and 1855 seems to have been very severe and to have brought great distress on many in Yonkers. At a meeting of the people " held at the Getty House on the evening of January 3, 1855, to take into con- sideration the propriety of raising a fund to relieve the poor of the town, J. A. Underwood was chosen chairman and James L. Valentine secretary." On motion it was resolved " that the town be laid off in five sections, each comprising a school district ; that a committee on supervision be appointed for each dis- triet ; that in Districts 1, 3, 4 and 5 the school trustees of each District be such committee for the district, while iu district No. 2 John Hobbs, J. Henry Williams, W. H. Lawrence, Samuel S. Barry, Wm. C. Foote, Geo. Macadam and James W. Mitchell be the committee." The following resolutions were also adopted :

"That said committee have power to add to their number if necessary.

"That the following persons constitute a central committee, viz., Thomas C. Cornell, John T. Waring. Duncan Macfarlane, Thomas O. Farrington, Lemuel W. Wells, Samuel D. Rockwell and Henry A. Under- wood.

"That said committee have power to add to their number, or to fill any vacancies that may occur, and to make all' necessary arrangements by appointing visitors, dividing the town into districts, and devising all other methods that they may deem expedient for the relief of the poor.

" That the central committee have power to ent- ploy poor persons to break stone, to be used on the road from the bridge by the Broadway House to Ackerman & Deyo's store."

Thus was started a very active temporary associa- tion for charity. Its minutes show very frequent meetings held from January 12th to March 12th, when the work ceased, probably because the work season was again coming on. In an " Appeal to the l'ublie," made by the committee in March, over the names of Samuel D. Rockwell, chairman, and Thomas C. Cornell, secretary, it was stated that during their work they had extended aid to one hundred and fifty-one families and given seven hundred and forty- three tickets for provisions and fuel, at a total cost of five hundred and twenty-one dollars. The money they had received from subscribers had been five hundred and eighty-three dollars. They intimated that they would soon have to suspend operations if they did not receive more funds. We have no min- utes of later than a fortnight after the date of this appeal, and so we judge that no more funds came in.

Of movements of the kind here described there have been many. The people have been compelled to look after their poor. In general, however, the direct ministries to them have been by the churches and by town, village or city boards. To these min- istries have always been added the giving at house- doors and business counters or on the public streets. Churches of the right spirit have always gladly min-

istered to their own poor members and also to the other deserving subjects of poverty. Their aggre- gate giving to the poor has reached a vast amount throughout our land. And then, too, from the be- ginning of every really enlightened and benigu gov- ernment, public provision has always been made for the poor. One of the city departments of Yonkers is its department for attention to its poor. The present commissioner of charities is Mr. George Rayner. The city reports show that the amount expended by him in his work during the year ending February 28, 1885, was $2688.57.

It always was and more and more is felt, in large communities at least, that loose giving to unknown persons is an evil. It encourages deception as well as indolence, and largely victimizes the charitably dis- posed. Much thought has been given to this matter, and the result has been the devising of an institution now existing in a number of cities and towns and repre- sented in Yonkers. We let this institution speak for itself by giving, with its name and a statement of its start and organization, a liberal extract from its first annual report, made December 12, 1883, together with the items of its treasurer's latest printed report.

CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY OF THE CITY OF YONKERS .- This society was organized January 15, 1883. At the meeting for organization, Hon. Nor- ton P. Otis, Hon. G. Hilton Scribner, Howard R. Butler, Thomas C. Cornell, G. Livingston Morse, William W. Serugham, A. C. Benedict, M.D., Thomas F. Gane, Lyman Cobb, Jr., His Honor the Mayor, er officio, and the Commissioner of Charities, er officio, were chosen as the executive committee of the so- ciety. The first three gentlemen, in the order named, were respectively chosen president, vice-president and treasurer. Two committees, a relief committee and a finance committee, were also elected. Mr. James S. Fitch was chosen secretary, and the central office of the society was fixed on Buena Vista Avenue, op- posite the Hudson River Railroad station. The city was laid off into six divisions, and these divisions were sub-divided into twenty-six districts. The di- visions were designated as the Northwest, Northeast, Central, Southeast, West and 'Southwest. To each division was assigned a lady chairman and a number of distriet visitors. The objects of the society are clearly stated in the report named above. It says,-

" This society has for its objects the discouragement of mendicancy and indiscriminate alms-giving, and the elevation and improvement of the condition of the poor. To accomplish these ends, it endeavors to procure accurate information as to the condition of each and every case of poverty existing in the city of Yonkers, to ascertain the extent of relief afforded by the churches, benevolent societies and individuals, to direct the attention of these charitable agencies to the specific cases, to establish a system of visitation to the homes of the poor, to furnish reports on cases applying to societies or individuals, and, in general,

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to prevent the misdirection of charitable effort in Yonkers, so that the greatest amount of good may be accomplished by such effort. It should be understood that the main object of the society is not to dispense relief, but rather to ascertain and sift out all the de- serving cases and to see that they are assisted through the proper channels. Still, in cases where no adequate relief can be obtained from other sources, the society is obliged to render assistance itself, the expenses of such incidental help being defrayed from a relief fund raised by the society and kept distinct for this purpose."

The rest of the report gives the results of the first year's working, together with the report of the treas- urer. There was also published in 1883 a constitution, with rules for district visitors, and with an alphabet- ical directory of the visiting districts and supervisory divisions. The secretary has also an outline blank to be used by visitors and others in stating particulars respecting applicants, and a ticket to be given to the latter by citizens in directing them for aid to the society's office. The work of the society in one year of experience had shown that about four hundred persons or families had asked for assistance in Yon- kers in the preceding eighteen months, and that at the central office nearly six hundred carefully de- tailed reports of cases had been collected and were systematically filed. Whatever may be the future of this society, its plan seems to be good, and the work it has already accomplished is considerable. What any citizen needs to know about a Yonkers individual or family appealing to him for aid, he may learn from its files, and, whenever vagrants apply to him, he may readily dispose of them by a method protective and safe. What must be had to secure permanence and efficiency for such a society is popular sympathy and support and popular observance of its principles and suggestions in regard to all cases of application.

The present executive committee (1885) is nearly the same as at first, in respect to its members. We notice that Mr. Howard R. Butler has dropped out and Mr. Fisher A. Baker has come in, and that the treasurer is Mr. Thomas C. Cornell. The president and vice- president have not been changed. The latest treas- urer's report in printed form is for the year ending December 12, 1883. The receipts that year had been $840.26, and the expenditures $839.03. We are in- forincd that the figures for the year ending January 1, 1885, were somewhat larger. The society is still at its work. It needs funds, as every charitable society needs them, and we think the Yonkers people will not let it go unsupplied.

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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 27

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