History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 95

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 95

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Receiving an honorable discharge from the army in December, 1865, he returned to the North, and was shortly after appointed principal of the academy at Milton, Pa. In this position he remained till the school buildings were destroyed by fire in 1868, when he removed to Yonkers, and was for five years vice- principal of School No. 6. In 1873 he was appointed principal of the Military Academy in Peekskill, a position which he still retains. During his term of service the prosperity and the influence of this school have inereased to a remarkable degree. Extensive additions have doubled the capacity of the school buildings, while the number of scholars has in- creased in equal proportion, and the name and fame of the institution are known not only to the State,

but throughout the country and in foreign lands. Under the eare of its present principal its usefulness and excellence are not exceeded by any similar insti- tution in the Empire State. Advanced courses of study have made it superior to anything in its past eareer ; and as a natural consequence, the number of applications far exceed the means of accommodation ; and sehools in other localities, under teachers who have graduated from this institution, have attained a high position of usefulness and success.

THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY INSTITUTE, located on Fremont Street, was started about 1869 by Mr. Z. S. Searle, a graduate of West Point, under the uame of the New York Scientific Sehool. In 1877, after Mr. Searle's death, the school was taken by Charles Unterreiner and Elias Glenn, who conducted it to- gether until 1880, when Prof. Unterreiner became sole owner. Prof. Unterreiner is a graduate of the University of Strasburg, and was a teacher in Alsace until the Franco-Prussian War, after which he eame to America. The school prepares pupils of both sexes for business, higher scientific schools and eol- leges. The number of students in the school year 1883-84 was fifty.

ST. GABRIEL'S SCHOOL, under the charge of the Sis- ters of St. Mary, was opened for the instruction of young ladies in 1872. It is situated in the midst of a traet of about thirty acres, and commands a fine view of the village and the surrounding country. The Sis- terhood of St. Mary is an ineorporated society be- longing to the Protestaut Episcopal Church, whose members devote themselves to the education of young ladies. They have additional schools at No. 8 East Forty-sixth Street, New York, in Memphis, Tenn., and in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Only part of the teach- ing in St. Gabriel's School is done by the Sisters, ex- perienced teachers from outside being provided to in- struet in the German and French languages and in the English department. During the summer the place becomes a retreat for such of the members of the order as can be spared from their work in the eity. The number of Sisters in Peekskill accordingly varies from twenty to thirty. During the school year of 1883-84 St. Gabriel's Sehool was attended by fifty- four young ladies.

ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF ANGELS,- A con- vent of the Missionary Sisters of the Order of St. Francis, was established in Peckskill, on the hill southeast of the railroad depot, in the early part of 1869, and the Academy of Our Lady of Angels was opened by them for the instruction of young ladies in April of the same year. There are about seventy- five Sisters of this order in the United States, of whom about forty are stationed in Peekskill. In 1884 the number of scholars attending the academy was abont thirty.

A Home for poor children was established in 1879. The number of children intrusted to the care of the Sisters became sogreat that in 1882 a four-story brick

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building, forty by ninety feet, was erected for their accommodation. The children in the Home in 1884 numbered over four Indred. The buildings are situated in a tract of about fourteen acres. The property is valued at one hundred thousand dollars.

MANUFACTORIES OF PEEKSKILL.

The mannfacture and working of iron has from early days been the chief industry of Peekskill, and more than any other thing has caused the growth and importance of the place. Chief among the articles of mannfacture produced are stoves, furnaces and ranges. In 1884 eight stove-works were in operation in the village, employing over seven hundred men, and there were in addition the machine-shop of An- derson Brothers, the works of the old Peekskill Man- nfacturing Co., an emory mannfactory, two shirt-fac- tories and a mannfactory of lamp fixtures.

The iron business in Peekskill was begun in the year 1820 by Stephen Gregory, a man of very considerable mechanical ability. He commenced the manufacture of plowshares in a little shop about fifteen by eigh- teen feet in extent, located opposite the point where Kipp's livery stable now stands, on Main Street, and about one hundred feet north of the street. From there he moved across to the south side of Main Street into a new and somewhat larger foundry which he built on the lot where the Reformed Dutch Church afterwards stood. At first the mannfacture was carried on in an excecdingly primitive style. The fire which melted the iron was brought to the proper degree of heat by an ordinary blacksmith's bellows, which was at first operated by his wife, and then, as the business ex- panded, by a horse. Pig iron was too large to be melted by his simple apparatns and he used old stove- plates and old plow castings instead. The cupola which he used to contain the melted iron could be earried around by two men, and the melted fluid was poured from it into the moulds over a lip shaped like that of a pitcher. He used coke and charcoal in melting his iron, and prepared his own coke in a little oven which stood in the rear of his second foundry.

Gregory afterwards moved to Bridgeport, Conn., and started another foundry. He subsequently opera- ted a foundry in Port Chester, and from that place came to Tarrytown, where he was not engaged in business. From Tarrytown he returned to Peekskill, where he died in 1847, aged fifty-seven years.

The foundry was bonghit by Gregory's brother and lay idle until purchased, abont 1825 by James Wiley. About 1828 James Wiley died, and his brother, Bern- ard and Eber Conklin succeeded him, under the firmn- name of Wiley & Conklin, James H. Conklin being probably a silent partner. The paper-mill of Gross & Ritter, at Annsville, having burned down, Wiley & Conklin built a foundry on its site, and moved thither about 1831. February 1, 1834, James H. Conklin and James Taylor were admitted as partners, the firm becoming Wiley, Conklin & Co. In 1835

they moved back to Peekskill and occupied a build- ing on the east side of Division Street, about fifty feet south of the present National Bank. In the same year Reuben R. Finch, who Had formerly kept a dry-goods store in Peekskill, became a partner. Up to this time the firm had devoted their attention to the manufacture of plowshares and other agri- cultural implements, but through Mr. Finch's influ- ence they now began the manufacture of stoves also. In 1837 Bernard Wiley and the Couklins withdrew from the business, and Finch, Taylor & Co. became their successors, Eiihu E. Baker being the company. In 1840 Messrs. Finch and Baker went out, taking- the machinery and apparatus, and leaving Mr. Tay- lor the real estate. Two years later Mr. Taylor as- sociated Mr. Flagler with him, and the two operated the foundry for seven or cight years, when they failed. Stores have now taken the place of their build- ing.

Messrs. Finch & Baker, after withdrawing front the foundry, on Division Street, purchased a building on Centre Street (now Central Avenue), and started a foundry where they manufactured articles of hus- bandry, ealdrons, plows, machinery and, to a limited extent, stoves. It was not until about 1856 that the foundry became devoted entirely to the manufacture of stoves. After various changes in the proprietorship, in 1867 " The Union Stove-Works " was incorporated, Uriah Hill, son-in-law of Renben R. Finch, being president ; Reuben R. Finch, Jr., vice-president ; Nathan L. Finch, his brother, secretary; and Peter B. Acker, son-in-law of Renben R. Finch, treasurer. On the death of Nathan L. Finch, in 1869, Mr. Acker became both secretary and treasurer, and no further change in the company has occurred since. The company claim for Mr. Acker the credit of having originated the nickel-plating of stoves, which gives them so handsome an appearance. They employ abont one hundred monlders and about cighty other hands in various eapacities.

Renben R. Finch, who has been closely identified with the manufacturing interests of Peekskill, is dc- scended from Joseph Finch, who was born in 1640. In March, 1664, Joseph Finch settled in Greenwich, Fairfield County, Conn., where he married Elizabeth, only danghter of John Austin, November 23d of the same year. Until his death he was one of the most influential and wealthy men of the town. He served as one of the selectmen, was captain of the town company and four times honored by his fellow-townIs- men by election to the office of constable, a post at that time of high importance and honor. He died in the early part of the year 1714, leaving children,- Joseph, Samuel, Jonathan, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Sarah and two other danghters whose names are not known.

Jonathan, the third son, was born at Greenwich, Conn. The first account of him is dated March 18, 1708, when he, with a number of others, signed the

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protest against the Rev. Mr. Morgan's running a mill " while he continued in ye work of ve ministry." His wife was Abigail, and he left children,-Nathan and Abigail, and also a daughter whose name is un- known, who married Charles Green.

Nathan Finch, their first child, was born in Green- wich, Conn., in 1718. He died in . 1803, leaving five children,-Jonathan, Nathan, Lydia, Abigail and Deboralı.

Jonathan Finch was born in 1750, died April 25, 1836, "Aged eighty-five years, four months and twenty-six days." His first wife, Deborah Lockwood, died May 2, 1817, at the age of sixty-three. His second wife, Rhoda Potts, died October 16, 1866, aged eighty. six years.

Reuben Finch, his only child was born in Stan- wich, Fairfield County, Conn., July 19, 1773. He married Abigail Reynolds, who was born in Stanwich, November 13, 1774, and died June 6, 1861. They were married October 5, 1794. Their children were Reuben R., Deborah, Amos, Nathan, Lockwood, Mary, Jonathan, Hannah, Julia E. and George.

Reuben Reynolds Fineh was born in Stam ford Conn., September 24, 1795. In 1826 he removed to Peekskill and engaged for a short time in mercantile pursuits.

At this time the merchants of Peekskill carried on an extensive trade with the farmers in the surround- ing country, extending as far as Patterson, in Dutch- ess County, and Danbury, Conn., and the produce of all that region was brought to Peekskill to be for- warded to New York, thus creating a large local trade in the village. The business of pork-packing was largely carried on, and Mr. Fineh was extensively engaged in that industry. He was also deeply inter- ested in manufacturing shoes, and employed many men in the village and the surrounding country and in the prison at Sing Sing. In 1830 he established a stove manufactory in Peekskill, and thus became the pioneer in one of the most important business enter- prises in the county. He entered into a partnership with James Taylor, the firm-name being Taylor & Finch, and established the business on Division Street. They soon after took into partuership Elihu E. Baker, and the firm-name became Finch, Taylor & Co. This firm was dissolved, and he and his part- ner, Elihn E. Baker, continued the business, the firm being R. R. Finch & Co., and opened a salesroom in New York. Subsequently he admitted to partnership his son, Edward B. Finch, and William Boardman, and his son-in-law, Uriah Hill, Jr. Mr. Boardman disposed of his interest to Mr. Finch, who, a few years later, soll the entire business to his son, Edward B. Finch, and his son-in-law, Joel W. Frost, who, at the time of the California excitement, resold the estab- lishment to Mr. Finch, to engage in business in San Francisco, and Mr. Finch continued it, taking as partners his sons Renben R., Jr., and Nathan, and his son-in-law, Uriah Hill, Jr., who, having acquired the

whole interest in the I usiness, upon the retirement of Mr. Finch, in 1862, had it incorporated under the name of the " Union Stove Works." This name was given to the business by Edward B. Finch and Joel W. Frost when they were the owners, and about this time the extensive buildings in Centre Street were erected.

Mr. Fineh married Deborah, daughter of Benjamin Brush, of an old Long Island family. Their children were Alethea, wife of Uriah Hill, Jr., of Peekskill; Edward B., of New York ; Mary, wife of James Mer- ritt, of Plainfield, N. J. ; Sarah, who died unmarried; Reuben R., of Peekskill; Delia, wife of Joel W. Frost, after whose decease she married Benjamin F. Depew; Nathan, deceased ; Angeline, wife of Peter B. Aeker, of Orange, N. J .; Benjamin, who died un- married, and Emily ; wife of John D. Hutchinson, of Peekskill.

After suffering for some years from feeble health Mr. Finch died in September, 1865.

To his energy Peekskill is indebted for no small part of its prosperity. He was active in proenring the charter of the now Westchester County National Bank, and was one of the first board of directors, and one of the commissioners for apportioning the stock among the subscribers. He was one of the orig- inal stockholders of the Peekskill Academy, and was energetic in projecting and sustaining this educational institution. He erected the Eagle Hotel on Main Street and owned it until his death. The extensive buildings of the "Union Stove Works " are among the first objects that ineet the eye of a traveler as he lands in the village, and their produetions are sent to all parts of the world.

At the time of his death Mr. Finch had been for nearly forty years a resident of the village, and dur- ing all that time had been closely identified with its interests and advancement. The business lie estab- lished is continued with increased facilities by his descendants, and is justly reckoned among the most extensive manufacturing enterprises of the county. In 1882 his grandson, James W. Fineh, started a new foundry in Peekskill, and thus assists to continue the business which was founded by his grandfather.

The old Gregory foundry on Main Street was re- fitted in 1834, and occupied by Henry Robinson and James Hawes, under the firm-name of Hawes & Robinson, who manufactured plows and grate-frames for Ward & Goadby, of New York. After about two years they failed. Then Hawes and Abraham N. Gritlin, his son-in-law, bought the foundry, and had it removed to the lower dock, where they carried on business under the firm-name of Hawes & Griffin. It was afterwards owned by Hawcs, Roake & Co., in 1841 by Roake & Clements (John C. Roake and Peter Q. Clements), and in 1845 or 1846 by Judson H. Gilbert & Son. The fixtures were subsequently sold and taken to Stuyvesant, up the river, to fit up the foundry of Backus & Co. The old building was for some time

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afterwards oceupicd by Niles Frost, Jr., in the manu- facture of stove briek, and was then torn down to make way for the foundry of tlie Mutual Stove Com- pany.

In 1841 Thomas Southard, a former furniture dealer and cabinet-maker of Peekskill, and John H. Hyatt started a stove foundry a few rods north of the old Reformed Duteh Church, on the south side of Main Street. In less than a year Mr. Hyatt with- drew, and, with the exception of another year, when Samuel Utter, of New York, was a partner, Mr. Southard conducted the business aloue until January 1, 1857, when Charles H. Frost beeame associated with him. Mr. Southard died in November, 1859, and his son, William D. Southard, suceeeded him. After various further changes, the firm, iu 1884, was Southard, Robertson & Co., William D. South- ard, George W. Robertson and William Corry being the partners. The manufactory is known as "The People's Stove Works." The number of moulders employed averages seventy-five, and of other employees about sixty.

Judson H. Gilbert started the ereetion of a stove works on Central Avenue, west of the manufactory of Reuben R. Fincli, in 1844, but was not able to eom- plete it, and was bought ont by Washington S. Whit- ney and Coffin S. Brown. James De La Montanya sueeeeded Mr. Brown, and Watson Sanford succeeded Mr. De La Montanya. After a number of changes a stoek eompany, known as "The National Stove Company," was organized iu 1865 to run the works, with Watson San ford as president and John Truslow as vice-president. In 1881, after several further elianges, the " Sanford National Stove Works " was ineorpor- ated, with George D. Sanford as president, and no other officers. The number of moulders employed averages about fifty, with about thirty-five other lands.

THE PEEKSKILL STOVE WORKS was established in 1853, by John H. Hyatt, on Water Street. It was managed successively by Montross, Lent & Co., and by a Stock Company. In 1879 the property came into the possession of Isaac J. Baxter, who has siuce operated there the T. J. Baxter Iron-Works. This mannfactory employs an average of thirty hands.

MONTROSS, LENT & Co. purchased the Peekskill Stove-Works from John H. Hyatt, August 12, 1865, the firm being composed of Isaac T. Montross, C. C. Lent, A. B. Polloek and P. B. States. In 1870 Mr. States withdrew ; in 1872 they moved to their present establishment on the lower doek. Mr. Pollock died in 1878, and the firm beeame Montross & Lent, as it is at present. This manufactory retains the name of "The Peekskill Stove Works." The number of hands employed averages about ninety.

THE AMERICAN STOVE COMPANY was incorporated October 20, 1867, with a capital of twenty-five thou- sand dollars, and with D. J. Haight as president and Isaae J. Baxter as superintendent. Their works were

located on the upper dock. After some years opera-

tion this company failed. Iu 1881 Ely & Ramsay, a firm established in Troy in 1868, took the works, and continue the manufacture of stoves at present. The firm is composed of Nathan L. Ely & D. S. Ram- say. The number of hands employed averages one hundred and twenty-five.

THE MUTUAL STOVE COMPANY was a co-operative eoneern, born of a moulders' strike, and was organ- ized in June, 1870, with a capital of fifteen thou- sand dollars, which was afterwards increased to twenty-five thousand dollars. James W. Husted was its first president. It failed, and the real - estate became the property of Morris H. Clinton, a lumberman, the plant going elsewhere. It is at pres- ent oeeupied by the National Stove Company, a New York City conecrn, with J. B. Thomas, president. They have the plaut of the old " National Stove Com- pany." The number of men employed averages fifty.

The firm of Fineh & Co., composed of James W. Finch and Charles W. McCutehen, began business at the corner of Elizabeth and Brown Streets, Janu- ary 1, 1882. They manufacture a general line of medium priced stoves and ranges aud employ about thirty-five men.

THE OLD PEEKSKILL PLOW WORKS .- In the winter of 1826-27, Seth Hoyt erected a building on Main Street, and began the manufacture of plows and plow-castings. Upon his death a few years later his former superintendent, Truman Minor, carried on the business for a time. In 1835, he and Frost Hor- tou formed a partnership, the firm name being Minor & Horton. In 1839, George W. Depew, one of the first two apprentices in the iron business iu the vil- lage, (Colonel John H. Hyatt having bec the other) was admitted to the firm, which then became Minor, Horton & Co. Mr. Minor sold his interest in 1855 to Edward B. Fineh, and in the following year Mr. Finch's interest was bought by the other partners. The sons of the partners, George W. Depcw, Jr., and Stephen D. Horton, were granted the interest pur- chased from Mr. Finch, and the firm-uame became Horton, Depew & Sons. In 1864 Mr. Depew, Sr., sold his interest to James B. Brown, who shortly after acquired the interests of Frost Horton and Stephen D. Horton. Mr. Brown then formed a stoek company to operate the plow works, which was called the Peekskill Plow Company. About 1870 the company moved their establishment to Newark, N. J,, infliet- ing thereby a severe blow to Peekskill's prosperity. In 1878, having been burned out at Newark, they established their works at Yonkers, where, under the name of the New York Plow Company, they do an extensive business at present.

THE CENTRE DOCK FOUNDRY was established in 1835 on the Centre Dock by Judson II. Gilbert, Alex- ander Fairley, and Dr. James Fountain, under the firm name of Gilbert, Fairley & Co. For many years it was operated by David L. Seymour & Sons,

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who, under the name of the Peekskill Manufacturing Company, earried on the manufacture of sugar-mills and brick machinery, and executed general jobbing work. A short time after Mr. Seymour's death, which occurred about 1880, the eoneern passed into the possession of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, and in 1884 was being operated to a limited extent by S. Fletcher Allen.

A wire works, established at Annsville in the year 1835, by Stoutenburgh, Marroll & Co., under the superintendeney of Thomas Wallace, who died not many years ago, the owner of an extensive wire mill at Ansonia, Conn., was an industry which assumed great importance. In 1878 the mills became the property of R. H. Wolff & Co., of 93 John Street, New York, who enlarged them very considerably. They employed from three hundred to three hundred and fifty hande, and their weekly pay-roll amounted to about three thousand dollars. These mills were burned on the 25th of August, 1883, with a loss of $180,000, upon which there was an insurance of $131,- 840. The proprietors decided not to rebuild at Anns- ville, but moved their business to Bridgeport, Conn. The burning of these mills was the largest and most destructive fire that ever occurred at Peekskill, and their removal was felt as a great blow to the prosperity of the place.

THE PEEKSKILL BLAST-FURNACE, located at the mouth of Annsville Creek, was built in 1853 by the Peekskill Iron Company, a corporation of which the prineipal members were Warren and Uriah A. Mur- doch, of New York, and Seth Allen of Peekskill, the last named gentleman being the agent and manager. The furnaee was operated a number of years suceess- fully, and manufactured a superior quality of pig- iron. It was connected by a narrow-gange railroad, about six miies in length, belonging to the company, with the Croft Iron Mine in Putnam County, and from ore from this mine and other mines belonging to the eompany in Dutchess County and at Lake Champlain, the iron was manufactured. The present owners of the furnace are the estates of T. J. F. Flint and Luther Clark, both of whom were New Yorkers. Owing to the decline in the price of iron the furnace has not been running for about five or six years, althoughi but recently before that time enlarged and remodeled. The furnace is seventy feet high and sixteen feet wide across the boshes.

In 1831 Samuel HI. Hurd started a pottery on Water Street, where the works of I. J. Baxter are now loeated. Abraham H. Lord succeeded him, and con- verted the pottery into a fire-briek works. This was about the year 1850. He moved his business dircetly across the street. About 1860 Ardenus R. Free became the owner, and in 1867 Stephen D. Horton and William Mabie succeeded him under the firm name of Horton & Mabie. They are the present proprietors. Their manufactures include all shapes of fire-bricks, stove and range linings, eupola

brick, and the like. They employ about fourteen inen.

Stephen D. Horton, the senior member of the firm of Horton & Mabie, is also the sheriff of Westehester County. He was born in Peekskill, February 17, 1837, his ancestry being among the oldest in the country, dating back to the times of the Pilgrims. He is the eighth in the line of descent from Barnabas Horton, one of the founders of the town of Southold, Long Island, in 1640. The liue of aneestry is as follows: 1. Barnabas; 2. Joseph; 3. David; 4. Daniel; 5. Stephen; 6. Wright; 7. Frost ; 8. Stephen D. His father, Hon. Frost Horton, a prominent citizen of this eounty, was born September 15, 1806, and rep- resented his district in the Legislature in 1858. He also held many village offiees, and was extensively engaged in business in Peekskill. He married Phebe Tompkins, a conuection of Governor Daniel B. Tompkins. They were the parents of three children- Stephen D. and Cornelia twins, (the latter died at the age of fifteen), and William James, who is the present supervisor of the town of Yorktown. Frost Horton died, mueh lamented by the community, November 11, 1880, and the village lost a useful and worthy eitizen. His son, Stephen D., obtained his early education at the well-known Peekskill Aead- emy, and at the age of fifteen commenced business in the foundry of the plough manufactory in which his father was a partner. When he reached the age of nineteen he beeame a partner. The firm was at first Horton & Depew, afterwards changed to Horton, Depew & Sons. The extensive trade which this firm had with the South was destroyed by the war, aud in 1864 he disposed of his interest in the business. He next engaged in the manufacture of mowing-machines as a member of the firm of Horton & Mabie, after- wards the "Peekskill Manufacturing Company." The business was sold to David L. Seymour, and, in company with Mr. Mabie, Mr. Horton engaged in the business of making stove-lining aud fire-bricks having bought the establishment of A. R. Free, and in this business he still continues. He has been a life-long member of the Democratie party, is a man of great influence in political matters, and has been trustee of the village of Peekskill for several teruis, and four times elected president.

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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 95

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