USA > New York > Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume IV > Part 65
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All these things made him a centre of loving interest to his friends. Ilis was a beautiful, serene old age, tempered by time; strength- ened by a firm and quiet religious faith : but ever preserving its interest in the happiness and welfare of those about him, and thus it came gently and peacefully to its close, leav- ing us pleasant remembrances of a good and useful and benignant life.'" He was buried in the Albany Rural cemetery, and in the nave of St. Peter's Church a window of beau- tiful, artistic execution was placed to his memory as its warden.
George Dexter married, at Albany. New York, April 5. 1827, Mary Magdalen Cuyler, born at Fort Johnson, Johnstown, New York, the historic place of Sir William Johnson. February 3. 1810, died at Albany. October 4, 1847, daughter of Jolin Cornelius and Ilan- nah (Maley) Cuyler. Children, born at Al- bany: 1. Anna Augusta, July 16, 1833. see forward. 2. Catherine Cuyler, March 4. 1837, unmarried. 3. Cynthia Reynolds, October 14. 1839, died at Albany, November 23. 1893. 1in- married. 4. Mary. June 27, 1845. died there. February 7, 1848.
(VIII) Anna Augusta, eldest child of George and Mary Magdalen (Cuyler) Dex- ter, was born at Albany, New York, July 16. 1833. She married (first), in St. Peter's Church, Albany, April 6, 1858, William James Noyes, who died at Old Lyme, Connecticut, January 31. 1860, without issue. She married (second), in St. Peter's Church, Albany, Oc- tober 25. 1866, William Henry Bradford. He was born at New York, New York, Septem- ber 22, 1812, died at his home in that city, December 30, 1895, son of William and Eliza (Price) Bradford. In the latter years of his life, he bought property at Lenox, Massachu- setts, where his family was living in 1911.
Mr. Bradford was eighth in direct descent from William Bradford, governor of Plym- outh Colony. The line of descent reaches to William Bradford. of Austerfield, a small village on the southern border of Yorkshire. England, who held the rank of "Yeoman." and was one of the only two persons of prop- erty then in that place. His son, William. was born in 1561. died in 1591: married Alice Hanson, in 1584. Their third child (first son). William, was born in Austerfield. March, 1590: was placed in care of his grand- father, being left an infant, and when he died, was brought up by an uncle. When twelve years old. he was deeply impressed by listening to the reading of the Scriptures, and later joined the band of worshipers known as Separatists, who were accustomed to assemble in the house of
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William Brewster, in Scrooby, an adjacent village. Religious persecution followed, and James I. declared he would "harry them out of the land, or worse." Under such condi- tions, they removed to Holland, where they could worship freely in their own way. They were about to start from Boston, England, when the king, through the treachery of the captain of the vessel, confined seven of them in prison. Bradford, being youthful, was re- leased sooner than the others, and proceeded to Zealand, Holland, where he was accused of being an English fugitive ; but, on explain- ing his cause, was allowed to go, and joined his friends at Amsterdam, where he became a silk dyer.
At the end of three years Bradford came into possession of his inheritance, which he converted into cash, and established him- self in business. In 1609 the colony removed to Leyden, staying there about ten years, when he was one of those agitating for moving elsewhere. They proceeded to England. With others, he engaged in purchasing the sailing vessels "Speedwell" and "Mayflower." The former proving unseaworthy, they em- barked aboard the latter, and, although in- tending to settle near the Hudson river, they entered Cape Cod harbor on the morning of November 11, 1620, and just before passing in, drew up a compact which they signed.
In the explorations to select the most prop- er place to locate, Bradford was one of the prime movers. While away on one of these hazardous trips, likely to come across sav- ages and wild beasts, his wife was accidentally drowned. On December 21, 1620, the band landed at Plymouth. It was a forlorn party of courageous souls, and their struggle that winter was severe, for six of them died in December, eight in January, seventeen in Feb- ruary and thirteen in March. The following month, the "Mayflower" sailed back to Eng- land, and they were left to their own re- sources, cut entirely loose from home and all assistance or supplies. Shortly thereafter, Carver, their leader, died, and William Brad- ford was chosen governor. He ruled wisely, holding this office for the long period of thir- ty-seven years, with the exception of the three-year term of Edward Winslow and the two-year term of Mr. Prince.
He won the unbounded respect of all in the colony. Understanding the character of the Indians thoroughly, his tact and bravery counted for much at several critical periods. A new and larger patent was granted them în 1620, in the name of "William Bradford, his heirs, associates and assigns." Bradford displayed judicious management and lessened
their extreme misery as time went on. De- spite his meagre opportunity in youth to ac- quire more than a fair education, he was by natural bent able to improve himself, and he studied the languages that he might, as he put it, "see with his own eyes the ancient oracles of God in their native beauty." In this manner he became familiar with Greek, Hebrew, Latin and Dutch, at the same time reading much of history, philosophy and re- ligion. He was unusually active with his pen, as was discovered after his death, and his writings have been published, but only one appearing in print while he lived.
Governor William Bradford married. in 1623, the widow, Alice (Carpenter) South- worth, for his second wife, who died at New Plymouth, Massachusetts, March 26, 1670, aged eighty years, and he died May 9. 1657. By his first marriage he had a son named John, who was a deputy to the court at Plym- outh, from Duxbury, in 1651, and from Marshfield, in 1653. No record of his mar- riage has ever been learned. By his second wife, he had William, Mercy and Joseph. The eldest of these, Major William Brad- ford, was born June 17, 1624, died February 20, 1704, and married successively Alice Rich- ards, of Weymouth ; the Widow Wiswall, and Mary (Atwood ) Holmes, widow of Rev. John Holmes, the first minister of Duxbury and daughter of Deacon John Atwood, of Plym- outh. The Bradford arms: Shield: Gules, on a fesse azure, three stags' heads erased, argent. Crest : A stag's head erased.
Children of William Henry Bradford and Anna Augusta Dexter : 1. Grace, born at New York, New York. September 2, 1868; married, at New York City, February 14. 1889, Lindsay Fairfax. He was born at "Oak Hill," Aldie. Loudoun county, Virginia, May 5. 1857, son of John Walter and Mary Jane (Rogers) Fairfax, by whom : Bradford Lind- say, born in New York City, February II. 1893. and Grace Lindsay, born at Eastbourne, England. April 21. 1898. 2. William Henry, born at New York City, March 19, 1872 ; mar- ried, at New York City, February 8, 1892, Mary Kingsland Jones, born at New York City, October 4. 1870, daughter of Herman LeRoy and Augusta (Kingsland) Jones, by whom : William, born at Babylon, Long Island, November 20, 1893, died at New York City, March 20, 1900, and George Dexter, born at New York City, June 12, 1897. 3. George Dexter, born in New York, New York, May 11, 1873, died there, November 24, 1894, un- married ; he was educated by tutors and also attended St. Paul's School, at Concord, New Hampshire.
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Judge Randall James Le brought against the New York and Manhat-
LE BOEUF Boeuf, son of Peter J. and Sarah A. (Saunders) Le Boeuf, was born in Cohoes, New York, March 10, 1870.
Judge Le Boeuf's father was of French descent, and a resident of Canada in his youth, coming there from France when a child. He was sent into the United States for his education, and graduated from the Fort Edward Institute in New York state. Shortly afterwards he engaged in the manu- facture of axes in Cohoes. After that he removed to Troy, New York, where he was actively concerned in the manufacture of collars, cuffs, and shirts, the leading industry of that city. He was for a number of years a member of the firm of Wheeler, Allendorf & LeBoeuf, afterwards Wheeler, Le Boeuf & Company.
The ancestors of Judge Le Boeuf's mother, the Saunders family, came to this country from Scotland in colonial days, settling first on the Taunton and Providence, Rhode Island "plantations," as they were then styled, several of this family playing most important parts in the struggle for independence. Her father was Randall Saunders, a well-known resident of Albany in 1830, and members of this family moved into Columbia, Greene and Ulster counties. She was born at Albany, and was educated at the State Normal Col- lege.
When nine years old. Judge Le Boeuf came to live in Albany, and attended the high school. from which he graduated in the class of 1887. He then took up the study of law in the office of the late Eugene Burlingame, an unusually bright lawyer and district attor- ney. In the fall of 1889, Judge Le Boeuf en- tered Cornell University, and graduated from the law department in 1892, with the degree LL. D. He was there one of the prize de- baters, and also received the thesis prize for his treatise of the law. He was made a mem- ber of the Delta Upsilon fraternity, and was president of both the junior and senior classes of the law school. A part of his work at Cor- nell was done under the supervision of Charles E. Hughes, later the governor of New York state and afterwards judge of the United States supreme court, then professor of law. and Mr. Le Boeuf's thesis 'on the rights and remedies of abutters on streets over which the elevated railroads were con- structed, procured for him, through the inter- est of members of the faculty of Cornell, a position as managing clerk in the law firm of Sackett & Bennett, who at that time did a large business for property owners in actions
tan Elevated Company. During his connec- tion with this firm, he formed, what is be- lieved to have been, the first linotype labor union organized in the United States. He also had considerable experience in the forma- tion of the model village of Larchmont, New York, which was built up from the proper- ties of the Larchmont Manor companies.
Upon the return of Charles E. Hughes to his firm in New York City, known as Carter, Hughes & Kellogg, he entered the office of that firm as assistant attorney. He was of- fered the position by Walter S. Carter, who was the senior member of the law firm, fathi- er-in-law of Governor Hughes, and a man of country-wide reputation as the friend and starter of young men. Mr. Le Boeuf consid- ered his connection with Governor Hughes to be equivalent to a liberal education in law matters, and the latter evidently noticed his response to earnest effort, for later Mr. Le Boeuf's application brought its reward. Mr. Le Boeuf was admitted to the bar at Sara- toga Springs, New York, September 14, 1892. In 1895. Eugene Burlingame, with whom Mr. Le Boeuf had read law, having been elected district attorney for Albany county, Mlr. Le Boeuf returned to Albany and formed a law partnership with him, which continued throughout Mr. Burlingame's first term and ended only with the latter's sudden death in 1898. during his second term of office. In November. 1897, Mr. Le Boeuf drew the charter for the new city of Rensselaer, Co- lumbia county, New York, and was appoint- ed its first corporation counsel, remaining in that office consecutive years until 1902. It has ever been a source of satisfaction to him that he made a great number of friends dur- ing that period, and likewise had the benefit of the experience. After Mr. Burlingame's death, he formed a partnership with Surro- gate Newton B. Van Derzee and John T. Cook, ex-district attorney, and for several years they practiced in the Municipal Gas Company building on State street, Albany.
In the year 1900 Mr. Le Boeuf undertook the formation of what became the Albany Trust Company, enlisting the assistance of a number of prominent citizens, both at Albany and in New York, and the handsome building of its own was opened on September 5. 1904, the organization dating from March 20, 1900, when Mr. John D. Parsons, Jr., was chosen its president, who was also the president of the National Exchange Bank of Albany. He has given, since then, much time to its af- fairs, and has been a director and its legal counsel. He has also been interested in bank-
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ing institutions in other cities, and as such was made a director of the Schenectady, Troy and Syracuse Trust Companies in those three cities. He has had large experience also in litigation affecting gas and electric lighting companies. He has been engaged in legal work for railroad corporations, and was at- torney for the Albany & Hudson Railroad Company, participating in the work of reor- ganization when forming the present Albany & Southern Railroad Company. His practice has not been confined to New York state, but has included cases of moment in the circuit courts of the United States and other Federal courts. He has had considerable familiarity with litigation affecting the rights of vessels navigating the waters of this state and tide waters. Governor Charles E. Hughes ap- pointed him a justice of the supreme court for this district, December 26, 1909, to suc- ceed the late Judge George H. Fitts, which appointment was generally satisfactory to those who knew him. To this high office he gave his best endeavors.
When Justice Le Boeuf retired from office upon the expiration of his term, December 31. 1910, it was made a notable occasion by those with whom he had been brought in contact. His desk had been piled high with a display of American Beauty roses, and he was over- come by the marks of appreciation. The Al- bany County Bar Association had drawn reso- lutions, to the effect that "his service upon the bench has been marked by the greatest degree of expedition consistent with a proper consideration of the multitude of important cases which have been presented to him for decision, and that the uniform patience and courteous consideration which have charac- terized his judicial relations, manifest that he is possessed of the temperament necessary in a judge." The resolutions further recited that the members of the bar in Albany county appreciate his service, which had served to demonstrate his worth. his excellent judg- ment, absolute fairness, energetic promptness in the despatch of matters brought before him, and his clear and unbiased interpretation of the laws.
Judge Le Boeuf is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the American Society of International Law, and of the Bar Association of Albany County. He is promi- nent among Masons, being a member of Mas- ters' Lodge. No. 5, and Capital City Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of De Witt Council. Royal and Select Masters, and vice-presi- dent of Cornell Alumni Association ; member of the executive council of the Delta Upsilon fraternity, of the Unconditional Republican
Club and of the National Geographic Society, Fort Orange, University and Aurania clubs and Pine Hills Association of Albany, and the Republican, Cornell and Railroad clubs of New York City. He is a trustee and vestry- man of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church of Albany, and resides at No. 531 Western ave- nue.
Judge Le Boeuf married, at Albany, New York, June 3, 1896, Katharine Washburn, daughter of Hiram L. Washburn. Judge and Mrs. Le Boeuf have one child, Randall James Le Boeuf, Jr. Hiram L. Washburn was a dealer in real estate, residing at the northeast corner of Western avenue and Quail street, Albany.
BLACK Frank Sweet Black, ex-governor of the state of New York, was born at Livingston, York county, Maine, March 8, 1853. He was one of a. family of eleven children who were reared on a rocky farm with a fractious soil that did not respond liberally to the farmer's efforts. At the age of eleven his parents removed to Alfred, Maine, where he attended the school now known as Limerick Academy, going from there to Lebanon Academy. He was a poor boy and his school days were frequently interrupted by the need of earning money. He taught school to earn enough to continue his course at Lebanon, where he organized a debating society and was one of the chief debaters. With some money gained in teach- ing and some obtained from his father (which later was repaid from his first earnings) he entered Dartmouth College in 1875. He was not well prepared, but by hard work made good the studies in which he was deficient. As before, he taught school to pay his ex- penses ; one year he taught school at Cape Cod. In his junior year he could only attend his classes eleven weeks of the session. While a senior he taught in Provincetown. Cape- Cod, where he met Lois B. Hamlin, who on Thanksgiving Day, 1879. became his wife. Despite all his handicaps. Mr. Black was one of the honor men on Commencement Day, had been the editor of two college periodicals and had twice been chosen a prize speaker. His success in teaching brought him the high endorsement of the college faculty, and on graduation day he had the choice of three principalships offered him. But the law, not teaching, was his goal, and all the offers were refused. Ile joined forces with a fellow stu- dent, Ilenry W. Smith, of Troy, and together they established headquarters at Rome. New York, and began the sale of pictures, the craze at that particular time being chromos.
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While so engaged, he became acquainted with W. M. Ireland, editor of the Johnstown, Ful- ton county, Journal, and librarian of the state senate at Albany, who was in need of a com- petent man to take charge of the journal. Mr. Black accepted this position, and he was soon hard at work on both editorial and local pages of the journal. The great struggle was then on between the national giants, Blaine and Conkling. Being from Maine he warmly sup- ported the man from Maine, overlooking the fact that Mr. Ireland was a political follower of Conkling. This led to a rupture and Mr. Black resigned. While engaged in editorial work he had begun the study of law with Wells, Dudley & Keck, of Fulton county. He now removed to Troy, New York, where he continued his legal study with Robertson & Foster, working in the meantime as reporter on the Troy Il'hig, in the office of the regis- try department of the Troy postoffice, and in the service of various legal papers. He soon became managing clerk in the office of Robertson & Foster, and had the distinction of operating the first typewriter ever used in Troy. He earned a part of his expense money by copying papers, becoming exceedingly ex- pert on the machine. In 1879, four years after his graduation, he was admitted to the bar. He accepted an offer of a partnership and became junior member of the law firm of Smith, Wellington & Black, continuing for one year, then went into business for himself, and opened offices in the Young building in Troy. Ile went into debt for law books, but when he had them. read and knew them. He worked hard, thoroughly prepared his cases and each year showed an increase in practice and income. In a few years he became known as a leader of the Rensselaer county bar and had his choice of cases. He always avoided criminal cases, but there were few civil cases of importance in the county in which he was not offered a retainer on one side or the other. His law library was one of the best in Troy, and every book in it gave signs of usage. In one month. August, 1893, there came to Mr. Black's legal care, the largest business that ever came to a law office in Troy in the same time. The passing into receivership of the Troy Steel & Iron Com- pany, and of the Gilbert Car Company, was an indication of his high standing in the legal fraternity. He was always a Republican in conviction, in experience and in service. He was a campaign speaker for the Republican county committee in 1888 and 1892. Becom- ing aware of the election frauds in Troy, he drew up bills for presentation to the legisla- ture to make these frauds impossible. An ex-
citing election followed, at which a Republican watcher, named Robert Ross, was murdered by a man named "Bat" Shea. Mr. Black or- ganized a committee of public safety, to se- cure the punishment of the murderer, who- ever he might be, and accomplished his ob- ject. Shea, after trial, was convicted and electrocuted. Mr. Black then continued his efforts to reform the election laws and secured the passage of the O'Connor Inspector Act. As a natural result of his political activity in the fall of 1894, he was nominated and elected to congress. In the house he served on com- mittees, Pacific railroad and private land claims. In 1896 he was renominated, but there was a greater office before him. Ile had been a delegate to the Republican Na- tional Convention that nominated Mckinley, and had made a brilliant speech, when New York City ratified the nomination. His ca- pacity for public work of a high order had become known when his name was presented by Rensselaer and Columbia counties at the state convention held at Saratoga as a candi- date for governor, his speedy nomination over several strong candidates following. He made a series of strong speeches in the campaign that followed, and had the gratification of being elected by the largest plurality ever given a Republican candidate for governor, 212,992. He was sworn into office January 1, 1897. He gave the state a strong administra- tion, which was specially marked by the com- pletion of the state capitol, which had been in course of construction so many years. The governor took hold of this problem in his usual thorough, vigorous manner, and the capitol was finished. After retiring from of- fice he returned to the practice of law, in which he has since added to his fame. Ile married, as stated, Lois Hamlin, daughter of Dr. Hamlin, of Provincetown, Massachusetts.
He has one child. Arthur, who was fifteen years of age when his father was elected governor of New York state. Few men can look back over their lives with greater satis- faction than Frank Sweet Black, who, by sheer force of character, rose from a lowly position to the highest.
The Backus family is one of the BACKUS oldest in this country and in England, the line going back to Ecgberht, the first king of England, from him to Cerdic, the first king of the West Saxons, and tradition has it that this last named was a lineal descendant of Woden (or Odin), who was supposed to be descended from the eldest son of Noah. There have been many distin- guished men in this family in addition to those
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mentioned in detail below, among them being : Rev. Dr. Charles Backuis, of Somers, Con- necticut, president of Yale College; Rev. Dr. A. Backus, a former president of Hamilton College, New York; Rev. Backus, a distin- guished Baptist minister of New England during the revolution; Rev. Simon Backus, who married a sister of the celebrated Jona- than Edwards; and a number of clergymen equally noted. In other walks of life members ·of this family have become equally famous.
(I) William (1) Backus is the immigrant ancestor. He is supposed to have come to this country from Norwich, England, his name ap- pearing as crossing in the "Rainbow" in 1637, and the town of Norwich, Connecticut, was so named as a mark of respect and esteem for William Backus, Norwich, England, having been presumably his birthplace. The fine Backus Hospital at Norwich, Connecticut, also commemorates this fact. He was at Saybrook, .Connecticut, in 1638, and was one of the thirty-five original proprietors of Norwich, who established the town in 1660. His death occurred prior to May 7, 1664. He married .(first) Sarah, daughter of Rev. John Chodes, .of Branford, Connecticut. He married ( sec- ond) before 1660, Ann (Stenton ) Bingham, widow of Thomas Bingham. She died in May, 1670. Children, all by first marriage : I. William, see forward. 2. Stephen, mar- ried, December, 1666, Sarah, who died at ·Canterbury, Connecticut, daughter of Ensign Jared and Hannah Spencer, of Cambridge and Lynn, Massachusetts, and of Haddam, Con- necticut. Children: Sarah, married David Knight, of Norwich; Stephen, died at Can- terbury : Mary ; Ruth, married Robert Green, of Canterbury : Lydia ; Deacon Timothy, of Canterbury, married Sarah, daughter of John and Sarah (Reynolds ) Post, of Norwich, and had eight children; Elizabeth, married Na- thaniel Bond, of Canterbury, son of Nathan- iel and Bethia (Fuller ) Bond, of Watertown, Massachusetts: Rebecca, married William Blake. of Canterbury. 3. Sarah, married John Reynolds, of Norwich. 4. Mary, married, 1665, Benjamin Crane, of Wethersfield, Con- necticut. 5. -, married John Bayley.
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