Hudson-Mohawk genealogical and family memoirs, Volume IV, Part 73

Author: Reynolds, Cuyler, 1866-1934, ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 660


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March 20, 1856. He was a Lutheran in re- ligion and a Republican in politics. George and Mary (Ringle) Shaffer had: 1. Marga- ret, born in Germany in 1843, being two years of age when her parents came to the United States ; married John Carkner, a farmer of Bethlehem, and has Richard, George and Eliza. 2. Mary K., born in Ballston, Sara- toga county, New York, June 1, 1846, the first American-born child of her parents; she married (first ) Ambrose Wiltsie, (second) Henry Rupert ; both of whom she survives. 3. Maria, married Silvanus Misner : resides at Cedar Hills, New York, and has: Lester, Amanda, Lester (2). 4. Elizabeth, married (first) John Snyder, deceased, leaving chil- dren: Steven, Arthur, Catherine and Fred- erick. John Snyder was killed in the disas- trous quarry explosion which brought sorrow and desolation into so many homes in that sec- tion. She married (second) Charles Mosher, and has a daughter, Nellie. 5. Catherine, married Elmer Brown, of Cedar Hills, New York.


Henry Shaffer, brother of George, was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, in 1815. died on Thanksgiving Day in 1895, in Duanes- burg, Schenectady county, New York. He came to the United States, spent two years in the city of Albany, and then returned to the land of his birth, where he married Mary, sister of Margaret Ringle, wife of George Shaffer, and all came to the United States together in 1845. Henry settled in the town of Bethlehem, where his wife died in 1853, leaving children: Elizabeth, John H., George H., Robert, the latter dying young. He mar- ried (second) Mary Beanean, of Albany, who died in Duanesburg, September 7, 1910, aged eighty-seven years, leaving children: Henry, Anson, Charles, Catherine, Peter (deceased), and John.


(X) John A., son of Ambrose and Mary K. (Shaffer ) Wiltsie, was born on his father's farm near South Bethlehem station, Albany county, New York, February 20, 1865. He was but an infant when his father died. He received a good education in the public schools, and was reared a farmer, which occu- pation he followed all his life. In 1890 he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in South Bethlehem, near his birthplace, which has ever since been his home and the scene of his activities. He has prospered in business and is a man highly respected in his community. He is a member of the Methodist church of South Bethlehem. He married, in Bethlehem, December 2, 1883, Minnie E. Fer- rell, born in Summit, Schoharie county, New York, May 26, 1860, daughter of Ebenezer H.


and Emmeline A. (Boughton) Ferrell. Eben- ezer Ferrell was born in Schoharie county in 1836, removed to Bethlehem, Albany county, where he died in 1872, son of Andrew and Emmeline (Hicks) Ferrell, of Dutchess county, New York. He resided in Schoharie county from the date of his marriage until 1866, when he removed to Bethlehem, where he died a few months afterward at the age of fifty-two years. They were both devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church. His wife, Emmeline A. (Boughton) Ferrell, was born in Schoharie county, New York, May 14, 1838, died in Bethlehem, March 11, 1904, daughter of Henry and Rosanna ( Row- land) Boughton, both born in Schoharie county, lived in Rensselaerville, Albany coun- ty, on the Schoharie line for many years, where he kept a hotel. Ebenezer H. and Em- meline A. ( Boughton) Ferrell have two chil- dren: i. Minnie, married John A. Wiltsie : ii. Emmett, with W. Sandford Van Derzee, mar- ried Elizabeth Van Allen, of Bethlehem, and has J. Allen, born 1890, now a student in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, and Margery, born 1897.


John A. and Minnie ( Ferrell) Wiltsie have four children: 1. Mary K., born October 28, 1884: married Charles Baumes, educated in the State Normal College, formerly a teacher in the public schools, now employed in the clerical department of the General Electric Works at Schenectady. 2. Anna E., born De- cember 23, 1886. 3. Roy, born July 14, 1888. 4. Edith M., born April 12, 1890. The family are all members of the Methodist Epis- copal church.


Peter Close was a manufacturer CLOSE of scythes in the town of May- field, Fulton county, New York. He married Mary A., danghter of Nathaniel and Cynthia (Wood) Brown. Nathaniel Brown was a prosperous farmer of Fulton county, a member of the Society of Friends, locally known as "Quaker" Brown. Children of Peter and Mary A. Close: 1. Abram B., of whom further. 2. Isaac, married Almeda Huntley : children : George and Hewson. 3. Darwin, married Eunice Pierce ; children : Pe- ter, Sherman, Corey and Anna. 4. Cynthia, married George Potter, of the United States army : child, Mary. 5. Emily, married Henry Piper, removed to the west. 6. Delia, mar- ried James Kelly, of the United States army ; child : James (2). 7. Erwin, married Jemima Laird; child, Frank. 8. Mary Etta, married Edward Stewart: child, Daniel. 9. Harriet, married Charles Childs ; children : Clara, mar- ried Baltrus Dickson; Edward; Kate.


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(II) Abram B., son of Peter and Mary A. (Brown) Close, was born in Mayfield, Fulton county, New York, September 16, 1827. died December 27, 1900. He received a good edu- cation and at the age of eighteen began to learn the art and trade of glovemaking. About 1851 he engaged in mercantile pursuits and for half a century was a merchant of Mayfield. His first partner was John Brown, later Amos Christie, the firm being Close & Christie. In 1869 they engaged in the manu- facture of gloves and mittens and continued in successful operation until the death of Mr. Close. In 1887 their store was destroyed by fire, but was at once replaced with a large brick block accommodating store and factory. After the death of Mr. Close this block was sold to Eugene Heacock. He was a most suc- cessful business man and stood high in the commercial world. He was constantly in the service of the public. For thirty-three years he was postmaster of Mayfield, and for seven- teen years justice of the peace and notary public. He was Republican in politics, always taking an active part. He was a member of the Society of Friends, his wife being a Meth- odist. He died very suddenly and was sin- cerely mourned. He married, January 5, 1852, Harriet, born December 3. 1828, daugh- ter of John and Mary A. (Woodworth ) Hol- lenbeck. She survives him, a resident of Mayfield. Children: 1. Mary A., born De- cember 25. 1857, died October 9, 1894: mar- ried George M. Woodworth. 2. John P .. born June 22, 1859: married Eliza Goode- mate : child, Mary Inez. 3. Hattie J., born August 5. 1862; married Alva O. Seeley ; cl "dren : Beatrice and Wayne D.


Harriet ( Hollenbeck ) Close descends from Peter Hollenbeck, of Holland. The name is variously spelled Hallenbeck, Hollenbeck, Hellenbeck, etc. Peter was a shoemaker ; married Alma Fonda and had an only son, John, who was a farmer, school teacher and no- tary public, transacting business for the entire community. His father, Peter, was a Presby- terian and many of the family were Friends. John was a Christian and lived an honorable, manly life but was not connected with any special denomination. He married Mary, daughter of Sela and Rebecca (Deenham) Woodworth. John and Mary Hollenbeck had four children: 1. John, married Hannah Brownell and had Horace and Frank, who survive, five being dead. 2. Mary Ann, mar- ried Orville Brown : children : Edward, Har- riet, married Granville Baker, Sela, married Brown Hollenbeck, George. 3. Harriet, mar- ried Abram B. Close. 4. Sela, married Caro- line Denny.


Sela Woodworth, maternal grandfather of Harriet (Hollenbeck ) Close, came to May- field during the troublous Indian times during the revolution and took up land near the fort that stood on the present site of the Johnstown jail, seeking the shelter of the fort when dan- ger threatened. His father was killed by In- dians who shot him from ambush. Scla's wife, Rebecca, shared these dangers with him and on one occasion fled with her babe in arms to the sheltering forest, leaving the house which a band of Indians was approach- ing. They tried to fire the house but failed. Her father, Ebenezer, was killed by Indians while plowing in his fields. They cut off his head and fastened it to the horns of the oxen, who came home to be fed bearing their ghastly burden and the first news to the fam- ily that the father and husband was dead. But these times of danger passed and in quieter time Sela Woodworth reared his family. He was a good man as well as a brave one and became one of Mayfield's leading men. He donated the ground on which the Mayfield church is built, and there his granddaughter, Mrs. Close, has erected a tablet to his memory. Among her treasures is a clock owned by Sela that passed through the perilous times re- corded. Mrs. Close has long since passed her allotted "three score years and ten" and is al- most the last of her generation. She inherited the vigor, tenacity and brave spirit of her pio- neer ancestors, who amid scenes of peril and cleath laid broad and deep the foundations for the prosperity that now surrounds her.


The first of the Keck family of


KECK which there is record in Fulton county, New York, is George Keck, a farmer of the county. He married Catherine Coughnet and had twelve children : Catherine, George, John, Jacob, Martin, Eliz- abeth, Isaac (see forward). Peter, Joseph, Margaret, Mary Ann and Albert.


(II) Isaac, fourth son and seventh child of George and Catherine (Coughnet) Keck, was born in Johnstown, New York, May 15. 1814, and died there. He was reared on the farm and given a good common school educa- tion. He remained with his parents on the. farm until arriving at man's estate. He then settled on a farm of his own near Keck's Cen- ter, Fulton county, where he lived the re- mainder of his days. He married, October 15. 1836, Eliza A. Burns, born February 13, 1818, died February, 1857, daughter of Wen- dell and Eliza Burns, of Montgomery county, New York, a descendant of the Burns family of Scotland, and related to the poet, Robert Burns. Children : 1. Timothy, born February


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15. 1838 (q. v.). 2. George Henry, born September 3, 1839; married, February 3, 1860, Mary Jane Martin, born December 20, 1843, daughter of John and Catherine (Da- vis ) Martin ; she was one of a family of eleven children : they had one son, Addison Keck, horn July 6, 1862, married Alberta Stoller, and has Dora G. Stoller, born March 13, 1891. 3. Leander, born October 2, 1841 ; married Nancy Bauder ; children : Elsie, Mar- garet and Hiram Keck. who reside at Mont- gomery, Illinois. 4. Mary E. 5. Jeremiah, born November 9, 1845 (see forward). 6. Philip, born October 26, 1848 (see forward). 7. Melissa, born April 16, 1853: married, De- cember 28, 1879. William H. Meserve, born January 27, 1847, at Cherryfield, Maine, died in Albany, New York, October 6, 1909. He was attending a preparatory school in Mat- thias, Maine, fitting for college when the civil war broke out. Being unable to get parental permission, he left school secretly and went to Boston, Massachusetts, where he enlisted in 1862. He was connected with the signal corps, Department of the Gulf. After receiv- ing an honorable discharge from the service he settled in New York state, where he en- gaged in teaching for several years, and for nine years was principal of Salmonsville, New York, Union school, and brought that institu- tion to a high state of efficiency. In 1883 he located in Johnstown, New York, where he engaged in the insurance business until 1895. In that year he was appointed inspector of the State Land Survey and took up his residence in Albany. In 1905 he retired from office on account of ill health, and died October 6, 1900, in that city. He was a son of William Meserve, of Cherryfield, Maine. Children of William H. and Melissa (Keck) Meserve: i. Lora, born August 16, 1881 ; educated in public schools of Johnstown, high school at Albany, and State Normal College : is now a teacher in Schenectady public schools. ii. Frank L., born June 12, 1887: educated in the common and high school at Albany; is connected with the drug firm of Walker and Gibson, of Albany. iii. Earl, born February 23. 1889: educated at Albany common and high schools: is a bookkeeper with Walker & Gibson. iv. William Keck, born August 22, 1800: died March 16, 1893. v. Alice Ethel, born July 3, 1893. vi. Ilarlan Burns, born October 19. 1894. Mrs. Melissa ( Keck) Me- serve survives her husband and retains the family home at No. 165 Lancaster street, Al- banv.


(III) Timothy. eldest son of Isaac and Eliza A. (Burns) Keck, was born on the Keck homestead farm near Keck's Center, town of


Johnstown, Fulton county, New York, Feb- ruary 15. 1838. He was educated in the pub- lic schools and grew up on the farm, where he remained as his father's valued assistant until 1863, when he assumed the sole charge and management. He was an early volunteer in answer to President Lincoln's third call for men, but owing to some slight physical defect his services were not accepted. He continued on the farm until 1874, when he located in Johnstown and began the manufacture of heavy gloves of sheep and buckskin. For a time he was his own traveling salesman, going on the road and disposing of his factory prod- uct. In the first years in business he was as- sociated with the firm of Keck & Dudley. Later Mr. Van Alstyne succeeded Mr. Dudley, as Van Alstyne & Keck, and later the firm be- came Timothy Keck & Son, so continuing un- til 1907, when Mr. Keck, Sr .. retired from active business, which was continued by his son William T. Keck until the factory was de- stroyed by fire in the spring of 1910. Mr. Keck was an energetic, capable man of busi- ness and stands high in the regard of his community. Politically he is a Republican, and is a member of the Lutheran church. He married, November 20, 1862, Charlotte, third daughter of Philip and Elizabeth Martin. Children : I. Elizabeth A., born April 4, 1865 ; married Ferdinand Fisher of Johnstown and has children: i. Charlotte E., who died in infancy. ii. Victoria, born in 1893. iii. Myrtle. born July 3, 1906. 2. William T., born July 15. 1869; educated in Albany and common schools ; he associated with his father in glove manufacturing until the fire of 1910; he married, July 11, 1800, Charlotte May An- thony, fourth daughter of Martin J. and Eliza- beth M. Shear ; children: i. Elsie May. died in infancy. ii. Lillian Beatrice, born February, 1893. iii. Theresa E., February, 1896. iv. Viola M., May, 1899.


(III) Judge Jeremiah Keck, son of Isaac and Eliza Ann (Burns) Keck, was born near Keck's Center, town of Johnstown, Fulton county, New York, November 9, 1845. IIe attended the public schools of his town, and worked with his father on the farm until he was sixteen years of age. The civil war then broke out and he was among the first to vol- unteer for service. He enlisted in Company C. Seventy-seventh Regiment New York Vol- unteer Infantry, and with his regiment served at Yorktown, Malvern Hill, Gaines Mills and Fair Oaks, in the Peninsula campaign of the Army of the Potomac, then under command of General George B. McClellan. He was stricken with a fever which so disabled him that he was honorably discharged. He re-


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turned to Johnstown and began studies pre- paratory to the profession of law, which he had decided to follow. He attended Clinton Liberal Institute and Whitetown Seminary. After completing his preparatory studies he read law with Judge John Wells and James M. Dudley, entering their offices for that pur- pose in April, 1868. Having passed a suc- cessful examination he was admitted to the bar at the general term of the supreme court held at Schenectady, April 8. 1869. He was at once admitted to a partnership with his preceptors, becoming junior member of the law firm of Wells, Dudley & Keck. This firm continued in successful practice until the dis- solution in 1877. He then entered into a part- nership with his brother, and as J. & P. Keck transacted a successful legal business until 1883. He was elected district attorney of the county in 1874, and re-elected in 1877. In 1883 he was elected county judge and surro- gate, and held those offices for eighteen years, until such offices were separated a little over nine years ago. He has held the office of surrogate ever since, with an unexpired term of three years to serve.


While prominent as a lawyer and successful in private practice. Judge Keck is best known in his public capacities as district attorney, county judge and surrogate, covering a pub- lic service of nearly thirty-six years. During this long term of service he has been many times before the voters of Fulton county as their candidate, and rarely had opposition from the opposing party. His nominations have nearly always been made by acclamation and re-election without opposition-a tribute rarely paid to any man. During his profes- sional career lic has been connected with most of the important litigation of the county, both civil and criminal. He has always been known as an able, upright and conscientious lawyer. taking rank with the ablest members of the Fulton county bar. As judge and sur- rogate he has been fair and impartial, rapidly transacting the business before him, ruling with such accuracy and fairness that there have been very few reversals of his decisions when reviewed by the higher courts. He is held in high esteem by his brethren of the profession as a jurist, and by the people gener- ally as a good friend and neighbor. He has always been a student, and has a fine law li- brary, including law works issued in London over two and a half centuries ago.


Judge Keck is known as a forcible speaker before a jury and in the argument of causes. and of very pleasing address on subjects out- side of his professional work. When a young man he constantly received flattering press no-


tices in their reports of Memorial Day ad- dresses and other occasions of patriotic com- memoration. In 1889 he delivered a brief ad- dress at the dedication of a monument to his old regiment at Gettysburg. Pennsylvania, which though impromptu was widely reported and greatly admired, and will be found in the work entitled "New York at Gettysburg" re- cently issued by the state of New York. This address shows his readiness and ability to speak without previous preparation. He said :


"Nothing new can be said and nothing new need be sought, for the greatness of the struggle and the grandeur of the victory are more appreciated as they are more studied and better understood. And so it will be while patriotism dwells in the heart- of the American people. What was done here was not done for that day and time, but for all days and for all times. When the martyred Lincoln here expressed the hope that the result of the great con- flict might be 'that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth,' the dark clouds of war rolled over and en- shrouded the lind. That hope has been triumph antly fulfilled. Not only has this government been established, but before the eyes of all other nations has a grand proof been given of the permanence of free institutions and the power of an intelligent and devoted people to maintain the stability of their country in times of the greatest trial. Times of trial and danger may come upon the nation, very different from those we commemorate and yet very great, and when those times do come we believe it is not in vain to hope that the memory of this struggle will encourage and animate the hearts of her citizens to maintain that union which has been purchased with so much blood. We felt that our country was at stake, but the nations of the civ- ilized world felt that something still greater was imperilled-the principle that a Republic could by the devotion of her citizens save her national life in the greatest struggle that has as yet been re- corded in the history of the world. We. my com- rades, who have done what we could, here in the time of our country's need. now do this, as the last permanent thing that we can do, for we shall soon pass away to join our comrades and our names will be forgotten, but the work we have done will live for us, and this monument will speak for us to the generations to come, and tell where the Bemis Heights battalion stood, in this harvest field of death."


His paper on the life of Sir William John- son. prepared for and read before the State Historical Association in 1903, and after- wards published in its records, and his recent address on behalf of the members of the Grand Army of the Republic at the dedication of the Soldiers' Monument of Johnstown, October 5. 1910, in the presentation of such monument to the city, have been regarded as worthy of the occasions.


For fourteen years Judge Keck has been and still is a member of the executive com- mittee of the State Bar Association, and also a member of the committee of that body on the selection of candidates for judicial offices.


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For nineteen years he was commander of Martin McMartin Post, No. 257, Grand Army of the Republic. of Johnstown, and is still an interested member. He is prominent in the Masonic order, belonging to St. Patrick's Lodge, No. 4, Free and Accepted Masons ; Johnstown Chapter, No. 78, Royal Arch Masons; Holy Cross Commandery, No. 52, Knights Templar. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Po- litically he has always been a Republican. His first presidential vote was cast for General Grant in 1868. His friends are not confined to his party associates, but are numerous and steadfast, regardless of party affiliation.


Judge Keck married (first) in June, 1874, Jennie A., daughter of Thompson P. Kibbie, a connection of the old de Fon Claire family of Johnstown, New York. She bore him a daughter, Flore de Fon Claire. He married ( second ) in November, 1890, Sara R., daugh- ter of Joseph Riggs, of Detroit, Michigan.


(III) Philip, fifth son and sixth child of Isaac and Eliza Ann (Burns) Keck, was born in Johnstown. Fulton county, New York, October 26, 1848. He was educated in the public schools, Clinton Liberal Institute, Whitestown Seminary, and attended Hamil- ton College two years. Leaving college in 1873, he began the study of law with Wells, Dudley & Keck of Johnstown, following this preparation by a course at Albany Law School, where he was graduated LL.B., class of 1876. In 1877 he associated with his brother Jere- mialı (afterward Judge Keck), continuing as J. & P. Keck in a general legal practice until 1884, when they separated. Until 1890 Philip Keck conducted his business alone, but it be- came of such magnitude that in that year he admitted Clarence W. Smith as partner in Keck & Smith, a partnership that existed until it was dissolved by mutual consent. Mr. Keck has achieved an enviable success in his pro- fession. He prepares his cases carefully, and presents them to judges and juries in a logical and impressive manner. He is learned and skillful in the law, painstaking and persever- ing in his clients' interests, and scrupulous in his integrity. He has always been a sup- porter of the Republican party ; was deputy collector of revenue in 1882-83-84, and repre- sented his district in the state legislature in 1893. He has always taken a deep interest in city, county and state politics and all matters pertaining to civic betterment. He is a promi- nent member of the Masonic order. being affiliated with St. Patrick Lodge, No. 4. F. and A. M .; Johnstown Chapter, No. 78, R. A. M .: Johnstown Council, No. 51, R. and S. M .; Holy Cross Commandery, K. T .; and


Albany Consistory, A. A. S. R., where he has attained the thirty-second degree, and Cyprus Temple (Mystic Shrine). He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and of the Lotus and Colonial clubs. He married, October 8, 1879, Florence M. Mitchell, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Spraker ) Mitchell, of Montgomery county. They have one child, Phillip Mitchell, born May 14, 1898.


VAN ALSTYNE (II) Abraham Janse,


son of Jan Martense (q. v.) and Dirckje Harmense Van Alstyne, owned and cultivated the homestead farm at Kinderhook, deeded him by his father. This land, as well as the deeds of conveyance, have ever since been in the possession of his descendants. The name of his first wife is not recorded. He mar- ried ( second) January 17, 1694, Maritje Van Deusen. Children: 1. Janneke, born March 15, 1685. 2. Jan, born May 22, 1687 : buried September 27, 1738; married Elizabeth 3. Jacob, born September 8, 1689, see forward. 4. Johannes, born August 26, 1604. 5. Matthew, born June 14, 1696. 6. Dirckje, born December 4. 1698. 7. Sander, born January 5, 1701. 8. Abraham, born Au- gust 15, 1703. 9. Lena, born November 18, 1705. 10. Isaac, born January 28, 1708; buried July 6, 1746; married Maritje Van den Bergh, January 23, 1728. 11. Direkje, born April 30, 1710. 12. Catryntje, born October 12, 1713. 13. Jacobus, born April 21, 1717. 14. Marten, born May 3, 1719.




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