USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Landmarks of Rensselaer county, New York, pt 2 - 3 > Part 5
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THOMAS ALLEN TILLINGHAST.
THOMAS ALLEN THINGHAST, the eldest son of Benjamin Allen Tillinghast and Julia Ann Tillinghast, was born in Wrentham, Mass., November 9, 1822. In early childhood he came to Troy, N. Y., with his parents, where the remainder of his life was spent. Ile was educated in Troy, at Lanesboro, Mass., and at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy. Soon after entering upon his mercantile life he be- came prominent in the business affairs of the city and he labored unceasingly for the advancement of Troy's best interests. His first business venture was in connection with transportation. Afterwards he entered the well known firm of J. M. Warren & Co., hardware merchants, in which he was actively interested until the time of his death. Ile was for many years a member of the Board of Trade of Troy, of which he was for some time president. While an active and honored business life claimed most of his time, he sought and found his greatest comfort and pleasure in caring for and promoting the prosperity of the church; to St. John's
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church of Troy, of which he was a vestryman, he gave of his best; to the Free Church of the Ascension, which he was most influential in founding, he gave most gladly of his time and counsel. In the diocese of Albany he was one of the most prominent laymen ; in all its work and as a menber of the standing committee no de- mand upon his time ever found aught but a prompt and ready response,
Mr. Tillinghast was married in 1847 to Miss Margaret Scott Griffith, daughter of Griffith P. Griffith of Troy. His five children were Julia Griffith, Alice Griffith, Griffith Pritchard, Charles Whitney and Jessie Scott. Of these Alice Griffith and Charles Whitney are still living. Mrs. Tillinghast died in 1890. Mr. Tillinghast died at his home in Troy, June 10, 1879, beloved and esteemed by all his friends, amongst whom were the poor, to whom he had so lovingly ministered.
CHARLES WHITNEY TILLINGHAST, 2D.
CHARLES WHITNEY TILLINGHAST, 2d, the son of Thomas Allen and Margaret Scott (Griffith) Tillinghast, was born in Troy, N. Y., November 28, 1857. His father, who came to Troy early in life, was. the son of Benjamin Allen and Julia A. Tillinghast and carly took a prominent place in the local, mercantile and church life of the city. He died in June, 1879. His mother was the daughter of Griffith P. Griffith (one of the best known and successful merchants of that day), and until the time of her death, which occurred in April, 1890, she was most active in all church and city charities. Mr. Tillinghast received his education, first at the Troy Academy, then at the Gunnery in Washington, Conn., and afterwards at St. Paul's School at Concord, N. H. He entered Trinity College, but because of poor health was forced to abandon his studies and travel in Europe for a long time. On his return to Troy, in May, 1877, he entered the establishment of J. M. Warren & Co. and is now general manager of that house and largely interested in the mercantile affairs of his native city. On February 4, 1889, he was married to Marion Chittenden Clark at Spuyten- Duyvil-on-the-Iludson; three children have been born to them: Margaret Chitten- den, Theodore Voorhees and Charles Whitney, jr. He and his wife are communi- cants of St. John's Episcopal church, and, like his father, has always been deeply interested in its welfare. He has served his time in the fire department of Troy, being connected with the Arba Read Steamer Company. He was president of the Young Men's Association and the first president of the Pafraets Dael Club. When it was decided to crect a monument in the city of Troy Mr. Tillinghast was made a member of the board of trustees of the Rensselaer County Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument Association. Ile is also a member of the Sons of the Revolution and of the Troy Club. In politics Mr. Tillinghast is recognized as one of the leading Re- publicans of the city and of this portion of the State. As a business man he stands in the forefront of the commercial interests of Troy and is ever ready to foster and encourage everything that will advance the material progress and development of his city. He was one of the promoters of the Committee of Publie Safety and served on its executive board from the beginning of its existence, In June, 1877, he entered the National Guard of the State of New York and served in the Troy
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Citizens Corps, 6th Separate Company, as a private, corporal, sergeant and third. second and first lieutenant, until January, 1895, when he resigned his commission is the Guard.
CHARLES W. TILLINGHAST.
CHARLES W. TILLINGHAST was born May 23, 1824, in Greenwich, R. 1. His father was Benjamin Allen Tillinghast, a native of Wrentham, Mass., where he received his education, afterwards moving to Greenwich, R. 1. He came to Troy, N. Y., in 1830.
Charles W., the subject of this record, obtained his early education in private schools and then entered Kent Academy at East Greenwich, R. I. ; later he became a student at Talcot's private school at Lanesborough, Mass.
In 1840 he commenced the hardware and iron business as clerk for Warrens, lart & Lesley, which firm was suceceded by J. M. Warren and C. W. Tillinghast, under the firm name of J. M. Warren & Co. In 1887 the firm was incorporated under the same name and Mr. Tillinghast was chosen vice-president, having been connected with this firm for half a century or more. He was one of the first to start the project for a post-office building in Troy, obtaining the statistics and petitions for same. Ile was president of the Public Improvement Commission, also president of the Troy Orphan Asylum, and is connected with the Church Home, the Marshall Infirmary and Willard Female Seminary. He is a director in the United National Bank, vice- president of the Troy Savings Bank; also director in several of the large manufac- turing establishments of Troy, as well as in different railroad enterprises of that city.
For many years Mr. Tillinghast has been recognized as one of the most active busi- ness men of the city, being ever ready to lend his aid to whatever will promote the best interests of Troy. He is spoken of by his friends as a broad-minded, liberal man, affable and genial in disposition, and a man whose word is as acceptable as his bond. In politics he is a staunch Republican, and he and his family are connected with St. John's church at Troy. He was married in 1852 to Mary B. Southwick of Troy, by whom he has one daughter.
CHARLES EDWARD PATTERSON.
THE history of a contemporary generation of men takes its character largely from the environment of circumstances; with the measure in which the lives of the indi- viduals constituting it become eminent or prominent, depending entirely upon sur- roundings, and the opportunities presented for making them so. The eminence attained by personalities generally manifests itself where evolving conditions so- cially or politicaliy furnish the ladder on which to climb, and without which devel- oped opportunities, minds well qualified to attain greatness under emergent influ- ences, reach only such eminence as the circumstances of their lives will permit. Then as a matter of choice there are individuals well calculated to become leaders
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who prefer to move in the more quiet avenues of thought and action, and are satis- fied to attain only such prominence as is thrust upon them unsought by the evi- dences of their ability, and mental capacity. Biographically considered it is with the latter class of individuals that the Hon. Charles E. Patterson of Troy, N. Y., the subject of this sketch, should be positioned.
The family from whom Mr. Patterson descended was of English ancestry, who made New England its home long before the colonies separated from the mother country. His father, James H. Patterson, was the son of Ansel Patterson, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, as well as the war of 1812. His mother's name was Fidelia Howes, and she was a descendant of an English Blake family, who were amongst the earlier settlers of New England. Mr. Patterson was born at Corinth, Vt., May 3, 1842, and at the present time is fifty four years old and in the prime of life.
He received a liberal preparatory education, and entered Union College from which he was graduated with honorsin 1860, having for his classmates the Hon. Warner Miller, Frank Loomis, LL. D., general counsel for the N. Y. C. & H. R. R., Will- iam MeElroy, editor, Samuel Thayer, Ex-Minister to the Hague, and the Ilon. Neil Gilmore of New York. Mr. Patterson selected the law as a profession, and fortu- nately for him it was one for which he was well fitted. Possessed of a quick per- ception of things, a love of study, coupled with strong analytical mental powers, it enables him to make logically applicable what he knows, and what his discernment deduces from fact and circumstance in the trial of cases.
He entered the law office of the Hon. David L. Seymour at Troy, N. Y., was ad- mitted to the bar in May, 1863, and on January 1, 1864, he became his partner and continued as such until the death of the latter. In making this selection Mr. Patter- # son was very fortunate, for Mr. Seymour was recognized as one of the ablest law- yers in the State of New York. He had represented his district in Congress, and as a mark of his ability was made chairman of the Committee on Commerce, then one of the most important committees of the House. Mr. Patterson had from this connection unusual advantages at his disposal, and he was prompt to make them appheable, and to profit by the great experience and knowledge of Mr. Seymour, which this association gave him. Under the influence of such surroundings, and the spur of his own inclination, Mr. Patterson soon began to develop those qualiti- cations which have made him known throughout the country, not only in argument before juries, but as an advocate in appellate courts ..
Amongst the "causes celebres" in which Mr. Patterson has been engaged were the suits which grew out of mortgage foreclosure upon the Wabash Railroad system, in which there were many nice points to consider, make clear and argue, as well as new features of law to present. Mr. Patterson's clients were a syndicate of bond- holders, and they were successful in all of the suits. Another important suit in- volving great effort on his part, was that in which he was employed by the Rich- mond Railway and Electric Railway Company in a suit brought by the Baltimore Trust and Guaranty Company, to oppose a motion to appoint a receiver, in which case he succeeded against a strong array of opposing counsel.
Mr. Patterson was the first to argue a case in the Court of Appeals under the statute of 1892, by which latter an appeal to a jury could be had as to the validity of a will from the ruling of a surrogate, and by further appeal to the Court of Appeals. This case, known as " Edward Il. Hawke Case," being the first of its kind under the
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statute, became a prominent one. In litigation involving matters testamentary he has made an unusually creditable record, and particularly as to the htigation of the "Dennin Will," the " Roxalana Williams Will," the " Green Will " and that of Ger- ald IIull, all of which cases went to the Court of Appeals and in which Mr. Pat- terson's clients succeeded. His business is not confined to the city where he lives, but he has clientage in various parts of the State, and more particularly in the eity of New York, where he is very frequently engaged as counsel. He has been employed in the latter capacity by the United States Life Insurance Company since 1891.
Mr. Patterson has not sought political honors, they have at times sought him. He was the Democratie nominee for Congress from the distriet composed of Wash- ington and Rensselaer counties (a strongly Republican one), against Walter A. Wood in 1878, and was defeated. He was elected to the Assembly of the State of New York in 1880, and re-elected in the fall of 1881, when the Republicans endorsed Brown the labor candidate. Mr. Patterson's majority was 3,315. On his second election he was chosen speaker of the House over Thomas G. Alvord of Syracuse.
Mr. Patterson married Fanny Maria Seymour, daughter of the late Hon. David L. Seymour, his former partner. A son was born to him in 1822, who died in 1893. He has a daughter, Sara Louise Patterson, who is now quite young. Socially, Mr. Pat- terson has just such a position as a well educated man of culture and refinement is entitled to, and upon whom nature has bestowed those qualities which make a good citizen, a generous friend, and an upright man.
DR. THOMAS J. GUY.
DR. THOMAS J. Guy of Troy has been for nearly half a century the best known musician and composer of music in the city, and his fame has extended through the United States.
Dr. Guy is a native of Troy, where he was born February 1, 1833. His musical taste and aptitude were not long in making themselves manifest. As early as 1853 the youthful but already proficient organist evoked cordial approval from a critic so widely known and esteemed as the late Dr. J. G. Holland, the famous litteratur. Dr. Gny had gone to Westfield, Mass., to exhibit the organ constructed at Westlield for the Park Presbyterian church of Troy. Dr. Holland was at that time one of the editors of the Springfield Republican and he visited Westfield to hear the recital. Dr. Holland wrote of the young Trojan performer: " He astonished every one. He is a young man not over twenty, but his execution would have been honorable to the most celebrated players of the country. It exhibited long practice and most de. cided musical genius."
Forty three years ago Dr. Guy began a most remarkable record of continuous service as a church organist, when he became organist of St. Joseph's church in Troy. When the authorities of the church solicited the young musician to take the charge of the church music, he was promised that the edifice would have a new organ worthy of his powers. When the thousands of dollars that were to be expended for
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the new instrument were told to Dr. Guy it seemed to hun, to use his own words, "like Aladdin's dream." Ile accepted the invitation, and under his direction was built a cathedral organ with fifty-four stops and a thirty-two foot pedal pipe, a won- der to all the church organ builders of that day, and still one of the grandest instru- ments in size and tone in America. The organ was completed in 1858 and for two score years Dr. Guy has been the sole master of its keys; it has sounded the noblest harmonies of the greatest composers, and on festival occasions, such as Christmas or Easter days, the music loving from all parts of the city have thronged to hear the music at St. Joseph's. Dr. Guy conduets St. Joseph's church choir as well as being the organist. The choir has ninety voices and is celebrated for its well-trained effi- cieney. The choir is aided by a chime of twenty-five bells sounded by an expert carilloneur. Here for these many years the consecrated walls have resounded with the sweetest and most majestic harmonies to which the souls of devont composers have been stirred.
So far as his service at St. Joseph's church permitted, the other churches have sought the benefits of Dr. Guy's commanding capacity as an organist. For more than twenty-five years he was organist at the five o'clock service at St. Paul's Epis- copal church of Troy. For two years Dr. Guy was organist at St. John's church, when Rev. Henry C. Potter, now bishop of the Protestant Episcopal diocese of New York, was rector of the church. Dr. Guy was also organist of Christ church in 1869, when the present organ of the church was built under his supervision. Dr. Guy's services at organ recitals, opening exhibitions of organs and at any occasion where the highest class of music is desired have been in demand not only throughout this State but in all parts of the Union.
Dr. Guy's ability to lead large bodies of singers early secured for him the director- ship of what was for years Troy's principal choral organization, the Oratorio So- ciety. Under Dr. Guy's baton were produced with conspicuous success such massive works as Handel's " Judas Maccabaeus," " Samson" and " Joshua," and Rossini's "Stabat Mater." The production of " Joshua" was the first in America.
Dr. Guy's power as a pianist is, so far as the possibilities of that instrument will permit, equal to his proficiency as an organist. He has a noble baritone voice, and during his entire connection with St. Joseph's church has been sole baritone of the choir. His life has been busy with attention to his numerous pupils in vocal and in- strumental music, and not a few who have themselves attained distinction in the "art divine" trace their success to the thorough tuition of Dr. Guy.
The greatest success of Dr. Guy has been attamed in the highest field of musical accomplishment, which is not that where executive ability or teaching force will suf- fice, for the composer is greater than any of his interpreters.
Dr. Guy's compositions for the organ and piano are the spontaneous outpourings of genius, and are not the labored imitations on which some writers rest their title to fame. His latest work to leave the publisher's hands is a Grand Mass for solo quartette and chorus, with organ accompaniment, published in 1895. Other com- positions include a Magnificat, an organ transcription of the "Vesper Hymn," an organ transcription of Liszt's " Rakocsy March," and for the piano, " The March of the Conquerors," " Impromptu in A Minor," " Eclectic Waltz," " Etude Waltz" and "Caprice Rustique." Dr. Guy set to musie for an Odd Fellows' celebration in Troy in 1854 Thomas Campbell's poem " Friendship, Love and Truth," This quartette is
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still frequently sung on the festal occasions of the fraternity to which it is dedicated. In 1867 Dr. Guy dedieated the " Zeta Psi Polka" to the chapter in Troy, and the composition won immediate popularity.
St. John's College, Fordham, bestowed upon Dr. Guy in June, 1870, the deserved degree of Doctor of Music.
Dr. Guy is held in high esteem as a citizen. llis acquaintance with the best principles and methods of instruction was recogmzed when in 1860 he was elected a member of Troy's School Board, a position which he held for six years. Ten years ago he was re elected and he has held the office continuously since, having for most of the time been president of the board.
Dr. Guy's impressive presence and courteous address make him a noteworthy figure everywhere, and his faithful adherence to the best standards of musical ex- pression places him high in the ranks of those who have made art a minister of divine things.
LEWIS E. GRIFFITH.
IlON. LEWIS E. GRIFFITH is the youngest ehild of Theophilus and Ellen (Delehanty) Griffith, born in Troy, September 12, 1847. His father was for many years a dry goods merchant and was assisted therein by the mother, a woman of genius and un- tiring energy. Lewis received his early education under the tutelage of the Rev. J. Ireland Tucker, D. D., at the School of the Holy Cross, and subsequently at the Jonesville (Saratoga county) Academy, and was prepared for college by William 11. Seram of the Sand Lake Institute.
In October, 1864, having passed his seventeenth birthday and succeeded in his preliminary examinations for admission to college, he determined to take part in the great struggle for the national existenee of his country. His age precluded his en- listment without the consent of his parents, and this was withheld from him for some time. After repeated efforts Lewis received from Gov. Horatio Seymour a condi- tional commission to recruit soldiers for the army, and after nearly three months of hard labor, he succeeded in having one hundred men placed to his eredit. Again he was required to present the parental consent before he could be mustered into the service, and it was only after long and earnest entreaties that they consented that their youngest child and only son might be a soldier. The opposition of his parents greatly delayed.him, but Gov. Reuben E. Fenton commissioned him a second lieu- tenant of Co. G, 199d Regt. N. Y. Volunteers, and he succeeded in reaching the field and was in command of Co. Il, of his regiment, facing his country's enemy be- fore Lee surrendered. Afterwards he served as aid-de-camp on the staff of Major- Gen. Thomas W. Egan and was subsequently detailed for duty at the headquarters of Major-Gen. Thomas W. Emory at Wheeling, W. Va., to assist in the muster out and discharge of soldiers.
After his discharge from the army he continued his studies for several months un- der Dr. Joseph D. Lomax, after which he became a student in the law offices of Kellogg & Merritt, where he continued his law studies until November, 1868, when
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he was admitted to practice as an attorney. In 1870 he became the law partner of Henry A. Merritt and continued as such until 1874.
Mr. Griffith has always been a Democrat in politics and has served in several im- portant offices. Was city clerk from 1871 to 1873; police magistrate from 1876 to 1882; assistant district attorney from 1882 to 1885; district attorney from 1888 to 1890, and county judge from 1890 to 1897. He has been quite prominent in social and fraternal societies. He is a member of the Troy Club and has been a member of Trojan II. & L. Co., No. 3, since September 6, 1866; of Jerusalem Lodge No. 355, F. A. M., of Lansingburgh, since 1870; of Post G. L. Willard No. 34, Dept. N. Y., G. A. R., since 1870, and has served as commander thereof over ten years. He has been the recipient of many honors in the G. A. R. - served as judge advocate of the Dept. of New York, inspector-general on the staff of Gen. R. A. Alger, commander- in-chief, and was elected as delegate to six national encampments; was one of the organizers of the Troy Lodge B. P. O. Elks No. 141, and has served as chairman of the committee on laws and appeals and as a grand trustee in the Grand Lodge. Ile has been an active member and a moving spirit in the New York State Firemen's Association and was one of the projectors of the Firemen's Home at IIndson, N. Y., and was one of the governors thereof for several years.
Mr. Griffith is peculiarly a trial lawyer, and his greatest forensic efforts have been in jury trials. His manner is both earnest and effective. Ile was married to Georgiana Spotten of Lansingburgh, December 20, 1871. The issue of the marriage has been two children, son and daughter.
CHARLES E. HARTWELL.
CHARLES E. HARTWELL. was born August 16, 1850, at Pittstown, N. Y. Ilis father, Rev. Foster Hartwell, was a Baptist clergyman, who was born in February, 1806, at Conway, Mass., and married Augusta M. Wheelock of that place. Both the Hart- wells and the Wheelocks were old New England families and the former were de- seended from Wilham Hartwell, who came from England to Massachusetts Bay colony in 1036 and was one of the original settlers of Concord, Mass. When Charles E. Hartwell was five years of age his parents removed to Westerlo, Albany county, where they resided for about four years. They then took up their residence in New Baltimore, Greene county. During the Civil war, Rev. Foster Hartwell served as chaplain of the 120th New York Volunteers for a period of about a year and a half, being compelled to retire from the service on account of ill health. His son, Dwight W. Hartwell, was also a Union soldier and was killed at Ilateher's Run, near Peters- burg, Va. 'Rev. Foster Hartwell died in 1869, in which year Charles E. Hartwell removed to Troy. He had attended the common schools in New Baltimore and con- tinued his education for a time in the night schools of Troy. In 1875 he became superintendent in the collar factory of Miller & Bingham, and acted in that capacity for a number of years. In 1880 he acquired an interest in the concern and in 1884 became a partner, the firm name being changed to Miller, Hall & Hartwell. The firm has continued unchanged since that time and is one of the largest shirt and col-
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lar manufacturing concerns in the world. Mr. Hartwell is a resident of Lansing- burgh and is a charter member and director of the Riverside Club of that place. He is a Republican in politics and in 1896 was elected a trustee of schools. In 1876 Mr. Hartwell married Miss Florine A. Aldridge, of Newburgh, N. Y., a daughter of Alfred and Harmet (Chadwick) Aldridge, of Bristol, R. I. To them have been born six children: Hattie E., Foster, Harold G., Walter T., Justus M., and Alfred; the eldest child is deceased.
JACOB F. STOLL.
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