Landmarks of Rensselaer county, New York, pt 2 - 3, Part 64

Author: Anderson, George Baker
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Landmarks of Rensselaer county, New York, pt 2 - 3 > Part 64

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Clark, Charles D., was born in Lisbon, N. II , June 12, 1834, and came to Troy with his parents in 1839. He was educated in the public schools and the Wesleyan Seminary at Gouverneur, N. Y. He learned the painting trade and is now a con . tractor, doing all kinds of painting and interior decorations. April 15, 1861, he en- listed in Co. C, 12th New York State Militia, and on the 19th they were accepted as New York State Volunteers. Mr. Clark was the seventh man that crossed the Long Bridge into Virginia. He was wounded in a skirmish near Alexandria. He was honorably discharged September 6, 1861. He has married twice, first on November 21, 1861, to Mary Visscher of Clifton Park, Saratoga county, and had five children : David B., Hattie M., Naming V., George A., and Lewella A. Mrs. Clark died May 5, 1873, and he was again married to Annette Deyoe of Saratoga Springs; they have one son, Walter D., who is shipping clerk in the United Shirt and Collar Factory of Lansingburgh. He is a member of King Solomon Lodge No. 91, F. & A. M., past high priest of Apollo Chapter No. 48, R. A. M., member of Bloss Council No. 14 R. & S. M., and of Tibbits Post No. 141, G. A. R., department of New York. The ancestry of the family is of New England stock. They were represented by their great-grandfather, Charles Clark, in the Revolutionary war, and by the maternal grandfather, Sylvanus Currier, in the war of 1812.

Bulkley, Walter, was born in Fairfield, Conn., in 1828. His parents were Edwin Bulkley, who was born at the old Fairfield homestead, and Mary Williams, born at Colbrook, Conn. In early life Mr. Bulkley was a farmer. In 1850 he came to Lans- ingburgh with David Judson, coal dealer, and was in his employ as teamster for two years. He was then taken into the office as bookkeeper and made himself generally useful in the various changes in the retail and wholesale trade, both bere and in Troy. It is now an incorporated company, and Mr. Bulkley has been at the head of the bookkeeping department for many years. He has married twice, On October 2, 1851, he married Eliza J. Schuyler of this place; five children were the result of this union. Charles, Louis, Walter, jr., Susan and Kate. Charles married Frances Randall of New York, and has three children: Arthur E., Mary A., and Helen L. 'Louis married Sara V. Talbot, of Lansingburgh, and has three daughters, Louis R.,

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Edith E., and Marion U. Susan married Joseph B. Gale of Baltimore, and has two sons, Charles B. and Howard N. Mr. Gale died in November, 1893. Mrs. Eliza J. Bulkley died June 20, 1871, and for his second wife, on April 10, 1872, he married Susan Butler of Albany, and has two daughters, Bertha V. and Mabel L. Mr. Bulkley has been the leader of the Olivet Presbyterian church choir since 1860.

Davitt, Albert W., was born in Poestenkill in 1848, and is the son of George W. Davitt, who was also a native of Poestenkill, born 1817, one of three sons and three daughters born to George Davitt, a native of the North of Ireland who came to America when a young man, settled in the town of Poestenkill (then Sand Lake) and here spent his remaining days as a farmer. George W., the father of Albert W., began in life a poor man but became a successful farmer and lumberman, own- ing a large amount of farm and timber land and doing a large business. He later in addition to this engaged in the meat business. He was elected supervisor of his town in 1860-61 and 63-64, also filled the office of commissioner of highways and other town offices. His wife was Catherine Stowel; their children are Albert W .. Alfred 11. of Troy, Mrs. Emma J. Snyder, Adelbert E. (deceased), Mrs. Etta F. Herrington, Mrs. Anna E. Ives, Egbert E., who is a merchant in Troy. George W. died September 10, 1888. Mr. A. W. Davitt received his education in the common schools, Fort Edward Institute and Mechanicville Academy. He remained with his father assisting him in his business, and during his father's decline and ten years before his death took full control of their extensive business. Since then he has conducted the business for a number of years, dealing extensively in wood and round timber, and still follows the wholesale meat business, buying and slaughtering his own cattle for a number of years. Ile has supplied by contract meat for the county poor-house. In April, 1895, he interested himself in the manufacture of knit goods with a factory located in Cohoes, N. Y., the firm name being Akin & Davitt. In polities he is an active and influential Democrat and has served his town on the Board of Supervisors for four years. In May, 1874, he married Ida Akin, a native. of West Sand Lake and daughter of John and Almira Akin. Their children are John W. and Harry A. Mrs. Davitt is a member of the Emma Willard Association of Troy:

Herrington, Hammon, was born in the town of Berlin, April 4, 1841. He is a son of George Herrington who was also a native of Berlin, where he followed the voca- tion of farming. In 1849 he removed to the town of Poestenkill where he kept a hotel for many years. He also conducted a large farm and lumber business, owning and managing his own saw mill. Ilis wife was Rebecca Green, a daughter of Jon- athan Green of Berlin. They had seven sons and four daughters; those who grew to maturity are Robert, Nicholas, George F., Henry T., Hemon E. of New York, and Hammon; the two latter are the only surviving members of the family. Mr. Iler- rington's early life was devoted to limbering with his father and when eighteen years of age he began to care for himself. When he was twenty-one he engaged in the lumbering business on his own account in which he has been very successful; he has been interested in it and has done a large and extensive business in this line. He now owns a large tract of timber and farm land in the towns of Berlin, Grafton, and Poestenkill. Since 1880 in connection with his other business affairs he has carried on the wholesale butehering and meat business, and is now also interested in the

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draught horse business in Troy. In 1893 he moved to the town of Brunswick near Troy, Ile served the town of Poestenkill as commissioner of highways and was elected and served in the board of supervisors five years. In 1892 he was elected sheriff of Rensselaer county. Hle is a member of the Masonic fraternity, King Solomon Lodge No. 91 of Troy, and the Order of Elks of Troy. In 1861 he married Miss Sarah Myers of Poestenkill and daughter of David Myers. Their children are Porter, Cora, Fred, Hammon, jr., Harry E., Marcia, and Phoena.

Bolton, Crumbey, son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Dugdale) Bolton, was born in Clitherow, Lancashire, England, May 11, 1843, came to America with his parents in 1849 and settled in Lansingburgh, Rensselaer county, where he received a con- mon school education. Ile had just begun to learn the carriage trade, when, on September 7, 1863, he enlisted in Co. 1, 21st N. Y. Cavalry, soon becoming first sergeant, and served until 1866. He then secured employment in the John Ames brush factory for three years, and later sold crackers for Richard M. De Freest for twenty years. In 1886 he formed a partnership with George E. Skillman for the manufacture of crackers in Lansingburgh, and they are now doing a prosperous business. Mr. Bolton is a member of Jerusalem Lodge No. 355, F. & A. M., of Lansingburgh and Bolton Post No. 471, G. A. R., of which he is commander. April 25, 1867, he married Mattie A., daughter of Lyman Fenn of Lansingburgh and they have four children: Edwin A., Milton, Richard and Crumbey, jr.

Stiles, Robert B., son of John M. and Julia A. (Gowdy) Stiles, and grandson of Hon. Eli Gowdy, for many years a member of the Connecticut Legislature, was born at Melrose, Conn., August 8, 1848. He was educated at Williston Seminary, East- hampton, Mass., and at Union College, Schenectady, graduating in 1870. In 1843 he received the degree of A. M. from Union College. He was graduated from the Albany Law School and was admitted to the bar at Albany in May, 1871. In Sep- tember, 1871, at Hartford, he was admitted to practice in the courts of Connecticut ; the same year he moved to Troy and was for some time with the law firm of Banker, Rising & Boice. In 1822 he moved to Lansingburgh, where he has since practiced law. He served as village attorney from 1883 to 1885 inclusive. In March, 1879, he was elected justice of the peace and held that office continuously ever since, with the exception of one year. He was elected a member of the Board of Education upon its organization in September 1884, re elected in 1887 and in 1890, completing his third term August 2, 1893. Mr. Stiles is a member of Phoenix Lodge No. 58 F. & A. M., Phoenix Chapter No. 133, R. A. M., Bloss Council No. 14, R. & S. M., and Apollo Commandery No. 15, K. T. He is a member of all the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite bodies of Masonry, including Albany Sovereign Consistory at Albany and received the thirty-third and last degree at Buffalo, September 17, 1895. Ile has served two years as master of Phoenix Lodge, two years as master of Bloss Council, and two years as eminent commander of Apollo Commandery. Mr. Stiles is also a member of the Riverside and Sans Souci Clubs of Lansingburgh and the Acacia Club of Albany. December 4, 1877, he married Ida E., daughter of William Law- rence, for many years a resident of Troy, and they have two children: Frank Law- renee and Charles Gowdy.

Denni, J. Thomas, was born in Lansingburgh in 1859. He is a son of Owen and nım

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Bridget Dennin. Owen Dennin was the founder of the present brush business of Owen Dennin & Sons, in 1875. This business was started in Lansingburgh by Mr. Dennin at the time when the brush business of this place had begun to go to other parts of the country, but this firm continued to grow until to-day it is at the head of brush manufacturing of Lansingburgh, and their factory is the largest of the place. This business was built by sheer energy, hard work and close attention to business, and the requirements of the market at the time when the brush business required the most intelligent management to make it successful. This firm manufactures everything in the line of brushes that the market calls for. J. Thomas Dennin is a prominent man in the politics of the village, having served as trustee, and also as president of the village, in addition to attending to the requirements of his large business. The estimation in which Mr. Dennin is held in Lansingburgh can be best shown by the fact that although the village gives ordinarily a large Republican ma- jority, he was elected on the Democratic ticket. He was the only Democratie presi- dent of the village that had been elected in twenty-eight years.

Eddy, Mary J .- The late Walton M. Eddy was born in Weathersfield, Windsor county, Vt., October 13, 1818, and came to this State with his parents when seven years old. Ile was educated in the public schools and the Waterford Academy. He was a lampblack manufacturer. He was married twice, first to Mary C. Ryn- ders, of Waterford, N. Y., September 9, 1841, by whom he had one son James I. ; second, to Miss Mary J. Pendleton, of Lansingburgh, on October 15, 1846, by whom he had four children: George W., Henry P. (who died in infancy), Mary E. and Nellie G. James 1. was married twice, first to Caroline A, MeKelsey, of Lansing- burgh, N. Y., June 21, 1867; second, to Mary M. Holmes, of Maryville, Mo., May 18, 1882. George W. married Chauncey Farnham's daughter, Helen A., by whom he had four children: Florence A., Chauncey W., Marion 11., and larry W. Nellie G. married J. Edgar Sipperly of Lansingburgh; they had one daughter, Helen. Mr. Eddy died January 20, 1896. The first known of the Eddys was one Rev. William Eddy, Vicar of Dunstan church, Cranbrook, Kent county, England. Samuel and John landed at Plymouth, Mass., in 1630. Mrs. Eddy's father, Charles Pendleton, married Mary J. White, by whom he had four children: Elizabeth, Mary J., Henry, and Catherine 1. He died in 1837, and his wife m INNS.

Farnham, Chauncey Wadsworth, was born in Troy, July 28, 1818. He was the son of the late Dr. Ebenezer Farnham, of Jackson, Mich., and a grandson of the Hon. Joseph Wadsworth of Pittstown, N. Y. Mr. Farnham was married May 22, 1844, to Nancy MeMurray, daughter of the late Wilham MeMurray, of Lansingburgh, N. Y. Two children were born: Horace W., deceased, and Helen A., wife of George Walton Eddy, Mr. Farnham filled various public trusts, among which was that of under sheriff of Rensselaer county for two terms, with Gerothman W. Cornell as sheriff, and that of assistant postmaster at Lansingburgh. His earlier years were spent in professional and mercantile pursuits. He died December 15, 18G8.

Sehermerhorn, Frank, was born at Schodack Landing, and was educated in the public schools and Greenwich Academy, and learned the profession of dentistry with Dr. Crosby of Greenwich. In 1861 he in company with his brother began the prac- tice in Cohoes, under the firm name of Schermerhorn Bros; His father, Barent, was

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born at Schodack landing, January 28, 1801, and was a farmer by occupation. Jan- nary 8, 1827, he married Catherine Witbeek, by whom six children were born: Eliz- abeth, Antoinette, Charles, Louis, Frank, and Van Dyke. lle died March 12, 1872. His wife was born in 1810 and survives at this date, 1896. The grandfather of Mr. Schermerhorn, Cornelius 1., was born August 15, 1764, and married Elizabeth Mun- don. He was the son of Jacob C., who was born May 25, 1743, and he was the son of Cornelius 1., who was born in 1719, who was the son of Jacob I., who was born in 1685, and he was a son of Jacob Jacobse, who was born in 1662, in Albany, and all the others were born in Schodack Landing. Jacob Jacobse was a son of Jacob Janse, who was born in Waterland, Holland, in 1620. The doctor is a member of the Third District Dental State Society, and was its president for one term, and is also a mem- ber of Athenian Lodge No. 96, 1. O. O. F., of Troy. Jacob C. was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and their father, Barent, was a colonel in the State militia. The ancestry of the family is Dutch on both sides.

Greene, Mrs. Margaret A. - Nathan Henry Noyes, Mrs. Greene's father, was one of Lansingburgh's most prominent residents for more than half a century. He was born in Greenbush, N. Y., June 16, 1815, but in 1825 he removed with his parents to this village, where the family has since resided .. He was educated in the public schools and Lansingburgh Academy. In early life he was a carpenter, and afterwards was engaged in river navigation. He owned a line of boats on the Hudson River, with which he carried on a general freight transportation and towing business between Troy and New York. He was sole owner and commander of the steamer G. C Davidson, which was sold to the government during the late war. In the later years of his life he was associated with Ins brother, Stephen Van Rensselaer Noyes, in the coal business, in which he continued until a year prior to his death. May 20, 1835 he married Margaret Loueke, of Rome, N. Y. She was of old Dutch stock, and granddaughter of one of the pioneers of the Mohawk valley. They had nine chil- dren: Mary E., Frances A., Charles II., Margaret A., Lucinda V. S., Harriet I., Katherine M., Bernice C., and Grace E. Mr. Noyes died September 7, 1889. Mrs. Greene's late husband, Zina Eggleston Greene, was born in Troy, September 8, 1811. He was educated in private schools and graduated at a French College at Three Rivers, Canada. He was an expert accountant. December 9, 1869, he married Margaret A. Noyes, they had two sons, Zina Paul and Harry Noyes, both gradu- ates of Lansingburgh Academy, while the latter is a graduate of Williams College and also of Albany Law School. The elder is a bookkeeper in the People's Bank of Lansingburgh, and the younger is an attorney in Troy, also a police justice in the village of Lansingburgh. Mr. Greene was a member of the Masonic order. lle died September 2, 1879. The Noyes family is of English and Dutch descent. Their ancestral residence is Newburyport, Mass. The house was built in 1632 with bricks imported from Holland, and has never been occupied by other than a Noyes.

Schermerhorn, Van Dyke, was born in the town of Greenwich, Washington county, N. Y., and was educated in the public schools and Greenwich Academy. lle studied dentistry with Dr. Crosby, and is now in company with his brother Frank under the firm name of Schermerhorn Bros., in Cohoes, N. Y. May 31, 1864, he married Adeline L. Potter of Troy, N. Y., by whom he had four children: Cath- erine E., Antoinette B., Louis Y. and Frank L., who died at five years of age.

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Catherine E. married Irving C. Dater of Troy, and they have three children: Clin- ton, Ruth and Margaret. Antoinette B. married Dr. Robert HI. MeNair of New Orleans, now a practicing physician in New Haven, Conn., and they have two chil- dren: Dorothy and Robert S. Mrs. Schermerhorn's father, John T. Potter, was born in the town of Pittstown in 1800. He was educated in private schools of that day, and came to Troy when a young man. He married Eliza J Stedwell of Glens Falls, N. Y., by whom he had six children: Harriet N., who died March 30, 1891; William H., Edward P., George L., Adaline L. as above, and Sarah E. Mr. Potter died in 1862 and his widow April 21, 1892. Mr. Schermerhorn is a member of Atlienian Lodge No. 96, 1. O. O. F.

Kennedy, John J., was born in Troy, N. Y., June 13, 1863. Ile attended the Albany Law School, from which he graduated in 1886, and was admitted to the bar the same year. Mr. Kennedy was elected city justice in 1889, which position he held for six consecutive years.

Finder, Anthony P., was born in Troy, September 21, 1865, and is a son of Will- iam and Martha E. (Bachmann) Finder, who came to this country from Germany in 1852 and settled in Troy. He received his carly education in the public schools and was graduated from the Troy High School in 1885, and was the first in Troy to receive from the regents a preliminary academie diploma giving him entrance to any college in New York State. lle then took a special course in mathematics and chemistry in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and began the study of architec- ture at Cornell University, but two years later he was obliged to abandon his course because of poor eyesight. In 1887 he entered the law office of Smith & Wellington. In the fall of 1859 he entered the Albany Law School, from which he was graduated in June, 1890, and was admitted to the bar at the same time. He was appointed by Robert P. Porter, superintendent of the eleventh census, chief special agent for Rensselaer county, to gather statistics of manufactures. After completing the work in Rensselaer county, he was placed in charge of the same work in Albany county. During this time he was also managing clerk in the office of Smith & Wellington. In 1891 he formed a co-partnership with James Farrell and commenced the practice of law, under the firm name of Farrell & Finder. He was nominated by the Republican party for justice of the Justice's Court of Troy in 1892, and in 1895, but each time was defeated. He is a very active Republican, and is attorney and representative for the American Surety Company of New York at Troy, and is a member of the East Side Club. In January, 1895, he married Mary L. Mearns, who was a resident of Troy and who had taught in the public schools for several years.

De Groot, Benjamin E., was born in Albany, N. Y., June 1, 1857. He has lived in Troy since 1860. He is a descendant of the famous family "Grotier" of Holland. He received a common school education in the public schools of Troy, N. Y., and academy at Albany, N. Y., and graduated in 1872. He continued his studies with Smith, Wellington & Black, and was admitted to the bar in 1879. He was asso. ciated with the firm of Merritt and Ryan until 1893, when he formed a copartnership with George H. Morrison, under the firm name of Morrison & De Groot. November 15, 1882, he married Miss Ernestene Blume, daughter of Rabbi Blume, who had charge of the Third street Synagogue for (19) nineteen years.

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MacArthur, Col. Charles La Fayette, was born at Claremont, N. 11., January ?, 1824. After a partial education in the district and select schools he was graduated from the Black River Institute at Watertown, N. Y. He was editor and proprietor of the Carthaginian at Carthage, N. Y., and then went west and became a local reporter for the Detroit Free Press, and from there he went to Milwaukee, Wis., about 1843, and joined a government party as secretary of the expedition to make a treaty with the Sioux Indians, on the upper region of the Platte River. He was the first editor of the Milwaukee Sentinel, which was the first daily paper published in Wisconsin. He remained in Milwaukee until 1846, when he moved to New York city and became the city editor of the New York Sun. In September, 1847, he joined John M. Francis in the purchase of the " Troy Daily Budget." In 1851 he went to Europe and in 1856 he visited Cuba, under a sceret government commission, to look into certain matters connected with the island consulates. He continued with the " Budget" until January 1, 1859, and on October 18, 1859, established the " Troy Daily Arena," but sold out in the spring of 1861 to go to the war as quartermaster of the 2d N. Y. Vols He was in the battle of Great Bethel and went with his regi- ment, after the capture of Norfolk, to Portsmouth and participated in its experiences until appointed by President Lincoln as captain and assistant quartermaster in the regular army. He served as brigade and division quartermaster, and was at the battle of Frederickburg, through all the battles from Fair Oaks and MeClellan's seven days' fights, in the change of base to the James River. On leaving the army be re- ceived two brevet promotions from Governor Fenton for faithful service in the late war. In the fall of 1864 he established the " Troy News," the first Sunday newspaper outside of New York city. Ile sold the " News" in 1866, having become one of the proprietors and editors of the " Troy Daily Whig." March 24, 1867, he re-established the " Troy Northern Budget," as a Sunday journal. In the publication of the " Budget" he has associated with him his son, under the firm name of C. L. MacArthur & Son. Mr. MacArthur has been an active and influential politician. He was a Free Soiler in 1848 and a Democrat up to the time of Lincoln, He was for several years a member of the Democratic State Central Committee, and a delegate to the na- tional convention of 1856 and a frequent delegate to the State conventions. He was alderman of the Second ward in 1852 and in 1553, and twice for a number of years collector of the port of Troy. Since Lincoln's first election he has been a Republican. He was a member of the State Senate in 1881 and 1883, rep- Presenting the 19th district, and declined arenomination. Col. MacArthur has been a prominent officer in the organization and doings of the G. A. R., and was president of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument Association. In the later years of his life he has devoted much of his time to travel in foreign countries, and to the publication of his journeyings, which have been widely read, and have given him a high reputation as a traveler and writer. In 1896 he was appointed one of the park commissioners of Troy by Mayor Molloy, and was also one of the founders of the Citizens' Steam- boat Line, of which he is director and one of the large stockholders.

Archambeault, Louis J., M. D., was born in North Adams, Mass., in 1846. Ile is the son of Joseph J. and Genevieve (Shorke) Archambault. His father died in 1847 and mother in 1892. lle was graduated from the Albany Medical College in 1881 and opened practice in Troy, where he has since been located. He graduated

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from the New York Polyelinie in 1888. He married Margaret Smith of Massachu- setts, by whom he has four daughters and one son, who is now a practicing physician.

Bridgeman, John F .. was born in Troy, N. Y., November 11, 1849. His father, Peter Bridgeman, was born in Ireland and eame to this country in 1847. He was in the freight department of the D. & H. C. Co. for forty years, and died in 1889. His mother, Mary ( Fitzgerald) Bridgeman, was also born in Ireland. She was married to Mr. Bridgeman in Troy and died in October, 1877. John F. received his education at the Brother's Academy and public schools. He left school when thirteen years of age. In 1865 he entered the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad office at Green Ist- and and in 1866 entered the employ of Silliman, Mathews & Co., where he remained until 1871. In 1872 he went with Graves, Page & Co., where he stayed until 1878, when he formed a copartnership with Robert M. Taylor under the firm name of Taylor & Bridgeman in the coffee and spice business. Ile sold out one year later and entered the employ of Burkhalter, Masten & Co., of New York city, where he remained until he became chamberlain of the city of Troy, December 5, 1885, under appointment made by ex-Mayor Fitzgerald, and he was twice reappointed by Mayor Whelan. Ile is a member of the Robert Emmet Association and has been its presi- dent and treasurer. His present wife is Nora L. (O'Hearn) Bridgeman, to whom he was married in 1896. He has one son, Peter T. Bridgeman, by a former marriage.

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Landmarks of Rensselaer county, New York, pt 2 - 3, Part 64

Author: Anderson, George Baker Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Anderson, George Baker
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 1424