USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Landmarks of Rensselaer county, New York, pt 2 - 3 > Part 7
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Fred A. Plum was educated in the publie schools of Troy and the Troy Academy and was graduated from Essex Seminary, Essex, Conn., in 1859. He then entered the employ of his unele, Oliver A. Arnold, in the coal trade as bookkeeper. Ile later engaged in the retail rubber business at 190 River street, Troy, in which he contin- ued until 1864. He is the only man who ever issued money made of india rubber; during the war of the Rebellion he issued 65,000 one cent pieces, none of which was ever offered for redemption, the presumption being that they were retained by holders as historie relies. He later accepted a position with the New Jersey Car Spring and Rubber Co. of Jersey City, and has been in charge of the sales of that company in New York and Pennsylvania for twenty-four years at the time this sketch was written.
Mr. Plum is past master of Mt. Zion Lodge, F. & A. M., and is a member of Apollo Chapter, Bloss Council, Apollo Commandery, the Scottish Rite bodies, the Mystie Shrine, and the Sons of the Revolution. He sang in the First Presbyterian church for thirteen years.
May 10, 1864, he married Mary S., daughter of Samuel S. and Julia (Gregory) Fowler, of Albany, and his children are Leonora B., and David B.
MICHAEL KEENAN, M. D.
DR. MICHAEL KEENAN was born in Saranac, N. Y., July 31, 1860, His father, Michael Keenan, was born in Vermont, July 13, 1830. Later he removed to Danne- mora, N. Y., where he still resides.
Dr. Keenan attended the public schools, graduated from the Plattsburg High School in 1880, and in 1885 entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor where he remained one year; he came to Albany and entered the Albany Medical College from which he was graduated March 16, 1888. He was house physician and surgeon for St. Peter's Hospital until October 1, 1888. Ile then came to Troy and opened an office on Sixth avenne, where he remained four years, and then came to his pres- ent location, 2275 Fifth avenue.
Hle is attending physician at the House of the Good Shepherd, and one of the at- tending physicians at the Troy Hospital. lle is a member of Rensselaer County Medical Society and the Medical Association of Troy and Viemity ; also a member of the Robert Emmet Association, the B. P. O. E., and the Knights of Columbia; he is a member of St. Peter's church.
Hle married Miss Margaret Riley, of Troy, February 4, 1891.
GEORGE F. NICHOLS.
GEORGE F. NICHOLS was born in Lansingburgh, N. Y., December 28, 1847. His grandfather on the maternal side, Thomas Ashbee, came to this country in 1837, settling on a farm in Easton, Washington county, N. Y. ; later he removed to Lan- singburgh, where he chied in 1880, aged eighty years. Thomas Ashbee was born at
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MICHAEL KEENAN, M. D.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
his ancestral home known as Beltange House, one of the finest residences and landed properties in the county of Kent, England; he served in the British army during the French war in the time of Napoleon, and was one of the escort of the Duke of Wellington, Czar of Russia and General Blucher on their return to England after the battle of Waterloo.
George Nichols, the father of the subject, was born in Lincolnshire, England, and became a resident of the United States when a young man, locating in Lansing- burgh, where he was the proprietor of a general store; his death occurred in 1861. llis wife, the mother of George F., Louisa (Ashibee) Nichols, was born in Beltange llonse, county Kent, England. After the death of Mr. Nichols, she married the late Arthur B. Elliott, a man well known in the political and newspaper world. She is still living and retains her health and youthful looks, and is one of the best known residents of Lansingburgh. She is a successful florist and her windows filled with rare plants are the admiration of all lovers of flowers.
George F., the subject of this sketch, was educated in the Lansingburgh Academy, and after graduating went into the office of G. Parish, Ogden & Co., brokers of Troy ; was with them eleven years, when he formed a partnership in insurance, real estate and banking, the firm being S. K. Stow, Son & Nichols; afterwards he formed a partnership to carry on the same style of business with General Alonzo Alden under the firm name of Alden & Nichols until 1887, when it became Alden, Nichols & Bradley, General Alden retiring from the business a few years later, the firm became and now is Nichols & Bradley. He has been snecessful in business and is a large owner of real estate in Troy, Lansingburgh and vicinity. He is called frequently by the banks and others to fix the value of real estate.
Hle married Emma Bucklin Newcomb, a daughter of Dr. David Newcomb, who was one of the original regents of Albany, N. Y. They have two daughters, Rhoda L. and Addley E. Mr. Nichols and family reside in Lansingburgh, and are mem- bers of Trinity Episcopal church, of which he has been vestryman several years, Ile is a member of the Riverside and Sans-Souci Clubs of Lansingburgh. Politically he . is a Republican.
JONATHAN DENISON.
JONATHAN DENISON, a prominent citizen of Berlin, Rensselaer county, N. Y., was born in that town in December, 1809, in the house erected in 1781 on the homestead by his grandfather,
The first of his ancestors to arrive in America was William who was born in England in 1586. IJe settled in Roxbury, Mass., in 1631, having with him his wife Margaret and his three sons, Daniel, Edward and George, The next in the ancestral line was George, who was born in England in 1618. His son was John, who was born in Rox- bury, Mass., in 1646; he was known as Captain John, and removed to Stonington, Conn., where he held prominent positions and in many ways was a man of mark ; he died in 1698. His son George was born in Stonington in 1671; he was graduated from Harvard College and settled in New London, Conn., where he practiced law; he was town clerk, county clerk and elerk of probate, and died in 1720. His son
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Daniel was born in New London in 1903, was married in 1726 to Rachel Starr and died in 1760. Daniel, jr., his son, was born in New London in 1780 and was mar- ried in 1756 to Catherine Avery; he settled in Berlin, N. Y., in June, 1721, when it was all wilderness, and became a prominent and influential figure among the carly settlers. He was one of three commissioners appointed to survey the land squatted by numerous settlers in what is now Stephentown and Berlin and to make proper divisions thereof; he accumulated a good property, owning 300 acres of land. His brother James was also a prominent man in Berlin and lost his life in the Revolu- tionary war, Ile died in 1793, and his wife in 1825; of her thirteen children ten were living at the time of her death, of her 101 grandchildren eighty were living, and of her 128 great-grandchildren 122 were living.
Major Jonathan Denison, the father of Jonathan, the subject of this sketch, was born in New London, Conn., in May, 1761. He was a farmer all his life; he bought the interest of the other heirs in his father's homestead, and to each of his six sons he gave a good farm and to his only daughter an equivalent in money. He was com- missioned major by Gov. Morgan Lewis, April 22, 1805. His wife was Sarah Greene, a native of Rhode Island, born in 1750. He died in 1833 and she in 1831.
Jonathan Denison has spent his life in Berlin, fifty-six years of it on his present farm, which was the birthplace of his wife who was Alzina Allen, born.in April, 1809, daughter of Benjamin Allen, who at that time owned the farm and for many years kept a public house there, the house having been built in 1812; it is still in a good state of preservation. Mr. Denison now owns about 700 acres of land; for many years he has been the owner and manager of a steam saw mill which he has run as an annex to his farm; he still operates it. This mill furnished most of the lumber for the local markets until a railroad was built through the valley of the Litttle Hoosick, when lumber yards were established.
Mr. Denison has served seven years on the Board of Supervisors, being elected to that office in 1845-46 and again in 1878-79-80-81-82. He was elected auditing · superintendent of the poor for Rensselaer county in 1888 to fill a vacancy, and in 1874 was elected for a term of three years. He was appointed town bond commis- sioner from 1867 to 1876, and again in 1890, and is at the present time chairman of that board This commission was appointed for the purpose of bonding the town to assist in building the Lebanon Springs Railroad.
Mr. and Mrs. Denison have reared three children: Mrs. Mary M. Jones of Mich- igan ; Mrs. Eudora E. Hull of Chicago, who died August 16, 1895; and Mrs. Alzina A. Lapham of South Berlin.
EDMUND FITZGERALD.
HON. EDMUND FITZGERALD was born in Ireland in 1847. His parents came to this country when he was abont seven years old and settled in North Adams. He was educated in the public schools and at North Adams Academy, and came to Troy in 1861.
In October, 1866, he began the brewing business with his two brothers, Michael and John, under the name of Fitzgerald Bros. Michael retired from the firm in 1870, and he
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EDMUND FITZGERALD.
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JOHN W. MORRIS, M. D.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
and his brother John continued the business until the death of the latter, which occurred in 1885, when he purchased the interest from the heirs, and is now proprietor of the large brewing establishment on River street, which is one of the most modern and com- plete breweries in the country. The output of ale and lager for 1895 was 90,000 barrels. Since the death of his brother he has greatly enlarged the facilities of the brewery, adding the lager beer and bottling department, which from itsinception has been a com- plete success, as the beer has no superior in quahty in this or any other country. This is one of the leading industries of Troy. He has a good export trade with Cuba and deals largely with New York city and the principal cities of the east. He began business with a small capital and by broad comprehensive plans has made an eminent success, and for business probity no man stands higher.
lle served as alderman from the Seventh ward for six years, and was county treas- urer from 1876 to 1880. In 1882 he was elected mayor of Troy, and re-elected in 1884. Ile was recognized as one of the most energetic and publie spirited mayors of the city. Politically he has always been one of the influential members of the Demo- cratie party in this portion of the State.
Ilis first wife was Anna Smith; she died in May, 1874, leaving two sons: Michael J., who is associated with his father in business; and Thomas F., a student at Har- vard University. His present wife was Annie T. Fceny, of Troy, by whom he has had four daughters and three sons, of whom two sons and two daughters are living.
JOHN W. MORRIS, M. D.
DR. Jons W. MORRis was born in Greenwich, Washington county, N. Y., August 27, 1859. Ilis father, Jolin W. Morris, was born on the Isle of Jersey, an English province, and came to this country and followed his trade of shoemaker until his death, March 24, 1896. Ilis mother, Margaret (Durning) Morris, was born in the North of Ireland, is now sixty-two years of age and lives in Troy.
Dr. Morris received his education in the public schools of Troy, after which he entered the Selleck School of Norwalk, where he remained from 1865 to 1878 inclui- sive. He studied four years in the office of Dr. Reed B. Bontecou, and during this time took a special course of instruction in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. lle entered the Albany Medical College from which he was graduated in 1881, and began practice in Troy, where he since has remained.
Ile is attending physician at the Marshall Infirmary and consulting physician at the llonse of the Good Shepherd; he was city physician in 1894. He is a member of the New York State Medical Society, Rensselaer County Medical Society, the Medi- cal Association of Troy and Vicinity, and Troy Scientific Society; also a member of the Trojan Hook and Ladder Co., and Laureate Boat Club. In polities the doctor is a firm Democrat.
In 1891 he was married to Mary Agnes Thacher, of Troy. Her father was ex- Mayor George II. Thacher, of Albany, and she is the half-sister of John Boyd Thacher, the present mayor of Albany. The doctor and his wife have had two chil- dren: Gabrielle Mary Thacher, who died September 16, 1891, and John Thacher, born July 13, 1895.
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JOHN T. CHRISTIE.
JOHN T. Cnkistik was born in Troy, N. Y., in 1835. He is the son of John and Margaret (Roberts) Christie, who came from Scotland in 1832, and settled in Troy, where Mr. Christie was in the tobacco trade; they later went to New Jersey where he remained until his death which occurred in 1891; his wife, mother of the subject of this biography, died in 1878.
John T. Christie was educated at Troy and at the Troy Conference Academy at Poultney, Vt., after which he entered the flouring business in Bristol, Vt. ; two years later a flood destroyed his mills and he sold and came to Troy, where he was in the office of Peck & Hillman until 1865. He then formed a partnership with Rev. S. Parks and entered the fire insurance business under the firm name of Parks & Christie. Later they secured the agency of the Mutual Life Insurance Co. for the State of New York ; the business was increased from a very small amount to an income from premiums of nearly a million dollars annually. In 1867 the Hon. D. L. Boardman was taken into the concern, and in 1868 Mr. Parks retired, when the firm became Christie & Boardman; this relation continued until 1883 when Mr. Christie sold out to Board- man and purchased an interest in the Ludlow Valve Manufacturing Co.
In 1891 when that company was reorganized he was made president and is still holding that office. Sice the reorganization the business has nearly doubled and is the largest of the kind in the world, manufacturing valves and hydrants only. Their business growth requiring it, they have recently purchased a part of the Troy Steel and Iron Company's Works, containing about five and one-eighth acres. The main building is -[00 by 100 feet and will be occupied as an iron foundry and machine shop and an additional building erected for brass foundry, storehouse, scratch shop and core room, engine and boiler rooms, etc. The capital stock is $200,000, divided into $100,000 preferred and $300,000 common stock. Since the reorganization of the company it has paid fifteen per cent. on common stock and eight per cent. on the preferred.
Mr. Christie is a director in the Central National Bank. When a young man he became a member of the Masonie fraternity at Middlebury, Vt. Politically he has always been a Republican.
In March, 1878, Mr. Christie married Miss Sophia Me Millan ; they have one daugh- ter, the wife of James 1 !. Caldwell, of Troy.
EDWARD L. CRANDALL, M. D.
DR. EDWARD L. CRANDALL was born in Greenbush, Rensselaer county, N. Y , Sep- tember 6, 1857. son of Alonzo and Hannah (Maxon) Crandall; the former a native of Petersburgh, N. Y., and the latter of Berlin, N. Y. The father died in 1889 and the mother in 1893.
Dr. Crandall received his education in the common schools and Lansingburgh Academy. In 1869 he came to Troy and studied medicine with his uncle, Dr. Charles HI. Carpenter, and was graduated from the Albany Medical College in 1881. IIe
JOSEPH D. LOMAX, M. D.
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them assumed charge of the Homoeopathic Pharmacy in Albany where he remained until 1883, when he located in Troy, where he is at present in practice at 1941 Fifth avenue.
He is a member of the New York State Homoeopathic Association and the Rens- selaer County Homoeopathic Association. He is a member of King Solomon's Primitive Lodge No. 91, F. & A. M., Apollo Chapter No. 48, Bloss Council, Apollo Commandery No. 15, and Oriental Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; he also is a member of the Pafraets Dael and Laureate Boat Clubs, and the Riverside Club of Lansingburgh. He is a member of the Fifth Avenue Baptist church
In 1884 he was married to Miss Emma Bewsher, of Albany, N. Y., by whom he has one son, Leslie.
JOSEPH D. LOMAX, M. D.
DR. Josern D. LOMAN was born in England, and was brought to this country when three years of age by his parents. His father, John Lomax, was a bookbinder and printer by trade and established a business in that line in New York; he was the in- ventor of wood type for the use of printers. He died in 1834. His mother, Anna (Dodson) Lomax, was a sister of the grandmother of Governor Greenhalge of Massa- chusetts; she died in 1868.
Joseph D. Lomax was educated in private schools, and for five years taught Eng- lish and classies in the Boy's School of the Holy Cross, a church school in Troy. He then entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, from which he was graduated in 1862. He took the first course given at the Long Island College Ilospital. He was at one time resident physician at the hospital of the Colored ITome in New York city. He afterwards began practice in Troy, and on October 12, 1863, was elected superintendent of the Marshall Infirmary, which office he still holds.
Ile belongs to the Troy Scientific Association, the Rensselaer County Medical So- ciety (of which he has been president), the New York State Medical Society, and the American Medico Psychological Association. He has contributed many articles for medical literature concerning cases that have come under his observation, and has frequently appeared in court as a medical expert in cases of insanity.
September 28, 1864, he was married to Miss Isabella Warr; she was a teacher in the Mary Warren Free Institute School connected with the Church of the Holy Cross, and for years was the leading soprano in the choir of that church: They have one daughter, Anna D., who is a graduate of Willard Seminary.
CORNELIUS HANNAN.
CORNELIUS HIANNAN was born in England, January 31, 1856. His father, James Hannan, came to West Troy in August, 1856; he afterwards removed to Saratoga county and engaged in farming, where he died in 1886, His mother, Margaret
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(Kiley) Hannan, is now living in Troy. Both were natives of Ireland and were mar- ried in England, where they resided several years.
Cornelius Hannan was educated in the public schools of Saratoga county and in a private school, after which he taught school in that portion of the State; he then entered La Salle Institute at Troy, graduating in 1881. In the fall of that year he entered the office of Townsend & Roche, and was with them three years, teaching school part of the time, lle was admitted to the bar in September, 1884, since which time he has carried on a very extensive law business. In August, 1889, he was ap- pointed private secretary to Mayor Whelan. In 1890 he was appointed assistant police magistrate, which office he still holds. Ile is a member of the Robert Emmet Association, of which he is financial secretary. He has been a member of the Troy Citizens Corps for seven years.
EDWARD HI. LISK.
EDWARD II. Lisk was born at Waterloo, N. Y., in 1855. Ilis great-grandfather settled in the Mohawk valley at the time of the great Indian massacre and was killed by the Indians; his great-grandmother avenged the death of her husband by killing his slayer, His grandfather, Henry S. Lisk, was born in New Jersey, and was a promi- nent politician and Mason. His father, Henry Lisk, was born at Waterloo, N. Y., and his mother, Ann Eliza Wells, was born at Rome, N. Y., her ancestry being traceable as far back as the eleventh century.
Edward II. Lisk received his education in the public and high schools, and when fif- teen years of age went to work in a dry goods store in Waterloo, and later learned the printer's trade. He came to Troy in 1876 and worked at his trade until Febru- ary 10, 1880, when, with M. B. Barnnm, the firm of Lisk & Barnum was formed. In 1883 he bought out Barnum and has since continued the business himself, having moved to his present location in 1890, and now conducts the largest and most com- plete printing establishment in the county, besides a bookbindery and one of the most modern electrotype foundries. He is a member of all the Masonie bodies, the Trojan Hook and Ladder Company and the Pafraets Dael Club. On June 4, 1879, he married Helen M. Norton, of Troy, by whom he has one son.
DON C. WOODCOCK, JR.
THE above-named gentleman was born in Troy, N. Y., in 1846. His father, Don C. Woodcock, was a native of Williamstown, Mass. ; he came to Troy probably in 1836 and opened an office for the practice of law, whence about 1858 he went to New York city to practice his profession, remaining there several years, and then returned to Troy where he continued the practice of law until his death, which occurred in 1881. llis mother, Julia (Blass) Woodcock, died in 1884.
Don C., jr., received a common school education. In 1863 to 1866 he traveled through the South and West and was engaged in the cattle business and farming; afterwards
D. C. WOODCOCK.
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he was employed in the drilling of oil wells in Ohio and West Virginia. From there hereturned to Troy, whence he removed to Boston, Mass., where for about fifteen years he was engaged in the real estate and book publishing business. Ile returned to Troy in 1887 and engaged in the real estate business. The principal feature in the real estate business as conducted by Mr. Woodcock is the purchasing and develop- ing of outlaying lands adjacent to cities for building purposes.
Mr. Woodcock belongs to King Solomon's Lodge, F. & A. M., the Ionic Club, is a member of the board of managers of the Republican Club, a member of the Committee of Safety and of the Executive Council of Citizens' Association, and the Shakespeare Society of New York. He is a trustse of the Fifth Avenue Baptist church, and a director of the Young Men's Christian Association of Troy; he is president of the Rensselaer Land Company and secretary of Averill Park Land Improvement Com- pany.
Mr. Woodcock has considerable literary talent, and is a frequent contributor in poetry and prose to the newspapers and magazines.
He married Ilattic A. Clexton, of Troy, in 1869, by whom he has four children.
STEPHEN PARKS.
STEPHEN PARKS was born in the county of Sussex, England, January 27, 1817, and came to the United States with his parents in 1829. Ilis early life was spent in the city of New York. Ile was educated mostly in private schools and under private tutors. Having studied for the ministry he became a member of the Troy Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1840. He served as pastor of what is now known as Ash Grove church, Albany, the Methodist churches in Gloversville, Fonda, Plattsburgh, Saratoga Springs, Lansingburgh, Pittsfield, Mass., Gloversville again, First Church, Albany, and State Street church, Troy, N. Y.
In 1858 he was compelled by ill health to retire from pastoral works, but he is still a member of the Annual Conference and has occasionally officiated in churches in Troy and elsewhere.
Hle resided in Troy from 1856 to 1821, when he removed to Lansingburgh where he still lives. lle was for some years in the real estate business with Joseph Hill- man and E. A. Peck, under the firm name of Peek, Hillman & Parks. Next he associated himself with John T. Christie as general agents of the Mutual Life Insi- rance Co. of New York, under the title of Parks & Christie, and later of Parks, Christie & Boardman. Selling out his interest in this business, Mr. Parks, John C. Ide, and Henry Holmes, organi ed the firm of Parks, Ide & Holmes for the manu- facture of collars. After eight years Mr. Parks sold out to his partners and the present firm of Holmes & Ide was organized. All the above business was conducted in Troy, N. Y.
In 1885 Mr. Parks and his son-in-law, Charles E. Peabody, and his son, Charles W. Parks, formed the firm of Peabody & Parks in Lansingburgh for the manufacture of hardware specialties. January 1, 1895, Mr. Peabody retired and the business is con- tinned by Stephen and Charles W. Parks, under the style of Parks & Parks. For
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some time Stephen Parks was president of the Trojan Marble Co., located at Brandon, Vt.
In May, 1841, Mr. Parks married Mary Emily, daughter of Goshen Van Schaick Hoffman, of Albany, N. Y. Mr. Hoffman was of the old Albany Dutch stoek and a brother of Benjamin Hoffman, for many years one of the proprietors of the Albany Evening Journal.
Of Mr. S. Parks's eight children, three are now living: Sara E., Charles W., and Franees M. Parks.
In 1871 Sara E. Parks married Charles E. Peabody, son of Samuel J. Peabody, who was for many years in the drug and hardware business in Troy. Their chil- dren are George S., Laura B., Emily HI., and Frances E. Peabody.
In 1878 Charles W. Parks married Helen F., daughter of the late John W. Bates of Lansingburgh, who in former years was one of the well known flour dealers in Troy. Of their four children three are living, namely, Mary B., Helen B., and Mar- garet B. Parks. Frances M., the youngest daughter of Stephen Parks, is unmarried and resides with her father.
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