USA > New York > Dutchess County > The history of Dutchess County, New York > Part 61
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Dr. Banks held many important offices in his life time and at the time of his death was a trustee of the College of Physicians & Surgeons; consulting physician of the
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Presbyterian Hospital; Trustee of the Lenox Library, and a manager of the Ameri- can Bible Society.
On March 14, 1855, he was married in New York City to Isabella Mozier, the only child of Joseph Mozier, the American Sculptor, of Rome, Italy. Dr. Banks died June 3, 1883, leaving a widow and eight children: Isabella, wife of Dr. Thomas E. Satterthwaite, of New York City; William B., of Superior, Wisconsin; Joseph- ine Mozier, wife of Charles H. Marshall, of New York City; James Lenox, of New York City; Henry Lenox, of Buffalo, N. Y .; Maria, wife of Walter C. Taylor, of New York City; John Fisher Sheafe and Lenox, of New Hamburgh, N. Y.
"The Cedars" situated two miles north of New Hamburgh on the River Road is on a high point overlooking the river and commands one of the finest views of the Hudson and neighboring mountains. It was purchased by Dr. James Lenox Banks, in May, 1869 from Mrs. Louisa Sheafe Freeman who had received the pro- perty under the will of her grandmother, Mrs. Sarah Sheafe.
For many years "The Cedars" was the Summer residence of Dr. Banks and his family and is now the home of his widow and youngest son.
HARRY C. BARKER, attorney, was born at Antrim, N. H., March 31, 1870, a son of Henry M. and Mary J. (Colburn) Barker. When a boy his parents removed to Dutchess county, and Harry C. was educated in the De Garmo Institute at Rhinebeck, N. Y. He pursued his law studies in the office of Frank B. Lown, Esq., and was admitted to the Bar in 1894.
Mr. Barker resides at Staatsburgh, N. Y., and maintains an office in the city of Poughkeepsie. In January, 1909, he was appointed attorney for the Hudson River State Hospital. His father, Henry M. Barker, was also a native of Antrim, N. H. He came to Dutchess county in 1878, and for many years, and up to the time of his death, December 7, 1908, he was superintendent of the estate now the property of Mr. Odgen Mills, at Staatsburgh, N. Y. Politically Mr. Barker was a Republican, and in 1904 represented the town of Hyde Park in the Board of Super- visors, and was appointed Chairman of the Board. November, 1864, he married Mary J. Colburn of New Boston, N. H., and three sons were born to them: Herbert. L., a practicing physician of Woodside, L. I .; Harry C., and Fred M.
OLIVER WELDON BARNES, civil engineer, was a well known resident of the village of Fishkill, having settled there in 1867 while he was engaged in the con- struction of the Dutchess & Columbia Railroad, of which he was the chief engineer. His ancestors came from England in the seventeenth century, settling in Boston, and later generations resided in Marlboro, Mass., where his father, Henry Barnes, was born in 1790. His mother, Marilla (Weldon) was a native of Hartford County in 1796. In 1825 they moved to Philadelphia.
Mr. Barnes was born in the town of Berlin, Conn., May 15, 1823, and died in New York City November 14th, 1908. At sixteen years of age he was sent to Burlington College, Burlington, N. J., and he subsequently went to Europe to complete his. engineering studies. On his return in 1847 he was appointed an assistant engineer in the first corps sent out from Philadelphia to survey the Western Division of the
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Pennsylvania Railroad, extending from the summit of the Alleghany Mountains to Pittsburg. He became the principal engineer in charge of the field parties, and made the final location on the bold lines that distinguished that division as the first engineering work on this continent at that time, and remained in charge of his divi- sion until its construction was completed in 1854. He was then appointed chief engineer of the Pittsburg & Connellsville Railroad, and remained on that work until 1857, when he took charge of the construction of the last eighty-four miles of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad and completed it to Chicago in Decem- ber, 1858. He then returned to Philadelphia and built some branch lines for the Pennsylvania Railroad.
In 1866 he came to Dutchess County, surveyed, located, and constructed the Dutchess & Columbia Railroad. Subsequently he was chief engineer on the sur- veys for the extension of the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, from Waterbury. Conn. to Fishkill, superintending the construction of the work near the river termi- nal until the suspension of operations consequent upon the financial difficulties of that company in 1869. Leaving the service of the Boston, Hartford & Erie Rail- road Co. in 1870 he became the promoter and chief engineer of the Connecticut Western Railroad Company, the surveys and location of that line from Hartford to New York, near Millerton, being made under his personal supervision, and the work was subsequently constructed under his charge in 1870 and 1871.
He then became the president and chief engineer of the New York Central Under- ground Railroad Company. In 1882 Mr. Barnes was appointed chief engineer of the proposed Southern Pennsylvania Railroad, the completion of which was finally abandoned. In 1884 Mr. Barnes was appointed the chief engineer of the New York, Lake Erie & Western Railroad and Coal Company, and built a line of railroad from the Erie Railroad to the Company's lands in Elk and Jefferson Counties, Pa. It was a work of great engineering difficulty, for the most part in the Alleghany Mountain range. On it was constructed the celebrated Kinzua Viaduct, a steel structure 2, 240 feet in length and 301 feet high. On completion of this work Mr. Barnes became the chief engineer of several other lines in Maryland and Virginia, which he prepared for further construction. In 1885 he was appointed Commis- sioner of the new Croton Aqueduct and chairman of the construction Committee. "This position he held until 1887. Mr. Barnes was chosen in the same year as chief .engineer of the New York & Long Island Railroad Company, a corporation charter- ed by the State with authority to construct a double-track tunnel railway from the West side of the city of New York to Long Island City and thence to Brooklyn.
He was also chief engineer of the New York Connecting Railroad Company from Long Island City to the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, and other lines in and near Port Morris.
Mr. Barnes was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Union League Club of New York, the New England Society, also the Engineers' Club of Philadelphia, and his distinguished abilities and high character as a man won for him an enviable standard wherever he was known.
RICHARD H. BARNES, highway commissioner of the town of East Fishkill, N. Y. was born at Gayhead, Dutchess county in 1871, a son of Oliver S. and Mary E.
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(Wilde) Barnes. He attended the district schools and Eastman Business College and then assisted his father for a time in the cultivation of the homestead farm near Gayhead. Later he moved to Hopewell Junction, where he has been continuously engaged in operating his farm of 165 acres, and in addition superintends an ad- joining farm.
Mr. Barnes has served two terms as school trustee. Socially he is a member of the I. O. O. F.
He was united in marriage with Jennie Townsend, and they are the parents of one son, Preston T.
E. P. BARRETT, a prominent agriculturist of the town of Northeast, was born in this township in 1858, a son of Oliver and Catherine (Hornfager) Barrett. Prev- ious to engaging in the cultivation of his farm, which comprises 200 acres in the Harlem Valley, Mr. Barrett was employed as station agent at Coleman's Station, on the Harlem Valley Railroad, for a period of twelve years. In political belief he is a Democrat, and takes an active interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of that party. Socially he is a member of Webotuck Lodge, F. & A. M., Pough- keepsie Chapter and Poughkeepsie Commandery.
He was united in marriage with Alice, daughter of Philo Clark, and they are the parents of eight children.
R. R. BARRETT, a retired citizen of Glenham, N. Y., was born in Kent, Putnam County, in 1838. His early life was spent on a farm, and in 1859 he engaged in the mercantile business in his native town, which he continued for a period of thirty- two years.
Mr. Barrett took an active part in public affairs of Putnam County, serving as Supervisor and other offices for several terms. In 1892 he was elected to the office of Sheriff of Putnam County and at the expiration of his term bought a pleasant home at Glenham, Dutchess County whence he removed in 1896, retiring from business and public life.
In 1863 Mr. Barrett was united in marriage with Miss Mary L. Drew of Hunt- ington, Conn.
DAVID P. BARRY, manager of the Willson & Eaton Company, Amenia, N. Y., is a native of this town. He was educated in the public schools and Amenia Sem- inary, and was for a time employed as book-keeper to the Manhattan Mining Com- pany at Sharon Station. He then accepted a similar position with the Willson & Eaton Company in October, 1882. In 1903 he was made secretary and assistant manager. In 1909 he resigned as secretary, and the position is now held by his son Edward P. Mr. Barry is president and a director of the Acetylene Gas Company of Amenia; a director and vice-president of the Eaton & Kelly Company, with offices in eastern Dutchess and Westchester counties, and foreman of the local fire com- pany. He has held the office of town clerk for one year, town collector for a like period, and secretary of the school board for four years. He has also served four years as Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus
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Mr. Barry was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Powers, and they are the parents of five children.
WILLIAM H. BARTLETT, Postmaster, Amenia, N. Y., was born in the town of Amenia, February 14, 1839. He received his education in the schools of his native place, and in Amenia Seminary. After finishing his education he spent two years in Brooklyn as a clerk. In 1862 Mr. Bartlett enlisted in Co. A of the 150th N. Y. Volunteers, and was promoted from time to time until he became Adjutant. He was wounded at Peachtree Creek, in front of Atlanta. At the close of the war he returned to Amenia and engaged in general mercantile business, which he con- tinued until 1888, when he established a brick yard under the firm name of the Amenia Brick Company.
Mr. Bartlett has served two terms as Supervisor of his native town, and from 1892 to 1895 was Sheriff of Dutchess county. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the B. P. O. E.
October 30, 1867 he was united in marriage with Miss Lavinia Culver of Amenia.
ISAAC E. BINGHAM, was born at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., January 22, 1865. He attended Riverview Academy, and graduated from Harvard University in 1889 with the degree of A. B. He studied law in the office of Col. Henry E. Losey, with whom he began practice after his admission to the Bar in 1891. Mr. Bingham served as assistant district attorney under Horace D. Hufcut (1892-1895). He also served as counsel to the local Excise Board, and was elected a member of the Board of Alderman from the first ward, Poughkeepsie. He is a member of the Apo- keepsing Boat Club, Golf Club and the Dutchess Horticultural Society.
A. H. BLACKBURN, secretary and treasurer of the Green Fuel Economizer Co., Matteawan, N. Y., is a native of England, and has been manager of this extensive industry since its establishment in 1891.
The product of the Company consists of an apparatus for utilizing wasted gases passing from steam boilers, and for reheating water, thus affording a great saving in coal. The apparatus is now used almost universally in steam boiler plants in England, and very generally in Europe, the United States and other parts of the world. The Matteawan plant covers about twelve acres of ground and gives em- ployment to four hundred persons. Fans, blowers, and heating systems for schools are also manufactured by the Company.
Mr. Blackburn is a vestryman of St. Luke's Church; a member of the masonic fraternity, and of the Southern Dutchess Country Club.
He was united in marriage with Miss Emily Bever, and they are the parents of two sons, Charles H., and Godfrey C.
JAMES BLAIR was born in Ireland, January 29, 1853. He came to America in 1888, and three years later located at Staatsburgh, Dutchess county, accepting a position of gardener at the country seat of Mr. Ogden Mills, which position he has held continuously.
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Mr. Blair was united in marriage with Eliza Lloyd of Shropshire, England, and they are the parents of the following children: David, Agnes, William, Hilda, Rob- ert and Alice.
JOHN GEORGE BODENSTEIN, manufacturer of ice tools, planers, etc., at Staatsburgh, N. Y., was born in Nesselreden, Germany, June 20, 1850, a son of John H. and Dorothea (Doerner) Bodenstein, natives of the same place. By trade his father was a blacksmith, which occupation he followed after coming alone to America in 1858, the family following the next year. They located in Rockland county, N. Y., where they remained until 1862. In 1863 Mr. Bodenstein, Sr., went to Staatsburgh, where he was employed by the Eagle Ice Company. He subse- quently opened a shop for the manufacture of ice tools and general blacksmith, continuing in this business until his death in 1875. He made many improvements in ice tools, but did not take out any patents. He was the father of the following children: Eliza Catherine; John George; Henry; Frederick; Sophia; Amelia and Charles. The mother died November 25, 1891.
The subject of this sketch followed his father's trade, and from 1866 to 1868 worked as journeyman at Marlborough and other places. He started a shop for his father at Staatsburgh, on the site that his brother Henry now carries on the grocery business, and had charge of the business until two years after his father's death. Forming a partnership with his brother Henry under the firm name of J. G. & H. Bodenstein they engaged in the manufacture of ice tools until March 22, 1890, when this partnership was dissolved. Mr. J. G. Bodenstein then established his present shop, which has been enlarged from time to time to supply the demand of his improved ice tools, several of which are patented.
In 1873 Mr. Bodenstein was united in marriage with Louisa, daughter of John G. Hess of Staatsburgh, and two children have been born to them: Fred and John G.
In political belief Mr. Bodenstein is a Republican. He is a member of Rhinebeck Lodge, F. &. A .. M., and is affiliated with the Episcopal Church at Staatsburgh, of which he has been a vestryman and warden since its incorporation.
THEODORE BRINCKERHOFF, president of the Matteawan National Bank, Matteawan, N. Y., was born in 1833 on the homestead farm three miles south of Fishkill Village, where three generations of his maternal ancestors had preceded him. So highly did our subject appreciate the healthfulness and scenic beauty of this place that he has continuously resided there. Mr. Brinckerhoff has been en- gaged in farming, milling, manufacture of brick, and in financial affairs of his native town, and in each enterprise has performed his duties faithfully and assid- uously.
He was united in marriage with Sarah O. La Fourette, and to them have been born three children: Adeline, Ralph and Emma. This family they have reared in habits of industry and honesty, and now as the shadows lengthen, and the cords of life are loosening, Mr. Brinckerhoff has no regret that the prayer of the sage of old has been meted out to him: "Give me neither riches nor poverty: the former is vanity; the latter humiliation and vexation of spirit and body."
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JOHN W. BROWN, Supervisor of the Seventh Ward, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was born in this city March 20, 1877. After finishing his studies at Eastman's Business College he served an apprenticeship as carpenter under C. L. Cannon, and in the spring of 1906 he engaged in business as a contractor and builder. January, 1907, he was appointed Supervisor to fill a vacancy, and in November, 1908, was elected to the same office. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Knights of Pythias, Rondout Valley Lodge, and the Trade and Labor Council.
WILLIAM D. BUDD, deceased, a prominent brick manufacturer of Dutchess Junction, Dutchess county, was born in Putnam county. During his childhood bis parents removed to Matteawan, and his education was acquired in the schools of that village. Mr. Budd as a young man was engaged in the real estate business, and in 1868 formed a partnership with Charles Griggs and began the manufacture of brick. Four years later he purchased Mr. Griggs' interest, and continued the brick business alone, enlarging his yard from time to time.
He was for many years a trustee of the Fishkill Savings Bank.
Mr. Budd was married to Miss Anne Rogers, and two daughters were born to them: Elizabeth K. and Ella, who since their father's death have successfully con- tinned the business established by him.
ALLISON BUTTS, attorney, Poughkeepsie, was born in the town of Stanford, Dutchess county, October 2, 1852. After acquiring his preliminary education he taught school for a time, and in 1874 came to Poughkeepsie to accept a clerkship with Andrew C. Warren, then County Clerk of Dutchess county. He was later appointed Deputy Clerk, which office he held until 1889, when he resigned. Mean- time he had been admitted to the Bar, and has since been continuously engaged in the practice of his profession.
Mr. Butts has served two terms as Police Commissioner in the city of Poughkeep- sie, and from 1887 to 1890 was a member of the Board of Education. In July, 1900 he was appointed by the Board of Managers of the Hudson River State Hos- pital to the office of treasurer of that institution. In 1906 he was the Democratic nominee for Justice of the Supreme Court of the Ninth Judicial District.
Mr. Butts was united in marriage with Phebe D. Mosher, of the town of Stanford, Dutchess county. She died December 15, 1882, leaving one son, Ralph, now one of Poughkeepsie's prominent young attorneys, and associated with his father in the practice of his profession. Mr. Butts was again married, September 16, 1885, to Arrie E. Mosher, and three children have been born to this union: Norman C., Allison, Jr., and Wilbur K.
ISAAC P. CARMAN was born in the town of Pine Plains, N. Y., in 1853. As a young man he was for a time employed by the Newburgh, Dutchess & Columbia Railroad, and later purchased a farm in Pine Plains.
Politically Mr. Carman is a Republican, and in 1884 was elected Supervisor of his native town; he was re-elected in 1894, and served two terms. In 1897 he was
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elected County Superintendent of the Poor, which office he holds to the present time.
Mr. Carman was united in marriage with Miss Violet Mclellan of Pine Plains, and they are the parents of two children: Belle and William.
OTIS JAMESON CASE, M. D., was born at Salt Point, Dutchess county, August 15, 1882. His education at Riverview Military Academy was supplemented by a course at Brown University. He then entered the New York Homeopathic Medi- cal College, from which he was graduated in 1907 with the degree of M. D., and was appointed a member of the staff of Flower Hospital. He was later appointed physician and surgeon of the National Home Hospital at Washington, D. C., and April 3, 1909 received an appointment from President Taft as surgeon on the U. S. Ship "Gedney," of the geodetic survey of the Pacific Coast.
WALTER R. CASE, M. D., was born near Clinton Corners, Dutchess county, February 19, 1854. He was the son of Dr. Ephraim Case, one of the best known physicians of his day. He attended the Amenia Seminary, and studied medicine under both systems, taking the allopathic course at the University of Vermont, and finishing his medical studies in the New York Homeopathic College. He began the practice of his profession at Millbrook, and in 1870 removed to Salt Point to take his father's practice. He came to Poughkeepsie in 1884 and entered into partnership with his brother-in-law, Dr. John C. Otis, with whom he was associated several years.
Politically he was a Democrat, and served as Commissioner of the first Board of Public Works of the city of Poughkeepsie. He was also a member of the Board of Police Commissioners for several years, and took a deep interest in public improve- ments.
September 20, 1865 Dr. Case was united in marriage to Mary Ann Otis, and she, with one son, Otis Jameson, survive.
ROBERT CASS, a leading resident of eastern Dutchess was born April 23, 1848 at Danville, Illinois, and became a resident of Pawling, N. Y. in 1868, where he was telegraph operator for a time and also at Dover Plains; he lived in Pawling until his death April 28, 1902.
He received his education at Danville and at the High School at Homer, III, The professional work of Mr. Cass as an educator covered a period of over a quarter of a century. He was a man of culture and literary ability, and used his pen very effectively. He was for several years principal of the Pawling School, and at one time held the Teacher's Examinations for eastern Dutchess in Pawling. He al- ways took an active interest in political and public affairs and contributed fre- quently to the columns of The American Agriculturist and New Milford Gazette. He was active in Church work, and was Sunday School Superintendent for over 20 years. In politics Mr. Cass always supported the Republican party.
Although he was reared in the faith of the Methodist Church, after removing to Pawling he joined with his wife and two daughters the Congregational Church of
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Sherman, Conn. His life was the career of one who quietly and conscientiously performed his duties to the best of his ability, and with fidelity discharged the trust reposed in him.
JAMES STUART CHAFFEE, son of Jerome Seymour and Aritta (Stuart) Chaffee, was born at Sharon, Conn., October 3, 1846. He was educated at Wesley- an Academy, Wilbraham, Mass. With the exception of four years in which he was engaged in the flour, feed and lumber trade at Wassaic, N. Y. Mr. Chaffee's entire business life has been devoted to agricultural pursuits, his dairy farm at South Amenia, N. Y. covering 250 acres. Mr. Chaffee is a director of the First National Bank of Amenia; and takes an active interest in public affairs of his adopted town in which he has resided fifty-four years. He was a member of the Board of Super- visors of Dutchess County in 1893, 1896-'97, and has served as Justice of the Peace twenty-two years.
Mr. Chaffee, in 1872, married Lydia A. Judd, and they became the parents of five children.
LEWIS STUYVESANT CHANLER was born in Newport, R. I., on September 24, 1869, and is the son of John Winthrop Chanler and Margaret Astor Ward Chan- ler, the latter a daughter of Samuel Ward and granddaughter of William B. Astor, Other prominent members of his family are his brothers William Astor Chanler and Robert Winthrop Chanler and his sister, Margaret Livingston Chanler Aldrich. His father, John Winthrop Chanler held the office of Sachem in Tammany Hall and represented a New York district in Congress for several terms, while his grand- father, Samuel Ward, was also a distinguished statesman of his time.
Mr. Chanler's early life was passed on the family estate, Rokeby, situated at Bar- rytown, Dutchess County, N. Y. Being in delicate health he received his prelimi- nary education wholly from private tutors, and at the age of nineteen, entered Columbia college to study law, having previously served an apprenticeship in the office of J. W. Elseffer of Red Hook. After his graduation and admission to the Bar, Mr. Chanler went abroad and while there took a course in international law and jurisprudence at Cambridge University, England. He was also elected to the pres- idency of the Cambridge University Union, being the first American to receive this honor.
Returning to this country, Mr. Chanler entered into the practice of criminal law. In 1896 Mr. Chanler retired from the practise in the criminal courts and while abroad in the winter of 1897, he became identified with the Parnellite Party in Ireland and participated for the next four years in the strenuous campaigns of that party.
He was one of the founders of the Irish Independent League, which succeeded the Land League, and was for two years a director of the "Irish Independent " the organ of the League. In 1900 Mr. Chanler resumed the practise of law in New York City and retains an office there to the present day.
In 1890, Mr. Chanler married Miss Alice Chamberlain of Red Hook, N. Y., and is now the father of three children, L. S. Chanler, Jr., W. A. Chanler, 2d, and Alida
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