USA > New York > Dutchess County > The history of Dutchess County, New York > Part 67
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One of their sons, Dr. Francis Upton Johnstone, was born at Hyde Park, the 4th 1The name is spelled differently through a number of generations.
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of September, 1796, and died at New York City the 7th of January, 1858. He was a graduate of the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons. On the 7th of May, 1822, he married Mary, daughter of Captain John Williamson, of Charleston, S. C., who was an original member of the Order of the Cincinnati.
One of their sons, Dr. Francis Upton Johnstone, (born at New York City, the 8th of April, 1826, died the 20th of November, 1892,) graduated at the College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons. He married on the 8th of February, 1853, Margaret Antoin- ette, daughter of John Cortlandt Babcock, of New York City. Dr. Johnstone is survived by his widow and seven children.
Mary Williamson, a daughter of Dr. Francis Upton Johnstone, who was born the 26th of July, 1824 and died the 21st of November, 1894, married on the 29th of March, 1864, the Rev. George Bailey Hopson, D. D. After her marriage, Mrs. Hopson resided at Annandale, Dutchess County, where Dr. Hopson has been Pro- fessor in Latin of St. Stephen's College for a period of over forty-five years. Mrs. Hopson is survived by her husband and two sons, Francis Johnstone Hopson, a lawyer practising in New York City, and William Oliver Hopson, a resident of San Francisco.
JOHN R. KEECH, attorney, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was born in this city August 12, 1870. After completing his preliminary studies in the public schools he studied law in the office of Charles Morschauser, and was admitted to the Bar December 15, 1892, and has since been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession in his native city.
BERNHARD KEINE, Supervisor of the Fourth Ward, and a member of the Board of Public Works of the city of Poughkeepsie, was born in this city in 1866. After graduating from the public schools of his native place he entered the employ of the Poughkeepsie Cracker Company. Upon the consolidation of the various cracker manufacturies throughout the country, under the name of the National Biscuit Company, in 1890, Mr. Keine was made cashier of the new company, and still holds such position.
Politically Mr. Keine is a Democrat, and in 1907 was elected Supervisor of the Fourth Ward of Poughkeepsie, and in 1909 received the appointment from Mayor Sague as Commissioner of Public Works. Socially he is a member of Poughkeepsie Lodge, No. 266, F. & A. M. He is also affiliated with the I. O. O. F.
FRANK H. KELLY, attorney, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was born in Herkimer, N. Y., April 5, 1881. He was educated in the public schools of Poughkeepsie, graduat- ing from the Poughkeepsie High School. Mr. Kelly studied law in the offices of C. W. H. Arnold, George Wood and Alexander Dow. From 1903 to 1905 he attended the New York Law School, and was admitted to the Bar in January, 1907. Mr. Kelly is a member of Co. K, 10th National Guards of New York, and in religious be- lief is affiliated with the Baptist church.
JOHN A. KELLY, Deputy County Clerk of Dutchess county, was born January 22, 1879, and was educated in the public and high schools of Poughkeepsie, grad-
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uating from the latter institution in 1896. He read law in the office of Frank B. Lown, and after a course in the New York Law School was admitted to the Bar in June, 1900. Mr. Kelly was associated in practice with the late Robert F. Wilkin- son until his death in 1893, and has since been connected with the office of Robert Wilkinson, who succeeded his father as local counsel to the New York Central Rail- road Company. Mr. Kelly was appointed Deputy County Clerk in 1898, succeeding the late Edward M. Stillman. He is a member of the Poughkeepsie Club, the Apo- keepsing Boat Club, the Dutchess County Horticultural Society, and the Catholic Society of New York.
JOHN T. KELLY, attorney, Matteawan, N. Y., was born in this village March 3, 1881, where he obtained his education at the public schools. He read law in the office of James G. Meyer, Esq., and was admitted to the Bar, May 1, 1903.
Mr. Kelly was united in marriage in 1905 with Miss Anna Van Voort of Mattea- wan, N. Y.
Socially Mr. Kelly is a member of the Knights of Columbus.
GEN. JOHN H. KETCHAM represented the people of Dutchess County in the National House of Representatives for thirty-six years, a longer period than any other Congressman since the Federal Legislature was established. Nor was this the result of chance or fortuituous circumstance. It was due primarily to honesty, fidelity and the devotion to the interest of his constituency on the part of the re- presentative; and to an appreciation on the part of the constituency of the efforts which their representative was continuously exerting in its behalf.
Mr. Ketcham was a native of Dutchess County, as were his parents before him. He was born at Dover Plains on December 31st, 1832, the second son of John M. and Eliza (Stevens) Ketcham. The family is descended from old English stock, and the first authentic record of the name in the days of the colonies is of John Ketcham, who emigrated to this country from England with the Pilgrim Fathers, and whose descendants subsequently settled in Connecticut and on the shores of Long Island, and somewhat later took up their abode in the beautiful Harlem Valley.
James Ketcham, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was the pioneer of the family in the Harlem Valley. Before the end of the eighteenth century he had settled at Dover Plains, and had become one of the prominent and influential men of the place.
James Ketcham's son, John M. Ketcham, was a farmer in very moderate circum- stances, and John Henry Ketcham was one of a family embracing nine children, five of whom are still living. All his boyhood and young manhood was spent on the farm; he attended the District School in the winter and in his spare time as- sisted in the ordinary farm work. But the boy's father fully realized and ap- preciated the advantages of giving his children the best educational advantages that he could afford, and John H. Ketcham was for a time a student at the Amenia Seminary, a noted school in its day, and later was in attendance at the Suffield Acad- emy, Suffield, Conn. for one year, and one year at the Worcester Seminary, Wor-
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cester, Mass. Upon leaving the Worcester Academy, and before he had attained his majority, John H. Ketcham's father died, leaving the care of his mother and a numerous family to the resources of John Henry Ketcham and his older brother, William. The two older brothers acquired the farm in common and began its cul- tivation. Very soon there was located a marble quarry on their property and the two brothers, working hard, developed a prosperous and paying industry from this quarry, which continued for a number of years.
His neighbors and townsfolk early recognized in John J. Ketcham qualities of industry and capacity for leadership, which later were so remarkably developed, and in 1853, before the subject of this sketch had attained his majority, they elected him a member of the Board of Supervisors to represent his town at the County seat. So well and so faithfully did he acquit himself in this, his first public office that in the following year he was re-elected for a second term as the representative of the town of Dover in the County Board. While still a member of this body he was chosen a member of the State Legislature and was re-elected in the following year.
When only 25 years of age in 1857 he was chosen a member of the State Senate, being one of the youngest men who had ever been chosen a member of it. In 1859 he was unanimously renominated and re-elected by a handsome plurality.
Upon the expiration of his term as a state Legislator, Mr. Ketcham returned to Dover Plains and resumed the care of his marble interests, and it was while thus engaged that the call to arms for the preservation of the Union arose.
Upon the second call of President Lincoln for volunteers John H. Ketcham, in conjunction with Benson J. Lossing, the noted historian, and the Hon. James F. Emott, then a Justice of the New York Supreme Court, was appointed by Edwin D. Morgan, War Governor of the State of New York, a member of the War Committee for the counties of Dutchess and Columbia. Throughout the summer of 1862 John H. Ketcham worked both night and day in an effort to recruit a regiment of the "Sons of Dutchess", which would be representative of the best citizenship in Dutch- ess County and by the fall of that year he had completed his quota. It was in re- cognition of the untiring efforts in recruiting this regiment, (a further account of which will be found in Chapter XIV of this work) that the choice unanimously fell upon him to lead it, and he was chosen its Colonel.
At Savannah Gen. Ketcham was made Brigadier-General by Brevet, and sub- sequently a Major-General by the same token. Upon being finally mustered out of service it was with the full rank of Brigadier-General in the Volunteer Service.
It was while at the front with his command that the people of his district, as if in grateful recognition of his military service, nominated him as its representative in the 38th Congress, and he was elected to that body by a large majority. Gen. Ketch- am was subsequently unanimously renominated and re-elected to the 39th, 40th and 42nd Congresses and received the unanimous nomination of his party for mem- bership in the 43rd Congress, in which election he was defeated. This was the "famous campaign of 1872 an account of which will be found on page 246.
Gen. Grant, who throughout his whole public life entertained the warmest regard for Gen. Ketcham, at this time offered the General a Commissionership of the Dis- trict of Columbia. General Ketcham accepted this post and gave to it the same
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
careful, painstaking and intelligent service which he had displayed in every position of trust. His colleagues at that time were former Gov. Dennison of Ohio, and the Hon. Henry T. Blow of Missouri. The city of Washington was then a primitive city, but Gen. Ketcham was quick to see its possibilities, and it was largely through his efforts that the Nation's capital has become what it is to-day-one of the most beautiful cities in all the world. At the conclusion of his four years of service the broad streets had been largely repaved with asphalt, dozens of parks had been laid out, and the local government, which was then in the nature of an experiment, had been placed on a sure and firm foundation. That his work for the benefit of Wash- ington was appreciated by her citizens was evidenced by the many letters of com- mendation and regard which Gen. Ketcham received at the expiration of his term of office; and he was the guest of honor at a banquet tendered by the citizens of Washington in commemoration of his faithful and intelligent efforts to serve the District.
The people of Dutchess County were not content, however, to allow him to re- tire from public life, and they elected him as their representative in the 45th Congress; and he was subsequently re-elected to the 46th, 47th, 48th, 49th, 50th, 51st and 52nd Congresses and was the unanimous choice of his Party for a nomina- tion to the 53rd Congress, when owing to impaired health he was obliged to decline a further nomination.
In 1894, after four years of retirement, he again yielded to the solicitation of his constituents and was elected to the 55th, 56th, 57th, 58th and 59th Congresses, and while lying on his bed in what proved to be his last illness, the Convention, well knowing that it was doubtful whether he would survive, unanimously chose him as their representative in the 60th Congress. Death came as the result of successive apopletic strokes on the morning of Sunday, November 4th, 1906. No other mem- ber of Congress, either in the Senate or in the Lower House, had represented his people for so long a time as Gen. Ketcham. He was the dean of both branches of the Federal Legislature. In the memorial serivces which followed warm tributes of admiration and respect were tendered by many of his colleagues, including Speaker Cannon, Representative (now Vice-President) James S. Sherman, and Senator Chauncey M. Depew.
During his long Congressional career if there was one service more than another in which Gen. Ketcham took an interest it was the Postal Service of the National Government, and for many years he was a member of the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads in the National House. He also took a warm personal interest in the government employees in the Postal Service, and it was largely through his efforts, aided by the late Representative S. S. Cox of Ohio, that the law was passed giving each employee in the Postal Service a yearly vacation of fifteen days with pay. Another subject to which Gen. Ketcham gave much time and thought was the establishment of Rural Free Delivery Routes, now indispensable in the various Rural Districts throughout the length and breath of this land.
Very few men in the history of the State of New York have been so signally honofed as Gen. Ketcham, and in these honors the people of Dutchess County have taken a just pride. As was so happily said by Senator Depew in his memorial ad- dress before the United States Senate, General Ketcham was one of the Country's
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best products-manly, courageous and faithful in all the various relations of life, and one who in his entire public service always deported himself with modesty, dignity and propriety. The people of Dutchess County will find his place impossible to fill, and, as the years go on, his loss will be felt more and more keenly ..
Gen. Ketcham was married on February 4th, 1858, to Augusta A., daughter to William H. and Sarah A. Belden of New York City. From this marriage four chil- dren were born: Augusta A., Henry B., Charles B. and Ethel B., of whom the three latter, together with Mrs. Ketcham, survive.
Henry B. Ketcham was married on September 12th, 1889, to Sallie Gray Holman, daughter of the late Samuel K. Holman, of Englewood, N. J., and they have three children: Henry H., Katherine H. and John B.
Charles B. Ketcham was married in 1900 to Suzanne Brightson, daughter of George E. Brightson, Esq., of Cold Spring Harbor, L. I., and they have two chil- dren: Howard and Vernon.
WILLIAM S. KETCHAM, of Dover Plains, N. Y., a leader of the Democratic party in the Harlem Valley, was born March 10, 1830, son of John M. and Elizabeth A. (Stevens) Ketcham, both natives of Dover Plains. After finishing his education at the public schools he was on the homestead farm for a time, and then was engaged in the marble quarries for about twenty years with his brother John. His present farms which are devoted largely to dairying, comprise over 350 acres, with a stock of 60 head of cattle. Mr. Ketcham is a stockholder in the National Bank of Pawling, and is interested in various other enterprises. He served his town as Supervisor in the years 1859, 1866 and 1867.
Mr. Ketcham married Emily, daughter of Obediah Titus, and three sons were born to them, one of whom, William M., is now living, and was a former Mayor of Pough- keepsie, and also held the office of Postmaster in the same city.
GEORGE W. KIDDER, coal and lumber dealer, of Staatsburg, N. Y., was born at East Alstead, Cheshire County, N. H., April 10, 1845, and received his education in a school at the same place. He remained at the homestead until he reached his majority, when he purchased a half-interest in a machine shop at Alstead, taking the name of Roob & Kidder for two years. In 1869 he sold out his interest and lo- cated at Staatsburg, where he became a member of the firm of Herrick & Kidder dealers in lumber and building material. This partnership was dissolved in April, 1875. Mr. Kidder then went to New York City, where he was engaged for ten years by the Mutual Benefit Ice Company. In 1887 he purchased the coal business of James Roach of Staatsburg, to which he added a stock of lumber and building material. In 1888 he established a planing and sawmill, in which he has since continued very successfully.
In December, 1874, Mr. Kidder was married to Julia, daughter of William H. Rersley, of Staatsburg, and to them have been born one son and one daughter, Bertha M. and George Nelson.
Politically, Mr. Kidder is a Democrat of the old school. Socially, he is identified with the Rhinebeck Lodge, No. 432, F. & A. M.
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
JOHN P. KIERNAN, Pawling, N. Y., was born in the town of Patterson, Put- nam county, October 31, 1867. His parents removed to Pawling in 1869, where the subject of this review acquired his education in the public schools. He was then employed by Mr. G. S. Lee in the bottling of soda, with whom he remained for over thirteen years, and in 1895 he purchased and has successfully continued the business.
Mr. Kiernan has been active in the affairs of the Democratic party, and now holds the office of Committeeman.
GEORGE M. KNAPP, Coroner of Dutchess county, was born August 1, 1856, at Highland, Ulster county, N. Y. After finishing his studies at the public schools of his native place he was employed by Louis Leroy in the grocery business at Pleasant, Plains, and then removed to Poughkeepsie to enter the employ of John A. Bailey dealer in leather and shoe findings. From 1878 to 1882 Mr. Knapp was associated with Olivet Brothers at Fishkill Landing in the meat business, and then established a meat market for himself, in which he has since been successfully engaged. Mr. Knapp in political belief is a Democrat, and has held the office of Collector of the town of Fishkill for two terms; was trustee of the village of Fishkill Landing for one term, and in 1906 was elected to the office of Coroner.
In 1867 he was united in marriage with Idella Elmendorf, and two children have been born to them: Ella and Grace.
Socially Mr. Knapp is a member of the Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias.
EUGENE M. LADUE, of East Fishkill, Dutchess county, was born November 17, 1852. Since finishing his studies at the Dutchess Academy he has been engaged in the occupation of farming, and now conducts one of the most productive farms in the town of East Fishkill.
Mr. Ladue was united in marriage with Miss Larina Smith.
W. WARD LADUE, of East Fishkill, Dutchess county, was born October 1, 1861. He obtained his education in the public schools, later attended the Seymour Academy at Pine Plains, and has since heen occupied in the cultivation of his farm, which has been in the Ladue family for four generations.
Mr. Ladue married Luella, daughter of the Rev. George R. and Susan Jane Shaw.
GEORGE LAMOREE, deceased, was born December 8, 1819, on the Lamoree homestead, in the town of Pleasant Valley, Dutchess county, N. Y. After finishing his studies at the New Paltz Academy he engaged successfully in farming in his native town. Mr. Lamoree was an active member of the Republican party and held several elective offices, including Justice of the Peace, Town Supervisor, and Sheriff of Dutch- ess county. He was appointed by President Lincoln internal revenue collector of his district. Mr. Lamoree was one of the founders of the Poughkeepsie City Bank, and a member of the board of directors during its existence.
In the year 1864 he was united in marriage with Miss Jane Pells, a native of Rhine- beck, N. Y., and four children were born to them. Franklin Lamoree, the second
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child, was born at Pleasant Valley, May 19, 1847. He finished his studies at the Dutchess County Academy, and succeeded his father in the management of the home- stead farm. He married Miss Kate Conover, and they are the parents of the following children: Frederick, who married Lena Adams of East Park, N. Y .; Alice M., and Grace, the latter now Mrs. Cooper Vanderwater of Salt Point.
WILLIAM G. LARY, Salt Point, N. Y., formerly Supervisor of the town of Pleasant Valley, N. Y., was born September 21, 1857. In 1889 he engaged in the wholesale butcher business which he has successfully continued to the present time, his weekly shipments to New York exceeding four tons of dressed meats.
Mr. Lary was elected Supervisor in 1904; served as collector of the town of Pleasant Valley for two terms; was Deputy Sheriff for sixteen years, and Post- master of Salt Point for seven years.
LOUNT LATTIN, a prominent agriculturist residing at Staatsburgh, in the town of Hyde Park, N. Y., was born at Albion, Orleans county, and came to Dutchess county in 1868, where he has since been engaged in farming. Mr. Lattin has taken an active interest in the public affairs of his adopted town, and in 1893 was elected to the office of Supervisor.
Mr. Lattin married Rosilla Morehouse of Hyde Park, N. Y., and the following children were born to them: Austin S., Bertha, Ezra M., Nathaniel T. and Justin I. In religious belief Mr. Lattin is affiliated with the Presbyterian church of Pleasant Plains.
WILLIAM J. LEAHEY, president of the Dutchess Manufacturing Company, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was born in this city, July 12, 1863. He was educated at St. Peter's School, and also at the Poughkeepsie High School. He began his business life as a boy in the employ of the Dutchess Manufacturing Company at $2.00 a week. Thorough and efficient in all his duties, Mr. Leahey made his services in- valuable to his employers, and upon the death of Hon. J. Frank Hull in 1907 he succeeded him as president of this company.
FREDERICK W. LEE, coal and lumber merchant, of Red Hook, N. Y., was born in the city of Poughkeepsie in 1873, a son of W. Morgan Lee, a prominent attorney of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He was educated in the public schools of his native city, and in 1901 succeeded to the business of D. W. Wilbur, who had conducted a coal and lumber business at Red Hook for twenty-two years. Mr. Lee also handles an extensive line of building material.
He was united in marriage with Anna R. Hendricks of Red Hook.
Socially Mr. Lee is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
DAVIS C. LENT, manager of the Ramsdell brick yards, Fishkill, N. Y., was born at Naugautuck, Conn., October 31, 1854, a son of Robert and Catherine (Conklin) Lent. He has a thorough knowledge of the various details of brick-making and was the first to attempt the burning of brick with anthracite coal, which he successfully accomplished at his father's brickyard at Glasco, N. Y.
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In 1898 Mr. Lent took charge of the Ramsdell yard, which at that time was operated with six machines, having an average output of 18,000 bricks per ma- . chine daily. In 1905 three machines and an electric plant were added to the equipment, and the yard now has a capacity of 27,000,000 brick per annum.
October 18, 1878, Mr. Lent married Mary E. Seaman of Ulster County, and the following children were born to them; Grace E. (deceased) Mabel May and Ward S.
JERRY LINEHAN, a prominent citizen of the town of Dover, was born in this town March 8, 1876. After acquiring his education in the public schools he engaged in the occupation of farming for six years, and then engaged in the blacksmith busi- ness for a period of twelve years. He is now conducting a hotel and livery business at Wingdale, N. Y.
FRANK B. LOWN was born at the village of Red Hook, Dutchess county, N. Y. January 1, 1849. He is the son of David and Jane M. Lown, and with his parents removed to the city of Poughkeepsie in 1857, where he has since resided. Mr. Lown was educated at the public schools of Poughkeepsie, and in 1871 entered the. law office of Nelson & Baker as a law student. After being admitted to the Bar he became a clerk in the office of Thompson & Weeks, then the oldest firm of practitioners in the county. In 1878 the firm of Thompson, Weeks & Lown was formed, and upon the death of James H. Weeks, in 1887, and of John Thompson, in 1891, Mr. Lown became the sole survivor. He is still engaged in the practice of his profession in the city of Poughkeepsie.
MICHAEL J. LYNCH, deceased, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was born in Ireland June 8, 1846. When eighteen years of age he accompanied his mother to America and at once entered the employ of a florist on Staten Island, and was so engaged until 1868, when he accepted a position with William B. Dinsmore as head gardener of "The Locusts," Staatsburgh, N. Y. In 1871 Mr. Lynch came to Poughkeepsie and established the present seed and floral business, which is continued by his widow and son. "Lynch's Tested Seed" is known throughout Dutchess and adjoining counties, and the demand for their plants and cut flowers exceeds that of any in this section of the State.
In 1870 Mr. Lynch married Catherine Powers of Rhinebeck, and to them have been born the following children: Thomas M., John M., Mary, Maggie, James E. and Catherine.
JAMES E. McCAMBRIDGE, M. D., was born at Kingston, Ontario, in 1881. After graduating from the Kingston Collegiate Institute in 1899 he took a course in Regiopolis College. His medical education was acquired at the Queen's Medical Col- lege, Canada, from which he graduated in 1903. He then entered the New York State Hospital for the Insane at Ward's Island, where he served as interne from April 1903 to August of the same year, and from that time until June 1, 1906, pursued his specialty of eye and ear surgeon at the Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital; he was ap- pointed assistant surgeon to this institution, which office he still retains. He located
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