The history of Orange County, New York, Part 83

Author: Headley, Russel, b. 1852, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Middletown, N.Y., Van Deusen and Elms
Number of Pages: 1342

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EZRA T. JACKSON was born August 23, 1843, at Chester, Orange County, N. Y., and was instructed at the Chester Academy. At the age of twenty-one he succeeded his father in the store at Chester, and on June 15, 1881, married Margaret Douglas Davidson, of Blooming Grove. Their only son, William Lewis, graduated from Lafayette College, at Easton, Pa., in the class of 1908, and is a member of the Fraternity Alpha Chi Rho. The subject of this sketch is a member of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, became a member of Goshen Lodge, No. 365, F. and A. M., in 1868, and a charter member of Standard Lodge, No. 711, F. and A. M., of Monroe, in 1871. He is also a member of the Orange County Chapter, Sons of the Revolution, and was commissioned first lieutenant in the Nineteenth New York Infantry, March 25, 1866. He was supervisor of the town of Chester in 1882, and served on the board of education from 1902 to 1908. The store in Chester has been in the Jackson family for sixty-one years. His father's name was Thomas Jefferson Jackson. Ezra T. is a grandson of Captain John Jackson of the Revolutionary Army. He was commissioned February 28, 1776, and re-appointed February 26, 1773. In the proceedings of the provincial congress, April 25, 1776, in the report on the state of the companies of the New York regiments, Captain Jackson reported with a full company at the fortifications of the Highlands, and on April 27, 1776, he was appointed to Colonel Clinton's regi- ment. A return of the officers and men in garrison at Fort Montgomery, January 18, 1777, shows that Captain Jackson's Second New York regiment reported with twenty-nine men. Captain Jackson was with his regiment at the battles of Harlem Heights and White Plains. He resigned from the army March 12, 1783.

FRANK AIKENS JACOBSON, M. D .. born Hackensack, N. J., 1864: educated at Hackensack Academy .ind scientific department Columbia College; graduated New York Homeopathie Medical College and Hospital, 1888; one year at llome- opathic Dispensary and Hospital, Brooklyn. He has practiced in Newburgh, N. Y., since 1890; is a member American Institute of Homeopathy, New York State

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Homeopathic Society, ex-member Newburgh board of health, Scottish Rite Mason and member of the Shriners.

GEORGE W. JAMISON, publisher of the Pine Bush Herald, is a native of the town of Crawford, and attended the schools here and at Montgomery Academy. He was engaged for a number of years as a school teacher and was for a time in the insurance business in Walden. The Herald, in 1904, became the successor of the Pine Bush Neves, established in 1899. The paper is a clean, lively sheet of eight pages, independent in politics and devoted to local affairs. Mr. Jamison, the publisher, is also engaged in the real estate and fire insurance business.

Socially he is a member of the Masonic fraternity and a charter member of Walden Lodge, Knights of Pythias. He married Miss Julia N. Crist, of Mont- gomery, and they are the parents of one child, Hilda.

JOHN JAQUES, who founded what is now known as the Brotherhood Wine Company. at Washingtonville, came from New Jersey with his mother when a boy, locating in Washingtonville in 1812. He established the first grape vineyard in Orange County in 1839, and began the manufacture of pure wines. In 1858 his three sons. John, Orin and Charles, purchased the business from their father and continued it as partners until 1868, when John died. The two remaining brothers, conducted it until 1885, when Orin died, and a year later Charles disposed of it to Mr. Emerson, the present proprietor. Charles has since lived in retirement on the old homestead in the center of the village, and although in his eighty-fourth year, is actively interested in the affairs of the village. He has been an elder of the Pres- byterian Church since 1878.

GEORGE FREDERICK JAYNE was born on the Jayne homestead, near Florida, called the "View Farm," February 23, 1854. His parents were Charles Marcus and Anna Eliza (Thompson) Jayne, and their children were Anna M., born July 25, 1843, wife of Charles R. Baird, of Warwick; Sarah Augusta, born July 10, 1848, wife of J. A. Seward, of Florida; Mary Caroline, who died December 25, 1875, was the wife of Nathaniel Seeley, of Hamburg, N. J., and Wells Thomp- son, born in January, 1852, of Brooklyn, N. Y.

George Frederick Jayne obtained his education in Washington Academy, S. S. Seward Institute and one term in Yorkville, Ill. He returned from school to the farm and assumed its management when only fifteen years old. It is a dairy farm of 180 acres, which has been in the Jayne family since 1730. Mr. Jayne is a demo- crat, and attends the Presbyterian Church in Florida. He married Julia E. Seward of Florida, February 14, 1877. They have six children: Fred Seward, born Novem- ber 10, 1877; Belle Clayton, born Deceniber 2, 1878, wife of John K. Roe, of Florida; Lewis Marcus, born September 17, 1880, married Nellie Waite Smith, of Montgomery, December 18, 1907, and resides at Gardiner, Ulster County ; Anna Mary, born December 3, 1883; Carrie Louise, born February 17, 1886, and George Vanderoef, born March 19, 1890.

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CHARLES L. JESSUP was born May 25, 1843, on the homestead farm, two miles from Florida, and was educated in the district school at Union Corners and the S. S. Seward Institute. He was one of thirteen children. He worked on his father's farm, and at the outbreak of the Civil War enlisted in the Ninety-first Regiment, Company H. After his army experience he resumed farming. He has two hundred and sixteen acres of land, a large dairy and peach orchard, and is a breeder of Holstein cattle. He has been town assessor and is an elder and active member of the Florida Presbyterian Church. His parents were Samuel and Martha Jessup. His wife was Sarah Jane Duryea, of Craigsville, Orange County, a daughter of Alfred and Mary Duryea. They were married October 18, 1865, and have four children living. Alpheus, born August 26, 1886; Julia B., born March 12, 1868; Charles W., born June 10, 1871, and Helen, born February 14, 1886. Charles married Elizabeth Wheeler, of Florida: Julia married Alton J. Vail, of Middletown, and Alpheus married Sadie Durland, of Chester.

SENECA JESSUP was born June 1I, 18.17, in the town of Warwick, Orange County, and obtained his education in the Seward Institute, Florida. His parents were Samuel and Hannah (Steinmetz) Jessup. The Jessups, of Orange County, are descended from John Jessup, who emigrated from Broomhall, Yorkshire County, England, in 1630. He lived for a time in Boston, and afterward removed to Hartford, and from there to Southampton, Long Island, in 1640, helping to plant the first English settlement in the state of New York. The Jessup family in Orange County came from Long Island in 1784, and located at Florida, town of Warwick. Seneca Jessup married Jennie A. McCain in 1868. She was born July 27, 1850, and was a daughter of John Edsall and Abigail (McCamly) McCain, both being from pioneer families, prominent in Colonial and Revolutionary times. Mrs. Jessup's parents removed to Goshen in 1853 and purchased the farm where she now resides. She received her education in the young ladies' school in Goshen. Mr. and Mrs. Jessup are the parents of four children, .only one of whom, John Seward Jessup, survives and he resided with them. Mrs. Seneca Jessup is descended from William McCain, a soldier in the Revolution, who came from the north of Ireland in 1728 and located in the town of Warwick.

WALTER WARE JOHONNOTT, D. C., born Burlington, Vermont, 1882; son of Fred and Harriet (Glover) Johonnott ; Huguenot ancestry ; classical educa- tion at University of Vermont and Amherst College. He graduated from the Amer- ican School of Osteopathy, Kirksville, Mo., 1904: took post-graudate course Mas- sachusetts College of Osteopathy, and engaged in practice in Newburgh, N. Y., 1905. Member of the American and New York State Osteopathic Societies, New- burgh City Club, Powelton Club and Church of Our Father ( Unitarian ).

L. A. JOHNSON, who conducts a general mercantile business at Sparrowbush, N. Y., also dealing extensively in mining supplies and lumber, is a native of Tomp-

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kins County, N. Y. He enjoyed the advantages of a liberal education and was graduated from Cornell University in 1890 with the degree of A. B.

Mr. Johnson married Lillian A., daughter of the late Henry F. West, of Spar- rowbush, and they are the parents of three sons. Mr. West was for many years a prominent business man in this community. He built the store now occupied by Mr. Johnson and also carried on an extensive business in lumber, owning some twenty-eight hundred acres of timber land in Delaware County. In 1873 Mr. West married Miss Mary Stanton, of Forestburg, N. Y. 1

ROBERT JOHNSTON, county treasurer, was born in Newburgh, Orange County, N. Y. He is the son of William C. Johnston, one of Newburgh's oldest business men. The subject of our sketch has climbed the ladder of business suc- cess, rising from a position as bookkeeper in the hardware store of the late Mayor Charles J. Lawson to the presidency of a new corporation, the Johnston Hardware and Iron Co., successor of Charles H. Daughty. Mr. Johnston's business attain- ments strongly commend him for the responsibilities of the county treasurership. He is forty years of age, and an enthusiastic worker for the republican party. For six years he served as a member of the board of public works.

WILLIAM C. JOHNSTON, who is numbered among the prominent merchants of Newburgh, has conducted a high-class harness and leather store in Water street for over half a century. Mr. Johnston was born and educated in Newburgh and learned the harness maker's trade with John R. Woolsey. He established his store January 1, 1857, at its present location. He married Miss Margaret L. Camp- bell, and they became the parents of ten children. Three sons are in business in Newburgh: Robert, the present county treasurer, is a hardware merchant; W. Charles, who has a carriage repository on Broadway, and Renwick, who is engaged in the livery business. In religious affiliations Mr. Johnston is a member of the Westminster Reformed Church.

EVAN E. JONES was born at Turin, Lewis County, N. Y., June 10, 1856. He attended the Union school at Turin, after which he engaged in farming, and con- tinued until June, 1902, when he came to Orange County and conducted the John- ston Hotel at Newburgh. In April, 1906, he removed to Hamptonburgh, where he is now engaged in the hotel business.

He married Emma M. Peck, of Turin, N. Y., January 12, 1886. They have no children. In politics Mr. Jones is a republican.

ANDREW V. JOVA, M.D., Newburgh, N. Y., was born at Santa Clara, Cuba, March 23, 1859. He came to the United States in 1870, and entered St. John's Col- lege, New York, graduating in 1880 with the degree of A.B. In 1883 he graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, which was supplemented by a two years' hospital course in Paris, one year in Berlin and eight months at the clinics in Vienna. He then returned to America and was for eighteen months on

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the staff of the French Hospital, New York City. In 1891 he located in Newburgh, where he has built up an extensive practice. Dr. Jova is attending physician to St. Luke's Hospital, has been chairman of the medical board and is now a member of the board of managers of the same institution. He is a member of the various state and national medical societies.

ISAAC KELLS, who was one of the most successful farmers in the town of Montgomery, Orange County, was of Scotch-Irish descent. He was born in the North of Ireland in 1833 and died at his home, October 1, 1907. He resided in Montgomery for nearly thirty-five years, cultivating a valuable farm of one hun- dred and fifty acres. Mr. Kells was actively identified with the Goodwill church, in which he was an officer. He was twice married; by his first wife, who was Miss Elizabeth Ferguson, two daughters were born, Mrs. William Whigam and Mrs. Ella Hyndman, both residents of Montgomery. Ilis second wife was Miss Delia Boyd, who died in 1905. Industrious and energetic the success of Mr. Kells was due en- tirely to his own efforts and he enjoyed in a high degree the esteem of his fellow- citizens.

GEORGE W. KERR, who for more than half a century was an officer of on' of Orange County's strongest financial institutions, was born in Warren County N. J., February 15, ISIO. His ancestors were originally from Scotland, but M. Kerr's father was born at Freehold, N. J. His parents removed to Ithaca, N. Y., where he obtained a position in the branch of the Bank of Newburgh. In 1830, when the branch was withdrawn, and the Bank of Ithaca established, Mr. Kerr entered the new bank and remained there until October, 1831, when a position was offered him in the Bank of Newburgh, with the officials of which he had become acquainted through his connection with the branch bank.

In 1836 Mr. Kerr was promoted to the position of cashier, and in 1854 he was elected president to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John Chambers. In 1864, when the old Bank of Newburgh was closed and the National Bank of New- burgh organized, Mr. Kerr was again honored with the presidency. He continued in that position till his death, having been cashier of the bank for eighteen years, and president for thirty-seven years. He died June 3, 1890.

Mr. Kerr was a trustee and vice-president of the village in 1856, and a member of the board of education in 1852-1854. For forty-seven years he was a vestryman of St. George's Protestant Episcopal church, and for thirty-one years treasurer of the board.

Upon his death the directors of the bank adopted the following minute : "His sound judgment, perfect integrity and eminent ability have been long recognized in financial circles, and his excellence in all the relations of life will long be remem- bered in this community. By us his immediate associates, and by all in any capacity attached to this bank, his memory will always be cherished. He has left to his family and this community, where he has spent so many years of a long and useful life, a legacy better than earthly riches-a good name."

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The vestry of St. George's church adopted resolutions recording "their very high esteem for his character and his lifelong devotion to the church and her interests. It is with grateful feeling that we remember the steady consistency of his Christian walk, his uprightness as a business man, his value as a citizen, his zeal as a church- man. We owe him no slight debt for his faithful service as our treasurer for thirty-one years, during which time his unflagging attention to the affairs of the parish has contributed essentially and in a large degree to its stability and pros- perity."

Mr. Kerr was twice married. His first wife was Emeline Ross, his second, Mar- garet T. L., daughter of the Rev. John Brown, D.D.

CHARLES KETCHAM, merchant and postmaster for many years at Mountain- ville, and representative citizen of the town of Cornwall, Orange County, is a son of Benjamin S. and Mercy (Brown) Ketcham, and was born on the homestead farm in 1847. He established his present store in 1871. Mr. Ketcham has for many years been prominently identified with the public affairs of Cornwall. He has served four- teen terms as supervisor, including a chairmanship of the board. He also held the office of justice of the peace twelve years. Mr. Ketcham was the opposing candidate of Judge Dickey, as a delegate to the constitutional convention. He was also the nominee of the democratic party for county clerk. He married Miss Ida, daughter of Captain Jacob Smith, of Cornwall. They are the parents of two sons and six daughters.

The Ketcham family is one of the oldest in the town of Cornwall. Long previous to the Revolution, Samuel Ketcham, the great-great-grandfather of Charles, located here and was engaged in farming and the operation of a grist mill. His descend- ants through several generations settled around hin, and the place was known as Ketchamtown, until the opening of the railroad, when the post-office was changed to Mountainville.

THE KETCHAM FAMILY of the town of Mount Hope had for their progeni- tor the pioneer farmer and mechanic, Jolın Ketcham, born at Huntington, L. I., Jan- uary 24, 1716. A lineal descendant of Edward Ketcham, the progenitor, in America, of all bearing the name Ketcham or Ketchum-who settled at Ipswich, Mass., in 1635; Southold, L. I., in 1653. Edward died at Stratford, Conn., in 1655, leaving in all seven children. John Ketcham (sixth generation in America) married Miss Sarah Matthews, of Morristown, N. J., came to Orange County, N. Y., and settled for a time in Hamptonburgh and Goshen, respectively, removed in 1774 to the present town of Mount Hope. He was the founder of Ketcham's Mills, near Mount Hope village. Here John Ketcham died April 21, 1794, and Sarah, his widow, departed this life in 1802. The homestead passing to the son Joseph, has continuously (1774-1907) been occupied by a Ketcham, present occupant, Isaac Emmett Ketcham, being a great grandson of Joseph. Last surviving grandson of said Joseph, bearing . the family name, was the late John L. Ketcham, son of Joseph, Jr. (farmer, me- chanic and inventor), and like his ancestors also a mechanic of ability and promi-

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nence. Born February 22, 1820, he married November 14, 1844, Miss Harriette Writer, also of the town of Mount Hope. She died August 30, 1870. John L. died June 10, 1898, is survived by their only child, Electa J. Ketcham-Penney, at present residing near Finchville.

Less than a dozen families representative of this once large and widely influential family, are now living within their native town, Mount Ilope.

JOHN EGBERT KIDD, a retired farmer residing near Walden, N. Y., is a de- scendant of an old Orange County family. Going back over a century and a half, it is ascertained that three brothers, Alexander, Robert and Andrew Kidd, came from the North of Ireland in 1736, and secured a large tract of land in the vicinity of the present village of Walden. Alexander, the direct ancestor of our subject, mar- ried Jane Calderwood. Robert, their eldest son, married Mary McGowan, and their son Andrew in 1802 married a Miss Margaret Kidd and became the parents of six children, of whom John, the eldest, was born October 26, 1803, at the parental home- stead. He followed the occupation of a farmer and was prominent in public affairs of the town. He was highway commissioner a great many years, was a director of the Walden National Bank and held the office of railroad commissioner.

In 1826 he married Miss Cornelia, daughter of Charles Haines, of Montgomery. Six children were born, Andrew, Mirza, John, Egbert, David L., Margaret A. and Victor. During the Civil War, John Egbert Kidd enlisted with the "Orange Blos- soms," the famous 124th Regiment, a review of which appears in the Military History in this volume.

John E. Kidd was twice married. His first wife was Alice Decker, and the fol- lowing children were born: Cornelia (now the wife of George Wait), and one son John. Mr. Kidd's second wife was Maria Adeline Decker.

BENJAMIN B. KINNE, M.D., is a native of Kirkville, Onondaga County, N. Y., where he was born March 28, 1877. He was educated in the public schools of the state, including the high school at East Syracuse. He was a teacher in the county for four years, and studied for his profession in the American Medical Missionary College of Battle Creek, Mich., and Chicago. For nearly a year he was on the medical staff of the Pennsylvania Sanitarium at Philadelphia.

Dr. Kinne came to Middletown in 1905, and took the management of the Battle Creek Sanitarium Treatment Rooms on East Main street. Later these were re- moved to the Middletown Sanitarium on Benton avenue, where better facilities are offered for the accommodation of patients. The present building is large and pleasant, having all of the modern improvements, and is fully equipped with all the facilities for baths of various kinds, massage, electricity, x-ray, Swedish move- ments, and the care of surgical cases.

GEORGE A. KIPP was born July 31, 1871, at Goshen, Orange County, N. Y., and attended the public school at that place. At the age of fifteen he learned the carpenter's trade with his father, and has always continued the business. He was

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united in marriage to Clara Baker, of Middletown, N. Y., April 26, 1899. Four children were born to this union; two died in infancy. The living are Allerton, born June 9, 1905, and Dorothy, born August 27, 1907. In politics Mr. Kipp is a democrat. His parents were Richard A., born March 3, 1838, and Mary Ann (Dailey) Kipp. They had six children, one dying in infancy. Richard was also engaged in contracting and carpenter business in Goshen, and conducted a milk business in New York previous to the Civil War. About 1862 he returned to Goshen, taking up his trade. He erected many of the best residences in and around Goshen, and died July 26, 1897.

CHARLES ALBERT KNAPP occupies a farm of two hundred and seventy acres in the town of Goshen, which was first settled by William Knapp in 1749. Mr. Knapp's ancestry in this country is traced to Nicholas Knapp, who with his brothers, William and Roger, emigrated to America from Sussex, England, in 1630. His ancestors were prominent in military affairs during the colonial period. One, Isaac Knapp, was in the expedition to Canada under Sir William Phips in 1690. John Knapp, born 1664, died 1749 of Stamford, Conn., was captain of the train band in 1716. Nathaniel Knapp, of Newburgh, was in the second Louisburg expedition, 1758-1759. Samuel Knapp, born 1695, died 1751, had a son Samuel, born 1722, and his son William and wife Margaret came to Goshen, N. Y., in 1749. They had nine . children, of whom James and Samuel were killed in the Battle of Minisink, July 22, 1779. James was forty-three years old and left a widow, whose maiden name was Hester Drake, and nine children, born between the years 1761-1779. Of these John Knapp (born August 24, 1765, died 1854), married Eunice Smith, of Goshen, and of their eleven children Virgil, the youngest, was the father of Charles Albert, who married Emma Linderman, and are the parents of three children, Jesse, Louis and Mabel. Jesse married Addie Crawford and Louis married Catherine Bull. The two sons are engaged in business in New York City.

JAMES W. KNAPP was born at Pine Island, Orange County, December 22, 1831, and died at the age of seventy-six. His wife was a daughter of Peter N. Ryerson, of Glenwood, N. J., and they were married October 21, 1855. Their six children are Mary, wife of F. E. Tither, of Florida, N. Y .; Nicholas, of Belmont, N. Y .; Charles, of Goshen, N. Y .; William, of Pine Island; J. Arthur, of Florida, N. Y., and Elizabeth, wife of Walter S. Seeley, of Middletown, N. Y.

Mr. Knapp's father, William Knapp, died at the age of eighty-five. Peter N. Ryerson was born at New Vernon, N. J., September 9, 1814. His grandfather, Nicholas Ryerson, emigrated from Amsterdam, Holland, in 1801, and settled on Long Island. Mr. Knapp was a member of the Presbyterian church of Amity, and for six years served as town assessor.

SAMUEL L. KNIFFIN, of Goshen, N. Y., was born at Chester in 1843. In 1863 he came to Goshen with his parents, and learned the tinsmith trade under the tuition of his father, who for many years had charge of the tinning department

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for J. W. Corwin & Co. Mr. Kniffin has remained in the same store, now owned by Kniffin & Hopkins, and for many years has served as foreman of the tin-shop. He married Sarah, daughter of Gabriel Bennett, of Goshen, and they have a daughter Carrie, who married Charles B. Coleman, of Goshen. Mr. Kniffin is a democrat and has served as town clerk of Goshen and for many years has been village trustee.

WILLIAM KNIFFIN, hardware merchant, of Goshen, N. Y., was born in Ches- ter, Orange County, in 1855. In 1863 his parents removed to Goshen, and his father, Samuel M., was tinner for J. W. Corwin & Co., there for many years. William se- cured employment in the same store in 1871, and in 1892 purchased a half interest in the business, the firm being known as Corwin & Kniffin. In 1902 Edward A. Hopkins purchased Mr. Corwin's interest and since that time the firm name has been Kniffin & Hopkins. In politics Mr. Kniffin is a democrat, and has served the town of Goshen as collector one term.

CHARLES T. KNIGHT, a prominent citizen of Monroe, was born here in 1847. He is a son of Chauncey B. and Mary (Thompson) Knight; the latter a daughter . of Rev. J. J. Thompson, died in 1908. As a young man Mr. Knight engaged with his father in the feed, coal and lumber business, and was a member of the firm of C. B. Knight & Co., organized in 1868, continuing until 1877, when he was asso- ciated for two years with the provision house of James A. Townsend at Newburgh. In 1879 the firm of Knight & Conklin was formed and continued the flour and feed business until 1899. Mr. Knight is now engaged in the business alone. In 1897 he was appointed postmaster of the village which was then a fourth-class office. He was reappointed in 1900, when the office was placed in the third class, and was reappointed to the position in 1904 and 1908. Mr. Knight served one term as supervisor of the old town of Monroe and two terms of the new town.

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The history of Orange County, New York, Part 83

Author: Headley, Russel, b. 1852, ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Middletown, N.Y., Van Deusen and Elms Number of Pages: 1342

Author: Headley, Russel, b. 1852, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Middletown, N.Y., Van Deusen and Elms
Number of Pages: 1342