USA > New York > Orange County > The history of Orange County, New York > Part 94
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JOHN W. THORN was born in Mount Hope, February 17, 1864. After his education in the district and a private school, lie engaged in the feed and coal trade, and in 1894 started a creamery near Middletown, which he recently sold, and is now conducting a creamery at Westtown, N. Y. He is a member of Hoffman Lodge No. 412, F. and A. M .; Midland Chapter No. 420, R. A. M .; Cypress Com- mandery No. 67, K. T .; and of the Commercial Travelers' Middletown Council. His father is A. D. Thorn, a Mount Hope farmer, and his mother's maiden name was Lucinda Moore.
HON. HOWARD THORNTON, attorney of Newburgh, N. Y., was born on Governors' Island, New York Harbor, on February 25, 1849, where his father, General William A. Thornton, was stationed at the time.
Mr. Thornton comes of old Revolutionary stock. His paternal grandfather was Major John Thornton, of the Continental and Revolutionary Army, and his pa- ternal grandmother was a daughter of Colonel Samuel Clyde, of Cherry Valley. Matthew Thornton, one of the signers, was an uncle of his grandfather. On his mother's side his ancestors run back to the DeWitts, who were prominent in the Revolutionary period in the Hudson Valley.
Mr. Thornton attended the public schools of New York City, and the College of the City of New York. Later he entered Union College, from which he grad- uated in 1872. He entered the office of Eugene A. Brewster, of Newburgh, as a law student in the year of his graduation, and subsequently the Albany Law School, from which he graduated in 1874. Returning to the office of Mr. Brewster he remained there until 1883, when he opened his present office.
A staunch republican, Mr. Thornton has long been identified with its affairs in this city. In 1891 he was elected a member of assembly from the first assembly district of Orange County, and re-elected in 1892 and 1893. During his third term he was chairman of the judiciary committee of the assembly.
He has been prominently connected with the Masonic organizations of New- burgh; is president of the board of trustees of Washington's Headquarters in
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Newburgh; a member of the board of education of that city, and vice-president of the National Bank of Newburgh.
SAMUEL V. TIDD was born February 1, 1842, His parents were John and Hulda Tidd. Five children were born to this union. Samuel acquired his educa- tion at the district school and in after years became a mechanic. He enlisted in the 124th Regiment, the famous "Orange Blossoms," September 2, 1862, and was en- gaged in many important battles. He was taken prisoner in 1864 and confined in the Andersonville prison for eleven months. lle married Harriet Reeves, of Howells, N. Y., March 6, 1866; five children were born to this union, Addie L., born February 25, 1867: Harriet E., born August 26, 1868; Nettie W., born March 17, 1870; Elizabeth, born February 10, 1872; Jolin S., born October 23, 1873. Nettie is the wife of Harry Miller, of Middletown, N. Y., and John married Julia McWhinnie, of New York City. Mr. Tidd is a republican, has been collector of the school district four terms and constable one term. He is a member of Lyon Post, G. A. R., No. 266, of Middletown, N. Y.
CHARLES E. TOWER, postmaster at Maybrook and member of the firm of Tower Brothers, general merchants, is a native of Oneida County, N. Y., where his brother Fred. W. was also born. Their father, Albert Tower, moved to Orange County in 1870, locating at Campbell Hall, where he was engaged in the milk business for twenty-five years. He established the store at Maybrook in 1889, where he served as postmaster fourteen years. He also held the office of justice of the peace for three years. His death occurred in 1904. Inheriting the industry and enterprise of their father the Tower brothers are numbered among the progres- sive business men of Orange County. They are members of the Order of United American Mechanics.
THOMAS POWELL TOWNSEND, son of Jacob P. and Mary Ann ( Barrett) Townsend, was born at Milton, Ulster County, N. Y., November 26, 1836. His father was a prosperous merchant of Milton, and young Thomas remained in his employ acquiring the requisite training for a successful business career until 1860, when he located in Newburgh and engaged in wholesale merchandise and general freighting business until 1876, when with the exception of a period in 1881, in which he was interested in the wholesale grocery house of James A. Townsend & Co., he has lived in comparative retirement. Mr. Townsend has steadfastly declined to hold public office, directorships, membership in clubs and fraternal organizations, preferring to enjoy the seclusion and privacy of his home. He married Mary Augusta, daughter of Hon. George Clark. They have one daughter, now Mrs. Florence C., wife of Charles T. Mckenzie, married Octo- ber 22, 1890.
FRANK T. AND A. G. TRIPP, publishers of The Veces of the Highlands at Highland Falls, N. Y., established this bright weekly eight-page newspaper, March,
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1891. A valuable feature of the paper is the chronicling of the news of West Point. A modern job printing plant is also conducted, and it has a large advertis- ing patronage in Newburgh.
Messrs. Tripp are from the State of Ohio, and their progressive western spirit is apparent in the management of the enterprise in their adopted village.
JOHN TURL'S SONS .- This company occupies the buildings in South Water street, Newburgh, formerly known as the Washington Iron Works. The business consists chiefly of general machine and boiler shop work. The company deals ex- tensively in sugar machinery, railroad tracks, rails and industrial cars. They em- ploy a force of one hundred men. The industry was founded in New York City in 1845 by John Turl and the works removed to Newburgh in 1905. The officers of the company are Joseph H. Turl, president; Charles H. Pratt, secretary; Harry C. Turl, treasurer.
HIRAM TUTHILL, born November 30, 1837, in Elmira, Chemung County, N. Y., attended school there until sixteen years old, when he moved to Chester, Or- ange County, and became clerk for Charles S. and J. B. Tuthill. This was in Feb- ruary, 1854, and in May, 1855, he changed to clerk in the Chester Bank, and re- mained there as bookkeeper and teller thirteen years. He then went to his birth- place, Elmira, and was in the dry goods business there a year, when he returned to Chester and purchased the dry goods and grocery business of Tuthill & Jack- son, which he carried on from 1869 to 1900. In August of the latter year he was elected president of the Chester Bank, and still holds the responsible position. He married Miss Pauline W. Conklin, of Elmira, February 24, 1869, and their only son, Leddra W. C. Tuthill, is engaged in an advertising business in New York City. There was another son, who died in December, 1879, at the age of ten. Mrs. Tuthill died March 15, 1903. Mr. Tuthill has been active and energetic in local public affairs as well as his more private mercantile and banking pursuits.
HARRY TWEDDLE, son of John and Phœbe (Comfort) Tweddle, was born in the town of Montgomery, Orange County, N. Y., in 1868. He obtained his edu- cation at the schools of Montgomery, and is now engaged in the cultivation of a farm of two hundred acres.
Mr. Tweddle is master of the Montgomery Grange, and a director of the Patrons of Husbandry Fire Insurance Company of Ulster and Orange Counties. Mr. Tweddle married Miss Mary E. Burch and they are the parents of two chil- dren, John P. and Robert K.
GARRETT H. TYMESON, postmaster at Otisville, N. Y., was born February 22, 1847, at Wayne County, Pa. His parents were Truman and Elsie Tymeson. His father was one of the pioneer lumbermen locating in Pennsylvania when the lumber interests were at their best. He was identified many years with this business, retiring in 1866. Garrett attended the district school in his locality, after which
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he attended the academy at Monticello. His early life was spent in the lumber business, after which he entered the mercantile business. He was married May 2, 1871, to Miss Mary Carey, of Middletown, N. Y. Four children were born to this union, one still living. Howard, born September 6, 1872, married Miss Mary Dempsey, and now resides in Paterson, N. J.
Mr. Tymeson went west in the spring of 1877, settling at Frederick, Kans., re- maining there twenty years. He served eight years as justice of the peace at that place. In 1897 he returned to New York State, locating at Otisville, Orange County, was appointed postmaster July 11, 1899, and still holds that position. In 1907 the Otisville post-office was made a third-class office. In politics he is a republican. He is a member of the Otisville Presbyterian Church. So- cially, he is a member of Hoffman Lodge No. 412, F. and A. M., of Middletown, N. Y. His son Harry died in infancy; Arthur married Helen Clark, of Middle- town, and died March 31, 1905; and Elsie, wife of Dr. L. A. Summers, of Wheaton, Kans., died August 2, 1902. Their one son Walter resides with Mr. Tymeson.
BENJAMIN F. VAIL, supervisor of the town of Warwick, N. Y., was born October 23, 1843, at Chester, Orange County. His carly education was obtained at the district school and the Seward Institute at Florida, N. Y. He moved to Honesdale, Pa., where he remained for three years, engaging in the dry goods business. In 1868 he removed to Warwick, entering the grocery business, and later engaging in general merchandise. He was postmaster at Warwick during the Cleveland administration. In 1890 he purchased the business of R. and R. J. Wisner, dealers in lumber, paints, etc. This concern was established in 1884. Mr. Vail was married to Miss Jane C. Cline, December 31, 1868, of Warwick. Two children were born to this union, Cora C. and Pauline F. Mr. Vail takes an active interest in matters pertaining to Warwick. He is a member of Warwick Lodge, F. and A. M., No. 544.
HARRY VAIL was born at New Milford, Orange County, N. Y. He attended the district school there and at Amity, and then engaged in the meat business at Amity. He continued this two years, and bought a small farm of thirty-five acres at New Milford, and leased the Sutton farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he purchased in 1903. He is one of the most extensive peach growers in Orange County, having 9,000 trees. June 15, 1899, he married Miss Celia Utter, daughter of J. W. Utter, of Amity. Their children's names are Harry, Jr., Roy and Emily. Mr. Vail, in his specialty of fruit growing, has been successful, and therefore prosperous. He is secretary of Warwick Lodge No. 544, F. and A. M.
JOHN CARPENTER VAIL was born in Chester, Orange County, May 13, 1846, and educated in the Chester district school and academy. He was clerk for Dr. C. P. Smith about a year, and then at D. H. Roe's grocery two years. Next he was in the commission business in New York City two years, when he returned to Orange County, and in Warwick engaged in the occupation of breeding high-
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class hunting dogs, for which he obtained a somewhat exclusive trade in the metropolis and elsewhere, his specialty being English setters.
Some of his dogs are shipped to Cuba, Halifax, California, Florida and other parts of the United States. He married Mary Reed Van Duzer, of Warwick, April 6, 1864. Their three children are Hazel Clark, Christine Reed and Robert Cornell.
WILLETT VAIL, of Florida, N. Y., was born at Hughsonville, Dutchess County, now known as Fishkill-on-Hudson, July II, 1848. . He obtained his early education at the district school, later attending a private school at Hughsonville. He learned the mason trade at Poughkeepsie, and later worked on the State Hospital at Middletown, N. Y. From Middletown he came to Florida, where he has since resided and for twenty years conducted his business. He married Georgiana Eliza Thompson, of Florida, when twenty-seven years of age. Four children have been born by this union; two died in infancy. Those surviving are: Hattie E., wife of LeRoy Davis, of New York City, and Ira V. K., now of New York City. Mr. Vail is a member of the American Society of Equity and was commissioner of highways of Warwick township one year. He erected the Vail opera house at Florida in 1895, and this, the only amusement place in Florida, en- joys a good business. Both his father and mother died of old age, each being nearly eighty years of age at their death. There are eight children in his parents' family still living. Mr. Vail has taken an active interest in matters pertaining to the welfare and betterment of the village of Florida.
AYMAR VAN BUREN, who has been a resident of New Windsor, Orange County, since 1851, was born in New York City, January 10, 1837. Mr. Van Buren, as his name indicates, is of Holland descent. His great-grandfather, his grandfather and his father, Colonel John D. Van Buren, were all natives of the American metropolis.
He was educated at public and private schools, and began business life in 1862, by purchasing a portion of the farm property of Edmund Morton, of the town of New Windsor. In 1863 he married Miss Margaret, daughter of Mr. Morton. They resided on this farm of ninety acres until 1882, when Mr. Van Buren sold out and became a resident of the old Morton homestead.
He is a firm believer in the principles of the Democratic party, and al- though not an office-seeker, he has for years been very active in the public affairs of the town. He has been trustee of School District No. I since 1871; has served as a member of the board of health, and for many years was road master. In religious matters he is a member of the Episcopal Church, serving as warden, vestryman and treasurer.
JOSEPH VAN CLEFT, merchant and banker, Newburgh, N. Y., was born in the town of New Windsor, Orange County, 1836. The Van Cleft family were early settlers in Minisink Valley. His mother was a member of the Cooper family
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of. Blooming Grove. From 1855 to 1860 he was employed in the hardware trade in New York City, and for two years following pursued the same business in Kansas City, Mo. In 1863 he returned to Newburgh and established his present hardware and agricultural implement business. Upon the organization of the Columbus Trust Company in 1892 he was chosen vice-president, and since 1896 has served as president of that institution. He was one of the original members of the board of trade and for a number of years was member of the consistory of the American Reformed Church. In 1869 he married Edwina Storey Smith, grand-daughter of Judge Storey. She died April, 1891.
ISAAC VAN DUSER, the Pioneer of the Ramapo Pass, by Elizabeth Crissey Van Duzer .- The beautiful country along the Ramapo River between Sloatsburg and Suffern, is well known to Orange County people. It is wild and beautiful still, though the mills have been running there more than a century, and the Erie trains through the valley for sixty-six years.
Nearly two hundred years, with their attendant changes, have passed over that region since Isaac Van Duser-the first white man to settle in the Ramapo Pass- came from Tappan and located with his family in the "Throat of the Cloff," as that narrow part of the valley was then called.
He bought four hundred acres that John Van Blarcum had recently purchased of the Indians, and there built his homestead. East and west rose the mountains densely wooded, and the narrow valley was filled with the music of the little river. Here he lived in the midst of the forest, the Indians his only neighbors, and began his work of opening up the Pass, which proved to be the natural entrance to the Orange County of to-day.
His son, Isaac, Jr., and his wife, were living there in 1724. Isaac, Jr., afterward purchased the Van Gelder tract which joined the Van Duser land, and extended northward. When he came in possession of his father's land, he became owner of the whole valley from the Romopock line below Ramapo to Stony Brook, north of Sloatsburg.
Hle was living there with a large family just at the time the present Orange County was being settled, principally by people from Southern Orange County- now Rockland. As the young settlers came up through the Pass, Isaac Van Duser was able to supply each one with a wife until his ten daughters were all married. They were the maternal ancestors of many old Orange County families.
Wieberch married Benjamin Demarest. Agnes married Samuel Sidman, to whom Isaac Van Duzer deeded the original homestead-the Van Blarcum tract. The valley was called "Sidman's Pass" during the Revolution, and the fortifica- tions there-"The Post at Sidman's."
Marietje married Steven Sloat, to whom Isaac transferred the Van Gelder tract, upon which they founded Sloatsburg. Their son John was killed in the Revolu- tion. His son, John Drake Sloat, was Rear Admiral of the United States Navy. He took possession of the territory now called California for the United States at the beginning of the Mexican War. His monument stands at Monterey.
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Leah married a Galloway and located further up the Pass. Autie married Major Zachariah DuBois (Woodhull's Regiment). Mary was the wife of Lieutenant William Roe (same regiment). Martha married Mr. Rose. Elizabeth, a LaRoy, Catherine an exiled Polish nobleman named Zobrisky, and Jane married Mr. Williams.
Before 1748 Isaac Van Duser bought the Andrew Nicolls patent at Cornwall, and afterward moved there with his three sons, Isaac, Jr., Tjerck and Christopher. In 1772 he divided this land equally among the three. The whole family appear to have been living on the patent during the Revolution. Erskine's map, made for General Washington's use, shows the location of Van Duzer's house at Cornwall. His son, Isaac, Jr., had sons, Isaac 3rd, Adolphus and Benjamin. Alexander Van Duser, of Gardiner, N. Y., is a descendant of Isaac 3rd, and Letitia Mills. Adol- phus moved to Sullivan County. Benjamin has descendants near Cornwall.
Tjerck had wife Catherine. His family has not been traced. Christopher was captain in Colonel Woodhull's Cornwall Regiment. He was commissioned Sep- tember, 1775, and served all through the war. He was at Fort Montgomery at different times, served at Haverstraw, Ramapo and in the Jerseys, at New Wind- sor, Butter Hill, Nicolls Point and eight weeks at Fishkill. He was stationed at West Point immediately after Arnold's treason was discovered. He was described by his neighbors as "an ardent, zealous Whig." He married first Juliana Strong, who left one child, the wife of Jacob Mandeville. Their daughter married first Nathaniel DuBois Woodhull, second Joseph Young.
Captain Van Duzer married second Juliana Tusten, sister of Lieutenant-Colonel Tusten, who was killed at Minisink. In 1807 they moved to Warwick, having pur- chased the farm where the fourth generation of their descendants now live.
They had sons Isaac, Benjamin Tusten, William, John and Selah and six daugh- ters, Elizabeth, Ann, Mary and Susan were the wives of Selah Reeve, Nathan Wescott, Ebenezer Crissey and John Dolson, respectively.
Christopher's son Isaac was prominent in business at Cornwall. Afterward located in Warwick, where his grand-daughter, Mary Burt, now lives. His daughter Juliette, married Colonel Wheeler. He had a son, Isaac Reve, a member of the Legislature, and a very gifted lawyer of Goshen. J. W. Gott, of that place, is his descendant. Benjamin has no descendants living. William moved to Chemung County and left a large family. John was a member of the Legislature. He had sons Joseph Benedict, of Bellvale; Charles Reeve, of Warwick, and James, whose descendants live in Illinois. Of John's seven daughters two died young. Lanor died unmarried. Harriet Fancher, Mary LaZear and Nancy Fish left descendants in Dundee, N. Y. Julia Ann married Abner Benedict, of Warwick.
Selah was a banker in New York. He left a large family. The late S. R. Van Duzer, of Newburgh, was one of his sons.
The farm of Captain Christopher Van Duzer at Warwick, descending from father to son, has been the home of Christopher, John, Charles Reeve and George Morehouse (the present owner), who has a son, Christopher Tusten. At this old
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homestead on April 25, 1907, was celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Van Duzer family in Warwick.
Shadrack Van Duzer lived in Cornwall during the Revolution. His two sons, Isaac and Henry, served in Captain Van Duzer's company. Henry's grandson, 'Squire Henry Van Duzer, of Cornwall, still lives on a part of the land bought by Isaac Van Duzer in 1748, and has the original patent in his possession.
Shadrack is supposed to be a descendant of Isaac of Ramapo, though no proof can as yet be found. On the other hand, several grandchildren of his son Isaac, who married Martha Tusten and moved to Goshen, claim that Shadrack came from Holland when his son Isaac was twelve years of age, that is, 1767. This may be true, as'no record of him in Cornwall or elsewhere has been found prior to that date, though I have searched for it during the past ten years and will now leave the question to his descendants, who are very numerous in Orange County, to de- termine for themselves.
Isaac Van Duzer, of Ramapo, was a grandson of Abraham Pietersen Van Deursen, the original ancestor of the Van Dusen and Van Duzer families in America. We find him mentioned first in a Holland document complaining of the English, which says: "They encroach westerly below Cape Cod, on the Dutch limits, absorbing Rhode Island and Martin's Vineyard, howbeit possession had been taken thereof for this Company in 1636 by Abraham Pietersen Van Deursen."
He was the miller of New Amsterdam in 1638, one of the "Twelve Men" in 1641, was afterward elected one of the "Eight Men," and was also a Burgher. In 1664 he took the oath of Allegiance to England.
HENRY VAN DUZER, justice of the peace of the town of Cornwall, resides on a farm near Cornwall Station. Mr. Van Duzer is a descendant of one of Orange County's old and prominent families. His great grandfather, Isaac Van Duzer, secured the patent to the homestead farm in Cornwall in 1735. This docu- ment is in the possession of Henry Van Duzer, who has been identified with public affairs in his native town for thirty-five years. He was born in 1835 and educated at public and private schools. His father, John S. Van Duzer, died in 1850 and Henry learned the trade of piano maker, which he followed for a number of years both in this section and in the west. He has served thirty years as justice of the peace ; three years justice of sessions ; thirteen years as U. S. loan commissioner. and one term as supervisor. In 1860 he married Miss Catherine Cox and three children were born to them; his son, Henry J., is agent for the Erie Railroad at Cornwall Station.
JAMES HARRY VAN DUZER, son of Isaac Van Duzer and Mary Case, was born in the town of Chester, N. Y., December 12, 1839. At the age of eighteen he entered as clerk in a general store with the firm of Woodhull and Vandervort at the corner store, Warwick, N. Y .; he became a member of that firm in 1864; he succeeded to the business in 1873, continuing until 1883: in 1884 he engaged in the wholesale hardware business at Newburgh, N. Y .; in 1895 William E. Sayer and
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F. Clinton Van Duzer (his son) became members of the firm, and it is known as J. H. Van Duzer & Co. He was married to Sarah A. Taylor December 20, 1865, daughter of Isaac Taylor and Margaret Smith, Warwick, N. Y. Their children are Ella T. (deceased), F. Clinton and Marie L., wife of Thomas Welling.
DR. SOLOMON VAN ETTEN, one of the most prominent physicians and surgeons in the county, was born in the town of Deer Park, Orange County, N. Y., July 30, 1829. He was the son of Levi Van Etten and Eleanor Carpenter.
The family was of Dutch descent and the doctor was of the eighth generation in the direct line, from Jacob Van Etten, who came from North Brabant, Holland, about 1656, and located at Wiltwyck, now Kingston, N. Y. He grew up on the farm, attended the district school, and later the Farmers' Hall Academy at Goshen, and was graduated from the Albany Medical College, June 12, 1855.
Locating in Port Jervis, he soon acquired a fine practice, but when the Civil War broke out the traditions of the family and the staunch loyalty and patriotism which had been its characteristic for generations would not permit him to stay at home.
His two grandfathers, Levi Van Etten and Benjamin Carpenter, served in the Third Orange County Regiment in the Revolution. His great-grandfather, An- thony Van Etten, was so active a patriot that he was killed by Tories in 1778. His great-grandfather, Johannes Decker, was the famous Major Decker who protected the frontier of the southern part of the State throughout the Revolution, and his grandmother, Margaret Decker, was one of the children at school in the old log schoolhouse, near the farm house where the doctor was born, on that July day when Brandt surprised them at their lessons and killed and scalped their teacher. He entered the service September 3, 1861, as surgeon of the Fifty-sixth Regiment of New York Volunteers. He rose step by step from regimental surgeon to the rank of division surgeon of the Third Division of the Eighteenth Army Corps. After the war he returned to Port Jervis.
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