Biography of George Henry Walker

George Henry Walker occupies a prominent position in business, circles of Muskogee as vice president and general manager of the Osage Cotton Oil Company and has also served as mayor of the city since April, 1920. His birth occurred at Union Springs, Alabama, on the 1st of October, 1872, his parents being Merriott W. and Rexie (Goodwin) Walker, the former a prosperous planter and merchant. After mastering the elementary branches of learning George Henry Walker pursued a high school course in his native town and subsequently attended a business college at Poughkeepsie, New York. When his textbooks were put aside … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Sherman Van De Boe

Van De Boe, Joseph Sherman; real estate; born, Jan. 20, 1859, Cooperstown, N. Y.; son of John Leeland Van De Boe; common school education; married in December, 1881, Miss Mary A. Wood, of Lebanon; issue, one son, Hugh Robert, born Oct. 14, 1885; Mrs. Van De Boe died in December, 1909, while visiting her son, in Hong Kong, China; business career, began to work when 12 years of age; worked on a farm; mgr. Drug Co. in Andover, N. Y.; realizing the need of further education, worked in country store in Ulysses, Pa., and attended Academy there; then went to … Read more

Wappinger Tribe

Wappinger Indians (‘easterners,’ from the same root as Abnaki). A confederacy of Algonquian tribes, formerly occupying the east bank of Hudson River from Poughkeepsie to Manhattan Island. and the country extending east beyond Connecticut River, Conn. They were closely related to the Mahican on the north and the Delaware on the south. According to Ruttenber their totem was the wolf. They were divided into 9 tribes: Wappinger proper Manhattan Wecquaesgeek Sintsink Kitchawank Tankiteke Nochpeem Siwanoy Mattabesec Some of these were again divided into subtribes. The eastern bands never came into collision with the Connecticut settlers. Gradually selling their lands as … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Silas Bowerman

(IV) Silas, son of Thomas (3) Bowerman, was born about 1720 in Falmouth. He removed to New Bedford and thence to Dover, Dutchess county, New York, in 1780. In 1790, the first federal census shows him living at Pawling, Dutchess county, with three males over sixteen, one tinder sixteen and seven females in his family. His second wife was Lydia Gifford. His three sons were Silas, Malthiah and Macy. Malthiah settled in Lafayette and built a house there where the hotel later stood and is ancestor of the Milan Bowermans, leaving sons Joseph, Esek, Otis and Sands. Macy settled on … Read more

Biography of Joseph C. Merritt

Joseph C. Merritt, chairman of the board of directors of the First National Bank of Chanute, the largest financial institution in Neosho County, is a pioneer Kansan. He came to Iola in 1871, and for a number of years was engaged in the cattle business. His home had been in Chanute since 1878. For more than thirty years, until he sold out in 1909, Mr. Merritt conducted a hardware store at the corner of East Main and Harlan Avenue. As successful merchant, it was only natural that he should participate in other business affairs in the city, and he early … Read more

Biography of Stephen Henry Velie

The City of Moline owes its prominence throughout the United States, and in fact, throughout the entire civilized world, chiefly to its manufactories. And to Stephen Henry Velie, deceased, who, during his life, was conspicuously identified with several of that city’s leading manufacturing establishments, Moline is greatly indebted for the preeminence she now maintains in industrial enterprise. Mr. Velie was born April 21, 1830, near Hyde Park, Dutchess County, New York, his boyhood, until he arrived at the age of fifteen years, being spent upon his father’s farm in that county. During this period he attended the public schools of … Read more

Biography of Edward C. Stuart

Edward C. Stuart, starting upon his banking career as clerk in the First National Bank of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, is now the vice president of the First National Bank of St. Louis, one of the largest and strongest financial institutions of the Mississippi valley. Advancement came to him in recognition of his worth and ability in his chosen field of labor. He has ever made it his purpose thoroughly to master any task entrusted to him and as power grows through the exercise of effort he has become a strong factor in financial circles of his adopted city. He was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Josiah Miller

Josiah Miller, a pioneer newspaper man of Lawrence and Kansas, an ardent free-soiler and public official in the formative periods of the territory and the state, was born in Chester District, South Carolina, November 12, 1828. He gradnated from the Indiana University in 1851, and from the law school at Poughkeepsie, New York, and in August, 1854, came to Kansas. As his father had been waylaid and mobbed because of his anti-slavery views, it was but natural that Josiah should be an ardent opponent of slavery, and on January 5, 1855, he began the publication of the Kansas Free State … Read more

Biography of Thomas W. Hallock

Thomas W. Hallock, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Dutchess Co., N. Y., Jan. 20, 1811; he was raised on a farm until he was 15 years old, and then went to Troy, N. Y., where he learned the trade of a coachmaker; he worked for Eaton & Gilbert, at that time one of the largest coachmaking firms in the country; he helped to build the first railway-coach in this country, in 1829; this coach was run on the Amboy & Burtontown R. R., and was drawn by horses. Going to New York City in 1833, he … Read more

Biography of Illiam Francis Allison

Illiam Francis Allison was born September 7, 1847, in Lockhaven, Pennsylvania, and, like many men who achieve success in business or distinction in public life, his early years were passed on a farm, where are instilled habits of industry, and the seeds of a sturdy, selfreliant manhood are sown which ripen into true grandeur of character. Young Allison’s inclination being rather toward mercantile pursuits than agricultural, he left the farm and took a course in Commercial College at Poughkeepsie, New York. Though not of legal age, he exemplified his patriotism by enlisting in the Union army, and it was the … Read more

Biography of John Scales

John Scales, a resident of Wagontown, is a native of the Emerald Isle, his birth having occurred in Kilrush, County Clare, on the 6th of May 1840. At the time of the protectorate in England members of the Scales family, natives of that land, went to Ireland as soldiers of Oliver Cromwell, and for their services were paid in Irish estates, called “sword-lands.” The parents of our subject were Samuel and Rachel Scales, who were distant relatives. They came to America in 1855, bringing with them their family of five children, and took up their residence in the state of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Whittlesey Walton

Walton, John Whittlesey; merchant and mfgr.; born Salisbury, Litchfield County, Conn., Jan. 15, 1845; son of Lucius Clark and Mary Vesta (Whittlesey) Walton; removed in early life to Tallmadge, Summit County, O.; educated, public school and Tallmadge Academy, graduated, 1864, Eastman’s Business College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; married, Cleveland, Oct. 6, 1869, L. A. Lyman; issue, one son and two daughters, Edwin A. Walton (Detroit, Mich.), Ethelwyne, now Mrs. William O. Osborn, Cleveland, Florence L., now Mrs. Frank Gill Dorr, Buffalo, N. Y.; married Gertrude Louise Hutchinson, Madison, Ind.; issue, three daughters, Gertrude Letitia, Margaret, Gladys; clerked first in retail and … Read more

Sarah Elizabeth Todd Bonesteal of Poughkeepsie NY

BONESTEAL, Sarah Elizabeth Todd7, (Eli6, Jonah5, Abraham4, Jonah3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Aug. 18, 1813, married Virgil Dryden Bonesteal. He was a lawyer. They lived in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Children: I. Thompson, d. young. II. Philip, d. young.

Genealogy of Elleazer Baker of Dutchess County NY

T164 ELLEAZER BAKER: b. 1735; Commissary in Revolutionary War; d. 1815. T165 DAVID BAKER: b. 1775, in Dutchess County, New York. Removed to Green Co.; settled 4 miles from Hall Family; m. Elizabeth Losee, b. 1779; d. 1834. T166 AMBROSE BAKER: b. August, 1803; m. 1825 to Polly Hall; moved to Coxsackie, situated upon the west bank of the Hudson River distant 21 miles below Albany. The Location became known as the Upper or Baker’s Landing, for it was there that he built a dock of log cribbing filled with stones, brush and dirt, extending several hundred feet out from … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Silas Bowerman

(V) Silas (2), son of Silas (1) Bowerman, was born at Falmouth or New Bedford, Massachusetts, and came with the family to Dutchess county, New York, settling at length at Duanesburg, near Albany, New York, where he had a farm and where he died.

Biography of Phillip Brown

Phillip Brown. Like many other men of Eastern Kansas who are now possessed of independent means and hold well-established positions in their various communities, Phillip Brown was in modest eireumstances when he first came to this state. At that time, in 1879, he had been in the United States for nine years, but had not made any appreciable advancement, owing to the fact that his operations had been conducted in a community where it was necessary that a man be possessed of large capital in order to compete with his fellows. In Kansas, however, he found a field in which … Read more

Biography of John Leo McLaughlin

JOHN LEO McLAUGHLIN – There is a man in Pittsfield who is the living exponent of the principle put into practical use in that city, to wit: That a cooperative coal yard can be run successfully over a course of years, secure good coal for its customers, pay dividends to its shareholders and a patronage refund to its consumers, and at the same time disabuse the general public’s mind of the idea that such a scheme of business cannot be made to pay. The man who has demonstrated the above salient facts is John Leo McLaughlin, manager of the Pittsfield … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. J. Barnes

W. J. Barnes, proprietor of Madison Hotel, is a native of Dutchess County, N. Y. In the spring of 1866, the family came to Columbus, Neb. The following year, they removed to Madison County, where he has since resided. The family are among the first 24 settlers of the county. His brother pre-empted this land and laid out this town. His father pre-empted a quarter section on the north. W. J. also pre-empted a quarter section, making about one section which the family entered. He has since been engaged in farming, and has recently opened this house.

Biographical Sketch of Melvin Daniel Kilmer

Kilmer, Melvin Daniel; manufacturer; born, New York State, July 29, 1858; son of Augustus and Vianna Barner Kilmer; educated, Eastman’s Business College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; married, Schenectady, N. Y., Oct. 22, 1886, Mary T. Hoag; two sons, Augustus H. and Melvin D. Jr.; pres. and mgr. The Kilmer Spring Support Co.; the company also manufactures wire-forming machines and bale ties; copartner with M. D. Kilmer & Co., and A. H. Kilmer & Son; Mason, Emennal Lodge, Cleveland, Highland Chapter, Newburg, N. Y., Hudson River Commandery, Newburg, N. Y., New York Consistory, Mecca Temple, New York City; member Masonic Club.

Biographical Sketch of Jeremiah Purdy

Jeremiah Purdy came from Dutchess county and settled at Sherburne Four Corners, where Milton Bentley now lives, and resided there till he had become advanced in years. Benjamin and Israel Ferris were brothers, though the latter settled in North Norwich, about a mile above the village, on the Dalrymple farm. Benjamin settled about a mile west of Sherburne village, where Morris Buell now lives.