Orange County NY

Biographical Sketch of D. E. Mead

D. E. Mead, merchant of Hillsboro, was born September 7, 1839, at Greenville, N. Y. His father, W. R. Mead, was born about 1798 and died in 1879, in Vermont. His grandfather, Adolphus, was in the Revolution. Liddie (Colwell) Mead, his mother, was born about 1800 in Virginia, and died in 1882 in New York. Living on his father’s farm until twenty-two years of age, he began business at Logansport, Inc., but was soon commissioned sutler under General Rosecrans. After the war he engaged in merchandising at Tullahoma until 1866, when he began his present occupation. He has served almost … Read more

Biography of Dewitt Clinton

DeWitt Clinton was born at Little Britain, Orange County, N. Y., in. 1769. He died suddenly while engaged in official duty at Albany, February 11, 1828. His paternal ancestors, although long resident in Ireland, were of English origin, and his mother was of Dutch-French blood. He was educated at Columbia College, graduating with high honors. Choosing the law for his avocation, he studied law under Samuel Jones, afterwards Chief Justice of the United States Superior Court. He was admitted to the Bar in 1788 and entered immediately into political life, being an ardent supporter of his uncle, George Clinton. He … Read more

Biography of Belden D. Burt

The subject of this sketch is one of the pioneer merchants of Riverside, and is the senior member of the firm of B. D. Burt & Brother. This is now the oldest mercantile firm in the city, having been established in 1875, and been continuously in business since that time. The first brick block erected in Riverside was that occupied by Mr. Burt, on the corner of Main and Eighth streets. For many years he conducted a general mercantile business, but in the later years, has confined his business to dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes, etc. Mr. Burt’s partner … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Matthew Bennett

(I) Matthew Bennett, the grandfather of Horace D. Bennett, was a native of Orange county, New York, and removed to Geneva, Ontario county, New York, in 1805, there founding the homestead of the Bennett family. He was a farmer and spent his life on the farm which he purchased in that section. During the revolutionary war he was an active participant in many of the most important engagements.

Biographical Sketch of G. T. Kilner

G. T. Kilner, druggist, Mattoon; was born in Manchester, Eng., Nov. 18, 1820; at the age of 15 years, he was left an orphan, and, in 1836, emigrated to America, and first settled in Waterbury, Conn.; here he engaged in the sale of drugs six years; he then moved to Newburgh, N. Y., where he engaged in the same business; in the spring of 1860, he came West and located in Mattoon, opened up his business here; his is the first drug store established in the city; he took a partial course in medicine and practiced some years in connection … Read more

Biography of Frank L. Travis Hon.

Hon. Frank L. Travis. A resident of Kansas since early boyhood, Frank L. Travis had been a farmer, public official and insurance man at Iola, but his name is most familiarly known over the state at large through his active leadership in the Legislature of Kansas. During the recent session of the Lower House he was the accepted leader of his party, and some of the most beneficial legislation enacted in recent years had been largely shaped and influenced by Mr. Travis of Iola. The ancestry of the Travis family goes back to Ireland. There were men of the name … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Bennett

(II) George, son of Matthew Bennett, was born in Goshen, Orange county, New York, in 1794, and died in Geneva, New York, in 1876. At the age of eighteen years he enlisted as a soldier and served in the war of 1812 as a private. His business occupation was that of farming, in which he was reasonably successful. He married Sally, daughter of Matthew Lum, of Geneva. Among their children were : Horace D., see forward; Henry, served with honor in the civil war.

Biographical Sketch of Nathaniel Parker Willis

Born in Portland, Maine, January 20, 1806, died at his country home, Idlewild, Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, January 20, 1867. His chief works are: Melanie, Lady Jane and other poems; Pencillings by the Way; Inklings of Adventure; Romance of Travel, comprising Tales of Five Lands; People I Have Met, or Pictures of Society and People of Mark; A Health Trip to the Tropics; Out of Doors at Idlewild; Paul Fane, or Parts of a life else Untold, a Novel. Edgar Allen Poe, in a review of the literary work of N. P. Willis said: “As a writer of `sketches’ properly so called, Mr. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edward Payson Roe

Edward Payson Roe was one of Orange County’s most distinguished writers. He was born in Moodna, Orange County, N. Y., in 1838, and died at his home near Cornwall-on-Hudson in 1888. He is best remembered as a novelist whose works achieved great popularity in America and abroad, several of his novels being translated into foreign languages. He studied for the ministry, but illness caused him to abandon his studies while attending Williams College before graduation, but he afterward received a Bachelor’s degree, studied at Auburn and Union Seminaries, and in 1862-65, was a chaplain in the volunteer service during the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edward M. Ruttenber

Journalist and historian, was born in the Town of Bennington, Vt., July 17, 1824. He entered the office of the Vermont Gazette as an apprentice to the printing business in 1837, and removed to Newburgh in 1838, where he became an indentured apprentice in the office of the Newburgh Telegraph, of which he became the owner in 1850. He was thereafter connected with Newburgh journalism as editor and publisher during his entire life, dying at the advanced age of 83 years on December 4, 1907, at Newburgh, N. Y. As a historian he was thorough and exhaustive, and to him, … Read more

Biography of James W. Blain

One of the really remarkable men of Riley County, Kansas, is James W. Blain, who notwithstanding the weight of ninety-four years, still is actively interested in all that concerns the welfare of his state and county. For many years Mr. Blain was one of Riley County’s most enterprising, public spirited and useful men, a pioneer upbnilder, an honorable public offlcial, a substantial and successful agriculturist and an irreproachable citizen. He is one of the best known men in the county and is respected and esteemed throughout its length. James W. Blain was born at Warwick, Orange County, New York, September … Read more

Biography of Thomas Ryan

Thomas Ryan, of Topeka, lawyer, soldier, congressman and diplomat. was born at Oxford, New York. November 25, 1837, but while he was an infant his parents moved to Bradford County; Pennsvlvania, where he was reared upon a farm and attended the country school. He had been admitted to the bar when the Civil war broke out, but enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-first Pennsylvania Infantry, was chosen captain of his company, and served until 1864. He was seriously wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness. In 1865, accompanied by his wife and son, he came to Kansas and located … Read more

The History of Moultrie County and Sullivan, Illinois

Northside of Courthouse in Sullivan Illinois

Robert Eden Martin has created a web site dedicated primarily to the history of Moultrie County, a small county in east-central Illinois, and the city of Sullivan, the county seat. This website also contains information about several families who have lived in the area for 150 or more years: the Martins, Edens, Pifers, Taylors, Whites and Davises and related families, from which Eden descended. Much of what appears on the site was last updated in 2011 – including the county newspapers, high school yearbooks and the information about the Edens, Pifers, Taylors, Whites and Davises. This is a treasure trove … Read more

Biography of Allen Becker Richards

Allen Becker Richards, a native of Pennsylvania, who served in a New York regiment during the civil war, is now (1910) a retired business man of Geneva where he has resided for nearly sixty years. Michael Richards, father of Allen B. Richards, was born in Maxatawny, Pennsylvania, in 1800, was a lifelong resident of that state and died in 1880. His wife, Ada Richards, was also a native of the Keystone state, born in 1809, died in 1899. Children: 1. Allen Becker, see forward. 2. Azuilla, born in 1832, now (1910) the widow of Unie Zeigler, who died in 1901 … Read more

Biography of Col. Granville O. Haller

COL. GRANVILLE O. HALLER, U.S.A., Retired. – Granville Owen Haller was born in York, Pennsylvania, January 31, 1819. His father, George Haller, died when he was but two years of age, leaving a pious and most devoted mother in charge of four young children, who, with limited means, but with industry and thrift, had the satisfaction of seeing her eldest son graduate at the Jefferson Medical College of the University of Pennsylvania. She was very desirous of sending Granville to the Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to be fitted for the ministry, but conscientious doubts on his part prevented him … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Sutton, M.W.

M. W. Sutton, attorney at law, of the firm of Sutton & Wenie. Mr. Sutton first came to Wellington, Sumner Co., Kan., in May, 1872, and practiced law until December of same year, when he went to Medicine Lodge, Barber County, and continued his profession until June 1,1876, thence located permanently in Dodge City, where he has since practiced law. He was County Attorney for Barber County two years and resigned; County Attorney for Ford County from November 1, 1876 until March 1882. He was born in Orange County, N. Y., 1848, and was raised in Tompkins County, living there … Read more

Biography of Francis Merriman Barnes, Jr., M. D.

Dr. Francis Merriman Barnes, Jr., a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University and prominently known as a neuropsychiatrist of St. Louis, was born in Middletown, New York, August 20, 1881, a son of Francis Merriman and Mary Drusilla (Reynolds) Barnes. The father, a native of Pennsylvania and a representative of one of the old families of that state of English lineage, is now a successful dentist. He was graduated from the Baltimore Dental College and is in active practice in Middletown, New York. His wife, a native of the Empire state, passed away in 1884. In their family were four … Read more

Biography of Hon. Charles E. Linderman

Not the good that comes to us but the good that comes to the world through us is the measure of our success, and judged by this standard as well as by the ratings of the business world Hon. Charles E. Linderman was a most successful man. He was numbered among the prominent, valued, honored and respected citizens of southwestern Iowa and left the impress of his individuality for good on its substantial development and improvement. He stood for high ideals in citizenship, in business affairs and in private life, and the nobility of his manhood made him most honored … Read more

Hudson River Valley Heritage Newspapers

Winchester Star

HRVH Historical Newspapers provides access to digitized copies of historical newspapers from the Hudson River Valley region of New York State. Each newspaper in HRVH Historical Newspapers has its own page with information about the publication, including the date range that is available online and information about the history of the newspaper.