FACTORS IN COLUMBIA COUNTY HISTORY

From

Columbia County at the End of the Century

Volume II

Published and Edited Under the Auspices of the Hudson Gazette

The Record Printing and Publishing Co.

Hudson, New York

M C M (1900)

"A" SURNAMES

These biographies  in Part III begin after page 132 of Volume II beginning with page 3.

Abbreviations used: p. o. = post office

Page 3:

ACKLEY, Calvin, was born at Kinderhook, November 26, 1833, a son of Amos Ackley, born in Madison county, N. Y, June 7, 1799, died March 7, 1857, and Catharine Westfall, his wife, born in Claverack, May 3, 1795, died February 25, 1875.  Calvin Ackley attended Kinderhook Academy, Nash's School at Pittsfield, and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, from which he was graduated as a civil engineer in 1854.  He served as deputy sheriff from 1856 to 1862; deputy collector of internal revenue from 1866 to 1883; supervisor of the town of Kinderhook in 1875; cashier of the Nation Bank of Kinderhook from 1885 until its final closing up in 1897, and trustee of the village and school district of Kinderhook.

Page 277:

ADAMS, Arthur P., of New Lebanon, was born in New Lebanon Center, April 22, 1866, son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Strait) Adams.  Joseph Adams was born in Stephentown, in 1832, and was engaged in that place as a miller; he died May 31, 1892, and his wife June 16, 1866.  Arthur B. (sic) Adams was educated in the common schools, and since leaving school has been engaged in the milling business.  He married Carrie E. Leonard, daughter of Hiram E. Leonard; their children are Gertrude, Mary, Alice and Mildred.

Pages 3 & 4:

AHERN, Thomas J., of Hudson, N. Y., was born in Albany, N. Y., July 16, 1865, son of John, a native of Ireland, who came to Albany in 1835, and was one of the first engineers on the Northern railroad, now a part of the Delaware & Hudson.  Thomas J. Ahern attended public school No. 13 and St. Joseph's, Albany, and completed his studies at the Christian Brothers' Academy.  In 1890 he entered the employ of Nelson Morris & Co., of Chicago, and was stationed at Kingston, N. Y., where he remained until 1896, when he removed to Hudson, where he has since been manager of the business of Nelson Morris & Co.  Mr. Ahern is rated among the best business men of Hudson, and his course in life is governed by intelligence, integrity, and charity.  In 1892 he was married to Mary J., daughter of Thomas Burns, of Albany.  They are the parents of two daughters, Helen May and Marion.

Page 4:

AITKEN, Richard A., of Hudson, is a native of New York city, born May 8, 1851.  His father, Walter Aitken, was born in Harwick, Scotland, and emigrated to New York in 1847, and for many years was engaged in merchandising.  He was married to Margaret E. Atwill, daughter of Richard Atwill, of Hudson.  In 1856 he removed to Hudson and purchased what was known as the Hawthorne farm.  Here he resided until his death in 1885.  Richard A. Aitken was educated in the public schools, and soon after leaving school, in 1869, embarked in the dry goods business in New York city, where he remained until 1883, when he returned to Hudson and took up his residence on the home farm.  Mr. Aitken has been always much interested in musical matters, and upon coming to Hudson became actively identified with the lovers and students of the art, and is recognized as a capable critic and refined connoisseur.  Mr. Aitken was the first union warden of All Saints' Church, Hudson, N. Y., when it became an independent parish in 1887; was chairman of the board of assessors in the town of Greenport for three consecutive terms, and is a member of Aquila Lodge No. 700, F. & A. M., of Hudson Chapter No. 6, Lafayette Commandery No. 7, and of St. Andrew's Society of New York.

Pages 4 & 5:

AKEN, Charles E., of Claverack, was born in Sand Lake, N. Y., August 23, 1869, a son of James F. and Mary L. (Davis) Aken.  He attended the public schools at Sand Lake and the Averill Park Seminary at Averill Park, N. Y.  At the age of sixteen he came to Philmont and engaged with his uncle, Nelson P. Aken, in the mill.  He started at the bottom and by industry and perseverance soon worked his way upwards and it was not long before he was made superintendent of the lower mill.  He held this position three years, when he was made general superintendent of the entire plant.  He is a member of Hudson Chapter No. 7, F. & A. M., Cascade Lodge No. 197, K. P., and was president of the village trustees in 1898.  In November, 1890, Mr. Aken married Elizabeth Schenk, of Mellenville, a daughter of Jacob Schenk; they have three children:  Raymond L., Charles W., and Harold E.

Page 277:

ALLEN, George B., was a native of Pulaski, N. Y., where he was born September 14, 1830.  He came to Hudson about 1850 and became a member of the firm of Groat and Allen, in the wholesale grocery trade.  Mr. Allen was essentially a business man, although in his home and social life no more faithful, kind-hearted and genial man lived.  He possessed keen financial ability, and his integrity was above suspicion.  Among his business associates and acquaintances his judgment was considered the best, and, while conservative in his advice to others, he exhibited remarkable foresight and boldness in his own operations.  H was ever ready to promote, by word or act, the best interests of his fellow citizens, and he is remembered as one who never sought his own aggrandizement at the expense of others.  He died in 1895, survived by his wife who was Mary F., daughter of Allen Rockefeller, and on daughter, Mary Louise.

Page 5:

ALVORD, Cornelius L., p. o. Columbiaville, N.Y., was born in Lansingburg, Rensselaer county, N. Y., October 30, 1821, son of Elisha and Helen (Lansing) Alvord, who were the parents of Thomas G., Cornelius L., Charles B., Helen E., wife of Andrew C. Burgess, and Mary C., wife of A. D. Hull, M. D.  Cornelius L. Alvord received a good education, and when about nineteen years of age began his business career, removing to Syracuse, N. Y., where he entered the Salina Bank as discount clerk, remaining with that institution five years as clerk, teller, cashier, and finally president.  He then engaged in the manufacture of salt and also carried on an extensive lumber business; with these two enterprises he was connected for twenty years.  In 1855 he entered the present Salt Springs National Bank as cashier, remaining in that connection until 1859.  In 1860 he removed to Stockport, where he has since resided.  While in Syracuse he was active in political circles, was alderman of the Second ward, and served as supervisor.  In 1866 he was appointed warehouse inspector in the custom-house in New York; this office he held for twenty years, resigning in 1886, since which time he has lived as a retired farmer.  On the 9th of July, 1845, Mr. Alvord was married to Lydia, daughter of Russell Judson.  Their children are three, as follows:  Cornelius L., Jr., William J., in the shipping business at Stockport Landing, and Fannie.  Mr. Alvord has not been as prominently before the public as his brother, the late Lieut.-Gov. Thomas G. Alvord, of Syracuse; he has, nevertheless, been a factor in the political movements of the last half century, and has an untarnished record in all positions where he has filled public trusts.

Pages 277 & 278:

AMBLER, Dr. Henry B., of Chatham, was born in Westerly, R. I., March 23, 1867, a son of Henry F. Ambler, New York State Senator.  He began his education in the common schools, continued his studies in the Chatham High School, and was graduated from the American Veterinary College of New York city in 1888, receiving the gold medal for passing the best examination in his class.  He has served as veterinary inspector of the United States Bureau of Animal Industry, is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the New York State Veterinary Medical Society, and is veterinary to the New York State Department of Agriculture and agent of the Massachusetts Board of Cattle Commissioners; in 1900 he was appointed by the New York State fair commissioners veterinary surgeon for the State fair at Syracuse.  His wife is Edna, daughter of James Barbour.

Page 278:

ANDREWS, Hezekiah, of Copake, was born in the town of Hillsdale, N. Y., December 16, 1832, son of Wakeman and Catherine (Stocker) Andrews, she a native of Columbia county and he of Connecticut; they had five children, namely:  Henry and Hezekiah living, and Joseph, Daniel and Ambrose deceased.  When Hezekiah was ten years of age his father died, and from that time until he was fifteen years old he worked on a farm and attended the common schools.  At the last-mentioned age he began an apprenticeship to the trade of carpenter, which occupation he followed until 1891, erecting many residences and public buildings in Columbia and Dutchess counties and in Massachusetts.  After the death of his son-in-law, Hon. Gilbert A. Deane, in 1891, he took charge of the estate of the latter, which he has greatly improved in the way of buildings, and purchased an adjoining farm, making 450 acres now under his control; he makes a specialty of dairying.  At the age of twenty-seven years Mr. Andrews was married to Catherine Washburn, who died in 1877, leaving one daughter, Minnie, who became the wife of Gilbert A. Deane.                    

Pages 281 & 282:

ANGELL, Sarah K., p. o. Chatham.--Edwin Angell was a native of Chatham, where he was a prominent farmer, business man, and manufacturer of paper, and a director in the National Union Bank of Kinderhook.  He was universally respected, and his many estimable qualities secured him a legion of friends.  He was married to Hannah Gardiner; they were the parents of one daughter, Sarah K. Angell.  Mr. Angell died July 19, 1888.

Pages 5& 6:

ARKINSON, Marks, was born in Ireland, May 1, 1842, and came to the United States with his parents in 1852.  In 1855 he went to sea, at which occupation he remained until 1861, when, wishing to do his share towards upholding the honor of his adopted country, he went to the front when the Civil War broke out, and attended to the blacksmithing at army headquarters at the surrender.  Upon returning to Hudson he followed contracting until February 19, 1872, when he received an appointment in the New York city fire department.  He retired from that position in 1895, returned to Hudson and engaged in the hotel business, which he still continues.  In 1868 he married Rosa McCann.  Mr. Arkinson is a self-made man and highly respected by all who know him.

Page 282

ARNOLD, Asa H., p. o. Boston Corners, N. Y., was born in Dutchess county, N. Y., August 6, 1872 son of Henry and Mary (Mellet) Arnold, who were the parents of five children, as follows:  Annie, wife of William Jackson; Frank, who married Minnie Tabor; Charles, married to Hannah De Garmo; Emma, wife of Emmet Heermance, and Asa H., all natives of Dutchess county.  Henry Arnold was a son of Thomas and Lydia (Pulver) Arnold, and was a farmer.  Asa H. Arnold was educated in the public schools of Dutchess county, and at the age of sixteen years started his business life as a photographer, working at different places, and finally locating at Monroe, Orange county, N. Y.  In 1894 he sold his business to his brother, and removed to Boston Corners, where he engaged in merchandising two years.  In 1891 he purchased the farm where he now resides and devotes his attention to stock raising, making a specialty of fine driving horses.  October 18, 1894, he was married to Edith, daughter of Joseph T. and Elizabeth Lee.  They have one child, Mary, born October, 1895.  Mr. Arnold was postmaster at Boston Corners in 1894-1895, and is interested in the public affairs of town and county.  He has served as school trustee several years, and is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Boston Corners.

Page 282:

ASHLEY, Chauncey S., p. o. Old Chatham, N. Y., was born in the town of Chatham, N. Y., in 1857, son of Henry A. Ashley, a native of Germantown, N. Y., a farmer, who was married to Fanny Snyder, and had children:  Chauncey S., Wallace, William, Norman, Mrs. Katharine Hunt, Mrs. Harriet M. Sibley, Mrs. Sarah A. Burdick, and Susan A.  Chauncey S. Ashley was educated in the common schools, and has always been engaged in farming.  He was united in marriage with Sarah Van Valkenburgh, daughter of George W. Van Valkenburgh, who has borne him one son, George H.

Page 283:

AUSTIN, Millard G., was born in the town of Copake, N. Y., on the farm adjoining the one on which he now resides, on September 17, 1848, son of Capt. Artemas and Clara (Killmer) Austin, she a daughter of Peter A. Killmer; they had seven children, namely:  Sara, wife of Spencer T. Wolcott; Millard G., Alida, wife of George B. Sweet; Hattie, wife of Marshal E. Hulbert; Ada, wife of Charles A. Nooney, and Emma and Loda, deceased.  Artemas Austin was a son of James and Polly Austin, and was a captain in militia, and a farmer.  His father was for many years agent for the Livingstons in this vicinity, residing at Copake Flats, on what is known as the Cook farm.  Millard G. Austin was educated in the schools of Copake, and was associated with his parents until his father's death, September 9, 1896, his mother still residing with him.  He conducts a farm of 210 acres, doing general farming.  December 27, 1877, he was married to Mary E., daughter of Andrew and Charity (Dinehart) Whitbeck; they have three children:  Blanche, Artemas Elmer, and Allen J., all born in Chatham.  Mr. Austin is interested in the public institutions of his town, showing an active zeal in educational and church matters.

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