History of Hillsdale, (Columbia County) New York United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Hillsdale, (Columbia County) New York, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

John Bunyan Bristol, artist, was born at Hillsdale, N.Y., March 14, 1826. Three or four weeks' tuition from Henry Ayr at Hudson, N.Y., constituted all the instruction he received from teachers. He began his early life as an artist, by painting portraits, but eventually became a landscape painter. In 1859 he went to Florida, where he gathered material for a number of semi-tropi-cal pictures, which brought him into notice. He was elected associate of the National academy in 1861, and in 1875 became an academician. He made sketching tours through the Berkshire Hills in Massachusetts; to lakes George and Champlain, and to the mountains in Vermont. His "View of Mount Oxford" received the medal of honor at Philadelphia in 1876. Among his best paintings may be noted: "Adirondacks from Lake Champlain," "On the St. John's River, Florida" (1862); "In the Housatonic Valley" (1875); "Mount Equinox, Vermont" (1878);" Lake Memphremagog" (1878), and "Haying-time near Middlebury, Vermont" (1886.)

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Wallace Bruce, poet, was born at Hillsdale, Columbia county, N. Y., Nov. 10, 1844. He was graduated at Yale college in 1867, with distinguished honors, and then visited Europe, where, while in Paris in 1870, he witnessed some of the stormiest scenes of the Franco-Prussian war. Returning to the United States in 1871, he lectured before literary societies. In 1875 he delivered his poem, "Parson Allen's Ride," at the centennial celebration at Bennington, Vt. Mr. Bruce was appointed United States consul in Edinburgh, Scotland, July 1, 1889, by President Harrison. While in Scotland he was instrumental in securing the erection in Edinburgh of a statue of Lincoln to commemorate the service of Scottish-American soldiers in the American civil war. The monument was designed by a Union veteran soldier, and stands in Old Carlton burying-ground, where a number of Scotch-American soldiers are buried. He published in 1878 The Land of Burns, in 1880 The Yosemite, in 1882 The Hudson, in 1883 The Long Drama, a centennial poem, delivered at Newburg, N. Y., in 1884 From the Hudson to the Yosemite, in 1888 Old Homestead Poems, and in 1894 Wayside Poems.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Francis Collin, author, was born in Hillsdale, N.Y., April 30, 1802; son of John and Ruth Holman (Johnson) Collin; grandson of John and Sarah (Arnold) Collin; great-grandson of John and Hannah (Merwin) Collin; and great-great grandson of John Collin of Narragansett, who came to America in 1686, probably from the ?le de Re, south of the province of Poitou, France. He received the ordinary education accorded farmers' sons of his day and followed the vocation of his father. He was elected to the state assembly in 1834 and was for many years a member of the board of county supervisors, and was a representative from Dutchess and Columbia counties in the 29th congress, 1845-47. He was married to Pamella Jane Tuller. He published A History of Hillsdale, N.Y. (1883), and four volumes of political history during 1879-84, valuable as reference books. He died at Hillsdale, N.Y., Sept. 16, 1889.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

James Paterson McKinstry, naval officer, was born in Hillsdale, Columbia county, N,Y., Feb. 9, 1807; son of David Charles and Nancy Whiting (Backus) McKinstry; grandson of Charles and Tabetha (Paterson) McKinstry, and great-grandson of Capt. John and Jane Dickie (Belknap) McKinstry. John McKinstry, born in Amagh, Ireland, an officer in the British army, came to Boston, Mass., about 1740, removing to Londonderry, N.H. James Paterson McKinstry entered the U.S. navy as a midshipman, Feb. 1, 1826; was promoted passed midshipman, April 28, 1832, and lieutenant, Feb. 9, 1837. He commanded the mail steamer Georgia, 1854-55; was promoted commander, Sept. 14, 1855, and served as a lighthouse inspector, 1858-59. He was married, Jan. 23, 1858, to Mary W. Smart, daughter of Gen. J. R. Williams of Detroit, Mich. He was attached to the Dakota of the blockading squadron in 1861; was promoted captain, July 16, 1862, and commanded the Monongahela of the Western Gulf blockading squadron, and participated in the engagements at Vicksburg and Port Hudson. He was severely injured at Port Hudson, where the bridge on which he was standing was shot away and this incapacitated him from further active service during the civil war. He was promoted commodore, July 25, 1866, commanded the naval station at Sucker Harbor, N.Y., and was retired, Feb. 9, 1869. He died in Detroit, Mich., Feb. 11, 1873.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor