History of Poughkeepsie, (Dutchess County) New York United States of America

POUGHKEEPSIE, a handsome city, capital of Dutchess co., New York, on the E. bank of the Hudson river, and on the railroad of that name, 75 miles .N. from New York, and 70 miles S. from Albany. Lat. 40? 41'N., lon. 73? 55' W. It is situated on a plain, and regularly laid out, the principal street extending eastward from the river. It is the largest town between New York and Albany. It contains about 16 churches, belonging to the Dutch Reformed, Episcopalians, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Friends, Universalists, and Catholics; a collegiate school, the Dutchess academy, and several seminaries for girls. Three or four newspapers are published here weekly. The collegiate school of this place is a large and costly building, situated on College hill. A number of steamboats and sailing vessels are owned here. Poughkeepsie has a variety of manufactories, the most important productions of which are cotton-goods, machinery, farming implements, carriages, iron ware, guns, carpets, earthen ware, flour, leather, and beer. The city contains 4 banks. Incorporated in 1801. Pop. of Poughkeepsie township in 1850, 13,944; of the city, in 1853, is estimated at 14,000.

Biographies:

John Henry Livingston, educator, was born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., May 30, 1746; son of Henry and Susan (Conklin) Livingston; grandson of Gilbert and Cornelia (Beekman) Livingston and of John Conklin, and great grandson of Robert Livingston, the immigrant. He was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1762, A.M., 1765, and commenced the study of law, which he abandoned for the ministry. He was graduated from the University of Utrecht, Holland, in 1767, and with the degree of D.D. in 1770; was invited to take charge of one of the Reformed Dutch churches in New York, and was ordained by the classis of Amsterdam June 5, 1769. Upon his return to New York city in September, 1769, he was made pastor of the Fulton Street Reformed Dutch church, and was instrumental in settling the dispute in the church between the Coetus and Conferentic parties. He was chaplain of the provincial congress held in New York in 1775 and upon the occupancy of New York by the British army in September, 1776, he removed to Livingston Manor, N.Y., serving as pastor at Kingston, in 1776; Albany, 1776-79; Lithgow, 1779-81, and Poughkeepsie, 1781-83, resuming his pastorate in New York city in 1783. He was at that time the only active Dutch Reformed clergyman in New York city, the three other collegiate churches being without pastors. In 1784 he was appointed professor of theology for the church by the general synod upon the recommendation of the theological faculty of Utrecht, Holland, and upon the opening of a theological seminary at Flatbush, L.I., in 1795, he assumed charge, but closed the doors in 1797 for want of support. He was president of Queen's college, New Brunswick, N.J., and professor of theology, 1807-25. He was vice-president of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel among the American Indians and was a regent of the University of the State of New York, 1784-87. He was married to Sarah, daughter of Philip and Christiana (Ten Broeck) Livingston. He is the author of: Funeral Service; or Meditations Adapted to Funeral Addresses (1812); and A Dissertation on the Marriage of a Man with his Sister-in-Law (1816). He was chairman of a committee appointed in 1787 to compile "Selection of Psahos for Use in Public Worship." He died in New Brunswick, N.J., Jan. 20, 1825.

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

Philip St. John Crooke, representative, was born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., March 2, 1810. He was educated at Dutchess county academy and was admitted to the bar in New York city in 1831. In 1838 he removed to Flatbush, Kings county, N.Y. He was a Democratic presidential elector in 1852; supervisor of Kings county, 1844-45, and 1858-70, serving as chairman of the board in 1861, 1862, 1864 and 1865; a member of the New York assembly in 1863; and served forty years in the New York state militia, rising to the rank of brigadier-general and commanding the 5th brigade in Pennsylvania, June and July, 1863. He was a Republican representative from Kings county in the 43d congress, 1873-75. He died in Flatbush, N.Y., March 17, 1881.

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

Jonas Platt, jurist, was born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., June 30, 1769; son of Judge Zephaniah Platt . He began the practice of law in 1790, removing to Whitesboro, N.Y., in 1791. He served in the state assembly, 1796; was a representative in the 6th congress, 1799-1801; was the defeated candidate for governor of the state against Gov. Daniel D. Tompkins, 1810; a state senator, 1810-13; a member of the council, 1813, and justice of the supreme court of the state of New York, 1814-23. He engaged in the practice of law in Utica, N.Y., and in New York city, 1823-33, and died in Peru, N.Y., Feb. 22, 1834.

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

Beckman Verplanck Hoffman, naval officer, was born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Nov. 28, 1789; eldest son of Judge Anthony A. and Gertrude (Verplanck) Hoffman, grandson of Anthony and Catharine (Van Gaasbeck) Hoffman, and of Philip and Effie (Beekman) Verplanck, and a descendant of Martin Hoffman. He was warranted a midshipman in the U.S. navy, July 4, 1805; was commissioned lieutenant, May 21, 1812; commander, May 5, 1817, and captain, March 7, 1829. His first service was on the Argus, Captain Trippe, and in the war of 1812 he served on the Constitntion as lieutenant. He was in the fight with the Guerri?re, Aug. 19, 1812; with the Java, Dec. 29, 1812; with the Cyane and the Levant, Feb. 20, 1829, and had the honor of bringing the Cyane into New York harbor a prize. He was married, Nov. 29, 1817, to Phoebe Wilmot, daughter of William and Margaret Townsend. He died in Jamaica, N.Y., Dec. 10, 1834.

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

History of Poughkeepsie, (Dutchess County) New York

Local History Notes:

Biographies: