Silas W. ; Josephine, wife of A. Donaldson, of New Paltz, Ulster county. New York; George J., who is engaged in business at Davenport, Iowa; and William, a carpenter of Peekskill. During the greater part of his life the father was engaged in agricultural pursuits, and he was always a supporter of the men and measures of the Democracy. The mother was an earnest and consistent member of the Methodist church.
Harvey M. Washburn was born in Dutchess county, New York, in 1848, and at the age of nineteen years commenced learning the carpenter's trade, to which he has ever since devoted his time and attention with marked success. He was married at Croton-on-Hudson, July 24, 1874, to Miss Isabella Purdy, a daughter of Silas J. Purdy, a farmer at that place, and she died leaving three children: Edith, Catherine and Marion. In his political views Mr. Washburn is a Democrat, and he has been quite prominently identified with local affairs, has served in several township offices, and at present is filling the position of assessor.
Silas W. Washburn is also a native of Dutchess county, born in 1850, and he began work at his trade at the age of twenty-two years. On the 18th of November, 1881, he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza L. Lefferts, of SingSing, by whom he has two sons, Ralph L. and Randall G. Her father died when she was a child and her mother afterward married William Grant, of SingSing. Mr. Washburn takes an active interest in political affairs, and as a pronounced Democrat he is prominent in political circles. He is now serving as president and trustee of the fire company at Peekskill. He was also elected member of the board of water commissioners in 1898, and is now serving as president of the board. The brothers are both public-spirited and progressive citizens, giving their support to all measures for the public good, and those who know them best are numbered among their warmest friends.
CORNELL, S. WOOD.
S. W. Cornell, dealer in lumber and coal, manager of the Cornell Lime Company, manufacturers of snowflake lime, and president of the Nannanagan Ice Company, of Pleasantville, New York, is entitled to distinction as one of the most progressive and enterprising business men of Westchester county. Upon the commercial activity of a community depends its prosperity, and the men who are now recognized as leading citizens are those who are at the head of extensive business enterprises. He is a man of broad capabilities who carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes.
Mr. Cornell was born in Ulster county, New York. November 26, 1854, and is a son of William T. Cornell, now deceased. His mother, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Wood, was a daughter of Stephen Wood, of Mount Kisco, New York. Our subject, one of a family of three children.
was reared in this county, attending the Mount Kisco schools and later boarding schools at Poughkeepsie, New York and Providence, Rhode Island. Mr. Cornell is a most energetic and wide-awake business man, giving strict attention to every detail of the business under his control, and in his undertakings he has met with a well-deserved success. He is now treasurer of the Cornell Lime Company, manufacturers of snowflake lime for building and chemical purposes, their works being established in 1865. He is one of the most popular and influential men of his community and his circle of friends and acquaintances is extensive. Politically he is an enthusiastic Republican.
SWEET, HENRY.
The editor and proprietor of the New Rochelle Pioneer, Henry Sweet, is one of the influential men of the town, and we take pleasure in here referring personally to him in presenting a brief review of the publication of which he is the head.
Looking first at the history of the New Rochelle Pioneer, we find it was established in 1859 by John Dyott, an Englishman, an actor, who had settled in this country some years before, and who conducted the paper for a number of years. Afterward it was for several years run by his son and daughter, the latter now being Mrs. A. Major, of New York city. In 1882 it was sold to Charles G. Banks, Esq. , who subsequently became associated with Henry C. Henderson, under the firm name of Banks & Henderson, and from this firm it passed into the hands of Steadman & Sweet. In the year 1885 the senior partner conducted it until his death, in 1889, after which his wife assumed her husband's interests, and the paper was edited by Mr. Sweet until March 1, 1890. Then Mr. Sweet purchased Mrs. Steadman's interests, and has since been sole proprietor. In 1897 he erected his new building, a brick structure, thirty-two by ninety feet, and two stories high, and in March, 1898, moved into it, now having a modern and complete establishment.
The Pioneer is an eight-page, six-column paper, up to date in every respect, has a large circulation in the town and county, and is the organ of the Republican party of the village.
Mr. Sweet is a native of New Rochelle. He was born in this town, June 28, 1864, and is a son of Henry and Eliza Sweet, natives of London, England. His parents came to New Rochelle in 1853, where his father died in 1869, his mother still residing there. For eight years his father was sexton of Trinity church. New Rochelle, which position, after his father's death, has been held continuously up to the present day by his eldest brother, Joseph. After coming to New Rochelle, Mr. Sweet's father was a manufacturer of seals for legal papers of various kinds in the employ of Thaddeus Davids & Company, whose place of business is at 127 and 129 William street, New York city.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the public schools of his native town. On leaving school he was employed at different places in the town until he became connected with the newspaper business, in which capacity he has proven himself master of the situation.
He was married, in 1894, to Miss Lucy Kirchhoff, second daughter of Joseph Kirchhoff, an old resident and highly respected citizen of New Rochelle. They have one daughter.
HOLMES, FRANK R..
Holding rank among the leading business men of Mount Vernon, Frank Riggs Holmes is well known in commercial circles and sustains a high reputation for reliability and enterprise. He was born in New York city, January 16, 1868, a son of William and Lizzie (Kerchof) Holmes. The ancestry of the family can be traced back to Francis Holmes and his wife. Ann, who leaving their home in Yorkshire, England, in 1660, crossed the Atlantic to America and took up their residence in Stamford, Connecticut. Later they removed to Bedford, Westchester county. New York, becoming pioneer settlers of that locality. One of their sons, James Holmes, a direct ancestor of our subject, was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, and John Holmes, Sr., became one of the original proprietors of Bedford in 1681. He had six sons and two daughters, and died in 1720, at the age of ninety years. Richard Holmes married Miss Mary Miller, and they reside in the town of Bedford, Westchester county. He served as tax collector in 1724, and later participated in the French and Indian war. One of his sons, Richard Holmes, was a lieutenant in the British army in 1737, and was the father of Peter Holmes, who married Mary Holmes, and served his country in the Revolutionary war. He held the rank of ensign, and later he again entered his country's service in the war of 1812. John Holmes, a son of Peter, was born December 31, 1752, also loyally espoused the cause of independence as a Revolutionary hero and was at one time a member of the continental congress. He married Catherine Slawson, May 13, 1779, and died December 24, 1839. One of his sons, James Holmes, was born May 27, 1784, married Elizabeth Starr, and died in Monticello, New York, in 1817.
William A. Holmes, the grandfather of our subject, was born in the town of Bedford, and after attaining to man's estate became engaged in the real-estate business in New York city. He possessed splendid business and executive ability, and by his judicious investments and careful management amassed considerable property. The latter years, of his life were spent in retirement from business cares, in his pleasant home in Mount Vernon. In his political views he was a stanch Republican, and while residing in Dutchess county, New York, he held the office of judge. He first married a Miss Brill, and their son, James Henry Holmes, is ex-secretary of the territory of New Mexico, and is now a prominent lawyer and real-estate dealer of New York city. After the death of his first wife Judge Holmes married Alta Riggs, who is still living,
