in a wholesale house m Hamburg, Germany, the business being an American one. In 1862, owing to a lull in business in Germany, he came to America, and the next three years he traveled throughout the United States, looking for a business opening, from time to time accepting various forms of employment. Finally, in 1866, he located in Peekskill, New York, and there married Miss Matilda Biettinger, a New Jersey lady.
Mr. Henry continued to reside in Peekskill for two years. In 1868 he Avent to Plank's Point and opened a barber shop, which he conducted for two years, but owing to ill health he found a change of location was necessary, and his next move was to Croton, where he has since resided. Here he found opportunity to bring into action his medical education. He opened a drug store, soon built up a good business, and has been successfully engaged in this line of trade ever since. On turning his attention to the drug business, he naturally became interested in the drug societies throughout the county and state. For two years he was president of the County Pharmacy Society and he has long been active in pharmacy, his name being No. 68 on the register of the State Board of Pharmacy. He has a fine library, including a wide range of books on scientific subjects, principally psychology, in which he takes special interest, having been a great student from his boyhood up to the present time. He has written several articles on scientific subjects, and strives to enlighten rather than follow. As a citizen, he is public-spirited and progressive, ever looking to the best interests of his town, and at this writing holds the office of treasurer of Croton. He was one of the organizers of the fire department of the village. He is a member of the United Friends, and politically is a Democrat.
WILLSON, ELBERT S. N.
Mr. Willson is serving as justice of the peace in North Salem, a position which he has filled for twelve years, with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He is thoroughly impartial in meting out justice, his opinions being unbiased by either fear or favor, and his fidelity to the trust reposed in him is above question. He is regarded as one of the leading and highly respected citizens of North Salem township, and it is, therefore, consistent that he be represented in a work whose province is the portrayal of the lives of the prominent men of Westchester county.
Mr. Willson is a native of Somers township, and is the only child of Nehemiah and Eliza Ann (Smith) Willson. The father was born in Lewisborough township, this county, December 14, 1806, and was a son of Justice and Phoebe (Searles) Willson, farming people. The birth of the grandfather is supposed to have occurred on Long Island, New York. His children, all of whom save one are deceased, were: Thomas, who was a farmer of Wisconsin; Belinda, who became the wife of Rev. George Coles; John, a farmer, who died in Massachusetts; Nancy, who was the wife of William Rogers, a silver manufacturer of Hartford, Connecticut; Nehemiah, the father of our Subject; and Electa, who is the only one living, is unmarried and resides in Hartford. The children born to Rev. George Coles and wife were as follows: Mary Frances, who married Rev. Erastus O. Haven, who was one of the leading educators of this country and was a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal church for many years prior to his death; Elizabeth, who married Rev. George W. Woodruff, D. D., a Methodist Episcopal minister belonging to the Eastern conference of New York; George W. J., who served through the civil war and is now clerking in New York city; and James S., who also was one of the boys in blue, died in the service. In connection with farming Nehemiah Willson, our subject's father, conducted a store in North Salem and for some time he served as supervisor of that place. Politically he was first a Whig and later a Republican. He died in 1889, and his wife passed away in 1884, honored and respected by all who knew them.
Elbert S. N. Willson has always made his home upon his present farm of thirty acres, and to general farming has devoted much of his time. His education was acquired in the North Salem Academy. He now gives special attention to the raising of chickens, having upon his place some very fine specimens of Buff Leghorns and Plymouth Rocks, and has won several premiums at the poultry fairs in New York. He is one of the leaders of the Republican party in his township, and is quite influential and prominent in public affairs, having since 1886 most acceptably filled the offices of assessor and justice of the peace.
On the 19th of October, 1859, Mr. Willson wedded Miss Mary J. Todd, who was born in Lewisborough township November 24, 1836, a daughter of Abraham and Maria (Wescott) Todd. Three daughters bless this union: Eliza Ann, wife of Theodore Knapp, a farmer of Lewisborough township, by whom she had three children, — Lillian, Arthur and Ernest; Florence W., wife of Gilbert B. Burr, a farmer of Ridgefield, Connecticut; and Loretta B., wife of Gilbert M. Anderson, a clerk in New York city, by whom she has one child, Gilbert M., Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Willson and their children are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which he is officially connected, and the family are held in high esteem by all who know them.
MERRITT, JOHN O.
Mr. Merritt, who is a prominent contractor and builder at Port Chester, was born December 12, 1837, at Greenwich, Connecticut, which place, by the way, is but three miles from Port Chester, New York. Of this place also his father, William Merritt, was a native, and he also was a mason, contractor and builder, his operations in these lines being very extensive. He died at the advanced age of eighty-six years. During the war of 1812 he enlisted for service in the army, but was not called into action. In his politics he was a Democrat, and in religion a member of the Methodist church. Jesse Merritt, the father of the last mentioned, was also a native of Greenwich, where he passed all his life, also as a mason and contractor, and he also died at the age of eighty-six years. His father was from England, coming with two brothers and settling upon a farm at Greenwich, which place is still in the possession of the family.
William Merritt, the father of John O., married Miss Jane Ann Hancock, of New York, and a daughter of William Hancock, who was a native of England and a sea captain. He was taken prisoner by the British during the war of 1812 and held in captivity for three years. Mrs. Jane Ann Merritt died when about sixty years of age, a zealous and exemplary Methodist.
Mr. John O. Merritt remained on the farm of his father until twenty-five years of age, learning meanwhile the mason's trade, of his father and an older brother. At that time he came to Port Chester, where he has ever since resided and carried on his trade. After coming here he followed his trade as a journeyman for a short time and then engaged in contracting for and building sewers, walls and large factories, — among the latter being the Glenville Woolen Mills, the New Rochelle school-house, etc. His operations at present comprise the laying of water pipes, sewers, etc., and road building. He now has a thirty-thousand-dollar contract for laying the track of the trolley street-car line at Port Chester. Mr. Merritt has always been an enterprising and successful man in business. In politics he has ever been an influential and active Democrat; was village trustee three terms, and for seven years was a member of the fire department.
He was united in matrimony with Miss Eliza J. Parker, of Harrison township, this county, and they have two children, — Freeman, a contractor at East Chester, New York; and Edith, the wife of Henry Buckout, of White Plains, this county.
NELSON, WILLIAM H. AND GEORGE
The Nelson Brothers, who are dairy farmers of Somers township, are two of the most energetic and enterprising business men of Westchester county. They embarked in the dairy business about 1878, under the firm name of Nelson Brothers, but business is now conducted under the name of W. H. Nelson. On starting out they had only twenty-five cows, but as their trade gradually grew they purchased more, and now have from five to six hundred head. They have established a large milk depot at No. 210 West Thirty-fifth street, New York city, where they dispose of most of their product in a wholesale business. Their large farm comprises about twenty-five hundred acres of valuable land, and in connection with its operation they have been extensively engaged in raising fine horses, and have some excellent specimens of the noble steed upon their place. Both brothers are natural mechanics, and upon their farm they have shops equipped for making all necessary repairs on machinery, etc. They also manufacture their
