topics of the day, and thinks for himself. In national and state matters he gives his support to the Republican party, but in local affairs he is somewhat independent, voting for the man he believes best suited for the office rather than adhering strictly to party lines.
From 1838 to 1858 Mr. Gibson was a member of the Scottish Presbyterian church in New York city, and since coming to White Plains has been identified with the First Presbyterian church of this place, to which his family also belong and in which he has served for a number of years as a trustee. He is the oldest trustee now serving in the First Presbyterian church at White Plains. He is also school trustee of district No. 2, having held that office since 1862, and he has also been road commissioner.
In 1838 he was united in marriage with Miss Ellen Jackson, who was a companion contributing to the happiness of his life for almost forty-four years, departing from the scenes of this world May 15, 1882. He has had three sons and two daughters, namely: John, James, Jr., Mary Ann, Margaret and Thomas. John died March 14, 1896; James, Jr., is married and a resident of New Rochelle. The daughters are unmarried and reside with their father. Thomas is married and resides at the parental homestead.
TRUESDELL, JOHN W.
One of the leading business men and agriculturists of Westchester county is John W. Truesdell, who has been a resident here for eight years only, but who is well and favorably known throughout this section. He is the superintendent of the noted Greene estate, which comprises some seven hundred acres of fine, arable farm land, — one of the best and most valuable homesteads in the state. With wide experience and general ability, Mr. Truesdell is just the man for the responsible position he so ably fills, and his efforts have materially increased the value of the property and the revenue therefrom.
One of the native sons of the Empire state, the subject of this sketch was born December 3, 1854, in Wyoming county, and passed his boyhood in that portion of New York. He is the son of E. G. and Lucy (Popple) Truesdell, respected and honored citizens of Wyoming county. After leaving the common schools J. W. Truesdell entered Warsaw Academy, and there pursued the study of the higher branches of knowledge. When he attained his majority he left home and went to Orange county. New York, where for many years he was successfully occupied in farming and kindred pursuits. In 1890 he was engaged to act as manager or superintendent of the Greene property in Westchester county, and he has since devoted his energies to the cultivation and improvement of the place. He has always given much attention to the raising of fine horses, and he is now interested specially in this direction, as a ready market is to be found for good animals in the neighboring cities.
In all his views and methods Mr. Truesdell is liberal and broad-minded, being zealous in the support of all measures which accrue to the welfare of the general public, and is active in local affairs as well. In his political faith he is an earnest Republican, but he has never been an aspirant for public position, as he finds that his time is fully occupied in properly attending to his business affairs.
January 27, 1875, Mr. Truesdell married Miss Mary E. Mills, a daughter of A. J. Mills, of Orange county, New York. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Truesdell is Charlotte M., now the wife of Robert Hoyt, of Katonah, Westchester county.
SMITH, OSCAR
This prominent and representative citizen of New Castle township, Westchester county, now. filling the office of assessor, was born in Yorktown township on the 12th of March, 1831, and is a son of Samuel Smith, whose birth occurred August 15, 1797, on the old homestead where our subject now resides. The grandfather, William Smith, was a native of Holland, and married a Miss Vredenburg. They settled in this country prior to the Revolutionary war, and both died in York township at the ages of ninety and eighty-six years, respectively. They were most estimable people, and were identified with the Society of Friends. In their family were only two children: Samuel, and Rebecca, wife of John Brown.
Samuel Smith grew to manhood in Yorktown township, throughout life devoted his time and attention to agricultural pursuits, and was a stalwart supporter of the Republican party. He married Miss Jemimah Young, a daughter of James and (Baldwin) Young, and of the ten children born of this union nine reached man and womanhood, and four are still living, namely: Eliza, wife of B. Secoy; John B., a resident of Yorktown township; Oscar, our subject; and Eben, of Yorktown township. Those deceased are: Phoebe J.; Willet R. ; William, and James, who died in Tompkins county, New York, and was the father of two sons — William and Eugene — who served in the Civil war.
Oscar Smith was reared on the home farm, and pursued his studies in the neighboring schools. Going to Wisconsin in 1856, he taught school there for one season, and on his return to Westchester county made his home for two years in Bedford. In 1865 he located on the old homestead of his grandfather, which is pleasantly located only a half-mile from the Millwood station, and is supplied with water from one of the best springs in the county. Here he has a nice home, and is surrounded by all that goes to make life worth the living. In his farming operations he has met with excellent success, and is to-day one of the well-to-do and substantial citizens of his community.
On the 8th of June, 1861, Mr. Smith married Miss Sarah J. Sherwood, a daughter of Absalom and Harriet (Brown) Sherwood, of Bedford, in whose family were six children, three still living: Frances, wife of William Barnes; Sarah J. ; and Mary E., a music teacher of New York city. Those deceased are Charles W. , George E. and William H. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have four children, namely: Ella V., wife of Henry N. Merritt, of Yonkers, New York, by whom she had two children, — Maud and Clarence; George E. , who married Grace Brown, and is a floor-walker in Simpson & Crawford's store of New York city; Irvin E. , who is employed by the Metropolitan Traction Company in New York; and Minnie P., wife of H. E. Freeland, a railroad conductor, by whom she had three children, — Helen M., Edna May and Grace.
During his business career Mr. Smith worked for his uncle, E. S. Young, conducting a stage line in the city for a time, and also successfully followed teaching. He has ever taken an active interest in educational affairs, and for many years has efficiently served as a school trustee. He holds a membership in the Friends church, while his wife is a Methodist. Both are earnest, Christian people, and have the respect and esteem of the entire community in which they make their home.
PARKER, JUDGE THOMAS M.
It is with pleasure that we come now to record in this volume a reference to the principal landmarks in the life of the gentleman whose name forms the caption of this article, speaking first of his ancestry.
His father, Edward Parker, was born in county Dublin, Ireland, where he grew up and learned his trade as blacksmith. When he had attained the age of twenty-two years he emigrated to the land of greater opportunity, arriving at New York city, where he was employed at his trade as a journeyman. In 1847 he came to Port Chester and continued at his trade for ten years, when he purchased the shop now owned by his son. Judge Parker, and plied his laborious vocation here as long as he lived, his death taking place April 4, 1897, at the age of seventy-six years and six months. Politically he was a Democrat, and in public office he was village trustee two terms and for a time overseer of the poor. In religion he was a Catholic. For his wife he married Miss Ellen Mulvaney, a native of Ireland, who was brought to America when but two years of age; and she is still living, aged fifty-eight years. She also is a communicant of the Catholic church. Of her sixteen children nine are still living.
Judge Parker, of whom we more particularly write, was born May 27, 1864, in Port Chester, educated in the public and Catholic schools, and at the age of seventeen years began to learn the blacksmith's trade of his father, and he continued in that heavy work for fifteen years; and since that time he has managed the shop that his father owned.
Politically, he is an active Democrat. He has served one term as village treasurer,
