Theodore Hill was reared and educated in Yorktown township, Westchester county. New York, and since attaining to man's estate has devoted his time and energies to agricultural pursuits, with good success. He now owns and operates a fine dairy farm near Lake Osceola, in Yorktown township, Westchester county, on which is an excellent orchard, large barns and a nice residence, — in fact, all the conveniences and accessories of a model farm are there found.
On the 20th of June, 1892, Mr. Hill was united in marriage with Miss Susan H. Curry, a daughter of Dr. James H. and Emily (Minor) Curry. Her father is a prominent physician of Yorktown, and both parents are prominent members and active workers in the Methodist church. Mr. and Mrs. Hill have two little sons, who make bright their home, namely: James Curry and Theodore A.
While taking an active interest in political affairs, Mr. Hill is not a member of either of the great political parties, but prefers to vote for the man whom he believes best qualified to fill the office, regardless of party ties. He is an efficient member of the school board, and is also filling the offices of collector and commissioner in his township. He and his wife are leading members of the Methodist church, and they well deserve the high regard in which they are uniformly held.
BAKER, NELSON H.
A prominent and distinguished attorney of SingSing, Mr. Baker has for almost forty years successfully engaged in practice at the Westchester county bar. He was born in this county, March 4, 1835, a son of Quinby and Elizabeth (Dayton) Baker, and is a worthy representative of good old Revolutionary stock. The Baker family is of English origin, and tradition states that its progenitor in the New World was the chaplain on the Mayflower. Our subject's great-grandfather, Daniel Baker, was a captain in the Colonial army under General Washington, and participated.in the battle of White Plains at the time the British fleet came up the Hudson river, and the grandfather, Daniel Baker, who was a farmer, served as a soldier in the war of 1812. Quinby Baker was an inventor and was accidentally killed when our subject was quite small, having participated in the Mexican war, in which he was wounded and died from the effects of a poisoned bullet. He left three children, the others being Alonzo, a mechanic residing in Bedford, and Clarissa, now deceased. For four generations the Baker family have resided in Westchester county and have been numbered among its most worthy and progressive citizens. The Dayton family is also an old and loyal one, being well represented in the Revolution, the war of 1812 and the civil war, and is connected with the Greene family of Revolutionary fame. Our subject's maternal grandfather, Gilbert Dayton, was wounded in the war of 1812.
Reared upon a farm. Nelson H. Baker obtained his early education in the district schools and by private instruction from an Irish tutor, Thomas O'Rily. At the age of twenty-one he commenced the study of law with Francis Larkin, of SingSing, and was admitted to the bar in November, 1859, since which time he has engaged in general practice in SingSing. Early in life he became interested in political affairs, and when still a young man made the race for supervisor, and was elected. The following year he was elected justice of the peace, and filled that office for four consecutive terms. He was then appointed district attorney to fill an unexpired term of ore than two years, and at the end of that time was elected to that position, which he then held for four terms, or fourteen years in all. Since then he has given his entire attention to his private practice, making a specialty of criminal law, and has defended many noted criminals. Prominence at the bar comes through merit alone, and the high position which he has attained attests his superiority. As a fluent, earnest and convincing advocate he has but few equals. Thoroughness characterizes all his efforts, and he conducts all business with a strict regard to a high standard of professional ethics. He follows his own peculiar style and is quick to discern which course to pursue, but has always refused to prosecute a case when he has believed the prosecution to be unjust. As an attorney he ranks among the foremost in this section of the state, and he is recognized as one of the most eminent citizens of Westchester county.
On the 2nd of November, 1859, Mr. Baker was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Urmy, a native of the town of Ossining, now SingSing, who died February 21, 1898. Two sons were born to this union, Ralph and Stuart, both of whom have been well educated, and Stuart practices law and is a member of the Westchester county bar.
ROTCHÉ, ROBERT A.
A prominent and popular citizen of Peekskill, Westchester county, Mr. Rotché has always been noted for his patriotism and loyalty to the government and for his earnest efforts to advance the welfare of the community in which his lot is cast. He was a young man of but nineteen years when he offered his services, and his life, if need be, to the Union, and with his brave comrades took a distinguished part in the battle of Antietam, two hundred and sixty-five of the regiment meeting death in that fearful combat between the opposing armies. He was also a participant in the battles of Fredericksburg and Roanoke Island and in minor engagements and skirmishes with the enemy. His term of service extended over a period of two years, beginning on August 19, 1861, and terminating in August, 1863, when he received an honorable discharge. He was a member of the famous Hawkins Zouaves, Ninth Regiment of New York Infantry.
Mr. Rotché has never lost his interest in the boys who wore the blue, and, wherever he has gone has been identified with the Grand Army of the Republic, and is now the commander of Abraham Vosburgh Post, No. 95, of Peekskill. He is a stanch Republican and has loyally aided that party since he had the privilege of casting his first presidential ballot, for Abraham Lincoln. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,, belonging to Cortlandt Lodge, No. .6, and while he was a resident of San Francisco, California, he was a member of Oriental Encampment, No. 57 I. O. O. F.
Robert A. Rotché, who has made his home in Peekskill for many years, is a native of this county, his birth having occurred in Cortlandt township, January 13, 1842. He is a son of John G. and Margaret (Henry) Rotché. The father, who was a native of Philadelphia, was a brick-maker by profession. His death took place over thirty years ago, in 1867. His widow passed away in August, 1896, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. Both were members of the old Dutch Reformed church. They were the parents of six children, only two of whom survive, namely: John H., a resident of Croton-on-Hudson, and Robert A.
In his youth Robert A. Rotché received an excellent education in the public schools of the county of his nativity. Soon after he left the school-room he entered upon his army life and when he returned from the battle-fields of the south he went to San Francisco, California, where he remained for twenty years or more, and there engaged in merchandising and was also prominently identified in local political affairs.
In 1867 the marriage of R. A. Rotché and Miss Jennie Black was solemnized in Brooklyn, New York, by Rev. Dr. Lowry, of Hanson Place Baptist church. Mrs. Rotché is a daughter of James Black, of Brooklyn. Edward A., the only child born to our subject and wife, died June 17, 1883, at San Francisco, aged fifteen years. He was a bright, promising youth, admired and loved by all who knew him, and his loss was deeply felt by a large circle of friends.
JACOBI, LEONARD
As one who has attained conspicuous success in connection with the business and industrial activities of the nation, and standing at the head of one of the important and magnificent manufacturing and commercial enterprises of Westchester county, there is a manifest consistency in according in this compilation at least a brief review of the life of Leonard Jacobi, of Yonkers, who is the president of the Nepera Chemical Company, of Nepera Park. His exceptional business sagacity and acumen can be recognized when we revert to the circumstance that he had by his own efforts accumulated a sufficient competency to enable him consistently to retire from active business at an age when the average man is but formulating plans and initiating his business career.
The subject of this sketch received his educational discipline in the public schools of New York city, and thereafter instituted his independent
