Dutchess County Historical Society Yearbook Vol 056 1971

MATTHEW VASSAR, JUNIOR 1809 - 1881 Matthew Vassar, Junior, was born 1809 and died 1881. He was the son of John Guy and Margaret Van Kleeck Vassar, nephew of Matthew Vassar, the founder of Vassar College. This prominent Poughkeepsian of the nineteenth century was born in the first substantial house built in Poughkeepsie, the 1702 Van Kleeck house which stood on the south side of present day Mill Street, between Vassar and Washington Streets. Mr. Vassar's father was John Guy Vassar, a brother of Matthew Vassar, founder of Vassar College. His mother, Margaret Van Kleeck, was the granddaughter of Poughkeepsie's first settlers, Baltus Barentszen and Tryntje Buys Van Kleeck. His birthplace was demolished in 1835 and he built near the site a modern frame house which was his home until his death forty-six years later. Mr. Vassar preserved however several pieces of furniture and the lintel stone which bears the initials of the first occupants; BVK-TVK-1702. The lintel is carefully preserved in Poughkeepsie by a descendent of the builder of Poughkeepsie's first house.

Matthew Vassar, Jr., first married Mary Parker whose death occurred in 1851, and nineteen years later he married Irene Beach, the daughter of Edward and Louisa Van Kleeck Beach. Mrs. Beach was a direct descendent of Poughkeepsie's first residents, Baltus and Tryntje Van Kleeck.

There were no children by either marriage and, at Mr. Vassar's death, he was survived by Mrs. Vassar and his brother, John Guy Vassar. Matthew received his education at the Lancaster School which later became Public School Number 2 on lower Church Street, near the present approach to the Mid-Hudson Bridge, and will be remembered as the home of the Lindmark Book Store until the structure was demolished several years ago. In 1826, at the age of seventeen, he entered the employ of his uncle, Matthew Vassar, and was joined by his brother, John Guy, a few years later. The Vassar brothers were admitted to partnership in the very successful brewing business of the elder Matthew Vassar and continued until the latter's death which occurred in 1861. The brewery was sold and Matthew Vassar, Jr., devoted his time to Vassar College.

He was one of Vassar's original trustees and, at the particular request of the founder, he became Treasurer from the beginning, continuing in that capacity until his death. Although he served without pay, he was at his office at Vassar College daily, and a newspaper article of August 11, 1881 reporting Mr. Vassar's death states: "He attended personally to every detail, and it is largely due to this fact and to his judicious investt• ment of the funds entrusted to him that the College owes much of its financial prosperity."

Mr. Vassar amassed a large personal fortune and during his later years he contributed much of it to various charitable institutions of Poughkeepsie. It is said that he was firmly opposed to "borrowing funds or dipping into principal". He strongly opposed the building of a new Baptist Church although he realized that the church building was not 109