Dutchess County Historical Society Yearbook Vol 046 1961

A request was made for information concerning David H. Snyder, a young man who had gone from Dutchess County to the gold fields of California in 1850 to make his fortune. It was explained that a correspondent in Baltimore would like to know something about the young man, where his home had been in the county, if he had made his fortune and if he had come back to Dutchess.

It was announced that Mr. Harold L. Dunn, superintendent of education at the Green Haven Prison, had sent an invitation to the members of the society to view the fourth annual exhibit of the work of the art classes of Green Haven, which would be on display at the IBM Country Club daily from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m., from November 8 through November 22.

It was reported that the society had sent to the library of the Cardinal Farley Military Academy a copy of the 1932 issue of the year book which contained a descriptive article on "Ellerslie," then the home of the Morton family and now the site of the military school.

The gift had been gratefully acknowledged by the Reverend Brother S. A. Ryan.

It was noted that Mrs. Frank Van Kleeck, the oldest member of the society, had recently celebrated her one hundredth birthday.

Mr. Van Kleeck and Mrs. Swift were asked to carry the congratulations and kind wishes of the society to their mother.

Mr. Lacy asked if there were any records of the burial sites of slaves. He told that Mr. Stephen Bulmer had shown him such a ground some years ago on a former Van Benschoten farm west of New Hackensack. He said that the markers were field stones and had no inscriptions. Mr. Halstead reported that slaves, as well as an Indian family, had been buried in the churchyard of the West Branch Meeting House in the town of LaGrange. He mentioned the stone of Helecy McCord, who died in 1799 and said there were other stones without inscriptions.

The names of the following new members were proposed and they were elected: Mrs. Vera Austin, Mrs. Ben Brown, Mrs. Harry Ethal, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert F. Hart, Mr. Wright W. Jackson, Mrs. G. Stuart Mansfield, Miss Mary V. Mylod, Mr. and Mrs. Allan C. Pearce, Mrs. Keene Richards, Miss Hazel Skidmore and Mr. and Mrs. James F. Smathers.

There was no further business to bring before the meeting and members adjourned to the dining room where they enjoyed the usual excellent luncheon for which the hotel is noted.

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