Treasurer's Report

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.

16

Following the luncheon, Mr. Van Kleeck introduced Mr. Enoch Squires, Research Associate with the New York State Civil War Centennial Commission, who told of Thomas O'Dea, who served as a drummer boy in the Civil War and later drew a remarkable pictorial map of the Andersonville Prison where he had been confined. Mr. Squires showed slides which revealed details of the map and told of the overcrowded and shocking conditions in prisons at the time, explaining that those an Andersonville were typical, whether the prison were located in the north or south. After the war Thomas O'Dea had lived at Cohoes, New York, where his daughters still make their home.

Mr. Van Kleeck expressed the hope that Mr. Squires would come again to tell the society some of the fascinating tales which he has gathered in his travels about the state and the meeting adjourned with a rising vote of thanks to the speaker. Amy Ver Nooy, Secretary

Musical Concert. — The members of the Poughkeepsie Instrumental Music Association will give a Concert on Thursday evening next, at the Village Hall. We have not seen a programme of the performance but, counting upon the good taste displayed at the rehearsals, we have no hesitation in hazarding our opinion that those who attend will be richly rewarded for their time and money. And who will not lend their aid to an enterprise so laudable, where admittance may be obtained at the moderate price of twenty-five cents?

The Poughkeepsie Casket, March 26, 1836

17