Homegrown Politicians Melodye A. Kaltz

Beekman's Irish Connection

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Irish enroute to a picnic at De Laney's (:;.rove, .Sylvan Lake, Beekman, N.Y. - August 14, 1888.

Irish at the picnic in De Laney's Grove - August 14, 1888. This photo and the one above were reproduced by Gaty Williams from the William Ross photo album now owned by his grandson Charles Van Wyck Harris.

George Clinton 1739 - 1812, first Governor of New York. From Hastings, Public Papers of George Clinton. Pencil sketch of Melancton Smith 1744 - 1798. From Fiske, The Critical Period of American History.

HOMEGROWN POLITICIANS* Melodye Andros Kaltz

The contributions of Dutchess County poZiticians to state and nationaZ government during the 18th, 19th and 20th century are reviewed. MeZodye Kaltz is Director of the CZinton House Museum, headquarters of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

Dutchess County, encompassing some 816 square miles has produced a rich and -varied history throughout its three centuries of development. The enormity of her contribution to the country, in contrast toher size, has given her a unique position in American history. The breadth and significance of this achievement, can be illustrated best through an overview of·the lives of those men who dedicated themselves to government and the law. The contributions made by these men of Dutchess, helped shape the destiny of their county, their state, their nation and the world. Dutchess County residents of today have just reason to be proud of these "Homegrown Politicians".

18th Century Politicians The patrician in Dutchess County, as in most other areas of the American Colonies, was the guiding political force during the early part of the 18th century. The rise of an ever more affluent yeoman class during the middle of the century set the stage, however, for the ensuing controversies which would arise during the Revolutionary War and the subsequent arguments involving constitutional questions. In Dutchess County, for the most part, patricians such as the Livingstons, who had assumed the leadership prior to the revolution, joined hands with the yeoman during that conflict. It was not until after the war that conflicting views of constitutional interpretation resulted in the development of truly opposing political factions.

The following men are representative of the leaders that emerged in Dutchess County during the 18th century:

*This exhibit, sponsored by the Dutchess County HistoricaZ Society, was on view from October 13-Decem~er 1, 1980 at the CZinton House Museum, 549 Main St., Poughkeepsie, N.Y. It was subsequentZy on Zoan to Dutchess Corronunity CoZZege and Marist CoZZege.

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46 Melodye A. Kaltz

Robert R. Livingston (1746-1813) was born in New York City where he received his formal education. After admission to th~ bar in 1773, he formed a brief partnership with John Jay. In 1775, Livingston was elected a member of the Assembly from Dutchess County. In 1776, he became a member of the Continental Congress and was one of the Committee of five along with Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and Sherman which-drafted the Declaration of Independence. Livingston and his former law partner Jay were the principal drafters of the State Constitution in 1777. He was appointed Chancellor of New York in 1777 and served until 1801. As Chancellor of the State, it was Livingston's honor to administer the oath of office of the presidency to Washington in 17~9. In 1781, he was appointed the first United States Minister of Foreign Affairs under the New United States Confederation. Mr. Livingston was the Chairman of the Convention held at Poughkeepsie in 1788 which adopted the Federal Constitution. After the expiration of his Chancellorship in 1801, he accepted a commission as Minister to France. In this capacity he opened the negotiations with France which resulted in the Louisiana Purchase. His brother Edward, Minister to France, Secretary of State and Attorney General under Jefferson, was later responsible for creating the system of jurisprudence in this new territory by integrating the French Code Civil with Anglo-American Law. Resigning his position in France, he travelled to Paris and there established a partnership with Robert Fulton. This partnership produced the famous steamship the Clermont, named for Mr. Livingston's Mansion on the Hudson. Returning here later in life, Livingston devoted his time to the study of improvements in art and agriculture. Significantly for Dutchess County, his statue along with that of George Clinton has been placed in the Capitol at Washington as one of the two representative citizens of New York State. Livingston died at Clermont and is buried at St. Paul's in Tivoli. Melancton Smith (1744-1798) was born at Jamaica, Long Island and while still young, was sent to Poughkeepsie to work. By 1775, he was prominent enough to be chosen one of the delegates from Dutchess to the First Provincial Congress. Smith served as Captain of the 1st Company of Dutchess County Rangers and also served along with Egbert Benson, Jacobus Swartwout and Peter Tappen on the Commission for Detecting Conspiracies. ln 1779, he was appointed Sheriff of Dutchess County ind the combination of civil and military authority must have been powerful. Smith served as Assistant

Homegrown Politicians

State Agent under Udny Hay and in the Continental Congress from 1785-1788. In that year, he represented Dutchess County in the Convention at Poughkeepsie. An Anti-Federalist, Smith's arguments were logical and eloquent. In 1785, Smith returned to New York City where he continued his political activities as an Anti-Federalist, a Son of Liberty and a Member of the Political Society which later became the Tammany Society. During this period, he served in the State Legislature and as a Judge of the Circuit Court of the District of New York. He died in New York City in 1798, the first victim of the yellow fever epidemic of that year. Gilbert Livingston (1742-1806) was born in Poughkeepsie, the son of Henry Livingston. An ardent patriot, Gilbert was a Member of the Dutchess County Military Committee and the Dutchess County Committee of Safety. He was a Member of all the Provincial Congresses and Conventions from 1775-1777 and a Member of the Committee of Correspondence. He served as Assemblyman from 1777-1778 and 1778-1779. He served as surrogate of Dutchess County from 1778-1787 and as County Clerk in 1804. A member of the 2nd New York Regents Board, he was a delegate from New York to the United States Constitutional Convention of 1788. He was a Presidential elector in 1800 for Thomas Jefferson. Livingston died in 1806 in Poughkeepsie and is buried in the Livingston plot at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. John Armstrong (1758-1843) was born at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the son and name sake of a Brigadier-General in the Continental Army. The younger Armstrong himself served both in the Continental Congress and the Revolution, rising to Adjutant-General of the Southern Army. After the 1783 surrender of Yorktown, Armstrong was among the soldiers encamped at Newburgh. His "Newburgh Letters" which recited the alleged injustices against the soldiers and called for an organized movement for their redress, were considered inflammatory at the time and Washington himself is purported to have thwarted their efforts. Returning to Pennsylvania aftor the war, he was elected a Member of Congress in 1787. In 1789, he married a sister of Chancellor Livingston and removed to New York. In 1800, he was chosen U.S. Senator and served until 1804 when he became United States Minister to France and Spain. Returning to the United States, he was appointed Brigadier-General in 1812 and given the command of the District of New York. In 1813, he was appointed Secretary of War to serve under his political rival James 47

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Melodye A. Kaltz

Monroe. Despite his success at improving the condition of the army, the failure of the expedition against Canada and the destruction of Washington by the British opened the way for Monroe to request his resignation. Retiring from public life, he passed the remainder of his life in retirement at his Red Hook home, Rokeby, where he died in 1843. Henry Livingston (1714-1799) was born at Kingston, the son of Gilbert and grandson.of Robert the First Lord of Livingston Manor. He was educated as a Surveyor and served as Cou~ty Clerk from 1737 until 1789. Besides these duties, he served many years as clerk of the town or precinct of Poughkeepsie and as overseer of highways. He also represented Dutchess County as a Member of the Provincial Assembly during the troublesome period prior to the Revolution. Livingston died in Poughkeepsie in 1799 and is buried in the. family plot at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. Peter R. Livingston (1766-1847) served as a Member of the New York Assembly and speaker of that Assembly. A Grand Sachem of Tammany from 1795-1796, Livingston went on to serve as a.member of the New York State Senate, Lieutenant Governor of New York and Member of the United States Congress. He died at Rhinebeck. George Clinton (1732-1812) was born at Little Britain in the present Orange County, the son of Charles Clinton. After serving in his father's regiment during the French and Indian War, he entered the New York City Office of Chief Justice William Smith to study law. After being admitted to the bar, he set up practice in his native county. In 1768, he was elected a member of the New York Assembly and later in 1775, he was elected as a delegate to the 2nd Continental Congress. He served as Commander of the Ulster County Militia until his election in June 1777 as the first Governor of New York State. With the British burning of Kingston in October of 1777, the State Capitol moved to Poughkeepsie and Clinton set up State headquarters there. He continued to serve as Governor throughout the war and until 1795. One of the foremost opponents of the Federal Constitution as it was originally formed, Clinton is considered by some as the founder of the new Republican Party. His political opinions aroused serious opposition from the Federalists and from 1796 until 1801 he retired from public life .. In 1801, he was once again elected Governor and served until 1804. Elected the Republican Vice-President during Jefferson's second term, he continued to serve as Vice-President until his death

Homegrown Politicians

in 1812. During his tenure as. Vice-President, he maintained his association with Dutchess County with his home overlooking the Hudson in the Town of Poughkeepsie. He is buried in the church yard of the Dutch Reformed Church in Kingston.

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William Prendergast was born in Ireland and as a Presbyterian Protestant, suffered under the Anglican tyranny of that time. He emigrated to the Quaker Hill area of Pawling and by 1765, was involved in the antirent wars of that period. Prendergast, leader of the agrarian cause in Dutchess, stands out in his singleminded devotion to the farmers' cause. His goals were justice for the farmer, reform of the courts, an unprejudiced judiciary and a land tenure inviolable so long as a fair rent was paid and the farmer treated the land well. Arrested June 28, 1765 after leading his troops in a skirmish with regular soldiers, he was brought to Poughkeepsie for trial and charged with high treason. Convicted, he was sentenced to be hanged and it was only his wife's ride to New York and appeal.to the Governor that secured Prendergast's reprieve. The Prendergasts returned to Pawling after the trial, eventually moving on and settling on the southern end of Lake Chautauqua where his son James is celebrated as the founder of Jamestown.

Lawyer's Row During the 18th century, Poughkeepsie, the county seat, served as the center of political activity. From the earliest days of the village, a line of close built houses, south of the Courthouse on the west side of Market Street, was known to Poughkeepsians as Lawyer's Row. Here were the offices of the Numerous Men of legal distinction who served both their county and their country well. Among the most distinguished of these lawyers were the following. James Kent (1763-1847) was born at Fredericks, Putnam County, the son of Moss Kent, lawyer and surrogate of Rensselaer County. He, himself, studied law under Egbert Benson and after being admitted fo the bar in 1785, practiced in Poughkeepsie. He was elected to the New York Assembly in 1790 and 1792 from Dutchess County, but by 1796 when he was again elected, he was living in New York City. A political ally of Govenor John Jay, he was appointed by him in 1798 as a Justice of The Supreme Court of the State. From 1804-1814, he served as Chief Justice o~ this court. He resided for a time in Poughkeepsie after his appointment to The Supreme Court before moving to Albany. In 1814, he

50 Melodye A. Kaltz

Portrait of James Kent 1763 -184 7. Painted by S.F.B. Morse. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society.

Portrait of Egbert Benson 1746 -1833. Painted by John Wesley Jarvis from original by Gilbert Stuart. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society.

Homegrown Politicians 51

Lawyers Row Poughkeepsie ca. 1890. Presently the site of the Dutchess County Office Building. From the photo collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

was appointed Chancellor of New York and is credited with laying the foundations of equity jurisprudence in the United States. After his retirement, he returned to New York City and published his "Commentaries on American Law", the authoritative work on American jurisprudence. He died in New York City, December 12, 1847 and is buried in the church yard at St. Luke's in Beacon. • Egbert ·Benson (1746-1833) was born in New York City where he later graduated from Kings College. A resident of the Red Hook area, Benson was a lawyer of considerable distinction and integrity. He was a member of The New York Committee of Safety and in 1777 served as the First Attorney-Gene.-ral of New York. Benson also served as Assemblyman 1777-1778, Member

52 Melodye A. Kaltz

of The Continental Congress 1784~1788, Member of the New York U.S. Constitutional Convention 1788, Congressman 1789-1793, 1813-1815, State Supreme Court Justice 1794-1802 and U.S. Circuit Court Judge in 1802. An accomplished scholar and historian, Benson was an author, Regent of the University of The State of New York and First President of The New-York Historical Society. James Emott (1771-1850) was born in Poughkeepsie and spent much of his life here although many of his official duties took him elsewhere. Admitted to the bar, he was soon regarded as one of the most brilliant lawyers of that time. In 1797, he was appointed a commissioner to settle the disputes as to lands in the Military tract of Onondaga County. In 1804, he was elected to the legislature and in 1817-1827, he ~erved as the first judge of the court of common pleas. A Federalist, he represented New York in Congress from 1809 to 1813. 1814-1817; he was a member of the New York Assembly and served as its speaker. In 1827, he was appointed judge for the 2nd District, a position he held until he resigned in 1831. He died in Poughkeepsie in 1850. Theodorus Bailey, senator, was born in Dutchess County, N.Y., October 12, 1758. In 1792 he was elected to represent New York State in congress and was reelected in 1794, serving until 1797. Later he was again elected, and remained a member of the national house of representatives during two congresses, from 1799 to 1803. In the latter year he was elected to the United States senate, taking his seat March 4. He resigned in 1804 to become postmaster of New York City, a position he held until his death September 6, 1828. Thomas Jackson Oakley (1783-1857) was born inDutchess County and after being admitted to the bar in 1804, set up a legal practice in Poughkeepsie. In 1810, he was appointed surrogate of Dutchess County and in 1813, he was elected to Congress, a body he served in periodically through out his career. In 182~, he was appointed Attorney-General of New York and in 1828, he was appointed Judge of the Superior Court of New York City. In 1847, he became Chief Justice of that court. One of his most celebrated cases was the controversy concerning the exclusive right of navig~ting the waters of New York by steam granted to Robert Fulton and his Dutchess County patron, Chancellor Livingston.

Homegrown Politicians

The Constitutional Convention Having served as the Capitol of New York State throughout most of the Revolutionary War, Poughkeepsie was considered one of the State's pre~eminent centers of governmental activity. The cGntroversy over the proposed federal constitution would be settled here for New Yorkers and would focus national attention on the County and its leaders. •

On June 17, 1788, sixty-five delegates from throughout New York State convened in Poughkeepsie's third courthouse to consider New York State's Ratification of the Federal Constitution. All men of distinction, they were divided into two factions: the Federalists, led by John Jay and Alexander Hamilton and the Anti-Federalists, led by George Clinton and Melancton Smith. By June 24th, New Hampshire had ratified the Constitution and having thus nine states ratifying, the Constitution was operative. Nevertheless arguments continued until the Anti-Federalists called for a new convention to pass amendments. The final vote was 30 to 27 in favor of ratification with Dutchess County Delegates being the deciding votes. It is significant to note that many of the issues so hotly contested by the men of Dutchess were incorporated into the Bill of Rights which was adopted on November 3, 1791. •

The 18th century closed with the entrenchment of opposing political views which in the 19th century would result in the formal establishment of the two party system. New York's Constitutional Convention held in Poughkeepsie in 1788, brought into focus the divergent needs and goals of the newly formed republic. The bitterness of this early political confrontation is illustrated in the tragic Hamilton-Burr duel of 1804 which had interesting Dutchess County associations. William W. Van Ness of Red Hook, an outspoken republican, served as Burr's second and Nathanial Pendleton of Hyde Park, served as Hamilton's second. It has long been speculated that Burr fled to Van Ness' home after the duel.

19th Century With the dawning of another century, the growing pains of a new country called for a combination of vision and extraordinary minds. Dutchess County contributed both. Legal and constitutional questions had to be firmly resolved if the Republic were to 53

54 Melodye A. Kaltz

Portrait of· Morgan Lewis 1'754 - 1844. Painted by Charles C. Curran from original by James Herring. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society.

Line drawing of James K. Paulding 1778 - 1860. From Encyclopedia of American Biography.

}.> /~ :j( ,• 1

',,(, .J

Homegrown Politicians 55

survive and grow. And grow it did, nation and county. The advent of the Industrial Revolution saw Dutchess County minds rise once again to meet the challenges of a new period. The men who rose to political distinction during the 19th century were a diverse group.

Mdrg~ti ·Lewis (1754-1844) was born in New York City, the son of Francis Lewis, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Graduating from Princeton College in 1773, he studied law under John Jay. Lewis served in both the Revolution and the War of 1812, rising to the rank of Colonel and General. During both wars, he served as quarter master for the northern section of the army. After the Revolution, he resumed his legal practice in New York City and soon thereafter was elected a Member of the State Legislature. Married to Gertrude Livingston, Lewis established his residence at Staatsburg in Dutchess County in 1795. Lewis later became Attorney General of New York State, Justice and Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court and a Member of State Assembly and Senate. Between 1804 and 1807, he served as New York's third Governor. Lewis was a Grand Master of the Order of the Free Masons in the United States, President of the New York Historical Society and President of the New York Section of the Order of the Cincinnati. He is buried in the church yard at St. James Parish in Hyde Park.

Smith Thompson (1768-1843) was born in Stanford,. in Dutchess County, the son of Ezra Thompson, a leading Dutchess County Anti-Federalist. His mother, Rachel Smith was the sister of another prominent Dutchess County Anti-Federalist, Melancton Smith. After graduating from Princeton in 1788, he studied law with Chancellor Kent in Poughkeepsie. In 1800, he was elected a Member of The State Legislature and the following year he was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of The State of New York. He was appointed Associate Justice of The' State Supreme Court in 1802 and held that position until 1814 when he was made Chief Justice of The Supreme Court of New York. In 1818, President Monroe appointed him Secretary of The Navy. He resigned that position in 1823 to assume his appointment as a United States Supreme Court Justice. Thompson continued to hold that office until his death in Poughkeepsie, 1843. He is buried in the Livingston Family Plot which was incorporated into the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery.

56 Melodye A. Kaltz

James Tallmadge was born in 1778 in Stanford, the son of Col. James Tallmadge, a zealous supporter of the Revolution. Graduating from Rhode Island College in 1798, he studied law and was for a time Pri~ate Secretary to George Clinton. He began his law career in Poughkeepsie and became Surrogate of Dutchess County in 1804. He continued to serve in various public offices at the same time that he was working at the establishment of the Manhattan Bank at Poughkeepsie. He was elected to the United States Congress in 1817, where he made his greatest contribution. The Tallmadge Amendment to the Missouri Bill, introduced by him, prohibited the further introduction of slavery into Missouri and provided that all children born of slaves after admission, were to be free at the age of 25.

James Kirke Paulding (1778-1860) was born at Great Nine Partners, Dutchess County, while his family, originally of Tarrytown, resided there during the Revolution. A close friend of Washington Irving, Paulding himself, pursued a literary career and is considered by many as America's first great novelist. His most notable_ contributions include "The Salamagundi Papers", "The Diverting History of John Bull and Brother Jonathan'' and "Life of Washington". In 1823, he took up a political career and served as Navy Agent for New York City until 1838. From 1838 until 1841, he served as Secretary of the Navy under President Martin Van Buren. In 1845, he bought Placentia, an estate at Hyde Park where he retired to private life, dying there in 1860.

Levi P. Morton (1824-1920) was born in Vermont but moved early in life to New York State where he became a resident of Rhinebeck. A banker by profession, Morton served as a Member of Congress from 1879-1881 and as United States Minister to France from 18811885. Vice-President of the United States from 18891893, he returned to New York where he served as Governor from 1895-1897. Morton was noted as a strong advocate of Civil Service reform and refused to be dominated by "Boss" Tom Platt's Machine.

Ogden ·Livingston Mills (1884-1937) was born in Rhode Island, but strong Dutchess County ties brought him here and he became a resident. He was a lawyer. He was the nephew of publisher Whitelaw Reid. Mills served as a member of the New York Legislature and a Congressman from 1921-1927. A financial advisor to

Homegrown Politicians

Presidents Coolidge and Hoover, Mills served as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury from 1927-1932 and as Secretary of the Treasury in 1932.

The Improvement Party 57

Poughkeepsie during the second quarter of the 19th century was shaped by a group. of men determined to upgrade the quality of life in the village. The term 11 Improvement. Party" was used originally to designate those who favored Municipal improvements. It was later applied to those men who became active promoters of the enterprises in Poughkeepsie during the 1830s. Some of these enterprises in which "Improvers' 1 were involved included: The Poughkeepsie Silk Company, The Dutchess Rail Road Company, The Poughkeepsie Locomotive Engine Company and the Poughkeepsie Manufacturing Company. Involved in all aspects of the booming economy, the 11 Improvers 11 also lent their energies to the construction of churches and schools including the well known College Hill School. The Panic of 1837 terminated their development plans and a number of the leading "Improvers 11 , finding their fortunes gone, left Poughkeepsie for new beginnings in the west. Despite the loss of all these energetic and intelligent men, their contributions to local growth were immense. Typical of the leaders who emerged from this group were these three men.

Matthew Vassar (1792-1868) was born in England but emigrated to America in 1796 to escape state church oppressions. Moving to Poughkeepsie in 1797, Matthew's father and uncle were soon farming in the area of Manchester and peddling the first products of that grain, their "Vassar Ale 11 • In 1801, the brothers sold the farm, moved to town and starting the brewing business in which Matthew would make his fortune. In the fall of 1812, Vassar opened an ale and oyster bar in the basement of the Court House and later with much needed capital from a partner, he expanded his operation and was well on his way to prosperity. His life from 1815-1845 reveals a man who not only built an ever more successful business, but who found time for increasing civic responsibilities and for promoting a variety of exciting enterprises necessary to the expansion of commerce and industry. Among his enterprises were: The Poughkeepsie Whaling Company, The Dutchess County Railroad and the establishment of a number of new banks. A member of the Improvement Party, Vassar was one of the few who managed to survive the Panic of 1837 financially intact. Vassar's

58 Melodye A. Kaltz

Matthew Vassar 1792 1868. From the Frank Van Kleeck Collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

Harvey G. Eastman 1832 1878. From Platt, History of Poughkeepsie ( 1905) .

Homegrown Politicians

greatest philanthropic gift however, was the establishment of Vassar Female College, incorporated in 1861 and opened in 1865. On June 23, 1868, he'died at this college while making an address to the trustees.

N~th~ni~l P. ·Tallmadge (1795-1864) was born at Chatham, Columbia County. After graduating from Union College, he studied law and began practice at Poughkeepsie after his admission to the bar in 1818. One of the leaders of the Improvement Party, he was a Bank Director of considerable importance. He was a Member of the Assembly in 1820, Post Master of the village in 1821, President of the Village Trustees in 1830, State Senator in 1830 and United States Senator in 1833. His fortunes decimated by the Panic of 1837, he remained in the Senate until 1844 when he was appointed by President Tyler to the Governorship of the Territory of Wisconsin.

Harvey G. Eastman (1832-1878) was born in Marshall, New York. At nineteen, he began working for his uncle who ~~erated a school in Rochester. Setting out on his own, he operated a school in St. Louis and eventually removed to Poughkeepsie, noted then as an educational center. His "State and National Business College'', aimed at supplying trained accountants and business administrators to the new industries born of the industrial revolution, was to have a tremendous impact on Poughkeepsie. With the success of the school, Eastman turned his energies to Poughkeepsie and became the primary mover behind the construction of the railroad bridge. In 1871, he was elected Mayor and served for two terms. During that time he was also serving in the State Legislature. One of Mr. Eastman's most important contributions was the installation of the first sand-filtration plant in the United States. After contracting tuberculosis in 1878, Eastman left Poughkeepsie to regain his health in Arkansas. Improving, he moved on to Denver and sent for his family. He contracted pneumonia there and died in 1878.

20th Century In considering American 20th Century politics and the destiny of the world, one must look first and foremost to the "Squire of Hyde Park". His impact on the American Wqy of life, will be felt for centuries. His Dutchess County Allies and Adversaries were all 59

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,y

Melodye A. Kaltz

Franklin D. Roosevelt 1882 1945 during one of his radio broadcasts. Photo courtesy of the Poughkeepsie Journal.

Thomas E. Dewey 1902 -1971. Photo from the collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

Homegrown Politicians

men of distinction who rendered great State and National Service. However, he was not the County's only politician of significance.

The ·chanlers of Rokeby are an interesting chapter in the political history of Dutchess County. Democrats in a Republican setting, the three brothers participated in 12 political campaigns: 5 for supervisor, 4 for assemblyman, 1 for sheriff, 1 for lieutenant-governor, and 1 for governor. Robert Winthrop Chanler was the most colorful of the three. To some, his methods of getting elected were pure bribery, but to the recipients of his political style of campaigning, "Sheriff Bob" as he was fondly called, was a hero. For them he set off a part of his farm, built a baseball diamond, and organized a team. There· were clambakes, and· every summer he took a thousand chilqren on a picnic ride on the river. Lewis.Stuyvesant Chanler's local fame sprang from his uncovering of corruption in the sheriff's office in 1905. Elected to the Assembly, he became leiutenant-governor of the State in 1906, and in 1908 he ran for the governorship, losing to Charles Evans Hughes. William ·Chanler, the third brother, ran for the assembly and later for Congress from New York City. Henry Noble MacCracken called the Chanlers the "Playboys". Although their political careers were of short duration, they set the stage for another gentleman of the "River Set", Frankl:Ln Delano Roosevelt, the "Squire of Hyde Park".

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) was the 31st President of the United States. Born at Hyde Park, he was educated as a lawyer and became a Member of the New York State Senate in 1910. He served in that capacity until 1913 when he became Assistant Secretary of The Navy. He held this position until 1920. In 1929, he was elecied Governor of New York and served until 1933 when he was.elected President of the United States. Roosevelt served as President throughout many of America's roughest years, dying in office in 1945. An avid historian and author of Dutchess County history, RoosAvelt served as Vice-~resident of The Dutchess County Historical Society. He was married to Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, who in her own right, was a distinguished political force, serving after the President's death as Ambassador to the United Nations.

Thoma·s E .• ·Dewey ( 1902-1971) was born in Michigan. "Governor Dewey" as he was always -called, even when out of office, became a resident of Pawling when he 61

62 Melodye A. Kaltz

James Forrestal 1892 - 1949. Photo courtesy of the Poughkeepsie Journal.

Henry Morgenthau Jr. 1891-1967. Photo from the collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.