Читать книгу History of Westchester County, New York, Volume 2 - Группа авторов - Страница 31

One of the most straightforward, energetic and successful business men of Yonkers is George H. Crisfield. Few men are more prominent or more widely known in this enterprising city, than he. In business circles he has long been an important factor, and his popularity is well deserved, for in him are embraced the characteristics of an unbending integrity, unabating energy and an industry that never flags. He is public spirited, has taken an active part in local political affairs, is a supporter of all measures for the public good, and for many years has been numbered among the valued and honored residents of Yonkers.

A native of this city, he was born November 26, 1835, his parents being John and Martha (Beale) Crisfield. His paternal grandfather, John Crisfield, was a native of county Kent, England, and there spent his entire life, dying when about thirty-eight or forty years of age. He had five children, namely: John; Tellbrook, who lived in county Kent; George; Edward; and Eliza. The family possessed a coat of arms, which, according to the last authentic information of Mr. Crisfield, on the subject, was in possession of his oldest brother, John Crisfield.

The father of our subject, who also bore the name of John Crisfield, was born in. Kent, England, and lost his father when sixteen years of age. He was provided with excellent educational advantages for that day, and was conversant with the German and French, as well as the English languages. In early manhood he was married, and with his wife and one child came to America when twenty-one years of age, landing in New York city. In his native country he had held a position as cutlery agent, in which capacity he traveled over the greater part of the British Isles and France. In New York city he established a little dry-goods store, which was conducted by his wife, while with a peddler's wagon he traveled throughout the adjacent country, going as far north as Albany. His genial manner made him a very welcome visitor among the country people along his route, and his business proved a very profitable one, bringing him an excellent income and in this way he became acquainted with many people, among whom were a number who later won celebrity in the state. One of these was Augustus Van Cortlandt, whose name is inseparably interwoven with the history of New York city and the Empire state. Together they frequently went on hunting expeditions in lower Westchester county and through the region now known as the Van Cortlandt Park. They often spent a week together in this way, the hours passing in a most enjoyable manner, as with gun in hand they tramped through the forest in search of game. Hunting was always to Mr. Crisfield a source of great pleasure, and he never went upon any of his peddling trips without taking his gun with him. He continued in that business for many years, meeting with excellent success, and then came to Yonkers, establishing one of the first hotels in the city. It was called the Squangum House and was located on the present site of the store of Miller & Welsh, in Broadway. Later he also conducted a livery stable and a general mercantile store, and was actively connected with the early business interests of Yonkers. Later he sold out and removed to Saugerties, New York, where he established a country store, which he conducted for two years, when he closed out his business there and returned to Yonkers.

In the meantime he had purchased twenty-five acres of land on South Broadway, which has ever since been known as the Crisfield homestead. Upon this property he erected a good residence, which continued to be his home until his death. During a part of that time he was engaged in the grocery business on South Broadway, near the present site of St. Joseph's hospital, but for eighteen years prior to his demise lived retired from active commercial or industrial cares. He was very successful in business, his investments proved profitable, and he became a man of considerable wealth, — a just reward of his well-directed and honorable labors. He was quite active in the local affairs of the city, gave his political support to the Democratic party, served as street commissioner, was also justice of the peace for the long term of twenty-six years, and so fair and impartial was he in the administration of justice that during that entire time none of his decisions were ever reversed in a higher court. Socially, he was connected with the Masonic fraternity, and was a member and vestryman of St. John's Episcopal church. He died in 1880 at the ripe old age of eighty-four years, and Yonkers thereby lost one of its best citizens, a man whom to know was to esteem and honor. He had eleven children, nine of whom grew to maturity: John, who engaged in the. butchering business in Yonkers, died at the age of seventy years, leaving a wife and three children; two of the children, Harriet and William, are now living; Eliza is the widow of Robert Lawrence, a mechanic; Mary Ann, who resides in Nyack, New York, is the widow of Martin Demarest, a carpenter; Martha is the wife of John J. Banta, a carpenter and builder, now of Deland, Florida; George Henry is the subject of this sketch; Tellbrook W. resides at Irvington; and the other of the children are Emily V. (Mrs. William Read), Charles R. , Jessie R. (Mrs. James Strang) and two who died in infancy.

George Henry Crisfield, 'whose name introduces this sketch, was reared in Yonkers, and was educated first in the public schools and then under private instruction. He entered upon his business career as a salesman in the store of Odell Brothers, grocers of New York city, and afterward served in the capacity of bookkeeper in the same establishment. On leaving that firm he returned to Yonkers, where he engaged in the butchering business on his own account, following that industry for many years. Recently, however, he has turned his attention to the real-estate business, and is now handling some valuable property, and also has an interest in his father's estate, which recently disposed of the old homestead for sixty thousand dollars. While in the butchering business his honorable dealing, his earnest desire to please his customers and the excellent line of meats which he carried secured to him a very liberal patronage and brought to him a good income. In his present undertakings he manifests the same reliability, and his reputation in business circles is unassailable.

On the 21st of September, 1858, Mr. Crisfield was united in marriage to Miss Susanna Van Tassel, who belongs to one of the oldest families of the Empire state, of mixed English, French and Dutch extraction. The name is closely associated with the early history of the state, and has been immortalized by Washington Irving in the Sketch Book and Diedrick Knickerbocker's History of New York. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Crisfield are George and Edward, who are engaged in the butchering business; Fred, a clerk in the East View Almshouse, of New York; Joseph, a mechanic who enlisted for service in the Spanish-American war and was severely wounded while discharging his duty, on account of which he was honorably discharged; Harry, a printer; and Minnie, wife of John C. Stillwell, a boot and shoe merchant of Yonkers.

During the greater part of his life Mr. Crisfield has resided in Yonkers, and has always been deeply interested in its progress and advancement. He served as receiver of taxes for the town in 1863, and for four years was clerk of the city court. He has also filled other ward offices, always discharging his duties in a prompt and faithful manner. His political support is given to the men and measures of the Republican party.- Courteous, genial, well informed, alert and enterprising, he stands to-day one of the leading and representative men of his city.