The History of Orange County New York

by Unknown

It is practically at this point that we come to the parting of the ways—the passing of the real pioneers in Orange County journalism. The generation has come and gone, so far as activity is concerned, and we find coming on the stage new actors. They were, however, evidently of the same mould of character, infusing into their work their personality, and stamping on their productions the ineffable marks of strong individuality.

SECOND GENERATION JOURNALISTS.

DRAKE, VICTOR M.—First and clearly foremost in the second generation of early journalists was Victor M. Drake. He was born at Milford, Pa., March 20, 1813. His father was Rufus J., a son of Francis Drake, of Blooming Grove, Orange County, N. Y. From the seventeenth century the family had lived in Orange County, in the towns of Goshen and Chester. His great-grandfather, Joseph Drake, was said to be a lineal descendant of Sir Francis Drake, of England, who died in 1794. The mother of V. M. Drake was Rhoda Pierson, a daughter of Rachel Bull, whose mother was a sister of Mary DeWitt, the mother of DeWitt Clinton. At the age of eleven years, Victor M. Drake entered the office of the Goshen Independent Republican, where he served as apprentice, journeyman, editor and proprietor of the paper, and in 1846 he became connected with the New Jersey Herald, at Newton, as reporter, editor and proprietor, remaining there until 1871. Mr. Drake lived an abstemious, careful, circumspect life, and died in Goshen in 1894, and his remains repose in the cemetery at that place.

Frank M. Drake, the present able and dignified editor and proprietor of the Goshen Independent Republican, is a son of this venerable and respected journalist, who infused a high standard in local journalism, and left a name that should ever be revered in Orange County newspaper circles.

BEEBE, ELDER GILBERT—Elder Gilbert Beebe, the editor of the old-school Baptist publication, the Signs of the Times, of Middletown, for nearly half a century, was the son of David Beebe and Eunice Case. He was born at Norwich, Conn., November 25, 1800, and died May 2, 1881 at his home in Middletown, N. Y. He was of the old-school Baptist faith and was licensed to preach in 1818. In 1823 he married at New York City, Miss Phoebe A. Cunningham, and the same year he was ordained pastor of the Baptist Church at Ramapo, N. Y. After serving pastorates in this church and the Baptist Church at New Vernon, he moved to Middletown, N. Y., in 1847, which place henceforth became his home, where the remainder of his life was passed in editorial work on the Signs, which he moved there in 1848, and in expounding the Baptist faith as stated supply for several nearby churches.

When Elder Gilbert Beebe became editor of the Signs of the Times, a David had entered the theological field, armed with the slings of regeneration, the rocks of inspiration, and the strength of devoutness—backed by a printing press and waiting shrines. He was a worker, and became a power in the land. When Elder Beebe passed away the old-school Baptist creed lost its leader, and no one seems to have risen to take his place; the stage of Orange County journalism lost one of its most picturesque figures, the field one of its unique landmarks—a type of preacher and editor that has already passed, never to return.

MEAD, CHARLES—A contemporary of Victor M. Drake was Charles Mead, though born six years later, November 19, 1819, at Newburgh. His father was Xenophon Mead, and his mother was Abigail, daughter of Moses Burr, a relative of Aaron Burr. Charles Mead was educated under the then well-known Goshen teacher, Nathaniel Webb. At the age of fifteen years he was apprenticed in the office of the Orange County Patriot, under William B. Wright, who afterward became judge of the supreme court of New York State. He went to Carbondale, Pa., in 1839, and remained one year as editor of the Carbondale Journal. In 1841-42 he was employed on Graham's Magazine, in Philadelphia. May 9, 1842, he married Caroline A., daughter of Daniel Worden, of Goshen, who died November 11, 1880. Shortly after his marriage he purchased the Goshen Democrat of the heirs of Frederick T. Parsons. In 1865 he associated with him his son, William B. Mead, and January 1, 1892, sold his interest to Edwin L. Roys. His second wife was Miss Fannie Jackson, of Goshen. Mr. Mead lived a quiet, unobtrusive life, and made his paper a handsomely printed, model conservative Republican journal. He died April 22, 1893, and his remains repose in St. John's cemetery, Goshen.

McNALLY, JAMES J.—One of the men who left their impress on the printing art in Orange County, as well as in Sussex and Pike Counties, was the venerable James J. McNally. He learned the printing trade in the office of the Signs of the Times at New Vernon. Thence he went to Newton, N. J., and worked on the New Jersey Herald. From there he went to Milford, Pa., where, it is believed, he started the Pike County Democrat, which became the Milford Herald, now the Dispatch. In the spring of 1852 he went to Goshen and bought the Independent Republican, which, seven years later, he sold to Isaac V. Montanye. In the spring of 1859 he again went to Newton, N. J., this time as the editor and proprietor of the New Jersey Herald. This paper he finally sold and returned to Goshen, and again became owner of the Independent Republican. In 1869 he sold the same to Edward M. Ruttenber. The same year he became owner of the Newburgh Telegraph, daily and weekly, purchasing the same of A. A. Bensel. In 1874 he sold it to Dr. Cooper, of Warwick. For a short time he conducted a grocery store in Middletown, then became connected with the Carmel Courier. In 1882 he went to Monroe and started the Monroe Herald. In 1888 he started at Goshen the Goshen News, and for a time conducted both of these publications, printing them at Goshen. This he continued until the spring of 1892, when he died, and both publications ceased. Mr. McNally was a good printer, a sharp, witty writer, and an energetic worker. His son, William C. McNally, is the owner and editor of the Ellenville (Ulster County) Press.

RUTTENBER, EDWARD M.—Edward M. Ruttenber was born in Bennington, Vt., July 17, 1824, entered the office of the Vermont Gazette in 1837, as a "printer's devil," came to Newburgh in 1838, as an apprentice to Charles M. Cushman, an old friend of his father, on the Newburgh Telegraph. Three years later he entered the office of the Newburgh Gazette, where he remained until 1845, when he became foreman of the Telegraph, then owned by Elias Pitts. In May, 1850, he purchased the Newburgh Telegraph, and successfully conducted the same until 1857. It was a weekly, printed on a hand-press. To Mr. Ruttenber belongs the honor of bringing to Orange County the first steam-power press, on which the Telegraph was printed in 1853. In 1851 the Telegraph absorbed the Newburgh Excelsior, and the Gazette in 1857. Early in 1857 Mr. Ruttenber and E. W. Gray began issuing the Daily News from the office of the Telegraph. Mr. Ruttenber sold the plant late in 1857, repurchased it in 1859, sold it in 1861, repurchased it in 1866, and in 1867 sold it to A. A. Bensel. In 1869 he and James J. McNally became owners of the plant. In the autumn of that year Mr. Ruttenber retired, to become part owner of the Goshen Independent Republican, which in 1870, he sold to H. P. Kimber. After leaving that paper he and a younger son started a job printing office in Newburgh. From July, 1863, to January, 1865, when he resigned, Mr. Ruttenber was engaged in the Bureau of Military Records at Albany. Added to his other accomplishments Mr. Ruttenber delved deeply and learnedly into historical lore, and became the first authority on Indian nomenclature and the author of four or five valuable historical works. The first was a "History of Newburgh" (1859); the next was a work entitled "Obstructions to Navigation of Hudson's River": next "A History of the Flags of the Volunteer Regiments of the State of New York." A "History of the Indian Tribes of Hudson's River" followed, and is a work that is now in great demand. In 1875 he began in serial form a "History of Orange County." His last work was "Footprints of the Red Men," containing Indian geographical names in the valleys of the Hudson, Mohawk and Delaware, their location and probable meaning. This was issued in 1906, and was published under the auspices of the New York State Historical Association. In addition to his journalistic and historical work, Mr. Ruttenber found time to work in local educational matters, and in 1870 had served twelve years as a member of the Newburgh board of education. In 1846 Mr. Ruttenber married Matilda A., daughter of Mark McIntyre, of Newburgh, to whom two sons were born: Charles B., who became a musician of considerable repute, and Walker F., associated with his father in the printing business, and editor and publisher of the Newburgh Telegram. Edward M. Ruttenber died in December, 1907, aged eighty-three years, deeply loved by his family and those who knew him best, and respected and honored by all. He was a man of genial temperament, companionable, and the evening of life found him amiable, courteous, warm-hearted, lovable. Orange County was greatly enriched by his coming, and impoverished by his going. His grave on the banks of the historic Hudson, in the hillside city of his adoption, should ever be kept green.

HASBROUCK, JOHN W.—John Whitbeck Hasbrouck, the son of Richard Hasbrouck and Mary Johnson, was born at Woodstock, Ulster County, N. Y., November 20, 1821. In 1834 the parents of John W. Hasbrouck removed from Woodstock to Kingston, where the subject of this sketch completed his education at the famous Kingston Academy, and began his journalistic career in 1845 with the Kingston Journal. In the spring of 1846 Mr. Hasbrouck purchased the Sullivan Whig at Bloomingburg, Sullivan County, but disposed of it in 1851, and the same year went to Middletown, where he started the Whig Press, which later became the Orange County Press, merging finally into the Times-Press in 1906. Mr. Hasbrouck retired both from his paper and active journalism in 1868, though his graceful pen was never entirely idle until stilled by the Great Destroyer in 1907.