FRANK V. BURTON—Among the many private residences which grace the banks of the Hudson River at Balmville, none is more imposing in appearance than "Woodbine," the beautiful summer home of Mr. Frank V. Burton, located on Big Hill on the river road. In 1850 Mr. Josiah H. Burton, who is now in his eighty-second year and father of the present owner, purchased a tract of land of about one hundred acres and resided in a handsome home nearer the river than the present mansion is situated. The property was afterward purchased by his son, Frank V., who in 1895 constructed his present ideal residence. The building is a three-story structure, 125 by 40 feet in dimensions and of Normandy style of architecture, with a covered piazza extending the whole length of the east side. The residence is surrounded by spacious lawns, filled with the choicest flowers and ornamental shrubs, while the river view from the house is one of the most magnificent to be found in the country, extending a distance of ten miles.
GILLMORE O. BUSH, who has held various public offices in what is now the town of Tuxedo, was born at Arden, Orange County, in 1863. After attending the district and parish schools he took a commercial course at the Paterson Business College. Mr. Bush then spent five years in Connecticut, and in 1886 came to Tuxedo Park and was appointed a member of the newly organized police force. After serving four years as patrolman he was promoted to chief of the department, which position he still retains. He has been deputy sheriff of the county of Orange since 1886. In 1899 Mr. Bush received the appointment of postmaster at Tuxedo Park and was reappointed in 1904. He has acted as assistant chief of the fire department since 1901. He is a charter member of Lorillard Lodge, F. and A. M.
Mr. Bush is a son of James S. and Eliza J. (Minerly) Bush, old residents of Orange County.
HORACE G. BUSH, son of Peter B. and Harriet (Ford) Bush, was born in the town of Monroe, Orange County, N. Y., March 13, 1863, on the farm where he has always resided. The Bush family have long been prominent in the affairs of Orange County and in 1905 Horace G. was elected a member of the board of supervisors. Socially he is identified with the Masonic fraternity. He married Mary F. Smith, and two sons, Peter and Horace S., have been born to them.
The early representatives of the Bush family emigrated from Holland. Henry, the great-grandfather of Horace G., was a native of Orange County. He was the father of five sons, of whom Peter H., by his marriage to Abigail Smith, became the father of Peter B., referred to above.
[CHARLES CALDWELL] was born in the town of New Windsor, March 31, 1839, the son of John R. and Ruth Nicoll Caldwell, and grandson of Richard Caldwell, the Irish patriot.
After graduating from Albert Roe's School of Surveying and Civil Engineering at Cornwall, Mr. Caldwell opened an office in Newburgh, and in 1863 was appointed corporation surveyor, and later was annually appointed city surveyor, holding the office for nearly forty years. He was known to be a republican in politics, having no influence with democratic mayors or boards of aldermen.
Mr. Caldwell laid out all the streets of Newburgh opened since 1867, planned and superintended the building of twenty miles of sewers, laying the twenty-four-inch conduit from Washington Lake and building the large stone arch bridge spanning Quassaick Creek.
Mr. Caldwell's reputation as an expert surveyor and engineer was well known throughout the State, and his services in important and complicated surveys were always in demand, especially where suits were brought before the court for decision. He planned and superintended the building of the dams and water-works of Goshen and Warwick, building the large stone skew arch bridge at Wappingers Falls; was in 1876 engineer in charge of the work done by the State in removing obstructions from the Delaware River; did much careful work at the Hudson River, Matteawan and Long Island State Hospitals, did the grading and designed and constructed the water supply system for the State Camp Ground at Peekskill.
He was also for many years chief engineer of the Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad. He was a trustee of the Newburgh Savings Bank, vice-president of the Woodlawn Cemetery and Historical Society, and a vestryman of St. George's Church.