DANIEL J. COUTANT, of Newburgh, N. Y., bears the distinction of occupying a public office a greater length of time than any official in Orange County. He is a native of Newburgh and a son of Zachariah Coutant. After completing his studies at Claverack Institute, he became bookkeeper for the freight line of Alsdorf & Skidmore. In 1872 he was appointed city clerk by the common council, and regardless of party has been re-appointed by each succeeding mayor, covering a period of thirty-six years. Mr. Coutant is a member of Trinity M. E. Church. His father was of direct French Huguenot descent.
JOHN P. COVERT—When our Civil War came, early in 1861, John P. Covert, then a mere youth in the South, enlisted in the famous fighting regiment of "Louisiana Tigers," and fought with them. He saw the hardest service and was severely wounded in battle. When the war ended he went to Chicago, and became a successful manufacturer of tinware specialties, and after a few years retired. Soon afterward he moved to Orange County, bought the Quackenbos farm near Neelytown, now known as the Beaver Dam Farm, and proceeded to improve it so that it became one of the most attractive places in the state. The farm is rich and highly cultivated, the palatial home is surrounded by a fine grove of hundreds of sugar maples. Here Mr. Covert lived for thirty years, and became a famous breeder of the best Holstein-Friesian cattle. He sold the farm in 1901 to A. Von Kilch, and established a home in Goshen. He was a charter member of the Wallkill Farmers' Association, for several years was its vice-president and always one of its directors. Mr. Covert married Miss Jennie Ketcham, of New York City, a daughter of Enoch Ketcham, one of the leading tin and hardware dealers of the metropolis. There have been few more striking contrasts in separate periods of individual lives than that of Mr. Covert's severe service and sufferings in the bloody civil war with that of his peaceful and happy life in Orange County.
WILLIAM CRABTREE & SONS, manufacturers of worsted yarns, with factories at Montgomery and Newburgh, N. Y., is numbered among the leading industries of Orange County. The business is now conducted by Harry, Edmund, John A., William E. and Charles B., sons of the late William Crabtree, who established this business at Montgomery in 1880 in company with Mr. Arthur Patchett, under the firm name of Crabtree & Patchett. In 1897 the Newburgh plant was established. In 1902 the present firm name was adopted. Over one million pounds of wool are used annually resulting in a finished product of a half million pounds of yarn shipped to all parts of the United States. About 200 hands are given steady employment in the plants of this firm. Mr. William Crabtree was born in England in 1840 and died in England while on a visit to his old home, June, 1903. He came to America in 1864, locating at Philadelphia, where he remained until 1880. Mr. Crabtree was identified with the Masonic fraternity and member of the Reformed church. In 1867 he married Miss Harriet Patchett, daughter of Edmund and Elizabeth (Robertshaw) Patchett, all natives of England.
GEORGE W. CRIST was born February 22, 1875, on the homestead farm in the town of Hamptonburgh, and is a son of Theodore J. and Cecelia (Mapes) Crist. His early education was obtained at the Grove Street District School, and the Montgomery Academy. He has always been identified with farming. In politics Mr. Crist gives his hearty support to the democratic party and always takes an active interest in local affairs. He is at present supervisor of the town. He is past master of Goshen Lodge No. 365., F. and A. M., a member of the Midland Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Middletown, No. 240; honorary member of the Montgomery fire department, and past chief ranger of Wallkill Lodge No. 69, Foresters of America. His father Theodore was born on the same farm April 22, 1844. Five children were born in his father's family. Grant died in December, 1875; Clara L. resided at home; George, our subject; Abigail B., residing at home; Frank M. married Emily Mortimer, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and is a member of Goshen Lodge No. 365, F. and A. M. Mary Belle married Frank M. Cox, of Middletown, and died in July, 1898. The great grandfather of our subject was Nelson Crist, son of Philip Crist. Philip Crist was engaged in driving the stage coach between Goshen and Kingston in the early days.
CHARLES E. CROFTS, who has held the position as superintendent of the New York Knife Company, of Walden, since 1876, was born in Sheffield, England, where he learned the cutlery trade. In 1872 he came to America and located at Walden, where he has since devoted his time to the success of the knife works. Mr. Crofts has served as village trustee for a period of two years and as a member of the board of water and highway commissioners five years. He married Miss Emma Marsden, and twelve children have been born to them, of which three are now living. His son Arthur is engaged in business in New York City, and Emma L. is a student of the Northfield Seminary.
HARRY A. CRONK was born May 20, 1877, at Binghamton, N. Y. He attended the public schools and after his school days associated himself with H. H. Bishop, of Binghamton, in the milk business, during which time he learned the trades of cheese and butter making. He afterwards connected himself with the Standard Butter Co., of Oswego, N. Y., and was soon given charge of one of their largest factories, situated at Truxton, Cortland County, N. Y., and remained in their employ four years. He then took charge of a co-operative butter factory at Brisben, N. Y., for one year.
In 1902 he associated himself with Borden's Condensed Milk Co., and was soon promoted to the position of inspector and then to the position of superintendent of their Brisben branch; he afterwards was promoted to superintendent of the Florida branch, and is now traveling superintendent for a number of factories in Orange and Sussex counties. He married Miss Ora J. Whitlock, of Ithaca, N. Y., March 24, 1897. They have one child, Camilla Eleanor, four years old. Mr. Cronk is a member of Eastern Light Lodge No. 126, F. & A. M.
JAMES CRONON, a representative business man of Tuxedo Park, N. Y., was born and educated in New York City, and has resided in Orange County since 1876. He conducted a general store at Turners for a number of years, and was the pioneer merchant in Tuxedo village. In 1886 he established his present bakery and now carries on an extensive trade. Mr. Cronon has been clerk of the Tuxedo school district since 1891. During this period new and commodious school buildings have been erected, marking the progress of education in a modern community.
Mr. Cronon has served eighteen years as justice of the peace and one year as justice of sessions. He was collector of the old town of Monroe for two terms and also served as town clerk of that town several years. He is a charter member of Lorillard Lodge, F. and A. M.; a member of Highland Chapter and Hudson River Commandery.
It was with the aid of Josiah Patterson and his wife, Mr. Cronon had religious services held in the town hall on Sunday afternoons, the preaching being by the Methodist minister of the Sloatsburg church. This mission service finally culminated in the establishing of a Methodist congregation here.