JOHN H. FLANAGAN, who for many years has been extensively engaged in the cultivation of choice vegetables for the New York market, has achieved much success in this line of business. He was born in Ireland in 1843, came to America in 1851, and seven years later engaged in truck farming. Mr. Flanagan is actively interested in business affairs at Newburgh. He was one of the promoters of the Columbus Trust Company and has been a member of the board of directors since the organization of this solid financial institution. He has also acquired much real estate in Newburgh and has served four years as a member of the board of public works.
Mr. Flanagan was united in marriage with Miss Shields and seven children were born to them.
CHARLES T. FORD—Among the citizens of Orange County who by their own efforts have achieved unusual success, Mr. Ford, of Central Valley, occupies a prominent place. He is a son of Charles T. and Martha (Weygant) Ford and was born at Southfield in 1844. He attended public and private schools, supplemented by a course at Claverack Institute and Poughkeepsie Business College. In 1867 he was manager of the iron works at Southfield and four years later was conducting a charcoal furnace in Michigan. Losing heavily in the panic of 1873 he returned to Orange County and was appointed station agent at Turners. In 1881 he began his career as a railroad contractor, his first work being for the West Shore Railroad, excavating and building the retaining wall through the city of Newburgh between North and South streets. From Newburgh he went to Albany, and thence to Rochester, building five miles of road. He received the contract for grading on the Port Jervis Railroad from Rhodesdale to Huguenot, and also laid the track and ballasted the entire line. His next work was building the North Dam of Tuxedo Park, after which he graded eleven miles of the Baltimore and Eastern Shore Railroad. Mr. Ford continued construction for many years for various railroads.
Since 1898 he has personally superintended the construction of all improvements for Mr. E. H. Harriman on his Arden property, including the erection of his mansion, not yet completed. During this time there were constructed a drainage canal three miles long and the course of the Ramapo straightened from Turners to Arden. Not the least of these improvements has been the Panchot system of forestry, the building of an incline railway 3,300 feet long from Arden to Mr. Harriman's house and twenty-five miles of roads for driving about the estate.
Mr. Ford has also built over one hundred miles of state roads in Orange County and has charge of maintaining of all the state roads in the county limited by yearly appropriations.
Mr. Ford is a director on the board of the Arden Farms Dairy Co., and as Mr. Harriman's confidential man here his duties are multitudinous. The Arden property comprises some 20,000 acres of land and there are 650 men employed thereon.
In 1868 Mr. Ford married Miss Josephine McKelvey. Three children were born, J. Barlow, Bertha and Harriet Louise.
Active in republican politics, Mr. Ford is a recognized leader in public affairs of his town and county.
HENRY T. FORD, merchant and postmaster at Central Valley, N. Y., was born in 1866, a son of Benjamin and Frances C. (Denniston) Ford. After finishing his schooling he conducted a store at Woodbury for six years, and in 1897 purchased the grocery business of George D. Wood at Central Valley, which he has continued with much success. Mr. Ford was appointed postmaster July 15, 1899.
WILLIAM FOSTER, retired manufacturer and prominent citizen of Newburgh, was born in England in 1841. He was engaged as a school teacher in his native country for a period of five years, and in 1867 came to America as selling agent for James Taylor, who was subsequently proprietor of the Newburgh Woolen Mills. He continued in this capacity until 1888, when upon the death of James Taylor, Mr. Foster and James S. Taylor purchased the plant and conducted the business with much success until 1902. The establishment was then incorporated as the Stroock Plush Company, Mr. Foster holding the office of vice-president. He was also vice-president of the Stroock Felt Company until 1906. He has been a director of the National Bank of Newburgh since 1895.