Believing in the importance of fixing in the minds of the people all those events which are vitally connected with the fate of our republic, he early conceived the idea of celebrating in some public manner those historic events which have made Newburgh famous in American history. To him more than any other individual is due, not only the inception, but also the successful carrying out of our centennial celebration in 1883.
Mr. Headley passed the allotted span of life, dying at Newburgh, December 30, 1897, in his eighty-fourth year.
JACOB L. HICKS, formerly supervisor of the town of Highland, was born in Orange County, N. Y., in 1874. From 1893 to 1896 he was stationed at West Point with the United States Army. When war was declared with Spain, in 1898, Mr. Hicks went to the front with the Seventy-first New York Regiment. After he was mustered out he established his present grocery store at Highland Falls, in which he has been very successful. Mr. Hicks, who is a staunch democrat, was elected supervisor November, 1905. In 1907 he was again a candidate for the office and was elected by four votes, which is now being contested in the Supreme Court.
Mr. Hicks is a member of the Army and Navy Union and of the Knights of Columbus. He married Miss Frances G. Hager, and three children have been born to them. He was instrumental in the establishment of the First National Bank of Highland Falls, and is connected with all movements pertaining to the advancement of the village.
HENRY C. HIGGINSON, president of the Higginson Manufacturing Co., of Newburgh, occupies an important position in the industrial life of the Hudson Valley. The company owns the Windsor Gypsum Company and Lenox Gypsum Company of Nova Scotia; also half owners of the Sing Sing Lime Company, Ossining, N. Y., operating a line of four freight steamers between Ossining and New York City.
Mr. Higginson was born in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1852, and came to Newburgh at the age of twelve years. After finishing his studies he engaged in his present business, then known as W. R. Brown & Co., manufacturers of Rosendale Cement. The business was established in 1865, and in 1872 was merged into the Newburgh Cement & Plaster Company. In 1875, Mr. Higginson became sole proprietor of the business, and in 1899 the firm name was changed to Higginson Manufacturing Company.
CHARLES HIGHAM. Nine months after Charles Higham's birth at Manchester, England, April 6, 1867, he was brought to America by his parents, who settled in Middletown in January, 1868. In Manchester his father had been a fancy silk weaver. Here he became proprietor of the Wallkill House, and conducted it until his death, in 1872. He was married twice, his second wife before marriage being Elizabeth Redfield, of Manchester. Charles was the youngest of their two children, and finished his school education at the Wallkill Academy. His mother assumed the responsibilities of the hotel management after her husband's death, and conducted the Wallkill House ten years, when, in 1882, she became proprietor of the Commercial Hotel. In April of that year her son Charles, although but fifteen years of age, became controlling manager, and is now the proprietor of this hotel. He is now chief for the eleventh time of the Middletown fire department, with which he has been actively identified twenty-five years. He is a member and treasurer of the Firemen's Relief and Benefit Association and president of the board of representatives of the Middletown fire department. The societies of which he is a member are Hoffman Lodge No. 412, F. and A. M.; Midland Chapter No. 240; Cypress Commandery, No. 67: Mecca Shrine of New York City; Wilbur H. Weston Shrine of Newburgh, and Port Jervis B. P. O. E., No. 645. He organized, maintains and is president of the Charles Higham fife and drum corps of twenty-five members.
GEORGE S. HILL, son of William and Ruth Augusta (Hovey) Hill, was born at Bullville, Orange County, N. Y., in 1854. In 1865, his father moved to the town of Newburgh and purchased the Henry Miller property, consisting of thirty-eight acres. George S. obtained his education at the district schools of this locality and finished his studies at the Claverack Institute. He has since been engaged in farming and is identified with the Little Britain Grange. He married Miss Sarah E. Waugh, and their home is pleasantly situated on the State road, near Coldenham.
REUBEN HILTON, attorney of Newburgh, is a son of William H. and Mary A. (Colwell) Hilton. He was born in Newburgh, 1877. Mr. Hilton graduated from the Andover preparatory school in 1896 and spent two and a half years at Yale University. He is a graduate from the New York Law School in 1901, and has since practiced in Newburgh, where he was appointed collector of the port, May, 1906. He is a member of the Andover Alumni Association and the Wheelmen's Club of Newburgh. He married Miss Minnie Dawes, of Washington, D. C.
WILLIAM T. HILTON, son of John and Anna L. (Turner) Hilton, was born in Newburgh, July 18, 1866. His education was obtained at the Newburgh Academy and Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, N. H. Since his father's death he has acted as executor and manager of the numerous properties which his father left. Mr. Hilton is treasurer of the Newburgh Brick Company and a member of the board of health.