ANDREW V. JOVA, M.D., Newburgh, N. Y., was born at Santa Clara, Cuba, March 23, 1859. He came to the United States in 1870, and entered St. John's College, New York, graduating in 1880 with the degree of A.B. In 1883 he graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, which was supplemented by a two years' hospital course in Paris, one year in Berlin and eight months at the clinics in Vienna. He then returned to America and was for eighteen months on the staff of the French Hospital, New York City. In 1891 he located in Newburgh, where he has built up an extensive practice. Dr. Jova is attending physician to St. Luke's Hospital, has been chairman of the medical board and is now a member of the board of managers of the same institution. He is a member of the various state and national medical societies.
[ISAAC KELLS,] who was one of the most successful farmers in the town of Montgomery, Orange County, was of Scotch-Irish descent. He was born in the North of Ireland in 1833 and died at his home, October 1, 1907. He resided in Montgomery for nearly thirty-five years, cultivating a valuable farm of one hundred and fifty acres. Mr. Kells was actively identified with the Goodwill church, in which he was an officer. He was twice married; by his first wife, who was Miss Elizabeth Ferguson, two daughters were born, Mrs. William Whigam and Mrs. Ella Hyndman, both residents of Montgomery. His second wife was Miss Delia Boyd, who died in 1905. Industrious and energetic the success of Mr. Kells was due entirely to his own efforts and he enjoyed in a high degree the esteem of his fellow-citizens.
GEORGE W. KERR, who for more than half a century was an officer of one of Orange County's strongest financial institutions, was born in Warren County, N. J., February 15, 1810. His ancestors were originally from Scotland, but Mr. Kerr's father was born at Freehold, N. J. His parents removed to Ithaca, N. Y., where he obtained a position in the branch of the Bank of Newburgh. In 1830, when the branch was withdrawn, and the Bank of Ithaca established, Mr. Kerr entered the new bank and remained there until October, 1831, when a position was offered him in the Bank of Newburgh, with the officials of which he had become acquainted through his connection with the branch bank.
In 1836 Mr. Kerr was promoted to the position of cashier, and in 1854 he was elected president to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John Chambers. In 1864, when the old Bank of Newburgh was closed and the National Bank of Newburgh organized, Mr. Kerr was again honored with the presidency. He continued in that position till his death, having been cashier of the bank for eighteen years, and president for thirty-seven years. He died June 3, 1890.
Mr. Kerr was a trustee and vice-president of the village in 1856, and a member of the board of education in 1852-1854. For forty-seven years he was a vestryman of St. George's Protestant Episcopal church, and for thirty-one years treasurer of the board.
Upon his death the directors of the bank adopted the following minute: "His sound judgment, perfect integrity and eminent ability have been long recognized in financial circles, and his excellence in all the relations of life will long be remembered in this community. By us his immediate associates, and by all in any capacity attached to this bank, his memory will always be cherished. He has left to his family and this community, where he has spent so many years of a long and useful life, a legacy better than earthly riches—a good name."
The vestry of St. George's church adopted resolutions recording "their very high esteem for his character and his lifelong devotion to the church and her interests. It is with grateful feeling that we remember the steady consistency of his Christian walk, his uprightness as a business man, his value as a citizen, his zeal as a churchman. We owe him no slight debt for his faithful service as our treasurer for thirty-one years, during which time his unflagging attention to the affairs of the parish has contributed essentially and in a large degree to its stability and prosperity."
Mr. Kerr was twice married. His first wife was Emeline Ross, his second, Margaret T. L., daughter of the Rev. John Brown, D.D.
CHARLES KETCHAM, merchant and postmaster for many years at Mountainville, and representative citizen of the town of Cornwall, Orange County, is a son of Benjamin S. and Mercy (Brown) Ketcham, and was born on the homestead farm in 1847. He established his present store in 1871. Mr. Ketcham has for many years been prominently identified with the public affairs of Cornwall. He has served fourteen terms as supervisor, including a chairmanship of the board. He also held the office of justice of the peace twelve years. Mr. Ketcham was the opposing candidate of Judge Dickey, as a delegate to the constitutional convention. He was also the nominee of the democratic party for county clerk. He married Miss Ida, daughter of Captain Jacob Smith, of Cornwall. They are the parents of two sons and six daughters.
The Ketcham family is one of the oldest in the town of Cornwall. Long previous to the Revolution, Samuel Ketcham, the great-great-grandfather of Charles, located here and was engaged in farming and the operation of a grist mill. His descendants through several generations settled around him, and the place was known as Ketchamtown, until the opening of the railroad, when the post-office was changed to Mountainville.