During the later years of the war, and for over a year after its close he was attached to the United States frigate "Susquehanna." Upon resigning from the Navy he engaged in the mercantile business in New York City until 1883, when he returned to Newburgh as a member of the firm of Barnes & Mapes, provision dealers, at 62 and 64 Water street.
Mr. Mapes's health having become impaired, this partnership was dissolved in December, 1890. After a year's rest, Mr. Mapes again entered business life by assisting in the organization of the Coldwell Lawn Mower Co., of Newburgh. From the beginning of this business he has been a director and has taken an active part in building up a large trade. He attends especially to the New England and foreign branches of the business, spending the autumn months traveling throughout the eastern states and about four months each winter and spring in Europe.
ELMER L. MAPES was born on the homestead farm near Middletown, October 27, 1885. He attended the public school at Middletown, after which he worked at the glass cutting trade for two years. In connection with A. M. Horton he purchased the retail cigar and tobacco business of G. W. Bross. This partnership continued until November, 1907, when Mr. Mapes purchased Mr. Horton's interest and has since conducted the business. He married Miss Grace M. Wells, of Elmira, N. Y., June 27, 1907. Their one child, Erdean Harriett, was born June 13, 1908. Mr. Mapes is a member of Wallkill Council No. 92, Jr. O. U. A. M., and the Wallkill River Grange. In politics he is independent.
NELSON B. MAPES, who for the past fifty years has held the position of station agent for the Erie Railroad at Howells, Orange County, was born in the town of Wallkill, March 19, 1829. His father was John V. and mother Mary (Reeves) Mapes. Of their children Jeannette married Stephen Mapes, of Mount Hope, N. Y.; Albert Mapes living in Middletown, N. Y.; Nelson B. married Lucinda Mapes in 1853. Mr. Mapes served as justice of the peace in District No. 2 in the town of Wallkill for thirty years. With the Congregational Church our subject holds membership and has been an active member of the Howells Church for sixty years. Mr. Mapes was born on the farm and owned a farm previous to entering the employ of the Erie Railroad.
His father was an agriculturist and belonged to the Whig party. During the Civil War Mr. Mapes read the papers and dispatches to the crowd that always congregated at the depot to receive news from the front.
ROBERT D. MAPES was born at Howells Depot, Orange County, N. Y., September 14, 1862. He was reared on the home farm where he remained until 1886. In 1877 he engaged in the milk business in Middletown with his father, which partnership continued until 1886. He then purchased the interest of his father and continued the business alone until 1901. He is now in the livery business which he established in 1900. He married Miss Margaret Isabella Axford, of Howells, in 1886. She died March 24, 1901. He was again married June 15, 1902, to Hannah Eleanor Thompson, of Akron, Ohio. In politics he is a republican and takes an interest in matters pertaining to the town. He has served at different times as inspector of election.
SAMUEL MAPES, SR., on the 14th day of February, 1735, came to this town and settled on a portion of a tract of land of six hundred and forty acres, a portion of which the railroad station at Howells is now located on. He descended from a family originally immigrants from Wales, and since his settlement here the different generations have been noted for the great longevity of the members of the various families. It was nothing unusual to hear that many of them lived beyond eighty years, and frequently beyond ninety, and Selah R. Corwin, of Middletown, whose mother was Priscilla Mapes, was born December 29, 1809, and is now active and can be seen upon the streets almost any clear day at this time.
The name carried with it the characteristics of sturdiness, honesty and piety, and not inclined to seek public office.
At one time the family was so numerous that a portion of the town of Mount Hope was called Mapestown, but that name long since disappeared; however, there are many of their descendants yet living in this vicinity, although a large number are engaged in business in various other states.
JESSE DURLAND MARS, a successful medical practitioner, and one of the youngest in this profession in the county, was born September 7, 1880, at Bellvale, Orange County, N. Y. His parents, when the boy was still at an early age, removed to Florida, N. Y., where they reside at the present time. He first attended school at the Florida Academy, later entering the S. S. Seward Institute, from which he graduated in 1898. The two years immediately following were spent in teaching in order to prepare himself financially for college. In the fall of 1900 the young man entered the medical department of the University of Michigan. He always maintained a high average in his medical course and at his graduation in June, 1904, stood among the first in a class of one hundred. He successfully competed for an internship in the University Hospital at Ann Arbor, Mich., and spent the year 1904-1905 in that capacity. In order to further round cut his medical knowledge and experience a six-months' course in the Metropolitan Hospital in New York City was entered upon. Later on he was resident physician in the Jamaica Hospital, at Jamaica, Long Island.