Viewing page 92 of 126

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

102

brother (I understood) buy it for a house. He went to see him about it but I have not seen him since.– The Freeman this evening announces the death of old Mr. Tomkins yesterday.

[[press clipping]]
THE DEMISE OF CALVIN TOMKINS.

He Passed Away at His Home on Sunday at the Age of Ninety-seven.

Calvin Tomkins died at his home at Tomkins Cove yesterday afternoon. Mr. Tomkins was born at Orange, N. J., January 31, 1793. He was descended from Puritan ancestry who settled Newark from Connecticut in 1666. One of his ancestors was the reputed sheildor of the regicides, Whalley and Goff. In his youth Mr. Tomkins was noted for his ruggedness, and fondness for athletic sports, in which he excelled. His predilections were for the water and he soon became master of a vessel, and made voyages to different points along the coast and to Albany from Newark. He was at one time engaged in carrying the stone for the old Capitol at Albany. While running a line from Newark to New York he and Cornelius Vanderbilt ran their vessels from the same slip, the latter running to Staten Island. He was a veteran and pensioner of the war of 1812. His care and promptness led to his being put in charge of the business as well on shore as on the water at Newark, at the time when the coal trade was beginning to attract attention. In order to dispose of the fine coal, which then had no market, he was led to build limekilns from plans obtained in England by the Lehigh Coal Company. From this beginning has grown up the establishments at Newark, N. J., Tomkins Cove and Rondout, N. Y., and Hillsborough, New Brunswick, in all of which he was the moving spirit, although assisted by his brothers and sons. Mr. Tomkins was twice married. His first wife was Esther Tuers, by whom he had seven children, Walter, the President of the Newark Lime & Cement Company; Esther Sarah, who married James G. Lindsley; Phoebe, who was the wife of James H. Hill; Jane, the widow of George S. Wood; Joseph T., the General Agent of the Albert Manufacturing Company, at Hillsborough, N. B., and Cornelius T., of New York. His widow, who has been his companion for 37 years, was Mrs Eliza Parrish, of Newark, N. J. Mr. Tomkins was a man of great energy and persistency who weighed well his plans, and carried them to a successful issue. He had strong devotional spirit and has for many years been an active member of the Methodist Protestant Church. His sympathies extended to all measures for the improvement of the race in religion and morals and his means have been unostentatiously devoted to many enterprises for this purpose. His temperance principles were known of all men who came within his influence. He had been a moderate user of alcoholic drink and tobacco in his youth but he early learned to reject them and has persistently worked for reform in the use of these drugs.
[[/press clipping]]

Tuesday May 20" 1890. Down town. A letter from James Gifford enclosing one of mine written to Sanford in Italy after he left us, from Paris. He sent me yesterday the little sketch of Bracketts which I thought I had set aside, but I must have placed it among the others of Sanfords which I had Wilmont send to him last week. Mary is to be at the Churchs for two weeks. We thought some of going to Pokeepsie this morning to see about a carpet but it has rained half a dozen times. I like a wet season rather than a dry one. I saw by the Tribune that Mr. Tompkins' funeral is to take place Thursday. Joe of course will come in. I am rather curious to learn his fathers will as regards him. I have a fancy he is going to be disappointed or rather that he has largely anticipated his share of his property. If he does not make trouble I shall be mistaken.– Mr. Reed sent me his check for the picture $200. which I have sent to the bank of the Metropolis, and have also answered James Giffords note.– In view of having to remove the carriage house I went down there and opened some boxes and barrels and burned up a number of things, relics of our first house keeping, an old clock, buttons, some portfolios of Gertrudes containing patterns for needle work and a lot of things which were of no earthly use, some to break my heart every time I saw them in reminding me of a phase of my life which has utterly gone.– Another man came to look at the Carriage house with a view to purchasing. It is amusing to hear all the remarks of depreciation. Not a man among them is willing to allow it is worth anything. I think if I were to offer it for nothing most of them would want me to pay them for taking it away. Mrs. Davis came up and spent the day with Sara. At the table Sara inquired about Gertrude, Katy Murphys daughter who had lived with [[strikethrough]] Stella [[/strikethrough]] Minnie. She told her she was dead. She went home about three months ago to help take care of a younger brother who had Croup and died. She was taken down with Pneumonia and died and Minnie knew nothing about it until another girl came to return a book and on inquiring why she had not come back she told her she was dead. Poor Katy. She was her pride and her death must be a great loss to her.

Wednesday 21". Down town this morning. Got a note from the man who came to see me about the Carriage house which I answered. Tom has finished the road up from Chestnut St. and this afternoon we put up a fence across the gateway on my place and also across the opening in the hedge so that carriages will hereafter come up the new road. I ordered some notices printed warning people not to cross our premises – Went down to Johns this evening to return his "Conquest of Mexico". He had gone to N.Y. but Julia was there.– She told me of Sams call there the Sunday he was here. She thinks as I do that he still wants our place and would buy it if Mary would come here.

[[press clipping]]
THOMAS HILL.  Tribune May 22
Kingston, N.Y., May 21 (Special). – Thomas Hill, a leading citizen of Shokan, in the Catskills, died at his home there last night at the age of eighty-one years. Mr. Hill represented the IIId Ulster District in the State Assembly in 1863 and was postmaster of Shokan during the Cleveland Administration. He was prominent in church, business, political and social circles in his native town for over fifty years and held various offices. He was also a leader in temperance work in that part of the state for some years.
[[/press clipping]]

Thursday 22. We had our breakfast at 6. o'clock and took the little boat for Pokeepsie at 7, Sara and I. The morning was very dubious and we took the risk and had a perfect day. We got a carriage and drove to the weavers in High St 

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-07-04 21:55:34 .