The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03
III.

W IN pltdSuIt merely as IedQtTN,
with profit OF such studies OF the h!S-
tory OF our community development az
We might feel inclined to pursue, we
could follow along the course OF the
growth Of this characteristic village OF
Dutch life. But enough has been indl-
Gated here 10 point the way to the
treasures OF research 80 pleasantly
adapted to our modern comprehension
which DR.. Collier has purveyed BY its
fruits the rather Is II to be known. by its
children OF note not wholly evanescent.
II is not a mean list for a town, surely
a source of pride for a village. Kinder
hook has given to a wider world q Presi-
dent and a Nlce-President OF the United
States. two Executive Secretaries Of the
Cabinet. two Ministers TO foreign courts,
in Congress one Senator and nine Rep
resentatives. two Governors of the State
OF New York and one OF Vermont, two
Judges OF the Federal court whose
terms aggregated twenty years. 10
which is TO be added long line OF minor
State and county officials and appointed
officials OF various degrees OF dignity.
Yet We are to note that many OF these
officials were Martin Van Buren,, he
who set the village OF Undertook on
:he chart OF popular acquaintance, the
Fox Of Kinderhook. lie was the
President. the Vice President, ono OF the
| Cabiret officers, one OF The diplomats,
the one Senator and one OF the Gov
| ernors.
Martin Van Buren, was the descendant
OF one of the old families OF the Kinder
hook settlement, subject TO all manner
OF vagaries Of spelling as was common
| in those free hand days OF photography
and apparently beginning as Van Buer-
malsen OF the Eendra chit passenger list,
His father kept a posting inn and when
the stages had passed along on their
sluggish ways toward Albany and New
York found occupation on his farm. The
boy was of the sort OF farmers son OF
/ the period; his schooling could be only
! in the winter terms and merely whet
/ to reading whatever books came his
| way At IA he entered the Office Of the
| village lawyer TO prosecute his seven
year preparation for that ancient pro-
/ fession. His last year Of study was spent
| in the Office OF a son OF Undertook who
/ had established a lucrative practice In
New York His political history finds
/ little place In this volume. the author
merely mentioning in passing the fact
! that few men in American public life
/ had been the theme OF so much bio
graphical and critical publication. Ems
We find interesting statements here Of
the eighth President as he was known
to his neighbors, almost all Of whom
were in some degree his kinsfolk. Van
Buren, died in 1862. DR.. Collier assumed
his pastorate less than two wears later
and thus came within the atmosphere
OF the dead President at the time when
no thoughts were held OF him save the
kindly recollect!ons OF a digniled old
gentleman OF the most distinguished
courtesy. There IL in this volume just
a suggestion OF a middle aged romance
IN tho life OF the retired statesman, a
pleasing light upon a retired life even
though it came TO nothing.
The second Governor that Kinder
hook gave to New York IL Martin II,
Glynn. There IL little space In such
recollectons of the past for those yet
living, therefore We may do no more
than note the fact in the case OF GOV.
Glynn that his native town is we'll
proud OF him. The same restriction holds
in tho case Of Judge Edgar VI. Cullen,
kInderhOOk may not set forth Il claim
to hold him on the honor roll OF the
towns distinguished citizenship. but he
was n student at the Undertook
Academy at a time when that ssst of
learning held a high position in the
scheme of education
From the official list We note IN pass
Ing Judge Benjamin Il. Butler, who
sat in tho United States District Court
IN this city from 1888 to 1S4l. and agar
from 1886 to lS4S. Another Of some
note was Sias w, Burt, wllo served in
two appointments AS Naval officer o
/ this port and who became the advocate
, in season and out OF season OF civil
, service reform,
Z Undertook seems 10 have been pecu-
: liarly blessed in its physicians OF the
: old school. Most of them were born ia
the healing art and assumed the prac-
tice OF their ia theirs. all were the ren-
{ ancs of the village and the country
side; theirs was the hard work ant
small pay of the country general prsc-
, tHoner. with little scope for reputation
= beyond few valleys and brief stretch
= OF river bank Trained in the hard
= school OF personal service III requited
| they seem to have been chosen by THEN
friends and patients FOR III those duties
OF general service for w'Iich there is M
1 reward at all save the CONSCIOUSNESS nj
} the performances of duty, Thus it came
, about that in this record the first either
or kinderhook, the leader in all publ
work in the period OF the OWL war ant