261. David Lewis Seymour

261. DAVID LEWIS⁷ SEYMOUR (David⁶, Jared⁵, Thomas⁴, Thomas³, John², Richard¹), born at Springfield, Vt., 28 Aug. 1801, died at Peekskill, N.Y., 13 July 1880; married first, 27 Jan. 1824, ZENANA GILBERT RANNEY, born at Rome, N.Y., 3 Dec. 1804, died at Watertown, N. Y., 17 Mar. 1830, daughter of Butler and Orilla (Heath); married second, 20 Jan. 1831, DELIA ANN WILLIS RANNEY, born at Adams, N.Y., 27 Nov. 1814, died at Wolfe Island, Ontario, 9 Aug. 1885, sister of Zenana.

He settled in Peekskill, N.Y., in 1839, where he was interested in an iron foundry and stove works. He was associated at first with Judson H. Gilbert, and later with Col. Cornelius Rikeman, and after the latter retired, Mr. Seymour took his son George into the firm. After the death of George Seymour, the firm was incorporated in 1865 as the Peekskill Manufacturing Co., Mr. Seymour becoming its president. As an employer, he was liberal and kind. He was an active member of the Second Presbyterian Church, and an ardent Republican. He was the agent of Sing Sing Prison during the administration of Governor Seward, and a library for the use of the convicts was established through his exertions. An abolitionist, his home before the Civil War was a station of the “underground railway,” aiding colored refugees on their way to Canada.

GEORGE NICHOLS⁸ SEYMOUR (1829-1864) was an amateur musician of considerable note. He was the tenor in the first amateur male quartet in New York, and one of the founders of the Mendelssohn Glee Club. The quartet used to have musicales in his apartment in Waverly Place, which were famous among music lovers, and invitations were eagerly sought. It was in his apartment that Antoinette Sterling, the great contralto and ballad singer, was given her first chance to appear before a musical audience, and it was largely through the efforts of him and his friends that money was raised for her musical education. He was also responsible for the musical education of his half-sister, Harriet A. Seymour, under Richard Hoffman.

FREDERICKS SEYMOUR (1846-1915), a graduate of Amherst College in 1867, was briefly in business in New York, and later an expert accountant. For twenty years, he was Superintendent of the Public Schools in Watertown, N. Y, Music was his avocation; he studied orchestration under Theodore Thomas, and organized and conducted many concerts and musical festivals in Watertown. In 1927, twelve years after his death, the oratorio “The Seven Last Words of Christ” by Dubois was presented in Watertown in tribute to his memory, at which time a friend wrote of him: “A man of great erudition, an interesting conversationalist, a loyal friend, intensely human and generous to a fault, he endeared himself to all with whom he came in contact …. In music he had unimpeachable ideals. His judgment of the quality of a composition was unerring and his programs were models of symmetry. The musical life of the city bears the indelible impress of his strong personality, and his perseverance in the exploitation of music of educational value and merit. The calls for his service in the art which he loved were always cheerfully answered, often at a personal sacrifice. He was ever ready to extend a helping hand, a word of advice or useful information to the youthful seeker after musical knowledge and was quick to discern talent and to assist in its development. In remem-brance of this man whose influence on the musical thought of the community has been so deeply impressed, this concert is given.”

HARRIET A.⁸ SEYMOUR (1843-1928) was educated at the Moravian> School in Bethlehem, Pa., and Mme. Roberti’s school in New Haven, Conn., and later continued her musical education under the noted teacher, Richard Hoffman. She married Eugene N. Robinson of New York, who was in business at that time with Daniel Drew in the office of old Commodore Vanderbilt. They had one daughter, Anne Seymour Robinson, born 16 Jan. 1866, died 1 Dec. 1902, who became (29 Apr. 1884) the wife of Edward G. Benedict, well known admiralty lawyer.

Mrs. Robinson spent a large part of her early life in Peekskill, where she taught music at St. Mary’s (then St. Gabriel’s) School, and was also connected with the music department at Vassar College. Although Mrs. Robinson was a competent organist, and played in many churches during her life, she was, nevertheless, chiefly known as a pianist, and was one of the best known amateurs of her day. On the occasion of Von Bulow’s first visit to this country, she was chosen to play on the same program with him. She subsequently played twice with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra on tour. In later years she did a great deal of accompanying for Mme. Alma Gluck. She was a woman of rare humor, keen perception and fine understanding of men, women, and musicians, and had a great sympathy for the ideals of her confreres that endeared her greatly to all who had the privilege of knowing her.

The later years of her life were spent in New York, where she lived with her sister-in-law, the widow of Frederick Seymour, at the home of her niece, Dr. N. Gilbert Seymour. As an accompanist and reader she was unexcelled, according to the testimony of many prominent singers with whom she worked. Her old home at Peekskill is now known as the “Castle,” and is part of St. Mary’s Church School.

N. GILBERT⁹ SEYMOUR (1875- ) was born in Peekskill, N.Y., and spent her childhood chiefly in Watertown, N.Y. She was graduated from Cornell University with the degrees of A.B. (1897) and M.D. (1902). She served her hospital interneship in the Methodist-Episcopal Hospital in Philadelphia, 1902-03, and has practiced medicine in New York City since 1903. She was for many years on the staff of the Gouverneur Hospital Tuberculosis Clinic under the late Dr. John H. Huddleston, one of the pioneer Public Health workers in New York City, and after his death in 1915 was Director and later, Consultant Director, of the Clinic until her resignation in Jan. 1936.

It was during her Public Health work under Dr. Huddleston that she was connected with the establishment and conduct of St. George’s Tuberculosis Clinic, which was discontinued in 1912. She was also associated with the establishment of the Hospital Social Service work in New York, and the work for cardiac convalescents, which grew out of it and which led to the organization of the Cardiac Association, now a national organization.

She has been associated with the medical work of the Salvation Army for thirty years. During the World War, she was connected with the Red Cross Medical Station at the Salvation Army Home and Hospital, caring for the families of enlisted men, and for the men themselves after their discharge from service. She has been Medical Director of the William Booth Memorial Hospital, conducted by the Salvation Army, since it was opened in 1920.

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