BIOGRAPHY: Theophilus Gillender; Dutchess co., New York

Transcribed by W. David Samuelsen
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1683
History of Duchess County (sic - Dutchess County), New York
with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of someof its Prominent Men and
Pioneers.
By James H. Smith, assisted by Hume H. Cale and William E. Roscoe
published by D. Mason & Co., 1882, Syracuse, New York
page 280

Theophilus Gillender

     Theophilus Gillender, to who enterprise the public are indebted for
numerous benefical projects, was born in New York July 31, 1814. His father,
Capt. James Gillender, was a resident for seventy years of New York,a large
ship-owner, and a successful navigator. At the age of twelve years Theophilus
went to England, and for two years attended school at Prior's celebrated
school in Liverpool, and on his return to this country was placed in the
Moravian School at Nazareth, Penn., where he remained four years. In 1832, his
father having purchased the Slate Dock and Slate Quarries in Rhinebec,
Theophilus came to Rhinebeck and engaged in the business of freighting, under
the firm name of Dunning, Gillender & Co., he being the junior partiner. The
firm was dissolved in 1843. In 1934 he was united in marriage with Jane Ann,
eldest daughter of the late William Schell. His children were: Mary S., who
married Richard J. Garrettson, son of the late Freeborn Garrettson; William
C., now residing in Philadelphia; Augustus T., a successful lawyer in new
York, and Caroline, wife of Robert Lane of New York.

     In 1837 Mr. Gillender engaged in mercantile business in Hyde Park. In
1846 he removed to Poughkeepsie and assumed charge of the "Poughkeepsie
American," a weekly paper. In 1848 he removed, with his family, to New York in
order to take a position in the Custom House under the admistration of Taylor,
and under the collectorship of the late Hugh Maxwell. In 1852 he removed with
his family to Rhinebeck, where he has since resided. He was postmaster of
Rhinebeck four years under the administration of James Buchanan.

     In 1862 he obtained a charter from the Legislature for the "Starr
Institute," of which he is one of the trustees. He was one of the originators
of the Episcopal Church of Rhinebeck, in which he is at present the Seniro
Warden.

     He was the originator of the Bank of Rhinebeck and obtained all the
subscriptions to the stock of that institution. In 1860 he obtained a charter
from the Legislature for, and organized, the "Rhinebeck Savings Bank," and was
its first Treasurer and Secretary. He has been Justice of the Peace for
twenty-five years. For thirty years he was a prominent member of the
Democratic party in Duchess (sic Dutchess) Co., but has now retired from all
active participation in politics.