BIOGRAPHY: Charles W. Weed; Newburgh, Orange co., New York

transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives

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Portrait and Biographical Record of Rockland and Orange Counties New York
Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens of the Counties.
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United
States.
New York and Chicago; Chapman Publishing Co., 1895

CHARLES W. WEED, one of the largest horse dealers on the Hudson, conducts a
horse exchange and sale stable in Newburgh, and besides owns a large carriage
and wagon repository, in which line he is also doing an extensive business. He
is a native of Orange County, born in Little Britain, January 19, 1853, and is
the second child in the family of five born to William R. and Elmira (Doane)
Weed.

The father was born in Coldenham, Orange County, and was a son of Samuel Weed,
whose birth also occurred in this county, and who en-gaged in farming in New
Windsor Town. The paternal grandmother, who bore the maiden name of Sarah
Vail, was a native of Dutchess County. William R. was the youngest in the
family, and, being reared to agricultural pursuits, he continued farming
throughout his active business life. In New Windsor Town he purchased a farm
of one hundred and eighty-five acres, four miles from Newburgh, which he
continued to operate until 1891, when he removed to the city, and there his
death occurred April 8, 1893, at the age of sixty-eight years. For eight years
he has served as Supervisor of New Windsor Town, and for many years was Town
Clerk, Notary Public and Justice of the Peace. He was one of the prominent
members of the Democratic party in the county, on which ticket he was
nominated for Representative, but owing to the large Republican majority was
not elected. At one time he was also nominated for Sheriff of the county, but
declined the nomination. He was an honest, up-right man at all times, and a
consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. As a farmer he was quite
successful, and in agricultural circles was quite prominent.

In Ulster County, in 1850, William R. Weed married Miss Elmira Doane, a native
of that county, and a daughter of David and Jane (Dunn) Doane, the former a
native of New Haven, Conn. About a year after his marriage, Mr. Doane located
in Ulster County, where he engaged in farming until his death. In his family
were four children, two sons and two daughters, three of whom are yet living.
A brother of Mrs. Weed, Dr. William Doane, is engaged in practice in Union, N.
Y. She is the second in order of birth, and remained in Ulster County until
her marriage, by which she became the mother of five children. Mary is the
widow of. Rev. Dr. H. F. Nichols, a Methodist Episcopal divine, who died at
his residence on Twenty-eighth Street, New York City, October 9, 1893, leaving
two children, Elmira M. and William R. W. Mrs. Nichols studied medicine with
her husband, and is now engaged in practice in Newburgh. Charles W. is the
second in the family. Elmira J., who became Mrs. J. Garlow, died in
Pennsylvania, leaving two sons, Judson C. and Charles G. Ashton Doane is a
salesman in the employ of his brother Charles W. Edgar V. K., who died in
Newburgh, December 16, 1893, at the age of thirty-two years, had married
Martha D. Milsom, of Nashville, Tenn. The latter and her two children, Martha
D. F. and Ollie R., reside in Nashville, Tenn. The mother of this family is
still living, and is an active member of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church of
Newburgh.

On the home farm Charles W. Weed was reared, and in the common schools
acquired his education. At the age of twelve years he was apprenticed to a
tinsmith in Jefferson County, N. Y.,and later became a clerk in a hardware
establishment of Watertown. From there he went to Syracuse, but later returned
to Newburgh and clerked for L. M. Smith & Co. for two years. Subsequently he
became connected with the Roger Silver Plate Manufactory as traveling
salesman, during which time he visited thirty-three states, going from the
Atlantic to the Rockies, and from the Lakes to the Gulf. With that firm he
remained for ten years, when, in 1882, he went to Texas, where he engaged in
buying and shipping horses, and at one time, while traveling over that state,
spent fifty-six days in the saddle. He bought ponies, mustangs and bronchos in
Mexico and Texas, shipping the same over the Iron Mountain route to St. Louis,
and from there to the East, where he auctioned them off. During the seven
years he was engaged in that business, he handled thousands of horses, and had
two men employed in shipping all the time. For a while he was located at
Newman, Douglas County, Ill.

In 1889 Mr. Weed returned to Newburgh, where he built a barn in the shape of
an L at Nos. 314 to 318 Broadway, the part on that street being 50x210 feet in
dimensions, and that on Robinson Avenue 110x109. It is two stories in height,
and will afford shelter for over one hundred horses. In his repository he
keeps the Morris Woodhull traps and fine surreys, while his wagons are from
the Watertown Spring Wagon Company. He also carries the Milburn farm wagons,
besides a full line of harness, in which he is both a retail and wholesale
dealer. Besides his extensive trade in Newburgh, he also ships quite
extensively in carload lots, generally using about twenty-five cars per year.

In 1875, in Brooklyn, Mr. Weed was married to Miss Laura S. Kelsey, a native
of that city, and to them have been born six children: Irving K., who is with
his father in business; Emma J., Orlena, Charles Freeman, Laurence and Harold.

Besides dealing in all kinds of draft and standard-bred horses, Mr. Weed is
interested in fast horses, and now has a pacer, "Actor," sired by "Almont,"
with a record of 2:22 1/2, but which can show a mile in 2:10, being
undoubtedly the fastest horse in Newburgh. Our subject is a member of
the Retail Harness and Carriage Dealers' Association, and also of the
Liverymen's Association. Politically he is a stalwart Republican, and socially
is a member of Highland Lodge, I. O. O. F. His pleasant home is located on
Gidney Avenue, where he has a fine fruit farm, comprising ten acres. As a
business man he is energetic and reliable, all his dealings being
characterized by fairness and conducted on good business principles.