Joseph Durland

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="0a5d05a3.jpg"> <div> Orange County, New York</div> <div> American History and Genealogy Project</div> <div> Joseph Durland</div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="0a6d2123.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/orange/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/or"><U>Orange County AHGP/ALHN</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/"><U>New York AHGP/ALHN</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://ahgp.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://ahgp.org"><U>AHGP</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://alhn.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://alhn.org"><U>ALHN</U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="623" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 927 WIDTH="617"><div> <IMG SRC="059c1220.jpg" border=0 width="193" height="290" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Old English Text MT" >T</FONT>HE President of the Chester National Bank has been a resident of the village of Chester ever since he was born, and has been identified with most of its prominent interests.  He is the son of Samuel S. and Amelia Vernon Durland and was born in Chester, March 16th, 1832.  With the exception of one year which he spent as clerk in store, he remained on the homestead farm until 1856.  During the three years following this, he and his stepfather were engaged in the Chester Mills, which they had bought.  In 1897 they sold this mill property and moved to the prominent business place which is now known far and wide under the name of J. Durland & Son.  Mr. Durland was married to Miss Nancy Board, daughter of Jas. J. Board, February 25th, 1857, and became successor to his father-in-laws interest in the firm of Board, Pierson & Co.  A new partnership was then formed with Thos. G. Pierson and Jas. R. Bell, and continued to do business under the name of Pierson, Bell & Durland.  In February, 1862, the firm again changed, Mr. Durland retaining his place, but securing his brother, Samuel S., for a partner in place of the other two men.  This partnership continued pleasantly for ten years, when his brother withdrew and left him sole proprietor of the business, which he continued until 1885.  In the meantime there had been five children born in his home-James B., Frank, Amelia Vernon, Marion, and Nettie E.  His son Frank became a recognized partner in the firm in 1885, which gives this business firm its present name, J. Durland & Son.</div> <div>      While Mr. Durland has steadily pushed his business in Chester, he has not been limited to that alone.</div> <div>      For a number of years he has been identified with the Savings Banks of both Goshen and Warwick, and has for twelve years been a director of the Chester National Bank.</div> <div>      It was not strange, therefore, at the death of its old and honored President, John T. Johnson, and in the long continued illness of its worthy Cashier, Jonas D. Millispaugh, that he should be called to the Presidency.  He was elected to that position June 19th, 1897, and has since conducted the business of the bank with admirable skill.</div> <div>      His business enterprise and executive ability have been of great service to his native village in many ways.  He was  influential in establishing the present Union Free School; was a member of the first Board of Education and Clerk of the  Board for seven years.  He strongly urged the incorporation of the village of Chester in November, 1892, and was a member of its first Board of Trustees.  Likewise in the matter of water supply for the village.  He was a member and Secretary of the Board of Water Commission during the entire construction of the water works, and has the satisfaction of knowing that the water system is not surpassed in the State.</div> <div>      He has never taken an active part in anything but local politics, and the broader field, so far as it affected home interests.  Two years in the office of Supervisor, which he held from 1866 to 1868, satisfied him with public political offices.</div> <div>      While he has been thus deeply interested in everything that concerns the welfare of the village and engrossed in many business interests, he has not forgotten entirely the work of the Master's Kingdom.</div> <div>      In 1855 he made a public confession of Christ and united with the Church under Dr. Wood.</div> <div>      He has been as anxious to see the Church grow as the village.  He was made a Deacon in 1889, in which office he served until he was elected Elder in 1890.  His position as a business man and his natural quality as a leader in business matters has enabled him to render much unseen and unrewarded service to the Church.  He has collected the pew rents at his store for about twenty years; has been a teacher for twenty-five years, and Superintendent and assistant Superintendent of the Sunday School.  He is not an exhorter or Preacher, but an unconscious peacemaker and concilliator.  He has joined hands with a few of his brethren in placing opalescent windows in the Church during this Centennial year, and stands ready for the next enterprise that will glorify God.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="pg29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Samuel Seeley"><U>Next Page</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="pg1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Table of Contents"><U>Table of Contents</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>