Cassedy, Abram S.

ABRAM S. CASSEDY was born at Ramapo, Rockland Co., N.Y., on the 29th day of November, 1833. His grandfather, Archibald Cassedy, emigrated from the north of Ireland about the time of the Revolutionary war, and taking up a residence in Rockland County became one of the pioneer settlers of what was then a wild and unbroken section of country. Of hardy Scotch-Irish descent, imbued with the indomitable industry and perseverance that is the special characteristic of his race, he was a valuable acquisition to the pioneer life of the country, and contributed much toward the development of the locality in which he settled. The father of Mr. Cassedy was also named Archibald, and was born in Rockland County, where he passed his life in mercantile and agricultural pursuits. He married Lydia, daughter of Judge Gurnee, of Rockland County. The Gurnee family is of French extraction, and was early represented among the pioneers of that county, having emigrated from Paris previous to the Revolutionary war.

The early education of Mr. Cassedy was obtained at the common schools of his native county. He subsequently enjoyed the benefits of an academic course, graduating in 1853. He immediately turned his attention to the study of the law, and entered as a student in the office of Judge William F. Fraser, of Clarkstown, N.Y., in 1855. Subsequently he entered the law-office of Wilkin & Gott, at Goshen, and was admitted to the bar in 1857. He was immediately appointed deputy county clerk by the late Dr. Drake, then the popular clerk of the county, in which position he served two years. At the expiration of that time be became clerk of the board of supervisors of Orange County, a position in which he remained from 1858 to 1862. Meanwhile, in 1859, he removed to Newburgh, where he entered upon the active practice of his profession, and has ever since remained. Judge Charles F. Brown is now the partner of Mr. Cassedy, and under the name and style of Cassedy & Brown the firm are carrying on a large and successful business.

As a lawyer Mr. Cassedy is painstaking and conscientious, and brings to the investigation of his cases a degree of research and legal acumen not common in the profession. Naturally of a studious turn of mind, patient and industrious, he discharges the duties of his profession in a faithful and successful manner, and commands a large clientage. The possession of these qualities early brought him into public notice, and it has been his good fortune, although decidedly averse to the holding of public office, to be elevated by the partiality of the public to several prominent official positions.

In 1862 he was elected district attorney of the county against his former preceptor, Joseph W. Gott, and filled the office acceptably for three years. He subsequently served as alderman from the Fourth Ward, but soon resigned from that office. In 1874 he was elected a member of the board of education, and acted as president of that body in 1877, declining election to the board after that date, although nominated. In 1875 he was appointed corporation counsel of Newburgh, a position that he held for three years.

In 1880, while strenuously declaring himself not to be a candidate, he was nominated by acclamation for the office of mayor of Newburgh by the Democratic party, and although that city usually gives a Republican majority of from two to three hundred votes, was elected by the flattering majority of three hundred and twenty-four. He is still filling that office in a successful manner, and his administration of municipal affairs has been characterized by a degree of economy not before attained for fourteen years.

Mr. Cassedy has declined the nomination to other important offices within the gift of the public, some of them being of a kind calculated to attract the most ambitious of men. He has preferred, however, to confine himself to the legitimate practice of his profession. He takes an active interest in all movements tending to advance the social, material, or educational welfare of the community in which he resides, and lends the support of his means and influence to the development and sustentation of its institutions. He has been for a number of years a director of the Quassaick National Bank, of Newburgh, and is the attorney for that institution. A number of important causes have been litigated successfully by him, aggregating hundreds of thousands of dollars. He was married in 1861 to Miss Margaret J., daughter of the late Dr. Charles Drake, of Newburgh.