On April 1st, 1866 following our auction sale we moved into a house within a half mile of the Creamery, and here we lived for two years. During the last year my brother and I attended the Wallkill Academy at Middletown, walking the distance, about 1-3/4 miles, night and morning. At the expiration of the two years the Creamery Association decided to close up the business and sell the property.

The business had consisted of making butter from the cream, and cheese from the skimmed milk. The cheese from such a product was of course of low grade. At the beginning it had a good sale in New York, but the demand gradually slackened, the price fell off, and it became evident that this commodity was losing favor and that the business could no longer be predicated upon its successful sale.

After liquidating the affairs, my father bought a home in Middletown, N.Y., and upon moving into the new home, bought out a grocery business, which my brother and I entered as helpers. We did a successful business, but after two years it was decided to sell out the store in order that my brother and I might complete our Course at the Academy, and my father would not consider carrying on the business with outside help.

Upon completing the Course at the Academy I appealed to my parents to be allowed to take a course in the Eastman Commercial School at Poughkeepsie, and finally their consent was gained. On Sept. 5, 1870 I left home, and the next day entered the Eastman School. With me went George N. Clemson, a son of our next-door neighbor, and John T. Robertson. Clemson's father was of the firm of Wheeler, Madden & Clemson, who operated a rolling mill and large saw works and file factory. Mr. Clemson was the practical man and of a very inventive mind. Madden became prominent in politics to the detriment of his business interests, and Mr. Wheeler, then well along in years, a venerable and most kindly man respected by all, lost his fortune in promoting the New Jersey Midland Railway, which in a reorganization became the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway. Mr. Clemson become sole owner of the Wheeler, Madden & Clemson properties. My classmate, George, succeeded his father and has proved capable. Today he is the rich man of Middletown.

I completed the course at Eastman's and graduated in thirteen weeks, with a diploma under my arm, announcing to the world the important fact that I was given the title of "Master of Accounts".

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