Martin Heermance

Martin Heermance, although born in St. Joseph County, Michigan, December 17, 1862, comes from one of the oldest Dutchess county families, and of old Dutch stock, being descended from Jan Heermance, who came from Holland to America in 1659. Rhinebeck has always been the home of his family, and all through his life, after coming east, Mr. Heermance has been intimately associated with affairs in this village. He was the son of the late Rev. Harrison Heermance, of Rhinebeck, who was a pastor of the Dutch Reformed church in Lenawee county, Mich., when the Civil War broke out. He resigned his pastorate and entered the army as chaplain of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, and later of the 128th New York Infantry. When the war ended the chaplain came back to Rhinebeck and settled here, where he died in 1883. His son, Martin, was brought up in Rhinebeck, and was educated at the DeGarmo Institute here.

Coming up in the practice of law, Mr. Heermance was elected supervisor of his town in 1881, and re-elected in 1882. He was admitted to the bar in 1883 and went to Poughkeepsie to take up his practice. Five years later he was elected district attorney on the Republican ticket. In 1896 additional honor came to Mr. Heermance in the form of appointment as one of the state tax commissioners by then Governor Levi P. Morton. Mr. Heermance was elected chairman of the commission by his colleagues and served his term in that position. He has served two terms as president of Vessar Brothers Institute, Poughkeepsie, was a member of the Holland Society, was president of the Social Reading Club of Poughkeepsie for two years, and vice-president of the Rhinebeck Savings flank. He also was Master for two years of Rhinebeck Lodge No. 482 F. and A. M. He was also a member of the Reformed church and had been a member of its Consistory.

Miss Nina Radcliffe, daughter of David Tan Ness Radcliffe, of Albany, became Mrs. Martin Heermance in 1881. One son was born to them, Radcliffe Heermance, now a captain in the United States Army and stationed at Fort Meyer. Prior to the war Capt. Heermance held a professorship at Princeton University and by virtue of a commission under the State of New Jersey gave military instruction to the students. Mrs. Heermance died in March, 1905. He leaves one son and one nephew, Andrew Heermance.

Mr. Heermance was a quiet but well liked attorney who of late years specialized in commercial law and estates. He maintained offices in Poughkeepsie but came to Rhinebeck Fridays. Funeral services will be held this Saturday afternoon three thirty o'clock at his late home, sixty Montgomery street Poughkeepsie. Friends are invited to the funeral. Burial will take place in Albany. (The Rhinebeck Gazette, December 22, 1917.)