PINE PLAINS

RICHARD HERMANS died last Monday, Dec. 26, at the home of his grandson, Charles B. Simmons, near Lafayetteville, at the advanced age of ninety years.  Mr. Hermans was born in the town of Milan, but lived most of his life in Pine Plains. He was a carpenter and a shoemaker, and a good mechanic in both trades.  He was an honest, industrious man, had a nervous temperament but withal a good heart, and had a great many friends.  He was thrice married and is survived by three children by the first marriage, namely, Mrs. Catharine Simmons, William L. Hermans, of Milan, and Charles Hermans, of New York, and by the second marriage by Miss Della Hermans, of Poughkeepsie, George Hermans, of Wassaic, and Willard Hermans, of Fishkill.

Mr. Hermans was remarkably active and sprightly for an old man until about two years ago, when he suffered a stroke of paralysis, and has had other shocks since.  For a long time he had been entirely helpless, needing constant care and attention, which he had from his daughter, Mrs. Catharine Simmons, and her son and daughter in law, Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Simmons.  Funeral services were held on Wednesday in the M. E. church, conducted by Rev. W. G. Browning, of Poughkeepsie. Interment in Evergreen cemetery. The following has been furnished for publication since the above was in type.

Richard Hermans died at the home of his grandson, Charles B. Simmons, Monday, Dec. 26, at eight o'clock a.m., aged 90 years.  He had been in feeble health for some time, but his final illness was of only five hours duration.  He was the youngest of a family of nine children, one dying in infancy, the others attaining a longevity far beyond the average of man's life, eighty years or more.  He first came to Pine Plains at the age of sixteen, to learn the trade of shoemaking.  Subsequently conducted the business as foreman for Peter W. Husted, and later engaged in business for himself, in places which, in the age of improvements, are lost to view, finally disposing of the same to Peter Roe in the early fifties.

In the meantime he learned the carpenter's trade, and continued to follow that calling until 1890.  Very few buildings in this town or vicinity but bear the imprint of his style of architecture.

From his early manhood he was continuously a resident of the town of Pine Plains, except three years (41-43) in Albany County, two years with his son Charles in Copake, and the last five years in Milan, with his grandson, where he died.  He entered the married state three times.  His first wife, Catharine Rockefeller, bore him five children, of whom three survive, Mrs. Catharine Simmons, William L. and Charles H. Hermans.  His second wife, a half-sister of the first, also bore him five children, of whom three survive, George B., Willard S. and Adella.  His third wife was the widow of George Bunnell, and she died Jan. 14, 1887.

About sixty years ago he and his wife united with the Baptist church of this village.  In politics Mr. Hermans was a democrat of the pronounced type, especially during the war.  In those days, when pressed in an argument, he would say, "Well, I sent two sons to the war, and that's more than you did."

He fancied at times that some people were not friendly to him, but that was more imaginary than real, for he never had an enemy, and in the memory of most of those who knew him he will be kindly remembered as "Uncle Dick."