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THE BOROUGH OF THE BRONX 



W. Fox, president of the first gas company in America, who also 

 was one of the first Croton Water Commissioners appointed by 

 Governor Macy. 



On Westchester Avenue opposite Foxhurst Mansion, stood 

 Brightside, the country seat of the late Colonel Hoe, the inventor 

 of the "Hoe Lightning or Rotary Press." Richard March Hoe was 

 born in New York, September 12, 1812. His father, Robert Hoe, 

 came to New York from Lancashire, England, in 1803. A year 

 or so later he settled in Westchester County and married Rachel, 



Old Hunt Inn 



daughter of Matthew Smith of North Salem, Westchester County, 

 New York. With his brothers-in-law, Peter and Mathew Smith, 

 he took up the manufacture of a hand printing press, and in 1833, 

 became sole proprietor. A skilful mechanic, he constructed the 

 original Hoe Press, and was, it is thought, the earliest American 

 machinist to utilize steam as a motive power in his plant. 



Upon the death of Robert Hoe, in 1833, his son, Richard March 

 Hoe, at the age of twenty-one, became the senior partner of the 

 firm. He devised numerous ingenious improvements in the presses 

 and in 1837 he also patented a fine quality of steel saws, the pro- 

 duction of which became part of their business. In 1847 he pat- 

 ented his lightning press, so called because of the rapidity of its 



