Daily Freeman/1941/Philip Elting, 77, Dies Sunday Night at Home After Protracted Illness

Philip Elting, 77, Dies Sunday Night at Home After Protracted Illness. Leader of Ulster County G.O.P. Was Formerly New York Port Collector, Attorney, Bank Official. Head of G.O.P. 37 Years. Was National Political Figure. Philip Elting, chairman of the Ulster County Republican Central Committee since 1904, former Collector of the Port of New York Authority, and one of the most influential Republicans of the state of New York, died at his home, 106 Maiden Lane Sunday night at 11:20, after an illness which had kept him in the Benedictine Hospital for a considerable period of time. He had returned to his home about a week ago. Mr. Elting was 77 years old last January. Born at Highland, Mr. Elting had been a resident of Kingston since a young man when he entered the practice of law in the office of Bernard and Fiero for a time before becoming associated with County Judge William S. Kenyon in the Ulster County Savings Institution building where Mr. Elting has since continued his offices. Since early boyhood Mr. Elting has been associated with the Republican party and during his lifetime became one of the most influential and best known Republican leaders of the state of New York. His influence was felt in many of the state and national campaigns and his counsel and advice was sought by many of the country's most prominent politicians. Taking over the leadership in Ulster county in 1904 Mr. Elting has served continuously as county chairman since and never in those years missed attendance at a county convention. He served as Collector of the Port of New York under four Presidents, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover and Roosevelt, and prior to that had served as Shipping Commissioner under President Theodore Roosevelt. Serving as county attorney many years ago and as corporation counsel under Mayor Wesley A. Thompson, Mr. Elting but once sought office at the polls and that was as Republican candidate for mayor shortly after he entered politics after taking up his residence here. He was a candidate for mayor of the city but was defeated by Morris Block. Led Republican Party Since taking over the county chairmanship in 1904, Mr. Elting continued the Republican party in office and during practically all of that time the Ulster County Board of Supervisors, the county's legislative body, was of Republican complexion. The quiet and unassuming manner in which Mr. Elting conducted party business quickly surrounded him with a host of friends who respected his fine judgement and sought his advice and counsel. Not only locally but at various times when state controversies arose it was Mr. Elting who was summoned to advise the counsel the party leaders and he was considered a power in state politics. The loss of Mr. Elting will be keenly felt not only locally but throughout the state. Mr. Elting's wide acquaintanceship in the county was one of his greatest assets in political activities for during his long leadership he came to know leading residents of every community in the county and was personally acquainted with perhaps more Ulster county town leaders than any other man in the county. His political knowledge was almost uncanny and when Philip Elting predicted the election or defeat of a candidate he could tell within a small margin the vote which might be expected. Even in national elections he frequently predicted the vote and in state elections he could name the successful candidate or head of the ticket and the probably majority within very close confines. While engaged in the practice of the law and giving much of his time to political matters, Mr. Elting devoted a great deal of his time to civic matters and aiding in charitable moves. For many years he was actively interested in the raising of funds for the Industrial Home and served as chairman of a committee which solicited aid for the erection of a large addition to the Benedictine Hospital. He also took an active interest in the Ulster County Society in New York and devoted much time to its activities while serving as Collector of the Port of New York. He was also a charter member of the Holland Society of New York. Mr. Elting was a member of the First Reformed Church and had served as a member of the official board of that church. Was Bank Official. In financial circles his advice was frequently sought and he was one of the keenest banking officials of the city and was president of the Kingston Trust Company at the time of his death. He was also a trustee of the Ulster County Savings Institution. Mr. Elting is survived by his wife, who was Katherine Ridenour, and one sister, Mrs. A. Winthrop Williams of Highland. The body will lie in state at the family residence, 106 Maiden Lane, Tuesday afternoon from 2 until 5 o'clock. Funeral services will be held from the late residence Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock. Burial in Wiltwyck cemetery will be private. Philip Elting, descendant of an old Holland Dutch family, was born at Highland on January 22, 1864, a son of Charles W., and Josephine Coe Elting to whom three children were born, one son, Philip, and two daughters, Mary and Maggie. The Elting family originated in Holland and crossed the Atlantic in the 17th century, locating in Kingston, then Wiltwyck, about 1660. Charles W. Elting, father of Philip Elting, for many years was a prominent and influential resident of southern Ulster county, born on the Elting homestead in the town of Lloyd on July 24, 1831. Always a staunch Republican, he served from 1885 for many years as a justice of the peace of the town and was prominently identified with civic affairs of the county. After several years in business in town of Lloyd he returned to the farm and was operator of a fine fruit farm during the latter years of his life. Philip Elting attended the public schools of the community and later Fort Edward Institute. He entered the law department of Cornell University and was admitted to the bar in November of 1890. His admission to the bar was marked by an unusual incident. Becoming confused as to the date of the bar examination he arrived a day late for the examination and on learning that the examination had been held the previous day he sought out one of the state bar examiners. This examiner was leaving for his home in western New York by train but he consented that Mr. Elting accompany him on the train where an oral examination was given by the examiner and he was admitted to the bar on that examination. On being admitted to the bar he took up the general practice of law and has since served as counsel to several corporations including the Ontario and Western Railroad. In 1889 when he came to Kingston and took up practice of law he became associated with Hon. William S. Kenyon and Severyn B. Sharpe, whose offices were on Wall street, where since that time Mr. Elting has continued to practice in the Ulster County Savings Institution building. First Ward Chairman The same year Mr. Elting came to Kingston he was named chairman of the Republican committee of the First Ward and has served continuously ever since. During all those years Mr. Elting always took a deep interest in the affairs of the First Ward and considered it one of his duties as a citizen to see that the vote of that ward was gotten out for every election. He prided himself in the manner in which the vote was turned out each year in that ward and considered it his duty as a citizen to enlighten voters of the governmental problems which faced them and of their duties as citizens to take an active part in the operation of government. As a resident of the First Ward he took great pride in seeing that the voters of his own ward set an example of good citizenship for the balance of the city and county and he was a familiar figure about the Wiltwyck engine house polls every election. Mr. Elting was once a candidate for mayor of the city of Kingston but was defeated. In 1902 and 1903 he served as counsel to the board of supervisors and later was corporation counsel of the City of Kingston. Fraternally he was a member of the Masonic order and was a past master of Kingston Lodge, No. 10, F & A.M., of this city. Mr. Elting grew up in the town of Lloyd at a time when torch light parades and marching clubs with capes and torches turned out to herald each election. His enthusiasm of those days when the feeling between members of the dominant parties was bitter, growing out of the issues of the Civil War, continued to be with him throughout his entire political career and back in 1888 he was president of a club composed of boys and men of Highland which had been organized into one of the then popular marching clubs. Ulster County Chairman In 1904, the Republican party elected Mr. Elting Ulster county chairman in April. That was the year that Judge Alton B. Parker of Esopus was the Democratic candidate for president of the United States. That fall the Republican party gained control of the county by the election of a full county ticket under the leadership of Mr. Elting and during the next two years gained control of the board of supervisors. When the Republican party took over control it was to find the county nearly $1,000,000 in debt. Under the policy of pay as you go, Mr. Elting improved the financial condition of the county until by 1931 the county debt had been reduced to approximately $40,000 and there were than over 700 miles of improved roads in the county, all paid for. His policy of pay as you go was continued and the county became free from bonded indebtedness. In the 1904 presidential election with Judge Parker as the Democratic candidate for president Ulster County went Republican and Theodore Roosevelt, Republican candidate, led his local opponent in the county by 1,800 votes. During his entire lifetime Mr. Elting always took an active interest in political affairs and as a boy came to believe that we all owe a duty to the government of which we are a part and that to properly serve our government intelligently we should all familiarize ourselves with our system of government. Although he was active in political circles throughout his life, Mr. Elting held few public offices during his long career. He was appointed collector of the port of New York by President Warren G. Harding and served under three presidents, Harding, Coolidge and Hoover. Mr. Elting's quiet nature led few people to know the true influence which he held in the affairs of the state. He was considered one of the most powerful leaders of the state and the extent to which his guidance was sought and the honor and respect which was granted his counsel in public affairs was little known to the public. On July 9, 1934, when the young Republicans of the county gave a banquet at the Hotel Stuyvesant in honor of Mr. Elting's 30th anniversary as Republican leader of Ulster county, one of the speakers was the Hon. John T. Loughran, now of the court of appeals. Judge Loughran referred that evening to Mr. Elting as "a statesman" who was far more than a politician and as one of the most powerful leaders in the state whose counsel was widely sought and highly respected throughout the state. In 1938 Mr. Elting was honored when he was named a delegate to the last state constitutional convention, called for the purpose of revision of the constitution of the state and to recommend amendments thereto. The revision was submitted to the voters on election, November 8, 1938. Mr. Elting served as a member of the Republican state committee for many years. Early in life Mr. Elting was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Ridenour, daughter of the late C.P. Ridenour of Kingston, who was for a long time a partner in the furniture business with John D. Sleight. Mr. Elting has served as president and director of the Kingston Trust Company for several years, is a trustee of the Ulster County Savings Institution and attorney for the Savings Institution.