Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 166

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360

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It is probable that Judge Millard, in view of his long resi- dence in, and his identification with the interests of Brooklyn, is more thoroughly conversant with the history of its progress from a village to its present status as the third city in the Union, than any other resident. He has been a property-holder and a close and attentive observer of passing events, and the various interests of Brooklyn have been watched by him through many years of development, and he is thoroughly acquainted with the canses which have resulted in the remarkable progress of the city. The introduction of the Croton water in New York gave to that city an impetus and advantages that left Brooklyn at a standstill until the Ridgewood water was introduced, which gave her an immediate and vigorous acceleration of growth. The next important event of which Mr. Millard speaks in this con- nection, was the introduction of horse railroads in New York, in consequence of which thousands of families moved up town, and the settlement of the Brooklyn shore was retarded until the introduction of the street railways in Brooklyn; and, with other far-seeing citizens, Mr. Millard believes that the progress of Brooklyn will be comparativcly slow until she can compete with New York in the matter of rapid transit.

Mr. Millard has been a life-long Democrat; he was rearcd in the Episcopal Church, and for many years has been interested in St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Clinton avenue.

FRANCIS E. DANA

is of the old New England Dana family, which has produced some nien eminent in letters and in the profession, while all its members have been at least respectable law-abiding citizens; in fine, it is a good example of the New England aristocracy of talent and intelligence. Mr. Dana's great-grandfather was a member of the Connecticut Assembly from the Connecticut Colony that had settled in the Connecticut lands in Pennsyl- vania; returning to his home, he fell a victim to the massacre in the Wyoming Valley, whence his widow and nine children made their way back on foot to friends in ('onnecticut.

Mr. Dana is of the third generation of lawyers in the family; his father, Mr. Alexander Hamilton Dana, and his grand- father, Elizur Dana, of Owego, having been bred to the law before him. He was born in Livingston street, Brooklyn, January 21, 1836; his carly education was acquired at a

129S

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

private school in Powers street, kept by a Mr. Fairehild, and at the Columbia College Grammar School. At the age of sixteen, he eommeneed the study of the law in his father's office in New York, where his training was thorough and practical; he passed a good examination and was admitted to the Bar February 12, 1858. He soon after began the praetiee of his profession in New York. Many of his elients being Brooklyn people, in 1869 he removed to this eity, where his practice largely eentered, although he still has often to appear in New York courts. He is regarded by his brethren on the Beneli and at the Bar as an able lawyer; in the trial of causes, his eases are carefully prepared and skillfully presented; shrewd, wary, and self-controlled, sharp in attaek and strong in defense, not often disconcerted, he nearly always is master of the situation. Before a jury, his style is temperate and collected, rather than vociferous, yet sufficiently animated; it is more impressive than impulsive, more logieal than deelamatory, and he wins by force of reason- ing rather than by appeals to prejudice. In arguments addressed to the Court, his briefs and points are clear, succinct, and well sustained by authorities; his words terse and direet. Among the brilliant triumphis that Mr. Dana has won, may be men- tioned the following cases, viz .: The Phoenix Warehousing Company, respondent, v. Daniel D. Badger, appellant, reported in the 67th New York Court of Appeals Reports, page 294. In this ease Mr. Dana appeared for the respondents, having been their attorney though the lower eourts, and the Court sustained his position, that a trustee of a corporation who has taken part in its management and contracted with it as a eor- poration, cannot afterwards dispute the validity of its incorpo- ration; also that a subscription to the articles of incorporation,

with a statement of the number of shares opposite the name, is a sufficient and binding subscription for stoek, and takes effeet on filing the certificate. Another is the ease of W. L. Palmer, appellant, v. W. Purdy, as executor, ete., respondent, 83d New York, page 144, in which Mr. Dana appeared for the appel- lant, and the Court of Appeals held in his favor, that though one

of several original debtors may contraet with the others for their assumption of the common debt so as to acquire the rights of a surety, their notice to the ereditor of their changed attitude must be definite and distinet. Another and a very interesting ease in connection with the eolored publie sehools, which Mr. Dana conducted in behalf of the Board of Education, is reported in the 93d New York, page 400, as The People ex rel. Theresa W. B. King, by guardian, appellant, v. John Gallagher, principal, etc., respondent; Mr. Dana appearing for respondent. The Court held that under the provisions of the Common School Act, passed in 1864, applying to eities and incorporated towns, the school authorities have power to establish sehools for the exclusive use of colored children, and that the establishment of such separate sehools is not an abridgment of the "privileges or immunities " preserved by the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution; that equality and not identity of rights and privileges is what is guaranteed; that neither the Fourteenth Amendment nor the Civil Rights Act of 1873 restriet the right to establish separate colored sehools; as the common sehools are granted by the State to its citizens, and depend solely upon State laws for their origin and support, they are not within the purview of the Constitution. This case attracted widespread attention, from its importanee, and brought many commendations to the attorney for the able manner in which he conducted it. Mr. Dana has been so absorbed in his profession that he has never interested himself in polities, beyond voting, generally, the Republican tieket, and has never hield office, exeept as a member of the Board of Education, to which he was first appointed in July, 1880, and reappointed by Mayor Low in 1883; he has been chairman of the Law Committee since 1881, and earried on the litigated eases of the Board.

In person, Mr. Dana is of commanding height, ereet, and well proportioned.

In 1869, he married Julia, youngest daughter of Rev. Dr. Budington; their pleasant house on Washington avenue is the abode of refinement and culture.

1299

LEGAL BIOGRAPHIES.

HON. JOHN VANDERBILT.

The Hon. JOHN VANDERBILT (referred to on pages 352 and 362, as a partner in the legal firin of Lott, Murphy & Van- derbilt), was the eldest son of John Vanderbilt and Sarah Lott, his wife, of Flatbush. In 1835, as we have seen, he be- came the junior member of the distinguished and very representative firm above referred to. It is said of the three gentlemen comprising this firm, that "they brought into local politics the principles of statesmanship, and to civil service the habits of fidelity, independence and diligence. and that grade of culture, force and knowledge, which made their public records a bright part of the history of their county, just as their private careers have been a most honorable part of the social and intellectual history of their city.'

On the 1st of May, 1844, Mr. Vanderbilt, then only twenty- five years of age, was appointed by Governor William C. Bouck, to the responsible position of first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Kings county, to succeed Judge Green- wood, who had resigned. He discharged the duties of this important position with faithfulness and credit for two years, until the Court of Common Pleas was abolished by the adoption of the New Constitution in 1846, and the creation of the County Court as at present constituted. It has been said that, at the time of his retirement from the bench, there was not a more popular man, politically and socially, in the city of Brooklyn, than he. In the fall of 1852, he received the Democratic nomination for the State Senate, to which position he was chosen by a large majority. He filled this station creditably for the full term of two years. During his term as Senator he was appointed one of the Commissioners to inves- tigate the harbor encroachments of New York. He was also selected as one of the Commissioners to investigate the affairs of President Nott and Union College. In the fall of 1856 he

was nominated on the Democratic ticket for Lient .- Governor, with Amasa J. Parker, of Albany, as Governor, but the Democrats were not successful in the issue of the election. For several years before his death, which occurred at Flat- bush, May 16, 1877, Judge Vanderbilt was retired front active service by a shock of paralysis; but, " in the prime of his energy was certainly the most vigorous and handsome man in public or political life in this county, if not in the State. His strong, manly beauty matcd with and was the exponent of qualities of mind and heart, as attractive as his gifts and graces of person. In a time when 'rings' were unknown, he was a Democrat; in a time when sectionalism was hardly an apparition, and when the State had its full rights, whether it was weighed or counted as a factor, he was a patriot, and one who gloried in his whole country; in a time when shysters had not been evolved, and when petti- foggers were limited to a satirical stage or a sarcastic litera- ture, he was a lawyer; in a time when gentlemen were as dominant in politics, and scholars as dominant in council as they now are not, he was a scholar and a gentleman. His rapidity of public development, his activity in affairs, his not surpassed qualities of good-fellowship, the magnetism of his mind and manners, and the impressive appeal which he could address to the people, early made him and long kept him what he was freely called, 'Kings County's Favorite Son,' when that appellation was forcible by its vanity, sig- nifieant in its meaning, and when it had not been vulgarized by its application to the politicians by profession, and to the place-hunters by occupation."

Judge Vanderbilt married Gertrude Phebe Lefferts, daughter of John Lefferts, of Flatbush. She survives him, and is elsewhere noted (p. 1316) as the author of the Social History of Flatbush.

JOHN OAKEY, ESQ.

JOHN OAKEY, Esq., although born in Brooklyn, removed in his early childhood with his father to Flatbush, at which place he has spent the greater part of his eventful life, and is justły claimed by Flatbush as one of her representative men. He was educated at Erasmus Hall, from which institution he passed in 1845, to enter Yale College, graduating with honor in 1849. He studied law in New York city, with Hon. James Humphrey, M. C .; he was admitted to the bar in 1851, and for twenty-three years practised law in New York city; during all this period he was the Notary of the Nassau Bank; from 1857 to 1861 he was the Justice of the Peace for the vil- lage of Flatbush. When the civil war broke out in 1861, he was the first man who left Flatbush for the seat of war; he was then a member of the 7th Regiment, New York; upon his departure his wife was presented by several gentlemen of the village, with a check for $100; and efforts were imme- diately made by which a village relief fund of several thousand dollars was raised for the aid of those who might go to the war. In 1866 he was elected Member of the Assembly on the Republican ticket, in a strongly Democratie district, and was returned in 1867, thus serving two years in the Assembly; during a portion of this time he was Chairmau of the Committee on Commerce and Navigation, succeeding Hon. Dewitt C. Littlejohn. In 1868, he was appointed Judge

Advocate with the rank of Coloncl, on the staff of Major- General Shaler, First Division, N. G., S. N. Y .; this position he held for five years, until 1873. From 1874 to 1878 he was Counsel for the Brooklyn Police and Excise Departments. and in 1878, he was appointed as Assistant District Attorney of Brooklyn and Kings County. He has been the founder of several large and flourishing amateur dramatic associations, and the President as well as founder of the Amaranth Society of Brooklyn. Through his instrumentality the late Lient .- Commander George W. De Long, of the ill-fated Jeannette of the Arctic expedition, was advanced to his position of honor. He was with Col. Oakey as office boy for three or four years, and through Col. Oakey's influence with some of our prominent business men, young De Long received an ap- pointment of a cadetship in 1861.

Of Judge JOHN LEFFERTS, mentioned on page 225, it should be further said, that as a member of the Convention of 1821 for Amending the Constitution of the State, he was, with John Van Buren and others, one of the so-called " Immortal Seventeen " who refused to adopt ? law conferring upon the people the privilege of choosing their own Presidential Elect- ors, instead of allowing it to remain in the Legislature.

HUS HENG COM

THE GARFIELD BUILDING, COR. COURT AND REMSEN STREETS, BROOKLYN.

(This cut used by permission of Mr. A. A. Low.)

NOTES

LITERATURE AND SCIENCE IN

BROOKLYN.

LIBRARIES, LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATIONS, CLUBS,

AUTHORS

AND SCIENTISTS.

Anny R. files. A. M; Ma BY

Franchi

LIBRARIES.

Brooklyn Institute .- The Apprentices' Library Association of Brooklyn (now the Brooklyn Institutc), had its origin in the summer of 1823, in the office of the Long Island Star, where the editor, Colonel Alden Spooner, William Wood* of New York, and other gentlemen conferred together on the sub- ject of education and mental improvement for the apprentice lads and youth of the village; and a few days after, the follow- ing advertisement appeared in the Star and Patriot: "Notice. -Apprentices' Library: The citizens of the village of Brook- lyn, and particularly the master-mechanics, are requested to attend a meeting at the house of William Stephenson, at 8 o'clock on Thursday evening, for the purpose of forming and establishing an Apprentices' Library in this village. The honorable, the trustees of this village, and the reverend, the clergy, are particularly invited to attend. August 7, 1833."

* William Wood, said to have been born in Boston, at 1777, commenced business in that city, about 1805, in the earthen and glass ware line, in company with a brother, under the firm style of W. & T. N. Wood. Subsequently he visited Europe five times, and was for two years engaged in mercantile pursuits in Lon- don, England. Revulsions in trade occurring after the close of the war in 1815, in- volved Mr. Wood's house in pecuniary difficulties, which, added to other circum- stances of a peculiar nature, induced him, about 1822, to remove to New York, where his brother had previously settled. Previously to this he had commenced that peculiar specialty of benefaction, which so distinguished his whole future life. On the anniversary of Washington's birthday, February 22, 1820, he established in Boston, the first mercantile library in the United States. It is also said, with what truth we know not, that during his stay in England, he had commenced a mercantile library in London. In November of the same year he commenced and accomplished the establishment of the now large and famous Mercantile Library Association of New York. With characteristic modesty, Mr. Wood's name ap- pears upon the records of that Association as one of its directors; and, in its second year, as Vice-President. " His chief desire," says Mr. Jas. B. Henshaw, his busi- ness partner, " was to establish libraries in New York and elsewhere for the bene- fit of young men engaged in merchants' counting houses and such others as could be induced to take an interest, and to which they could have free access, and spend their evenings, thus withdrawing them from the baneful influences and corrupting examples of a society to which they would otherwise be exposed; and where their literary and conversational abilities could be developed." His plan for establishing these libraries was to visit personally the merchants and leading citizens of a place, make known his intentions, invite subscriptions and donations of books, and pre-

The meeting held in pursuance of this call, included the best citizens of the village, the men of largest forethought, of unselfish impulse, of persistent effort, who tenderly watched over the interests of the village, and carefully guided the embryo city through the perils incident to the critical and somewhat rapid development of its muscular youth. An ad- journed meeting was held on the 14th, a constitution was adopted, and thirty persons subscribed and paid their initiation fees. August 28, 1823, the Association, then numbering up- wards of 180 members, commenced its existence by the elec- tion of the following officers: Robert Snow, President; Thomas Kirk, Vice-President; Andrew Mercein, Treasurer; Robert Nichols, Secretary; George S. Wise, Fanning C. Tucker, Thomas Haynes, Gamaliel King, Joseph Herbert, Andrew Demorest, Losee Van Nostrand, Augustus Graham, and Dr. Josiah Noyes. The nucleus of a library was formed by dona- tion. A place for its reception was found at No. 143 Fulton street, and on November 15th books were issued for the first

pare a proper place for their reception and use. In this work, he went simply and naturally to work, often experiencing contumely and opposition: but inevitably commending himself to the good and true, by the quiet candor of his address, and the evident sincerity of his purpose. As soon as the success of his New York enter- prise was well assured, he repeated the experiment in Brooklyn. When the Ap- prentices' Library was fairly under way, he disappeared for other scenes of similar usefulness.

Lord Brougham's Sketches of Public Characters, published in 183) v 1 II, p. 80, says, that "although the remote origin of these institutions may be traced to Franklin, Mr. William Wood has the high merit of establishing them on their present plans, and adapting them peculiarly to the instruction of mechani s and ap- prentices. He founded the first in Boston, in 1820: he has had the satisfaction of seeing the plan adopted in New York, Philadelphia, Albany, and other towns, and I have now before me a letter in which he says that he has succeeded in forming one at New Orleans, where he was called on business." Mr. Wood also established many minor libraries for sailors, prisoners, literary societies, etc. He was a bach- elor, but possessed warm sympathies, good convivial powers, and a great fondness for the companionship of children and youth, whom he delighted to assist and in. struct, as he was well qualified to do by his excellent education and extensive reading.

He was for many of the later years of his life, a resident of Canandaigua, N. Y . and to him and his friend, Mr. John Grieg, that beautiful village is indebted for many of its charms and conveniences. There he died aged about seventy- five years, after an entire devotion of many years to ie advancement of the great ob- ject which seems to have been the mission of his life.

1302

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

time to ten apprentices. The Trustees of the Brooklyn Union Sunday-school transferred their library to the new institution, allowing the members of the school the benefit of the books of both libraries. Mr. Erastus Worthington was appointed librariau, to issue books from four to nine P. M. every Satur- day, with a compensation of 75 cents per day. Jan. 16, 1824, the directors reported 724 volumes and 150 pamphlets, in con- stant use by 70 readers. Nov. 20, 1824, an act of incorporation was passed. The need of a more suitable building, sufficiently large to contain the library and a public lecture-room was felt.

A site was bought on the corner of Crauberry and Henry streets, where the corner-stone was laid by Gencral Lafayette, on the 4th of July, 1825, and the cdifice completed May 3, 1826. The library occupied the basement of this building- the Post-office the first floor, and the large room above was used as a police court and for public meetings. In 1826, a free reading-room was opened every day in the week. except Sun- day. In 1827, Mr. Stoothoof succeeded to the librarianship. In this year also a savings-bank was established iu the build- ing for the benefit of adult mechanics. Thus for several ycars the Apprentices' Library carried on its useful work among the youth of Brooklyn. But some of its friends died, others removed, the readers gradually fell off, and the institution became embarrassed by debt. Finally, in 1836, the building was sold to the city for $1,100 and the books were boxed and stored away. In 1840, Mr. Augustus Graham,* its most prominent benefactor, and others, reorganized the society, and reopened the library. The new board of directors in Feb., 1840, con- sisted of Augustus Graham, Pres .; Robert Nichols, Vice-Pres .; P. J. Arcularius, Treas .; Francis Dow, Sec'y; James Walters, Losee Van Nostrand, Thomas S. Woodcock, Alden Spooncr, Henry C. Murphy, Charles Congdon, Gabriel Furman, Stephen Cornell and Austin Melvin, Directors. In Oct., 1841, the as- sociation removed to the new aud substantial granite build- ing on Washington street, near Concord, uow known as the Brooklyn Institute, which the Brooklyn Lyceum had erected at a cost of $35,000. In 1842, the costly edifice and grounds

* Augustus Graham was one, and the first, of the two (pretended; brothers who came to Brooklyn, about 1815, and rapidly made friends among those who realize substantial elements of character. Shortly after him came John Bell-which was his real name, and then Mrs. Isabella Taylor, who assumed the position of house. keeper in their joint home on the corner of Front and Dock streets, being under- stood to be their s'ster. She died first and Augustus next died, but, a little before his decease, it became known that he had previously married, and thal none of the three were really related each to the other. Whatever the motives which induced them to practice the peculiar comedy of their Brooklyn life, it is certain that brothers and sisters can rarely be found to agree in more perfect harmony than in their case. The Grahams were exemplary as men of character and probity, while their works do praise them in this as well as in other communities.

The two Grahams made a fortune in the distillery business, near the Navy Y'ard, and finally (1822,, became interested in the Brooklyn White Lead Works. They kept no separate accounts; lived from a common purse; and their union was always most affectionate, while their probity and correct business habils derived for them general respect and consideration. They continued together as partners till death severed their connection.

Mr. Graham was ever animated by a noble spirit of enlightened generosity : his moral character was pure and simple; bestowing henefits with munificence and yet with just discrimination, avoiding ostentation and notoriety; distributing very largely in private channels unknown to the world. It was a favorite sentiment with him, and often repeated, that he desired to be his own executor, and admin- ister his estate during his life time. Although most frugal in the personal use of his ample means, he left but little for hus executors to do in the way of distributing an anmulated hoard.

He greatly enjoyed and valued church privileges, and attended the ministra- tiens of the Rev. Dr. C'ox in Henry street Among the Brooklyn institutions to which he , ontributed were the Protestant Orphan Asylum, the Institute, the City llo ptal, the Graham Institute, which he founded, and the New York Asylum for th Blind, New York Home for the Friendle s, and the Mariner's Family Asyhun. looklyn will ever have reason to cherish the memory of the Iwain, recognized am ng u , fir rearly half a century, as the Brothers Graham. Mr. G. died sud- dinly, in his 6gth year, March 11th, 1'53.

were purchased by the Apprentices' Library Association, for $18,000. By an act of the Legislature, April 13, 1843, the charter of the Association was extended for 25 years, under the name of the Brooklyn Institute. Through the liberality of Mr. Graham, the institution was at this time relieved from debt, and at his death, an endowment of $27,000 was secured to the Association for the support of frec lectures on Science and Art. In 1868, the building was largely altered and im- proved, at an expense of $30,000. The Institute building is three stories in height, contains a commodious library, read- ing-room, public hall, picture gallery, two school-rooms, and a number of artists' studios. The library consists of about 12,000 volumes. The Presidents have been as follows: Robert Snow, 1823-'32; Fanuing C. Tucker, 1832-'40; Augustus Graham, 1840-'52; Charles M. Alcott, 1852-'4; Rolliu Sanford, 1854-'8; Peter G. Taylor, 1858-'72; William Everdell, Jr., 1872-'9; John B. Woodward, 1879-'80; Jesse C. Smith, 1880-'4. The other officers for 1884 are: Dr. Andrew Otterson, Viee- Pres .; D. Littlejohn, Treas .; A. P. Baxter, See'y: I H. Froth- ingham, J. How, Crawford C. Smith, S. W. Sneeden, Trustees.

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Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 166

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : Munsell Number of Pages: 1360

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360