USA > New York > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and family history of New York, Volume IV > Part 2
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Mr. Schwiers married (first), in. 1870, Christiana Dwyer, born November 7, 1841, and by this marriage there were born to him the following children: 1. Frederick W., who is a grad- uate of the Technical Institute of Saxony, Germany, and is at present a civil engineer. He married Margaret Ranhofer and his children are: William and Rose. 2. Anna, unmarried. 3. James Frederick, married Sophia Haagen and has one child, Clara. 4. Adelheit, married James Sweeny and has one child, Winifred. 5. Louis Frederick. 6. Clara, married John Kinney and has one child, John. Mrs. Schwiers died July 1, 1886. Mr. Schwiers married (second), May 4, 1887, Aurelia Duninger, born in Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, daughter of Lonis Duninger, and by this marriage there were three children: Christiana, Margaret. Aurelia. Mrs. Schwiers and her children are communicants of the Roman Catholic church.
ALEXANDER THOMPSON.
Alexander Thompson, an enterprising and highly respected citizen of Wakefield, borongh of the Bronx, New York, where he has resided for over half a century, was born in Kingsbridge, Westchester county, New York, March 11, 1832, son of James
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S. and Elizabeth (Seals) Thompson, both of whom were natives of Westchester county.
Alexander Thompson was one of a family of twelve chil- dren. He received but limited educational advantages lle was endowed with a native ability and a strong desire to snc- ceed in life, and at the age of sixteen began to earn his own live- lihood. After some years of industry and careful economy he succeeded in saving sufficient capital to begin business on his own acconnt. The first enterprise in which he engaged was in the rigging and stone setting business at Woodlawn cemetery. In this undertaking he met immediate success, it being the di- reet result of his punctuality and painstaking care in the per- formance of his work, in addition to his straightforward and just methods of transacting his business. During the many years he pursned this line of work he has been employed by many of New York's representative and most prominent families. In 1853 he purchased about twenty-one acres of land in the town of Wakefield, Westchester county, whereon he built his pres- ent home and where he has continued to reside up to the present time.
Alexander Thompson married, January 22, 1853, Mary Elizabeth Shannon, born December 25, 1833, daughter of Cor- nelius and Elizabeth (Gleason) Shannon, both of whom were natives of Tipperary county, Ireland, and of this marriage the following children have been born: 1. Mary Cecelia, born No- vember 2, 1856. 2. Alexander, Jr., born September 19, 1858, married Mary Lee and has four children: Florence, Violet, Ethel and May Thompson. 3. Emma Louise, born October 26, 1860. 4. Cornelia Frances, born January 14, 1862, married Peter Briggs and has two children: William Thompson and Walter Alexander Briggs. 5. William J., born Jannary 30, 1864, married Mary MeNamara and has two children: Alexan-
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der and James Thompson. 6. Edith T., born July 7, 1866, mar- ried Wilfred S. Willis and has two children: Edithe and Mil- fred Willis. 7. Charles E., born July 10, 1868, married Rose A. Thnm, and has two children: Charles E. and Regenia A. Thompson. 8. Anna Eliza, born October 3, 1870, died March 1, 1895. She married William Branigan and had one child: Lida Thompson Branigan. 9. Adaline, born April 14, 1873, married James F. Paskett. 10. Florence T., born October 7, 1875, mar- ried Clarence E. Willis, and has four children: Marguerite, Everett, Ellsworth, and Muriel Willis. 11. Clara Gracie, born May 31, 1877, died May 31, -. 12. Elsie Marguerite, born September 19, 1879, died March 11, 1883. Elizabeth (Shannon) Thompson, the mother of the aforementioned children, is a most estimable lady and by her fidelity to duty and the scrupulous care in the rearing and educating of her children, has fully exemplified the kindness and love of an indulgent and generous parent. Mrs. Thompson and her children are devout members of the Roman Catholic church.
FERDINAND KRAUSE.
Ferdinand Krause, an enterprising and leading German citizen of Bulls Head, town of Northfield, now the third ward, borongh of Richmond, was born in the city of Hamburg, Ger- many, November 28, 1853, a son of Carl and Angusta (Krull) Kranse. Both of the latter were natives of the city of Ham- burg, and of their union had born to them a family of five chil- dren: 1. Emma, who came to the United States in 1881. She married Carl Bock, and resides at Port Richmond, borough of Richmond. 2. Mary, who came to the United States in 1884 and took up her residence at Port Richmond. 3. Herman, who married in the fatherland and resides in the city of Hamburg. 4. Ferdinand, whose name introduces this review. 5. Gustave,
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who came to the United States in 1881, married and took up his residence at Yonkers, Westchester county, New York. He has children : Carl, Mabel, May and Harry Kranse. The father of the aforementioned children was a sea captain, and for many years was engaged in this line of pursuit, having sailed his ves- sel to various large cities of civilized countries. He died in the city of Hamburg in 1878, and his widow came to the United States in 1884, and took up her residence with her son Ferdi- nand, with whom she resided until her death, which occurred March 17, 1901.
Ferdinand Krause received his educational training in his native city, and at an early age took up the practical duties of life. He engaged in the produce and fruit trade, which line of enterprise he conducted with a marked degree of success until 1884, in which year he came to the United States, arriving here May 29, the same year. Upon his arrival he spent much time at Northport, Long Island, and in 1886 came to Richmond county, where he took up his residence at West New Brighton, and be- came engaged in the oil distributing business, having been the first to introduce this method of supplying oil directly to the consumers. After continuing in this line of enterprise for a period of eight years, and having met with a well merited de- gree of success, he sold out his interest and in 1891 purchased the John Decker homestead at the village of Bulls Head, and here he made extensive improvements and resided up to Novem- ber 19, 1905, when the place was destroyed by fire. He is a vet- eran fireman, having been for a number of years an active mem- ber of the Oceanic Fire Company at Port Richmond. He is a member of Staten Island Lodge No. 346, Knights of Pythias, and also of Richmond Lodge No. 543, Order of Eagles.
Mr. Krause married, at Hamburg, June 17, 1877, Drakhea Bothman, who was born in Hamburg, November, 1853. Vol. IV-2
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THE WHITTEN FAMILY.
William Whitten, deceased, for many years an eminently worthy and highly respected citizen of Fordham, New York, was born in the university town of Birr, Kings county, West Ireland, in 1822, the son of Thomas and Helen (Brown) Whit- ten, whose family consisted of three sons and four daughters, one of whom died in childhood and the remainder all attained years of maturity and emigrated to the United States, where they settled, married and in due course of time reared families who became useful and active members of society. Thomas Whitten (father) was a successful experimental and scientific agriculturist, and for many years served in the capacity of superintendent of the estate of Lord Ross.
William Whitten was educated in the schools of his native town, and was there reared to manhood. At the age of twenty-two, being desirous of improving his financial condition and hoping to secure larger opportunities in the new world, he emigrated thither and upon his arrival in the city of New York found employment as a practical farmer on the Ogden estate, where he remained for a period of time and later took up his residence in Fordham. About the year 1850 he assumed charge of the Murray family estate, and for a number of years proved an efficient and capable superintendent thereof, performing the duties assigned him with credit to himself and to the satisfac- tion of all concerned. His next undertaking was in the express business at Fordham, he being the pioneer in that line north of the Harlem Bridge, and as the logical result of his straight- forward methods of conducting business met with a large de- gree of success and also gained an enviable reputation in busi- ness circles. He was just and conscientious in all the affairs of life. was a staunch adherent of the tenets of the Episcopal
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church, and his death on October 20, 1874, which was cansed by an accident on the New York and Harlem railroad in the viein- ity of his home, cansed universal sorrow among a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, who estimated him at his true worth.
In 1852 Mr. Whitten was united in marriage to Elizabeth Bell, born September 15, 1829, daughter of James and Mary (Anderson) Bell. Their children are: 1. Minnie F., born April 19, 1853, an assistant to the principal of public school No. 5 in the borough of the Bronx. 2. Elizabeth Ellen, born January 1, 1855, became the wife of Reuben F. Bouton and they are the parents of four children: Clarence W., born January 30, 1879, died February 4, 1880; Arthur G., born September 8, 1880; Her- bert and Elizabeth Edna (twins), born October 9, 1883. 3. William Thomas Bell, born November 22, 1858, married (first) Julia Kolb, and (second) Josephine (Zimmermann) Frank, widow of William Frank, no issue. 4. Robert J. Anderson, born September 13, 1860. 5. Anna Jane, born July 10, 1865. 6. Joseph Alexander, born June 25, 1870. The family attend the Dutch Reformed church at Fordham. The mother of these chil- dren is a native of Rathfriland, county Down, Ireland. Mrs. Whitten is a most estimable lady of the old school type and is possessed of many excellencies of character.
JOB DERICKSON.
The first of this family of whom we have any authentic information was Handy Derickson. He was of Scotch extrac- tion. and was born in Sussex county, Delaware, where he spent the whole of his life's career. He was a farmer by occupation, and died at the age of eighty-two years. Handy Deriekson mar- ried Sarah Bennett, who bore him a family of six children: 1. Levin, who married and spent his life's career in Sussex county.
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2. Job, who became the father of Captain Job Derickson, whose name introduces this review. 3. James, who became a seafar- ing man, married a Miss Bennett, and also resided in Sussex county, Delaware. 4. Nancy, who married a Mr. West, of Sussex county. 5. Sally, who married Philip Short of the same county. 6. Jehu, who married and spent his life's career in his native county. The mother of the aforementioned children, Sarah (Bennett) Derickson, died in Sussex county, Delaware, aged four score years.
Job Derickson, second child of these parents, was educated in the schools of his native county, and was reared to manhood on his father's plantation. When about thirty years of age he entered upon a seafaring life, and while voyaging from a southern port to New York city, with the vessel of which he was captain, he was afflicted with a malignant fever, and it is sup- posed while in a delirious state that he fell overboard from his ship while nearing the port of New York. His body was later recovered, and was buried in Trinity churchyard. Captain Derickson had become well known in marine circles of New York city, and had won many staunch friends in both New York and southern ports.
Captain Job Derickson married Katie Waples, daughter of Smith and Nancy Waples, of Sussex county, Delaware. Of this marriage were born two children, a daughter who died in infancy, and Job Derickson, whose name introduces this review. Upon the death of Captain Derickson, his widow mar- ried (secondly) Philip Short, and of this marriage were born a family of five children: Sarah, William, Mary, Rachel, Peter Short. The mother of these children, Katie (Waples) (Derick- son) Short, died about 1842, and her husband, Philip Short, married Sallie Derickson, as mentioned above.
Job Derickson, only son of Captain Job and Katie (Waples)
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Derickson, born November 19, 1826, received his educational training in the schools of Sussex county, Delaware, and was reared under the parental roof to the age of seventeen, at which time he began life on his own account. Being in delicate health he took up seafaring and for a number of years was engaged before the mast. Having regained his energy and health, he continued thus employed and by his fidelity to duty soon won the confidence of the master of the vessel, by whose rec- ommendation the young sailor was advanced to more responsi- ble positions and finally became master of his own vessel which he had built according to his own special design by the well known shipbuilder, Jacob S. Ellis, of Tottenville. After mak- ing several trips to European ports, Captain Derickson became engaged in the coastwise trade of this country, sailing his own vessel for a number of years, and which was finally wrecked while on a voyage to one of the southern ports within twelve miles of the Hole in the Wall, off the Bahamas. In 1877 Cap- tain Derickson and his crew were safely landed, and the vessel was finally a total loss. Upon his return home to Tottenville, Captain Derickson engaged in the mercantile trade, in which line of enterprise he met with a marked degree of success, which was the logical result of his straightforward and honorable methods of transacting his business. Since taking up his resi- dence in Tottenville, Captain Derickson has become prominently associated with the fraternal and social interests of the neigh- borhood. He is an active member of Huguenot Lodge, No. 381, F. and A. M., of Tottenville.
Captain Job Derickson married Mary Wentze, daughter of William F. Wentze, who bore him a family of four children: 1. Katie, married Gabriel Dissosway, of Tottenville. 2. Edward F., who married Elizabeth Joline. 3. Mamie. 4. William, mar- ried Lena Thrall, and has one child, Helen Derickson, born
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December 5, 1900. The mother of the aforementioned children, Mary (Wentze) Derickson, died April 5, 1904. She was a con- sistent member of St. Paul's Methodist Church at Tottenville, and was highly respected and esteemed by all who knew her best in life.
JOHN J. MERSEREAU.
John J. Mersereau, for many years a venerable and highly esteemed citizen of Princess Bay, borough of Richmond, where he resided for more than six decades, was a representative of a family that was among the early settlers of Richmond county.
Jacob Mersereau, grandfather of John J. Mersereau, was for many years a resident of Woodrow, in the town of West- field, Richmond county; he was a tiller of the soil, and among his neighbors was regarded as an industrious and useful citizen. By his first marriage he had a family of seven children, among whom were the following: Peter, unmarried; Jacob, of whom later; John, married Nancy Pell, no issue; Kitty, married Cornelius Guyon; Jane, married Louis Androvette. By his second marriage he had born to him two sons, Cornelius and Daniel, who married and took up their residence in Newark, New Jersey. Jacob Mersereau, the father of these children, died and his remains were buried in the family plot in Wood- row cemetery.
Jacob Mersereau, second son of Jacob Mersereau, and father of John J. Mersereau, was educated in the common schools adjacent to his home and reared to manhood under the parental roof. He served an apprenticeship at the trade of cooper, which he pursued in addition to his farm interests in the town of Westfield for many years. He was a man of great energy, industrions, prudent and straightforward, fulfilling to the best of his ability all the duties of life, and was a worthy
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY
representative of worthy ancestors. He married Sarah Marshall, who was descended from an old family of Richmond county. Their children were: Rebecca, married Joseph Sprague; Mary, married Samuel Jackson; Ann, married Daniel Drake; John J., of whom later; Jane, married William Morgan, who later became renowned for his services during the civil war, attaining the rank of general; Abigail, died in childhood. Jacob Mersereau died about the year 1824, his death being caused by an accident, and his remains were interred in the old Androvette family plot. His widow married (second) Moses Winant, by whom she had three children: Zed. Letitia, married Thomas .Moore; Jacob, married Emeline Lewis. Mrs. Winant died and was buried in the graveyard of the Bethel Methodist Church at Tottenville.
John J. Merserean was born April 16, 1819. He attended the schools of the neighborhood of his home, and at the age of fourteen took up a seafaring life. By industry, perseverance and fidelity to duty he was advanced to the responsible position of captain, and for many years sailed his vessel in the coastwise trade, continning thus employed until about the year 1895. Dur- ing this period he became known as a skillful and reliable navi- gator, and in marine circles was held in high esteem by all who came in contact with him. He was a man of integrity and honor, conscientious and faithful in the performance of all duties and obligations, and therefore won and retained the respect and con- fidence of his friends and neighbors.
Captain Merserean married, January 12, 1841, Emeline Bedell, born April 28, 1825, daughter of Joseph and Esther ( La Forge) Bedell. Their children weresi Harriet, born April 26, 1843, married Wynant S. Androvette; Jacob W., born June 12, 1846, died in infancy ; Jane Rebecca, born July 14, 1847, married John L. La Forge; Castilla, born February 11, 1852, married
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Nelson Jacklin; Alfred A., born January 25, 1854, married Laura Androvette; Charlotte, born March 19, 1857, married Ed- gar Storer; John William, born May 11, 1864, married Carrie Androvette, who bore him one child, Louis, born March 27, 1885. Mrs. Carrie (Androvette) Mersereau died January 4, 1891. John W. Merserean married (second), April 4, 1896, Lu- cinda E. Hamilton, born July 11, 1876, daughter of William and Jane. M. (Totten) Hamilton, and of this marriage there was one child, Everard C., born March 15, 1900. Emeline (Be- dell) Mersereau, mother of the aforementioned children, died February 26, 1900. She was an active member of St. Mark's Methodist Episcopal Church, a devoted wife and a loving and affectionate mother. Captain John J. Mersereau died August 3, 1906.
CHRISTIAN MICHAEL KESNER.
Christian Michael Kesner, an enterprising and highly re- spected citizen of Huguenot Park, borough of Richmond, is of German extraction, his parents, Michael and Sarah (Fulmer) Kesner, natives of Germany, having emigrated to this country from the fatherland, taking up their abode in the city of New York. They were the parents of four children: Christian Michael, born February 18, 1823, of whom later; Sarah, married David Graham, of New York city, no issue; both are now de- ceased; Margaret, married Dennis Hagan, of New York city, issue, Sarah and Christian F. Hagan; Mr. and Mrs. Hagan are now deceased; Dorothea, died in childhood; Michael Kesner, the father of these children, died in New York city, and his remains were interred in the old Varick street cemetery. His widow married (second) Anthony Engemann, by whom she had four children : John, who served during the Mexican and Civil wars; he married, has a family of three children and, at present
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(1906), resides in Flatbush, borough of Kings. George, mar- ried Mary Ann Cusick. Mary, married Henry Tyson, of Brook- lyn. William A., married Eunice Ford, a member of a south- ern family, and their son, William A. Engemann, a resident of Brooklyn, is the owner of the Brighton Beach Race Course. Sarah (Fulmer) (Kesner) Engemann, mother of the aforemen- tioned children, is buried in Cypress Hill cemetery, borough of Kings.
Christian Michael Kesner was educated in the schools of New York city, and later learned the trade of a ship joiner in the same city, which occupation he pursued for a number of years. In 1852 he removed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in contract work for a period of about five years, after which he returned to New York city and there en- gaged in the grocery business. In 1860 he removed to the town of Westfield, borough of Richmond, and purchased the old Pryor homestead, which he later disposed of. In 1870 he pur- chased the property at Huguenot Park, borough of Richmond, comprising about fifty acres, which is situated west of the Rapid Transit railroad, and at the present time (1906) is liv- ing retired, enjoying to the full the consciousness of a life well spent in honorable toil. All his transactions have been charac- terized by the utmost fidelity and conscientiousness, and there- fore he gained an enviable reputation in business circles. Throughout his long residence in Huguenot Park, Mr. Kesner has aided materially by his enterprise, business ability and acu- men in developing the material interests of the neighborhood, has won the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens, and is re- garded as one of the foremost and most influential residents of the community.
Mr. Kesner married Fanny Singleton, a native of the north of Ireland. She was a faithful and loving wife and de-
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voted mother, and her death was mourned not only by her im- mediate family, but also by a wide circle of friends and acquaint- ances, who highly estimated her good qualities. Their children were: Henry, married Isabelle Parkhurst; Ida, married Gulo Gulowsen, and has children: Margaret, Creeta and Kennte Gn- lowsen; Caroline, married David Sprague, and had children: Mabel, Malvern, Ruth; Christian Michael, Jr .; Elizabeth, died at the age of thirteen years; George.
HOWARD A. COMFORT.
Howard A. Comfort, sexton of Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, is an important member of the well known and old established firm of E. S. Fern & Comfort, undertakers and embalmers, whose funeral chapel is located at 307 West Forty-seventh street.
Timothy Comfort, father of Howard H. Comfort, was born in Orange county, New York, about 1832. His death occurred March, 1899. He was by trade a painter, but spent a large portion of the active years of his life in agricultural pursuits. He married Patience Pelton, daughter of Luther and Ruth (Decker) Pelton, and related to the Blanvaults and Rev. Sam- nel Pelton. She resides in Sullivan county, New York. The children of Timothy and Patience (Pelton) Comfort were: Alonzo H. and Howard A.
Howard A. Comfort, second and youngest son and child of Timothy and Patience (Pelton) Comfort, was born in Mon- ticello, Sullivan county, New York, November 22, 1868. His education was acquired in the common schools of Sullivan coun- ty, and his early years were spent upon the farm of his father. His first business occupation was as salesman in a general store. He came to the city of New York in 1890, and for a short time held a position in the Bloomingdale Asylum for the Insane. IIe
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severed his connection with this institution and for the follow- ing seven years was engaged in the dairy business very success- fully, giving it up, however, to accept a position with the New York and Brooklyn Casket Company. He retained this for two years and then established himself, Jannary 4, 1904, in the undertaking business at 1843 Broadway, and on April 1, of the same year, became associated as a partner with the E. S. Fern Company. He served as sexton of the Jane Street Methodist Episcopal Church for fourteen months, and upon the opening of Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was offered and accepted the position of sexton. The duties connected with that position he has performed efficiently and conscientiously. He is a graduate of the Steplien Merritt Embalming Company, and a consistent member of the church with which he is officially connected. He is thoroughly familiar with all the duties, details and responsibilities of the work in which he is engaged, and the careful manner in which all orders are carried ont has won for him the highest commendation. He has gained many friends by his straightforward business dealings and his many sterling qualities.
Mr. Comfort married, June 20, 1906, Charlotte Lolimyer, a native of New York, daughter of Herman and Helena Loh- myer, the former of whom died June, 1901, the latter surviving.
IMMANUEL GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
The linmanuel German Evangelical Lutheran Church, at the corner of Eighty-eighth street and Lexington avenue, New York city, is one of the best attended houses of worship in that sec- tion of the city. The corner-stone of the new church was laid October 31, 1885, and the church was dedicated Thanksgiving, 1886. Rev. Lonis Halfmann was then the pastor, and he remained
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