History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683, Part 39

Author: W.W. Munsell & Co., pub; Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather); Cooper, James B. (James Brown), 1825-; Pelletreau, William S. (William Smith), 1840-1918; Street, Charles R. (Charles Rufus), 1825-1894; Smith, John Lawrence, 1816-1889
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 677

USA > New York > Suffolk County > History of Suffolk county, New York, 1683 > Part 39

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each other's burdens, shared in the cares, the joys, the sorrows, the sicknesses and the pleasures of all these different dispensations, until now, when the battle of life is nearly ended. Here, by the help of God, they have reared to manhood and womanhood their ten children."

Mr. Smith, having established himself upon his estate of several thousand acres, a great part of which was heavily timbered, gave his attention to the cultivation of his farm, the management of his estate, and the various enterprises which at different times demanded his ener- gies. He was elected supervisor of the town in 1829, and held the same office for five years in succession. He was county treasurer from 1834 to 1848, inclusive;

THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.

represented the western district of Suffolk in the State Assembly in 1834, 1848 and 1856. He was for seven years either inspector, commissioner or superintendent of common schools, and was at different times elected by his townsmen to other offices of less importance. His own business interests prompted him to an active parti- cipation in the early management of the Long Island Railroad, and the flouring mills and woolen factory at Yaphank. Through a period of more than half a century he was constant in serving his generation in the various capacities in which duty called him to act. Dur- ing these years he was an earnest supporter of Christian enterprise and benevolence, and a constant attendant upon the services of public worship in the Presbyterian church, at first with the united congregations of South Haven and Middletown, and with the latter after the union ceased. He was also a life member and director of the American Board of Foreign Missions and the American Bible and Tract Societies, and vice-president of the Long Island Bible Society. Having filled the rounded measure of his days and his usefulness, he quietly passed away on the 19th of January 1879, leaving a widow with eight sons and two daughters.

General JOHN SMITH, eldest son of Judge William, was born at Mastic, February 12th 1752. He was thrice married: first to Lydia Fanning, October 16th 1776; second to Miss Platt of Poughkeepsie, in 1785; and third to Elizabeth, widow of Henry Nicoll and daughter of General Nathaniel Woodhull, in October 1792. By the first he had one son, William, whose son, Hon. Egbert T. Smith, still occupies the ancestral homestead. By the third he had four children. He was a very active and prominent man during the latter part of the last century and the first part of the present one. It is said of him: " His early life was devoted to his country, while yet she was struggling against the tyranny of an unnatural parent. Ardent and enterprising in the support of prin- ciples which were his own by conviction and inheritance, his best counsel and exertions were bestowed with an unsparing liberality through the most perilous scenes of the Revolution." He occupied a seat in the Assembly from 1784 to 1794, inclusive, with the exception of the year 1786, and was again in the Assembly in 1798, 1799 and 1800. He was a representative in Congress from 1799 to 1804, and United States senator from 1804 to 1813. He was a member of the constitutional con- vention of 1788, and in 1814 was appointed by President Madison marshal of the southern district of New York, which position he occupied until his death, in June 1816. A writer of Congressional history says of him: "He was a man of eminent ability, and highly esteemed by all who knew him for the attributes of a great and good man." His ashes repose in the private cemetery on his former homestead.

WILLIAM SMITH, who was the eldest son of General John Smith, was a distinguished agriculturist, residing at son and three daughters. His remains rest in obscurity the manor of St. George. His mother was a daughter of Colonel Fanning, governor of Prince Edward's Island. He married Miss Hannah Carman. His sons

were Sylvester, William and Egbert T. William re- moved to Indiana and became a judge of the supreme court.

Hon. EGBERT T. SMITH was born in August 1832. He was educated at Clinton Academy and other schools in the county, and entered the College of New Jersey at the age of 18. After graduating he studied law with Judge George Miller, of Riverhead. He was soon elected to the As- sembly from the western district of Suffolk, and though he was the youngest member he ranked high in the house, introducing the celebrated Nicaragua resolutions, protesting against English encroachments. For a while he was speaker. Two years later he ran for Congress, and then again for the Assembly. During the war he was again a candidate for Congress. Later he ran as the temperance candidate for Congress, and in 1881 was a can- didate for nomination as United States senator. He re- sides at the manor of St. George, the seventh of his line. He is ever doing good, and is as highly esteemed by the people as any of his ancestors. He is making his mark upon the times in which he lives. During the civil war he was sent to Europe by Mr. Lincoln as a secret envoy, and for a time was in the army. He was one of the most ardent supporters of the Union. He married Miss Annie M. Robinson, a descendant of Elder Robin- son of the "Mayflower." His children are Martha Turnstall, William E. T., Eugenie A., and Clar- ence T. Mr. Smith is a lawyer, a farmer, a physician (having been a surgeon in the army), a sailor, and an honest politician, and has traveled nearly through- out the world.

COLONEL JOSIAH SMITH.

Colonel Josiah Smith, prominent in the Revolutionary period, was a resident of East Moriches. He was the son of Nathaniel Smith and grandson of Richard Smith, the founder of Smithtown, and was born November 28th - 1723. He married Susannah, daughter of Judge Hugh Gelston, of Southampton, December 15th 1742. In- heriting a large estate from his father he was a man of substance, and occupied a high position in the county. Previous to the Revolution he was colonel of the militia, and at the breaking out of the war was appointed colonel of the regiment of minute men. He was with the regi- ment at the battle of Long Island. It is supposed he was taken prisoner, but soon after liberated. He was then allowed to remain in peace on his estate here. He was treasurer of the county from 1764 to 1786. After the death of his first wife, which occurred Decem- ber 22nd 1754, he married Mary, daughter of David Howell, November 5th 1758. His residence was the old family mansion at present occupied by his great-grand- son Hugh Smith. He died May 15th 1786, leaving one

and peace in the corner of a field near his former home- stead, while a tombstone in a neighboring cemetery bears the record of his memory.

THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.

RICHARD W. SMITH.

Richard W. Smith, a man of considerable local prom- inence in his time, was a native and for most of his life a resident of Coram He was the son of Joshua and Lucy Smith, and was born January 29th 1799. He was educated at North Salem academy, and in his younger days taught school. Later he was a secretary in the office of Colonel Floyd. At an early age he became in- terested in politics and the public questions of the day. He occupied many public positions in the town and county; was sheriff in 1832-34, census marshal in 1840, member of Assembly in 1844, justice of the peace in 1856-59, and coast inspector-the office now called superintendent of life-saving stations-from 1862 till his death, in 1868. He also held other offices, and fulfilled many important trusts. He was married in New York city, July 15th 1822, to Ann Westgate, by whom he had three children, only one of whom survived him. After the death of his first wife he married Mrs. Frances Oak- ley, October 14th 1848. He died suddenly on the 5th of September 1868.

SEBA SMITH.

During the latter part of his life Patchogue was the residence of Seba Smith, who in his time enjoyed a wide-spread literary fame. He was born in Turner, Maine, September 14th 1792, the second of a family of thirteen children. When he was about nine years old the family moved to Bridgeton, in the same State. Here young Seba had the advantage of an academy, and after preparing himself for college he entered Bow- doin, and in due time graduated with high honors. In the mean time he helped himself by teaching a district school at intervals. His natural tendency was toward literature. He became editor of the Eastern Argus, one of the prominent Democratic papers of the State, and afterward started the Daily Courier, the first daily news- paper in the State. In that he published his celebrated "Downing Letters," the pithy humor of which excited the attention of a wide circle of readers. Meeting with reverses in some extensive land speculations in which he was engaged in 1832 he removed to New York city, where he lived until about the beginning of the late civil war, when he made his residence in Patchogue. Some of his most important works were " Away Down East," "Powhatan " an Indian legend in metre, and " New Elements of Geometry," a scientific work which the author hoped to see used in the colleges, but which hope he did not live to realize. He was married March 6th 1822 to Miss Elizabeth Oakes Prince, a descend- ant of an old puritan family, in whom he found a con- genial partner and helper in all the labors and honors of his literary career. He died from a stroke of paraly- sis on the 28th of July, 1868. His widow, a lady of uncommon powers, possessing herself a well-known name in the literary world, still resides at the neighboring vil- lage of Bayport.

JOHN ROSE,

a man whose name was conspicuous in the town during the first quarter of the present century, was a native and resident of Brookhaven village. He was the son of Thomas and Deborah Rose, and was born January 10th 1768. Besides offices of less importance he represented a district in the Assembly of 1810, and was supervisor from 1805 to 1809, inclusive, and again from 1811 to 1826, inclusive, making all together 21 years in this ca- pacity. He died July 6th 1826, and was buried in the family burying ground on his homestead. Five children survive him-Eliza, Harriet, John, William and Mulford.

THE MOUNT FAMILY.

Henry Smith Mount, son of Thomas S. Mount (whose wife was Julia, daughter of Major Jonas Hawkins, of Stony Brook), was born at Setauket, October 9th 1802, and learned the trade of sign-painting with Lewis Childs of New York. He set up the business for himself, but his health failing he abandoned it and returned to the farm at Stony Brook. He was an artist of considerable merit, a student of the National Academy of Design, and his pictures were favorably noticed by eminent critics. He married Mary Ford ot Morristown, N. J., December 21st 1826, by whom he had several children. He died January 20th 1841.

Sheppard Alonzo Mount, born July 17th 1804, of the same parents as the above, was apprenticed to the busi- ness of coach-making in New Haven, but on the com- pletion of his apprenticeship he obeyed the evident in- clination of his nature and talents, and gave his attention to painting, confining himself mainly to portraits, in which department he acquired great proficiency. His wife was Elizabeth H. Elliott, of Sag Harbor, whom he married October 5th 1837. He was a student of the National Academy from 1828.

William Sidney Mount, youngest brother of the preced- ing, was born November 26th 1807, and at the age of 17 went to learn sign-painting with his brother Henry. He, like his brothers, felt the inclination toward a higher sphere of art, and soon gave up the mechanical trade for the practice of portrait painting and the production of comic and rustic scenes. In 1826 he entered the school of the National Academy of Design, and two years later produced there his first picture. During the forty years of his active life he gained a national reputation, and in his particular sphere was excelled by none. Among his portraits of note were one of himself (his first produc- tion), one of Rev. Dr. Carmichael of Hempstead, one of Hon. Jeremiah Johnson (painted for the corporation of Brooklyn) and one of Bishop Onderdonk (which was placed in the chapel of Columbia College). Among his representations of genre art may be mentioned "The Rustic Dance," "The Sportsman," "The Last Visit," "Husking Corn," "Walking the Crack," "Farmer's Nooning," " Ringing the Pigs," "Turning the Grind- stone," " The Raffle," "The Courtship," "The Tough

THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.

Story," " The Undutiful Boys," "The Fortune Teller," "Cider-making on Long Island," " Turn of the Leaf," "The Power of Music," "Just in Time," "California News," Banjo Player," " Dance of the Hay-makers " and "Bargaining for a Horse." Personally he was one of the most brilliant and entertaining of conversationists, and his ready wit, sparkling humor and comprehensive musical powers insured him a hearty welcome in every social circle that he entered. He died at Setauket, where the most of his life was spent, November 19th 1868, having never married.

THE FLOYD FAMILY.

Setauket has been the home of the prominent family descending from Richard Floyd, a native of Wales, who was among the first settlers of the town, and who is briefly noticed on page 6 of the history of this town.

RICHARD FLOYD 2nd, son of the first settler, was born May 12th 1665, married Margaret, daughter of Colonel Matthias Nicolls, had seven children, and died February 28th 1728. He was a colonel of the county, a judge of the court of common pleas and for many years supervisor of the town.

RICHARD FLOYD 3d, son of the one last mentioned, was born December 29th 1703. Being the eldest son he inherited the paternal estate at Setauket. He was mar- ried June 4th 1730, to Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin Hutchinson. They had nine children. He was, like his father, a man of prominence, and occupied the posi- tions of colonel of the county and judge of the court of common pleas. He was supervisor of the town from 1742 to 1762, and president of trustees during most of the same time.

BENJAMIN FLOYD, son of Richard 3d, remained on the homestead of his father, and was a prominent citizen during the Revolutionary period. His wife was Ann, daughter of Samuel Cornell, of Flushing, by whom he had three children. He was a colonel of militia, and supervisor of the town for several years. He is said to have been active in establishing the business of ship- building at Setauket.

Colonel Richard Floyd, great-grandson of the orig- inal settler of that name, was born at Setauket, February 26th 1743, and settled on his father's estate at Mastic. It is said that he was a very generous man, and was noted for his hospitality. He commanded the militia of Suffolk during the Revolution, and on account of his adherence to the British cause his estate was confiscated he returned to Mastic and took up his residence in the at the close of the war, and was sold. At this sale it was purchased by his brother Benjamin Floyd, of Setauket, August 5th 1784, and by him it was sold to Dr. Daniel Robert, December 26th 1787. Colonel Floyd re- moved to St. Johns, New Brunswick, where he died in 1792.

General William Floyd, signer of the Declaration of In- dependence, was a son of Nicoll Floyd, who was the second son of Richard Floyd 2nd. Nicoll Floyd was an extensive farmer at Mastic, and his wife was Tabitha, daughter of Jonathan Smith, of Smithtown. William Floyd was born at Mastic, December 17th 1734. His early education was limited, but he was possessed of |

native talent, from which the hard hand of necessity de- veloped an unusually vigorous practical ability. His academic course was scarcely ended when the death of his father, in 1752, made it necessary for him to assume the care and management of the estate. At an early age he became an officer in the militia, where he was ad- vanced from time to time until he reached the rank of major-general. He was elected to a seat in the Conti- nental Congress of 1774, and consecutively held the seat until 1782. During this period the British on the island appropriated his house, stock and estate as they pleased, while he was an exile from his home for seven years. In 1777 he was elected a State senator, and took his seat in the first constitutional Legislature of the State No- vember 7th of that year. He was a representative-in the first Congress, which met at New York, March 4th 1789, when Washington was inaugurated president. In 1795 he was a candidate for lieutenant-governor, but was defeated by Stephen Van Rensselaer. In the presiden- tial election of 1800 he was one of the Jefferson and Burr electors. In 1803 he removed to a tract of land which he had bought in the Mohawk country. He was afterward repeatedly called on to serve as a presidential elector, his last service being in 1820. He was twice married; to Isabella, daughter of William Jones of Southampton, and to Joanna, daughter of Benajah Strong of Setauket. By the first he had three and by the second two children. He died at Weston, Oneida county, August 4th 1821. He is said to have been a man of medium statue, of great natural dignity, but pleasant manner, in whom firmness and resolution were dominant traits. He was a man of sound practical qualities, in whom ostentation and vanity were never dis -. cernible. His name will hold an honored place as long as the history of the United States or the Declaration of Independence is preserved.

John G. Floyd, son of Colonel Nicoll Floyd and grandson of General William Floyd, was born at Mastic, in January 1806. After graduating at Hamilton College he commenced the practice of law in Utica, taking a good position at the bar there. He was for several years a conspicuous figure in the politics of Oneida county, and was recognized as a leader of one of the Democratic factions. He started the Utica Democrat in 1836, and held control over the paper about seven years, although not actively engaged on it during the whole of that period. He was elected a representative in Con- gress from that district, and was re-elected, serving from December 2nd 1839 to March 3d 1843. Soon after this

family mansion, which had been made vacant by the death of his father a short time before. He was after- ward elected State senator from this district, and was again elected to Congress, for the term beginning De- cember ist 1851. His health began to fail in 1857, and the close of his public career followed. He died and was buried at Mastic in October 1881.

On Forge River, the eastern boundary of the peninsula of Mastic, an iron forge was established by Colonel Nicoll Floyd early in the present century, but it was not long in. .operation. A paper-mill has been for several years established on the same site.

WILLIAM FLOYD of the firm of Floyd & Newins, 177 | packed up his scanty wardrobe, bid his foster mother an South street, New York, belongs to the distinguished old affectionate good-bye, and soon found himself in the great city, almost penniless, but with good health and the courage to do his best. Mrs. Jayne lived but a short time after, leaving many friends to regret her loss, among whom the boy she had done so much for was a sincere mourner. As a slight tribute of love and regard, as soon as he was able he placed slabs of marble to mark the last resting place of her who still retains in his memory the place of mother. family of this name whose record, so far as known, has just been given. He was born January 9th 1821, on the paternal estate in Setauket, where his father, Gilbert Floyd, was born also, December 4th 1740, and died July 27th 1832. Gilbert Floyd was a son of Benjamin, whose father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were, respec- tively, Richard Floyd 3d, Richard 2nd and Richard Ist. The father of William Floyd was three times married and his first wife, Sarah Dewick, was the mother of Wil- liam. She died when William was about a year old, and his father placed him in the care of a neighbor, Mrs. Anna S. Jayne. This excellent lady cared for the boy with such motherly interest and devotion that she com- pletely won his heart, so that he had no wish to return and live in his father's family, although invited to do so. In the family of Mrs. Jayne he grew up, enjoying what advantages of education that section afforded, which were at best rather poor.

Mr. Floyd says that year of clerkship was a long one, although his employer was kind, and trusted him so far as to send him out to buy goods for the store, taking pains to instruct him in all the departments of his large business. He made rapid progress in his work and en- joyed it, but the idea that his time was not his own but another's grated on his natural feeling of self-reliance, and he formed a settled purpose to do for himself in some way, however small the beginning, as soon as his year was up. Accordingly he practiced the strictest economy, saving over half of his wages. This with a little money furnished by Mrs. Newins, the mother of his

At the age of 17 he felt that the business of life was devolving upon him. Hearing of a place in the grocery store of Charles Sweezey, Grand street, New York, he | present partner and the daughter of his foster mother,

THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN.

Mrs. Jayne, constituted the capital with which in the spring of 1839 was started a small grocery business. Mrs. Newins and her son Eliphalet, younger than Mr. Floyd, came from the country, and the three constituted the family, the two boys carrying on the store. Their business, owing to limited means, was small; competition was close, and but little headway was made. At the suggestion of Mr. Floyd Mrs. Newins's interest was pur- chased after a few years, and the boys began in good earnest for themselves. The sign then painted, " Floyd & Newins," they still keep as a reminder of old times. It is one of the few things in their store that money will not buy.

But with all their exertions business did not pay as they thought it should, and they determined on a change of location, with the addition of new departments and greater facilities for trade. So in the spring of 1856 they rented a store in the block where they now are. The next year came the great panic of 1857, through which they passed without serious damage, for their bus- iness had been done on a safe basis and kept within their control. When the excitement was at its height a friend came and offered them several thousand dollars to use if they needed it. They were grateful for the · offer but they were not obliged to avail themselves of it. Their credit was such that the banks discounted their paper, a great mark of confidence in those days. On one occasion the bank president told them he had out of one hundred notes offered that afternoon accepted but seven.

In 1850 they had commenced to pay some at- tention to property in ships, and by slow degrees it be- came quite profitable. They purchased an interest in some vessels, and others they built or helped to build, as their means would admit. In 1861 they suffered some severe losses by shipwreck of property not insured, but nothing daunted they have continued to the present time to invest in shipping, having several fine vessels built, which they continue to control. The correspondence necessary to conduct foreign trade has made them known in many countries. The credit of the firm has never been impaired by any mismanagement, but has grown stronger year by year. In addition to their regular bus- iness they have dealt considerably in real estate, a large amount of which they now own. Thus by good judg- ment and unremitted attention they have built by their own exertions a large and profitable business, taking rank among the few concerns that have always paid a hundred cents to the dollar, by fair dealing, just values and commercial integrity. Floyd & Newins were among the first to handle the oil and other products of the menhaden fisheries, in which they are largely interested. They have always kept a large stock of groceries, flour and provisions, doing a heavy business with country dealers. Their building is large and very favorably located for re- ceiving from and shipping to all points.

Mr. Floyd's father, with others, built the ship " Boyne" at Setauket about 1796, and commanded her as captain for several years. It is believed this was the first of the building of vessels of this size at that place, and it shows

Captain Floyd as a man of great energy and enterprise. His son has his log-book, containing the record of voy- ages made about 1800.

Mr. Floyd has been entrusted with public burdens and duties, in the execution of which he has left a good record. In 1854 he was a worker and a member of com- mittees in the reform movement of which Peter Cooper was a leader. He was twice elected a member of the common council, serving on special and important con- mittees. Political positions have frequently been offered him since, all of which have been respectfully declined. He has never put himself in close connection with any political party, but has always worked with that organiz- ation that seemed to him for the time being most likely to promote honest government by presenting the best measures and the best' men. For a long time he was connected with the "New York Association for Improv- ing the Condition of the Poor," which was organized in 1843 and has been one of the best charities of its kind. He was a member of the New York City Temperance Alliance, in whose interest he expended much time and money.

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