USA > New York > New York City > Leslie's history of the greater New York, Volume III, Pt. 2 > Part 34
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KOEHLER. THEODORE, was born in Schleswig-Holstein, July 30, 1856, the son of C. C. T. Koehler, who was decorated with the Iron Cross for military and political services to Denmark, and the grandson of a gentleman who for similar services was knighted by Frederick VII., King of Denmark. Between the ages of fifteen and nineteen, Mr. Koehler was employed in one of the largest business houses of Luebeck,
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Denmark, while he subsequently enlisted in the army. Securing his own release in 1876, he came to Philadelphia. Having been employed by an English firm in 1883 to go to South America, he there joined an exploring expedition. In 1884 he represented his English firm at the New Orleans Cotton Exposition. He next became manager of a wholesale establishment in New York City, while between 1885 and 1895 he was head bookkeeper and auditor for one of the largest indus- trial firms of Long Island City and New York City. During the same period he also adjusted the books and business for various other New York firms, and also taught commercial law and accounts. He exam- ined and reported upon the condition of the books in the various mu- nicipal departments of Long Island City. He was elected to represent Long Island City on the Queens County Board of Supervisors. In 1895 he was elected to the New Jersey Senate from the Second District. being the first Senator ever chosen from Long Island City. In the Senate he was active in securing the passage of the Certified Account- ants' Act.
KRUSCHIER, CHARLES C., was born in New York City, September 15, 1850, the son of Balthasar Kruscher and Caroline Hachucheu. Both parents were natives of Germany, and came to the United States in 1836, Mr. Kruscher, Sr., becoming a successful manufacturer of fire clay material in New York City. The son received his education at St. Francis Xavier's College and Bryant & Stratton's Business College, New York City, and the Polytechnique at Zurich, Switzerland. Since his twenty-second year he has been successfully engaged in the manu- facture of fire clay material, in association with his father until the latter's death, and in association with his brother since. He is a Mason. and a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Royal Arcanum.
LAFORGE, JAMES, was born in Pleasant Plains, S. L., May 31. 1848, of Huguenot ancestors, who have been settled on Staten Island for many generations. He was educated in the public schools, and then engaged in the oyster planting business for many years, making a success of it. He sold out this business, and is now a dealer in flour and feed on a large scale. He was at one time President of the Oyster- men's Association. He has been active in politics, having been a fre- quent delegate to Republican State conventions, while he was the Republican candidate for Sheriff of Richmond County. He was four times elected Collector, twice without opposition, and finally declined a renomination. Ile married Emily J., youngest daughter of John I. Wood, an old Staten Island shipbuilder, and has several children.
LOVELL, GEORGE T., born in Osterville, Cape Cod, Mass., January 8, 1833, is the son of George Lovell and Adaline H., daughter of Benja- min Hallett, and is the grandson of Cornelius Lovell. His grandfather.
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Benjamin Hallett, was Captain of a freight sloop plying between New York and Boston, and established at Boston the first Bethel church in the United States, the original place of meeting being an old canal boat at Commercial Wharf, Boston. After this model sailors' churches were established in every large seaport in the country. Benjamin F. Hallett, uncle of Mr. Lovell, was at one time the Democratie candidate for Governor of Massachusetts, and under the administration of Presi- dent Pierce was United States District Attorney at Boston. Mr. Lovell's father, one of the founders of the Despatch Line of schooners, the first line established to carry freight between Boston and New York; was Captain of a sloop during the War of 1812; was captured by the British, and was confined in Dartmouth Prison until the close of the war. He was a director of the bank at Barnstable, Mass. Hav- ing attended the public schools in Massachusetts, Mr. Lovell was grad- uated from Pierce Academy, at Middleboro, Mass. During the next ten years he was a ship chandler at Boston. During the Civil War he maintained a line of small schooners to carry sutlers' stores from Boston to Port Royal. For three years he was practically ruler of Long Island, a small British possession near Eastport, Maine, which he had leased, and where he carried on an extensive business in fish and fish oils. Since 1873 he has resided at Mount Vernon, N. Y., where he is agent for a large wholesale grocery house of New York City. He was appointed a Civil Service Commissioner of Mount Vernon in 1896, and was re-appointed in 1898, being also elected President of the Commission. He is Treasurer of the Third Ward Republican Asso- ciation of that city, and for eight years was a trustee and the Treas- urer of the Liberal Church. Ile has been a frequent contributor to the press, advocating public improvements and discussing principles of political economy. He was the founder of a press club, which is not now in existence.
MALCOLM, SAMUEL LOVE, was born in Steaventown, N. Y., Jau- uary 1, 1842, the son of JJoseph Malcolm and Haniet Brundridge, and the grandson of JJoseph Malcohn. His father was a native of Paisley. Scotland, while his mother was a native of Cornwall, N. Y. Having received his education in the public schools of Pittsfield, Mass., Mr. Malcolm, in 1861, enlisted in Company C, Ninth New York Volunteers ( Hawkins Zouaves), under the first call of Lincoln for 75,000 vohin- teers, and served with his regiment during the two years of its exist- ence, participating in the capture of Fort Clark at Cape Hatteras, and in the battles of Roanoke Island, Camden, South Mills, South Moun- tain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Suffolk. He was mustered out. May 19, 1863. as Second Sergeant of his company. He subsequently enlisted in the Ninth New York Regiment under Colonel Fisk, in which he served thirteen years, participating in the quelling of the famous Orangemen's Riot. His five brothers also served in the Union Army
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during the Civil War. He was apprenticed to learn the plumbing business in 1859, and as a master plumber has conducted a successful business in New York City since 1867. He is President of the National Association of Master Plumbers of the United States, and was for- merly President of the Association of Master Plumbers of the City of New York. He is a Mason, holding membership in Chancellor Wal- worth Lodge; is Past Imperial Counsellor of the Order of United Friends; is Past Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias; and is Past Commander of Kimball Post, Grand Army of the Republic.
MCKEE, ADAM, was born in Belfast, Ireland, May 25, 1859, his father being a native of Malone, Belfast, while his mother was a native of Larne. near Belfast. His education was begun in schools at Belfast. and was completed at Manchester, England. He was apprenticed to learn the plumbing business with Samuel Shannon, of Belfast, Ire- land, and finished with G. V. Blaikie, of Manchester. Coming to the United States, he has since been successfully engaged in business in New York City. He patented, in 1897, in the United States, England, and Canada, improvements in hose fitting, appertaining to the nozzle or coupling for the hose, as well as devices for coupling two pieces of hose together, or for mending hose. He is a member of the Associa- tion of Master Plumbers of the City of New York, as well-as of New York Council, No. 348, Royal Arcanun. .
MCCARTHY, WILLIAM P., was born in New York City, August 1, 1861, the son of Thomas Mccarthy and Mary Fitzgibbons. His pater- nal grandparents came to New York City from Ireland in 1838, and were long among the best known of the old residents of the Seventh Ward. In 1876 Mr. MeCarthy was graduated from Grammar School, No. 12, while in 1881 he was graduated from the College of the City of New York. Between 1881 and 1886 he engaged in journalism, being connected in an editorial capacity with the late George W. Bungay. In 1886 he became a teacher in the New York public schools, becom- ing one of the most successful teachers of college preparatory classes. For seven or eight years after reaching his majority he was active in politics in the old Seventh and Thirteenth wards of New York City. He subsequently became a resident of the village of Wakefield. of which village he was a trustee in 1894 and 1895, when most of the lo- cal improvements were made and the village was annexed to New York City. As a champion of annexation he appeared several times be- fore Legislative Committees at Albany, as well as before the Greater New York Commission, of which Andrew H. Green was President. He became Principal of the Wakefield Grammar School in 1895, upon invitation of members of the Board of Education of the town of East Chester, Westchester County, who desired to see the school reorganized and the standard of scholarship elevated. He had scarcely entered
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upon his duties when the village became a part of New York City and the school passed under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education of New York City. Public School No. 101, of which he is now Prin- cipal, is the most northern school in New York City. In 1895 he was elected a trustee of the Wakefield Public Library, and in 1896 became an honorary member of George Washington Hose Company. He is a director of the New York City Teachers' Association. an honorary member of the Emile, and a member of the Society of Pedagogy, the New York State Teachers' Association, the National Educational As- sociation, the Male Principals' Association, the Hoi Scholasticoi, the Catholic Benevolent Legion, the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Summer School, the Taxpayers' Alliance of the North Side, the Tax- payers' Alliance Society, and the Wakefield Taxpayers' Club. 'He mar- ried Miss Mary G. Gerity, formerly a teacher in the Catskill Mountain region, where he has a summer home.
MCKNIGHT, HARVEY STEWART, was born at Jackson Hall, Pa., October 20, 1864, the son of John and Sarah Mcknight. Mr. McKnight received his education in the public schools and the acad- emy at Chambersburg, Pa., at the Pennsylvania College, and at the Columbian University, Washington, D. C. He was employed in the manufacturing business of John MeKnight, was a dork in the United States Patent Office, and was subsequently in the law office of William HI. Travers, general counsel of the Shenandoah Railroad Company. He practiced as an attorney at law in Washington, D. C. In 1892 he removed to Bayside, N. Y., where he has since conducted a real estate and insurance business. He has been a JJustice of the Peace and a member of the New York Assembly. He is connected with the Bay- side Land Company and several leading insurance companies. Ile is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and of other organiza- tions. He is unmarried.
MCOWEN, ANTHONY, was born in Ireland, March 23. 1842, the son of Henry and Ann McOwen, his father being a native of County Dublin, and his mother a native of County Wicklow. Having received his education in public and parish schools in Ireland. in 1858 Mr. McOwen came to the United States. He learned the trade of a car- penter in New York City. He enlisted in the Ninety-ninth Regiment of New York Volunteers, and was promoted to Adjutant. He also organized a company in the Twenty-seventh Regiment, New York Volunteers. For six years he served as Clerk of the Tenth District Court under Judge James R. Angel. For nine or ten years he was Deputy Tax Commissioner for New York City, relinquishing this office, January 1, 1898, to enter apon the duties of his present office as Coroner of the Borough of The Bronx, to which he was elected in the fall of 1897.
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MERRITT, ISRAEL J., was born in New York City, August 23. 1829, was educated in the public schools, and at the age of twenty had become captain of a schooner in the coasting trade. In 1853 he was appointed Agent of the Board of Marine Underwriters, and soon after became the General Agent of the Coast Wrecking Company of the City of New York, which position he has since held. Through his skill a large number of vessels of all kinds, which had been wrecked. have been recovered and preserved from destruction. One of his most notable achievements was the saving of the steamship " L'Amerique " in 1877-78; this vessel, driven ashore about twelve miles from Sandy Hook, being one of the largest steamers of the Trans-Atlantic Line, plying between New York and Havre. Captain Merritt resides at Whitestone, Queens County, N. Y.
MULLIGAN, THOMAS J., was born in Fallsburgh, Sullivan County, N. Y., June 6, 1852, both his parents being natives of Ireland. Ile attended the public schools, and learned the trade of a tanner. His parents removing to New York City when he was twelve years of age. he attended the evening schools of the Cooper Union Institute, taking lessons in drawing and architecture. He entered the employ of the Butterick Publishing Company as porter, was advanced to the artist department, and was long the chief sketch artist in the line of fashion work of this company, remaining in their service for more than twenty- six years. On January 1, 1898, he was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Water Supply for New York City. He has served as a trustee of the village of Williamsbridge, as well as the Chief of its Fire Depart- ment. He is a veteran of the Twenty-second Regiment of New York National Guards, and is a member of the Democratic Club, the Catholic Benevolent Legion, and the Knights of Columbus.
PARDEE, SHELDON JOHN, Ph.D., was born in Brooklyn. Mich .. January 24. 1851. the son of John W. Pardee and Caroline, daughter of Lemuel Tayler and Laura Webster. The father of Laura Webster was an Episcopalian clergyman, while the Tylers were related to President John Tyler. Ebenezer Pardee, great-great-grandfather of Dr. S. T. Pardee, was a Revolutionary soldier, participating in the Battle of Long Island and Washington's Campaign about New York, until October 28. 1776. when he received a mortal wound in the Battle of White Plains. George Pardee, three generations further removed, and the progenitor of the family in this country, was born in England in 1629, of French Huguenot parentage, and died at New Haven. Conn., in 1700. his wife being a daughter of Judge Richard Miles, of New Haven. In June. 1872. Dr. Pardee was graduated from the Michigan State Normal School. and in June. 1876, from the Union Christian College, Merom. Ind. He began teaching at the age of seventeen. In the summer of 1870 he took a railroad contract for grading, and cleared enough to en-
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able him to complete his education. He taught two years in Union Christian College; one year as principal at Silver Creek, N. Y .; for four years was principal of the Academy at Wilson, N. Y .; was two years at Niagara Falls, N. Y .; for two years was Principal of the High School at Flushing, N. Y .; for six years was Superintendent of Long Island City schools, and during the last six years has been Principal in what is now the Borough of Richmond, New York City. While natur- ally of a retiring disposition, honors and leadership have attended his connection with schools wherever he has been. As a student at the Nor- mal School he was elected President of the Lyceum, and while at col- lege was elected President of the Franklin Society. He was President of the Niagara County Teachers' Association; for six years was Presi- dent of the Long Island City Teachers' Association; has been President of the Principals' Council, Borough of Richmond, and is now President of the Richmond County Teachers' Association. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. the Royal Arcanum, and the Work- ingmen's Democratie League. He is a cousin of Mortimer Nye. re- cently Lieutenant-Governor of Indiana, and is a second cousin of Gen- eral Don. A. Pardee, of New Orleans, a United States Circuit Court Judge. With his extended experience and native talent, he has natur- ally taken rank among the first teachers of the Borough of Richmond.
SPONABLE, WELLS, was born in Minden, Montgomery County, N. Y .. December 16. 1829, the son of John Sponable, and Mariah, daugh- ter of Jacob Smith, and granddaughter of Henry Smith; the grandson of Philip Sponable, and the great-grandson of John Sponable. His paternal ancestors emigrated from Dillenburgh, Germany, to Mont- gomery County, N. Y .. prior to the Revolution. His maternal great- grandfather, Henry Smith, was a soldier in the Revolution. Having received a public school education, Mr. Sponable learned the trade of a mason at Little Falls, N. Y., and at that place followed the building business until 1861. He served in the 34th New York Volunteer In- fantry from the beginning of the Civil War until his regiment was mustered out. in June. 1863; while he was then appointed a Cap- tain in the United States Army by President Lincoln, and served as Inspector-General until the close of the war. He was then appointed a clerk in the railway mail service, in which he still continues. In 1881 he bought the first city lot in Morris Heights, New York City, and built there the first house. He was President of the Morris Heights Re- publican Club, and was Chairman of the Republican District organiza- tion from their organization until after the election of President Me- Kinley. He is a Mason, and a member of the New York State Loyal Legion.
HADKINS, FRANK L., was born in Perth Amboy. N. J., October 14, 1863, the son of John Hadkins and Mary IL., daughter of Robert
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MacCready and Elizabeth Taylor, and the grandson of Henry Had- kins and Sarah Tice, while his paternal great-grandfather was JJohn Hadkins. He received his education in the public schools of Totten- ville, S. L., and in 1880 was taken into partnership in the bottling busi- ness, which had been established by his father in 1863. After his father's death. in 1872, the business had been conducted by his brother, Robert H. Hadkins. In 1880 the firm style became R. H. Hadkins & Brother. Robert H. Hadkins died in 1889, since which time the busi- ness has been conducted by Mr. Frank L. Hadkins, under the style of the Hadkins Bottling Company. Mr. Hadkins is a member of the Tottenville Band, the Aquehonga Athletic Club, and the Royal Ar- canum, and is also a Mason, and a Knight of Pythias.
ROSS, GEORGE, was born in Port Richmond, S. I., August 7, 1855, the son of William A. Ross and Rachel E., daughter of John Haugh- mont, and the grandson of William Ross. He received his education in Public school No. 6, of Port Richmond, and was then apprenticed to his father as a sailmaker. During the past twenty years he has been in business at Port Richmond as a manufacturer of awnings. He has been nominated for Supervisor, and other offices. He is a member of the Kill von Kull Yacht Club, and is at present its Vice-Commodore. Mr. Ross's father was one of the five original trustees of the village of Port Richmond at the time of its incorporation. His grandfather,. William A. Ross, founded and conducted the first Sunday-school ou Staten Island.
SPERRY, HOWARD AUGUSTUS, was born in New York City, February 4, 1853, the son of William S. Sperry, a clockmaker, and of Louisa M. Dudley. His ancestors, famous for many generations as clockmakers, removed from England to New England in the seven- teenth century. Members of the family were the first tower clock- makers in the City of New York. Having been educated in the public schools of Brooklyn. Mr. Sperry became a stenographer, and in this capacity was officially connected with the Marine Court. In 1873 he resigned from this position to study law. Admitted to the bar at New York City in 1875, he entered into partnership with John F. Baker. Since 1880 he has practiced alone. He resides at Douglaston, Queens County, N. Y., and is a member of the Queens County Bar Association. He is an Episcopalian. He married in 1881 Catherine Fowler, daugh- ter of the late Charles E. Anderson. They have no children.
CUSHMAN, WILLIAM FLOYD, well-known physician of Manhat- tan Borough, was born in the Sixteenth Ward, New York City, March 21, 1839, and is the son of the late Don Alonzo Cushman and Matilda Charity Smith Ritter. He received his early education in the public schools of New York City, and in 1859 was graduated from Columbia
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College. He studied medicine with the late Dr. Willard Parker, while in 1862 he was graduated from the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons. During the two years following he was Interne of the New York Hospital. and then became connected with the Union service as a memberof the Sanitary Commission, serving in this capacity in the Penn- sylvania campaign. He then became connected with the Pacific Mail service, and during the next five years was physician on steamers of its various branches, plying between New York and spinwall, Panama, and thence to China, and on the inland sea of Japan. After this exper- ience he returned to New York City, where he has since practiced his profession, achieving high standing among his professional brethren. He was the first Treasurer of the American Journal Association, which was afterward amalgamated with the New York Academy of Medi- cine. For many years he was also Treasurer of the Academy of Medi- cine, while he has since been Treasurer of its Board of Trustees. He is also a member of the different medical clubs, the Physicians' Mutual Aid Society, and the Society caring for the Widows and Orphans of Medical Men. His country home is at Ridgefield, Conn. He married, in 1880, Miss Mary Elizabeth Potter, of Philadelphia, Pa .. and has five children-Robert Potter. Leslie Holbrook. Margaret Allerton, William Ritter, and Ruth Elizabeth Cushman.
ROE, CLINTON TOWNSEND, was born in Whitestone, L. L., June 9, 1870, the son of Samuel D. Roe and May Emily, daughter of Edwin and Rebecca T. Powell, and granddaughter of John and Aun Powell; the grandson of William and Phobe Roe, and the great-grandson of William and Mary Roe. He was educated in the Flushing (L. I.) High School, and the Columbia College Law School, also studying law with Black, Ladd & King, and on July 2, 1891, was admitted to the New York bar. He has since practiced his profession alone in New York City, while residing in the village of Whitestone. He was coun- sel to this village prior to its consolidation with the City of New York. He is a member of the Knickerbocker Yacht Club, the Flushing Fish- ing Club, Anchor Lodge, No. 720, Free and Accepted Masons, of Col- lege Point. and Oak Lodge. Knights of Patrias, of Flushing.
BACKUS, JOHN E., Deputy Commissioner of Bridges for the Borough of Queens, New York City, was born in Newtown, L. I. Sep- tember 25, 1846, and is the son of Asean Backus and Mary A. Beethan. His father was a farmer at Newtown for fifty years, having resided in that village since he was fifteen years of age. Mr. Backus completed his education at the Flushing Institute, and was then assigned to man- age his father's estate, comprising several hundred acres of land. After his father's death, in 1880, he became executor and part owner. He was Treasurer of the Citizens' Water Supply Company, of Newtown. is a trustee of the Jamaica Savings Bank, was a director of the Queens
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County Agricultural Society, and is an executor of three estates. He was formerly Treasurer of the State Normal School at Jamaica, but re- signed from this position to accept his appointment by Mayor Van Wyck as Deputy Commissioner of Bridges. He also resigned his con- nections with the Water Supply Company and the Agricultural So- ciety at this time. He married, November 5, 1873, Miss Phoebe S. Van- derveer, by whom he has had four sons, three of whom are living. He is a prominent Democrat, and has held the offices of deacon and elder in the Dutch Reformed Church.
PURCELL, JOHN, was born in the Eighth Ward, New York City, January 1, 1842, and is the son of James and Mary Purcell. He was educated in the public schools, and during the next twenty years was engaged in the liquor business, being also active in politics as a Demo- crat. He was Street Inspector for the Eighth Ward, was Health War- den for the same, was an officer of the Supreme Court, and was an officer of the Court of General Sessions. For sixteen years he was an officer of the First District Court, and, during ten years of this period, - was its Clerk. He is now a Commissioner of Jurors. He is a member of the Democratic Club. He married, in 1858, and has had six chil- dren, of whom four are now dead and two living. He is a great-grand- father.
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