Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York, Part 121

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : Chapman Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1220

USA > New York > Queens County > Long Island City > Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York > Part 121

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Educated in the public schools and Union Hall Academy, our subject at the age of twenty-two took a position as chief clerk with H. M. Willis, who was engaged in the business now conducted by Mr. Oakley. After a few months he took a position as superintendent and manager of the sash and blind department for John S. Loomis of Brooklyn, with whom he remained for several months. Returning to his old position he re- mained in that connection until 1889, when he formed a partnership with William H. Griffin and bought the business, the two continuing together until January, 1896, when Mr. Griffin retired on

account of his health. He manufactures several styles of road carts, filling special orders from customers, and his carts are well known to the best trade. Besides filling special orders, he sup- plies dealers in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and elsewhere.

In political sentiments Mr. Oakley is a pro- nounced Republican. Socially he is identified with Protection Lodge No. 151, I. O. O. F. at Roslyn, of which he is now past grand. He is also a member of Mineola Encampment No. 121, of which he is a charter member and is past chief patriarch.

In July, 1892, Mr. Oakley was united in mar- riage with Miss Clara Van Orden, an educated and refined lady, and a graduate of Cortland Nor- mal School. She was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., and by her marriage has a daughter, Lydia Marie. Since 1891 Mr. Oakley has been con- nected with the East Williston Hook and Lad- der Company No. I, of which he was secretary for a number of years, and in 1891 he was elected the president. He is one of the young and en- ergetic business men of East Williston and holds a high position in the regard of his associates in business and society.

B L. CARROLL. The evolutions in the industrial world have been marvelous in

· the past half century, and scarcely an industry exists that has been left untouched by the spirit of reform. This is true in regard to the bettling business, to which B. L. Carroll has for some time given his attention. He is a native of Far Rockaway, and here he has always made his home, with the exception of three years spent in South Brooklyn and two years in Long Island City. His father, J. L. Norton Carroll, was born in the city of New York, and upon reaching manhood was united in marriage with Mrs. Eliz- abeth (Jennings) Lockwood, widow of Benjamin Lockwood, and daughter of David Jennings. The latter was called from this life at the age of seven- ty-three years, after a well spent life; his widow, who is still living, makes her home in Far Rock- away.

Our subject was born January 9, 1847. While growing up he received such educational ad- vantages as could be obtained near his home, but it must be confessed they were by no means as good as the youths of the present day enjoy, for the nearest place of learning was two miles dis-

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tant from his home and thither he had to walk. The education obtained under these adverse cir- cumstances has since been supplemented by prac- tical experience and contact with the business af- fairs of life, and he is an unusually well informed man. He early showed a mechanical bent of mind and his first work was done in South Brooklyn, where he was apprenticed to learn the trade of a machinist in steam engine works. After three years' service he spent one year in the Long Island Railroad shops, after which he spent nearly two years in Lockwood's hardware store in Long Island City. Following this he clerked for two years in the Atlantic hotel at Far Rock- away for Benjamin C. Mott, during which time he made many acquaintances and friends. Later he engaged in bottling mineral water, in which business he has met with a fair degree of success, notwithstanding the fact that he was at one time burned out.

Mr. Carroll was united in marriage with Miss Johanna Dwyer of New York City, and their union has resulted in the birth of five children: Johanna, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Kate E. and Grace. Mr. Carroll has always been a Democrat and has been quite active in local politics. He has been continuously a member of the board of ex- cise commissioners for twenty-one years, with the exception of one year. He has been treasurer of the board for the past nine years, and is also treasurer of the village. In educational matters he has taken a deep interest and has been a men- ber of the school board. In local public affairs he keeps thoroughly posted and can always be re- lied upon to work for the best interests of the place, as he sees it. He is decidedly enterprising, believes in improvement and progress, and is one of the best known and most highly esteemed resi- dents of the town. Fraternally he is a member of Jamaica Lodge No. 546, F. & A. M.

H ON. SAMUEL V. SEARING. By his able public services this gentleman is en- titled to conspicuous mention among the progressive citizens of Mineola and Queens County. He was born January 20, 1836, within one mile of the village of Mineola, town of North Hempstead, and is a son of Hon. John A. and Susan E. (Valentine) Searing. His father, who in former years was one of the most distinguished men of this locality, was born in Searingtown, North Hempstead, September 15, 1812, and was

reared to manhood upon the old homestead owned by his father, Colonel Searing.

The first position to which John A. Searing was elected was that of justice of the peace, in which capacity he served for eighteen months. Later he was sheriff of Queens County for one term and then was chosen to represent his dis- trict in the legislature. In recognition of his abil- ity he was in 1856 elected to Congress, and dur- ing the term in which he held that responsible position he devoted himself assiduously to the interests of his constituents, whom he represent- ed with honor to himself as well as satisfaction to them. On the close of his term as Congress- man, he retired from public life, though he still maintained a warm interest in politics and con- tinued an ardent supporter, as he had been through his entire life, of the principles enunci- ated by Thomas Jefferson. His last days were spent quietly in retirement and he passed away at his home in May, 1876. It is worthy of note that he was born in the year of the second war with Great Britain and died in the year of the Centennial.

The only survivors of the parental family are our subject and his sister, Susan, wife of George W. Emory, a resident of Mineola, and identified with the Long Island Railroad as station agent for many years. Our subject was educated in the district schools and Union Hall Academy at Ja- maica. At the age of sixteen he entered the clothing store of P. C. Barnum & Co., where he remained for four years, and then became a salesman in Booth & Tuttle's dry goods jobbing house.

In 1858 Mr. Searing was appointed chief clerk in the appraiser's office in the custom house, in which capacity he served for three years. In 1862 he accepted a position in the shipping house of Charles L. Colby & Co., where he remained until 1866. That year he established a shipping business on his own account to Southern ports, but the Civil War had impoverished that country to such an extent that it did not prove very re- munerative, and he abandoned the business after one year. His next venture was in the insur- ance business at his native place, Mineola, where he represented some of the leading companies of the country; and the enterprise proving prof- itable, hc has remained in it to the present. In 1890 he added a real estate business and plotted a portion of his property near the village, which he has sold off in plots.

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One of the first public or political positions held by Mr. Searing was that of town clerk in 1867 and 1868, which he was elected to and which he held for two terms in succession. In 1871 he was elected and served a term of four years as justice of the peace. In the spring of 1891 he was appointed to fill an unexpired term as jus- tice, and was afterward duly elected, serving for another term of four years, and in 1895 was re- elected for the third term. In 1892 he was chosen to represent the second (now the third) district in the legislature, receiving a majority of over thirteen hundred votes, the largest ma- jority ever given in the district. In the prose- cution of his duties he received the commenda- tion of both Republicans and Democrats. He succeeded in having a number of bills enacted into laws for the benefit of his district. One of the acts which distinguished his public service was his opposition to the Tammany candidate for Senator. Although a Democrat he had the independence to oppose any measure of his party he did not deem worthy. His office was well and faithfully administered, and his constituents had in him one able and anxious to serve them in every possible way. In December, 1894, he was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue for the first district of New York. In every posi- tion to which he has been called, his talents have been at the service of the people and his efforts have been put forth to advance the welfare of the community.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Searing have been mem- bers of St. George's Episcopal Church of Hemp- stead for thirty years, but since the completion of the Cathedral of Incarnation at Garden City they have attended services there, and for the past two years he has acted as usher. May 6, 1860, he married Annie A. Searing, a distant relative, and daughter of Alfred L. Searing, of Brooklyn. She was born in Jamaica, where her father was at that time engaged in business. One son blesses this union, Frank A.

G EORGE H. SMYTH. This resident of Long Island City has been active in all public affairs, but especially in the fire department, with which he has been connected for some time and which is now recognized as one of the best in the state. He is a native of Ireland, born in Ballymoney, County Antrim, June 19, 1860. His father, James, whose place

. of birth was the same as his own, was engaged in the manufacture of shoes throughout his entire active life. May 1, 1862, he came with his fam- ily to America and at once located in Astoria, where he carried on a retail shoe business. He continued in that occupation until his death, which occurred July 29, 1885. Socially he was identified with Astoria Lodge No. 155, I. O. O. F., in which he had passed all the chairs and which he represented in the Grand Lodge.

By his marriage to Annie Blair, a native of County Antrim, who died in 1873, James Smyth became the father of six children, of whom five attained years of maturity. Hugh Alexander, who is a teamster in Long Island City, was for five years a member of the old Truck No. I, be- ing its assistant foreman; Jennie B. is head sales- woman in the shoe department of Wanamaker's store in Philadelphia; George H. is the subject of this article: James is connected with a publish- ing house in Philadelphia; John died in boyhood; and Robert is a teamster in Long Island City.

Having completed the course in the Fourth Ward school of Astoria, our subject at the age of thirteen began to clerk for Rapelye & Wright, with whom he remained for eighteen months. He was afterward clerk for Alderman John Mackie for twelve years, and then embarked in business for himself as a member of the firm of Smyth & Hollingsworth, located on the corner of Ful- ton and Main Streets. Two years later the part- nership was dissolved, and he entered the em- ploy of his brother, who was a partner in the hardware firm of Smyth & Hannigan. One year was spent there, then a similar period in Moore's bakery, Astoria, after which he was in Keden- burg's bakery for fifteen months.

June 7, 1893, Mr. Smyth was appointed as- sistant sanitary inspector, which position he held for three months. February 28, 1894, he was ap- pointed fireman on the paid fire department, and assigned to duty as driver of the truck in the first ward house. One month later he was transferred and made driver of the truck in the fourth ward house. In June, 1894, he became foreman of this truck, which on the 8th of De- cember following was transferred to No. 5 house, and is now designated Truck No. 5. Of this he was made foreman December 8, 1894, being the first to occupy this position.

The marriage of Mr. Smyth took place in As- toria, November 14, 1880, and united him with Miss Wilhelmina Burkart, who was born in New

JOHN H. CORNWALL.

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York City. Her father, who was a soldier of the Civil War, was killed in a railroad accident in Long Island City many years ago, leaving her an orphan when very young. Four children complete the family circle, namely: Minnie Jean- nette, George Francis, Florence Washington and Walter Alexander.

For five years Mr. Smyth was connected with Mohawk Hose Company No. I, and a year after his retirement from that company joined the old Truck No. I, of which he was assistant foreman when it was disbanded five years later. Socially he is identified as a charter member with Long Island City Council No. 17, O. A. F., and has passed all the chairs in Astoria Lodge No. 155, I. O. O. F. In religious belief he is a Presby- terian. Politically he gives his allegiance to Re- publican principles, but is not radical in his opinions, conceding to others the freedom of be- lief which he claims for himself.

J JOHN HEWLETT CORNWALL, a mem- ber of one of the oldest families of Long Island, makes his home at Cornwallton, on the north shore of Manhasset Bay, where he was bern December 10, 1860. He is descended from Thomas Cornell, born about 1595, emigrated from Essex, England, to Boston, Mass., about 1636, bringing with him his wife, Rebecca Briggs, and several children. He settled on a neck of land fronting about two miles on Long Island Sound, from the Bronx River to Westchester Creek, known as Cornell's Neck, for which the patent was granted by Gov. William Keift July 26, 1646. Four years prior to this he had settled in what is now Westchester County, taking up his residence among the Dutch of New Amster- dam after having spent six years in Massachu- setts and Rhode Island. March 16, 1641, he was made a freeman of the town of Boston, and soon afterward became constable, an office of greater dignity then than now, the constable being mag- istrate and chief officer of the town. He and another pioneer made the first improvements at- tempted by white settlers in what is now the town of Westchester or Pelham, the first settle- ment after those of Bronck in 1638.

The marriage record of the Dutch Church of New Amsterdam, the only church in the city in 1643, contains eight entries, the sixth of which,

translated into English, reads that "On the Ist of September, 1643, were married Thomas Wil- lett, previously unmarried, of Bristol, England, and Sarah Cornell, not before married, of Essex, England." This Sarah Cornell was the eldest daughter of Thomas Cornell. His other children were Thomas; Richard, of Rockaway; William; Samuel; John, of Cow Neck; Joshua; Ann; Re- becca; Elizabeth and Mary. He died in Ports- mouth, R. I., in 1655. Of his children, the fol- lowing is noted: Thomas resided in Portsmouth, R. I .; Richard maintained an honorable position in Rockaway, L. I., for many years; was in Flush- ing before 1655; was deputy to the convention of 1655; served as justice of the peace in Flushing as early as 1666, and had an estate at Little Neck. In 1685 he removed to Rockaway, where he died in 1694. Joshua settled in Dartmouth, where his mother deeded him land in 1663; Samuel was also deeded land in Dartmouth by his mother in 1669; John settled first in Dartmouth, but to escape the dangers of King Philip's War he re- moved to Cow Neck, L. I., where Governor An- dros granted him land, in 1676, near the bottoni of Cow Neck, adjoining Cow Bay (now Port Washington), where some of his descendants still reside on the ancestral acres; William, also of Dartmouth, came to Cow Neck with his brother John, and later settled at Rockaway; Sarah, after tlie death of her first husband, Thomas Willett, in 1645, was married in 1647 to Charles Bridges; her children and grandchildren occupied her father's estate at Cornell's Neck, Westchester County, for more than one hundred years; Re- becca was married to George Woolsey in 1647, at New Amsterdam; Ann married Thomas Kent and her mother deeded them ten acres of land in 1659; Elizabeth married, in 1661, Christopher Almy, son of William Almy, the founder of the numerous family of that name in Rhode Island.

John Cornwall, who was born about 1637 in Rhode Island, married Mary Russell, whose birth occurred in 1645, and their children were: Rich- ard, of Soarsdale, who married Hannah Thorne; Joshua, who married Sarah, sister of Hannah Thorne; Mary, born in 1679, wife of James Sands; John, born in 1681, married to Mary Star: Caleb, born in 1683, married Elizabeth Hag- ner; and Rebecca, who was married to a Mr. Star. Early in the autumn of 1676 John Corn- wall, with his wife, Mary Russell, and five small children, being driven from Plymouth, R. I., by

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the Indians, came to Hempstead under protection of Governor Andros, from whom he obtained grants for one hundred acres of land on the west side of Cow Neck. Here he proceeded to build. The people of Hempstead, becoming indignant at the supposed intrusion, held a meeting and voted that all holders of rights, of Cow Neck, should pull down the buildings of John Cornwall, which they proceeded to do. He secured a war- rant to bring the "rioters" with civil and military force before the governor. At a special court of assize the indictment was read, the jury called, and the prisoners tried and found guilty and fined various sums. It was the judgment of the court that Mr. Cornwall had liberty to settle at Cow Neck again, and if the land should appear to be- long to the Hempstead men, they were to be paid for it as much as they could prove it to be worth. Later, in the year 1676, Hempstead was cited be- fore the governor to show a particular survey of all their purchases from the Indians, and it was proved that the lands were not theirs and that John Cornwall had as much right to settle there as they, the land being owned by the Indians and part of Tackapousha's country. Although that question was settled Mr. Cornwall did not have peace, for the Indians, the rightful owners of the land, were from 1676 to 1684 continually com- mitting various depredations, burning his house and barns, stealing and killing cattle, etc. Rec- ognizing no rights but those of the colony, he protected his home as long as possible, but being surrounded by a portion of these tribes, was at last forced to acknowledge the Indians' rightful ownership and make settlements. They sold the land to him for a barrel of whiskey, which they soon consumed. When they recovered from the effects of their over-indulgence and realized what they had done, they demanded the land again. The great sachem, Tackapousha, then placed their claim so forcibly before the governor that the property was sold in a business transaction to John and Richard Cornwall.

The following is a partial copy of the deed, dated 1684: "Tackapousha, sachem of Cow Neck; Jonas, Sanceke, Saummaunk, Cungama- kena, owners of tracts of lands on the east side of Cow Neck; the first bound beginning at the east side of the neck at a white oak tree, etc., to Richard and John Cornwall, Thomas Willet, Thomas Hicks, Elias Doughty, for a consideration of a valuable sum, already in hand, received to our

full conformance, whereof we, ye above named Indians, have set our hand and affixed our seals.

Tackapousha, Opson, son of Tackapousha, Jonas,

Saummaunk, Cungamakena.

Signed and witnessed by the Indians,

Werak, Skungie."

The Indians reserved a life right on the land extending from Cornwall's farm, on the shores of Cow Bay, around the point known as Sand's Point to Hempstead Bay, and on this small tract the remnants of the once powerful tribes lived out their days.

September 13, 1686, John Cornwall obtained one other patent from Governor Donagan for one hundred acres more, adjoining on the north of his first grant extending to the sound. On the first tract he gave a piece of ground for a family burial place, and there he and his wife and many of their descendants were interred. With his sons, Richard and Joshua, in 1702 he purchased of Tom Willets, for six hundred pounds, the farm that John, William and Caleb lived on and where they had shipyards. A contract for the ship "Snow," to be built by John Cornwall for John Pintard, signed and sealed in the presence of Louis Pintard and John Matthew Hutchins, is still in the possession of his descendant, John H. Cornwall, as are also many old deeds and papers of his ancestors.

Caleb Cornwall, son of John Cornwall, was married October 31, 1705, to Elizabeth Hagner, and had ten children: Richardson, born July 16, 1706, died June 10, 1732; Caleb, born March 28, 1709, died December 16, 1784; Elizabeth, born September 27, 17II, died May 10, 1793; Mary, born June 19, 1714, died December 23, 1780; John, born October 26, 1716, died January 8, 1790; Susannah, who died young; Richard, born May 10, 1720, died in 1772; William, born in 1723, died November 5, 1797; Joshua, born May 10, 1726, died June 20, 1800; and Margaret, born February 28, 1728, died December 16, 1808.

John, son of Caleb, first married Martha Hew- lett, and after her death was united with her sis- ter, Phebe Hewlett, by whom he had two sons, Charles, who died young; and Hewlett, born Jan- uary I, 1751, died June 3, 1828. The last named

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

succeeded to the property and was the first man in this part of the country to lift the bond of servi- tude from the descendants of the Indians, who by intermarrying with the negroes had eventually be- come slaves. He was a fine mathematician, hav- ing a method of his own to solve the most intri- cate problems, many of which were brought him by business men. He never sought the honors of public life and never held an office, except such as his native town called upon him to fill. He and the other descendants of the Cornwall family have always been conservative Democrats of the old school. His wife, Elizabeth Willis, was born in 1759, and died May 22, 1844, having had six children: John, born September 22, 1783, died February 6, 1873; Margaret, born December 16, 1785, died March 27, 1865; Martha, born Octo- ber 16, 1788; Charles, born January 1, 1791, died April 7, 1814; Walter J., born April 27, 1795, died March 3, 1865; and Phebe, born February 18, 1799, died December 2, 1867.

John, son of Hewlett, married March 18, 1812, Miss Mariam W. Tredwell, who was born No- vember 5, 1792, and died September 26, 1868. Of their union two children were born, namely: John Hewlett, born March 30, 1816, married to Susan Reynolds November 20, 1844, and died December 27, 1887; and Mary T., born January 26, 1820, and married to J. L. Hewlett January 20, 1836. From 1835 to 1844 John Hewlett Corn- wall was paymaster and captain of the Twenty- second Brigade and First Division of the New York Militia. By his marriage to Susan Rey- nolds, who was born May 1, 1828, and died April 4, 1892, he had three children: Mariam W., born September 17, 1845, married to R. B. Parker, and died September 16, 1887; Mary M., who was born May 26, 1853, and who married H. R. Searing; and John Hewlett, the subject of this sketch.

The first fifteen years of our subject's life were passed in the home neighborhood, after which he was a student in the Weston Military Institute of Fairfield County, Conn., for two years. Hav- ing a natural taste for boat building, on his return from school he turned his attention to this busi- ness. "Happy Thought" was the first boat he completed, and with it he won seven races. He then built the "Phyllis" that has won nineteen races, never having been beaten, and is now run- ning on Lake La Belle in Wisconsin. He also built "Expert," now sailing the waters of Lake Geneva, Wis. The "Tattler," now owned by O. W. Norton, also plies the waters of Lake Geneva,

and has a splendid record, and "Precept," owned by J. Hodgkins, is on the same lake. "Possum," owned by Kellogg Fairbanks, was victorious in the race with the famous Bridgeport "Rival," and was the only boat that ever succeeded in winning the race from that noted vessel. It was planned by our subject in a dream, and the following morning he arose and whittled out a model from which it was constructed. Among the other boats that he planned and built are the "Puck- shee," "Tippecanoe," "Gretchen," "Josephine," "Tyra," "Vanadis," "Corsair" and many others. His father, who was a farmer by occupation, ran a packet boat to and from New York, and as there were great quantities of sand on his place, he shipped this article to the city, digging from about fourteen acres. His later days, however, were spent in retirement on his estate.

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Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York, Part 121

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers Publication date: 1896 Publisher: New York ; Chicago : Chapman Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1220

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : Chapman Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1220