Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York, Part 126

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 126

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In the fall of 1893 Mr. Heany came to Flush- ing, purchased a residence in Ash Street, and worked at his trade until September, 1895, when he opened a shop in Boerum Avenue. Here he has since engaged in a general plumbing and heating business, having had some of the princi- pal contracts in this vicinity. In New York in 1881 he married Miss Carrie Heinzer, a native of that city, and they are the parents of two chil- dren, Arthur and Caroline. Socially our subject is connected with Cornucopia Lodge No. 563. F. & A. M., and the Royal Arcanum. He is a member of Murray Hill Hose Company No. 4 and the Journeyman Plumbers' Association of New York, and in his political views is a Demo- crat.

J ACOB VALENTINE. The family repre- sented by this well known citizen of Hemp- stead is one of the oldest on Long Island. The first of the name to cross the ocean was Richard Valentine, who removed from the parish of Eckles in Lancashire, England, in 1645, and the following year became one of the first set- tlers and original land owners of Hempstead, where he was prominent in the affairs of the town in its early days. His five sons were Rich- ard, William, Ephraim, Obadiah and Jonah. He

was a Quaker, and all the succeeding generations have been reared in that faith.

This branch of the family descended from Oba- diah. One of his sons, Jacob, who was the father of the great-grandfather of our subject, had a son named Richard, the latter being a brother of the Quaker preacher, William Valentine. Richard had a son named Jacob, who was the grandfather of the present Jacob, the latter being a member of the seventh generation from Richard Valen- tine, the first representative in America. The town records show that Jacob Valentine, grand- son of the original Richard, was for several years assessor of Hempstead. This was in 1751.

Jacob Valentine, our subject's grandfather, was born in 1773 and devoted his life to farm pur- suits. Like all Quakers, he was a lover of peace and refused to enlist in any active conflict, but during the War of 1812 he and his team were pressed into service. His two half-brothers, Ezekiel and William, went to Dutchess County, where they resided with an uncle, William Valen- tine, a Quaker preacher, and the grandfather of Stephen Treadwell, the noted minister in the Friends' Church.

The old family homestead on which our subject and his father were born was sold to A. T. Stew- art and forms a part of the great estate left by the merchant prince. The father of our subject had one brother and three sisters, John, Ann, Eliza and Ruth. John, who was a farmer in his early years, later was employed as a truckman in New York City, and died at Mt. Vernon; his son, Vandewater Valentine, is engaged in the mercan- tile business in Brooklyn. Ann married Daniel Lewis and they resided in the town of North Hempstead until death. Eliza died in young womanhood. Ruth married Daniel Searing.

William Valentine, our subject's father, was born August 17, 1806, and followed farming throughout his active life, but now lives retired, making his home with his son, Jacob. He mar- ried Mary Ann Bedell, who was born in 1810, and whose father, Benjamin, a native of Beth- page, was a son of Isaac Bedell. This family was also of the Quaker belief. She had two brothers. William, a resident of Sayville, and Isaac, who lived in Amityville. A daughter of Isaac is the wife of ex-Sheriff George S. Downing: and a son, Valentine Bedell, lives in Jamaica.

The two sons of William Valentine were Jacob, born June 1I, 1828: and John B., born in De- cember, 1829. The latter was a farmer in early

1000

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

life, but is now engaged as a carpenter and builder at Flushing. Our subject grew to man- hood on the old homestead, situated in the town of Hempstead, northeast of the village. In De- cember, 1848, he married Miss Martha Powell, who was born at Bayside, L. I., in 1829. Her father, John Powell, who was a native and farmer of the town of Flushing, was born October 17. 1787, and died at Bayside September 13, 1838. The family were Quakers in religious belief. Mrs. Valentine was one of four sisters, of whom one died in girlhood; Harriet married Rev. H. B. R. Abbott, a Methodist minister; and Adeline makes ' her home with her sister, Martha.

After his marriage Mr. Valentine spent seven years on his wife's homestead at Bayside, and then returned to the old Valentine homestead, where he continued to reside until it was sold to A. T. Stewart. Since then he has made his home in or near the village of Hempstead, where he has a small farm. As a Republican he has al- ways taken an active part in local as well as na- tional politics. For six years he was one of the assessors of the town, and it is said that he is one of the best judges of property and its value to be found on Long Island. While he and his family were reared in the Quaker faith, they now hold membership in St. George's Protestant Epis- copal Church at Hempstead.

Mr. and Mrs. Valentine have four living chil- dren. Their daughter, Sarah A., who married H. L. Weeks, is now deceased. John Powell, who is engaged in business in Brooklyn, married Ella, daughter of Charles Fowler, of that city; Martha married Henry E. Cornwell, of Hemp- stead, and they have three children, Henry E., Herbert V. and George; William Edgar married Rosamond Irish and has one child, Norman T .; and Henry M., who married Elizabeth Smart, is a business man of New York.

A DELBERT H. SAMMIS. Among the old families of Long Island none is more 'dis- tinguished for patriotic spirit and excellent business judgment than that represented by the gentleman named, a well known citizen of Hemp- stead. Both in Queens and Suffolk Counties there may now be found many of this name, and they always rank among the best and most pro- gressive citizens, having by natural gifts and cul- ture those qualities that render them conspicuous for good citizenship. The family genealogy shows

that the first of them to come to America was a native of England, who, being the possessor of what in those days was considered a fortune, was able to purchase large tracts of land on making settlement here. He purchased much of the land covering the present site of the village of Hemp- stead, and this property is now largely in the possession of our subject.

Successive generations of the family were born in the old Sammis Hotel, one of the historic buildings of this locality. It was erected prior to 1700 by the father of Nehemiah Sammis, and dur- ing the Revolution, when the latter was the pro- prietor, it was used by the English officers as their headquarters while they were in possession of this portion of Long Island. The house, which is still standing and in good condition, has been run as a hotel constantly by the Sammis family down to the present time and is now the property of our subject, but under the management of his nephew.

Nehemiah Sammis, who was born in the old hotel, had a son, Benjamin, born in the same house in 1763, whose son Henry, was the father of our subject. Henry was born in the old home- stead on Christmas Day of 1796 and spent his entire life in that historic place, where he died in 1881. He married Sarah Seaman, a member of one of the old families of the island and a lady of amiable disposition, a devoted member of St. George's Church in Hempstead; she died in 1874, some years prior to the decease of her husband. Of their nine children six attained mature years, namely: Adelbert H., Henry, Lawrence Seaman, Charles A., who was at one time sheriff of Queens County, and held that position and the office of under sheriff for nine years; Benjamin F., and Ann Amelia, wife of George W. Mayher, of Brooklyn.

Born in the village of Hempstead, March 20, 1842, the subject of this article has always made Long Island his home, though at intervals he has resided elsewhere, having spent several years in Chicago and other places. Appreciating the val- ue of travel, he has devoted considerable time to visiting points of interest in this country and through habits of observation has gained a broad knowledge of men and places that makes him a companionable and entertaining man. He owns considerable valuable property in and around Hempstead and his residence is one of the finest in the village. In it he and his accomplished wife, with whom he was united in 1872, and who

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

was formerly Miss Anna Sealey, of Brooklyn, delight to entertain their hosts of warm personal friends, extending a bounteous hospitality to all who come beneath their roof.

W ILLIAM C. HOLLAND, of Oceanus, is a member of the well-known grocery firm of W. C. Holland & Son, and is a live, progressive and go-ahead merchant. He deals principally with the large wholesale houses in procuring his stock, and is prepared to offer his patrons superior advantages over many of his competitors. William C. Holland was the fourth child born to his parents, Michael P. and Fannie R. (Brush) Holland, the former of whom was at one time a successful hotel keeper at Ja- maica, and is now in the real estate and insur- ance business at Rockaway Beach.

Our subject was born February 5, 1848, at Jamaica, and remained there until nine years of age. He had but limited scholastic advantages, only attending school until twelve or fourteen years old, but possessing a naturally quick mind, and being observing, he has become well posted on all affairs of moment, and is as well educated as many men who have had better advantages. When but thirteen years old he went to the city of New York and worked for a sugar and tea house at No. 187 Bowery for three years. From there he went to Maiden Lane and ran a tea and coffee route for one year. Later he returned home and was engaged in steamboating in New York harbor for about six months. Again he returned to Rockaway Beach and engaged in boating on the bay, and during the summer took our pleasure parties.

Later Mr. Holland went into the life saving ser- vice, and was stationed at Rockaway Point for four years under Captain Carman. Afterwards he was in the Rockaway life station, where he re- mained for seven years with Captain Rheinhart, later began planting oysters and finally estab- lished himself in the grocery business. The firm of Holland & Son has been conducting a success- ful business for five years, and the members are well known as highly respected tradesmen and command the esteem and confidence of all with whom they have dealings.

When about twenty-one years old Mr. Holland married Miss Margaret Brower, of Woodsburg, L. I., and daughter of Charles and Mary (Doxee) Brower, both now deceascd, the former dying at

the age of seventy-two and the latter when sixty- five years old. To Mr. and Mrs. Holland were born fourteen children, twelve now living. Will- iam resides in Rockaway Beach and has one child, Willie; Dora, the wife of Charles Kespert, has three children, Charles, Edna and Isabella; Frank, a member of the firm, married Miss Rose Keenan and has one child, Frank; Ella marricd Albert George and has three children, Willie, Ruth and Frank; Thomas, who is at home, is clerking for his father; Charles is a boatman; Carrie is deceased; Maud is at home; Henry, Ar- thur, Martin, Hazel and May are attending school, and Clarence is deccased. In politics Mr. Holland is a Republican, and fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, Seaside Lodge No. 260, and the Foresters.

E DWARD H. RATH. A great percentage of the rapid development noticed in eligible Long Island real estate in the past was traced directly to the honorable and conser- vative methods of the cities' leading dealers, who did not aim at the illegitimate end of creating in- flated values, but rather strove to retain the market upon a firm basis of actual worth as re- gards income-producing capacity. Prominent among those who made this their life work and whose integrity and reliability were well known was Edward H. Rath, one of the most successful real estate dealers of any section. His reputation for veracity and square dealing was well known and unsurpassed by any member of his line of business, and his patrons number prominent capi- talists, investors and substantial commercial men.

Mr. Rath was born in Brooklyn February 29, 1860, to the union of Henry and Augusta (Stob- esandt) Rath, natives of Germany. (See sketch of Henry C. Rath.) Our subject was educated in Brooklyn, graduated from the grammar school in Seventh Avenue, and subscquently became messenger boy with the Western Telegraph Com- pany at Newark, N. J., with his brother. Still later he became ticket agent and operator on Third Avenue Elevatcd, New York; held the po- sition for a number of years, and then embarked in the real estate business with Jerc Johnson, Jr., and was his leading operator in real estate, hand- ling and making the large deals. About 1890 he and his brother, Henry C. Rath, developed more property in Qucens County than any other local firm.

1002

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Mr. Rath was the prime mover and opened and extended Lincoln Street, and built the first resi- dence in the same. He was active also in other parts of the village, and became the owner of much valuable property here. On December 4, 1891, while on a trip to Boston, he was in a rail- road wreck and there met his death. He was a great lover of flowers, and when he met his death was on his way to Boston to see a certain new plant, a yellow carnation, which he wished for his greenhouse. He was a Lutheran in his religious views.

On the IIth of May, 1888, Mr. Rath married Miss Bertha Schmidt, a native of Brooklyn, and daughter of Joseph Schmidt, who was born near Bremen, Germany, and who was a merchant tailor, and the proprietor of Turn Hall in Brook- lyn. Mrs. Rath's mother, Dorothea Koch, was born in Germany and came to America with her parents when a mere child. By her marriage to Mr. Schmidt she became the mother of nine chil- dren, seven of whom are living at the present time. Of these, Mrs. Rath was fourth in order of birth. The latter, by her marriage to Mr. Rath, became the mother of two children, Bertha A. and Augusta M. Mrs. Rath is a worthy member of the Lutheran Church and the Ladies' Society. Since the death of her husband she has continued the florist business, merely for pastime and pleas- ure, and her large, fine greenhouse is filled with choice plants.

W AUGUSTUS SHIPLEY, chief of the Jamaica Fire Department and sec- · retary of the board of health, was born in the village of Jamaica September 5, 1866, being the son of George A. and Margaret (Lin- ton) Shipley, natives respectively of Germany and Great Neck, L. I. The family consists of four sons and four daughters, of whom W. Augustus is next to the youngest; Jacob is engaged in the express business in this village; George A. fol- lows the carpenter's trade here; and Lewis L. is employed as clerk in the office of the county clerk at Jamaica. The father, who has made farming his life occupation, makes his home in this village and still follows his chosen calling.

In the public schools Mr. Shipley laid the foun- dation of the education he afterward acquired by reading, experience and observation. While at- tending school he devoted his leisure hours to aiding in the work of the farm, and during the

summer months worked hard as a tiller of the soil. But not caring to make agriculture his life work, at the age of seventeen he secured a posi- tion with J. R. Everett, the undertaker, with whom he remained for five years. Later, for two years, he was with J. Tyler Watts, and since that time he has had charge of the extensive coal and lumber business of S. W. Van Allen.

For a number of years Mr. Shipley has been identified with the Jamaica fire department. In 1889 he was elected foreman of the Woodhull Hose Company and was re-elected the following year. In 1891 he was chosen assistant chief of the fire department, and two years later became chief, which position he has since held, being, it is said, the youngest fire department chief in the state. For two years he has been secretary of the Jamaica board of health. Fond of all sports, he is especially enthusiastic in regard to base ball and is the manager of the Jamaica Club. Socially he is connected with the Royal Arcanum.

The marriage of Mr. Shipley occurred Febru- ary 9, 1890, his wife being Sadie F., daughter of . Charles E. Twombley, president of the Jamaica village board and a large contractor. They have two children, Bessie Fay and Leonard Charles. Among the boys of the fire department Mr. Ship- ley is very popular and deservedly so. It is largely through his influence that the two new engine stations have been built and the service put in excellent working order. In other public enterprises he is also interested, and his co-opera- tion may be relied upon in matters pertaining to the welfare of the people.

G EORGE RIPPERGER. To follow out the lines of trade centering in a provision store would call for considerable experi- ence of one's mental powers. The dealer in the necessities of life must needs be a man of great discrimination and superior judgment, and these qualities are embodied in George Ripperger, wholesale provision dealer at Dutch Kills, Long Island City, whose establishment has the distinc- tion of being standard and up to the times. Mr. Ripperger was born in Brooklyn February 6, 1861, a son of John and Margaret E. (Seifert) Ripperger, natives of Germany. John Ripperger learned the trade of a shipsmith in his native land, came to the United States while still unmarried, and secured employment in a block factory in Brooklyn, at the foot of Freeman Street, of which

MARTIN G. JOHNSON.

1005

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

he finally became foreman. After a time he re- signed his position to embark in business for him- self, and from that time until his death in 1888, he was engaged as a shipsmith in Radde Street. He built up an extensive business and also con- tracted for a large wholesale house in New York City, with place of business on South and Front Streets. He and his wife were members of the Second Dutch Reformed Church of Astoria, and the latter now resides in the old family home at this place. Their family consists of eight chil- dren: Mrs. L. Walters, of Broadway, Long Is- Iand City ; Mrs. Henry Van Alst, of Astoria, Long Island City; Christ, a cigarmaker of Long Island City; Mrs. Abbie Knell, of Paterson, N. J .; George; Mrs. Hewett, of Long Island City; John, who is a shipsmith in the navy yard; and Frank, a rope maker in Long Island City.

George Ripperger has been a resident of Long Island City from the time he was three years of age, and in the schools of the third ward he re- ceived his education. At the early age of thirteen years he became clerk in a grocery store at Hun- ter's Point, remained thus occupied five years, and for eight months following was with Morris Metz- ger, a butcher. In 1879, at the age of nineteen years, he embarked in the wholesale provision business on his own account, and at the same time became a wholesale dealer in pork-a new venture. From a modest beginning the business has increased in magnitude and importance until it has reached its present proportions, and the result of this undertaking has been highly satis- factory to him, as the outlook for the first three months was very dubious. Although tempted to give it up several times, he still pushed on, and finally success crowned his efforts. He bought of Thomas Sager, of New York City, for thirteen years, since which time he has been buying of Charles Lindner, at the same place, Third Street and First Avenue. During the busy season he has a temporary office in Brooklyn and Long Island City. He is the only man engaged in the wholesale pork business in the latter place and deserves much credit for the energy and good judgment he has shown in his business affairs.

Mr. Ripperger has a fine home at No. 207 Academy Street, which he bought and has im- proved since 1891, and the grounds surrounding his residence are beautifully laid out and orna- mented with a large and handsome fountain. He owns other valuable property here, among which are two stores and several flat buildings. His

marriage to Miss Mary E. Hann took place in Long Island City. She was born in Brooklyn, a daughter of Nicholas Hann, formerly a wholesale produce dealer of Long Island City, but now re- tired. Eight children were born of this union, five of whom survive: George, Alfred J., Ethel and Wesley (twins), and Howard. Christ and two children unnamed died in infancy.

Mr. Ripperger has always been a Republican and was chairman of the general Republican committee in 1894, and the following year was manager of the Republican campaign committee. He has been a member of the county committee two terms, and both times was a member of the executive committee. In 1895 he was a delegate to the state convention, and has held other re- sponsible positions, but has never allowed his name to go before a committee for any office. He is a member of Island City Masonic Lodge, Lincoln Club and the German Order of Red Men, Pocahontas Tribe No. 14, of Long Island City. He has served his time as member of Hunter Engine Company No. 4. He and his wife are members of the Second Dutch Reformed Church of Astoria, Long Island City.

M ARTIN G. JOHNSON, deceased, was born and always lived upon the farni which he inherited from his father, and which had descended through several genera- tions, having been bought in 1744 by his great- grandfather, John Johnson. Martin G. received his education at the district school and also at- tended the Union Hall Academy, at Jamaica, but his mathematical education was finished under Thomas Spofford, who at the time of his death was principal of the Yorkville Academy of New York City.

At the age of sixteen Mr. Johnson was one of the assistants in making the preliminary surveys of the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad. From 1834 to 1837 he surveyed a great number of farmis in the western part of Queens County and also in Kings County, nearly all of which were laid out into lots and mapped. He was engaged in sur- veying more or less from 1834 until his death, and made several surveys by authority of different acts of the Legislature.

Politically a decided Democrat. Mr. Johnson was many times a delegate to county and state conventions. He was executor of several estates, which trusts he managed with the strictest fidel-

1006

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ity. For many years he was a director of the Williamsburg City Fire Insurance Company, also a director of the Brooklyn and Rockaway Beach Railroad and filled a similar position in several other corporations.

In his religious inclinations Mr. Johnson was a member of the Reformed Dutch Church at Jamaica and was for many years an elder in the same. He was a life member of the American Bible Society and of the American Tract Society. In all agricultural matters he was greatly inter- ested and was a life member of the Queens County Agricultural Society, and the roads of the town had been in his charge for many years. He was a friend to religious, benevolent and charit- able institutions and did not confine his gifts to the chiarities of his own church. The needy were always kindly remembered.

Mr. Johnson died at his home in Liberty Ave- nue, near Jamaica, March 23, 1887.

A LEXANDER D. BUCHANAN. Among those upon whom the talent for inventing has fallen in a marked degree is Alexan- der D. Buchanan, whose skill and energy have been the means of creating great factories and shops which are permanent monuments to his inventive genius. He has grown up in the oil- cloth business, and when he first started in this it was in its infancy. There has been a wonderful revolution in it since then.

Mr. Buchanan invented the first practical ma- chine for color printing with copper rolls; also invented and used the first rubbing machine for polishing, besides numerous other inventions in the mills, so that his is one of the most complete of the kind in the world. A visit to the mills proves very enjoyable, and one is surprised at the superior work accomplished there. Mr. Buchanan, who is superintendent of the Sunswick Mills, is a native of the land of "thistles and oat- meal," born at Paisley in 1851. His father, A. F. Buchanan, was a manufacturer of prints in Pais- ley, Scotland, and was thus engaged there until 1866, when he came to America. He first en- gaged in the oil-cloth business in Newark, N. J., but subsequently moved to Montrose, Westches- ter County, where he is manufacturing oil cloths at the present time. In the parental family were nine children, eight of whom are now living.

Our subject, who is the second in order of birth of the children, was reared in Ayrshire,

Scotland, and there remained until 1866, engaged in weaving and painting, when he came to this country. For over a year he clerked in the thread mills, and then went back to painting oil cloths for his father. In 1872 he went to Montrose, N. Y., with his father, and remained with him until 1882, during which time the business improved and developed in a wonderful manner. Mr. Buchanan then came to Long Island City and became superintendent of the Sunswick Mills. This business was small at first and the mill was destroyed by fire at one time, but it has been built up since and is in a flourishing and prosper- ous condition. This mill has a capacity for ten miles of oil cloth per day, one hundred hands are employed, and hundreds of different patterns are turned out. The upper floors of three blocks of buildings are used for this industry, and four boil- ers of eighty horse-power each are used. Six engines make it equal one hundred and sixty horse-power, and all the machinery is the latest and best. The mills are conducted under the firm name of James Wild & Co., with whom our subject is interested.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York, Part 126

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