Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York, Part 152

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 152

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When the financial disasters of 1836-37 came a large part of Mr. Townsend's accumulations were swept away, although his credit remained unimpaired and his aptitude for unraveling the twisted and tangled affairs of finance not only made him successful in later days in his headship of the old house, to which his earliest services were given, but also pointed him out to the com- munity as a man well qualified to represent the rapidly increasing interests of the metropolis in the state legislature. The office therefore sought the man and without solicitation or expectation he was placed in nomination for the assembly in 1838 by the almost unanimous vote of the Democratic convention. The intrusion of four hundred Philadelphia "pipe-layers," and their un- checked "repeating" at the polls, defeated the en- tire ticket. In 1840, his popularity having grown meanwhile, he was elected by a very flattering vote. He served during the sessions of '41, '42, '43, and held a leading position on the banking and insurance committees.

In 1846 Solomon Townsend, Jr., was chosen a member of the convention for the revision of the constitution of the state of New York. He was an earnest advocate of free public education, free homesteads, free banking. He was regarded among his colleagues in public life of thirty-five years ago as a radical, so that he encountered much opposition even among his closest personal friends. He was twice elected a commissioner of

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

education in New York City, and was chairman of the finance committee of the board. It was he who negotiated the purchase of the site for the erection of the New York Free Academy, which has since become the College of the City of New York. Many other school sites were purchased and buildings erected under his advice.

On the outbreak of the Rebellion Solomon Townsend changed his residence to his native village, while continuing his business connection in the city. He had freely used his forcible pen in the endeavor to arrest the calamity of the civil strife, but when it came he bent every energy to meet it, and in season and out of season worked strenuously to restore the supremacy of law and order. Among the mementoes of this stirring period most prized by the family is the roughi draft of a resolution prepared by him and adopted by his townsmen at a meeting held in East Nor- wich, in which those present pledged their in- dividual properties and fortunes to sustain the county supervisors in any measures taken in ad- vance of necessary legislation to raise means to furnish the county's quota for the patriot army.

To the very close of the terrible struggle Mr. Townsend devoted his large experience, his in- telligent judgment and his great force of char- acter, to the public service, as a member of com- mittees of safety, of vigilance and of relief. In 1867 he was again chosen a member of the con- vention called, in pursuance of the requirements of the organic law of 1846, which he had helped to frame, to revise the constitution of the state. In this convention he was as active as in the years of his earlier vigor, when he liad forced his radical ideas upon the attention of the leaders of public affairs in the state.

Solomon Townsend was the first to organize and put in practical operation the workings of the free school system in his native village and was the first president of the board of education. In 1872 he retired from active business, and in the old home, whichi from time to time he had beau- tified and enlarged, he lived until his death, whichi resulted suddenly from apoplexy, April 2, 1880. His was a name that had been honored for gen- erations and there seemed to be ever abiding witli him a sort of "noblesse oblige" which made him reverence the home traditions and with chiv- alrous devotion maintain and perpetuate what he held to be liis family's honor and fame, so that he treasured with warm filial devotion the relics of his father's and grandfather's day. So far did

he carry this respect for ancestry that it was play- fully said of him that "he built a house to pre- serve a door," and the saying was not without a fragment of truth. The old homestead presents nothing very peculiar at first glance, but one finds it on examination to be a well harmonized structure of five different frames, each represent- ing some period in the family history.

F LOYD WEEKES, who is busily and profitably carrying on a large business as general blacksmith in the village of Hemp- stead, is one of its most worthy citizens and is held in the highest estimation by those about him. He was born here September 10, 1860, and is the son of Walter N. Weekes, whose birth likewise occurred in Hempstead, in the year 1826.

The father of our subject learned the trade of a blacksmith when a boy and embarking in busi- ness for himself was for fifty years the most thor- ough workman in this line in this locality. He was a prominent member and vestryman of St. George's Episcopal Church and at the time of his decease, September 24, 1894, there was universal mourning in Hempstead. A loyal citizen and a public-spirited man, he was ever ready to do his share in all matters of general welfare. For a number of years he was trustee of the village and was also connected with the fire department. His father, John Weekes, a liarness maker by trade, was a son of Hendrickson Weekes, who served as a colonel in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

Caroline (Southard) Weekes, mother of our subject, was born in Brooklyn and departed this life when Floyd was a lad of eight years. The latter had one sister, Emma Weekes, who became the wife of George D. Suydam, of Hempstead. The first wife of Walter N. Weekes was Augusta, a sister of Caroline Southard. He chose for his third wife Amy A., daughter of Capt. John Ed- wards, of the life saving station, and they became the parents of a daughter.

The subject of this sketch, after completing his education in tlie schools of Hempstead, took a course in Flagler's Business College of Brooklyn. He then entered his father's shop, desiring to learn the business, and on the death of the latter became proprietor of the establishment. He is an expert in every department of this work and is patronized by the wealthy New Yorkers who make their homes in and about Hempstead. He

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also has a fine new shop at Westbury, where the Hunters' Club get much of their work done.

Our subject, who is one of the enterprising and progressive residents of the place, was for three years trustee of the village and for four years was assistant chief of the fire department. He is en- ergetic, honorable and cordial, and all who know him esteem him for his sterling worth. Frater- nally he is connected with the Odd Fellows and is one of the members of the Hempstead Bay Yacht Club, in which he is rear commodore. The yacht "Carrie W.," of which he is the owner, is one of the most beautiful which sails the bay. He is a talented musician and for over sixteen years was a leading singer in the Methodist Church in this village.

The marriage of our subject and Miss Ella J., youngest daughter of Lockwood Abrahams, oc- curred in 1878. To them have been granted four children, namely: Carrie E., Floyd A., Edith M. and Florence A.

A LBERT MEISEL. Land has been bouglit and sold among all nations from time immemorial; but the business has reached its climax in the United States, where the gen- eral distribution of realty and the spirit of specu- lation, incited by advancing values, combine to give great activity. A great deal of real estate business is done on Long Island, and among the large number of men who turn their attention to this line of work is Albert Meisel, of Rockaway Beach, who came here from Brooklyn in 1878. He was born in the city of New York November 24, 1850, to Daniel and Flora (Scherer) Meisel, the former of whom was a native of Germany, and came to America in 1849 in company with Carl Schurz and others. He was a tailor by trade, and upon locating in Brooklyn followed that occupation. To himself and wife six chil- dren were born: Charles, deceased; Albert; Maggie; Caroline; Elizabeth, living in Brooklyn; and Lettie, deceased.

Albert Meisel was reared in his native city and in its public schools received a good educa- tion. His first work was as bookkeeper in a Main Street box manufactory, when he was but sixteen years of age, and there he remained three years. In compliance with his father's desire that he should learn a trade, he entered the employ of a firm engaged in the manufacture of jewelry, but the business proved very uncongenial to him,

and after two months' trial he gave it up. He then entered the employ of A. J. Coy, of Park Place, where he made himself useful in washing glasses at the bar for some time. In 1869 he left Brooklyn for San Francisco, Cal., and re- mained for one year in that state. Upon his re- turn to Brooklyn he became a letter carrier in that city, and later was confidential clerk of the sheriff of Kings County. Later he became dep- uty in the money order department of the Brook- lyn postoffice, and after filling that position for one year he came to Rockaway Beach, and until 1880 was general manager of Capt. John Kruescher's business at this place.

At the above mentioned date Mr. Meisel be- came ticket agent at Holland Station, Rockaway Beach, being the first man to hold the office, and September 15, 1880, leased the property where Charles Frey is now doing business, and continued in business there until 1886. In 1887 he opened the Belvidere Hotel in Grove Avenue, but one year later formed a partnership with Fred Bessler in the real estate business and opened the Real Estate Exchange. An office was later opened at Arverne, of which Mr. Meisel took charge, and as he is a clever office man and an adept at clerical work, he has been successful in his present occupation. He is an expert ill writing deeds, conveyances, and in making ab- stracts, and has never needed the services of an attorney in carrying on his business. His time has not been wholly occupied with this work, however, for being an ardent Republican, he has found time to take part in the political affairs of his section. In 1888 he was elected excise com- missioner by the largest majority ever received by a Republican at this place, and in March of that year was made district school clerk, having been the prime mover in the organization of the first school district here. He assisted in the organization of the Oceanus Hook and Ladder Company, Volunteer Hose Company No. I, and the Arverne Engine Company, for all of which he obtained charters and attended to the clerical work in connection therewith.

For a time after his return from California Mr. Meisel was assistant superintendent of the Met- ropolitan Life Insurance Company. His wife is the daughter of Capt. John Kruescher and a niece of Hon. J. Worth. Five children comprise their family: Emma, who was for five years post- mistress at Arverne; Elizabeth; James A. Gar- field; Chester Arthur and Mamie. The eldest

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child, Albert, died at the age of seven years. Fraternally Mr. Meisel is a member of Star of Hope Lodge No. 430, F. & A. M .; Lodge No. 394 of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and Lodge No. 7970 of the Ancient Order of Foresters of America.

F RED A. H. DEUTSCHMANN. The gen- tleman whose name heads this sketch is the proprietor of the Silver Springs and Sanford's Point Bathing Pavilions on North Beach. He was born at Hessen Nassau, Steinau, Germany, June 12, 1867. His great-grandfather, Fred Deutschmann, was born in Saxony, became a soldier in the German army and was under Napoleon in his war with Spain, and with him marched to Moscow and back. He died at the age of ninety-six. His wife accompanied the army to Moscow as a sutler, and eventually passed from life at the extreme old age of ninety- nine years. The family have been Lutherans from the time of the Reformation.

Fred, the son of this worthy couple, and grand- father of the subject of this sketch, was a prison inspector until retired and pensioned. He was in the Revolution of 1848 as a member of the German army and held the rank of sergeant. His son Charles became a landscape gardener in Ger- many and in 1881 came with his family to the United States and settled in New York City, where he first secured employment in a dry goods store. He subsequently became a gardener on Jersey City Heights, later followed the same busi- ness in Yonkers, and as gardener for William Steinway he laid out North Beach. He had charge of St. Michael's Cemetery, the magnificent park of George Steinway, and was with the Robin- son family as gardener at Long Branch. He is now with Mr. Beard at South Norwalk, and it can be said of him that there are few finer land- scape gardeners. His wife was formerly Caro- line Müller, a native of Steinau, by whom he has three sons and two daughters: Fred A. H .; Carl, in business in New York City; Bernhard, a resi- dent of Ft. Wayne, Ind .; Elsie and Anna.

The subject of this sketch received his early education in the public schools and gymnasium, and after he came to America attended night * school in New York. He was at once appren- ticed to a wig maker and completed the trade in five years. The season of 1886 was then opening and he was appointed manager of the Silver

Springs Bathing Pavilion on North Beach, but in the fall he returned to his former occupation. After following this business for four years he gave it up altogether and began dealing in mas- querade costumes, and for five seasons his atten- tion was thus occupied. In 1888 he became the proprietor of the Silver Springs Bathing Pavilion, and in 1895 he also leased Sanford's Point Pavil- ion, and now conducts both of these places very satisfactorily. In 1895 he built a photograph gal- lery, which has proved attractive and remunera- tive. During the summer months North Beach is very attractive and the large pavilions owned by Mr. Deutschmann are the finest in the vicinity of New York City. The bathing houses at Sil- ver Springs number four hundred, and those at Sanford's Point three hundred, the two places accommodating five thousand people. During the busy season he has about thirty employes, and he has a volunteer life-saving crew, of which he is first lieutenant.

In addition to this business Mr. Deutschmann is interested in life and fire insurance and repre- sents the Hancock Life and several fire insur- ance companies. He was married in New York City to Miss Sophia Weiersheuser, a native of Frankfort-on-the-Main, and their union has re- sulted in the birth of three children: Charles, Elsie and Sophia. Mr. Deutschmann is a men- ber of the Chosen Friends, the Astoria Manner- chor, the Arion Singing Society and the Har- mony Society, besides several other German societies.

T HOMAS JEFFERSON CORNING is a fair representative of the excellent class of men who began life's battle at the lower rounds of the ladder, and through his own efforts he has gained a substantial place near the top. Practically speaking, he is today in confortable financial circumstances, and the position he now occupies is direct evidence that he possesses the confidence and esteeni of his fellow-townsinen. It is a pleasure to review the career of a man whose efforts have been crowned with success and whose life has been honorable in every par- ticular, as has that of Thomas J. Corning. He is now engaged in the wholesale and retail milk business at Rockaway Beach, where he has re- sided for the past twenty-two years, and where he is classed among the representative citizens. Jolin Corning, the father of our subject, was a

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farmer of New Hampshire and lived to be seven- ty-six years old. He was of Scotch origin, his ancestors, many generations back, having been natives of that country. The grandfather, John Corning, was born in Newburyport, Mass. John Corning, Jr., the father of our subject, married Miss Lydia Richardson, who lived to be eighty years old. They became the parents of seven children, six sons and one daughter, of whom only two are now living. The eldest child, Gil- man, represented his section in the Massachusetts Legislature in 1862 and 1863, was a man of edu- cation, and lived to be eighty years old; James, Phineas and Nathaniel are deceased; Mary Eliza- beth resides in Salem, N. H .; and John S. is also deceased.

Our subject, who is next to the youngest of these children, was born in Londonderry, N. H., March 8, 1830, and when six months old was taken to Salem, that state, where he remained until fifteen years old. At that early age he started out to fight his own battles in life, and, being a boy of ambition and determination, he made his way to Boston, where he soon found employment, running a steam engine on a pile driver, which was the commencement of his subsequent ex- tensive work in railroad building. His educa- tional advantages during youth were limited, but he made up for this to a great extent in later years. For four years he was engaged as a pile driver and then began contracting on the Hud- son River Railroad, building from Poughkeepsie to Albany. When but nineteen years old he con- tracted to drive four thousand piles in that place. He had no money, and after accomplishing this work could get no settlement. Not the least dis- couraged, however, he next went with thirty-five men to the Isthmus of Panama, where he was engaged in pile driving and bridge building on the Panama Railroad. He remained there but six months and a half, and only four of the thirty- five men were alive at the end of that time. He escaped the fever and returned to Bridgeport, Conn., where he was engaged in a grocery for some time.

and when this was completed became road mas- ter and conductor, and was thus engaged for nearly four years. In June, 1859, he went to Virginia, where, during the summer, he superin- tended laying the track on the Alexandria, Lou- don & Hampshire Railroad. In fall he put up a grocery store and butcher shop at Arlington Sta- tion and soon built up a trade, having a route to Fairfax Court House and vicinity.

In the spring the war commenced and he was ordered by the Southern so-called minute men to either join the Confederate Army or leave Vir- ginia inside of twenty-four hours. He left with his family and what they could carry with them, and made his way to Washington, D. C. On the way he met United States Congressman Louis McKinzey, an officer of some authority, who inquired where he was going. When told why he was leaving, the congressman said: "Go back to your property and home and I will see that you are protected." Our subject, who was fully aware that he had a better knowledge of the situation than McKinzey, used his own judg- ment and continued his journey.

Our subject was full of enthusiasm when war was declared and upon the call for seventy-five thousand men he immediately raised a company. Going to the Secretary of War (Cameron) he of- fered the services of himself and command, but was met by the information that they had more men than they wanted, etc. After this he engaged as a sutler in the army and in June, 1864, he en- listed in Company A, Eleventh Maryland Regi- ment. He was discharged June 15, 1865, as a member of Company D. Although not com- missioned, Mr. Corning assumed and performed the duties of quartermaster-sergeant. Having lost about $2,000 in raising a regiment in Balti- more during the Maximilian trouble in Mexico, he again started out to make his way in life with very little of this world's goods. He came to Long Island and succeeded in getting a position on the railroad, where he received $1.75 per day. This pay was increased in six months to $60 per month.

After this he was conductor a year and a half on the Long Island South Side Railroad, and later had charge of the construction of the South

Hearing of an opportunity to make another contract of driving piles he followed this for some time and was engaged one winter on an engine. The next summer he was engaged in bridgebuild- . Side track as it was extended. For two years he ing from New Haven to Barnesville and after was road master and two years assistant super- intendent. He had a contract for constructing sixteen miles of railroad from Patchogue to Speonk, removing about forty thousand yards that drove piles for the Flushing Railroad, from Hunter's Point across Flushing Meadows. Dur- ing the fall he superintended the laying of track

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of earth, and had one-quarter of a mile of bridge building. From there he went to Rockaway Beach and has been engaged in the milk busi- ness for the most part since. During his career as a soldier he had quite a number of exciting adventures. Soon after the battle of Gettysburg he sold out the sutler business and he and his brother-in-law, who had about $1,700 on his per- son, started for Fairfax Court House on their way to Washington. They were captured by Mosby, the guerrilla, but the brother-in-law succeeded in dropping his roll of greenbacks in a bunch of ferns without being detected. Soon after they were rescued by Union forces, and although our subject lost a fine horse and his brother-in-law a good team, they found the roll of greenbacks all right.

Mr. Corning selected his wife in the person of Miss Susan Roads, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and they have two children. John is at Rocka- way Beach; Lydia has been twice married, first to Mr. Jamieson, and after his death to Charles Dashway.

Mr. Corning is known familiarly among his neighbors as "Uncle Tom." His appearance at any time or place is hailed with delight by every man, woman and child. He is a mountain of in- tegrity and fair dealing, honesty and reliability --- a man whose word is as good as his bond, one who is universally respected, always a friend in need and deed to the poor and suffering, glad of an opportunity to help with a liberal hand those . who are unfortunate, the first to encourage in a substantial manner the disheartened, one who sends succor to the helpless and sick quietly and in generous portion, one who has only friends and no enemies, one whom all have learned to admire and love, a good and glorious old gen- tleman of the old school, one of God's noblemen. He has often been asked to seek public offices within the gift of the people, but always de- clined, willing only to appear as their representa- tive to assist them in obtaining what they wished politically. A stanch Republican, he is the ex- chairman of the Republican Association of this district. He is frequently a delegate to town and nominating conventions and was a delegate to Buffalo when Harrison was nominated. During the life of James G. Blaine, he was one of his warmest friends and supporters. He is the key- stone to the Grand Army societies of this locality, being commander of the John Corning Post No. 636, which bears the name of his father, as well

as a member of the staff of the state department commander, E. J. Atkinson. His comrades de- pend upon him absolutely for guidance in their affairs and look up to him as their dearest and most substantial friend. During the Maximilian War he, in conjunction with one Captain Win- ters, raised a regiment in Baltimore at their own expense, but the regiment never went into com- mission, owing to the failure of receiving the necessary financial support from the Mexican minister, Romero; he did, however, advance $28, which sum was divided between Corning and Winters. The regiment was to be officered with Winters as colonel and Corning as lieutenant- colonel.

J ACOB LAUER. Though not a native of America, the subject of this record has spent almost his entire life here and is thoroughly American in his ideas and opinions. He ranks among the highly respected citizens of the town of Hempstead, where he is engaged in general farming and also follows the trades of roofer and tinner, his place of residence being near Franklin Square. In all matters affecting the public wel- fare he is well informed, having gained an ex- tensive knowledge through reading and obser- vation.

The parents of our subject, Henry and Mary Lauer, were natives of Bavaria, where their son, Jacob, was born November 21, 1842. In 1850 they came to the United States, where the father followed his trade, that of shoemaker, until his death in the town of Hempstead in 1894. Of his five children, Jacob and Fred are the only survivors. Henry, who enlisted in a company of volunteers from New York at the age of eighteen, marched with his regiment to fight in defense of the Union; he was never heard of afterward and his fate is unknown.

Coming to the United States at the age of eight, our subject was educated in the schools of New York. At the age of fifteen he began a five years' apprenticeship to the tinner's trade, which he followed in the city until twenty-six. Meantime his father had purchased a small place in the town of Hempstead, and hither he moved from New York. Since then he has added to the property and has engaged in its cultivation, in connection with work at his trade. Politically a Democrat, he has taken an active part in local politics. He contributes to the support of the

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Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York, Part 152

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