Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York, Part 28

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

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friends, periling his life in the defense of his coun- try. Enlisting in the Fourteenth New York In- fantry, he served throughout the entire period of his conflict and won the name of a brave and faithful soldier. He took an active part in the sanguinary battle of Malvern Hill, when out of the thousand men comprising his regiment nine hundred were lost, only one hundred answering to the next roll call. It was his fortune to pass through that terrible engagement unscathed, nor did he at any time receive injury, though he took part in many battles.

Nor a number of years after the close of the war Mr. Harmer held a position in the New York custom house, under the administrations of Gen- eral Grant. For several years he was employed in the office of the sheriff of Kings County. A Republican in political belief, he was one of the leading politicians of the Fifteenth Ward, Brook- lyn. He was an able and efficient public officer. His qualifications were of the first order, and his faithfulness was worthy of emulation by all who are entrusted with public cares. His home for some years has been in Jamaica, where he is a well known and influential citizen. He married Miss Anna Thompson, a native of Brooklyn, and an active worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The family of which she is a member was long prominent in Brooklyn, but she and a sister are now its only living representatives.

Our subject was the only child of his parents who attained mature years. He received an ex- cellent education in the schools of Brooklyn, after which he took a commercial course at Wright's Business College, graduating from that institu- tion. He then associated himself with his father in the mill, where he learned every branch of the mill carpenter and building business. Later he took a special course in architecture at Cooper's Institute, graduating in 1888. Immediately after- ward he took a responsible position with Cross, Austin & Co., of Brooklyn, and soon became known as an expert in his profession. In 1894, forming a partnership with D. L. Hardenbrook, under the firm name of Harmer & Hardenbrook, he embarked in the architect business at Jamaica, where he has since carried on an increasing and profitable profession. In 1881 he was united in marriage with Miss Augusta Stumpf, of this vil- lage, and they have three children, George W., John and Alonzo, Jr.

A man of sanguine temperament and positive qualities, Mr. Harmer is regarded as one of the

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rising young men in Jamaica. On all subjects connected with his profession he readily arrives at decided opinions, and maintains with ability and zeal what he deems to be right. His social qualities are of the best order, and his genial and companionable disposition wins the friendship of his associates.

D AVID INGRAM is engaged in a unique business, but to him a most important and prosperous one-that of dyeing and bleaching cotton yarn, in which he also deals. His establishment is the largest of the kind in Long Island City, and its successful management fully occupies his time and attention, and has done so since it was first established, in Janu- ary, 1873.

Mr. Ingram's birth occurred in Paisley, Scot- land, where his father, James Ingram, was also born, the latter being a manufacturer of the well- known Paisley shawls, which occupation received his time and attention until his death, which oc- curred in that city. His wife, Margaret Brown, was also born there, and there nine children were born to them, only two of whom are living at the present time. David was their sixth child in or- der of birth and is the only member of the family in America. Until he was seventeen years of age his home continued to be in Paisley and up to the time he was twelve years old he attended the pay schools of that place. He was then appren- ticed to a dyer, and four subsequent years were spent in a dyeing establishment, where a prac- tical knowledge of the business was obtained.

Mr. Ingram was ambitious to become success- ful in the commercial world, and rightly judged that the United States offered better advantages to a young man than the old country, and accord- ingly, in 1852, he embarked on a sailing vessel at Glasgow for this country. He soon secured em- ployment at his trade in New York City with Mc- Dougal & Garner, and held the position of fore- man from the start. In January, 1873, he came to Long Island City, purchased his present es- tablishment, increased its capacity, improved it in various ways and has successfully operated it up to the present time. He has a forty horse-power boiler and ten engines, and can dye from eight hundred to one thousand pounds of cotton yarn every ten hours. He dyes and bleaches on con- tract for outside parties and is a general dealer in yarns. Under his able management his busi-

ness has greatly increased and now necessitates the employment of twelve hands. Mr. Ingram is the owner of considerable valuable realty, and his home place is a beautiful one, the grounds occupying a block. He has a commodious green- house, well filled with the choicest plants, and rare shrubs and trees dot his spacious and velvety lawn.

Mr. Ingram was married in the city of New York to Miss Violet Patterson, who was born in Greenock, Scotland, but was reared in this country from the time she was eight years of age, having been brought thither by her parents. Her union with Mr. Ingram resulted in the birth of seven children: Jenny died at the age of eleven; George died at the age of three years and eight months; a sketch of James appears elsewhere in this work; George is foreman in his father's dye- ing establishment, in which William also assists, and David and Margaret complete the family. Mr. Ingram and his family are attendants of the Presbyterian Church of Astoria, and politically he has always been a Republican of the stanchest kind. He has been a grand and petit juror, but with these exceptions has never held public of- fice, for his time has been very profitably occu- pied otherwise.

H UGH HART, who has made his home in Queens County for the past forty years, is well known to all its residents, and bears an extended reputation over the island as a build- er of docks, which business he has been engaged in since 1874. Mr. Hart was born in Ireland in 1844. His father, Thomas Hart, emigrated with the family to America in the year 1849, settling in New York City, where they continued to live until 1855, when they came to Queens County, making their home on Laurelhill. Here Thomas Hart died when past fifty years of age.

Mrs. Mary (Kearn) Hart, mother of our sub- ject, was likewise of Irish birth and departed this life in New York in 1855, just prior to the re- moval of the family to this locality. She reared a family of six daughters and one son, of whom four are now living. Hugh, of this sketch, at- tended school for a time in New York City, and also carried on his studies at Winfield.

When a boy Mr. Hart went to work for one of the largest dock building firms of that time. In 187I he located in Blissville, Long Island City, and three years later embarked in his present busi-

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ness as a partner of Judge Moses Engle of Kings County. This connection existed for twelve years, when it was dissolved, and our subject has since continued to operate along this line alone. The firm of Hart & Engle built the dock works for the Bowery Bay Improvement Company, those of the Oakes Manufacturing Company, W. Williams and the Hon. William Steinway, the great piano manufacturer. Mr. Hart likewise erected the trestle work on the Meadow, extending from Co- rona to Flushing. His services have been in great demand all over the island and he has often given employment to over fifty men. He built the docks used by the Standard Oil Company, the Eastern Distillery Company and for many other firms doing business near New York City.

The years 1861 and 1862 Mr. Hart spent in boating on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, being interested in the trade between Cincinnati, St. Louis and New Orleans. He was quite success- ful in this venture and returned home after a few months a much wiser man for this experience.

The marriage of our subject with Miss Ann Scanlon occurred in New York City, where the lady was born in 1869. They became the par- ents of six children, of whom the eldest sons, Eu- gene and Thomas, are assisting their father in the dock building business. Mary, John, Joseph and Catherine are at home. Mr. Hart has never been an aspirant for political honors, although he is an enthusiastic Democrat of the Jeffersonian faith. In social matters he belongs to John J. Mitchell Lodge, A. O. U. W., in which he takes great in- terest. Religiously he and his family are devout Catholics, belonging to St. Raphael's Church.

J I OHN T. AND HENRY W. CAMDEN, owning and occupying a beautiful place near the village of Woodhaven, are perhaps the largest growers of celery in Queens County. They were both born in Ontario, Canada, while their father, Henry Camden, was a native of Gloucestershire, England. He remained in his native land until 1832, when he came to America in company with his brother Charles and was associated with him in erecting saw and flouring mills in various parts of the country, for some time. Charles, who is seventy-nine years of age, makes his home in California, having been one of the '49ers.

After remaining in this country for a time, Henry Camden returned to England, where he

was married to Miss Rebecca Rouse and con- tinued to live there until after the birth of two of their daughters. The family then decided to make their future home in the New World, and boarded a vessel which landed them on the coast of Canada. The father located in an unsettled portion of the Dominion, and for many years lived in a log house, which was surrounded by a perfect wilderness of trees and brush. As there were no roads laid out and the pioneers very often lost their way when leaving home, they blazed the trees leading to their house, which mark served every need until the region became more thickly settled and the trees were cut down. Henry Camden became very popular among the early settlers and served very acceptably as jus- tice of the peace and assessor of his community. besides holding various other offices of trust and honor. He departed this life in 1850, when our subjects were mere lads. The mother was after- ward married to James Murphy and to them were born six children. Mrs. Murphy lived to an ad- vanced age, departing this life in 1887, at the home of her sons John and Henry, of this sketch.

Georgiana M., the eldest daughter of Henry Camden, born in England, is now the wife of William Hopkins, a well-to-do farmer of the town of Jamaica, and the son of the late John B. Hopkins, well-known to the residents in this vicinity. Louisa A. became the wife of John Purser and still makes her home in Canada. Henry W., who was the next in order of birth, has never married. Henrietta is the widow of George F. Sylvester, formerly a resident of Cali- fornia. John T. married Emma Duhrkoop of New Jersey, and they have three children, named respectively: Grace D., Mary R. and Charles H.

We make the following mention of four of the children born of Mrs. Camden's second mar- riage: Emily M. Murphy is the wife of Edward Dominge and is living at Woodhaven; Mary E. has never married and is living with our sub- jects; Alfred J. married Miss Mary Heindel and makes his home in East New York; and Richard E., who chose for his wife Mary E., daughter of Charles Eldert, is living in Woodhaven.

After the death of his father, Henry Camden, who was then five years of age, went to Brooklyn, where his uncle, Thomas Camden, was living and who was at that time one of the leading gar- deners of Long Island. His uncle took great pleasure in his company and gave him every opportunity for gaining a good education. After

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leaving school Henry began to assist his uncle in raising vegetables for the city markets, and in 1865 purchased the tract of land devoted to this business in the town of Jamaica. This property is located at the edge of the city of Brooklyn, and is devoted by the brothers almost entirely to raising celery. They are among the most pront- inent in this industry on the island and have been remarkably successful in their every under- taking. The brothers are Republicans in poli- tics, and although they are too busy to take an active part in public affairs, are greatly interested in the success of their chosen party.

City, C HARLES BECKEL is a member of the firm of P. Beckel & Sons, wagon and carriage manufacturers of Long Island who stand high in business circles. Charles was born at Ridgewood, Queens County, June 2, 1857, while his father, Peter Beckel, was a native of Germany. After attaining ma- ture years, the latter crossed the Atlantic, and for a short time was engaged in work in New York. His next move, however, found him in Ridge- wood, where he engaged in business for him- self. Three years later he moved to Blissville, where he also became the proprietor of a car- riage and wagon shop. The business grew to such large proportions that he took in as partners his two sons, Charles and John. In 1868 he built his present shops, and twenty years later added a blacksmith shop adjoining, so that the firm now do their own smithing. The building is a three-story structure, 50x58 feet, and the property on which it stands runs back two hun- dred feet. Charles gives his personal attention to the carriage painting department and is the only painter of fine vehicles in this section.

Mrs. Louisa (Walters) Beckel, the mother of our subject, was also born in Germany. She be- came the mother of three children, of whom Amelia, who married George C. Ahrens, is de- ceased. Charles, of this history, first attended school in the Dutch Kills district, after which he took a course in the grammar schools of Brooklyn. The year prior to his graduation, however, he left school, and in 1872 was appren- ticed to Stephen D. Medlar of Brooklyn as car- riage painter. After remaining with that gen- tleman for two years and a half he returned home and engaged in business for himself, and later was taken into the present firm, as before stated.

Our subject has always taken a very promi- nent and active part in politics, and in the year 1892, during Harrison's campaign, acted as chairman of the general committee. Indeed, he has been a member of this committee ever since casting his first vote, with the exception of two years. He was one of the incorporators of the Lincoln Club, which he served as president for some time, and also belongs to the Union League Club of Astoria, a Republican organization. He has been foremost in educational affairs in his city, and during the administration of Mayor George Petry was appointed by him a member of the School Commission. During the one year in which he served as a member of this body he used his influence in wisely disbursing the peo- ple's money and gave entire satisfaction to all concerned.

In the fall of 1895 Charles Beckel was nom- inated for the Assembly from the First District of Queens County, and such is his popularity with the voters that he will undoubtedly be elected. He has been a member of Friendship Hook and Ladder Company No. 3, which he served for two terms of five years each as secretary, and is now connected with the Exempt Firemen's Association of Long Island City, with which he has been interested since its incorporation in 1885. During the third year of its existence he was elected president of this body, and ever since that time has been treasurer. Through his in- fluence a bill was passed in the Assembly enab- ling the widows and orphans of firemen to col- lect a two per cent. insurance tax, as ofttimes the families of these brave men were left penniless and with no means of support. In religious af- fairs Mr. Beckel is a member of the Lutheran Church.

R OBERT F. HUTCHESON, M. D., who came to Lawrence from Rockville Center in 1894 and has since conducted a general practice in this village, is a son of Robert W. Hutcheson, M. D., an old and well known physi- cian of Queens County, who has been engaged in practice here for thirty-five years, having spent twenty years at Rockville Center, and some time previous to that at Pearsall's and East Rock- away. He began the practice of medicine in the West Indies, later carried on professional work in Brooklyn, from which city he came to Queens County. As a physician he is skillful, well read,

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accurate in the diagnosis of disease and painstak- ing and thorough in its treatment, qualities which have brought him the confidence of the public. He is of Scotch extraction, while his wife, Eliza Ensor, who died at the age of fifty-four, was of English ancestry and birth, having been born in London.

Of the seven children comprising the parental family four are living, namely: John E., a physi- cian at Rockville Center; Robert F., Eliza A., and Eturpe M., who reside in Lawrence. Our sub- ject was born in Lynbrook, Queens County, De- cember 30, 1871, and in boyhood was given the best advantages the schools of this locality af- forded, acquiring a good literary education and also taking a course in the Polytechnic Institute. In accordance with the wish of his father, no less than as a gratification of his own inherited tastes for the profession, he began the study of medicine. The fundamental principles of the science he learned under his father's instruction, after which he took the regular three years' course at Belle- vue Hospital Medical College, from which he graduated March 27, 1893. He also took a three months' course in the Post-Graduate Hospital of New York City. At once after completing his stu- dies he opened an office in Lawrence and has since conducted a general practice in medicine. While in college he gave especial attention to surgery, of which he has a thorough experimental and theoretical knowledge. During his attendance at college he stood high in his classes and was also a leading member of the Phi Alpha Sigma. He begins his professional career under favorable auspices and will undoubtedly attain a high rank in the medical fraternity.

J OSEPH A. JOHNTRA, a successful mer- chant of Astoria, Long Island City, was born in New York City in 1850, and is a de- scendant, directly, of Swiss forefathers and, indi- rectly and remotely, of French ancestry. He is a son of John Johntra, a native of Switzerland, who accompanied his father, Jacob, from the land of his birth to America, settling in New York City. After a time the grandfather went to Monmouth County, N. J., where he was employed at the Howell works. Thence he went to Conshohock- en, Montgomery County, Pa., where he was ac- cidentally killed in a mine.

John Johntra, who was an iron moulder in New York City for almost half a century, died there

at the age of sixty-five. In religion he was a Protestant, adhering to the Lutheran faith. He married Mary Miller, who was born in Ocean County, N. J., of Holland-Dutch descent, and who was a daughter of Joseph Miller, a school teacher and early settler there. She died in 1856, having become the mother of four children. Jacob, her eldest son, who served in the Civil War from 1861 to 1865, is in the grocery business at City Island, Westchester County, N. Y. John, who is an iron moulder in New York City, makes his home in Ravenswood. The only daughter is Mrs. Virginia Miller, of New York City.

The subject of this notice, who was next to the youngest among the four children of the fam- ily, spent his first twelve years in New York City, where he attended the grammar school on Stan- ton Street. At the age of ten the struggle for a livelihood began, and when eleven years old he worked at Jackson's iron works, making cores for shells. For four years he worked on a farm in Ocean County, N. J., but at the age of sixteen went back to New York, where he apprenticed himself to the iron moulder's trade. On complet- ing his apprenticeship he was employed in differ- ent places in New Jersey and New York, but fin- ally settled at Lakewood, where he worked at his trade about seven years. Later, for five years he was similarly employed in Chester, Pa., then went back to Lakewood, where he remained five years.

In July of 1888 Mr. Johntra removed from Lakewood to New York City, where he started a restaurant in Second Avenue, near Ninetieth Street. Four months later he sold out, and on the Ist of January, 1889, located in Long Island City, opening a grocery in Steinway Avenue. In August, 1889, he removed to No. 159 Flushing Avenue, where he has since had charge of a growing trade. In June, 1892, he started a branch store at No. 79 Fulton Avenue, and this he carried on until August, 1893. In August, 1895, he started a branch on the corner of Grand Ave- nue and Lockwood Street. Two months pre- vious to that he opened a large store in Flushing, at Nos. 28-30 Main Street, and this he gave to the management of his son, J. Albert, and nephew, H. Miller, who conduct the business under the firm name of Johntra & Miller. It is a flourishing business, and two or three wagons are kept busy in delivering goods to customers. A line of feed, hay and flour is also kept in stock. These five stores which our subject has started prove that

CLINTON A. BELDIN, M. D.

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he is a man of excellent business talent and con- siderable enterprise, while his financial success shows that he is a man of wise judgment.

While residing in Lakewood Mr. Johntra was married to Miss Mary Adams, daughter of Sam- uel Adams, an iron moulder by trade. They are the parents of six children, namely: Joseph A., Jr., who resides in Flushing; Eva V., who is in charge of the Grand Avenue branch store; Sam- uel A., who is a clerk in his father's store; Katie A., Mabel E. and Grace D. Socially Mr. Johntra is treasurer of Astoria Lodge No. 155, I. O. O. F., and a member of Advance Lodge No. 635, As- toria, F. & A. M. His church affiliations are with the Methodist Episcopal denomination. In politics, while not an active partisan, he is stanch in his adherence to Republican principles.

C LINTON A. BELDIN, M. D. The pro- fessional men of Jamaica are an element in the development of the village, to the reputation of which they are constantly adding by their talents and skill. To this class belongs Dr. Beldin, who has conducted a general prac- tice here since 1862. As a physician he is calm, sympathetic and patient, inspiring his patients with confidence in his skill. Though with ad- vancing years he has given much of his practice into the charge of his son, yet he still maintains the deepest interest in the profession and keeps abreast with the practical details in the improve- ments of medicine.

The grandfather of the Doctor, Jeremiah Bel- den (as the name was then spelled), who was born in Connecticut about 1760, and was one of the leading men of that colony during the Revolution, but about 1800 he took his family to Massachusetts, where he remained until his death. Andrew, our subject's father, was born in Wethersfield, Conn., about 1790, and accom- panied his parents to Massachusetts when he was about ten years of age, remaining in that state until his death, in 1875. He was a pros- perous farmer and a leading member of the Con- gregational Church near his home. One of his brothers went to the wilds of the Western Re- serve in Ohio in an early day, making the jour- ney with an ox team; his descendants are now living in that part of the Buckeye State. A sis- ter, Amelia, is a widow, and resides at Westfield, Mass.

Our subject's mother, who bore the maiden 8

name of Corinthia Moore, was born in Hamp- den County, Mass., and died at Westfield in 1880, when nearly ninety years of age. In her family there were four sons and one daughter, of whom Clinton A. was third in order of birth. The others were Homer L., a book binder in Spring- field, Mass., at the time of his death, about 1888; Alonzo, a farmer, who died at Westfield, Mass., in 1889; Everett M., who was a hotel keeper, and died at West Springfield, Mass .; and Almira, who died at the age of twenty years.

The Doctor was born. in Hampden County, Mass., January 10, 1826, and spent his boyhood years on the home farm, but at the age of six- teen he made up his mind to become a physician. His father, opposing him in this ambition, would render him no financial assistance, but undaunt- ed by any obstacle, he bent every energy toward the consummation of his hopes. He commenced study in the office of Dr. Grinnell, in the village near which his father's farm was situated. Twice a week it was his custom to go home, where his mother filled a box with provisions, and with this he returned to the village; his limited means prevented him from enjoying many of the com- forts of life, but did not deter him from carrying out his plans. At the age of seventeen he com- menced to teach school, in which way he secured the means necessary for a college education.

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Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York, Part 28

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