Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York, Part 38

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 38

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).

making necessary repairs to the vessel, which was badly damaged. The first sewing machine ever seen in that country was brought there by them, and they were obliged to sell it to them, as well as the first and only American cooking stove and washboard. They found the people to be honest, intelligent and hospitable, and have often wished that life and property were as safe in this coun- try as in Northern Russia. They know how to punish a criminal.

While on a voyage from Bordeaux, France, to Cartagena, Spain, early one morning in Febru- ary, 1862, after a severe storm, the Captain saw a vessel in the distance with a flag of distress. This ship, which was apparently two miles away, proved to be the brig "Carrs," of England. They signalled that they were sinking, and our subject answered that he would stand by. The English sailors then launched their boats and all were fin- ally saved. In recognition of this service the Captain received the following letter from the of- fice of the Commissioner of the Privy Council for the Trade Marine Department:

"Whitehall, London, England, April 12, 1862. "Gentlemen:

"I am directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th of March, with its enclosure relative to the rescue of the master and crew of the brig 'Carrs' of North Shields, by United States vessel 'Grand Turk,' A. P. Blanchard, master, and to acquaint you that my Lords have awarded Cap- tain Blanchard a telescope, which, when ready, will be forwarded to the foreign office for pre- sentation to him through his own government. I herewith enclose an order on Her Majesty's Postmaster-General for the sum of ten pounds seventeen shillings, for subsisting the rescued crew, calculating at the usual rates allowed by this department, viz .: two shillings per diem for the master and one shilling six pence a day for each of the seamen.

"I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant, "(Signed) T. H. Farrer." "Messrs. Baring Brothers."

The telescope thus presented is still in our sub- ject's possession.

In 1874 Captain Blanchard became owner of the bark "Masonic," and in 1879, on a voyage to Japan, the ship put into the port, Manilla, for re- pairs. There the captain, Thomas W. Killman,

323

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

was killed by the steward, Edward Bertran, a Frenchman. Finding the vessel unprotected, the Spanish authorities at Manilla imposed a heavy and outrageous fine for alleged violation of rev- enue laws. This our subject refused to pay, an- swering from New York in a cablegram; so the authorities seized the vessel and finally sold it against the protest of the Secretary of State, Will- iam M. Evarts. The resultant controversy lasted seven years and was brought to a successful con- clusion in 1885 by Hon. John W. Foster, then Minister to Spain, in which our subject was awarded $51,674.07 by Baron Blanc, the Italian Minister at Madrid, who was arbitrator. This was a great victory for the State Department and American commerce, for in previous affairs of a similar nature they had never succeeded in bring- ing the Spanish government to terms. President Arthur personally told Captain Blanchard that he, as President, had more trouble with the Span- ish government in matters of this kind than with all other nations of the earth. The decision and settlement has greatly benefited American ship- ping interests, for since then Spain has desisted from imposing illegal and unwarranted fines on American vessels.

About 1878 Captain Blanchard retired from the sea, after which he lived in Brooklyn until 1893, and then came to his present home. Politically a Republican, he was a candidate for alderman while in Brooklyn, but was defeated. He aided in organizing the Union League Club of Brook- Ivn and helped by his subscriptions in the erec- tion of the building. The Marine Society of New York, to which he belongs, is older than the United States government, and has charge of the institution for disabled seamen at Snug Harbor, Staten Island, where about one thousand seamen and shipmasters are provided with all the com- forts of life free of charge. The Captain is also an associate member of Grant Post, city of Brook- lyn, and a subscriber to the fund for the erection of the statue to General Grant, unveiled at Grant Square, April 25, 1896.

R ICHARD W. MARVIN. One of the well- improved farms of the town of Flushing is situated one mile from the village of Floral Park and is owned and occupied by the subject of this sketch. Here his birth occurred November 14, 1853, and on this place he has al- ways made his home. His father, Harry P. Mar-

vin, was born at Herrick's, town of Hempstead, and for forty years was one of the influential citi- zens of the town of Flushing, during all of which time he made his home on the farm near Floral Park. The property which he acquircd con- sisted of one hundred and fifty acres and repre- sented a lifetime of toil and earnest endeavor on his part. He married Pellatiah Williams, a native of the town of Hempstead and daughter of Rich- ard Williams, for whom our subject was named.

Gaining the rudiments of his education in the public schools of the home neighborhood, Mr. Marvin later entered Union Hall Academy of Ja- maica, where he carried on his studies until the time of graduation. Since then he has given his attention to the cultivation of the home place, which he devotes partly to general and partly to market farming. In planting and harvesting he shows good judgment, using good, sound, common sense in his decisions regarding the farm work. His time is closely occupied in superin- tending the management of his place, which, un- der his management, is kept in first-class condi- tion.

The first marriage of Mr. Marvin took place March 10, 1880, his wife being Emma D., daugh- ter of George Valentine of Herrick's, where she was born. She died August 22, 1883, three years after her marriage. The second wife of Mr. Mar- vin, with whom he was united December 8, 1886, was Phoebe K., daughter of William Valentine of Mineola, where she was born, and a member of one of the oldest families of the county. Two daughters, Jennie E. and Emma V., bless this union. In his political views our subject is a Republican and always votes that ticket. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Searingtown, North Hempstead, and a con- tributor to its maintenance.

V AN NEST OWEN. The village of Wood- side can boast among her citizens a num- ber of men whose activity, ability and broad experience make them of value to the com- munity and bring to them the respect of their fel- low-citizens in other parts of the county. While Mr. Owen has been a resident of this place for a comparatively few years only, yet in that time he has risen to a position of prominence in business and political affairs. He is proprietor of a gen- eral mercantile establishment and is also post- master of the village, having been appointed to

324

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the latter position in 1893 by Postmaster-General Bissell.

In Dutchess County, N. Y., April 1, 1859, the subject of this notice was born to David and Ann (Mond) Owen, being one of eight children, of whom seven are still living. His father, also a native of Dutchess County, born in 1838, was a son of John Owen, who was born in that coun- ty, engaged in farming pursuits, and died there at the age of eighty-four. Passing the years of boy- hood on the home farm, David Owen selected ag- riculture for his life calling and has since given his attention to that occupation, in which he has gained prosperity.

At the age of eighteen, having completed his education in the common schools, our subject left the home farm and went to New York City, where he secured employment in the furnace and range house of J. L. Mott & Co. Being an am- bitious young man, economical, judicious and enterprising, he invested his earnings in town lots in Woodside, and this property having since in- creased in value, has proved a remunerative in- vestment. In 1892 he resigned his position with J. L. Mott and coming to Woodside established himself in the hardware business. As his trade increased, he extended it to include general mer- chandise, and now carries on a thriving business.

Those who are acquainted with Mr. Owen have no need to ask his political opinions, as his en- thusiastic support of the Democracy and loyalty to its principles are well known. At this writing he is vice-president of the Democratic Associa- tion of Woodside. He is foreman of the Wood- side Hook and Ladder Company No. 3, local sec- retary of the Co-operative Building and Loan As- sociation of New York City and president of the P. C. Social Club. In 1882 he was united in mar- riage with Miss Mary Lawlor, a lady of great ten- derness of disposition and admirably adapted by her many virtues to dignify and adorn domestic life. Five children blessed their union, of whom there now survive: Sadie, Van Nest, Jr., John and Mary.

J OSEPH A. LAWRENCE, JR., of the town of Newtown, was born April 22, 1845, the oldest son of Joseph A. and Eliza D. (Gor- sline) Lawrence. The place of his birth has con- tinued to be his home, and he is now operating the farm in connection with his brother, Peter

G. Since eighteen years of age he has been a . member of the fire department of Newtown, in which he has filled every office and is now the chief. For one year he served as district chief. Socially he is a member of Mizpah Lodge No. 738, F. & A. M., in which for two years he held the position of master, and he is also connected with Ancient Chapter No. I, R. A. M., of New York City.

Tracing the lineage of the family, we find that our subject's father, Joseph A., was a son of Jos- eph and a grandson of Jonathan, who was a son of John and grandson of Capt. John, the latter in turn being a son of Maj. Thomas Lawrence. All of these ancestors were men of prominence and influence throughout Queens County. The first representative of the family of whom there is any authentic knowledge was Sir Robert Laurens of Ashton Hall, Lancashire, England, who ac- companied Richard the Lion-Hearted in his ex- pedition to Palestine and signalized himself in the siege of St. Jean d'Acre in 1191, by being the first to plant the banner of the cross on the bat- tlements of that town, for which he received the honor of knighthood. Later the family gained eminence in England. Faulkner's History of Chelsea states that they "were allied to all that was great and illustrious-cousins to the ambi- tions Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, to the Earl of Warwick, to Lord Guilford Dudley, who expiated on the scaffold the short-lived loyalty of Lady Jane Grey, to the brilliant Leicester, who set two queens at variance, and to Sir Philip Sid- ney, who refused a throne."

Many of the name of Lawrence in America are descended from three brothers, John, William and Thomas, who came here from Great St. Al- bans, Hertfordshire, during the political troubles that terminated in the death of Charles I. The family coat-of-arms is found on the seals ap- pended to some of their wills on file in New York and on old plate still in the family. John and William came on the ship "Planter," in April, 1635, landing in Massachusetts, but subsequent- ly removing to Long Island. John was one of the six men to whom the patent of Hempstead was granted by Governor Kieft in 1644. The next year he and William, with others, obtained the patent of Flushing, where he established his home. Soon he removed to New Amsterdam, where he became prominent. He served as al- derman and mayor of New York and was for years a member of the council. In 1692 he was

HON. A. N. WELLER.

327

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

appointed judge of the Supreme Court, which office he held up to his death in 1699.

The youngest of the three brothers, Thomas, is thought to have joined them after their emigra- tion. For a time he resided in Flushing, whence in 1656 he removed to Newtown and took part in the purchase of the town lands from the In- dians the same year. Afterward he purchased and improved farms extending along the East River from Hell Gate Cove to Bowery Bay. De- cember 30, 1689, he accepted the command of the forces of Queens County, Governor Leisler com- missioning him Major, on receipt of the news of the revolution in England, and the removal of Sir Edwin Andross as Governor of Massachu- setts. Thomas was frank in asserting the reasons which had led to his departure from England and his opposition to domineering principles. In Feb- ruary, 1690, he began to raise troops in Queens County to aid in defending Albany against the French, and in July was commissioned to pro- ceed to Southold with a force to protect Eng- lish subjects there against French cruisers. He died in Newtown in 1703.

Our subject's father was born in Newtown, March 16, 1817, and died October 16, 1889. His grandfather, Jonathan, was a Revolutionary patriot, whose career is portrayed in the "Annals of Newtown," and Thompson's History of Long Island. The father of Joseph A. died when the son was only six weeks old and at an early age he was obliged to become self-supporting. When sixteen he entered the store of Lawrence & Mun- sell in New York, where he clerked for two years. Later going to New Orleans, he worked in a store for a short time, then returned to his native town and became a member of the firm of Lawrence & Bush. After twelve years the firm removed from Newtown to the head of Flushing Bay, where they established a lumber yard and carried on a large lumber and coal trade. In 1879 they leased their property to Harry Hill, aft- er which Mr. Lawrence retired from business. A Republican and an Abolitionist, he condemned the slave system and labored for its overthrow. From 1872 to 1879 he served as tax receiver, but with that exception declined public office.

By his marriage to Miss Eliza D. Gorsline of Newtown, Mr. Lawrence had six children, name- ly: Joseph A., of this sketch; Margaret D., who married Edward F. Richardson, and has three children; Mary, deceased; Mary Anna; Peter G., who is assisting in the management of the home

farm; and Elizabeth A., wife of James Newton of Brooklyn, and mother of one child. Mr. Law- rence was conceded to be one of the most popular men of Long Island, his companionable nature, genial disposition and pleasant manners win- ning for him the esteem of all with whom he was acquainted.

H ON. AUGUSTUS NOBLE WELLER, Judge of the Queens County Surrogate Court, was born in Chautauqua County, N. Y., December 5, 1836, and is a son of Benjamin T. Weller, a farmer of moderate means. His boy- hood years were spent on the home farm, his time being divided between attendance at the district schools and work on the place. Early inured to toil, he laid in youth the foundation of his future success, for he then gained the habits of persever- ance, determination and industry that later se- cured his prosperity.

Soon after completing his education in the Fre- donia Academy, Mr. Weller became a law student in the office of Snow & Morris, the leading firm of attorneys in Fredonia, and with them he spent two years. Then going to New York City, he en- tered the law office of Mott & Cary, eminent at- torneys, with whom he remained three years. Aft- er his admission to the bar in 1860, he went to Batavia, N. Y., where he formed a law partner- ship with Harry Wilbur of that place. The con- nection continued for three years, when he re- turned to New York City and in 1863 entered into partnership with Hon. Charles Crary, well known as a member of the Committee of Seventy who broke up the notorious Tweed ring. The office of the firm was first at No. 104 Broadway, but later was removed to Nassau Street, the con- ncction being continued until the death of Mr. Crary. Judge Weller is a member of the Chap- ter of the Cathedral of the Incarnation of the Dio- cese of Long Island, which has over three millions of money besides the buildings. This is a corpo- ration created by his wife to perpetuate the mem- ory of her husband, the late A. T. Stewart. It has developed into one of the finest preparatory schools in America.

It was not long before Mr. Weller secured rec- ognition among the promising young lawyers of the metropolis, and he was engaged as attorney in many important cases, with the most eminent lawyers of the New York and Brooklyn bar for an- tagonists. One of the most important of these

328

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

was the "scissors grinders' case," Balleman vs. Blake, involving several blocks of buildings in Brooklyn worth a half million dollars. In this suit he was opposed by the celebrated New York lawyer, F. R. Coudert. Another important case was Wight vs. James Gordon Bennett of the "New York Herald," in which he secured the largest ver- dict for libel ever recorded in America, viz .: $25,- 000. His opposing counsel in this case were Joseph H. Choate, Judge Strong, John Townsend and others equally eminent. The case was fought with great pertinacity and skill on both sides, and ended in a complete victory for Judge Weller's client.

In 1873 Judge Weller married Miss Kate Ward, daughter of Hon. Henry M. Onderdonk, ex-State Senator of Ohio, niece of William H. Onderdonk, who held the offices of district attor- ney, county judge and surrogate of Queens County, and granddaughter of Bishop Onderdonk of the Protestant Episcopal Church. During the year of his marriage Judge Weller came to Hemp- stead, which has since been his place of resi- dence. To himself and wife were born four chil- dren, viz .: Katharine, wife of Charles L. Addison; Henry Selden, now a student at Yale; Augustus Noble, Jr., and Hobart Courtney, the two latter students at St. Paul's at Garden City. Mrs. Wel- ler died November 13, 1888.

While our subject has never desired to gain prominence in the political field, yet he has been regarded as a leader of the Democratic party in Queens County, and in 1885 his party nominated him for the position of Judge of the Surrogate Court, to which he was elected. The Secretary of State had certified that a Surrogate was to be elected in this county to take office January I, 1886, but after his election a controversy arose as to the term of office of the gentleman then hold- ing the office, and who had been elected to fill an unexpired term. The question was submitted to the courts and the Court of Appeals finally de- cided that the then acting judge had been elected for six years, and that his term did not expire until January 1, 1887, which rendered Judge Weller's election null. However, in the fall of 1886, he was again nominated by the Democratic convention and received the endorsement of the Republican convention, being elected without opposition and taking the office January 1, 1887. In the fall of 1893 he was elected for a second term of six years.

In litigation and in all branches of the law Judge Weller has had a wide experience, and when

elected Surrogate he brought to the bench a thor- ough knowledge of the law, with a keen insight into the merits of the cases tried before him. That his decisions are just is evidenced by their uni- versal affirmation in the Appellate Courts; as a rule, however, they are recognized as so clear and convincing that few appeals are taken. Since his election to the office, the people of the county have recognized the importance of his court and have furnished him with one of the finest and most complete offices in the state.

Through extensive reading, not only of legal publications, but also of general literature; through travel in this country and abroad; through habits of close observation, and through intercourse with the leaders of thought in New York and other cities, Judge Weller has gained a breadth of culture that renders him a delightful conversationalist and a most entertaining com- panion. While he is broad in his views, yet he is conservative in action, prudent, sagacious and discriminating, a man fitted by natural endow- ments and education for a position of responsi- bility and trust in the service of his fellow-men.

C HARLES G. J. FINN, M. D. Not only in Hempstead, where he resides, but in the adjoining country, Dr. Finn is known as a successful and skillful physician and sur- geon, one who has given years of thought and painstaking preparation to his profession and who is thoroughly qualified for its practice. Nature endowed him with the qualities necessary for suc- cess as a practitioner, for he is sympathetic, pa- tient and thoughtful, and in the hour of extremity cool and courageous. Though his practice en- grosses much of his attention he still finds time to keep posted upon the practical details in the improvements of the science and avails himself of every development in remedial agencies.

The Finn family originated in England, where the Doctor's grandfather, John, was born and where, at one time, he was an editor of the "Lon- don Times." * After coming to America he held the position of associate editor on the "New York Herald" under the senior Bennett, being thus oc- cupied for many years. His son, John T., our subject's father, was born in Brooklyn, where he still resides, being a large real estate owner and an extensive coal and wood dealer; he married Phoebe G. Jenkins, a native of Nantucket, now living in Brooklyn.

CHARLES GARDNER JENKINS FINN, M. D.

HEMPSTEAD SENTINEL NOV 15.1906

At the meeting of the Board of Ed ucation last Thursday evening, Presi- dent Ludlum and associates Corn well and Martling being present. ---

The following minute was adopted on the death of C. G. J. Finn, M. D. :

WHEREAS, It has pleased the Al- mighty to remove by Death Charles G. J. Finn, M. D., a member of the Board of Education of School District No. 1, of the Town of Hempstead, at a time when to all human appearances he could lest be spared; and

WHEREAS, During the past fifteen years in which he has served in the ca- pacity of a member of the Board of Education, he has always heen found liberal and progressive, with one end solely in view, the advancement of the school to a higher standard, so that it could occupy its place in the State, as the equal of any therein; and

WHEREAS, He has given his time and attention during these fifteen years, without pay or remuneration, for the hetterment of both teacher and scholar, and we his associates known- ing how loyally and faithfully he has performed all the duties of his office, and desiring to place upon record a token of the esteem in which he was held, have adopted the following:

RESOLVED, That we the Members of the Board of Education of School District No. 1, Town of Hempstead, in this hour of its bereavement, do ex. press its great loss in the death of our late associate member Charles G. J. Finn, M. D., who was always found upon the right side of all questions ef- fecting the cause of education and the betterment of our School.

RESOLVED, That the sympathy of this Board is extended to the wife and daughter of the deceased, who are so suddenly deprived of a husband and father, and that we his associates will always bear in remembrance his kind- ly acts and works for the school dis- trict.

RESOLVED, That the Members of the Board of Education attend the funeral services in a body, that the school building be appropriately draped in mourning for the period of thirty days; and that these resolutions be spread upon the minutes, and a copy thereof duly signed by the members of the Board of Education forwarded to the family and printed in the Vil- lage papers.

Messrs. Emory and Cornwell were appointed a committee to present a copy to the family.

329

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Born in Brooklyn, N. Y., January 29, 1855, the subject of this sketch was given the best advant- ages this country affords. His literary education was acquired at Pennington and Princeton, after which he entered Bellevue Hospital Medical Col- lege, New York, from which he graduated in 1876. For one year he engaged in practice in New York and then came to Hempstead, where he has built up a large and remunerative practice. Socially he is connected with the Masons and Odd Fellows, and in religious belief holds mem- bership in St. George's Church. In 1880 he mar- ried Miss Addie, daughter of the late B. F. Rush- more, ex-sheriff of Queens County. They have one child, a daughter, Lillian R.

Interested in everything pertaining to his pro- fession, Dr. Finn has taken a prominent part in the work of various associations. In the Queens County Medical Society, of which he is a mem- ber, he served for ten years as secretary and treas- urer and for three years as president, filling the various offices with credit to himself. In addi- tion to this, he is connected with the New York Academy of Medicine and the Pan-American Medical Association, being one of the vice-presi- dents of the latter organization. He is visiting physician and surgeon to St. Mary's and St. Paul's colleges in Garden City. For ten years he was physician to the village and for a similar period held the position of consulting surgeon to the Queens County Almshouse Hospital and consult- ing physician and surgeon to Queens County Children's Honne.

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 38

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