Portrait and biographical record of Queens County (Long Island) New York, Part 81

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 81

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).

EDWARD T. PAYNE.

639

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

munerative trade. On retiring from this he was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue, holding this office for four years.

In 1880 Mr. Jervis began dealing in real es- tate in this vicinity and is now the owner of con- siderable property. He also represents some of the best insurance companies in the East. The high position which he occupies in the communi- ty has been gained by patient and unremitting attention to business.

Mr. Jervis and Miss Marie A. Losee, of Mid- dle Village, were united in marriage in 1873. To them were born four children, named respective- ly: Fannie, the wife of Charles F. Smith; Marie, Ella and George. His second marriage, in 1893, was to Alice Primrose, daughter of James and Mary (Smith) Primrose, of New York City. One child is the result of this union, Elsie Anna. Our subject is a Democrat in politics. For three years he served as county superintendent of the poor, and while the incumbent of that trying po- sition gained the respect and confidence of the entire district.

E DWARD T. PAYNE, attorney and coun- selor-at-law, of Glencove, is a native of Connecticut, and was born at Haddam, October 10, 1853. He is the son of Oliver N. and Ellen M. (Bolles) Payne, the former of whom was born at Southold, Suffolk County, N. Y., April 13, 1828. After receiving his diploma from Amenia Seminary he became a student of Yale College, from which he was graduated with the Class of '52. After completing his college course he began teaching school at Haddam, where Ed- ward T. was born, and for about a year and a half was principal of Brainerd Academy at that place. He afterward went to Jamestown, Pa., and during the time in which he was engaged in teaching there studied law. When ready to en- gage in practice he removed to Corning, N. Y., and during the six years of his residence there became a citizen of great influence and widely extended popularity.

The father of our subject was twice married, his union with Miss Bolles taking place in Brook- lyn in August, 1852. In 1860 they removed to that city, where they remained for two years, Mr. Payne in the meantime having an office in New York City: At the end of that time he came to Glencove, where he purchased property and lived until after the decease of his wife, when he re-

turned to Brooklyn, where his second marriage took place. Of his first union there are three children still living. Ernest B., a resident of Wading River, Suffolk County, is engaged as a farmer and is also justice of the peace; he studied law two years, it then being his intention to fol- low the profession in which his father was so prominent, but he abandoned it at the end of that time and has since given his attention to cultivating the soil. He is married and the fath- er of two children. Anna G. Payne married Dr. F. H. Bartlett, of Olean, Cattaraugus County, N. Y., in 1881, and is the mother of two daugh- ters. The father of our subject was a stanch Re- publican in politics and at one time was candi- date on that ticket for the office of county judge and on another occasion for district attorney.

The subject of this sketch was a lad of nine years when his father came to Glencove. Here he began his studies in the public schools, from which he was graduated when in his sixteenth year. He then took the competitive examination for a scholarship at Cornell and won, but the ex- pense being too great, his father was obliged to abandon the idea of sending him to that institu- tion. Young Payne next attended the Polytech- nic Institute at Brooklyn, taking a two years' course, after which he entered the law office of his maternal uncle, ex-County Judge D. H. Bolles, at Olean, N. Y., where he remained for upwards of six months and then entered his fath- er's New York office. In 1874 he entered Colum- bia Law School, from which he was graduated in 1876. The February before he was graduated he took an examination in court and was then licensed as an attorney and counselor.

The marriage of Mr. Payne and Miss Grace Eastman occurred at Roslyn, November 8, 1882. Mrs. Payne, whose birth occurred in that place, is the daughter of Henry M. and Lydia (Macy) Eastman, her father being a prominent attorney. After their marriage the young people came to Glencove, where they have resided ever since, although Mr. Payne spends several hours each day in his New York office. After his admis- sion to the bar he formed a partnership with his father and was associated with him until the lat- ter retired from active business. Mr. Payne is an independent Republican in politics. He served as a member of the board of education for a period of ten years, from 1885 to 1895. The sub- ject of education has few more enthusiastic sup- porters, and it was largely through his efforts

640

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

that the project for the long-needed new school building and enlarged school grounds was adopted.

Fraternally Mr. Payne is a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows and has filled all the chairs of Pembroke Lodge. The same may be said of the Royal Arcanum, in which he takes great interest. He has at all times and in all places shown himself to be a loyal citizen and is highly regarded by his fellow townsmen. In the organization of the Glencove Bank, which was established in 1892, he took a prominent part and is a director and stockholder of that institution.

Our subject and his wife have three children living, Owen Street, Oliver Edward and Dorothy, all natives of Glencove. They lost their youngest son, Henry Eastman, in 1895.

C HRISTIAN D. HOMEYER. We take pleasure in presenting to the readers of this volume a history of the above-named gentleman, who is one of the prominent residents of Metropolitan, where he is engaged as a hard- ware merchant and dealer in grain and feed. He is a native of Ridgewood, this county, and was born June 22, 1853, to Henry and Mary (Hom- field) Homeyer. The parental family included nine children, of whom six are now living. Of these we make brief mention. Christian D. was the oldest of the household. Richard A. is rep- resented on another page of this volume; Fred- erick H. is the proprietor of a grocery at Ever- green; John is also a groceryman, his place of residence being Morris Park; Margaret married Charles Rogers, a merchant of Middle Village; and Elizabeth is the wife of John A. Hartman, proprietor of a hotel at Richmond Hill.

Henry Homeyer was born in Hanover, Ger- many, in the year 1826. He received his educa- tion in the Fatherland and continued to make his home with his parents until sixteen or eighteen years of age, when he determined to try his for- tunes in the New World. On coming hither he secured employment in New York City and re- mained there variously occupied until 1850, when he took up his home on the island. He worked for different parties for the following seven years, when he rented a farm at what is now Ridge- wood and was engaged very profitably in its cul- tivation for ten years. At the expiration of that time he invested his means in a small place in Middle Village, where he passed the remainder of

his life, dying January 23, 1888. He was a valued member of the Lutheran Church and for a period of fifteen years held the office of trustee. The cause of education in this neighborhood found in him a most worthy advocate and for twelve years he was treasurer of the school board.

Christian D. Homeyer, after acquiring a good common school education, remained at home as- sisting his father in the further improvement of the homestead until reaching his twenty-fifth year, when he went into business for himself, and for seven years conducted a good trade as grain and feed merchant at his old stand on the corner of Flushing and Bushwick Avenues. He was endowed with an unusual amount of energy and good judgment and succeeded from the very first. In 1885 he erected his present building in East Williamsburg, now known as Metropolitan, by whose residents he is regarded as a self-made, prosperous and leading citizen.

In September, 1878, Mr. Homeyer married Miss Emma Ellinger, daughter of Henry and Helena (Brummer) Ellinger, a prominent and well-known family of East Williamsburg They had but two daughters, Mr. Homeyer's wife and Henrietta. The union of our subject and his wife has been blessed by the birth of five children, named respectively : Alice H., Henry F., Edward R., Eleanora and Emily. While he has never identified himself actively with political affairs, Mr. Homeyer is a strong supporter of Demo- cratic principles and always votes that ticket. For the past thirty years he has been a member of the German Lutheran Church. Socially he be- longs to Temple Liberty Lodge, and is also a member of the Provident Association. He is re- garded as a man of sound judgment, and the ser- vice which he has rendered the residents of Metro- politan as treasurer of the school board has been very much appreciated. He is now serving his third term in that capacity and prior to this he was for six years school trustee.

M ATTHEW J. SMITH, A. B., LL. B., is one of the most successful young lawyers of the Long Island City bar and has ac- quired a fine reputation and a large practice in this city. He numbers among his clients many of the best firms and business men of this lo- cality. In Long Island City, where he now re- sides, the subject of this sketch was born Au- gust 24, 1867. His parents were Matthew and

641

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Mary (Sheridan) Smith, the former of whom de- parted this life when in his fifty-sixth year. He became the proprietor of an hotel in this city many years ago and indeed was one of the first to engage in this line of business here.

Of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Smith all are living, and of these our subject was the eldest. After attending a course in the grammar school in his native city he en- tered St. Francis College, of Brooklyn, from which institution he was graduated in 1885 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Very soon there- after he entered the office of Judge Goldfogel, of New York City, remaining with him for a period of eighteen months. In 1886, or six months pre- vious to leaving the office of Judge Goldfogel, he entered the Columbia Law School, being grad- uated with the Class of '88. Here he had con- ferred upon him the degree of Bachelor of Laws.

After completing his law course Mr. Smith en- tered the office of Donohue, Newcombe & Cor- dozo, of New York, receiving many valuable hints from these learned gentlemen during the seven months he remained with them. We next find Mr. Smith with the firm of Shepard & Os- borne, the latter of whom is now assistant district attorney of New York. Nine months later, how- ever, on the recommendation of one of his former professors in Columbia College, he obtained the position of managing clerk in the office of Kenni- son, Crain & Alling, a prominent law firm in Wall Street. He remained with them for a year and a half, during which time he not only dis- charged the duties of head clerk in a thorough and satisfactory manner, but practiced some on his own account.

In 1892 Mr. Smith located for practice in Long Island City, opening an office in the Savings Bank building, where he is rapidly making his way to the front rank of his profession in this community. He is counsellor from Long Island City for a number of the New York breweries and also represents the Mercantile Protective As- sociation of New York, besides a number of large wholesale houses of that city. He has been very successful in the settlement of various large estates in Queens County, and the honest and upright manner in which he has looked after all business confided to his care has won for him the confidence and good will of all with whom he has been brought in business relations. Mr. Smith is attorney for the United States Building and Loan Association in this city. Socially he is

a member of the Queens County Bar Association. the Jefferson Club and the Astoria Athletic Club. He is a stanch Democrat in politics and takes a very active part in the work of the Jefferson Democratic Club and is one of that organization's most prominent speakers. In 1893, when Glea- son was defeated in receiving the nomination for the assembly of Long Island City, which was then the first assembly district, Mr. Smith was one of the number who succeeded in bringing about this result.

G EORGE HANSMANN, who has met with excellent success as a blacksmith, is now living in ease and comfort in a pleasant home in East Williamsburg and is re- tired from work of any kind. Like many of the best residents of this county, he is a native of Germany, having been born in Hesse-Cassel, February 28, 1826. John and Eva (Rosenkranz) Hansmann, his parents, were likewise born in the Fatherland, and by their marriage there was granted them a family of seven children, only two of whom are living, George and Anna, the latter the widow of Elias Laudrebe. John Hans- mann was sixty-five years old at the time of his decease, in the year 1847. He was a promi- nent farmer of his locality and was a devoted church member, being for years an alder and trus- tee of the Dutch Reformed Church.

The subject of this sketch grew to manhood under the paternal roof, acquiring his education in the model schools of his native land. Upon attaining the age of eighteen he decided to come to America, and the 29th of June, 1844, found him in the city of New York. He arrived here with but one five-franc piece in his pocket and as he was entirely alone in the New World and had no friends whom he could call upon for assist- ance, he lost no time in hunting for something to do. Until a better position offered itself he was engaged as a stock-feeder in Forty-fourth Street. New York, on the North River, but at the end of a few months he secured work at the black- smith's trade, which he had learned in Germany.

In 1846 George Hansmann removed to Will- iamsburg, where he did journeyman work for three years, and then coming to East Williams- burg, embarked in business for himself and for forty years was the proprietor of a flourishing establishment. He was an expert workman, and although his trade was of the best class, he never

642

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

failed to give satisfaction to the most exacting of his customers. He was so unfortunate as to lose the sight of his right eye, which misfortune, to- gether with the fact that he had accumulated a fair amount of this world's goods and it was no longer necessary for him to work, caused him to retire from business. The blacksmith shop is now conducted by his son John and son-in-law, Fred Gabriel.

Mr. Hansmann was married to Miss Cathe- . rine M. Zeller in 1850, and to them were granted five children, of whom four survive. Catherine, now the wife of Fred Gabriel, is the mother of three sons and one daughter. George, who chose Miss Mary Moench for his wife, has three daughters; he is working for the firm of Hans- mann & Gabriel. John married Miss Grace Conway and their family includes one son and one daughter. Amelia is the wife of Remington Bedell and they have a daughter.

Politically our subject affiliates with the Re- publican party and although not desirous of holding office himself he has been influential in placing the best men in the community in nomi- nation for responsible positions and in this man- ner has been of great benefit to East Williams- burg. He is an active member of the Presby- terian Church, and while living at Williamsburg gave very material aid toward the erection of the Dutch Reformed Church which was built in 1847. In 1863 the church of which Mr. Hansmann is now a member was erected here and toward the accomplishment of this result he contributed very liberally of his means.

D R. AMAZIAH FOSTER. The calling of the veterinary surgeon is a most neces- sary as well as a most humane one, for the noble animal, the horse, for his faithful serv- ice should be cared for intelligently as well as kindly. Much of this devolves on the veterinary surgeon and blacksmith, and one of the most ex- perienced, capable and efficient of those who de- vote themselves to this work is Dr. Foster, of Springfield, Queens County. He belongs to one of the old and highly respected families of the county and was born in East Rockaway, town of Hempstead, on the 25th of October, 1825. His parents, Jacob and Betsey (Skidmore) Foster, had nine children, of whom seven are living. The father was born at what is known as Fosters

Meadow, and during the greater part of his life was engaged in the butcher's business and dealt in groceries at this place-Springfield. He was a very skillful violin player and was frequently engaged to furnish the music for entertainments. His father was John Foster, also of Fosters Meadow.

At the age of ten years Dr. Foster was bound out and from that time until he was seventeen years of age he made his home with various fam- ilies. At this time the opportunity was offered him to learn a trade and he became a black- smith's apprentice at Flatlands, N. Y., and for about three years he worked at the forge and completed the trade. Several years were then spent under an employer at Flatbush, after which he purchased the shop and for the following seven years conducted it very successfully himself. His health then failing he gave up this business and purchased an interest in a stage line running from Flatbush to Fulton Ferry, but this life proved uncongenial to him and he finally gave it up. He next made his way to Sheepshead Bay, where he was engaged in fishing and clamming for about three years, and during this time, ow- ing to the fact that he was much in the open air, he regained a great deal of his former vigor. His next removal was to Springfield and here for eleven years he worked as a journeyman at his trade. At this time he purchased about thirty acres of land and with his sons settled down to farming. About this time he began the study of veterinary surgery, and finally began devot- ing his entire attention to this calling. During the twenty years that he followed this exclusively he made a name for himself and did much to raise the standard of his profession. About four years ago he reopened a blacksmith shop, since which time much of his attention has been given to this work.

In the year 1846 Dr. Foster was married to Miss Chariette White and eleven children were born to them, of whom nine are living at the present time. Jacob H., a farmer, is married and has three children; Elizabeth is married and has six children; Louise has four children; Helen has three children; Levina has one child; Jane has six children; White, a carpenter and blacksmith, is married and the father of two children; Thom- as, a veterinary surgeon, is married and the father of two children; and James, who is a blacksmith by trade, is also married and has two children. Mrs. Foster died in March, 1893, and in July,

643

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

1894, he was married to Mrs. Julia E. (Stillwell) Janes.

In his political proclivities Dr. Foster has al- ways been a Republican, but he has never been particularly active politically. He is a member of the Methodist Church and is its class leader and one of its trustees.

E LMER E. BERGEN, a successful young business man of Jamaica and the collector of village and school taxes, was born in this village September 22, 1862. The family of which he is a member was among the first es- tablished on Long Island, with the growth and development of which its representatives have been intimately identified. His grandfather, Ben- jamin Bergen, was born in the town of Jamaica near Bergen's Landing, and was a soldier in the War of 1812, receiving a pension in compensa- tion for his services in that conflict. The great- grandfather, Jacob Bergen, was a native of Ja- maica Town and served as an officer in the Revolutionary War. The history of the family in this country dates back to the landing of the historic "Mayflower," and a record of the geneal- ogy has been published.

The parents of our subject, Charles H. and Kate A. (Way) Bergen, are natives respectively of Jamaica and Middle Village, L. I., the latter being a daughter of Abraham Way, whose fam- ily was one of the oldest in Middle Village. The father, who was born in 1839, has at different times been engaged in various lines of business, but has been unfortunate in many of his ventures, and at this writing is with his son, Elmer E., in the store. The parental family consisted of four sons and two daughters, of whom Elmer E. is the oldest. The others are Abraham M. W., who is unmarried and is engaged in the merchant tailor- ing business at Jamaica; Charles Benjamin, who is married and lives in San Francisco, Cal .; Louis L., a bookkeeper for the Fidelity and Casualty Insurance Company of New York and a resident of Paterson, N. J., being married and having two sons, Morrel and Everett; and K. Adelle and Mabel, who are with their parents.

Educated in the schools of Jamaica, our sub- ject at a very early age began to work for him- self. His first employment was that of herding cattle for the people of the village, his wages for this being twenty-five cents per day. Later he secured a position as office boy with a hop store

in New York City, after which he was for seven years with the clothing firm of Hirshkind & Co., Broadway and Walker Street, New York. In November, 1888, he was united in marriage with Miss Annie E., daughter of the late Elias Hen- drickson, the wealthy lumber merchant.

While he had a flattering offer from the house he was with, Mr. Bergen refused it, determining to start in business for himself. Though he had but very limited capital, yet he had a reputation for uprightness and push that was better than a cash capital. Starting a small clothing store on the corner of Fulton and Union Hall Streets he at once commenced to make money, and his career has been a successful one since that time. However, he has had his share of adversity and reverses. He started a branch store on the east end of Long Island, of which his father had charge, but the enterprise entailed a heavy finan- cial loss. Fortunately he was so well established in business that its failure did not cripple him financially.

Actively interested in all matters pertaining to the welfare of Jamaica, Mr. Bergen has been chosen to occupy a number of local positions. In 1894 he was elected tax collector of the village, which position required a bond of $105,000; he collected and turned over to the treasurer the sum of $45,000, and has filled this responsible position ever since. Politically a Republican, he is a member of the town committee of his party. So- cially he is connected with the Royal Arcanum and the Order of American Firemen, of which he was treasurer for several years. He is deeply in- terested in all religious work and holds member- ship in the Presbyterian Church. He has served as assistant superintendent of the Sunday-school, as well as treasurer, and has been president of the Christian Endeavor Union of Queens Coun- ty. By his marriage he has had four children, but has had the misfortune to lose all but one, the only survivor being Claude D., a bright boy of four years.

R ICHARD BAMBER, a contractor resid- ing in Astoria, Long Island City, was born in Cumberland, England. November 21, 1838, and is a member of a family that dates back over six hundred years in that locality. He is the son of Richard and Jane Bamber. na- tives of the same place as himself, the former of whom died at the age of fifty-seven and the

644

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

latter when fifty years old. In their family were eleven children, of whom Richard is seventh in order of birth, and the only one of the num- ber in America.

The childhood years of our subject were passed in Wigton, where his father had a gunsmith's shop. After attending the public schools for some time, at the age of sixteen he was appren- ticed to the cabinet-maker's and carpenter's trade, of which, by careful attention to instructions, he soon gained an accurate knowledge. His master retired from business after he had been with him four years and he then engaged in journeyman work, following his trade in Preston and other places. In 1859 he came to America and for a time was employed in New York City, but in 1864 came to Astoria, Long Island City, where six years later he began as an independent con- tractor. He erected two residences in Wardell Street and two in Remsen Street for himself, has built a large number of business blocks and not a few of the substantial dwelling houses of the place. He is one of the oldest contractors of Astoria and is also one of the most reliable and efficient business men here.

Mr. Bamber has been twice married, having by his first union two children, of whom one sur- vives, Mrs. Mollie Anderson, of Chicago. His second marriage, which took place at Marlboro, N. Y., united him with Miss Ann Staples, a na- tive of that village and a member of an old east- ern family. One child, Eva, blesses this union. A stanch Republican in political sentiment, Mr. Bamber is a member of the county committee, of which he has been chairman. In 1895 he was a candidate for assembly. Socially he belongs to the Royal Arcanum, in which he is regent, and the John Allen Lodge, A. O. U. W. His mem- bership, religiously, is in the Reformed Church in New York City.

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 81

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