USA > New York > Suffolk County > Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 1 > Part 14
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The education of Jamies H. Benjamin was pro- cured in the common schools, and until reaching his majority he remained with his parents, with the exception of two years which he spent on the seas. During that time the famine occurred in Ireland, and young Benjamin, boarding a vessel which conveyed provisions to the sufferers, visited the Emerald Isle. On his return home he took charge of the old homestead, upon which he has resided ever since. He has been identified with the best interests of this town for a long time, and is much respected by his neighbors and the busi- ness community in general. Now, however, he is practically retired from the duties of life, and leaves the management of his farm to his son, William H., who is an energetic young inan, fully capable of relieving his father of this burden.
December 15, 1852, Mr. Benjamin was united in marriage with Miss Harriet Raynor, who was born in Southampton, this county. By her union with our subject she became the mother of six .children. Nancy, the wife of Alfred Rigby, is residing in Elizabeth, N. J. Amelia is still at home. William H., the youngest, married Flor- ence M. Downs, of this town, and the daughter of Sheldon R. Downs. Three of the family are deceased.
Although our subject has never been a candi- date for office, he is interested in the success of the Republican party. Religiously he is a member of the Congregational Church, with which he has been connected for many years as Deacon. He is now passing the evening of life in his beautiful home, where he enjoys all the comforts of domes- tic bliss, and where he finds rest and quiet.
12 WELLS HALLOCK. The subject of the following sketchi can certainly look back upon a busy life, and feel that his labors have not been in vain. When success crowns any victor in a struggle, reward is his due, and Mr. Hallock receives his reward in the peace and plenty which surround his declining years, and
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the rest he can now take after the hard fight against disadvantageous circumstances.
Mr. Hallock was formerly one of the most eil- ergetic and enterprising of the agriculturists of the town of Riverhead. On his place he kept a large number of cows, and the milk route which he built up is now traveled by his son-in-law, who also manages the home place. Our subject was born in this town, January 24, 1820, and he had six brothers and sisters, who lived to occupy useful positions in the community. His father, John Hallock, was likewise born in this town, where he passed his entire life, with the excep- tion of the time spent in the army during the War of 1812, serving in that conflict as a member of the Home Guards. He was a life-long farmer, and during the seventy-seven years of his useful and industrious life, accumulated a property which enabled him to live comfortably during his declining years. He possessed good business ability, and was honorable and upright in all his dealings with his fellow-men. In this neighbor- hood he was well known, and indeed enjoyed quite an extensive acquaintance throughout Long Island. He was a consistent member of the Con- gregational Church, attending services regularly, and was greatly interested in church work. In politics he was a pronounced Democrat, and re- joiced in the triumph of his party.
Our subject's mother, formerly Johanna Wells, was a descendant of one of the oldest families on Long Island. She aided her husband greatly in attaining a high position among the farmers of the town of Riverhead, and remained his compan- ion until reaching her fiftieth year, when she was called to her final rest.
The subject of this sketch attended the schools which were carried on in his neighborhood dur- ing his boyhood days, and lived with his parents until twenty-two, when he secured a farin on tlie North Road. After living on that tract for twenty- five years, he removed to where he now resides. He is self-made, and has every reason to be proud of his energy and perseverance in gathering about him so many of the comforts and conveniences of life.
The marriage of our subject occurred Noveni-
ber 30, 1842, when he was united with Miss Fanny Wells, the daughter of Terry Wells, well known to the older residents of Suffolk County, where he passed a long and useful life. To Mr. and Mrs. Hallock there have been born three children, viz .: Daniel T., who passed away when twenty-eight years of age; Huldah J., who is the wife of Warren Wells, of this town; and Annie, Mrs. Merritt Hallock, a resident of Port Jefferson1.
The property which our subject now owns con- prises one hundred and fifty acres, which repre- sents his own earnings entirely, of which fact he has every reason to be proud. His political views are in sympathy with the Republican party, and in religious affairs he and his wife are consistent members of the Congregational Church.
AMES H. ARNOLD, of Babylon, was born here, and was the son of John Morris and Sarah (Scribner) Arnold, his birth occurring on the last day of January in the year 1830. His father, also a native of the island, was a sailor for the last twenty years of his life in Great South Bay. He had a numerous family of twelve chil- dren, of whom only four are now living.
Our subject was the tenth child, and, as might be expected, had to take hold early in life and help win bread and clothing for the family. He had but little opportunity for education under the instruction of the schools, but he managed to acquire that practical and working knowledge of the world that enabled him to win a good stand- ing among men. His father died when he was just past sixteen, at about the age of fifty-nine. Three years later the young man took a notion, as the phrase runs, that he would go to New York and seek employment. His friends tried to discourage him in that idea, but to no purpose, and the young man made his first plunge into the great city. He applied for a position as stage- driver on a Broadway line on his arrival, but the manager doubted his ability to handle a team in
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that crowded thoroughfare. After talking with him he concluded to see what the lad could do, and put him on a stage with an older and more experienced hand. In three days he became sat- isfied that the country boy could drive, and so lie gave him a position, one that lie held for the next two years.
While driving stage Mr. Arnold was married to Miss Sarah I. Bogart, a native of New York City. She was the daughter of A. and Saralı (Mantaney) Bogart, and had been very well ed- ucated in the schools of the city. Soon after his marriage our subject found employment with a company engaged in the manufacture of sarsapa- rilla, driving a wagon and selling goods for about two years. For the following two years he was in a flour and feed store. He was careful and prudent, and, though never receiving large wages, had saved about $500 by the year 1856. In com- pany with a partner, he opened up a feed store, and entered into business for himself. During the time Mr. Arnold was in the city he was never without employment, and he was so careful, effi- cient and upright in all his dealings that there was no man in whose service he had been but was desirous of retaining him, and when the parting came would say to him, "Should you ever be out of work, you can come back to me, and I will find something for you to do." In whatever line he was engaged he made it a point to do ex- actly as he agreed, and to throw the greater in- terest on the side of the man in whose service he was engaged.
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Mr. Arnold's partner died after he had been with him a year, and his interest was purchased by a second partner, with whom Mr. Arnold was associated until 1861, when he retired, leaving our subject in sole possession of what had become a very extensive interest. After three years a lease, which had some thirty-eight years to run, was purchased at an expense of about $15,000. This was at Nos. 146, 148 and 150 West Twen- ty-ninth Street in New York, and at this point he greatly increased his business, opening also a boarding-stable for horses. Our subject resided in New York until 1880, when he bought a home in this village, and opened a branch of his busi-
ness here, putting in stables and making ample preparation for a large trade, which he easily Won. To Mr. and Mrs. Arnold were born six children, of whom four survived to reach maturity.
Mr. Arnold has taken much interest in this place, feeling that it has a future, and has backed up his faith in Babylon by investing some S26,000, and no one in the village holds a better position, or has a more unquestioned credit in the commer- cial world. He is entirely independent in politics, and is a member of the Baptist Church. The young men of to-day can look at him and take courage from his life, by considering how much he has accomplished against such great difficul- ties. He has won a good position in life without the favor of fortune or the help of friends or chance, but by hard work, patient industry and an upright character.
ERMAN LESTER RAYMOND, M. D. The profession of medicine affords to the student of that science a never-ending source of investigation and experiment. New remedies are constantly being discovered, steady progress is being made in surgery, and new diseases are al- ways presenting themselves. To heal the sick and cure the ills to which suffering humanity is prone is the duty of Dr. Herman L. Raymond, one of the young but successful physicians of Bay Shore. He came to this place in 1893, and this has been his first field of actual practice in the homeopathic school.
Dr. Raymond, the only child now living of the family born to his parents, is a native of Var- mouth, Nova Scotia, and was born December 16, 1867. He remained there until nineteen years old, and his educational career, which had started out very favorably, was interrupted by ill-health. He went to California, where he remained two years, and then went to New York City. As he had always shown a decided preference for tlie
EDWIN F. PRESTON, M. D.
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medical profession, he entered New York Homeo- pathic Medical College, from which he was grad- uated in 1892. After that he was in hospital practice for one year on Ward's Island, and then came to Bay Shore, this county, succeeding Dr. Foster. He has, however, built up his own prac- tice, and has met with more than an average de- gree of success. He is the only strictly homeo- pathic physician in this vicinity, and besides his office here has a branch office at Islip.
R. EDWIN FORREST PRESTON. Noth- ing strange or singular clings about the fact that health is the paramount topic of inter- est in all parts of the world. It is but reasonable that this should be so. Health is capital, com- fort, happiness, life, everything, and how to re- tain it, and how to regain it when lost, is of vital interest to all. The profession of medicine, while a very inviting field for the student and humani- tarian, is one that demands much self-denial and the exercise of repression, and the sacrifice of the ordinary methods of advancing one's interests. Amityville, L. I., is peculiarly fortunate in the personnel of its practitioners, the ethical code be- ing maintained at the highest possible standard, and the individual members being gentlemen of culture and refinement, and physicians of repute and eminence. In this number the name of Dr. Edwin F. Preston holds a prominent place, and his attainments in his profession, his courteous treatment of his brethren, the success he lias at- tained in his practice, and his broad, considerate and devoted care of those who require his profes- sional services, all combine to give him an en- viable distinction among physicians, and a de- served popularity with the public.
The Doctor was born at Patchogue, Suffolk County, April 19, 1841, a son of Dr. William Storrs and Mary Ann (Snell) Preston, both na- tives of Tolland County, Conn. Commencing liis education in the public schools at the age of
fourteen years, our subject later attended an academy at Bellport, and after graduating. when sixteen years old, began teaching in the public schools. He intended to read medicine without further preparation, but not liking that idea, con- cluded to study and prepare himself for college. While teaching, and during vacations while work- ing as land surveyor, he saved his money, studied industriously, and subsequently took an examina- tion that passed him through the Freshman and Sophomore years in the University of the City of New York, from which institution he was graduated in June, 1864, taking the Master's Degree from the same in 1868. He carried off one of the honors of the class, and delivered the scientific oration at the commencement. As an educator he had made a complete success, and became Principal of Bellport Public School, hold- ing that position for two years before entering college. In September, 1864, he became Vice- Principal of Mexico Academy, of Oswego County. N. Y., where he was Professor of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.
On the Ist of December, 1864, Dr. Prestou was married to Miss Lucilla O. Gillette, a native of Patchogue, who died in Mexico on the 25th of the following January. Immediately after he: death Dr. Preston resigned his position, although the Board of Trustees and the students earnestly requested him to remain, and almost heart-broken, he went to the home of his parents discouraged. He could not tolerate the thought of being in the town where his young bride died, and from that day to this has never wanted to return. In the summer of 1865, his father, who was anxious about the health and depressed spirits of his son. prevailed upon the latter to take charge of a lit- tle school in Patchogue during the coming winter. During that time he taught Capt. Salem Furman (who had always sailed by "dead reckoning" how to navigate a boat by making proper astro- nomical observations. He also taught an event- ing school over his father's drug store, mainly to occupy his mind and keep it from dwelling upon his great loss. In 1866 hie concluded to resume higher teaching, and applied for a position as Professor of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in
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the French and English Classical Institute at Irvington, on the Hudson. He remained there one year, and in the fall of 1867 was elected First Vice-President of tlie People's College at Havana, Schuyler County, N. Y., that institution being then operated under the auspices of Free Masons of the state. He was the Professor of Natural Sciences, and edited the agricultural and scientific department of the New York Era, a weekly edited by the Professors, printed by the students in the college building, and circulated widely in the state to aid in creating revenue for the college. This great enterprise, which aimed to provide an industrial and classical education for its students, but free to the orphians of Free Masons of the state, as well as to provide an asylum for them and for the old and broken-down members of that fraternity, terminated in hopeless failure, from lack of funds, caused by dishonesty in manage- ment and treachery on the part of those who could and should have sustained it.
In consequence of this failure of the college, in 1868 our subject found himself without funds, and in order to better his financial condition, and to determine what next to do, concluded to go to Patchogue. He was obliged to borrow $26 with which to leave Havana, and the evening before going away he was invited to a hotel and feted by his many friends. About this time, in Janu- ary, 1868, he received a state certificate, which is still valid, from Hon. Victor M. Rice, Superin- tendent of Public Instruction.
Soon after settling in Patchogue he resumed the study of medicine, but later saw in a paper that Mrs. Clark, of Brooklyn, wished to have an English department established in connection with her business college, and he applied for tlie position. He was the founder of the English department in Bryant, Stratton & Clark's Busi- ness College, and became Superintendent of the whole school, remaining there until June, 1869. Having saved some money while teaching and studying medicine in Brooklyn, he applied for admission to the medical department of the Uni- versity of the City of New York, and graduated in 1871, delivering the first valedietory address ever made by a graduating student of the medical
department of that institution. He had con- tributed some articles on the geological formation of the northiern part of the state, and this gave him considerable reputation. After taking lect- ures, he was requested to take charge of the public school at Riverhead to finish the unexpired term of the previous Principal, who had been elected School Commissioner. For his services he received $25 a week, then a large sum.
Dr. Preston practiced some in East Newark, N. J., while studying, and after graduation began practicing at Amityville, with Dr. Richmond as a partner. Here he has been in active practice since, never taking a greater vacation than ten days. His partner died in April, 1875. The Doctor's second marriage was with Miss Ermina McRoberts, of Brooklyn, where she was born. She was a graduate of Packer's Collegiate Insti- tute, Brooklyn, and was married in May, 1877. They have one child. Maud, who graduated from the Amityville public school at the age of fourteen, and entered Norwich (Conn. ) Academy, remain- ing there one year. She is now a student at Adelphi Academy, Brooklyn, taking the collegiate course. In his political views Dr. Preston is a Democrat, and before he could vote stumped the island for Stephen A. Douglas. He voted for MacClellan in 1864, but refused to support Horace Greeley. He served three terms of three years each as Coroner; is now Health Officer of the town of Babylon, a position he has frequently held, and has been a member of the Democratic Central Committee, and is now a Town Commit- teeman. In the fall of 1895 he was nominated for the State Assembly, but declined the nomina- tion, chiefly on account of the fatal illness of his mother. He has ever been in favor of all meas- ures for the advancement of Amityville, and has contributed liberally to all worthy causes. He took stock in the bank of Amityville and has been its President ever since its organization.
Dr. Preston is President of the Board of Edu- cation of the Union Free School, and has been School Trustee for eighteen consecutive years. He has been active in building up the educational interests of the village to their present state, and the schools and school buildings are among the
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best in the county. Since 1871 he has been a member of the Suffolk County Medical Society, has been its President a number of times, and at present holds the position of Censor. He has been delegate to the New York State Medical Society and to the American Medical Association. Since its organization he has been a Director of the Amityville Water Works Company, is a stock- holder in the Electric-Light and Power Company, and a director in the Loan and Building Asso- ciation. He is physician in charge of the Do- minican Convent and Orphan Asylum, and also of St. Catharine's Infirmary, both situated at North Amityville.
Fraternally the Doctor belongs to the Delta Phi Society, is a Royal Arch Mason, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is now Deputy Grand Chancellor in the order of the Knights of Pythias.
D APT. JACOB SMITH is one of the oldest of the citizens in Sayville, and has figured prominently among the active business men here for many years, it having been his home since the age of eight years. He was born in Smithtown, April 27, 1811, and is a son of Will- iam C. and Anna (Hawkins) Smith. The latter was born in Bayport, and died at the early age of thirty, at the birth of our subject. She was the mother of three children, Hannah, Levitta and Jacob, of whom our subject alone survives. By another marriage Mr. Smith's father had eleven children. His grandmother was five times mar- ried.
William C. Smith was a seafaring man in his younger years, but later devoted himself to farmi- ing. He died at Bayport. Young Smith was engaged in farming on the home place until eight- een years of age, at which time lie began to fol- low the sea, and continued so occupied for over forty years. In boyhood he received but a lim- ited education, for the schools then were as dif-
ferent as can be imagined from those of the pres- ent time. Those who have read of them can call up to the mind's eye the wide fireplace, primitive benches and few books, while graded effort in school work was unthought of.
After the many years spent on the water, Cap- tain Smith determined to abandon a seafaring life, so he purchased for $2,500 a farmi at Bayport, for- merly owned by his father, and comprising one hundred and seventy-five acres. After working it for three years, he sold it for $5,000. Hethen removed to Sayville, and engaged in the mercan- tile business until 1886, his partner being Charles Z. Gillett, the Postmaster. They did a large business, Mr. Gillett having his office in the . store, and our subject being Deputy-Postmaster. The building was where the Grand Central De- partment Store now is. The firm also dealt in lumber, and after eighteen years, in which their effort was rewarded by a flattering degree of suc- cess, Captain Smith retired from the active man- agement of affairs.
November 22, 1834, our subject married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Reuben Edwards. They have passed together sixty-one years of happy married life, and although on the evening side of existence, are still bright and active. They had the following children: Elizabeth, who died when an infant; and Margaret Ann, widow of Dr. George R. Brush, who was a surgeon in the navy during the Civil War, and died in the serv- ice. They had one child, George J., who died wlien but eleven years old.
Captain Smith was a Democrat by association and principle until the time of Lincoln's procla- mation to the Southern people, when he became a Republican. His first vote was cast for Gen- eral Jackson. Fraternally he has been a Mason for twenty years. He and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been Trustee and Steward for thirteen years. They have been very active in church work, and liberal in all philanthropic enterprises. Mrs. Brush, who is residing with her father and moth- er, has one of the best private libraries in the state, comprising history, biography, medicine, art, and other rare books. The whole world was
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ransacked for books of rare value by the late Dr. Brush, and these now form a part of his widow's collection. There is an insurance of $7,000 on the library, which is, however, only an iota of the actnal measure of its value.
The Smith home is a beautiful place located on Main Street. The aged couple are still clear- witted, entertaining and genial, and many are the visits they have from old and young, who draw from their storehouse of information, genial hu- mor and cordiality. Captain Smith heads the list of Sayville's influential and venerable citizens.
ONAS FISHEL, the famous dry-goods mer- chant of the village of Riverhead, was born in Austria, September 12, 1833, and was a son of Abraham Fishel, who was a merchant in his native land, where his death occurred. The parental family included five sons, all of whom followed mercantile pursuits. Leopold is a mer- chant in Tachau, Austria, and succeeded to the business established by his father. Francis E. was a merchant in the city of New York, and died there in 1865. Andrew is now living in Patchogue, where he was formerly a merchant.
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Jonas Fishel, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the schools of his native country, and as a boy helped his father in his store and on the farm. In 1849 he came to America, and entered his brothers' store, and at one time three of the Fishel brothers were associated togetlier in busi- ness, Francis E., Andrew and Jonas having a store in Patchogue, in Riverhead and in New York. In the latter establishment our subject was a silent partner, and when his brother Franeis died, the partnership was dissolved, but lie and his brother Andrew continued the business at the two other points mentioned above, and this arrangement continued until the year ISSo, when the partnership of long duration was dissolved, his brother taking the store at Patchogue, and he retaining the establishment at this point.
Mr. Fishel had come to this country with a small capital, but by close application to business, by rigid economy, and with a native readiness for the fine points of trade, he accumulated a very ample competence, and is now regarded as one of the wealthy men of the island. His new home in this village is considered one of the finest in the place. Besides his Riverhead store and his Long Island property, he is interested in proper- ty in Denver, Colo., in which two of his sons are also interested, they being located at that point. He was one of the charter members of the River- head Savings Bank, and has been one of its Trustees from the start. He also helped to or- ganize the Suffolk County National Bank, in which he is a Director.
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