USA > New York > Suffolk County > Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 1 > Part 17
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ON. NATHAN D. PETTY. No man on Long Island has attained the ideal citizen, the affection of his neighbors, or the lasting regard of the Republican party in a higher degree, perhaps, than Hon. Nathan D. Petty, Judge of the Surrogate's Court of Suffolk County. The uprightness of his private life, his simple, unassum- ing ways, his keen, analytical mind, and his brill- iancy as a speaker and shrewdness as a political manager, place him among the eminent men of his locality. He was born at Good Ground, Suf- folk County, January 6, 1842. The family of which he is a member originated in England, and came to this country three or four generations ago. They were a highly respected and an in- dustrious people, principally tillers of the soil and followers of the sea, and none, as far as known, achieved greatness or great wealth, and nonc, on the other hand, were poor or dishonest.
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Charles Petty, father of our subject, was born at Moriches, this county, and married Miss Har-
riet Dickerson, who was born at Red Creek, L. I. Her father, Jolin Dickerson, was a leading farmer of his section, and was descended from English ancestors, who came to this country about the same time that the Petty family settled here. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Petty began farming, and this he followed successfully all his life. For many years he was a leading member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and died in full communion with the same, December 28, 1876, aged sixty-th. His widow, a most estimable woman, is still living, and resides at Bay Shore.
Three children comprised the parental family, but the only daughter died in infancy, and a son died at the age of nine years, so that our subject ' alone attained mature years. He passed his boy- hood years on his father's farm, and in much the same manner as other farmer boys, attending the district school and assisting on the home place. Later he attended a select school at Cutchogue, and afterward was a pupil in a private school at Riverhead. In 1857 he entered Sanborton Bridge (now Tilton ) Seminary, in New Hampshire, where he remained one year, after which he was a student at Ft. Edward Institute, in New York, and then spent a year in Eastman's Commercial College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. While in the latter insti- tution he took a private course in modern lan- guages. In 1861 he entered Princeton College, from which he graduated June 28, 1865, with the degree of A. B.
In 1864, while a student at Princeton, Mr. Petty obtained a leave of absence from the faculty and "stumped" the states of New York and New Jersey for Abraham Lincoln, thus gaining the reputation of being one of the most eloquent and forcible young orators of that exciting campaign. From that time he has been a prominent factor in all the state and national campaigns. He carried off high honors at Princeton, and after liis gradu- ation entered the Albany Law School, from which he graduated the following year with the degree of L L. B. Soon afterward hie commenced the practice of his profession at Good Ground, his native place, but in 1868 moved to Riverhead, where he soon became eminent in his profession. He stands in the front rank of that profession,
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and as a pleader he is not excelled at the Suffolk County Bar, and many noted victories crown his eloquent efforts.
In 1869 Mr. Petty was appointed Assistant As- sessor of Internal Revenue for Suffolk County, and held that position until the office wasabolished, in 1873. He soon took a place in the foremost ranks of the Republican party, and in 1873 was nominated for Member of Assembly for Suffolk County, and elected to that position by the largest majority ever given to a candidate in the county, in proportion to the number of votes polled. This fact illustrates his popularity and the high esteem in which he was held by his constituents. O11 the floor of the Assembly he made a most favor- able impression, not only by his striking personal appearance, but also by his easy and eloquent way of speaking. Seldom making long speeches, when he did address the House it was on the in- spiration of the moment, and his short, pointed remarks always carried conviction with them. As a sample, we give here an extract from a speech made by him in nominating Addison A. Keyes for Superintendent of Public Instruction in joint caucus of the Senate and Assembly. Closing, he remarked: "Last, but not least, when the Civil War came, when the nation was bleeding at every pore, when the cry for help came, when the Gov- ernment appealed to the heroism of its sons, it was the one I am about to nominate who went to the front for three and a-half years as an officer, fought our battles, protected our flag, and aided by his strong arm in retaining the thick cluster- ing stars of that tri-colored emblem in one glori- ous constellation forever. He has claims on this caucus that it cannot overlook or disregard. He has honored his country; let his country honor him." In the fall of 1874 he was renominated for the One Hundred and Fourteenth Assembly, and was elected by a handsome majority, although the county went strongly Democratic. In 1878 he was elected District Attorney of Suffolk County, and after three years was again elected, serving six years in that capacity. For twelve successive years he served as Chairman of the Republican Central Committee.
Elected Judge of the Surrogate's Court in 1891,
it is needless to say that Judge Petty has proved an able administrator of the affairs of this im- portant office. He is a man of stalwart simplicity and fine discrimination between right and wrong, and an accurate reader of human character. He is not unmindful of the fact that when he was a young lawyer himself, lie often saw papers handed back by the Judge with the remark, "When your papers are riglit, they will be attended to," but with no explanation as to wherein they were in- correct. No young lawyer, nor old one for that matter, receives such treatment in the court over which he presides, for if an error is discovered, their attention is called to it, and if the lawyer is a young man struggling for a foothold, he pleasantly says, "My boy, let me show you how those papers ought to be fixed," and another young man is made to feel that life is worth living. This but shows the greatness of his heart.
January 29, 1865, Judge Petty married Miss Cornelia, daughter of William Raiman, of New- town, L. I. They have one of the finest homes in the village of Riverhead, and are prominent in society, also active members of the Congregational Church. They have three sons: Charles W., a student in the Atlanta College at Atlanta, Ga .; N. Orcutt, a high-degree Mason, and now in the junior year at Columbia College, New York City; and Raiman, who is preparing himself for the dental profession.
ENJAMIN F. HOWELL was born in the city of New York, September 5, 1838. His father, Jonathan D. Howell, was born in Suffolk County in 1797, and in ear y life was the owner of a sloop that plied between Long Island and the city of New York, it being used princi- pally in the transportation of wood, a business in which he was extensively interested, and up to the time of his death, in 1869, he was engaged in the coal and wood trade in that city. The grand- father of our subject, also named Jonathan D.,
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was born in this county, and followed farming all his days. The Howell family is among the old- est and most highly respected on the island. The mother of our subject was Louise, daughter of David Porter Howell, a farmer at Deep Hole. Though bearing the same name, yet, if there was any relationship between the two families, it was very remote. She died at the age of forty-one.
Mr. Howell was fifth in a family of seven sons that grew to manhood. Thaddeus P. is a veter- inary surgeon at Brooklyn; Charles E. is a boat- builder in the same city; Jonathan D. is en- gaged in the express business in New York, and David Porter was similarly employed up to his death; George, who is in the express business in New York, served three years in the Civil War, in the Ninth New York and in the Fifth Maine Batteries, and participated in most of the heavy battles of the war, receiving honorable mention for bravery on the battlefield.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the public schools of New York, and early in life was engaged with his father in the wood and coal bus- iness in that city. At the death of the latter, he came to Riverhead, where he has since been lo- cated, and is engaged in the same business. He does considerable produce-shipping to New York, and is a man of prominence in the village. He was for four terms member of the Board of Edu- cation, Overseer of the Poor for five years, Con- missioner of Highways two years, and Postmaster of Riverhead four years under Cleveland's first administration, during which time he raised the standard of the office.
Mr. Howell was first married, while in New York, to Miss Almira J. Fowler, cousin of Colonel Fowler. She dicd, leaving two children. Almira J. is the wife of Carl S. Duryea, who is connected with police headquarters at New York: they have four children, Fred, Charles T., Perry Belmont and Anna. Ella Louise, the other daughter, is at home with her father. Mr. Howell married a second time, January 8, 1863, Alice V. Corwin becoming his wife. She is a daughter of Hub- bard Corwin, and belongs to one of the most hon- ored and ancient families on the island. Of their children, we note the following: Emily C. is the
wife of Frank C. Cooper, the son of George W. Cooper, and who is in the boot and shoe business in this village; Harry is the efficient and popular Assistant Cashier of the Suffolk County National Bank; Mortimer, who is a member of the firm of Howell & Howell, in the cigar business at Hempstead, married Jennie Bradley, daughter of Hon. Ahaz Bradley, of Riverhead; Benjamin F. is a clerk in the Suffolk County National Bank; Alice Virginia and Maud I. are at home. Mr. Howell is a Mason of prominence and a life-long Democrat.
ENRY H. KRAFT is a well known and suc- cessful bricklayer and plasterer of the town of Babylon, where he has won many friends. and commands a wide range of business. He is a native of New York City, and was born June 24, 1865, his parents being William and Philli- pine (Young) Kraft. The father is still living, at the age of fifty-four, and follows his trade of bricklaying and plastering in this village. A native of Germany, he was brought to this coun- try by his parents when very young.
The grandfather of our subject settled in New York, where he was engaged in bricklaying and plastering. In this family we find the not very common record of three generations being occu- pied at the same trade. But the old gentleman felt that it was an honorable and reliable business, and accordingly he trained four sons to follow it. Hc had an extensive patronage in the metropolis, and made his home there until his death. The father of our subject was not permitted to enjoy educational advantages, having to work at a very early agc, and taking up his trade while still quite young. He married early and lived in New York until our subject, who was third in a family of ten children, was born. All these children are still living, a somewhat unusual fact for so large a family.
When the father of our subject left the city he bought twenty-five acres of land in this town
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and put up a small house, where he established his home. This he occupied for a few years, and then erected the handsome two-story and base- ment brick dwelling in which his family is now living. It is a complete and commodious struct- ure, and stands on his own ground. He reared four sons in his own trade, and they all now fol- low it. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and his sons agree with him upon questions relative to the welfare of the nation.
Here were largely spent the boyhood years of the subject of this sketch, who worked on the farm during the summer and attended district school in the fall and winter until he was seven- teen. Then the time had come for him to go to work, and accordingly he began to learn his fa- ther's trade. This took him about three years, after which he helped his father until his marriage. This event took place December 25, 1890, his wife being Miss Susan, daughter of James and Fannie (Thatcher) Elliott, of the town of Hunt- ington, where she was born April 8, 1871. Her mother died when she had reached the age of fifteen; her father is still living. They are the parents of two children. Henry J. was born Oc- tober 11, 1891, and died at the age of twenty months; Lillian was born June 15, 1894. Mr. Kraft is a Republican, but has never been a can- didate for any office. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Mel- ville.
12 AVID HALSEY HALLOCK. The follow- ing biographical sketch is that of one of the old and representative citizens of Suffolk County, and he is now occupying one of the best farms in the town of Riverhead, which has been handed down from father to son for the past one hundred and fifty years. Mr. Hallock was born thereon July 4, 1838.
There were born to Herman W. and Arminda (Young) Hallock eight children, of whom David HI. was the sixth. The three eldest of the family died in infancy; Charles H. is a prosperous tiller
of the soil in this town; Daniel Y. is engaged in manufacturing machinery in York, Pa .; Adelia is now Mrs. Simeon O. Benjamin, a resident of the town of Riverhead; and Hannah J. is the wife of Marshall P. Dedrick, living in Berwyn, Ill.
Herman Hallock was born on the old home- stead which our subject now occupies, and there spent his entire life. He was a careful and ener- getic farmer, and during the seventy-eight years of his life accumulated a goodly amount of this world's goods. He took great delight in farm work, and, with the assistance of his sons, cultivated the es- tate in the best possible manner. Although he always supported the candidates of the Republican party, he was never what might be called an en- thusiast in politics. On one occasion he accepted the position of Overseer of the Poor, to which office he had been elected by his fellow-townsinen. He was a true Christian, and an official member of the Congregational Church at Aquebogue. His good wife, who was also a native of this town, was a member of this denomination, and the par- ents reared their children in the same faith. At the time of her demise the mother was threescore and ten years of age.
The subject of this sketch remained with his parents until their death, when he inherited the estate, and has continued to reside upon it ever since. It embraces one hundred acres of valuable farming land, which he devotes to mixed hus- bandry. Mr. Hallock is thoroughly in love with his vocation, and spares no amount of pains where he thinks he can further improve his place.
Mr. Hallock was married, November 21, IS60. to Miss Marietta Terry, a native of the town of Southold, this county. She survived her mar- riage only a short time, dying when twenty-four years of age. Mr. Hallock later chose for his companion Miss Emily J. Wells, the ceremony which made them one being performed November 15, 1866. Their union has been blessed by the birth of one son and four daughters, namely: Halsey W., still with his father on the home place; Eula C., the wife of Charles Wells, of Aquebogue, this town; and Georgianna I., Bessie L. and Illa A., at home with their parents.
In politics our subject is a Republican, with
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prohibition tendencies. For one year he was a member of the Town Excise Board, and has also rendered efficient service as School Trustee. With his estimable wife, he belongs to the Congre- gational Church, and is one of the generous con- tributors towards its support. The community has in him a faithful and unswerving friend, ever alert to serve its best interests and push forward those movements tending to its general advance- ment.
ALLACE G. ROBINSON. The Robin- son family is very well known in Suffolk County, as ancestors of the present gener- ation settled here when the county was new, and when the inhabitants were mostly Indians. For many years they have been actively engaged in the upbuilding and development of the county, which they have literally helped to change from a wilderness to a garden spot. The farm which our subject owns and occupies has been handed down from father to son for many generations, and here his birth occurred November 15, 1868. It is located in the town of Riverhead, and bears all the improvements which go to make up a first- class estate. It is not so large as many in the vicinity, comprising only forty acres, but under the efficient management of our subject it is made to yield handsome returns. The history of the parents of Wallace G., George O. and Nancy L. (Hallock) Robinson, will be found in full on an- other page in this volume.
The entire life of our subject thus far has been spent on the old home farm. As his parents were in good circumstances, he was allowed to attend school regularly, and is well informed and intelli- gent. He was also trained to a full knowledge of farming, and when ready to take unto himself a wife and helpmate he rented the home place and showed himself to be very efficient in farmi work by his excellent management of the prop- erty.
Mr. Robinson and Miss Mildred, daughter of John C. Young, were married June 1, 1892. Her
parents were well known to the best residents of the county, and their biography appears elsewhere in this book. To Mr. and Mrs. Robinson lias been born a son, George Roy, who was born September 1, 1894. Mr. Robinson bears an ex- cellent reputation for veracity, upright conduct and general good qualities, which have endeared him to all with whom he comes in contact.
HENRY NEWINS. Success in life is a guerdon that is rather cautiously bestowed upon a person by the goddess who, in a measure, guides and invariably decorates man's efforts. This same success is far more apt to come because of the pursuer's genius or adapt- ability for his calling, than from any mere luck. ambition, push or demand: This is particularly true in the case of our subject, who is one of the leading business men of Riverhead, and Ex- County Treasurer of Suffolk County. J. Henry Newins was born at Patchogue, L. I., September 7, 1833, and inherits English blood from his an- cestors. His grandfather, William Newins, was born in England, and was pressed into the British service during the Revolutionary War. He be- came an officer in the navy, but while stationed at Boston Harbor lie made his escape and joined the Americans, with whom he had always been in sympathy. He went overland to Bridgeport, Conn., and there secured a boat, in which he crossed the Sound to Old Field Point, on Long Island, and thence went to Middle Island.
While on the island, William Newins married Miss Martha Smith, daughter of Benjamin Smith, of Middle Island, and subsequently located at Patchogue, where he died at the ripe age of ninety-two years. He was the father of seven children, four sons and three daughters, of whom Capt. Henry Newins, father of our subject, was the youngest son. The other sons were Eliphalet, William and Smith.
Capt. Henry Newins was born in Patchogue, I. I., September 7, 1800, and became a scafar- ing man. He married Miss Eliza Hedden, the
.
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daughter of Joseph Hedden, of Newark, N. J. She died in 1873. Our subject had two brothers and two sisters who grew to mature years, and one brother and two sisters died in infancy. His brothers, Aaron Clark and George Albert Newins, are oystermen, the former at Patchogue, and the latter at City Island. Martha Jane married Thomas B. Moore, of Philadelphia. Josephine married C. C. Woodhull, a wealthy vessel-builder and merchant in Virginia. Our subject was tlie eldest of the family, and spent his early life in at- tending the schools of Patchogue, and in the oyster business. When seventeen years old he started out to learn the trade of ship-builder, and when twenty-two years old went to Jamesport, L. I., where he worked at his trade until the stagnation of business caused by the panic of 1857.
In 1858 Mr. Newins went on the road as a salesman for a tobacco and cigar house, and in 1862 he purchased the business, having at that time less than $1,000. However, he had gained a reputation as an honest, pushing business man, and with this small capital he launched out in the jobbing of manufactured tobacco and cigars, confectionery, etc., from Riverhead, L. I. At first he commenced on a very small scale, but from this beginning he has built up an enormous business, and is now one of the largest jobbers of manufactured tobacco in the state. January 1, 1883, our subject's only son, Frank M., became a partner, and since that time the firm has been J. H. Newins & Son. They had a branch of this business at Hempstead from the beginning, but this they disposed of in July, 1895. For some years Mr. Newins has given the manage- ment of the large business to his son, who is a ca- pable and thorough-going business man. The firm are the owners and manufacturers of the cele- brated "Robert Bruce" brand of cigars, and are the largest manufacturers of cigars in the Internal Revenue District No. I.
In the political affairs of the county Mr. Newins has been an important factor. In 1875 he was elected as a War Democrat to the office of County Treasurer, and re-elected in 1878, serving two full terms. In 1882 he was nominated for
Clerk of the county, but lacked twenty votes of being elected. When the Democrats began to tamper with the protective tariff. he declared himself in favor of the party of protection, of which he is an enthusiast, and declares himself in no uncertain terms. He fully realizes that protection is the foundation of the prosperity of this great country, and not only votes for, but works for, its preservation. He is also a member of the American Protective Tariff League of New York City.
Mr. Newins married, November 28, 1857, Miss Jane E. Moore, daughter of Mulford Moore, of Riverhead, who was well known as a thorough student and a man possessed of much natural ability. Mr. and Mrs. Newins have two chil- dren, Frank M. and Alice N. The former, who is unmarried, is, as before stated, in partnership with his father and is manager of the large busi- ness. Alice, who married F. B. Carrington, of Detroit, Mich., is now a widow, and makes her home with her parents. Our subject is a promi- nent Mason, and is one of the Trustees of the Riverhead Savings Bank. He has a beautiful home on Griffing Avenue and is surrounded by every comfort.
TEPHEN R. AUSTIN is an old resident of East Amityville, having been born near where he now lives, July 21, IS54, a son of Daniel and Eliza (Hulse) Austin. By occupa- tion he is a wheelwright. Our subject is of the fourth generation of the Austin family who have lived in this town, the first of the family to settle here having been his great-grandfather, Stephen Austin. He was born where New York City now stands, his father having come here from England. The Austin family were of the higher middle class of English people, and the grandfa- ther married a Dutch girl by the name of Brink- erhoff. He was thought to have taken a step very much beneath him, and was given the cold shoulder by those who might have helped him
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL, RECORD.
establish himself well in life. There is nothing to indicate, however, that his marriage was not a happy one, and he independently set up in busi- ness for himself as a shoemaker. In those days they worked as journeymen, going from house to house to do their work, and inasmuch as he had many of these journeymen working for him, he would now be called a contractor. Later in life he purchased a small farm and settled near Am- ityville, where the Brinkerhoffs, who were sturdy, well-to-do Dutch farmers, owned considerable land. Grandfather Austin died about 1801.
From the originator of the American branch of the family seven children were born, and all lived to years of maturity, having families of their own. One son, John, became a captain, his vessel sailing on the Pacific Ocean. Our sub- ject's father, who is next to the eldest, became a farmer. He lived for a few years in Kings Coun- ty, being there engaged as a market-gardener, but eventually returned to Amityville. He was born in 1792, and died in 1879. He was twice married, and of the first union there were eight children, seven of whom grew to years of ma- turity. By the second marriage there were born six children, three of whom are still living, Stephen R. being the youngest of the family.
Stephen Austin's boyhood was spent in the neighborhood of his birthplace, and here he attend- ed the district school. Later he attended a select school, and at the age of seventeen began to work for himself, his natural inclination being in the direction of wood-working. He began on jour- neyman's wages, without being obliged to serve an apprenticeship. Meantime he had assisted his father on the home farm, and later, when his elder brother opened a blacksmith-shop, he en- gaged to do the wood-work. He was so success- lul, that he branched out by building a shop of his own next to his brother's place, and the two continued to work in conjunction.
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