USA > New York > Suffolk County > Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 1 > Part 21
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February 20, 1854, Mr. Terry married Martha J. Corey, who was born in this town. July 2. 1833, and was a daughter of John O. Corey, a farmer by occupation, and a soldier in the War of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Terry are the parents of two children, of whom Minnie E. is at home. Carrie C. is the wife of Rev. Daniel H. Overton. pastor of the Green Avenue Presbyterian Church
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of Brooklyn, and they have one child, a bright little son named Jonathan Terry, in honor of his grandfather.
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OHN HORACE WELLS, who is classed among the well-to-do farmers of Northville, in the town of Riverhead, was born July I, 1852. His parents, J. Minor and Betsy H. (Young) Wells, reared a family of nine children, of whom John H. was the third-born. Of this household, Emily Jane married D. Halsey Hal- lock, whose sketch appears in this volume. Ad- dison is engaged in teaching school in Queens County. Herbert is a well-to-do farmer of this town. Charles Ellsworth died in infancy. Clar- ence W. is engaged in cultivating a portion of the soil of this locality. Arthur W. is farming the old homestead. Edward P. is likewise known among the enterprising farmers of the town of Riverhead; and Mary L. is Mrs. D. T. Downs, of Riverhead.
The father of our subject was born in this town, where he passed his entire life. His parents were Joshua and Deborah (Young) Wells, who traced their ancestry back to the first settlers on the isl- and. J. Minor Wells was successful in his voca- tion as a farmer, which he followed up to the time of his death, this event occurring when he was in his sixty-sixth year. He was not interested in politics other than to cast his vote during elec- tions for Republican candidates. His wife, Bet- sy H. Young, was also born in this town and is now sixty-seven years of age.
The subject of this sketch passed the first fif- teen years of his life on the home farm, and as soon as old enough he was sent to school in the district. He then commenced to work out ou adjoining farms, but after one year spent thus re- turned home and lived with his parents for the tliree years following. During this time he car- ried on his studies alone, and before twenty years of age was given a school to teach in Smithtown, this county. He taught there for two winters, spending the summer months in farm work; but,
not being fully satisfied with his efforts as a teacher, he abandoned that occupation and for thirteen years worked out on farms. He was then enabled to become the owner of property, and accordingly purchased forty acres, which he still owns. To this he has since added fifteen acres, and for a number of years has made his home on this fifty-five-acre tract.
December 6, 1884, John Horace Wells and Miss Inez Turner, a native of Brooklyn, were united in marriage. They have become the par- ents of three sons, Ross Minor, Carl Edward and Herbert Theodore. For two years Mr. Wells was purchasing agent for the Riverhead Town Agri- cultural Society, and during that time he handled about $50,000. He has always been interested in school affairs, and for this reason was placed on the School Board, and is now serving as Trustee. He is an influential Republican, and never lets an opportunity pass when he can further his party's interests. He is one of the representa- tive citizens of the county, and we are pleased to be able to give this brief sketch of his life.
ILLIAM C. BUCKINGHAM, a resident of the town of Southold, has passed his entire life in this section. He is now over seven- ty-two years of age, having been born April 27, I823. His parents were Daniel and Sarah W. (Brown) Buckingham, the former of whom was also born in Suffolk County. The paternal grand- father, Jonas Buckingham, was a native of Milford, Com., and was of English descent. He was in turn the son of John Buckingham, likewise a na- tive of the Nutmeg State, where he followed the trade of a tanner and currier.
On his mother's side our subject was descended from Rev. James Brown, who was finely educated, completing his studies in Yale College. For a number of years he was pastor of the Presbyte- rian Church at Bridgehampton, and preached his last sermon at that place to Revolutionary sol- diers, his text at that time being "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel!" He was a very popular
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and scholarly gentleman, and was prominent in his denomination to the last. He was twice married, having for his second companion a Miss Williams, a native of Huntington, L. I. She was an accomplished and well educated lady, and lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years. Rev. James Brown liad one son, Samuel, who was the grandfather of our subject. He was a great. friend to the cause of education, and was himself a noted mathematician. During his life he followed farming, and tlie estate which he managed was one of the best cultivated in his section.
Daniel Buckingham and Miss Sarah W. Brown were united in marriage at Bridgehampton in 1821. They then removed to Yaphank, where the father worked at his trade until 1846, when they removed with their family to Peconic and there made their home until the husband and fa- ther departed this life, February 14, 1885. At that time he was in his eighty-fifth year, having been born in 1800. He was a man of exemplary habits, honest and upright in all he did, and was a member of the Presbyterian Church of that place, with which he had been connected for many years as an active worker. Personally he was a man of strict integrity and true worth. By trade he was a blacksmith, and, as before stated, he worked at this until 1846, when he gave his attention to farming. In politics he voted the Republican ticket after the formation of the party, and gave his influence toward the promotion of all worthy enterprises.
Our subject and his sister Adelaide, now the wife of Gilbert Howell, of Peconic, are the only members of the parental family surviving. The former was reared to the age of twenty-three years at Yaphank, and in 1846 accompanied the family to Peconic. He acquired a good common- school education, after which he assisted his fa- ther in the blacksmith-shop and gained a thor- ough knowledge of the trade. He followed this vocation until 1880, and that year abandoned it and located upon the fine farmi on which he now makes his home.
Mr. Buckingham and Miss Urania B. Phillips were united in marriage December 15, 1847.
The latter was born in the town of Brook Haven, this county, October 23, 1825, and was the daugh- ter of William Phillips, the third of that name. Her family are enabled to trace their ancestry back to one George Phillips, an Englishman, who emigrated to America with Governor Win- throp in the ship "Arabella," in 1630. He be- came a noted preacher, holding a charge for many years in Watertown, Mass. His grandson, Samuel, the founder of Andover Academy, died in 1790, aged seventy-six. His grandson John founded Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, and died in 1795, aged seventy-one. George Phil- lips was the first of the name to locate on Long Island, coming here in 1697. He died in 1739, aged seventy-five years. One of his three sons bore the name of William. Among his sons was William (second), who was Quartermaster in the Revolutionary army, and at one time was taken prisoner and confined in the prison ship "Pro- vost." It is not clearly known whether he made his escape or was exchanged, but he se- cured his liberty in some manner, and after the war lived for a short time in the town of Brook Haven. His son, William Phillips (third), was the father of Mrs. Buckingham He was better known as "Squire"" Phillips, and was an exten- sive land-owner and wealthy farmer. He was Justice of the Pcace of his town for a number of years, and departed this life at Yaphank in 1858, at the age of seventy-two years. He was a gen- tleman whom it was a pleasure to know, and he had many warm personal friends, not only in the county, but throughout the entire island. Politi- cally he was a Republican. He served for some time as Captain of the militia and in every posi- tion which he was called upon to fill gave satis- faction to those most concerned. He was ap- pointed administrator for many valuable estates, and by good judgment and tact always managed to make an amicable settlement. His son, William Phillips (fourth), brother of Mrs. Buckingham, was the owner of a large tract of land on Long Island and became very wealthy. He cleared up thic county farm at Yaphank, and departed this life in 1891, aged sixty-eight. He never married.
To Mr. and Mrs. Buckingham there has been
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born one son, William P. In politics he gives his support to the candidates of the Republican party. With his wife, Mr. Buckingham occupies a very comfortable residence, and they are living in the quiet enjoyment of the results of their ear- lier labors.
OBERT JEFFERSON is one of the pron- inent and progressive citizens of Suffolk County, and has been identified with the interests of Peconic since 1872, when he opened a store of general merchandise, that has since been well patronized by the people of the village and surrounding country. He was born in New York City, December 22, 1844, and was orphaned by the death of both father and mother when an in- fant, but found a good home with B. R. Prince, of the village of Southold. He was well cared for, and remained with that gentleman until eighteen years of age, when, the Civil War being in prog- ress, he enlisted and was mustered into the service, becoming a member of Company H, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh New. York Infan- try. This was in 1862, and he remained at the front until his discharge, in 1865
The regiment was first ordered to join the Army of the Potomac, but was later transferred to the Army of the James. Mr. Jefferson partic- ipated in the battles of Honey Hill, Pocotalico, the siege of Ft. Sumter, besides many skirmishes near the Charleston & Savannah Railroad, which his regiment was ordered to guard. After the taking of Charleston by the Union forces, he was promoted to be Corporal, and served as orderly to the Provost-Marshal until his discharge, in August, 1865.
On the establishment of peace, Mr. Jefferson returned to his home on Long Island and began to clerk in a mercantile establishment in Peconic. He remained in this capacity for some three years, when, having saved a snug little sum of money, he formed a partnership with W. W. Richmond, and opened up a store of his own in the same place. The firm was known as R. Jef-
ferson & Co. for a number of years, when our subject purchased the interest of Mr. Richmond in the business and has since continued alone. He carries a full line of dry goods, boots, shoes, groceries and, in fact, everything needed in a well managed household. He is very industrious, persevering and steady, and since opening the business for himself these characteristics have resulted in bringing him in wealth.
Mr. Jefferson and Miss Hattie S., daughter of B. L. Penny, of Peconic, were united in marriage in 1869. To them have been born three children, Le- roy P., Wilfred R. and Louis C. He meets with the old soldiers of Edward Huntting Post No. 353, at Greenport, of which he is Quartermaster, and has officiated as such for several years. In his community he is very popular, and for a period of seventeen years gave satisfactory service as Postmaster of Peconic. He is truly a self-made man, both as regards his education and finances, and is a man well liked, having the sincere respect of all who have come in contact with him. He isa strong Republican in politics, and by his straight- forward dealings has won the confidence of the people, and it is therefore with pleasure . that we present this sketch of his life to our readers.
ERBERT W. WELLS, a resident of North- ville, town of Riverhead, is making a success of his agricultural pursuits. Enterprising and progressive in his ideas, he is not confined to old-fashioned methods, but is in touch with new inventions and discoveries in regard to farmning and modern plans of work. He comes of one of the old and honored families of Long Island, and was born here January 31, 1856. His parents were J. Minor and Betsy H. (Young) Wells, of whom a full account appears in the sketch of our subject's brother, J. Horace Wells.
In boyhood the subject of this sketch attended the schools of his district, carrying on his studies principally during the winter months, and in the summer season he gave his assistance to his father in running the farm and in the care of their prop-
HON. BENJAMIN H. REEVE. (Appointed County Judge of Suffolk County, December 31, 1895, by Gov. Levi P. Morton. )
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erty. After leaving school he continued to be employed on the home farm until twenty-eight years of age. Having been reared to practice the qualities of tlirift and industry, and having regularly laid aside a large share of his earnings, he now found himself able to become a land-holder on his own account, and purchased the farm which has since been his property and on which he still lives. This is well located, and under his care it has been made a model place in every re- spect.
On Christmas Day, 1883, Mr. Wells was mar- ried to Miss Henrietta E., daughter of D. S. Terry, who is well known in this county. Mrs. Wells was born in this town, and by her union with our subject has become the mother of four children, of whom the two eldest died in infancy. Those living are Leslie Terry and Mary H.
Mr. Wells is the proprietor of eighty acres of land located in the town of Riverhead, sixty of which are included in the home place. In his political belief he is an ardent Republican and is very patriotic, holding his own interests secondary to those of his country.
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ON. BENJAMIN H. REEVE, the subject of this sketch, is a justly eminent and success- ful member of the Suffolk County Bar. He is not one of the many who have risen from ob- scurity into a blaze of ephemeral prosperity, but he has risen to a high position as a lawyer and a citizen by a gradual and constant advance, every successive step having been wisely and happily chosen, a career 110 less honorable to himself than useful to others. He was born at Mattituck, Suf- folk County, March 11, 1857, to Thomas H. and Eliza Frances (Tuthill) Reeve, the former of whom was also born at Mattituck, on land that has been owned by the Reeve family since 1656, the date of the settlement of the western part of the town of Southold, in which year a grant of land was made to Thomas Reeve. This ancestor of our subject was born in England, near the Welsh border, and his nanic indicates that he was
of Welsh descent. The grant of land mentioned was a strip half a mile wide and extending from Long Island Sound to the bay, and took in what is now the village of Mattituck. Thomas Reeve first settled on land now owned by the heirs of Edward Huntting, but later located on land that has remained in possession of the family up to the present time. His son Luther occupied this place during his lifetime, and it then descended to his son Thomas, to his son William, and from him to Benjamin Reeve, who was the great-grandfather of our subject. Benjamin built the first house in what is now known as Oregon, on the north side of the above tract of land, and this house is still standing. He was familiarly known as "Uncle Ben," and was a soldier in the War of ISI2. He was engaged in tilling the soil, and was one of the inost prosperous farmers of the section in which he resided.
Harry Reeve, his son, was born in this home in 1802, and, following in his father's footsteps. becaine a farmer. He was a Christian in every sense of the word, and for more than forty years was an Elder of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Reeve was married to Miss Betsey Clark, who was a granddaughter of Capt. John Clark, of Frank- linville, N. Y., who was a well known soldier in the Revolutionary, and French and Indian Wars.
The father of the subject of this sketch was an only child, and eventually came into possession of the old homestead, where he now lives. He has lived the uneventful life of the farmer, and for many years has been connected with and a leader in the Episcopal Church near his home. His wife was a daughter of Capt. Silas Tuthill. who was master of the vessel known as the "Suffolk," plying between New Suffolk, Greenport and New York City long before there was any railroad on the east end of Long Island. He had two sons. Seymour H. and Warren L., who are successfully engaged in merchandising at Mattituck.
The subject of this sketch is an excellent repre- sentative of this old and honored family. His sister. Ila F., died in 1877, while in her teens: George Clark, a brother, died in infancy: and William Betts, another brother, who was born in ISto, is living on the homestead with his parents. He is a
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high-school graduate, is a promising young man, and is a Republican politician. Hon. Benjamin H. Reeve spent his boyhood days on the old homestead, and his early days were spent in farm labor. He attended the district schools until he was sixteen years of age, then attended the South- old Academy, and later Bridgehampton Literary and Commercial Institute, from which he was graduated in 1877. He then entered Cornell Uni- versity, where he took a special course, prepara- tory to fitting himself for the legal profession, and during this time read law in the office of ex-Judge Henry P. Hedges. In 1879 he became Principal of the Bridgehampton district school, and in 1880 of the public school at Mattituck, In September, 1881, he entered the Albany Law School, and was graduated from the same in May, 1882, and in the same year received his degree of LL. B. from Union College, carrying off high honors.
July 5, 1882, Mr. Reeve began practicing law in Greenport, with the determination to make a success of his work, and soon became looked upon as one of the rising lawyers and politicians of Suf- folk County, and an orator of no ordinary ability. In 1884 he was called upon to stump the state in the interests of James G. Blaine, and again in 1888 for Benjamin Harrison, as well as in 1892. In 1890 his ability was recognized by his party, and he was broughit forward as a candidate for District Attorney, to which office he was elected by a majority of one thousand, five hundred and seventy-five, fully one thousand votes ahead of his ticket. A majority of nearly nine hundred votes was given him in his native town, which was the largest majority ever given any man for any office in said town. After filling the office with marked ability for one term, he positively declined a re-nomination, and again turned his attention to his legal practice, which had grown to such proportions as to demand his whole time. Since that time he lias refused to accept any office, but takes an active interest in all political matters. He lias for many years been a member of the Republican County Committee and is now acting as its Secretary. He is one of the Trustees and is attorney for the Southold Savings Bank, one of the largest institutions of the kind in the state,
and is also attorney for the First National Bank of Greenport, for the Sterling Oil Company, the Long Island & New England Steamboat Con- pany, for the Board of Trustees of the town of Southold and the village of Greenport, and is the only examining attorney in Suffolk County for the Lawyers' Title Insurance Company of New York. He is also attorney for many other notable institutions and corporations. An inde- fatigable worker in his profession, Mr. Reeve has met with marked success in his chosen field, and is regarded as an able and painstaking lawyer. He has the most extensive law library in the county.
In athletic sports he has always been inter- ested, and is a member of the Sterling Athletic Association and the Sterling Bicycle Club. So- cially he belongs to the Masonic fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Royal Arcanum. June 3, 1880, he was married, at Bridgehampton, N. Y., to Miss Carrie M. Young, only child of John F. Young, a lineal descendant of Rev. John Young, the first pastor of the South- old Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Reeve have had four children: Ila Frances; Frank Youngs, who died in infancy; Harry Huntting and John Youngs. They have a beautiful home on Front Street, and the spacious grounds oc- cupy an entire block. The greenhouse is filled with costly plants, and everything about the place indicates a refined and cultured family.
A LONZO FLEET is a resident of the town of Babylon. He belongs to the Fleet fam- ily whose fortunes have been intimately as- sociated with the settlement and improvement of Long Island for the last two centuries. The first of the family to come liere was one Thomas Fleet, who came from England before 1660, in his own vessel, bringing his family with him, and locat- ing near the head of Huntington, He went into tlie trading business between New York and the West Indies, and, being greatly prospered, was
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assessed for forty vessels fifteen years later, besides much land and livestock. In the next few years he became an extensive freeholder on the island, and is one of the patentees named in a patent for land issued by Governor Dongan. There was a General Fleetwood who is mentioned in history as having married a daughter of Oliver Cromwell, and it is supposed that the name Fleet is a shorter form of the original, and that those who bear this name are the descendants of the great Protector.
Another Fleet, named Luke, settled at Massa- peaqua, on South Oyster Bay, and during the Rev- olution made much money by selling stock to the British armies, and tradition has it that he had clam baskets full of gold. He bought a large farm west of the village of Babylon, consisting of more than one thousand acres, making Thomas Fleet, the great-grandfather of our subject, the possessor of its rich opportunities. The land was after- wards divided between two of the sons of this fort- unate son of his father. One of the paternal great-uncles, Samuel, the son of Thomas Fleet, went to where Brooklyn is now located when that city was only a village, and bought a farin of twenty-six acres, running from Fulton Avenue to the Navy Yard. As the city began to grow about him, he grew very wealthy, giving his name to one of the principal streets, and making a future for his children. Another great-uncle settled near Hempstead, and Treadwell and Gil- bert remained on the farm, the latter being the grandfather of our subject. The one daughter of Thomas Fleet, Nancy, married David Carll, and became the mother of Elbert Carll, a well known farmer of Babylon.
The grandfather married Hannah, the daugh- ter of Col. Benajal Strong, who was a resident of Islip in 1772. In the Revolutionary service he was chosen Captain of a company of volunteers from the island. After the battle of Long Island and the retreat of the American forces to the main- land, his company refusing to follow him. the gallant young officer went on and joined the main division of the army, and, in company with Ma- jor Talmadge, bore a part in the operations of the army of liberty, his most noted action being the capture of Ft. St. George in 1780, the attacking
party marching over forty miles in less than twen- ty hours, taking the fort by storming, and burn- ing the magazine without the loss of a single pa- triotic soldier. The sister of Col. B. Strong, Jo- anna, married Gen. William Floyd, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Gilbert Fleet was a farmer through life, living on the farm until quite advanced in years, when he moved to Brooklyn, where he died. He be- came the father of fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters, of whom all but two lived to grow to maturity. Of this numerous family three are still living, at advanced ages.
The subject of this article was born two miles west of Babylon, and his boyhood days were di- . vided between the farm and the residence of rela- tives in the city of Brooklyn. He had a fair com- mon-school education, and made his entrance into business life by taking a position as clerk in the dry-goods store of T. K. Horton & Co., in Brooklyn, where he was engaged for five years. When this period had expired, he returned to the farm, where he has since remained. In political affiliations he is not bound to the interests of atty party, but votes as his judgment determines.
While engaged in Brooklyn, Mr. Fleet was married to Miss Mary E., daughter of Capt. Henry and Mary Rowland, of Setauket. She has become the mother of one daughter, Mary Charlotte, born in Babylon, May 4, 1890. Mrs. Fleet's paternal grandfather did valiant service in the cause of American freedom, and she is also the great-granddaughter of General Mapes, who was a distinguished soldier in the British army in the same war. Captain Rowland was a native of South Haven. then known as Fire Place, and was a worthy son of his patriotic father. The latter had nearly reached the age of seventy when his son Henry was born, and he was truly the child of his old age. His grandfather was an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church, and left his son a large farin, extending nearly across the island. Henry Rowland was nine years old when his father died, and the little lad made his home with a farmer named Philip Long- bottom, where he remained until he was fourteen, when he shipped as cook on a coasting vessel.
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