USA > New York > Suffolk County > Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 1 > Part 34
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two years, but poor health compelled him to abandon his studies. He passed two years in the Berkshire Hills, at Great Barrington, Mass. With health recuperated, he returned to Sag Harbor. and again entered business with his brother. de- voting himself to general merchandise for five of six years. After that they opened up separate business houses, our subject dealing in general merchandise and fitting out sailors for whaling voyages. He continued in the trade until 1:53.
At that time Mr. Brown entered the real-estate and insurance business, becoming agent for vari- ous fire and life insurance companies, and in the line of fire insurance his transactions have been of large proportion. He has also been largely interested in making loans for capitalists. He was one of the two founders of the Sag Harbor Savings Bank, and has been the Vice-President of that institution from its organization to the present time. The first two deposits made after its open- ing, June 14, 1860, were placed by himself. The other surviving charter members of the organiza- tion are his brother, George B. Brown. and James L. Haines, of Bridgehampton. Originally there were six Vice-Presidents.
During his long career Mr. Brown has been interested in various enterprises. He has be- longed to two different steamboat companies, and has owned stock in the cotton factories. Always greatly interested in educational affairs. he bas been one of the Trustees of the school district and a Trustee of the School Board. He cast his Ass: vote for Gen. William Henry Harrison in 1840. Later lie allied himself with the Abolition party. and in 1843 was a delegate from Great Barring- ton, Mass., to the Buffalo Convention at which James G. Burney was nominated Presidential can- didate. The late Chief Justice Chase was one of tlie leading spirits in that convention. In 1855 Mr. Brown voted with the Republican party . During his long career he has attended matty conventions. Always a public-spirited man, in anti-slavery days he took a decided stand against that evil, and was a power in ltis party. He has frequently spoken on the temperance questos. He was also the first Secretary of the first Sunday- seltool.
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Since 1842 Mr. Brown has been identified with the Presbyterian Church. For twenty-eight years he has been a Ruling Elder, which position he still fills, as well as that of Clerk of the Session. In 1879 he was appointed by the Long Island Presbytery as Commissioner to the General As- sembly, held at Saratoga, N. Y., in May, that year, at which Dr. Henry Jessup, of Beyrout, Syria, was Moderator, and it is a noteworthy fact that he was the only missionary who ever served as Moderator. In the transactions of the As- sembly Mr. Brown bore an honorable part, and served with credit on several important com- mittees. In connection with a minister, he pre- pared a church centennial history. He aided in the organization of the first Sunday-school Asso- ciation in this county, and of it he was the first Secretary. For the past fifty years he lias noted every important event in a journal, in which he has also included interesting happenings in the ordinary daily walks of life, and this record would be of inestimable value as a historical memoranda.
November 25, 1844, Mr. Brown married Lovina S., daughter of Dr. Silas Fuller, of Hartford, Conn. Mrs. Brown died in 1847, and her daugh- ter, Modena L., Mrs. William L. Cook, is also de- ceased, having left four children at her deatlı. The second wife of Mr. Brown was Ellen N. Ful- ler, a resident of Lebanon, Conn., and a double cousin of his first wife. At her death, which oc- curred about nine years after her marriage, she left one son, Charles Milano Brown, who gradu- ated from the South Berkshire Institute, as vale- dictorian, at the head of his class. Becoming a journalist, he was the author, among other writ- ings, of the book, "The Scissors and Yard-Stick," devoted to the interests of merchants and manu- facturers of textile fabrics. He died in California at the age of twenty-nine years.
The present wife of Mr. Brown, with whom lic was united November 13, 1857, was Miss Elmira F., daugliter of Capt. Isaac W. Brown, of Rocky Point, L. I. Educated at the Newburgh Semi- nary, she was engaged in teaching in this county for ten years prior to hier marriage, and is an ac- complished and refined lady, taking an active part
in church work and also in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are the parents of two sons. Frederick Lord, who is an architect at Scranton, Pa., was educated in Cor- nell University, and was a member of the Class of '82. Arthur Tappan, a druggist at Sag Har- bor, is a graduate of the union schools, and also attended Williston Seminary at East Hampton, Mass. Later he took a course in the College of Pharmacy, graduating with the Class of '89, of which he was valedictorian.
APT. JOEL SANFORD DAVIS, Cashier of the Bank of Amityville, was born at Mt. Sinai, Suffolk County, July 31, 1833, a son of Gold- smith and Charity A. (Hulse) Davis. His father, also a native of Mt. Sinai, was a seafaring man in early life, but losing his health as the result of an attack of cholera, he was obliged to abandon active labor, and his remaining years were spent in retirement. The third among seven children, our subject early in years began to support him- self. At the age of eleven he went to sea as cook on a market vessel on Long Island Sound, his wages being $2 per monthi at first. He was ship- wrecked in the Atlantic Ocean when he was four- teen, and was picked up by the schooner "Alfred Exall." On going before the mast, he was given about $12 a month. He became mate at the age of eighteen, and three years later purchased a part- interest in the sloop "Alice," of which he was mate.
Three years were spent as mate on the "Alice," after which our subject was made captain of the schooner "General Marion." In 1859 he bought an interest in the fine large schooner "R. H. Wilson," and followed coasting along the principal cities of the coast. While thus engaged he made considerable money, and in this way he laid the foundation of his future success. He owned an interest in the schooner for three years, after which he bought an interest in the "Willow Harp," carrying forage for the United States Government from 1862 until 1864. His next venture was the
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building of the "B. H. Jones," which, after run- ning three years, he sold, and built a three-masted schooner, "William MI. Jones." This he also sailed for a period of three years, until it was wrecked at Tortugas, while on a voyage from New Orleans to Havana. The loss was heavy, as he carried no insurance. He and his crew were saved by wreckers, barely escaping with their lives.
On returning home, Captain Davis at once began building the brig "John McDermott," which, under the personal supervision of John R. Matther, was soon completed. During the second year that he commanded the "John McDermott," while the brig was en route from New Orleans to the Mediterranean Sea, five hundred miles south- east of Halifax, a cyclone struck the vessel, which it dismasted, with the exception of the main mast. One man was drowned, but no other lives were lost. The brig ran into Halifax, where it was re-fitted, and then proceeded on the voyage. The Captain ran this ship until about 1887, when he retired from the high waters and entered into business on land. He came to Amityville, where he embarked in general merchandising under the firm name of Homan & Davis. Three years later he retired from that business and became Cashier in the Bank of Amityville, of which he was one of the organizers.
All progressive enterprises of the village have received the hearty co-operation of Captain Davis. He is now President of the Amityville Water Works and of the Electric-Light Company, also Treasurer of Brunswick Home and of the Union Free School district, and of a number of other organizations. Socially he is a member of Babylon Lodge, F. & A. M., and is also identified with the Knights of Pythias. He was united in marriage, at Mt. Sinai, February 27, 1859, with Miss Clarissa H. Norton, who was born in that place. After his marriage he made his home in Port Jefferson, until his removal to Amityville. He has two children, the elder of whom, Elmer W., was born at Mt. Sinai in 1862, followed the sea from the age of sixteen until 1892, and is now a resident of Amityville, where he is an electrician connected with the water works. He is married and has one child. Our subject's daughter, Clarissa N.,
who makes her home with him, was given excel- lent advantages, having attended school at Port Jefferson, the Pennington (N. J. ) Seminary and the Boston Conservatory of Music. Politically the Captain is a Republican, but, as he was nearly always at sea, he never had-the pleasure of voting at a Presidential election until 1888. In religious belief he is identified with the Methodist Episco- pal Church, in which he is Treasurer of the Board of Trustees and a member of the Building Com- mittee.
LIVER G. DAVIS, brother of Joel S. Davis, was born at Mt. Sinai, about 1842. At the age of twelve years he was hired out on a farm to work for his board and clothes, and while there he fell on the ice one day and dislocated his right hip. Through the ignorance of a country doctor, the wounded hip was permitted to grow out of joint, which resulted in stiffness of the hip. At the age of about fifteen lie went on the water as cook on a Sound vessel. Seven years later he married Elizabeth Ivins, of Port Jeffer- son, who, however, died one year later, of con- sumption. At the age of twenty-five he married Martha Newton, also of Port Jefferson.
At that time and for some years afterward, our subject was mate of a coasting schooner, although, by reason of his stiff hip, he could not get aloft easily. At the age of thirty-three he took charge of a schooner, which he sailed successfully for two years, and then became captain of the brig "Leonard Myers." About that time his second wife died, leaving two children, Beulah and Sarah. One year later he was united with a daughter of Roe Davis, of Mt. Sinai. On his second voyage he sailed for Progreso, in the Gulf of Mexico. his ship being loaded with corn. While in the gulf he encountered a terrible hurricane from the east, being in the center of the storm. The wind shifted and came west with terrible force, and the angry, raging seas broke his rudder, and then the vessel lay at the mercy of the wind and waves,
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which were breaking over her in every direction. One tremendous sea came on board and demol- ished the cabin, leaving the helpless inmates to battle fruitlessly with the storm. It was impos- sible to see any distance, owing to the water that was blowing through the air. All gave them- selves up as lost. The captain, with his arms around his wife, was in the main rigging, waiting for the end, and knowing that in a few moments the brig would go down.
From that moment the captain remembered nothing more until he found himself lying on the forecastle deck. of a large three-masted schooner. It appeared that the schooner had run across the brig, and as the crew were thrown out upon the waves, the cat-head of the ship struck the cap- tain, forcing him against the main rigging, caus- 'ing him to lose consciousness. The waves tossed him upon the schooner's deck, where he was found by the hands when they started to clear away the wreckage. He, alone, of all on board his brig was saved, his wife and the crew having been drowned.
The schooner proceeded to Pensacola, where she was bound, to load lumber. The ship- wrecked captain's story was told, and the gener- ous hands on board took up a collection for him, furnishing him enough money to get home. Soon after his return to Long Island, he was offered a navigator's berth on a yacht at Baltimore, which he accepted. On his arrival in Baltimore, the owner of the yacht, hearing of his marvelous escape and destitute condition, presented him with about $200, and an outfit of clothes and navigator's instruments. In the spring of 1886 he bought the captain's interest in the brig "Flora Good- ale," and made one voyage from the West Indies to Philadelphia. He then chartered to go to Matanzas, Cuba, to load sugar for New York. He reached Matanzas, loaded his brig, and started off for his destination on the 20thi or 21st of Au- gust, 1886. Since then no tidings have ever been received of him or his crew or brig. The ship should have been about the latitude of Charles- ton, S. C., on the 25th of August, at the time of the memorable hurricane that partially destroyed Charleston, and it is probable that in the storm
he met his death. The account of his leaving Matanzas was given to Joel S. Davis by a cap- tain who left that place the day after the other brig, and who stated that lie liad a very heavy sea, but fortunately escaped the effects of the hurricane, which had passed the day preceding,
Thus sadly ended the life of a good, brave, true. but unfortunate, man. He escaped the wreck that carried away his wife and his ship, and that left him alone, destitute, and dependent upon the charitable kindness of friends, which was a great hardship for one of his ambitious, independent spirit. That wreck he escaped only to find a watery grave a few months later. None survived to tell the story of the shipwreck, but those who know him know that to the last he was brave, collected and calm, and that he met death, even in the dark form it came to him, with the same resignation he had always shown in the many vicissitudes that came to him in life.
SAAC B. EDWARDS. This is the name of one of the active and stirring young men of the island, who are taking up so readily and so well the work that has fallen from the hands of the former generation. The fathers have finished their work, and have gone to their well earned rest, but the young men are pushing forward to the places that know the aged and gray no more. and the world never suffers by the constant pass- ing of its work from the hands of the aged and palsied to the hands that are young and vigorous and active.
Mr. Edwards was born at Amagansett, L. I .. December 18, 1860. His father, Jonathan Ed- wards, also a native of this town, was a seafaring man, and followed the business of whale-fishing in his earlier days, but the closing years of his life have been devoted to farming. His wife, Em- eline E. Corwin, was born at Springs, town of East Hampton, L. I., and died at Amagansett. They were the parents of seven children. namely: Jolin S., a captain in the United States Life-Sav- ing Service, located at Nepeagua; Elmer, a car-
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penter; Florence, wife of Sammuel Fields; Hannah, the wife of P. Bennett, of Amagansett; Isaac B., the subject of this sketch; Belinda, wife of Will- iam Potter, who is now living in Virginia; and Mary, the youngest of the family.
The subject of this writing was reared in Ama- gansett until he had reached the age of eighteen. He then went to the state of North Carolina, where he was engaged in fishing for four years. At the expiration of that period he returned to Suffolk County, where he has since resided, mak- ing his home in East Marion. Here he married Elizabeth C. Gardiner, who was born in this town February 13, 1865, and is a daughter of the late Henry Gardiner. To them have been born four children, whose names are Leroy G., Irene E., Edna G. and Lizzie E.
Mr. Edwards has led an exceedingly active and busy life, full of hard work. He has been mainly occupied with the fishing industry, but has never let it interfere with that legitimate interest which every citizen should take in the welfare of his own community. Ile has been associated in a very great degree with the activities of the Re- publican party in his neighborhood. He and his wife are members of the East Marion Baptist Church, and are highly respected in religious and business circles.
EV. JOHN D. STOKES, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, is one of the prominent clergymen of East Hampton. He is highly cultured, a fine orator and lecturer, and his labors in this city have been remarkably suc- cessful. Every department of the work is in a flourishing condition, and during the years in which he has held the pastorate here the mem- bership has been greatly increased. He was born at Marion, Ohio, September 17, 1839, to Joseph and Ann ( Wallace) Stokes. His father was the owner of a woolen-mill and oil factory, and was the first man to introduce a steam engine into Marion County. The grandfather of our subject
Church, and was stationed at Chambersburg, Pa., where he aided in the organization of the church. He was a fine linguist and was familiar with elev- en languages. He was a native of Germany, and while en route to that country on a visit the vessel was lost.
The father of our subject departed this life when the latter was eleven years of age. His brothers and sisters are also dead, and his motli- er, whose maiden name was Ann Wallace, sur- vived her husband only a few weeks, dying at Marion, Ohio. John D. then made his home in the family of a cousin, with whom he remained for some time. He was well provided for, as his father left him his mill property at Marion. When fifteen years of age, he began clerking in a store, and held that position for four years fol- lowing. He had formerly graduated from the high school, and about that time entered Vermill- ion Institute at Hayesville, Ohio, with a view to studying for the ministry. After pursuing the course in this institution, he went to Washington, Pa., and pursued the higher branches of study in the Washington and Jefferson College. He was there graduated with the Class of '64, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and three years later received the degree of Master of Arts.
Mr. Stokes then volunteered his services in de- fense of his country's flag, and May 2, 1864, be- came a member of Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Ohio National Guard. They were at once sent to Ft. Ellsworth, near Ft. Alex- andria, where they were placed on garrison duty. During his army life he was made chief clerk at the Colonel's headquarters, as the Lieutenant- Colonel, D. A. Williams, was not familiar with the business required. He had been a member of a volunteer company at Marion, Ohio, and when the command came to report at the front he returned to the state in order that he might join them. He remained with his regiment until honorably discharged, in September, 1864, when lie went direct from the field of battle to Prince- ton, N. J., and entered the seminary, taking the regular theological course of three years.
The first call received by Rev. John D. Stokes was one of the noted divines of the Lutheran , was to East Hampton, whither he came Febru-
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ary 28, 1867, a short time before he was gradu- ated. He has therefore been in charge of this congregation for a period of twenty-nine years. The former pastor, Rev. Stephen L. Mershon, was located liere for twelve years, during which time the church was built. Mr. Stokes is Chair- man of the Board of Foreign Missions in the Presbytery of Long Island, and is also Chairman of the committee for examining students in Greek, Latin and Hebrew, previous to granting them licenses to preach. Personally he is a strong advocate of temperance principles. In politics he supports the candidates of the Republi- can party.
The first Presbyterian Church in this village was for ten years presided over by Dr. Lyman Beecher, who was its pastor from September, 1799, to 1810. The church here was organized about 1650 as an independent organization. One hundred years later it came into the Presbytery. Its first pastor was Rev. Thomas James, who entered upon his duties in 1651. He was suc- ceeded by Dr. James Huntting, who preached here for a half-century. The third pastorate was held by Rev. Samuel Buell, D. D. These three ministers served the church for one hundred and fifty years, which makes the most remarkable history of any church in the United States. The church has lately purchased property on either side of the building, on which it is the intention to erect a new parsonage and build a chapel. Within the past four years a fine pipe organ has been placed in the audience-room, which is pre- sided over by an experienced performer on this instrument.
Rev. Mr. Stokes, as pastor of one of the most prominent and influential congregations on the island, has the satisfaction of knowing that his efforts have been crowned with success. Under his intelligent, loving and watchful care, every department of the work in the First Presbyterian Church is in a flourishing condition, and it is felt to be a power for good in the community.
June 20, 1867, our subject was married, at Marion, Ohio, to Miss Mary B. Williams, daugh- ter of Judge James Williams, one of the old residents of that city, who for many years was
County Judge. Their union resulted in the birth of tlirce children. Jean W., who was graduated from Mt. Holyoke Seminary with the Class of '89, is now in Europe with her sister. Mary A., also a graduate of that school, is a fine linguist, and prosecuted hier study of French in one of the noted academies of Paris. She is teacher of languages in Boxwood Seminary at Lynn, Conn., being instructor in French, Greek and Latin. During the summer of 1895 she visited Europe again with a party from the school. The youngest member of the family is John Wallace, who is attending school at Blair Hall, Blairstown, N. J.
OSES YOUNG, a representative old set- tler and well known citizen of the town of Southhold, isa native of Suffolk Coun- ty, and was born February 14, 1830. His fa- ther was John T. Young, and his mother's maiden name was Meliitable Terry, and both his parents Were natives of this county. The family itself is of English origin, his grandfather, Rufus Young, having been a native of that coun- try, who came to America to make his home in what seemed to him a land of wonderful prosper- ity. John T. Young was reared in this county, and of his children the following survive: Laura, who is the widow of Daniel Hudson, of Suffolk County; Moses, the subject of this sketch, and his brother Edward. He was a life-long fariner, a member and Elder of the Presbyterian Church, and was widely known in his district. His elder brother, the Hon. Noah Young, had been an Assemblyman in the state.
The subject of this sketch, Moses Young. was reared to manhood in this town, educated in its schools, and has been a life-long farmer, being only incidentally engaged in bunker-fishing for many years. He was educated in Franklinville Academy, and has kept his school training bright and keen by a course of wide and constant reading. Little goes on in the world that is published in the papers and magazines of which he does not have some just idea.
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Mr. Young was married to Lucy J. Tuthill November 24, 1852. She was a native of this county, and was born December 24, 1832. Her father's name was Elisha Tuthill, and her mothi- er was known in girlhood as Harriet Rogers, and her parents were old settlers in the village of Speonk. By this marriage our subject and his wife have become the parents of three children: Jolin T .; Clara H., who is the wife of Chatman Terry; and William L., who died July 20, 1883, at the age of eigliteen years. Mr. Young has al- ways been an earnest advocate of good schools, and his neighbors have put his interest in that direction to good account by making him Trustee. He is identified with the Republican party in pol- itics, and both our subject and his wife are mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church. He owns about fifty acres of land, and has to a great ex- tent made his own way in the world. He and his good wife are now in their pleasant home, en- joying the fruits of an honest, hardworking and upright life.
Of the children born to the parents of Mrs. Young, Mary is the wife of Charles Smith, residing at West Hampton; Mrs. Young is no- ticed in this article; Amelia is not now liv- ing; Sarah is the wife of Charles Halsey, at Speonk; Frances is the wife of John Learie, and is also living at Speonk; Joshua is living at West Hampton; and William has been called above.
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IRAM LUPTON SHERRILL. This gen- tleman, who is now living a retired life at East Hampton, comes of one of the earliest families on Long Island. He was born in the dwelling where he is now living, November 25, 1810. As one of the oldest residents of the com- munity, he receives and deserves the respect of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
Our subject is the son of David and Saralı (Lupton) Sherrill, his wife being the daughter of David Lupton, who for many years followed the combined occupations of farmer and blacksmith at Bridgehampton. The father of our subject
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