USA > New York > Suffolk County > Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 1 > Part 47
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Mr. Tuthill was married in 1842 to Miss Lydia Glover, who survived her marriage many years. Our subject chose for his second companion Mrs. Mary Richmond, widow of Daniel Richmond. and daughter of Benjamin and Betsy (Penny) Hutchinson. By her first union Mrs. Tuthill be- came the mother of a son, Henry, who is also a resident of Suffolk County.
In politics Mr. Tuthill is a firm believer in and supporter of Republican principles and in every possible manner assists in the prosperity and upbuilding of his community. He has wit- nessed many changes in the county during the last half century and has assisted very materially in bringing about this transformation.
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MRS. MARY E. BERGEN.
MICHAEL J. BERGEN.
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M ICHAEL J. BERGEN is a prominent and wealthy farmer of Suffolk County, and a member of an old settled fam- ily on Long Island. The beautiful home of our subject, located in the town of Southold, with its trees and flowers, proclaims to the stranger that it is the abode of culture and refinement. Mr. Bergen was born in Kings County May 17, 1823, a son of John S. and Maria (Hubbard) Bergen, also natives of that county. The former served as a soldier and officer in the War of 1812, and was stationed during that conflict at Ft. Hamilton. The Bergen family is of Holland extraction, and is recorded as one of the first to locate in Kings County. The great-grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was killed by a number of British officers.
John S. Bergen was a lifelong farmer, and in the prosecution of this vocation met with success, and was the proprietor of a goodly property in the town of Flatbush. During the earlier years of his life lie voted for Democratic candidates, but, losing faith in that party, he acted independently and supported the best men, regardless of party lines or principles. He became a very influential and prominent man of his community, and at one time served as Associate Judge of the Brooklyn Municipal Court.
The subject of this sketch is a well-educated gentleman, having carried on his studies for a number of years in one of the best private schools oi Brooklyn. When ready to fit himself for a vocation in life he gave his attention to agricul- tural pursuits, although at one time he was en- gaged in contracting for grading streets in the city. Nearly his entire life has been passed on a farm, and in this industry he takes delight, and has been remarkably successful.
Michael J. Bergen and Miss Mary E. Bell, a na- tive of Long Island and the daughter of Robert C. Bell, were united in marriage February 12, 1854. Her father, who is now deceased, was a boat modeler and builder in New York, but was living in Brooklyn at the time of his death. His wife, formerly Phoebe Brown, belonged to one of the old families of the island.
Of the family born to Mr. and Mrs. Bergen five
survive. Robert C. Bell married Lavinia N. Cur- tis, and they have one child, N. Curtis: Ella, Mrs. William Stone, has one child, Robert Mich- ael; Thomas H. married Mary E. Morrison, and they have four children, Thomas, May E., Frank, and Margaret; May and Belle complete the number. In the spring of 1891 our subject came with his family to Suffolk County, removing hith- er from South Brooklyn. He at once purchased his present beautiful home in Oregon, in the town of Southold, which contains ninety acres of land under a high state of improvement. This . is indeed one of the finest places in the county, and of this fact Mr. Bergen has every reason to be proud.
Profiting by his father's experience in politics, our subject is likewise independent and does not allow himself to be tied to any particular belief, but votes in a manner which he thinks is for the best interest of the country. His social position in the town is of the highest, and in all the rela- tions of life Mr. Bergen is a man to be admired and respected.
G EORGE A. MILLER, a well known and progressive farmer of the town of East Hampton, was born on the farm where he now resides, December 29, 1852, being a son of George S. Miller, who was also born on the homestead. The grandfather, Asa, was the son of Elisha Miller, who was the first to open this farm for settlement and operation. The Millers were among the first settlers of the island. The father of our subject married Caroline Stratton, and they had five children, of whom George was the oldest. The next three children were girls, Mary, Carrie and Catherine (the last named de- ceased). Nathaniel S. is the youngest child. The father died in 1879, aged sixty-three. His wife survives him, at the age of sixty-eight.
When he was a boy Mr. Miller attended the district school of the neighborhood and was also an attendant at Clinton Academy. At the age of twenty-four he took charge of the old homestead,
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and here he carries on general farming very profitably. As a Democrat, he is interested in politics. In 1885 he was elected Supervisor, fill- ing this position for nine terms. He has been Justice of the Peace and member of the Board of Health for about twenty years. In religious be- lief he is a member of the Presbyterian Church. His name is also found on the rolls of the mem- bership of the local Masonic bodies. In 1888 he . married Miss Alice M. Miller, who has borne him three children, Ruth, Catherine and George S. These children make the sixth generation liv- ing on the old homestead.
It is almost enough to justify the publishing cf a book to gather such facts as these, that in the' hurry and rush and uneasiness of this strange western world, here for six generations this farm has been held in the hands of one family, and is likely to remain so for years to come.
O SCAR KISSAM, who is proprietor of the Kissam House of Huntington Harbor, is a native of West Neck,. and was born January 28, 1845. He is a son of Charles and Elizabeth (Mott) Kissam, and is one of nine chil- dren, five of whom now survive, namely: Oscar, Anna, now Mrs. Tilden; Emeline, who married Edward Bischoff; Elisha M., who married Emma Mott; and Martha J., wife of John Robert- son. Charles Kissam was born at West Neck in 1815. There he spent his early years, moving in middle life to Green Lawn, where his death oc- curred November 13, 1879. His career was equally divided between sea and land. Early in life he was engaged on the water and later he gave much of his time to farming, but still con- trolled extensive interests in a number of vessels.
The subject of this sketch spent his boyhood years under the parental roof and acquired a good education, finishing at the high school in Hunt- ington. At about twenty years of age he sailed before the mast, and after two years spent in that way he was given control of a vessel, which he commanded for four years. Tiring of a seafaring
life, he went to New York City and opened a bakery on Grand Street, which he operated for ten years. At the end of that time he removed to Huntington, where he has been interested in con- tracting for house moving and building. March 26, 1872, lie married Miss Lucy Simpson, and they have three children: Ella Elizabeth; Charles Henry, who is a graduate of the Huntington High School, and Emeline Simpson. Politically Mr. Kissam is a Republican, and fraternally he is a Mason.
Tracing the carly history of the Kissam family in this country we find its common ancestor was among the carly settlers on the north side of Long Island, having first located at Vlishing or Vlessen- gen, now Flushing, Queens County. Later, hav- ing pastoral tastes, he settled on a farm on the cast side of Madnans (now Great Neck) in the same county.
The name of the founder of the American branch of the Kissam family underwent various changes like those of many other families, and was not fixed until near the close of the seven- teenth century, so that of Kissam is most unques- tionably of American origin. In view of the fam- ily attachment to the English Church and the fact that many of its members at the opening of the Revolutionary War were holding offices under the British Government, to which they had sworn allegiance, a large majority of them sided with the British. Since its first settlement on Long Island the family has contributed many valuable men to positions of honor and trust, as well as to the legal and medical professions.
John Kissam, of Flushing, born in July, 1644, of English ancestry, was the progenitor of this family in America, and was then known as John Ocasson, or Ockeson, as it was written in the Al- bany records translated from the Dutch (which are indorsed O. W. L. Vol. II., page 134). He held a license from the provincial secretary, dated July 10, 1667, for marriage with Susannah, a daughter of William Thorne, of Jamaica. The same person, under the name of Jolin Okeson, purchased a farmi of John Smith, February 4, 1678, on Great Neck, to which he then removed. He had three sons. Daniel, in the direct descent
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and the oldest, was born at Great Neck in 1669, and married Elizabeth Coombs. He was a farmer, and a vestryman in St. George's Parish at Hempstead, L. I., in 1703. He died December 26, 1752, leaving six children.
Josephi, in direct 'ine and the fourth child, was born in 1705, and was a farmer, located at Cow Neck, now Manhanset. He was Justice of the Peace under the crown from 1749 to 1763 and ves- tryman of St. George Church at Hempstead from 1751 to 1761. He married Deborah, daugh- ter of Hon. Jonathan and Saralı (Field) White, and seven children were born of that marriage. Joseph, the second in the direct line and the third child, was born at Manhanset, August 22, 1731, and was another of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace. He married Mary, daughter of George and Hannah Hewlett. Joseph died May 20, 1815. Four children were born of that marriage: Benja- min, in the direct line and the eldest child, was born in Manhanset, August 2, 1753, and died March 24, 1823. He married Martha Hewlett, of Oyster Bay, and was the father of seven children. Samuel, in the direct line and the sixth child, was born April 5, 1788, and married Phoebe Mott. He died January 2, 1860. To this marriage were born seven children, of whom Charles, the sec- ond son, was the father of the subject of this sketch.
P HILIP PEARSALL, Clerk of the town of Huntington, was born in the village of Amityville, town of Babylon, March 24, 1841. His father, William, who was born in the town of Huntington in 1818, was a shoemaker by trade and was a man of considerable promi- nence in his way, serving as Overseer of the Poor and in other positions of trust. In religious matters he held membership with the Methodist Church. The grandfather, whose name was Oliver, was in early life an operator in a woolen mill, but later was in business for himself in Ful- ton Market. New York. This is one of the old families of the island, and its members had much to do with the carly history of the county, but
how far it dates back, or who were its originators in these parts, we have not been able to learn.
The mother of our subject was Phoebe Ketcham, who was born in Amityville in 1822. Her father, Philip Ketcham, a farmer, acted as tax collector, when he had to go around on horseback and make collections from farm to farm. He became somewhat noted in his day on account of his great interest in fine horses. The father and mother of our subject are still living in Huntington. The subject of this article is one of a family of six children, and is the oldest ex- cept one who died in infancy. Alfred, who is a painter, lives in Huntington, and is a member of the Methodist Church; Sarah E. married Dr. John Lindsay, and lives in Huntington; Hen- rietta is the wife of John Stansbury, a merchant of Northport, and a son of the Rev. John Stans- bury: Alice R. is single and is the principal of a private school in this village.
Mr. Pearsall was educated in the schools of his native town and Huntington, and at the age of fifteen entered the store of Scudder, Rogers & Sammis, where he was a clerk for eight years. He was then with Conant & Tileston for two years, when he entered into business for himself in company with A. B. Gildersleeve, under the firm name of Gildersleeve & Pearsall, at Cold Spring Harbor, but after a year they removed to this village. Soon after their removal Mr. Pear- sall sold out his interest, and was for a time as- sociated with G. W. Conklin in the feed business. For seventeen years he was engaged in the man- agement of a notion store in this village, which yielded him a liberal profit.
In 1887 our subject was elected Town Clerk and after holding the office for three years he received the appointment of Postmaster at the hands of President Harrison. He resigned the office of Town Clerk, that he might give undi- vided attention to his duties under the Govern - ment, served four years and three months, and was then rotated out of office on account of the change of administration at Washington, termi- nating his connection with the postal service March 1, 1804, whereupon his townsmen again elected him to the office of Town Clerk, which
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he is well qualified to fill. The office is located in his own brick block, to which he has recently built an extensive addition.
In 1865 Mr. Pearsall married Susie E. Weeks, a daugliter of John Weeks, of this town. Their daughter, Nettie E. is a graduate of the Hunt- ington High School, from which her mother had also graduated. Our subject and his estimable .wife are members of the Second Presbyterian Church. He is one of the charter members of American Legion of Honor, and in his politics has always been an active Republican.
N ELSON MAY. The hostelry and summer resort known as "Locust Lodge" at Hunt- ington, of which Nelson May is the popu- lar and efficient proprietor, is one of the finest- establishments of its kind on Long Island and is the summer home of many of the wealthiest citizens of New York and other leading eastern cities. The view of the bay, the sound and the necks from the front of the house is a beautiful one and in every respect the place is an ideal spot for a summer resort. Beautiful summer resi- dences sprang up here and there in the locality and soon the demand was made for a summer hotel, seeing which. Nelson May, some five years ago (1890) purchased the old Clark House, which had been run by William Clark, a noted pugilist of his day. Mr. May made it a resort for people of the better class, and soon his energies became taxed to provide for his many would-be guests. He named his hostelry "Locust Lodge," a most fitting title, for it was surrounded and shaded by fine locust trees.
This building burned to the ground September 2, 1803, entailing a heavy less on Mr. May, and nothing was done toward re-building until the spring of 1894, when a start was made, by the erection of a building 24x44 feet. In the fall of that year Mr. May put an army of workmen on a new structure, the result being the present commodious and beautiful building. It is of the most modern style of architecture, being 117x35,
three stories in height, with the old extension, first put up. It has wide piazzas on three of its sides, which adds much to its pleasant features, and from which a view of hundreds of miles of Connecticut shore may be had. The rooms are beautiful and luxuriously furnished, finished in the finest hardwood, cabinet finish, and the two upper floors contain thirty-eight large, airy sleeping rooms. Bath and toilet rooms are nu- merous, the parlors and dining room spacious, and the billiard room is by no means the least of the attractions, at least to the male guests. Surrounding the building are pleasant wooded drives and beautiful summer homes are scattered here and there, making East Neck the most beau- tiful spot in the entire town. Mr. May is an ideal host, for he is well informed, genial, courteous and accommodating, and the welfare and comfort of his guests are of paramount importance with him.
Mr. May was born in Webster, Mass., Deceni- ber 13, 1841, to Edwin and Ruth K. (Whitney) May, the other member of their family being Frank E., who is now Vice-President of the Hyde Park Gas Company in Chicago. Edwin May was a native of Woodstock, Conn .. born in 181.4. and there made his home until 1839, when he moved to Webster, Mass., locating on the Jep- son farm, and for a long time was connected with the Slater Cotton Manufacturing Company in Webster. He was elected Treasurer of the Savings Bank when that institution was incor- porated in 1868, having been one of its organ- izers. He discharged the duties of Treasurer with marked ability up to the day of his death, which occurred April 14, 1882. He was a promi- nent member of the Congregational Church and was for many years its Clerk, and so earnest a Christian was he and so active in doing good. that he endeared himself to all who knew him. His father, Jolin B. May, was a successful farmer of Woodstock, Conn.
The boyhood days of Nelson May were spent at home and in the acquirement of an education. He attended the schools of Webster first and then at Andover. Mass., where his literary edu- cation was completed. When about eighteen
WILLIAM A. FLEET.
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years of age he went to Southbridge, Mass., and embarked in the mercantile business with John Edwards and they built up a patronage, through honest business methods, second to that of none in the state, with the exception of some Boston houses. ' During the eight years that they re- mained thus connected they showed themselves to be pushing. energetic men and their financial gains were all that they could desire. Three years were then spent in New York City, two years in Boston and he then found his way back to South- bridge, where he was made Assistant Treasurer of the Savings Bank, which position he creditably filled for about three years.
May 8, 1877. Mr. May married Miss M. Fannie Headley, daughter of William O. Headley, of Newark. Two daughters and one son have been born of this union: Edna, Helen and Kenneth, all of whom are attending the union school of Huntington. From Southbridge Mr. May re- turned to New York, where he became associated with William O. Headley & Sons, trunk manu- facturers, but at the end of five years he came to Huntington, and since about 1800 has been the proprietor of "Locust Lodge." In praise of that magnificent summer home too much cannot be said, suffice it to say that all who have been guests at the Lodge or who have seen its location, speak of it with warmest admiration. Mr. May is a Re- publican politically and in religion is a member of the First Presbyterian Church.
W ILLIAM A. FLEET. Among the publie-spirited and well-to-do farmers of Cutchogue is this worthy gentle- man, who, in addition to looking after his inter- ests on his estate, transacts considerable business as Notary Public. He is a native of Long Is- land, and was born in Cutchogue December 7. 1855, to Henry L. and Sarah J. (Betts) Fleet. His father, who is now deceased, was likewise a native of this island, while Mrs. Fleet was born in New York City.
Henry L. Fleet passed his entire life in this lo-
cality, and was active as a farmer and breeder of fine trotting horses. Through his individual and unassisted efforts he succeeded in raising him- self to a position of prominence and affluence among the residents of Suffolk County, and lived a long and useful life, dying April 27, 1894. He became prominent in public affairs, and dis- charged acceptably many positions of trust, among them being Commissioner of Highways of the town of Southold. He was a stanch sup- porter of Democratic principles, and was always found to be in favor of all measures which had for their object the elevation of society and the betterment of his community.
Those who survive of the parental family be- sides our subject are George H .; Elizabeth R., now the wife of Thomas Brown; Henry L., and Frank R. William A. was reared to man's es- tate at Cutchogue, and there attended a private school for a time. Afterwards he continued his studies in Southold Academy, and later started out in life for himself. Having been reared to farm life, he very naturally chose agriculture as his calling, and is now the proprietor of one of the best es- tates in the county. His possessions number seventy-five acres, on which are to be found the best class of buildings and all the machinery necessary for carrying on a first-class estate. Mr. Fleet is thoroughly in harmony with his occupa- tion, and is justly regarded as one of the pro- gressive and enterprising farmers of Suffolk County who by intelligent management are meet- ing with success in their labors.
In April, 1885, our subject was united in mar- riage with Miss Imogene L. Goldsmith, the daughter of Austin Goldsmith, now deceased, but who was for many years one of the substan- tial citizens of this locality. To Mr. and Mrs. Fleet there were born two children, Cora and Gerald. Mrs. Fleet departed this life August 23. 1894.
In his political faith Mr. Fleet uses his right of franchise in favor of the Democratic party, and takes a very active part in politics. He has served as Inspector of Elections, and as Assessor of the town of Southold for one term. In 1886 he was
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appointed Notary Public, which office he now holds. He is one of the Directors of the South- old Savings Bank, is President of the Pequaslı Recreation Club of Cutchogue, and for about twelve years was purchasing agent and Treasurer of the Cutchogue Farmers' Club. A man of more than usual ability, he has succeeded far beyond his expectations, and is justly numbered among the leading citizens of the county.
J ARVIS C. BAYLIS, manager and book- keeper at the Ireland Mills, at Amityville, is one of the efficient and capable men who have done their work in making this end of the island the home of a vast and varied population occupied with many cares and labors, but get- ting on in the world, becoming thrifty and pros- perous beyond almost any other region along the coast. Mr. Baylis was born at Melville, Septeni- ber 4, 1836, and was the son of Smith and Jane (Carman) Baylis. The father, who was a native of this island, was a farmer, and died when our subject was only ten months old, leaving, besides him, three older children, all of whom are still living. When our subject was ten years old his mothier became the wife of Samuel Ireland. John Ireland, whose sketch appears in this work, is a son of this gentleman.
When our subject had become a little older, he went to New York, and secured a place as clerk in a grocery store, and there he remained until he was twenty years old. He was a capable and effi- cient worker in that line, and soon after he had reached his twentieth year he struck out for him- self as a grocer in Brooklyn. March 4, 1857, he married Miss Marthia J. Coutant, who was born in New York, where her marriage occurred. She died in 1867, leaving two children. Henry W., who is a florist in New York, has one son. Mary Caroline married Joshua Heartt, and died in May, 1895, leaving three children.
When our subject lost his wife in 1867 he could not endure the quiet of the store, and in less than a year he sold it out, and began to handle rail-
road supplies, but retained his home in Brooklyn until 1874. In that city he was married to Miss Lizzie N. Blankley, who was a native of England, coming to this country when she was one year old. She is the mother of three children. Jolin is cashier for the Tenney Company, of New York. Lizzie is the wife of S. P. Hildreth, a lawyer of Amityville, while the youngest child, Frances J., is still at home.
Our subject first began to live in Amityville in 1874, building a residence here, but carried on business in New York for twenty-one years. De- siring, however, to be closer at home, he took his present position. He is a Republican in politics and voted for Lincoln at his first election in 1860. For sixteen years he has been a member of the school board, and taking an active part in build- ing up of good schools and in the erection of ample school accommodations. In the Methodist Episcopal Church he is both Trustee and Steward.
F FREDERICK H. ROSE, a well known and influential citizen of the town of Southampton, was born on the farm which his father was engaged in tilling, January 20, 1844, and was the oldest son of Herby S. and Hannah T. Rose. Besides himself there were an elder sister, Sarah; a younger sister, Nannie, and a brother, Charles, who was the youngest of the family. As a boy our subject aided in the work en the farm. He was a strong and sturdy young man when the war broke out, and responding 10 his country's call in its hour of peril. he enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh New York Volunteers, being mustered in as a private in Company K of that regiment, August 25, 1861. at Mozart Hall on Broadway. The company went into camp on Staten Island, and he partici- pated in his first active engagement as a soldier at Wood's Island. Later, ordered into Virginia. he did guard and picket duty, and had the usual ex- periences of a military life.
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