USA > New York > Suffolk County > Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 1 > Part 54
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1
Mr. Howell is a native of Long Island, and was born in Suffolk County July 18, 1832. There were five children born to his parents, Charles R.
and Betsey (Corwin) Howell, of whom he was the eldest but one. The first born died when eight years of age; Mary E. is unmarried and resides on the old homestead; Sarah B. departed this life when in her thirty-eighth year, and Daniel H. died when thirty-five years of age.
The name of Howell is well known on the is- land, as many of its most prominent residents bear it. The father of our subject was born in the town of Riverhead, where he was a prosper- ous farmer, here spending his entire life. He was a liberal contributor toward the support of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was a member, and aided very materially in the building of the church at Riverhead, meeting regularly with the congregation until his decease, which occurred when he was sixty-three years of age. In politics he always supported Repub- lican candidates.
The paternal grandparents of our subject were Daniel and Mary (Young) Howell, also natives of this town, who had born to them one son, Charles R. The grandfather served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and he in turn was the son of Silas Howell, a Revolutionary soldier.
The mother of our subject was born in this town, and was the daughter of Jabez Corwin. She, too, was a devoted member of the Methodist Church, and lived to be sixty-eight years of age. Her son, C. Henry, of this history, remained at home and gave his attention to cultivating the old place until about thirty years of age. Janu- ary 22, 1861, he was married to Miss Susan Ald- rich and began life for himself on a part of the es- tate, where he has continued to make his home ever since. Mrs. Howell was born in this com- munity, and has one son, Edwin H., who was boru November 14, 1861. He is now engaged in traveling through Florida in the interest of Hill Brothers, wholesale millinery, of New York City. When ready to establish a home of his own he married Miss Carric D. Kirk, of Brooklyn, and they are the parents of three children, Ethlyn D., Clayson B., and Stanley A.
Mr. Howell is one of the stanch and substantial citizens of the place and a man of sterling princi- ples, progressive ideas and generous impulses.
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He and his wife have been members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church for the past fifteen years, and are interested in all good works in their neighborhood. For many years Mr. Howell has been associated with the Republican party, and has been elected by his fellow-eitizens to the of- fice of Assessor of his town and Inspector of Elec- tions. His interest in educational affairs has re- sulted in his being placed on the Board of Educa- tion of the village of Riverhead.
C APT. WILLIAM H. CORWIN. It is an undeniable truth that the life of any man is of great benefit to the community in which he lives when all his efforts are direeted toward advaneing its interests and when he lives according to the highest principles of what he coneeives to be right. Such a man is Captain Cor- win, who is a self-made, prosperous and leading citizen of South Jamesport, where he has been en- gaged as a boat builder for many years.
Our subject was born on Long Island January 1, 1828. His parents were Alsep Hallett and Julia (Carter) Corwin, the former of whom was a farm- er of the town of Brook Haven, where he lived many years, afterwards moving to the town of Southampton, where he was living at the time of his death, which occurred when he was forty- eight years of age. The mother was born in Manorville, this county, and lived to the age of seventy-eight years.
William H. remained at home until of age, when he began working in the shipyards at Sag Har- bor. There he was in the employ of one of the most efficient builders for three years, when he went to Port Jefferson and worked at his trade for four years. He then located at Jamiesport, and among the vessels which he built during the next five years was the schooner "Anadir," with which he carried freight between Riverhead and Greenport, often going as far as Albany, N. Y. He operated this vessel about fifteen years as captain, when he sold his interest in the sante. and, purchasing a smaller boat, carried produce
from this port to New York City. After three years he also disposed of this boat and since then lias occupied his time in building vessels and farming on a small seale. He is an expert ship carpenter and always gives satisfaction to those for whom he does work.
March 5, 1853, Captain Corwin and Miss Han- nah Jones, of the town of Riverhead, were united in marriage. They passed thirty years of happy married life together when, in 1883, the mother was called to the land beyond. She left at her death five daughters, viz .: Georgie Ann, now the wife of J. R. Petty, of this county; Isabella H., who married John H. Carter, also of this eom- munity: M. Louisa, at home with her father; Carrie, now Mrs. Everette A. Homan, of this town, and Winifred H., also at home.
The Captain is a true Christian and sinee 1848 has been a member in good standing of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, in which he has filled the offiees of Steward, Class-leader and Trustee. In his political views he is a Prohibitionist, and through his influence the party lines have been greatly extended in this county.
The tract of eiglit aeres which Captain Corwin owns is located in the village, and here he has erected a good residence. He is surrounded with all that goes to make life comfortable and enjoy- able, and is highly esteemed in this community, as in every walk in life he has conducted himself in an honorable and upright manner.
E LIAS E. TOPPING. For some years this gentleman has been engaged in business at Stony Brook, and has attained a degree of success which proves the possession. on his part, of energy, prudence and sagaeity. He is a native of this county and was born at Center Mo- riches July 9, 1863, being a son of Silas and Eliza- beth ( Reeve) Topping. The family of which he is a member consisted of four children, but one died in infancy, and Frank, Elias E., and Thomas are the survivors.
The first two years of the life of our subject
MORTIMER D. HOWELL.
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were passed in the place of his birth, and for the six following years he lived at Brook Haven with his grandfather, after which he came to the village of Stony Brook. Here he grew to man- hood, meantime being a student in the common schools of the village, where he laid the founda- tion of the practical business education he has since gained by experience and observation. At the age of fifteen he entered a store as clerk for E. Oakes & Son, and remained in that capacity until 1884, gaining a thorough knowledge of the busi- ness in every detail. He then went to Port Jef- ferson, where he was employed as a clerk for four months.
On his return to Stony Brook Mr. Topping pur- chased the stock of goods which he now owns. For some years the store was run under the name of Topping & Co., but in 1895 he pur- chased the interests of the partners in the con- cern, and is now the sole proprietor. In the es- tablishment he carries a full line of dry goods and groceries, staple and fancy, and has a large trade among the people of the village. While he has never identified himself actively with political af- * fairs, he is a stanch Republican and always votes that party ticket. Socially he is a member of the Royal Arcanum and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1887 he married Miss Lillie G. Hawkins, and they have two children, Nettie and Helen.
M ORTIMER D. HOWELL is a man who has done much to build up West Hamp- ton Beach as a popular resort, not only by the excellence of the accommodations fur- nished by the Howell House, of which he is pro- prietor and manager, but also by his untiring zeal for the comfort and enjoyment of the many guests who seek his friendly hospitality, and he is gladly given an important place in this history of the prominent families of the county. He was born August 28, 1836, the son of Charles and Elizabeth (Halsey) Howell, being next to the eklest of four children. The others are John Fletcher, Gertrude, and Clara M.
The father was the son of John Mitchell Howell and was born in the year 1812. The latter was the son of John Howell, of Canoe Point, who was the son of Josiah Howell, and was born in the year 1785. Josiah was the son of Richard and Elizabeth (Halsey) Howell, and was born in the year 1675. Richard was the second son of Edward Howell, of Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire, England, who in 1639 came to Boston, where he was made freeman March 14 of that or the following year. He soon removed to Lynn, where he received a grant of five hun- dred acres, and during the winter of 1639-40 made settlement on Long Island, being one of the eight original English settlers in the state of New York. He seems to have been the lead- er, as the compact of agreement of terms con- cerning the founding of the plantation was in his handwriting, as well as the laws adopted by the first settlers. To the last day of his life he was a magistrate as well as a member of the Colonial Legislature of Hartford, and he may justly be claimed as one of the leading men of his day, and one of the prominent characters in the early history of the island. The old Howell homestead still stands in Marsh Gibbon, where it was sold in 1639. The property on which the subject of this sketch now lives is a part of the old home- stead that has been in the possession of the fam- ily for more than two hundred years, so that the Howell family has been an abiding factor in the making of the island as to the development of its social, business and religious character. When not quite thirty years old, on November 14, 1865, our subject was married to Miss Lydia M. How- ell, and they have had five children born to them. Their oldest son, John M., was drowned at the age of eight; Hampton P., a graduate of medi- cine, is connected with Roosevelt Hospital, in the city of New York; he is a graduate of Yale College, and is regarded as a man of much prom- ise in his chosen profession; Lloyd is also a graduate of Yale, and is now a student of Co- lunibia Law School; Henry is living at home, and Gertrude is finishing her education at Ger- mantown.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHIICAL RECORD.
Mr. Howell was reared on the farm and edu- cated at the district school, finishing his school- ing at the Dutchess County Seminary. In the year 1862 he went to California in a sailing ves- sel, on a pleasure trip, and was one hundred and nineteen days on the voyage. From there he went to the West Indies, where he spent a year, returning home in the year 1866. Having great confidence in its success, he erected a hotel for the accommodation of summer guests, where he can entertain one hundred people at a time. He has also put up four spacious cottages, and owns one hundred and fifty acres, which is part of the old Howell homestead. He is a man of good standing, and is highly respected in this community that he has done so much to estab- lish. He is a member of the Presbyterian Churchi and is highly regarded in the community where he lives.
J OSEPH N. KING, so well known for so many years in the social and business life of that part of Long Island included under the general name of Brook Haven, was born at Middle Island June 8, 1823. His father, Ezra King, who was born July 24, 1784, was the son of Jeremiah King, who was born in 1739, and the grandson of Ephraim. The latter was the son of Samuel and the grandson of John King, who came from Plymouth, England, to America about 1650, and settled at Orient, which now bears the name of East Marion.
The grandfather of our subject was a man of the sea, and left a record behind him that a sailor might well be proud to bear. The father of our subject first married Lydia Youngs, who became the mother of two children, Thomas J. and Lydia, who is the widow of N. T. Swezey, and resides in New York City, in her eighty-second year. For his second wife he married Eliza Helm, who was a little younger than himself, having been born in August, 1793. They had six children: Caleb, who was born January 6, 1818, and lives at Stony Brook; Ezra; Joseph N .; Elisha E., who was born December 30, 1826; Hannah Y., who was born
March 22, 1836, and is now the wife of Joseph Rowland; and Maria E., born January 22, 1833, now the widow of Benjamin Bailey, and a resi- dent of Brooklyn.
The father of our subject moved to Middle Island from Brook Haven about the year 1810. He was a Presbyterian, and studied for the min- istry under the direction of old Dr. Beecher at East Hampton. He took charge of the church on this island, kept a private school in his house, and had a parish at what was then called Fire Place, but is now known as South Haven. He preached at these churches on alternate Sundays, and was on this field of labor until 1836, when he came to Miller's Place, after which he preached occasionally. Ill health caused his retirement from the ministry, and he died February 7, 1867. His remains are interred in Middle Island, where his parisli erected a monument to his memory. He was twice married, his first wife dying Sep- tember 17, 1814, and his second wife December 21, 1833.
The subject of this sketch was thirteen when he was brought to Miller's Place. November 17, 1846, he married Miss Therina Hudson, daughter " of Horace and Eliza (Davis) Hudson. Her father, who was a farmer, and a man of character, died at the age of eighty-one; her mother is still alive and is in her ninetieth year. They had two children, of whom the wife of our subject was the older, and was born February 15, 1828. Her sis- ter, Elizabeth R., born August 8, 1836, is the wife of II. Tyler, of Brooklyn. To our subject and his wife one child, Byron S., was born September 3, 1847, and died June 23, 1848.
The early education of Mr. King was good, and it has been supplemented and increased by ex- tensive and varied study beyond the limits of the district school. He attended Miller's Academy, was for two terms at the Southampton Academy, one terin at Newburg, and then a student in Williams College, at Williamstown, Mass., for two years, completed his school attendance there, lo- cating in New York City. In 1846 lie was taken on the force of the postoffice in that city, a posi- tion that he held for two years. He left the postal service to take a place in the office of the Pacific
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Express Company, which he retained for twenty- one years. When that long period of service had expired he returned to Miller's Place, and en- tered upon a farmer's life, which he finds very congenial. His postal training was utilized for the good of the community by his appointment as Postmaster, which he held for nine years, un- der the administrations of Hayes, Garfield and Arthur. IIe is a Republican, and a member of the Congregational Church. He has been a mem- ber of the Eighth Regiment, National Guards, and has done duty on occasion.
C ICERO B. KING. It often happens that the most valuable guides whichi example furnishies in the rush of the nineteenth century life are available in circles limited by per- sonal association. It is true, furthermore, that the qualities most worthy of emulation are usually combined, in a successful man, with a shrinking fron personal fame or notoriety, which discour- ages even friendly advances to uncover the se- crets of a successful career. Among the substantial and representative business men of Orient stands Cicero B. King, merchant, lumberman, coal dealer and a prominent insurance man of that place. This worthy citizen is a native of Orient, born September 23, 1839, and is the son of Henry T. King, who was born in this village, April 14, 1804.
The father followed the ocean for a livelihood, was captain of a coasting vessel, and died at the carly age of thirty-seven years. He was a mem- ber of the Congregational Church and an active worker for its good. IIe had four brothers Luther, Absalom, Elias and Nathaniel. Luther followed the sea, was captain of a vessel, and died in Orient. Elias was a farmer, and also died in Orient, as did Absalom, who was a sea captain. Nathaniel went to Charleston, S. C., was on the water most of his life, and died in that city. Gidcon Young King, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Orient, and followed farming all his life, dying when Cicero B. was a small boy. Henry
T. King married Miss Harriet A. Cleaves, a na- tive of Orient, born September 6, 1808, and daughter of Deriah and Mehetabel Cleaves. Her father died March 12, 1839. She had one brother, Thomas, who died young, and a sister, Phoebe, who died unmarried October 4, 1891. Mrs. King remained a widow after the death of her husband and was an earnest and conscientious member of the Congregational Church until her death, November 8, 1878.
Our subject had one brother, L. P. King, who was born in Orient, September 13, 1837, and who in early life followed the sea, but later was with our subject in the store. He never married and died August 13, 1860. Cicero B. King was edu- cated in Orient and in early life started out as a clerk with George W. Lyon, of Greenport. He remained with Mr. Lyon for two years and then for one year was with John G. Champlain, of the same place. Following this he was with a firm in New York City, and in 1860 established the business that he now carries on. He is also ac- tively engaged in the lumber, coal and insurance business and is a prosperous and successful man.
In 1867 Mr. King joined the Congregational Church and has been one of its Trustees. In poli- tics he is a Democrat, but has never accepted any office. IIe was married in 1872 to Miss Emma M. Smith, daughter of Edward Smith, of Sag Harbor, who was a carpenter by trade. Mi. and Mrs. King are the parents of one child, Floyd, a young man of seventeen, who is with his father in the store. They have a fine home on Main Street and are popular citizens.
A NDREW HARPER LATHAM. The suc- cess of him whose name heads this sketch is the result of persistent effort directed in the line of honorable purpose. The life of An- drew Harper Latham has been one of unusual activity, and now, while in the strength of vigor- ous manhood, his work is crowned with most gratifying success. He is a native of Orient Point, and was born July 13, 1832. His father,
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the late Joseph Latham, was also a native of Orient Point, born November 26, 1800, and there he met and married Miss Polly M. Tuthill, a na- tive of that place, born August 15, 1805. For the history of Lathani ancestors, see the sketch of Daniel T. Latham.
The chief occupation followed by Mr. Latham was farming, but for some time he dealt in grain and produce. A successful farmer and business man, he continued to make his home at Orient Point until his death, May 13, 1890. Mrs. Lath- am's father, Rufus Tuthill, was born in Orient, and the family is an old and prominent one in the county. Her grandfather, Capt. Rufus Tuthill, lived to be over ninety-six years old. The mother of our subject died at Orient Point, June 18, 1883. Six children were born to her marriage, as fol- lows: Edmund Alexander, born December 5, 1829, and died January 7, 1851; Andrew H., our subject; Lucinda G., born February 8, 1834, now the wife of Capt. William Potter of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Joseph H., born February 8, 1838, and died in infancy; Agnes E., born March 29, 1849, mar- ried to William Rackett and died April 20, 1876; and Ida M., born June 9, 1854, wife of Alonzo Crowder, and died at Orient Point, November 15, 1872.
On the old home place where he now lives An- drew Harper Latham was born and reared, and there he has since made his home. Although he has followed fishing to some extent in connection with farming, the latter has been his chief occupa- tion in life, and a fair degree of success has re- warded his efforts. At Bay View, in the town of Southold, he married, November 30, 1854, Miss Sarah A. Beebe, who was born April 2, 1829. She was the daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Terry) Beebe, natives of Orient, the former of whom died at Bay View. Mr. Latham lost his wife at Orient Point, January 21, 1862. To their union had been born four children, as follows: William Lester, born March 16, 1856; Clementine Lucinda, August 5, 1857; Alfred Wells, Novem- ber 27, 1859; and Saralı Ann, October 7, 1861. The last named was the wife of Gilbert Terry and died at Orient.
The second marriage of Mr. Latham occurred
at Orient Point, March 2, 1864, and united him with Miss Sarah A. Petty, who was born in Orient February 7, 1830. Her parents, David and Mar- garet M. (King) Petty, were natives of that place, the former having been born August 10, 1800, and the latter June 26, 1801; both died there, in December, 1875, and May, 1878, respectively. Their children, eight in number, were named as follows: David D., Thomas A., Sarah A., Caroline A., John K., Amanda S., Hannah M., and Sidney B. One daughter, Margaret King, was born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Latham, her birth oc- curring July 13, 1867.
Personally Mr. Latham is a man possessed of most estimable qualities. Warm-hearted, gener- ous to a fault, high-minded, conscientious and genial, hie is the center of a large circle of close friends and acquaintances, who highly esteem him. He has held a number of local positions and has discharged the duties of all in an able and most efficient manner. In politics he is a strong adherent to the principles of the Republican party and in religion he is independent.
1 SRAEL G. HAWKINS is a well-known sur- veyor and interested in real estate and insur- ance at Stony Brook. He was born at Lake Grove November 2, 1846, and is a son of William I. and Hannah (Green) Hawkins. He was one of the following children: George W., of East Setauket; Mary, wife of James Gould and a resi- dent of Lake Grove, and Israel G. The founder of the family in the town of Stony Brook located here in 1655, coming hither from Connecticut, but was a native of England and was one of a syndicate of fifty men who owned the entire town site of Brook Haven. IFis share alone of this tract comprised five thousand acres. Our sub- ject, like others of his family, resided on the home farm until he reached manhood, January 1, 1872. he married Miss Eveline M. Bayless, a daughter of William Bayless. Her ancestors were among the first of the families to locate in this vicinity in 1669, and acquired large landed interests at Stony
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REV. E. C. LAWRENCE, A. M., PH. D.
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Brook, which have descended from one genera- tion to another until the present time. Our sub- ject and his wife have had three children born to them, namely: Ada M., Flora B., and Effie H.
When eighteen years of age Mr. Hawkins be- gan for himself and was employed as a teacher for about four years. He then took up survey- ing, studying by himself and reading different works, whose rules he carefully followed. He has been engaged in this profession since 1875. He also engaged in leasing timber lands, from which he took out telegraph poles, railroad ties, posts and cord wood, carrying on quite an extensive business in this line. He is the owner of three hundred and fifty acres of land fronting on the sound and partially improved.
In politics our subject is a Prohibitionist, and in church matters he worships with the Presbyte- rians. He enjoyed good educational advantages, but has accomplished what he has done in this direction by dint of perseverance and pressed on by ambition for greater knowledge. His ele- mentary education was acquired at the district schools. Later he went to St. James Academy, and then took a course at Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College at Albany. He is agent for the North America Fire Insurance Company.
R EV. EGBERT CHARLES LAWRENCE, A. M., Ph. D., the officiating minister of the West Hampton Presbyterian Church, is a native of Onondaga County, N. Y., and was born June 25, 1845. He is a son of Silas R. and Lucinda (Hull) Lawrence, and is one of two chil- dren. His sister, Ellen E., married Harvey Ful- ler, of Homer, N. Y. Silas R. Lawrence was born March 19, 1825, in Summerhill, N. Y. He was a son of Peter Lawrence, born March 7, 1795, in Clinton, Dutchess County, the latter of whom was a son of Joseph. born in the same place June 3, 1765. Joseph was a son of Eze- kiel, of the same place, who was a son of Jacob. who came from England. The latter (so says
tradition) was the descendant of John, this being as far back as the records can be traced.
Our subject's father was married about the year 1843, his wife being the daughter of David and Charlotte (Alvord) Hull, . atives of Norfolk. Conn. They located in Homer, N. Y., in the earliest days of white settlement there and en- tered land from the Government, which remains in the family at the present time. David was the son of Joseph and Sarah (Pardee) Hull, natives of Norfolk, Conn. The Alvord family is an old and historic one. Grandmother Hull was a daughter of Charles and Eunice (Leaming) Al- vord, Charles being a son of Thomas Gould and Keziah (Orris) Alvord. The former participa- ted in the Revolutionary War. Thomas Gould (commonly known as "Old Salt"), of the present generation, has since 1844 been a power in poli- tics in the Empire State. He was elected to the Assembly in the year above named, since then serving that honorable body seven terms, and was Speaker of the House in 1858 and 1864. At the last-named year he was elected Lieutenant- Governor, running on the ticket with Governor Fenton, and served through 1865-66. He was the oldest member of the last Constitutional Con- vention.
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