USA > New York > Suffolk County > Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 1 > Part 58
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Mrs. Arthur, who was a most worthy member of the Presbyterian Church, died at her home in Smithtown in 1891. Although not a member of any church, Mr. Arthur usually attends the same church, and gives liberally of his means to all worthy enterprises. His marriage resulted in the birth of five children, four of whom still survive. Fannie M. became the wife of Alden M. Hallock, of Bay Shore: John J. died February, 1893. when twenty-two years old; Howard B. assists his father in the business; Ethelbert L. married Miss Ellen L. Smith, and is engaged in the store of T. L. Smith; and Clifford H. is now a student in MIt. Hermon Seminary at Mt. Hermon, Mass.
A LVA M. SALMON, a descendant of one of the first families that settled on Long Island, is of sturdy Scotch stock and the success that has attended him through life is but a natural sequence of his birth and breeding. He was born in Southold, October 5, 1835, and is a son of William C. and Lucretia M. (Jennings) Salmon. He was educated in the vicinity of his home, attending different academies in the coun- ty. At the age of about sixteen he accepted an appointment in the Brooklyn City Post-office, un- der President Pierce. He was unable to remain there, however, but a short time, as the confine- ment to office work was detrimental to his health.
On the advice of his physician our subject en- gaged as a commercial traveler, his route being mainly in the southwest. He traveled for a New York City house. In the fall of 1853 he left New York for Kentucky, and was absent about eight months in the South and West, and from that time until the present has been more or less en- gaged in the same occupation through the south- west, also through the upper and lower British Provinces and New England.
Previous to the Civil War our subject spent his winters in the Southern States. When those
states passed their declaration of secession he was a witness of the feeling that prevailed south of the Mason and Dixon line. He attended the in- auguration of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederacy and the reception that was tendered to the new President at Fireman's Hall. Mont- gomery, Ala. At that time he was introduced to President Davis by William L. Yancey, of South Carolina. During this unsettled period he occu- pied a room in one of the prominent hotels in Montgomery, and relates that on one occasion fifteen gentlemen had assembled in his room. Eleven of them were representative and intelli- gent southern men, who were well matched by four northern nien of good standing. Of this company only one believed that there would be war.
November 10, 1862, Mr. Salmon married Miss Martha Glover, daughter of Henry and Lu- cretia (Prince) Glover, of Southold. Three sons are the fruit of this union. The eldest, Alva G., who is a graduate of the New England Conserva- tory of Music, also the Boston College of Music, resides in Tacoma and is considered the leading pianist of the northwest. The second son, Harry G., who is a graduate of the New York City Col- lege of Pharmacy, is now associated with his father in business, being a representative and manager for the drug house of Mckesson & Rob- bins, of New York City, and also represents other extensive business houses of New York. The third son, Willie C .. is still at home and is now (1895) in his fourteenth year. Although our sub- ject has been closely occupied with the pursuits of a commercial traveler for many years, he owns and cultivates a farm of about seventy acres that is located at Peconic. Mrs. Salmon died Novem- ber 15, 1886. For three years our subject of- ficiated as President of the Suffolk County Agri- cultural Society, for two years he was Vice Presi- dent of the same, and has also occupied the posi- tion of Director. He is independent in politics. liberal in his religious views, and lends himself to any enterprise that promises to be for the bet- tering of society.
A few words about the genealogy of the Sal- mon family: William Salmon, the first of the
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SIDNEY P. TUTHILL.
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American branch of the family, emigrated from Scotland and located in Southold, L. I., prior to 1639; this was before the formal settlement of the town. About 1642 he married Mary Cather- ine Sinderland, widow of Matthew Sinderland, who is said to have been the first white man that ever had a home on eastern Long Island, also the first man who had a deed to property in this vicinity. Mr. Sinderland was employed as an ex- plorer and guide for parties who desired to pur- chase property from the Earl of Sterling, the original owner of Long Island. The only son of William Salmon was Maj. John Salmon.
William C., father of Alva MI. Salmon, was born and reared in Suffolk County, and was numbered among the prominent men of this locality, al- thought he spent his early days as a sailor, be- ing an officer on Mississippi steamers. He trav- eled in Mexico and was a pioneer among the "forty-niners".to California, where he spent four years, but later returned to Southold. He was a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Superintendent of the Sunday- school. In politics he was a Republican and a man of natural ability and strict integrity. He died September 24, 1865. Our subject's mother is still living and makes her home with him. Both of the grandfathers of our subject were sol- diers in the War of 1812 and two great-grand- fathers served in the Revolutionary War.
S IDNEY P. TUTHILL was born in Mat- tituck, June 17, 1850, a son of William H. Tuthill, who was born in the same place in 1828. The latter, who devoted himself to farm- ing all his life, was a man of probity and excel- lent judgment and a number of local responsibili- ties and honors were thrust upon him. For many years he was School Trustee and served in the Presbyterian Church at Cutchogue as Elder and Trustee. He now lives on his farm near the last- named place.
Mr. Tuthill, Sr., was the only son of his father's last marriage, but he had three sisters and four
half-brothers. Of the latter we mention the follow- ing: Hallock, who was a farmer, died on the old homestead; Capt. Ira, who in the early part of his career was a scafaring man, later devoted himself to agriculture and became quite wealthy; Capt. Silas was also a seafaring man until the time of his decease, which occurred at Cutchogue; Jacob is a farmer in Mattituck. Mr. Tuthill's sister, Eliza, is the widow of F. N. Terry of Southold. Hannah married Hiram Corwin and lived at Cutchogue, where she died. Lucretia is the wife of Robert Newbold and resides at Oregon.
The grandfather of our subject, Jesse Hallock Tuthill, was born in East Mattituck, where he was well and favorably known as a prominent and suc- cessful farmer. The mother of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Alma Mapes and was born at Cutchogue, July 4, 1828. She died April 18, 1889. Her father, Silas H. Mapes, was a tailor by trade and at one time carried on a tailoring establishment in New York City. A part of his life, however, was spent on a farm, and he later engaged in the tailoring business in Mattituck, where he died. Mrs. Tuthill's brother, Albert, is a shoemaker by trade and resides in Brooklyn. Charles was in the drug business in New York City. Smith is a physician and lives in Indianapo- lis, Ind .; he was a surgeon in the Civil War. Silas E., who was for many years in the drug business in New York City, was also a soldier in the Civil War; he now resides in Mattituck.
Sidney P. Tuthill was one of three sons born to his parents. The eldest, Henry Hallman, born August 5, 1848, died March 29, 1849, meeting his death by accident. Eugene M., who was born June 8, 1853, is on the farm with his father : he married Rosanna Boutcher, an English lady, who is a prominent worker in the Presbyterian Church.
Our subject grew to years of maturity on his father's farm, receiving his elementary education at Cutchogue Academy and also attending a pri- vate school kept by Miss Mapes. When twenty- one years of age he married Miss Mary J. Bontehier, who was born in England, their mar- riage being celebrated November 22, 1871. Not long after their marriage the young couple left the farm and came to Mattituck, where for one year
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our subject was clerk in the Gildersleeve store, besides spending three years in the butcher busi- ness. Since that time he has dealt extensively in coal, implements, feed, flour and fertilizers, and is also interested in the undertaking business, man- aging to keep a thorough control and direction of all these lines. During this time he has amassed a competency. For four years Mr. Tuthill served as Postmaster under Harrison, and he is the owner of the building in which the Postoffice is now located. In 1879 he was also Collector of the town, was Overseer of the Poor for one year, and was elected Justice of the Peace in 1895. For twenty-four years he has voted the Republican ticket and for the same length of time has been a member of the Republican County Committee. Fraternally he is a Mason, and in his church re- lations he is a devoted Presbyterian, serving both as Trustee and Steward of that body. Mr. and Mrs. Tuthill have four children: Lizzie May was born January 22, 1874; Henry Preston, who was born February 16, 1877, is his father's book- keeper; Elma M. was born March 10, 1882, and Jennie Louise, August 17, 1889.
H ON. SIMEON S. HAWKINS. "Some men are born great, some achieve great- ness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." The subject of this sketch is one of those men who achieve their own success. Most of our public men, and men who have legitimately grown rich, are men of intelligence, integrity and perseverance, and of this class Mr. Hawkins is an honored member. He is intensely patriotic and American in sentiment, and is in full sympathy with the progress of the times.
Our subject, who is now living in the beautiful village of South Jamesport, this county, was born March 30, 1827, in Stony Brook, Suffolk County. There were five sons and three daughters born to his parents, Daniel S. and Sophia (Smith) Haw- kins, of whom he was the third. George, the eldl- est of the household, was a sea captain for a great many years, and lived to the age of three-score
and ten; Ebenezer is spoken of in full on another page of this volume; Edward also has a biogra- phy on anothier page; Olivia is now the wife of Charles Corwin of Riverhead; Hannah departed this life when young; Jedediah W., a prominent resident of this town, is engaged quite extensively in the fishery business; Sophia is the widow of Sidney Smith, and also makes her home in Ja- maica.
Mrs. Sophia Hawkins was born in this county, near Stony Brook, in which village her death oc- curred when only thirty-eight years of age. She was fairly well educated, and was the daughter of Simeon and Hannah Smith, successful and well- to-do farmers of this locality.
The father of our subject was born at Setauket, this county, and was there reared to man's estate. He began to follow the sea when quite young, and liked life on the water so well that he decided to make it his business. He became captain of a packet running between Stony Brook and New York City, and until the completion of the Long Island Railroad, this was about the only means of transit to the metropolis. He was well known to the residents of Stony Brook, where he made his home, and by them was called Capt. Shaler Hawkins. He died when in his seventy-first year. In addition to giving his large family of children a good start in life, he accumulated a handsome property at Stony Brook.
Captain Hawkins was twice married, his second union being with Miss Harriet Terry, of Brook Haven. Their family included the following six children: Elbert S., Hattie, William (deceased). Ella, Orin (deceased) and Irvin. Daniel S. Haw- kins was the son of Edward and Olivia (Shaler) Hawkins, old and respected residents of Setauket.
The first fifteen years of his life our subject passed with his parents on the farm, when he hired out as cook on a sloop, in this position re- ceiving $9 per month. He remained on this ves- sel for some time, running from Albany to points in the East. July 20, 1847, when about twenty years of age, young Hawkins was commissioned Captain of the schooner "Charles D. Hallock." coasting along the shore from Maine to the Caro- linas. His business as a trader brought him in
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contact with the Southern people, and owing to the treatment which he received at their hands, changed his political views.
In the year 1868 Captain Hawkins abandoned the sea and coming to Jamesport, established a lumber and coal business here. Shortly thereaf- ter he purchased a small schooner, which he used in his business for about two years, and on selling the same became interested in the fishing business with his brothers, Ebenezer, Edward and Jede- dinh. For eighteen years they carried on a suc- cewind and very extensive business in this line, building and operating six steamers. At the ex- piration of that time our subject was satisfied with the results, and wishing to retire from the Business, sold out his interest and has since lived in peace and quiet in his beautiful summer resort town, which is located on the shore of Great Pe- conic Bay. His home here is one of the finest in the place.
October 6, 1852, Capt. Simeon S. Hawkins and Miss Benlah Ehmna Youngs were united in mar- riage. The latter is finely educated, and is the daughter of one of the oldest merchants in James- port, Albert Youngs. Of the four children born to our subject and his wife we make the following mention: Ebenezer is a resident of New York City, and is engaged in the fruit commission busi- ness; Florence S. is the wife of John E. Overton and resides in Port Jefferson; Albert Etheridge is one of the prosperous and enterprising farmers and gardeners for which the town of Riverhead is noted; Myron Daniel is attending school, and during vacation is employed in the Riverhead Savings Bank.
As before stated Captain Hawkins found that he had sufficient reasons for changing his views in politics, and since 1862 has been a stanch sup- porter of Republican principles and candidates. He was elected to the Assembly on this ticket in 1883, serving in 1884-85. Here his labors were very arduous, and his influence became powerful in promoting public works. With a reputation thus constantly increasing, he was in 1887 elected State Senator, serving in 1888-89 and on various important committees, such as Navigation, Public Printing, Claims, Factories, Agriculture and In-
dian Affairs. During his incumbency he intro- duced a bill which resulted in having the two bays connected, and for this fact alone his name should ever be remembered by the residents of Long Island. He held the position of Town Supervisor for one term, and Superintendent of the Poor for three years. Socially he is a Mason of high stand- ing, being connected with Lodge No. 645 of Riv- erhead.
Hon. Mr. Hawkins was one of the organizers and is now Vice-President of the Riverhead Sav- ings Bank. He owns a valuable farm in this town. besides his elegant home in Jamesport. Together with his wife he is a consistent member of the Congregational Church, to the support of which he contributes very liberally, and in which body he is a Deacon. He is truly a self-made man. who by his own industrious efforts and strict at- tention to business during his earlier years has steadily worked his way upward to a position of wealth and affluence. He is a man of unswerving honesty, whose word is as good as his bond. and the confidence of the entire community is his.
G EORGE O. ROBINSON. Among the public-spirited and well-to-do citizens of Riverhead is this worthy gentleman, who has devoted the greater part of his life to agri- cultural pursuits and met with such substantial results in his labors that he is now living retired from business of any kind.
Mr. Robinson was born in Centreville, town of Riverhead, in 1832. He is a finely educated gen- tleman, having begun his studies in the comme1 schools, after which he attended the academy it Southampton and later prosecuted the higher branches at Yale College. On the death of his father he took charge of the home farm, giving his attention to its management until 1893, when lie moved into the village of Riverhead. and is now retired. He is still the owner of the home place, which comprises sixty acres, excellents cultivated.
The marriage of Mr. Robinson and Miss Nancy
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
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L. Hallock was celebrated December 6, 1855. The lady was born in this town and comes from one of the best and oldest families on the island. Her union with our subject has resulted in the birth of the following children: Alice, Herbert F., Ada,' Elmer E., and Wallace G. Elmer E. is one of the substantial farmers of this section.
Although not connected with any religious body, Mr. Robinson is very liberal in support of churches and benevolence. He uses his right of franchise in favor of Republican candidates, and is an ardent admirer of the principles of this party. He has been elected to the position of Highway Commissioner of the village of River- head, which office he is filling with satisfaction at the present time. Few men have been more successful in life than Mr. Robinson, and he has many friends and acquaintances in this locality who cherish for him nothing but good will and respect.
H ON. EDWARD HAWKINS. The his- tory of Long Island is the history of the lives of its citizens, the record of their struggles, their advancement and their prosperity. To their zeal and progressive spirit is due the high standing of this locality. They have gained prom- inence, not only as seafaring men, but also at the bar, in the pulpit, upon the rostrum, and in every field of activity. To few has greater prominence come than to the subject of this notice, a resident of the town of Riverhead and formerly State Sena- tor from this district.
In the village of Stony Brook, town of Brook Haven, Captain Hawkins was born January 21. 1829. His father, Daniel Shaler Hawkins, was born in Suffolk County November 24, 1798, and in early life engaged in the coasting trade, and built and owned a number of vessels. Later he retired to his farm at Stony Brook, where he died in 1868. His wife, Sophia, was a native of the town of Brook Haven, and died in 1841 ; her fathi- er, Simeon Smith, was one of the prominent farm- ers of his day.
The parental family consisted of five sons and
two daughters, and there were also four half- brothers and two half-sisters. George, the oldest son, who in early life was a seafaring man, later engaged in the hotel business and subsequently became a miller: he died at Patchogue in 1893. Ebenezer, who for a time followed the sea, later became interested with his brothers in the fisher- ies and oil business; he is now living retired at Jamesport. Simeon S., first a sailor, then inter- ested in the Menhaden fisheries, afterward be- came a member of the State Senate, and is now living in Jamesport. Jedediah W., like his other brothers, was first a sailor and then became inter- ested in the fish-oil business, of which he is now manager, his home being in Jamesport. Two of the half-brothers, Elbert S. and Irving, were sea- faring men and now reside in Stony Brook.
With such advantages as the common schools gave him our subject began life for himself at the age of fifteen. He went to sea, determined to make his way unaided by others, and so closely did he apply himself that. at the age of twenty-one, he became master of a vessel, and not long after- ward was commander of a ship in which he held an interest. He was engaged principally in the coasting trade in Southern waters, and at various times made trips to the West Indies, Mexico and other Southern ports. During the Civil War he was in the employ of the Government, and with his ship was engaged in the transportation busi- ness. Having accumulated a fortune on the seas. at the close of the war he left the water. It is worthy of note that during his long experience as a mariner he never met with a serious accident.
Soon after leaving the sea, the Captain settled on the farm where he has since made his home, and which is situated near Jamesport, in the town of Riverhead. The same year he retired from a seafaring life he, with three brothers, organized the Menladen fish and oil business, and since that time has been extensively engaged in the manu- facture of fish oil and fish guano. In politics he has always taken an active interest in local mat- ters, and is a worker in the Democratic party. At various times he has been nominated for positions of trust, among them being those of Assembly- man, Supervisor of the town, and Sheriff and
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SILAS F. OVERTON.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Treasurer of the county, but his party being in the minority, he failed of election until 1889, when he was elected to the State Senate. His opponent in the Republican party was his brother, Hon. Sim- con S. Hawkins, then a member of the Senate, and who had been nominated for re-election. The fight was a friendly one, but a very warm one, nevertheless, and neither one left a stone unturned to secure success. On election day, when returns came in, it was found that our subject had de- icated his brother by a good majority. As Sena- tor he took an active part in the debates and served on several important committees, discharging ev- ery duty with credit to himself and to the satisfac- tion of his constituents.
Captain Hawkins is a Trustee in the Riverhead Savings Bank, and has other interests. He re- sides on his large farm near Jamesport, where he has one of the finest residences in the county. In 1855 he married Miss Susan C .. daughter of Is- rael Smith, of Lake Grove, this county. They have five children, four daughters and one son, and they have also lost two by death. The son, Edward, who is a farmer, and lives near the old homestead, married Priscilla, daughter of John Smith, of Greene County, this state. Inez is the wife of Joseph M. Belford, Deputy Surrogate of Suffolk County and an attorney by profession. Una married Edward H. Albertson, a business man of Riverhead. Rosa and Anna are with their parents. Socially the Captain is a Mason and belongs to the chapter at Greenport.
S ILAS F. OVERTON, Second Vice-Presi- dent of the Southold Savings Bank, is a re- spected citizen of Peconic. The Overton family is a very old and honorable one in Suffolk County, and their history is given in detail else- where in this volume. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a native of this county, and dur- ing the War of 1812 served as a soldier inits ranks. Our subject was born in March, 1844. in Peconic, the son of Franklin 11. and Esther J. (Horton) Overton, the former of whom was likewise a na-
tive of Long Island and in turn the son of William Overton. The Hortons are also old settlers in the county, and many of its members are among its influential and prominent residents of to-day. They are of English ancestry, the first of the name coming to Long Island being one Barnabas Hor- ton, who located in what is now the town of Southold in the year 1642, and on his death his remains were interred in the old cemetery in the village of that name.
Franklin H. Overton took a prominent part in public affairs and was for many years Supervisor of the town of Southold. He departed this life in April, 1887. when he had attained a good old age. . He had been twice married, but our subject was his only child. After its organization he gave his support to the Republican party. He was a suc- cessful business man and was one of the founders of the Southold Savings Bank, of which he was Vice-President, and an efficient member of the finance committee until his death. This institu- tion is now in a most flourishing condition, but all who are connected with it acknowledge its pros- perity to be due in a measure to the interest man- ifested by Mr. Overton. For years the latter had been Secretary and business manager of the Sti- folk County Insurance Company and gained a competence by his own well-directed efforts and business enterprises. For one year he was Clerk of his town and Assessor for several terms. In the year 1863 lie was elected Supervisor of the town of Southold, and on the expiration of his terin was made his own successor. In fact, so satisfactory to those most interested was all the business which he transacted that he was made the incumbent of this position for ten years. He was a member of the Board of Supervisors at the time the county farm was purchased. and it was largely due to his influence that the county alns- house was built.
Silas F. Overton was reared to manhood in l'e- conic, where he attended school. and for some time was also a student at the academy at South- old. He gave his attention entirely to agricultural pursuits up to the death of his father, when he was clected Secretary of the Suffolk County Mutual Insurance Company, to the duties of which re-
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