USA > New York > Suffolk County > Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 2 > Part 33
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Rogers Bishop was born March 7, 1827, and was the son of Stephen Bishop. On his entrance into manhood he learned the trade of cooper,
80.5-80€
JOHN H. HUNT.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
and at the age of twenty sailed on a whaling ship as cooper of the ship, "Superior," of Sag Harbor. He had similar work on board the ship "Sheffield," of Cold Spring Harbor, the ship "Hannibal," of New London, and the brig "William T. Safford," of Sag Harbor. In this way some thirteen years were passed with much labor, anxiety and some little profit. In the late '5os he determined to see the Golden Gate, and so he went on a three years' trip to California, being active there in various enterprises and get- ting ahead all the time. He came back to this village about the time that the Civil War broke out, and in 1868 established the general mercan- tile business which is now carried on by the sub- ject of this sketch. He died July 3, 1881, and left behind him the name of an honest, upright and able man. Stephen Bishop, the grandfather of our subject, was a son of Nathan Bishop and for years was a seafaring man, but spent thie later years of his life in farming.
Stanton Rogers Bishop, the subject of this sketch, grew to manhood under the parental roof and was trained in the district school. On reach- ing the age of manhood he was taken into his fa- ther's store as principal assistant. Under his careful instruction the various lines of an exten- sive busincss became familiar to him, and when his father died the establishment reverted to his hands as an inheritance, and he has since had it as his own. Under his efficient management it has continued to be profitable and prosperous and is highly appreciated by its patrons as a place where they can have fair treatment and may de- pend on what is said to them. Our subject is still a single man.
The father of our subject was twice married, Stanton R. being the son of his first wife, who dicd when he was only six years old. He took for his second wife Miss Jennie Browning, who is still living and presides over the home of our subject, where she is cherished as a loving mo- ther and a kind friend. Mr. Bishop is much inter ested in the success of the Republican party, and is an active member of the Mckinley Club of this village. Hc has never been an office-seeking politician, but for business considerations lias con-
sented to take up the duties of Assistant Post- master. His father held the office from 1870 un- til his death in 1881. The next year Mrs. Bishop, mother of our subject, accepted the position of Postmistress, which she still liolds.
JOHN HOWARD HUNT, editor of the "Sag Harbor Express," was born in Sag Harbor October 25, 1835. His family had long been residents of Suffolk County, and his father, Harry W. Hunt, was the founder and until his death the editor of the "Sag Harbor Corrector." Mr. Hunt and the author of "Home, Sweet Home," though not relatives, were namcd from the same individual, Dr. John Howard, a surgeon in the army of the Revolution and the maternal grandfather of the former; and such is the in- fluence of identity of name that some have traced a resemblance between the two. Dr. Howard and the father of John Howard Payne were inti- mate friends, and the latter always stopped at Dr. Howard's at Smithtown Branch, as he drove through the island.
The childhood years of our subject were passed like those of most boys of the east end of the is- land, in field and aquatic sports, and his taste for yachting, at least, thus acquired, has never left him. Soon after reaching his majority he re- solved to yield to hereditary influence and be- come editor and proprietor of a newspaper. His father had died a few years before, and his paper having passed into other hands there was nothing left for him but to establish a new paper, which he did July 14, 1859, under its present name, the "Sag Harbor Express," and made it an organ of Republican principles, and, to an ever-increasing extent, of the Republican party.
The paper was a success from the start. It es- pouscd enthusiastically the Union cause and ex- erted no small influence in keeping in full flame the loyal zeal of the country. After the war, when the old questions of civil polity came up for political discussion in connection with the grave problem of reconstruction, Mr. Hunt, through his
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paper and personally, took an active part, and though never seeking office he has ever since re- mained to a greater or less extent in politics. He has often represented the town in county conven- tions and on committees and his paper has kept steadily to the best ideals of his party.
Mr. Hunt was united in marriage in 1862 with Miss Abbie J. D. Huntting, of East Hampton, a lineal descendant of Rev. Nathaniel Huntting, who was the second minister of the parish, occu- pying the pulpit from 1696 to 1746. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt are the parents of one son, George W. In religious belief he is an active member of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has been a Trustee for about twenty-five years, and is now a member of the Session, a ruling Elder and Pres- ident of the Board of Trustees. In addition to his other interests he has for nearly thirty years been a Trustee of the Sag Harbor Savings Bank, is a member of the Board of Education and Trus- tee and Vice-President of the Sag Harbor Li- brary Association. He is influential in all vil- lage, town and county matters, and there is no citizen who commands more unreservedly than he the respect of the community.
C APT. BENJAMIN JONES. Although this old salt has been retired from the ocean since 1878, he still loves to recount his adventures by sea, for they were many and varied, as could not but be the case, for he "rounded" Cape Horn twice and the Cape of Good Hope four times, made several voyages to. China and made eighteen voyages from that country to the "land of the chrysanthemum." He was in Japan when the port was opened and was the first captain to run a vessel to the port. In fact, if all were told of his "life on the ocean wave," it would read like a fairy tale to the lands- nian who has never set foot off terra firma.
His early career was like that of thousands of other boys; he attended the district schools for about three months out of the year until he at- tained the age of seventeen, at which time he be-
came a sailor. At the early age of nineteen l'e was placed in charge of the sloop "Ornament," next commanded the "William Tyson," was then skipper of the "Flying Eagle," then built and commanded a brig called the "Antelope," was then Captain of "Mary and Louisa," and upon his retirement from the sea in 1878 was captain of the "Tri-Mountain." He has a beautiful home in East Setauket, near the home of his youth, and amid old scenes and old surroundings, made dear from association, he is spending his declining years and enjoying a well merited rest. The Cap- tain was born March 8, 1825, and was married in 1864 to Miss Elizabeth Evans, daughter of Dr. James and Elizabeth (Brown) Evans, the former of whom was born in Maryland, though his par- ents were from Wales. Mrs. Evans was born in New York City, as was her daughter, Mrs. Jones.
To Captain and Mrs. Jones four children have been born: Florence Evans, wife of James M. Freeman, of New York City: Caroline S .; Eliza- beth E. and Benjamin. Mrs. Jones is an active member of the Presbyterian Church, and the Captain is identified with the Masonic fraternity. Politically he is a Republican, but is not active, although he has an abiding faith in the policy of that party. The parents of Captain Jones were Walter and Charity Jones, natives of East Se- tauket. The father was a worthy tiller of the soil during his lifetime and was a quiet, unassuming citizen, who spent his life in attending to his own affairs. He died at the age of seventy-eight years. His widow still survives him and is ninety years of age.
T EMPLE PRIME, one of the foremost and wealthiest citizens of Huntington, and a man that enters into the spirit of anything that is for the benefit of this village and its people, was born at No. I Battery Place, New York, Sep- tember 14, 1832; the son of Rufus Prime. This gentleman was born in Wall Street, New York, was a graduate of Yale, and was for many years a banker in Broad Street. In his later life he bought a residence at Huntington, where the re-
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mainder of his life was spent. He was also the owner of a residence at Hell Gate. The grand- father of our subject, Nathaniel Prime, was the head of the great banking house of Prime, Ward & King, in its day the leading house of the city.
The mother of our subject, Augusta Temple Palmer, was a native of Boston and a lady of un- usual education and refinement. She died in 1840, and her husband in 1885, leaving three sons and one daughter. Frederick E. was a Colonel of Engineers in the regular army of the United States, and is now retired. Charles S. is a lawyer in Connecticut, while his sister, who has never married, lives with our subject, who is also an- married.
'Mr. Prime was educated abroad, and upon his return took a course in the Harvard Law School. He was for some years connected with the United States Legation at The Hague, while August Bel- mont was Minister. When his connection with the American diplomatic service ceased our sub- ject returned home, and being possessed of an ample fortune, never entered upon the practice of his profession. Nor has he ever been engaged in any active business outside the management of his large estate, spending much of his time abroad. For the greater part of his life his sum- mers have been spent at the country seat, about a mile from this village, and since the death of his father, some ten years ago, his whole time has been spent on the estate, which is regarded as one of the finest in the locality.
In politics our subject is a Democrat. Since he has made his residence entirely in Huntington he has taken a very active interest in all its enter- prises, being connected with the steamboat com- pany, water works, street railroad, the bank, the Hale Memorial Monument Association and the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Association, of which he is President, and is also a member of the Board of Education.
In fact, everything in the village has felt his influence for good, and has received a full share of liis ample fortune, notable among them being the fine Memorial Association build- ing, in which he has taken a deep interest. This commendable institution lias more than once re-
ceived an ample donation from his purse, but re- cently receiving $1,500 to assist to lift the last debt against it. Many other instances of his great liberality might be mentioned, but it is enough for the purpose of this history to say that no man in this village is held in higher esteem than Mr. Prime, and no man here is regarded as having done more to lift up and elevate his fellowmen than this cultured, refined, high-minded and lib- eral gentleman.
E PENETUS WOOD, a farmer of the town of Babylon, was born at Moriches, Jan- uary 24, 1818, and was the son of Selah and Esther (Oakes) Wood. The father was also a farmer, and was born on the farm where the subject of this sketch now lives, as his father. Abel Wood, was also a farmer and owned this same estate, having hewed it out from the wilder- ness. He was of English extraction, and the line of ancestry is traced far behind him. Selah Wood passed his entire life on the farm, dying May 23. 1857, at the age of seventy-three. He was a Democrat in early life, and a member of the Presbyterian Church. There were four children born to him, of whom Epenetus was the oldest, and is now the only one living. Phebe was Mrs. Francis Crossman, of Jamaica, and at her death left five children. Sarah Ann married Edward Brower and left four children; her home was in Brooklyn. Elizabeth became Mrs. David Cross- man, of Brooklyn, and was the mother of one child. The boyhood of the subject of this sketch was spent on the farm, and as soon as he became old enough to work, he was called into the labor of the fields, as he was the only son, and as his father was not in too prosperous circumstances. His opportunities for education were necessarily limited, and his time was taken up with questions of how to provide food and clothing. The young lad was a great hunter of game and wild fowl on Great South Bay, and at that time the adventures of a sportsman were richly rewarded.
February 20, 1843, Mr. Wood was married to Miss Phebe Udall, of Babylon. She was born
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and educated at Centerport, and was the daughter of Thomas and Anna (Totten) Udall. Mr. and Mrs. Wood became the parents of five children, the two eldest dying at the ages of fourteen and three and one-half years respectively. Selah, who married Candace Moody, of Jefferson County, is the overseer of a large stock farm on the island, having as many as sixty-five horses to care for; he is the father of three children, Annie E., Ethel May, and Percy S. Thomas had a common school education, and is now in charge of his father's farm. Anna Elizabeth received the edu- cational advantages of the schools of the neigh- borhood and has profited by them.
Mr. Wood was Democratic in his party affilia- tions until his sons became old enough to take an interest in politics. Upon a comparison of views and a fresh study of the political situation they all determined to vote the Republican ticket, which they have done to this time, Thomas cast- ing his first vote for James A. Garfield. This son of an honored father is at present filling the posi- tion of Excise Commissioner, giving entire satis- faction in this office, and has been delegate to several county conventions.
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Epenetus Wood and his wife, who are highly respected in the community, are modest and tin- assuming, but faithful and efficient members of the Babylon Presbyterian Church, where he acts as Elder.
thoroughly repaired the house, which was old and weather-beaten and was constructed with a nar- row front and long back roof. In 1828 the house was re-covered, and has to-day much of the cov- ering that was put on at that time, and much of the frame is probably two hundred years old. James had five children, one of whom, Isaac Post, was born December 8, 1815, and was mar- ried to Mary Rose, daughter of Micaiah Herrick, May 12, 1842.
Isaac remained on the farm and was prudent and economical, much beloved and respected by his family and neighbors. He was identified with the Presbyterian Church, which he joined in 1832, and eleven years later was made a Ruling Elder. He was faithful in his attendance at the house of God and in the Sunday-school, and by example and words of Christian wisdom and sym- pathy in public and private life helped and en- couraged many others along the better way. He died August 3, 1885, and his widow died in Sep- tember, 1895. His children were Edward H., the subject of this sketch, born June 17, 1844, and Clara Rogers, who is now dead. She was born July 26, 1849, and married Charles E. Ben- ton, of Sharon, Conn., October 6, 1870. Two years later she and an infant child died, and their remains now rest in the Southampton Cemetery.
Edward H. Foster grew up on the farm, at- tended district school and Southampton Acad- emy and for one year, 1860-61, was a student in the school of Prof. Nathaniel Griffin at Williams- town, Mass. When he reached manhood he taught district school in connection with his farm duties, and gradually worked into the fire and life insurance business in connection with the pur- chase of investments. He was elected Town Clerk in 1870 and held that office for sixteen con- secutive years, but finally lost it owing to his ac- tivity in endeavoring to punish violators of the excise law.
E DWARD H. FOSTER, a prominent busi- ness man of Southampton, is in the eighth generation from Christopher Foster, one of the early settlers of the town. His great- grandfather, Deacon Josiah Foster, was one of the first to dwell on his land at Quogue. He was an extensive owner of real estate, held a higli po- sition in the community and was very prominent in the church. His son, James, was born August While cierk Mr. Foster assisted in preparing for the press the first three volumes of town rec- ords, which involved a vast amount of laborious and painstaking work. He was Commissioner of Highways and Inspector of Elections during 28, 1774, married Phoebe Cook, of Quogue, in 1798, and inimediately occupied one of his fa- ther's farms in Southampton. This farni consti- tuted the homestead of the subject of this sketch and was deeded to James in the year 1805. He : this period. Assisting in the organization of the
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Southampton Bank, he was elected a Director at the first meeting of the stockholders and was also made Vice-President, which position he holds at the present time. He was one of the charter members of the Rogers Memorial Li- brary Company and has acted as its Treasurer since its organization. He has been an office- holder in the water company, is a stockholder in the Electric Light Company, and has been in the official management of the Cemetery Association since it was started.
As a public-spirited and progressive citizen, our subject has had much to do with the schools of his neighborhood, being a member of the School Board since the beginning of the union school and a Trustee under the old organization. His business abilities have been recognized by his ap- pointment to settle large estates, particularly the estate of Lewis Scott, one of the largest and most complicated in the town, in which he was co-ex- ecutor, and in the estate of James H. and Albert Foster, in which he also was co-executor. This estate passed through a fierce legal contest to de- termine the legality of bequests to benevolent so- cieties, and his management was closely watched, but unimpeached. He has also held position as appraiser and referee many times under the direc- tion of the surrogate and county courts. He is the owner of three houses, two of which are for rent by summer residents. The care of these and public duties fully occupy his time at present. He has in the past few years been instrumental in se- euring the opening of several roads that have done much to improve the town as well as the ad- joining property.
In 1874 occurred the marriage of the subject of this sketch and Adelaide E .. the eldest daughter of Capt. Thomas F. Sayre, of Flying Point. They have two daughters, Clara R., born September 20, 1875, and Grace H., February 25, 1878, both of whom are students in the Northfield Seminary. Mr. Foster united with the Presbyterian Church in February, 1863. and has acted as Secretary, Treasurer and Superintendent of the Sunday- school, holding the last position at the present writing. He has also acted as one of the Trus- tees of the church for the last thirteen years, and
during all that time has been zealous in improve- ments about the building and its surroundings. He was elected an Elder in the church in June, 1890.
S ILAS R. CORWITH, M. D. A man's repu- tation is the property of the world. The laws of nature have forbidden isolation. Every human being submits to the controlling in- fluence of others, or, as a master spirit, wields a power either for good or evil upon the masses of mankind. Therefore, while a sense of delicacy and honor would deter us from invading the sane- tity of private life, there can be no impropriety in justly scanning the acts of any man as they affect his public and business relations. If he is honest, eminent in his profession, investigation will brighten his fame and point the path that others may follow with like success. From among the ranks of successful and popular phy- sicians there are but few more deserving of a place in these pages than Dr. Silas R. Corwith.
The Doctor was born in Bridgehampton, Feb- ruary 9, 1859, and was one of three children cf Silas W. and Susan M. (Rogers) Corwith. The father was a native of Bridgehampton and canie of one of the old and prominent families of this section. He was a successful merchant of New York City and a man of good judgment and ex- cellent business acumen. His wife, who still sur- vives, is the daughter of David Rogers, who was a Revolutionary soldier and who died at the ad- vanced age of ninety-six years. Mr. and Mrs. Corwith's children were as follows: Silas R., Harriet P., who is single, and Frederica G., who became the wife of Nathan N. Tiffany.
Our subject passed his boyhood on his father's farm and at the age of thirteen entered Bridge- hampton Academy, from which he was graduated when twenty years old. Following this he en- tered the College of Physicians and Surgeons. New York City, the medical department of Co- Inmbia College, from which institution he was graduated in 1883. Locating shortly afterward at Islip he practiced his profession there until
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1890 and met with very great success. On ac- count of his health, however, he was obliged to leave the latter place and then came to Bridge- hampton. While a resident of Islip he was Health Officer and held a number of other pronii- nent positions in the medical profession. He was also Division Surgeon of the Long Island Rail- road and holds that position at the present time. For years he has been a member of the American Railway Surgeons' Association, the New York State Railway Surgeons' Association, the County Medical Society and the New York State Medical Society. In politics he adheres to the Republican party and is a man who takes an active interest in all movements for the county's good:
Dr. Corwith was married October 20, 1888, to Miss Sarah Nicoll, daughter of William Nicoll, a very prominent citizen of Islip, Their only child is Sarah N., now six years old. Dr. Corwith is a very successful physician, and it is interesting to note the traits of character which have con- tributed to his advancement. Calm and cool in de- meanor, he impresses one as non-visionary and conservative, while at the same time is felt the underlying strength and positiveness of his char- acter. One of his most admirable qualities is the ability to judge and to speak without exaggera- tion of the faults and virtuies of another.
D OUGLASS CONKLIN, Cashier of the Bank of Huntington, was born in this village, July 15, 1855. His father, Capt. Jonas Platt Conklin, was born in the same town, August 7, 1808, and for many years in his early life was employed on the Hudson River, but from 1850 he was a merchant in this village. The gen- eral verdict is that he was a most honorable and upright man. He died in 1893. Ilis father, Col. Isaac Conklin, was a man of much note in his day. being a Colonel in the New York militia service and a member of the State Assembly. He was the son of Col. Timothy Conklin, who gained his title during the Revolutionary War.
The Conklin family is one of the oldest on the
Island, and indeed one of the oldest in American history. The first record that we find of it in this country is that one John Conklin, who was born in Nottinghamshire, England, in 1600, was living in Salem, Mass., in 1649, having come over with the "Pilgrim Fathers." Soon afterward he removed to Southold, L. I., but later settled at Huntington, where he died in 1683, and it is from him that the great multitude of the Conklins are descended. Roscoe Conkling, one of the fore- most statesmen of this century, came from this family, and running back along the stream of history it would be easy to find other prominent and able men who are related to this common stock.
The father of our subject, Capt. Jonas Platt Conklin, while temporarily stopping in Connecti- cut, married Mary Fitch. They had one child, William P., who is a thimble manufacturer in New Haven. His wife died and the Captain mar- ried a second time, January 23, 1839, Hannah Douglass becoming his wife. She was a native of this town, born April 10, 1810. and was the daughter of William Douglass, a well known car- penter and builder of this village. By this mar- riage there were five children, of whom the oldest, Mary Fitch, married Isaac B. Jacobs, of Brook- lyn, and died in Huntington; Alfred K. is a mer- chant in Brooklyn ; Susan D. is the wife of George A. Powell, a bookkeeper in the house of H. S. & J. M. Brush, of Huntington; Isaac is a merchant in this village, and our subject is the youngest child.
From childhood Douglass Conklin was noted for his love of books and his interest in study. He diligently prosecuted his studies in the union schools of his native village, and at eighteen was graduated with honors, July 3, 1873. In the fall of the same year he entered the University of New York, and graduated in the class of 1877, receiv- ing the degrees of Civil Engineer and Bachelor of Science. For some time he was undecided whether to follow the profession of engineering, for which his training had been preparatory, or abandon it for the larger profession of the law, for which he had a strong natural inclination, an inclination which finally prevailed. He was
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