Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 2, Part 53

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: New York, Chicago, Chapman
Number of Pages: 926

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Since 1865 our subject has been in the employ of Jonas Smith & Co. with the exception of but one year. The Captain's experience is wide and varied, as he has visited most of the ports of the world. He has had many narrow escapes, but his foresight and excellent judgment have always helped him out. In February, 1895, in a voyage front Charleston, he was supposed to have been · lost, as his vessel was in a severe storm, but, al-

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though he was driven four hundred miles out of his course, he at last reached harbor safely after being twenty days overdue. Having spent the greater part of his life on the sea, he has in con- sequence been but little associated with local af- fairs, but was, however, at one time School Trus- tee. Formerly he was a Republican in politics, but is now a Prohibitionist, he being a total ab- stainer, using neither liquor nor tobacco.

Captain Hodgkinson's marriage united him with Miss Clarissa J. Wicks, daughter of George Wicks, the former born in Smithtown and the latter in Patchogue. Our subject has owned the old homestead at St. James since his marriage, and has much real estate at the same place be- sides. The home is enlivened by the presence of three children, two sons and one daughter. George S. resides at St. James; Lelia F. is the wife of Henry D. Wheeler, who has charge of the new mill, and Morris E. is a miller at Smithtown. Our subject and his entire family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

J OHN DAYTON HALLOCK. The name of Hallock is one that is well known and widely honored. For two centuries and a half it has had representatives on the island, and its members have been active in commerce, ag- riculture and in the professions. The original founder of the family was Peter Hallock, who was one of thirteen Pilgrim Fathers that emigrated to America from England, and, after a brief so- journ in New Haven, crossed to Long Island, set- tling in the town of Southold, of which they were the first white residents. The history of the fam- ily is given upon another page of this volume, under the sketch of Henry W. Hallock.

The subject of this sketch, who is a citizen of Quogue, was born January 11, 1829, where he now lives, and is the son of Frederick and Nancy (Bishop) Hallock. The family of which he is a member consisted of eiglit children, of whom five are now living, namely: Frederick M., Nathan B., Harvey, Mrs. Hulda F. Benedict and John

Dayton. Their father, who was a native of this village, was a son of Frederick, Sr., and a grand- son of Peter Hallock. Frederick, Jr., devoted his entire active life to agricultural pursuits, and was thus engaged at the time of his death, which occurred in 1873.

In the common schools of Quogue our subject laid the foundation of the broad education which he afterward obtained through reading and ob- servation. For a number of years after attain- ing manhood he devoted his attention strictly to farm work, being thus engaged for twenty years. In 1871 he built the Hallock House for the ac- commodation of summer boarders, and this he has since conducted with success. In addition to this building, which accommodates forty-five guests, he has a private cottage for his family (erected in 1889) and in 1893 erected an addi- tional cottage, which he lets.

The marriage of Mr. Hallock, February 17, 1857, united him with Miss Sarah E. Aldrich, daughter of John Aldrich, of Aquebogue, and a descendant of a pioneer family of the island. Mrs. Hallock passed away May 3, 1893, mourned by a large circle of personal friends, to whom her noble character had endeared her. The only child of the marriage was William E., who died in infancy. In his political opinions Mr. Hallock is a Republican, and his vote may always be relied upon in support of the measures advocated by this party.

C APT. JAMES A. ROGERS. There is in the life of a sailor a fascination which an uneventful existence on shore can never possess. Captain Rogers is one of the number who, possessing a love of the water from boy- hood, determined to follow the sea, and accord- ingly at the age of nineteen he shipped on his first voyage, sailing from Sag Harbor. He went on board the whaling bark "Concordia," and for ten months sailed in the Atlantic Ocean. His sec- ond voyage, in the ship "Hudson," took him into the Indian Ocean, and he visited New Holland. New Zealand, rounding Cape Horn, touching port

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

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at Rio Janeiro, and reaching home after a cruise of twenty-two months. Later he shipped on the "Henry Lee" for the northwest coast, and during the voyage of thirty-five months visited the Sand- wich Islands, New Zealand, Alaska, Pernambuco and other points, going out as second mate and returning as mate. On this voyage three men were killed by whales, Edward Baker, of Bridge- hampton, being one of them.

The fourth voyage made by the Captain was also on the ship "Henry Lee" and lasted twenty- three months, during which time practically the same points were visited as in the previous cruise. Later, on the ship "Phenix," he went around Cape Horn to the Sandwich Islands and the Japan Sea, and while in the latter place his boats were stoven and his boat steerer, George Ludlow, of Bridgehampton, was drowned. He then shipped back to the Sandwich Islands and around Cape Horn, reaching home after an absence of twenty months. Shortly afterward he took pas- sage in the "Empire City," from New York to As- pinwall, for California, crossed the isthmus to Panama, and thence proceeded to the gold mines. This was during the gold excitement of 1849. He spent one year there, then went from the mines to San Francisco, purchased a schooner for a trad- ing voyage in the Pacific, and sailed for the Sand- wich Islands, where he sold the schooner. His next expedition was a whaling voyage on the ship "Caravan," of Fall River to the Arctic Ocean, returning to the Sandwich Islands and from there on the brig "Baltimore" to San Fran- cisco. Again he spent a few weeks in the gold mines, then took passage in the steamer "Golden Gate" for Panama, crossed the isthmus, and re- turned home.

On his seventh voyage Captain Rogers took the ship "Timor" for a whaling voyage in the In- dlian Ocean, to New Zealand, Pitcairn's Island and the Sandwich Islands, thence northwest to the Okhotsk Sea, from there back to the Sand- wich Islands, New Zealand, Cape Horn, Per- nanbuco and home, having had a very successful voyage. The eightli and last voyage was on the bark "Union," a whaling voyage on the coast of Patagonia, where he experienced a heavy gale,

called a "pampero," off Pampas Plains. His ship lay on her beam ends with her lee rail under water most of the time for thirty-six hours, without a sail set, and expecting to see hier masts go every minute, but finally she righted up, and the crew proceeded in safety to St. Helena and St. Cath- erine's, stopping a short time in Little Fish Bay. on the coast of Africa, thence to Fayal, one of the Western Islands, and from there homeward. In crossing the Gulf Stream a wreck was dis- cerned with her masts gone. It proved to be the ship "S. S. Tilly," of Nova Scotia. Finding there were living creatures in distress on board the "Union" quickly went to their assistance. The crew, consisting of the captain, first mate and twelve men, were found, who had been liv- ing on the wreck for ten days with nothing ior subsistence but one ham. Seven had already gone to the bottom, but fourteen remained. These Captain Rogers took on board his ship. They were in a terrible condition, with limbs badly swollen and almost in a state of starvation. He and his officers did everything to make them com- fortable, and when they reached Sag Harbor the rescued men were able to walk and took trains for their respective homes. Thus the last voy- age of the Captain ended in an act of humanity that saved men from a horrible death-a fitting close for his long and useful life as a sailor.

While on the bark "Union" Captain Rogers captured a sperm whale from which he obtained. besides the oil, twelve pounds of ambergris, which he sold for $95 per pound in New York City. On this voyage he met a captain who had sold, from one whale, $7,000 worth of ambergris. having disposed of it in Arabia for $150 per pound. This the Arabs use for burning incense in their churches, and it is also highly prized by the Roman Catholics in this country. It is sup- posed to be obtained only from a diseased whale.

Captain Rogers was born near Bridgehampton January 14, 1818, his parents being Hedges and Polly (Topping) Rogers. Of the four sons and three daughters that originally comprised the family five are now living. November 16, 1858. Captain Rogers married Miss Emma R. Cook. They became the parents of four children, namely:

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James H .; Charles C., deceased; Annie A., who is with her father, and William H., a practicing physician of Center Moriches. After twenty-five. years spent as a sailor our subject retired front the sea and has since resided in the town of South- ampton.

H ERRICK J. RAYNOR, of West Hamp- ton Beach, was born in the house where he now lives, December 8, 1838, being a son of John and Mehitable (Jagger) Raynor, and one of a family of two children, both of whom are still living. John Raynor was born where the subject of this article is now living, in the year 1789, his father, Elihu, being in the sixth genera- tion from Thurston Raynor, who came to this country from Ipswich, England, in 1634, arriv- ing in Massachusetts in April of that year and making his home in Watertown, in that colony. He remained there only a little time, and present- ly made his way into the new settlement at Wea- thersfield, Conn. He also was one of the first settlers in what is now the city of Stamford, in that State, and after a little time he removed to Southampton, on the island, where he was made a freeman in 1649. That he was a man of char- acter and ability is evident from the fact that he was one of the deputies in the government of Con- necticut in its earlier days. Ichabod, a brother of the grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

In early life John Raynor learned the carpen- ter's trade and followed it for many years, finally settling down on the old homestead, where he spent the remainder of his days as an honored and independent farmer, dying September 12, 1871. The subject of our sketch grew up to manhood under the quiet and uplifting influences of the farm life, watched and cared for by his lov- ing parents, and educated in the district school. When he had reached the age of twenty-four he determined to know more than he could read of the wonders of what was beyond the line of his western vision. So he departed for a trip through the West, and was gone for some six years, trav-

eling through the States of the newer part of our land, meantime occupied with many things, and did not return home until 1869. The next year, on the 28th day of December, he married Miss Maria Woodhull Payne, daughter of Samuel Payne, a member of an old pioneer family on the island. One child came to complete this mar- riage, a son, Thurston Herrick, who was born December 19, 1874.

After his marriage Mr. Raynor settled down to farming, and has since made his home on the old Raynor homestead. About 1875 he was made a member of the Excise Board, and about a year after he had completed his first term of three years he was elected to serve a second terni in the same capacity. His political views are best expressed by the Prohibition party, and in religion both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. He is also a member of the Order of Good Templars, and feels an abiding interest in whatever relates to the com- mon good of the work 1.

J AMES V. KIRBY. A volume of the biog- raphies of representative self-made men would be incomplete without a sketch of Mr. Kirby, who strikingly illustrates the force of well directed energy, steadfast purpose and never ceas- ing effort for the accomplishment of noble re- sults, and the overthrow of those obstacles that beset the progress of every young man, who, un- aided and alone, starts out to combat with life's stern realities. Mr. Kirby is one of the prominent residents of East Moriches, where he is the pro- prietor of Hotel Beach View.

A native of New York City, Mr. Kirby was born in June, 1852, to Spencer and Margaret A. (Van Vleck) Kirby. The father was a native of Connecticut and for many years after starting out for himself was connected with the Pacific Mail. of which he was manager. During the progress of the Civil War he was made Draft Commis- sioner of his district and subsequently, during Grant's administration, was appointed Assessor of

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Internal Revenue of the Thirty-second District of New York City. He was very popular among his fellow-citizens, and at the tinie of his decease, which occurred August 18, 1877, was filling the responsible office of Collector of Assessments and Taxes of New York City, being appointed by Andrew H. Green, then Comptroller. He mani- fested a commendable interest in all that per- tained to the welfare of his community and was widely known and respected for the honesty and sincerity of his character.

Mrs. Margaret A. Kirby, the mother of our subject, was a native of this state. She survived . her husband many years, departing this life in January, 1894, when advanced in years. She came of one of the finest families in the state and on her mother's side was related to the Vander- poels and to President Martin Van Buren. She was also a cousin of Judge Roosevelt, of New York, whose reputation as a lawyer extends all over the country. Mrs. Kirby was the daughter of Isaac and Sarah Van Vleck, and her grand- father, Abraham Vosbourgh, who was the owner of large tracts of land in the state, was the first man from whom John Jacob Astor purchased furs, he being a Hudson River Captain.

James V. Kirby remained at home until old enough to attend school, when he was enrolled as a student at Malden on the Hudson. He re- inained there until attaining his sixteenth year, when he returned home and entered his father's office, assisting him in his duties as Revenue As- sessor for a period of four years. He thien en- tered the employ of M. Farris & Co., custom- house brokers, and so valuable did he become to this firm that he was retained in their employ for ten years. At the expiration of that time he went to Philadelphia, and during the Centennial was in the Custom-House Commission.

In 1877 Mr. Kirby returned to New York and soon thereafter was appointed Trustee of the es- tates of lis aunt and uncle, Ann and Giles F. Bushnell. He gave his time to the settlement of their affairs and continued to reside in the metrop- olis until 1885, the year in which he came to Long Island. He at once located at East Moriches, tak- ing possession of Hotel Beach View, which is ac- 3

knowledged to be the handsomest building of its kind on Long Island. It is of modern con- struction and will accommodate one hundred and seventy-five guests. East Moriches is a most popular summer resort, located as it is on Great South Bay, and Beach View Hotel has been filled during the summer months to its utmost capacity. Its proprietor contemplates making an addition to the structure, which will enable him to provide ample accommodations for two hundred and fifty guests.

The marriage of Mr. Kirby was celebrated April 18, 1887, when Miss Emma F., daugliter of Martin and Frances E. (Eason) Hannon, became his wife. Mr. Hannon was born in Ireland. Miss Frances Eason was born in Troy, N. Y., where lier father was associated in business with the late Henry Buden. The grandiather of Mrs. Kirby was Sir James Hannon, who was de- scended from one of the old and noted families of the Emerald Isle.

In religious affairs Mr. Kirby is a member in good standing of the Dutch Reformed Church. while his estimable wife is a devout Roman Cathi- olic. One of her uncles, Michael Hannon, was Archbishop of Halifax, Nova Scotia. In social affairs Mr. Kirby is a Mason of high degree and is an enthusiastic member of the Mystic Shrine. being one of the oldest members of this society in New York City. He is rather conservative in politics. The success which he has met in busi- ness is richly merited, for he is a man of great in- dustry, perseverance and energy, and possessed of business tact and honor.

D AVID GELSTON FLOYD was born at Mastic, L. I., May 1, 1802, and died at Greenport, April 9, 1893. In these few and simple words are compressed a life story that had much to do with the making of character and the building up of a more active moral sense in the hearts of those of whom his influence fell. Through the course of a long and useful life he displayed a high sense of honor, unerring probity

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and a great generosity of character, and by his excellent judgment he accumulated a compe- tency.

The Floyd family is one of the most ancient and influential in this country. The grandfather of our subject, Gen. William Floyd, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His maternal grandfather, David Gelston, was at one time Sur- rogate of the county of New York, and served as collector of the port of New York for a period beginning in 1801.

In Mastic, where his father, Nicoll Floyd, was born and reared, the subject of this sketch passed the years of youth, moving later to Oneida County, where he remained for fifteen years on the farm of his grandfather, General Floyd. Early in the century he was engaged in the whal- ing trade, and for several years held a position in the Collector's office. Among his intimate asso- ciates were Martin Van Buren, Silas Wright, Gov- ernor Tompkins, Judge Denio, and many other politicians of the early days. In 1856 he was a member of the Legislature of New York State. At the time of the Rebellion he was active in rais- ing troops on Long Island, contributing freely of his means toward this end. For several years he was President of the First National Bank of Greenport, and was a Director in the People's National Bank from the time of its organization until his death. For two years after his marriage he resided in Greenport, and then moved about one mile east of the village, where he remained until his work on earth was ended.

July 31, 1845, Mr. Floyd married Miss Lydia Smith, of the manor of St. George, L. I., who was born November 10, 1810. They had four daugh- ters, namely: Julia D., wife of Albert Delafield, of New York; Lydia S., who married Frederick C. Prentiss, formerly of Cleveland, Ohio, now a resi- dent of New York; Mary A., who died at the age of twenty-two, and Grace, the youngest daughter, who is unmarried and resides with her mother.

In all local affairs Mr. Floyd took an active in- terest. He was largely interested in the whaling business for many years, and in that, as in every- thing else, the integrity, business capacity and in- tense earnestness of his character produced

marked results. Out of the accumulations of liis busy years he was enabled to purchase a fine farm. comprising about one hundred acres, and this place he operated advantageously. He was known as a sportsman, and was considered one of the best shots on the island. Mr. Floyd was the pos- sessor of a fine voice, remarkable for its richness of tone and for its strength, which rema'ned unim- paired for an unusual length of time, and afforded great pleasure to his music-loving friends. Dur- ing his closing years, while the infirmities of age prevented him from maintaining an active part in public matters, yet he never lost his interest in progressive enterprises, nor did he ever cease to. regard with pleasure whatever tended to the de- velopment of this locality in the advancement of the people.

D ANIEL L. BAYLIS, Treasurer of the Huntington Lumber and Coal Company. was born at Melville, N. Y., August 28, 1845. His father, Isaac M., was Commissioner of Highways in the town of Huntington, a Trustee of the Presbyterian Church, and a man of some local prominence. He had eight children, of whom one daughter became the wife of Isaac Hendrickson, the large lumber merchant of Ja- maica, who is also a Director in the bank at that place, and a member of the Board of Control oi the State Normal School at Jamaica, and one of the foremost citizens of that section. A brother oi our subject, Oliver, is in the milk business in Ja- maica, while another brother, William H., is con- nected with a large grocery store in Brooklyn. A third brother, Benjamin M., is a member of the firm of Sammis & Baylis, grocers, at Huntington.

Our subject grew to manhood on the home farm and received a common-school education. attending the schools of his locality up to the age of fifteen. He then came to this village and en- tered the store of Rogers, Sanunis & Scudder. where he remained for six years. At the age of twenty-one he engaged in the grocery business in company with A. B. Gildersleeve, cominuing with him from 1867 to 1889, when the Hunting-

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ton Lumber and Coal Company was organized, his partner being made President, and himself Treasurer. Their yards are located at Huntington Harbor, where they conduct a very extensive bus- iness. Mr. Baylis was for some years a member of the Town Board by virtue of the fact that he was Clerk of the town of Huntington, and he was Secretary and Treasurer of the Board of Educa- tion for many years. He is a prominent member, Trustee and Elder of the Presbyterian Church, to which his wife also belongs.

Mr. Baylis began life with but little education and no financial backing, but has made his own way to a position of social standing and business influence uncommon for any one to hold with so unpromising a start. In December, 1869, he was . united in marriage with Miss Cornelia J., daugh- ter of Thomas P. Brush, of West Neck, and a cousin of James M. Brush, of Huntington. They became the parents of five children, of whom-the oldest, Lillian M., is at home; Ashton F. died at the age of ten years; Alva M., Sarah C. and Hat- tie A. are being educated in the schools of this village. In politics Mr. Baylis has always been a Democrat.

H ON. ABRAHAM T. ROSE. The annals of Bridgehampton would not be complete without the biographical sketch of Judge Rose, for of the men connected with the local history of this portion of the State he has been among the most prominent. This village was his birthplace, and November 17, 1792, his natal day. He was one of the three sons of Dr. Sam- uel H. Rose, a native of Bridgehampton and a sur- geon in the Revolutionary War.

The boyhood years of Judge Rose were passed at Bridgehampton, and on the completion of his elementary education he entered Yale College in 1810, graduating from that institution four years later. Soon afterward he went to New York City, where he began the study of law under the District Attorney, Mr. Sanford. For three years he devoted himself to his studies and at the expira- tion of that time returned to Bridgehampton,

where he opened an office and commenced the practice of the legal profession. His first official honor was received in 1849, when he was elected County Judge and Surrogate, and in this capac- ity he served for a term of four years, then was re- elected to the same position. Other honors were tendered him as the years went by, but many of these he was obliged to decline owing to :'1 healthı. In his political sentiments he was a Re- publican, firm in his allegiance to that party.

Personally Judge Rose was the possessor of a most refined and cultured taste. He was a dis- criminating musician, both critically and in exe- cution. He also greatly deliglited in open air sports and his guns and dogs were counted among his most prized treasures. Each year he devoted a few weeks to hunting and fishing. and took great delight in these recreations. He also had considerable military experience, having traine : under Gov. DeWitt Clinton, and was appointed an officer in the militia. In religious convictions he was a Presbyterian. He was a successful ma :: in his chosen profession, and the honors conferre : upon him were but the meed of his ability and in- tegrity. He ended his useful career at an ad- vanced age and peacefully passed away April 4. 1857, at his home in Bridgehampton.

December 31, 1823, Judge Rose was united ::: marriage with Miss Eliza Van Gelder, daughter of Abraham Van Gelder, who at one time served as Mayor of New York City. She was born there, and died in Bridgehampton the same year as that in which her husband's death occurred .. Of their children the following attained maturity: Matilda; Mary, who married George Downing : Samuel, a graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City; Adelaide, wife of Charles A. Trowbridge; Caroline, who married Richard Wright; Eveline, deceased, and An- toinette, widow of Richard Esterbrook, who was the founder of the Esterbrook Steel Pen Com- pany.

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Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 2, Part 53

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: New York, Chicago, Chapman Number of Pages: 926

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: New York, Chicago, Chapman
Number of Pages: 926