USA > New York > Suffolk County > Portrait and biographical record of Suffolk county (Long Island) New York, Pt. 2 > Part 66
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Mr. Booth's marriage resulted in the birth of six children, named as follows: Charlotte E .. born De- cember 20, 1879; Minerva B., November 18. 18SI : Frederick E., September 27, 1885: Curtis H .. May 5, 1888; Ethel MI., December 10, 1889. and Cath- erine H., born in December, 1803. Although a Republican in politics, Mr. Booth is not an active party man. His biography is that of a man who has, step by step, advanced to a high posit: 41 among the respected and worthy citizens of the town of Southold.
OHN F. KELLY is a clever and aspiring young man who owes his success to no one. it being due entirely to his own energy an.1 industry. He was among the very first appointees to the office of Postmaster under the last admini -- tration, being located at Kings Park. Our sub- ject was born in St. James, Smithtown. Januar; 3. 18;0, a son of John and Catherine (Dwyer! Kelly, both of whom have been residents of Smita- town for forty years. The father owns a farm near here. on which he still lives.
John Kelly was born and reared on his father's
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farın. He acquired a good English education in the common schools, but his career was made difficult by the death of his mother when he was but twelve years of age. From that time what edu- cation he received he picked up as he could, at- tending school during the winter and reading whatever he could find at hand. He left school entirely at the age of fifteen, and at once engaged in contract work in connection with the construc- tion of the public buildings at Kings Park. He followed this occupation for about four years and was advanced to the position of overseer of a por- tion of the work.
Three months after reaching his majority Mr. Kelly was elected to the office of Constable, which at that time was an important position on ac- count of a large number of foreigners and the law- less element which was attracted because of the construction of the public buildings. This office he held for one year. During that time it was his unpleasant duty to arrest six hard characters and to warn twenty more to leave the vicinity. He made sixty arrests and succeeded in restoring order to what had been before a lawless mob.
During that time our subject had been ap- pointed to the office of Deputy Sheriff, holding that position for three years. While the asylum building was being constructed he was appointed night watchman, and was responsible for the con- dition of the building and the materials employed in it until it was completed. For four years he was also Clerk of the school district, holding that of- fice until his resignation. In 1803 he was ap- pointed to the office of Road Overseer, and in January, 1893, was appointed Notary Public.
May 23, 1893, our subject received the appoint- ment of Postmaster for Kings Park, and has since discharged the duties incident to this office. In connection with the postoffice he carries on a con- fectionery and cigar business. Mr. Kelly was mar- ried, April 1, 1894, to Miss Mary A. Esser, a native of Brooklyn and a daughter of Henry Esser, a business man of that city. She was born in the year 1870. Mr. Kelly has erected a pleasant home on one of the fine streets of the village. and keenly enjoys the comforts of a domestic life that his capable young wife arranges for him. Our
subject is recognized as one of the promising young men of this part of the county. His suc- cess, considering his age, is quite wonderful. He is a Democrat in politics and has represented his party as a delegate to town and county conven- tions. In local matters Mr. Kelly is liberal. con- sidering men rather than party. Fraternally he's a member of the Royal Arcanum, belonging , the Nathan Hale Council, No. 112, of Huntington. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly have one daughter. Mary Frances.
F REDERICK S. WELDEN, D. D. S. The mission of pain to mankind is to make plais the necessity and means of building up and repairing the broken-down system. Although we do not love the painful methods of this rehabilita :- ing process, the professional who accomplishes it is entitled to the highest consideration, for he is a benefactor of mankind. Of this noble class is Dr. Welden, who is recognized among the rising young professional men of Sayville, although fi- residence here has been brief.
The Welden family has long been identified with the history of Long Island. The parents of our subject, Henry K. and Jane (Clark) Wellen. were born here and now reside in Greenport. where the former has carried on the mercantile business for many years. Their children are six in number, the eldest being the subject of this notice, while the second son, Frank, is interested with his father in business at Greenport. The och- ers are Aletta, John P., Mary, and Harry.
Frederick S. Welden was born in Greenfit. December 8, 1872, and in youth attended the efe- mentary and high schools of that place, after which, having resolved to become a dentist. he entered the New York College of Dentistry. There he spent three years, and after graduating he immediately commenced active practice, estab- lishing bis home in Sayville, where he has since resided. It speaks well for his ability that, though he came here a stranger, without influence, he Fa- already enjoyed an unwanted degree of success. His office is fitted with the latest and best appli-
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ances for carrying on professional work, and he himself is an affable gentleman of pleasing personality, which is an important consideration in that profession, as, indeed, in every occupation.
At Rochester, N. Y., Dr. Welden married Miss Grace P. Sands, a native of Long Island and daughter of a Baptist minister. In politics Dr. Welden is a Democrat. He and his wife are Bap- tists in religious faith, but are now attendants of the Congregational Church.
C APT. EGBERT BRUSH is a farmer and vessel owner, whose place of residence is at Smithtown Branch, and who conducts his business at Smithtown Landing. He was born March 7, 1833, and is a son of Elijah and Mary (Tyler) Brush, natives of this town. Our subject's paternal grandfather was also closely identified with the growth and history of Suffolk County in its early day. He was reared on a farin, but moved to New York City, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Our subject's father was also reared on a farm, but at the age of twenty began a seafaring life, which he followed for thirty years. He was en- gaged in the coasting trade, his vessel plying be- tween different Atlantic ports. He followed the sca until about 1865, when he settled on the home- stead which is now the home of our subject. Here he spent the remainder of his life, his decease oc- curring in 1886. His first wife died in 1853, and his second marriage united him with Miss Mary J. Wheeler, daughter of Elijalı Wheeler, of Haup- pauge. His first wife left him four children, three sons and one daughter, our subject being the youngest of the sons.
Captain Brusli- spent his boyhood days at his father's home at Smithtown. He was educated in the schools of this place and later entered a private school at Jamaica. At the age of twenty- five he left the farm and took up carriage-making, which he followed in this place for fifteen years. Then lie built a vessel and engaged in the coast- ing trade, following that business for twenty years,
when he sold his vessel and devoted his attention to the oyster business.
In 1888 Captain Brush, in company with some others, purchased one thousand acres of land be- tween Smithtown Harbor and Stony Brook, and devoted this to the culture of oysters, doing bu-i- ness under the name of the High Bank Oyster Company. During late years, however, Captain Brush has devoted his attention chiefly to farm ing, owning one hundred and seventy-five acres of very good land. During his residence here our subject has held a number of public offices, one of which was Overseer of the Poor. In politics lie is a Republican.
Our subject was married in this village, to Miss Elizabeth R. Wheeler, daughter of Mccutcheon Wheeler. To the Captain and his wife were born four children, two sons and two daughters. Tlie eldest died in infancy; Melville F. is engaged in the livery business at Smithtown; Mary G. is the wife of Herman T. Smith, of Brooklyn, while Charlotte A. is the wife of G. Herbert Newton. also of Brooklyn. Mrs. Brush departed this life March 26, 1895, and her remains were interred in Smithtown cemetery.
J OHN JOSEPH CRAVEN, M. D., well known in the medical profession, passed from this life February 14, 1893. His birth occurred in New Jersey, September 8, 1822. When a lad he was apprenticed to David C. Ayres, house carpenter of Newark, at the age of twenty-one en1- tered the employ of Jolin Grigg, carpenter and millwright of Newark, and was then employed in the construction of the Passaic Chemical Works. When the works went into operation he was re- tained as superintendent of construction and re- pairs in the employ of William Clouch, a practical chemist. While holding this position he was mar- ried to Catherine $., daughter of Samuel Tichener, of Newark.
In 1845 our subject became interested in teleg- raphy and soon after grew intimate with Professor Morse and others, who were at the time construct-
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ing a line of wires across New Jersey. He re- signed his position in the chemical works and was made Superintendent of Construction of that line. When it was finished he remained under the instruction of Professor Morse, experimenting in the construction of sub-marine telegraph cables. In 1847 he was shown, as a curiosity, some gutta percha, a substance not then known commer- cially. At once he was struck by its adaptability to the purpose that he had in mind, and in the month of August of the same year, with the as- sistance of his wife, he covered a copper wire with the gutta percha, submerged it in water, and by repeated electrical tests, satisfied himself that his discovery was in every way a success. Careful tests by experts showed his experiment practica- ble and valuable, and his discovery, as realized by all at this day, was one of great commercial value. His attempt to protect his rights in 1848 was ren- dered useless by an unpardonable error on the part of the commissioners of patents.
Without the notoriety and pecuniary benefits which should have been his to enjoy, he illus- trated the practicability of his experiment with gutta percha, and in June of 1848, under the di- rection of the Magnetic.Telegraph Company, he laid down the cable which united New York and New Jersey. The small salary paid him by that company for such services being insufficient to support him, in 1849 he sailed for the gold fields of California. Unsuccessful in the new Eldorado, he returned to the East in 1851 and began the study of medicine, attending lectures at the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons of New York City. He began practice in the city of Newark, N. J., where he was very successful and where he remained until 1861, when he was appointed Brigade-Surgeon in General Sherman's expedi- tionary corps. In February, 1862, Dr. Craven was promoted to be Chief Medical Officer of Gen- eral Wright's brigade, in September of 1862 was made Medical Purveyor of the Department of the South, and in May, 1864, was made Chief Medical Officer of field operations against Fts. Wagner, Gregg and Sumter.
January 17, 1865, our subject was assigned by special order to duty as Medical Purveyor and
Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Vir- ginia and North Carolina, with headquarters at Fortress Monroe. While there, December 16. of the same year, he was honorably discharged from the United States service, and in 1867 he began the practice of his profession in Jersey City. Soon he was selected to correct the nui- sances attendant upon the great abattoir at Com- . munipaw on the grounds of his extensive chem- ical and sanitary knowledge, in order that the business be conducted in an unobjectionable manner to the public. Up to the time of his death he was a recognized authority in the construction of such establishments in this and other countries. He was also an expert in the process of transport- . ing fresh meats to a long distance, being a pioneer in this line. He it was who superintended the construction of the first refrigerator boxes built in ships, the first vessel so fitted out being the steamer "Abyssinia," of the Cunard line, irom New York to Liverpool. This was in 1876. Dr. . Craven's son, W. D. Craven, accompanied the cargo. He is still the London representative oi the syndicate for beef shipping.
In 1881 Dr. Craven removed to Patchogue and purchased the homestead of John S. Havens, on the corner of Main Street and Medford Avenue. There his attention was occupied with his work as a chemist and scientist in the specialties named. He never engaged in the active practice of medi- cine at Patchogue, but devoted himself to the im- provement and beautifying of his home. He was fond of sport, a famed fisherman and was no novice in hunting. In every public enterprise he was conspicuous and nothing was successfully in- augurated that did not receive the support of his counsel and purse. At his death he was President of the Board of Education, in which position he was serving his third term. He was President of the Board of Health of the town of Brook Haven and President of the Library Association of the village of Patchogue. In politics he was a ster- ling Democrat and made sacrifices of a personal nature for the good of the party of which he was a stanch advocate. In 1888 he was nominee for member of Assembly from Suffolk County. election to which office he never expected, as
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the county was largely Republican. Though de- feated, his purposes for the triumph of his party's principles were never lessened.
Dr. Craven had a fine head, with features of pure Roman type. He had a decided taste for literature, especially versification, and a remark- able memory enabled him to quote extensively from his favorite authors. He was devoted to Shakespearean plays and modern drama. For many years he attended the Methodist Episcopal Church, although he was not a communicant in his later years. Dr. Craven left a widow and a son and daughter. His obsequies were conducted by Revs. E. A. Blake and Edward Lord, and his re- mains were interred in the family lot in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Patchogue.
H ENRY L. GRIFFING, though still com- paratively a young man, has become well known to the seamen of this county, as he has followed the water for a number of years. He is now attached to life saving station No. 18, at Eastport, and has been a member of this crew since 1887.
Mr. Griffing is a native of Suffolk County, and was born at Jamesport, a beautiful village on the banks of Great Peconic Bay, July 8, 1859. His parents were Benjamin L. and Jemima (Ketcham) Griffing, also natives of Long Island. Although the father for a number of years followed the bus- iness of a carpenter, he passed the greater part . of his life on the waters of the bay, engaged in fishing. He made one whaling voyage, but the hardships and perils of the trip were such that he did not care to pursue these huge monsters of the deep for a living. He departed this life in November, 1861. That he was a good and useful citizen, whose life had not been spent in vain, was attested by the fact that he was generally mourned by hosts of friends, as well as by the members of his own family. His estimable wife survived him several years, passing away in November, 1867.
Our subject was permitted to attend school for only a short time, as the death of his father made
it necessary for him to look out for himself a. soon as possible. The family were left in limited circumstances, and in order that he might not bur- den others with his support he began to do for himself. When only twelve years of age he went to sea and has spent many years in coasting and fishing. In 1887 he was selected as a member of the life saving station, still holding the position
In his experience as a seafaring man, Mr. Grii- fing was exposed to a great deal of rough weather and sea, and had several narrow escapes from death. He was first engaged on a coasting ve- sel, freighting from one port to another. On one occasion, while lying at Portland waiting for a cargo of stone, he was sent to slush down the mast, in order that the sails might be hoisted more easily. After having reached the masthead, and before he commenced to work, the lanyard to the boatswain chair parted and he fell to the bottom of the vessel, a distance of sixty-five feet. Had it not been that, on the way down he struck a glanc- ing blow against the foresail, he would have been crushed to death. He was taken up for dead. Three doctors canie on board and all pronounced it the most extraordinary case they had ever heard of. Not a bone in his body was broken, but lie was insensible from Tuesday morning until Sat- urday afternoon. He was then taken to a hos- pital, where he remained for three weeks.
Upon recovering his strength, Mr. Griffing was engaged on fishing smacks until he went into the life saving service. This class of vessels are small schooners, but are built very strong in order to stand the strain to which they are subjected. Smack fishermen run a great deal of risk in order to catch fish, being frequently caught out in storms and having to ride out gales that other vessels do not. Mr. Griffing has fished from the capes of Delaware to the Georgian Banks. At the latter place, where there is considerable foggy and windy weather, many vessels (principally fish- ing smacks) are lost in gales and run down by steamers. Once while riding ont a gale of wind near the Banks which lasted five days, Mr. Grif- fing was nearly run down by a large steamer. It was eight bells (twelve o'clock) on a rough and storiny night. The sea was running very high
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and a dense fog hung over the water. After he had been on deck a short time, the fog partially cleared away, and he saw a large steamer bearing down on the smack from the windward. The signal light went out; as soon as possible he re- lighted it, but fearing it might go out while mak- ing it fast in the rigging, he went up as high as he could and held the light in his hand. The steamer was still coming nearer, and it seemed as though she would run the little vessel down. When he was about to call all hands on deck, she saw the light and changed her course, clearing the smack.
On another occasion, while running for Sandy Hook, there came a heavy gale of wind and a snow storm from the northeast. The sea was very high and the snow blinding. Mr. Griffing came on deck at eight bells, and while standing aft on the quarter, he heard a roaring, and turn- ing saw a large sea coming on board. Before he could get below, it broke on the cabin and smashed in the skylight, and for a few minutes the after part of the vessel was under water, and he, too, was under water, being almost drowned when it went over the stern. Indeed, he would have perished had he not caught a line to which he held with a strong grip. Twice he was knocked down and nearly overboard by a boom. One night he was knocked into the scup- pers and was picked up insensible, re- maining in that condition for twelve hours. These are but a few of his many thrilling experi- ences while a mariner on the deep.
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In 1884 Mr. Griffing married Miss Addie L. Brown, daughter of Harvey and Ann ( Raynor) Brown, worthy citizens of Suffolk County. Their union has been blessed by the birth of three chil- dren, Louie L., Tracy A., and an infant not yet named. In social affairs our subject is a promi- nent Mason and also a Knight of Pythias. He takes great interest in the success of the Demo- cratic party and supports its candidates and prin- ciples on all occasions. His wife was appointed Postmistress under Cleveland's administration, in 1802. He has a very pleasant home at Eastport. and deserves the commendation of the commun- ity for his industry, for what he possesses is en-
tirely the result of his own labors, as we have shown that he started out for himself early in life and has worked his way up to a good position in his village solely through his own efforts.
A RTHUR J. HALLOCK is a noted business man of Speonk, where he has long been engaged in the very important indus- try of duck-raising, an industry that has assumed vast proportions on Long Island, both on account of its exceptional water privileges and the near- ness of the great markets of New York and Brooklyn. And our subject has pushed himself well to the front while still a comparatively young man. He was born in this town, May 11, 1868. and is a son of Warren W. and Louise (Tuthill) Hallock, and one of a family of two children, both of whom are now living. His sister, Mary J., is the wife of S. B. Wilcox, the mother of three chil- dren, and has her home at Center Moriches.
Warren Hallock was born in the town of Brook Haven, in the year 1826, and was the son of Jonah Hallock. When he was twelve years old he went with his parents to Brushy Neck, in West Hamp- ton, where he grew to manhood, and until 1856 divided his time between farming. following the bay and keeping summer boarders. At this time he began raising ducks, which gradually became an important industry in itself. until in 1885 he was marketing annually between four and five thousand ducks.
After the death of his father, which occurred August 23, 1892, this business passed into the hands of the subject of this sketch, and under his efficient and capable management it has largely increased, and he is turning out every year from ten to fourteen thousand ducks, besides other fowl in considerable quantities.
Mr. Hallock spent his boyhood days at home, and was educated in the neighboring school- house, having his first business experience with the wholesale millinery house of Hill Brothers, in New York City, working with them in the capacity of stock clerk. He had a good start in the business
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and gave promise of making a commercial man who would stand high in the world. But he was able to continue in the city only some two years, from 1885 to 1887, being compelled to come back to the farm on account of the serious ill health of his father, and assist him in the management of a business grown too great for his advanced years, and for three years he was engaged in this way, until, in the year 1890, his father retired from an active life and our subject assumed the entire man- agement of the business, which has greatly pros- pered under his care.
The marriage of our subject to Miss Julia W. Tuttle occurred on the last day of the year 1890. She is a daughter of Lewis Tuttle, whose sketch may be found in this volume, and is a woman of quite superior character and attainments. To this marriage there have been born three children. Catherine W. was born November 24, 1801; Rus- sell W., June 6, 1893, and Phoebe P., July 17. 1895. Mr. Hallock is a Republican, a member of the Methodist Church, and a man of recognized character and ability in the community. He is Steward of the church, and clerk of the school clistrict.
T IMOTHY F. NEVILLE, attorney at law, makes his home at Lindenhurst, but has his business office at No. 170 Broadway, New York. He was born in Waterbury, Conn., June 15, 1837, and is the son of Michael and Ann (Delaney) Neville, both natives of Queens Coun- ty, Ireland. They came to this country after they had attained maturity and were married in the city of New York in 1834. The father was a skilled worker in metals, especially in brass and German silver.
Until he had reached the age of seventeen our subject spent his boyhood days in Waterbury, there finishing the high school course. In Latin and Greek he went beyond the requirements of the course. He enjoyed the distinction of being the first boy of Catholic parentage born in Water- bury, the services of that church being held in his
father's home before there was a building, and the officiating priest made his home there. The young student brilliantly sustained his early reputation at Calvert College, at New Windsor, Md., giving a year at this seat of learning, and then for a year taught in the parochial school at his home. After attending St. John's College at Fordham, N. Y., for one year, he was appointed its Prefect, and by this means was able to pay his way until he be- came a teacher in the under departments, grad- uating in the Class of '59.
The next year Mr. Neville was offered a posi- tion in a classical seminary at New Haven. This he accepted because it gave him opportunity to study law in the law school at Yale, and he grad- uated therefrom in the class of 1861. Many who studied under him at the seminary have become priests, and one is a noted lawyer. Our subject was admitted to the Connecticut Bar, and after a year of study and office work at Providence was admitted to the Rhode Island Bar.
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