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General Information:
Born: 16 Jul 1831
Died: 2 Jun 1914 Buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Maspeth, NY
Life:
Charles Wesley Hallett, Sr. must have been a remarkable man, who's life begins with the loss of both his parents when he was little more than an infant, and concludes with him as well respected member of the business community of Astoria, who's many endeavors included such things as establishing harware and funeral businesses as well as many civic and philanthropic endeavors.
A brief account of his life, including his early years is given in the Daily Star in 1907. According to this article, he was raised by his grandparents, but this would have had to have been his mother's parents, since both of his Hallett grandparents at that time were deceased. Other accounts have him being taken in and brought back to the family property in Astoria at a young age, where he found his success.
See Daily Star article of 1907, transcript below.
Marriages:
1. Christina Crawford Ellison b. 7 Feb 1837 d. 19 Sep 1913 m. 19 Mar 1857
Christina Crawford Ellison's life and family frankly fascinates me. I have desperately little information to add at this time, but it is abundantly clear from what little I have she was also a remarkable woman from a remarkable family of her own (instrumental in the fouding of Astoria General Hospital, amongst other things) – and deeply loved by her family, as both her daughter and her grandson carried the Crawford Ellison name forward.
Children:
1. Charles Wesley Hallett, Jr. (b.1858) b. 17 Feb 1858 d. 6 Feb 1920
2. Alletta Maria Hallett b. 19 Nov 1861 d. __ Jan 1916
3. Frederick Thomas Hallett b. 19 Nov 1863 d. 26 Nov 1911
4. Walter Ellison Hallett b. 19 Aug 1864 d. __ May 1934
Walter E. Hallett was, by all acounts, an educated and distinguished man. A graduate of Columbia University Class of 1883, he was an accountant and a banker of prestige in the New York of his day.
Upon his death, Walter left the last piece of property from the original 2300+ acres of William Hallett (b.1616) to his nephew, Charles Wesley Hallett III (b.1894) – known to me affectionately as Uncle Wes, but who was actually my great uncle. See this NY TImes article from 1937. All Hallett historians owe a great deal to Walter and "Uncle Wes" – they were instrumental in preserving and passing on to me numerous original Hallett documents dating back to the late 1600's and 1700's.
5. May Evelyn Hallett b. 4 Jul 1875 d. 23 Jul 1883
6. Christina Crawford Ellison Hallett b. 4 Dec 1882 d. 9 Jul 1909
Christina death in 1909 was tragic, but unfortunately not uncommon for the time. She died of perotinitis shortly after childbirth. Her son, Crawford Ellison Reidy, born on the 27th of June 1909, lived well in to my lifetime – he passed away on 1 Sep 1978. Unfortunately I never knew him or of him. He clearly had an extraordinary link to the Halletts of the the late 19th and earliest 20th century, and was also clearly very dear to Charles Wesley Sr., who goes out of his way to care for him in his will, as referenced here on the front page of the Brooklyn Daily Star in 1914. As someone who was orphaned before the age of two, it comes as no surprise that Charles Sr. would feel a special affinity for the young Crawford and look to insure his future well being.
Primary Source Documents:
Brooklyn NY Daily Star, 19 March 1907
Anniversary-Astorians Celebrate Golden Wedding.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. HALLETT Have a Notable Reunion To-Day at Their Home,
at Which Members of Their Family and Well-Known Residents Will Extend Congratulations.
It is just fifty years ago this Tuesday that Mr. Charles Wesley HALLETT and
Miss Christina Crawford ELLISON were married in the Seventeenth Street
Methodist church, New York City, and the young husband took his bride to
Astoria, where together side by side, sharing life's burdens, comforting
each other in the sorrows that are inevitable to poor humanity, and joining
in that happiness which is sure to break, like silver lines in a clouded
sky, in all well ordered lives, their career has indeed been full of honor
and sweet content to themselves, and of supreme usefulness to the entire
community where today they celebrate their golden wedding.
There will be a family reunion at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. HALLETT at
No. 95 Remsen street, Astoria, between 4 and 8 o'clock this Tuesday at which
it is safe to predict that all the leading families and residents of Astoria
and vicinity, who have known and admired the happy couple for years, will
also be represented.
Six children have blessed the happy union which was consecrated half a
century ago. C. Wesley HALLETT, Jr., Mrs. John STEAD, nee Alletta M.
HALLETT; Fred T. HALLETT, Walter E. HALLETT, Miss Mary E. Evelyn HALLETT,
deceased, and Miss Christina HALLETT. Mrs. STEAD resides with her husband
at Princeton, N.J. and Mr. Walter E. HALLETT, who is also married, has a
delightful home at Tremont. All the other family members of the family live
at Astoria.
Mr. HALLETT's career.
Mr. Charles W. HALLETT, Sr., is a descendant of one of the oldest families
in Astoria. He was born in New York City July 16th, 1831, but his parents
died when he was only eighteen months old and he was brought to Astoria by
his grandparents with whom he remained until their death. Mr. HALLETT has
been in business for many years at Fulton avenue, Astoria, and has
succeeded, by careful, economic, but at the same time energetic business
methods in a amassing a competency which he now is enjoying as he fully
deserves, in company with the estimable lady, who has been a true helpmate
to him through the long years of their wedded life.
Mr. HALLETT, has always enjoyed the confidence and esteem of his neighbors
and the people of the town with which he has been prominently identified.
He has been a trustee of the Long Island City Savings Bank for many years.
He served two terms as a member of the Common Council of old Long Island
City and has also been a member of the Board of Water Commissioners. He is
a member of Astoria Lodge No. 155, I.O.O.F., and of Advance Lodge, No. 635,
F.& A.M. He is a staunch Republican in politics and is prominently
identified with the Astoria Presbyterian church.
An Old Family.
Mr. HALLETT can trace his family history back to the early colonists to the
William HALLETT, and Englishman, who settled, as it was termed, Astoria.
This William HALLETT obtained from Governor STUYVESANT December 1st, 1652, a
grant of about 160 acres, extending from Sunswick Creek to Berrain Island.
The Indians having destroyed his house and plantation, he removed to
Flushing, but subsequently returned to his homestead, where he lived to the
age of ninety years. Mr. HALLETT was of the Quaker faith, toward which he
displayed a loyalty which left deep impress upon the primitive period in
which he lived. From its original owner that section of what is Greater New
York to-day known as HALLETT's cove for 200 years.
On hundred years after HALLETT had here established a home, a descendant,
Joseph HALLETT, together with Joseph BLACKWELL, constructed a grist mill
upon Sunswick Creek, which afterward was operated by BLACKWELL, then by
Hendrick SUYDAM in Revolutionary days.
In 1688 William HALLETT's estate was divided between his sons Samuel and
William, the former receiving the lands south, the latter those north of
Main street and Newtown avenues.
