Another person who is interred in the Cemetery behind the East Quogue Methodist Church is Reuben Vail. He was born about 1877 to Charles Griffing Vail and Frances Louisa (Ketchum) Vail. According to research using Ancestry.com he had two brothers and five sisters. The Vail children born to Charles and Frances are: Charles Griffin born abt 1875; Reuben Oscar abt 1877; Jenny Louisa abt 1878; Daisey Bethia abt 1882; Ethelyn Bethia aby 1885; Chester H. G. abt 1887, Helen Maritta abt 1890; Myrtle Rose 1895.
His Great Grandfather was Captain Peter Vail who was an officer in the 7th Regiment Connecticut State Militia under Col. Worthington. Later he commanded a Coast Guard unit that was responsible for protecting the shores of Connecticut and Long Island. Family stories posted on Ancestry.com say that Peter was at the battle of Fort Washington and taken prison on the British prison ships, he was one of 800 of the 2880 taken that survived the year until they were part of a Solider swap with the English military. The battle of Fort Washington took place on November 17, 1776. Fort Washington was located on Riverside Dr on the Hudson River in Manhattan. There is a city park on the grounds today.
On April 14, 1893, fifteen year old Reuben went out on his boat duck hunting. When he was finished, he headed for shore, he docked and went ashore, at that time he started to clean out his boat. He grabbed his gun by the muzzle with his armed curved, the firearm discharged, the shot destroyed the palm of his hand and hit him in the arm just below the shoulder.
They had to send for Dr. H.H Young from Riverhead, this trip would have taken much longer then today, since they would have been traveling on dirt roads in horse and buggies. After the doctor arrived he sent for more tools and Dr. J.H Benjamin, who was also in Riverhead. By the time they all arrived, assessed the situation and decided to amputate Reuben’s arm, he had lost a lot of blood due to the gun shot severing the main artery in his arm. They did perform the surgery; however, his body was unable to recover from the loss of blood and shock. At 3am the following morning Reuben passed away.
According the article in the Port Jefferson Echo on April 22, a similar thing had happened to his brother a year prior, but his wounds were only to his hand and he was able to make a full recovery.
For those researching this Vail family, on the 1900 census for the Charles G. Vail family, it lists a Reuben Vail being 13 years old at that time. Since Reuben had been deceased for seven years, it is more likely a mistake and should say Chester H.G. Vail, this would be Reuben’s younger brother who was born in 1887 making him 13 in 1900, Reuben, had he lived, would have been twenty three in 1900. The birth year of Chester can be found on the paperwork filled out by his son for the US Sons of the American Revolution Membership.
Also on the 1900 census it says that Frances Louisa is mother to eight children, and that two of them are living. This must be a mix up by the person taking the census I have found eight children, however six would have been living at the time and two deceased, Daisy in 1884 and Reuben in 1893.
Sources
Ancestry.com
Live-brary.com Historic Newspapers
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/fort-washington-park
Another person who is interred in the Cemetery behind the East Quogue Methodist Church is Reuben Vail. He was born about 1877 to Charles Griffing Vail and Frances Louisa (Ketchum) Vail. According to research using Ancestry.com he had two brothers and five sisters. The Vail children born to Charles and Frances are: Charles Griffin born abt 1875; Reuben Oscar abt 1877; Jenny Louisa abt 1878; Daisey Bethia abt 1882; Ethelyn Bethia aby 1885; Chester H. G. abt 1887, Helen Maritta abt 1890; Myrtle Rose 1895.
His Great Grandfather was Captain Peter Vail who was an officer in the 7th Regiment Connecticut State Militia under Col. Worthington. Later he commanded a Coast Guard unit that was responsible for protecting the shores of Connecticut and Long Island. Family stories posted on Ancestry.com say that Peter was at the battle of Fort Washington and taken prison on the British prison ships, he was one of 800 of the 2880 taken that survived the year until they were part of a Solider swap with the English military. The battle of Fort Washington took place on November 17, 1776. Fort Washington was located on Riverside Dr on the Hudson River in Manhattan. There is a city park on the grounds today.
On April 14, 1893, fifteen year old Reuben went out on his boat duck hunting. When he was finished, he headed for shore, he docked and went ashore, at that time he started to clean out his boat. He grabbed his gun by the muzzle with his armed curved, the firearm discharged, the shot destroyed the palm of his hand and hit him in the arm just below the shoulder.
They had to send for Dr. H.H Young from Riverhead, this trip would have taken much longer then today, since they would have been traveling on dirt roads in horse and buggies. After the doctor arrived he sent for more tools and Dr. J.H Benjamin, who was also in Riverhead. By the time they all arrived, assessed the situation and decided to amputate Reuben’s arm, he had lost a lot of blood due to the gun shot severing the main artery in his arm. They did perform the surgery; however, his body was unable to recover from the loss of blood and shock. At 3am the following morning Reuben passed away.
According the article in the Port Jefferson Echo on April 22, a similar thing had happened to his brother a year prior, but his wounds were only to his hand and he was able to make a full recovery.
For those researching this Vail family, on the 1900 census for the Charles G. Vail family, it lists a Reuben Vail being 13 years old at that time. Since Reuben had been deceased for seven years, it is more likely a mistake and should say Chester H.G. Vail, this would be Reuben’s younger brother who was born in 1887 making him 13 in 1900, Reuben, had he lived, would have been twenty three in 1900. The birth year of Chester can be found on the paperwork filled out by his son for the US Sons of the American Revolution Membership.
Also on the 1900 census it says that Frances Louisa is mother to eight children, and that two of them are living. This must be a mix up by the person taking the census I have found eight children, however six would have been living at the time and two deceased, Daisy in 1884 and Reuben in 1893.
Sources
Ancestry.com
Live-brary.com Historic Newspapers
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/fort-washington-park