Volume 17 , Issue 44

1912 - Frank D. Kouwenhoven Obituary

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York, dated 22 January 1912, Monday, page 18, reported this death of "Frank D. Kouwenhoven Dead." He was of a family who settled in Flatlands in the 17th century.

Found on Newspapers.com

Frank Duryee Kouwenhoven, one of the well-known residents of the Steinway section of Long Island City, died at this home on the shore road early Sunday morning. He was in his 86th year. The funeral services would be held Wednesday morning, at 11 o'clock, at his late home.

Mr. Kouwenhoven was a representative of one of the oldest families in the Bowery Bay section of Long Island. The first of his family to seek a home in this country was Wolfert Gerritson Van Couwenhoven, a native of Amersford, province of Utrecht, the Netherlands, who came here in 1630 and with a number of others sought homes in Rennsselaerville, near the City of Albany. A few years afterward he moved to Long Island, and with others bought Flatlands, in Kings County, in 1636. By different branches of the family the name is spelled Couwenhoven, Kouwenhvoen and Conover. Mr. Kouwenhoven, the late deceased, was a direct descendant from this original settler. His grandfather married the granddaughter of Daniel Loyster, who owned extensive farms in Bowery Bay section. His father in 1818 purchased from Mr. Loyster 120 acres, which comprised until very recently the estate of the family.

The mother of Frank D. Kouwenhoven was Miss Helen Duryee, a native of the Dutch Kill section of Long Island City. She died in March, 1893, at the age of 93 years. There were two sisters and two brothers in the family. Several years ago the entire estate came into possession of Frank. During the boom in land five years ago Frank sold the greater part of his estate to a company of developers in Manhattan, and some of the property had since been developed and put on the market. The old homestead, however, on the shore road, was retained i the family.

Frank Kouwenhoven was born August 19, 1826. He was educated in the district schools, and thereafter took up the work o farming, to which he devoted his time until his retirement some years ago, after which he gave his attention to the management of his property.

Mr. Kouwenhoven married Miss Harriet Hyatt of Newtown, the daughter of John B. Hyatt, who was a well-known resident of that section of Queens County. Four children survive him - Sarah L., who married a Presbyterian clergyman; Helen D., who is the wife of Edward C. Hulst of Flushing; Agnes E. and Fannie G.

Mr. Kouwenhoven was a member of the Holland Society of New York City, and of the Dutch Reformed Church of Astoria, and gave liberally to the erection of the present edifice and the support of the church. For many years he was an elder of the church. He also took an interest in matters for the advancement of the section in which he lived.
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