Benjamin Mather Furman
Benjamin Mather Furman5 (Phillip Furman,4 Elizabeth Gazlay,3 John Gazlay,2 John Gazlay1)
Parents
| Father | Phillip Heartt Furman (13 February 1799 - 3 September 1871) |
| Mother | Mary ‘Polly’ Cogswell (1798 - 20 May 1878) |
Personal Information
| Record Created: 11 January 2013; Last Edited: 3 February 2022 |
| Person ID | 4727 |
| Name | Benjamin Mather Furman |
| Gender | Male |
| Born | 31 October 1827 in Schenectady, Schenectady County, New York1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
| Married | ca. 1853 to Hetty Morrell Smith4, 8 |
| Died | 6 January 1918 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York7, 8, 9 |
| Buried | in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Naspeth, Queens County, New York7, 8 |
Biography
Benjamin’s obituary provides a concise biographical sketch:8
B. M. FURMAN DIES;
ARTIST; PREACHER
Went to California on Steamer “Brooklyn” in the ’49 Gold Feaver.
WAS IN NINETY-FIRST YEAR.
At Age of 86, Painted Last Portrait of Fanny J. Crosby, Hymn Writer, Then 94.
Benjamin Mather Furman, artist, preacher, ’49 gold seeker and a resident of Brooklyn for many years, died yesterday in his 91st year from ailments of old age, after being in failing health for a year. His funeral services, in the chapel at 396 Gates avenue, tomorrow afternoon, will be conducted by the Rev. Dr. Maurice A. Levy, pastor of the Green Avenue Baptist Church, of which Mr. Furman was a member, and the interment will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Mr. Furman is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Isabella Cowan; five sons, Philip H., Benjamin Franklin, Adoniram Judson, Charles Elmer, and Robert Clarkson Furman; eight grandchildren and two younger brothers, Robert Clarkson and Howard Coggswell Furman.
Mr. Furman was born in Schenectady, N. Y., on October 31, 1827, the son of Philip Heartt Furman and Mary Coggswell. He was educated in the Schenectady Academy, and coming to New York City early in life was apprenticed to a Mr. Fordham, a pioneer sign painter. Mr. Furman subsequently opened a sign painting business with his Brother Charles, on Fulton street, in 1847. Two years later, when the ’49 gold fever broke out on the Pacific Coast, he sailed for California on the steamer Brooklyn and was successful in locating a paying gold claim. Later he went to Liverpool and other European cities. On his return to New York City he studied art and later graduated from an agricultural college. Later, he opened studios with Elliott, West, Fisher, and other prominent artists of old New York City.
Mr. Furman during his long career as an artist painted the portraits of many well-known New Yorkers, and at the age of 86 painted the last portrait of Fanny J. Crosby, the noted hymn writer, when she was 94 years old. He also did much ornamental work for Sunday schools and secret societies.
Mr. Furman was married to Hetty M. Smith of Maspeth, L. I., and they celebrated their golden wedding in 1903. Mrs. Furman died in 1909.
Mr. Furman came [from] old Colonial stock, his forefathers having settled near Boston, Mass., in 1631. He was a resident of the Nineteenth Ward in the Eastern District of Brooklyn for many years, was a member of Zepher Hose, No. 4, Volunteer Firemen, and was for a long time licentiate preacher of the old First Baptist Church of the Eastern District. He was an ardent temperance worker, and was one of the firs organizers of the Prohibition party in Brooklyn.
Person/Family
| Spouse 1 |  Hetty Morrell Smith (daughter of Caleb N. Smith and Catherine Folk) |
| Born | September 1831 in New York |
| Married | ca. 1853 to Benjamin Mather Furman |
| Died | 2 January 1909 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York |
| Children | of Benjamin Mather Furman and Hetty Morrell Smith: |
| 1. | Philip Howard Furman |
| Born | March 1854 |
| Died | 4 February 1918 in Kings County, New York |
| +2. | Benjamin Franklin Furman |
| Born | ca. April 1861 in New York |
| Married | 9 September 1884 in Kings County, New York to Carrie Davenport Bonner |
| Died | 27 July 1937 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York |
| +3. | Adoniram Judson Furman |
| Born | November 1867 in New York |
| Married | 27 April 1903 in Kings County, New York to Barbara Schell |
| Died | 28 April 1941 in Kings County, New York |
| +4. | Rev. Charles Elmer Furman |
| Born | ca. 1869 in New York |
| Married | ca. 1891 to Ida May Fay |
| 5. | Robert Clarkson Furman |
| Born | January 1872 in New York |
| +6. | Mary Isabella Furman |
| Born | ca. November 1875 in New York |
| Married | ca. 1903 to Robert C. Cowan |
| Died | 29 February 1944 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York |
Sources
- U.S. Federal Census, 1870, New York, King County, Brooklyn, Page Nos. 13, 14, family of Benj. Furman (40, N.Y., sign painter); Hester Furman (38, New York); Philip Furman (16, N.Y.); Benjamin Furman (12, N.Y.); Ada Furman (4, New York); Charles Furman (1, N.Y.).
- New York State Census, 1875, Kings County, Brooklyn, 3rd ED, 19th Ward, Page 9, family of Benjamin Furman (47, New York); wife Hester Furman (42, Long Island); son Phillip Furman (21, New York, painter); son Benjamin F. Furman (17, Long Island, furniture store); son A. J. Furman (8, Long Island); son Charles E. Furman (6, Long Island); Clarkson Furman (3, Brooklyn); daughter Mary E. Furman (1/12 [?], Brooklyn).
- New York State Census, 1892, Kings County, Brooklyn, 24th ED of the 19th Ward; Page 9, family of Benjamin M. Furman (64, US, painter); Hattie Furman (60, US); Philip Furman (35, US, paper hanger); A. Judson Furman (25, US, machinist); Charles Furman (23, US, painter); Clarkson Furman (20, US, painter); isabella Furman (17, US).
- U.S. Federal Census, 1900, New York, Kings County, Brooklyn, Enumeration District 193, Sheet No. 5B; family of Benj. M. Furman (73, New York, Oct 1826, sign painter); wife of 44 years Hattie M. Furman (68, New York, Sept. 1831, 9 children, 6 living); son Phillip Furman (43, New York, Mar 1857, Kalsimane [?], paper hanger); son Adoniram J. Furman (32, New York, Nov. 1867, machinist, iron beds); Clarkson Furman (28, New York, Jan. 1872, sign painter); daughter May I. Furman (24, Nov. 1875).
- New York State Census, 1905, Kings County, Brooklyn, 28th Election District, 18th District; Page 18, family of Michael Corcoran (42, Printer); wife Nellie Corcoran (32); daughter Helen Corcoran (10); daughter May Corcoran (8); son Eddie Corcoran (6); son John J. Corcoran (4); son Francis E. Corcoran (2); head Benjamin Furman (77, artist); wife Hettie Furman (73); son Philip Furman (51, painter); son Clarkson Furman (32, painter); head Charles U. [sic] Furman (35, preacher); wife Ida M. Furman (35); daughter Daisy Furman (11); son Howard Furman (5); head Robert Cowan (23, laborer, factory); wife Isabelle Cowan (30); son Robt. Cowan Jr. (1).
- U.S. Federal Census, 1910, New York, Kings County, Brooklyn, Enumeration DIstrict 974, Sheet No. 12B; family of Benjamin Furman (82, New York, widow, painter, signs); son Robert Furman (37, New York, painter, signs).
- Obituary, The Daily Standard Union, Brooklyn, New York. 7 January 1918, Benjamin M. Furman, died 6 January 1918 in Brooklyn, NY. The article provides biographical and vital details.
- Obituary, Brooklyn Daily Eagle (online), 7 January 1918, Benjamin Mather Furman, died 6 January 1918. The article provides a biographical sketch and includes birth, marriage and death details, and the names of his wife and surviving children.
- Italian Genealogical Group, New York Death Index, Furman, Benjamin M., 6 January 1918, Kings County, age 90 years, Cert# 592.