Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

and Hudson streets, New York City, in
which district he was a well known busi-
ness man. Later he became connected
with the city administration in New York,
and at the time of his retirement, about
191 1, was auditor of accounts for the borough
of Manhattan. He is a member of
the Masonic order, affiliating with Evangelist
Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons.
He is also a member of the Royal Arcanum,
the Loyal Association, and is an
honorary member of Meade Post, Grand
Army of the Republic, of New York City.
He was a member of the Lutheran church
and later was admitted to the communion
of the Episcopal church.
Mr. Brettman married, in New York
City, November 26, 1884, Minnie Eudora
Larke, who was born at Stryker's Farm,
in the neighborhood of Fifty-sixth street,
New York City, July 4, 1859, and who
met an accidental death from burns, November
17, 1916. The earliest record of
the Larke family is of John Larke, of
Stratton, Cornwall, England. He was the
father of John (2) Larke, who married
Hannah Drake, a lineal descendant of
John Drake, brother of Sir Francis Drake.
They were the parents of Julian K. Larke,
born in London, England, who was educated
in Westminster College, and was
ordained an Episcopalian clergyman, although
he never preached. He held the
rank of colonel in the English army in
the Crimean War, and subsequently came
to the United States, engaging in news-
paper work. He was personal correspond-
ent for the New York "Herald" on the
staff of General U. S. Grant, and subsequently
was associated with the "Mail
and Express," which later became the
"Evening Mail," and other New York
newspapers. After the Civil War he went
to the Isthmus of Panama, where he
founded the only newspaper then pub-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
274
lished in Central America. Here he contracted
the dreaded Isthmus fever, and
came North. Subsequently, he was twice
afflicted with pneumonia and once, while
engaged in journalistic work, was hit by
a spent bullet, but his marvelous consti-
tution has withstood all these physical
ills and he is now a resident of Brooklyn,
remarkably vigorous for his great years
of over ninety. He is the author of many
books, notably, "General Grant and his
Campaigns," which was cited a few years
ago in the New York State Court of Appeals
as an authority on the life and
Christian name of General Grant and his
generals. He is also the author of some
works of fiction. Mr. Larke has been a
Republican all of his life, and is a Mason,
holding the Knights Templar degree,
originally belonging to Evangelist Lodge.
For fifty years he was organist of his Ma-
sonic lodge, each year going through the
ceremony of installation in office.
Mr. Larke married, in London, Ontario,
Canada, Catherine Lawrence, of Canada,
who died August 28, 1870. She was also
possessed of literary talent, and wrote
short stories for a paper called "Ben
Wood's Daily News," owned and operated
by Ben Wood, brother of Fernando
Wood, who was mayor of New York in
1854, reelected in 1856. Julian K. Larke
married a second time. He was the fa-
ther of thirteen children by his first marriage
and of one by his second. Among
his children were : Frederick Stansfield ;
Minnie Eudora, who married Frederick
J. Brettman; Josephine; Edwin, and
George.
Children of Frederick J. and Minnie
Eudora (Larke) Brettman: 1. Frederick
Julian, born September 17, 1885 ; married,
December 8, 1914, Florence Irene Garnsey,
of English Colonial descent. Mr.
Brettman is assistant to the president of