BIOGRAPHY: Henry Kneeland; New York co., NY
surname: Kneeland

submitted by Elizabeth Burns (burns at asu.edu) 
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Submitted Date: May 31,2005
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Author: Walter Barrett

HENRY KNEELAND
Old Merchants, 1885
Page 38

The firm of Bogart and Kneeland, is one of the oldest and most respected 
commercial houses in this city. They started in business at 71 South Street in 
the year 1804.

They still continue in the cotton business, although the partners of fifty 
seven years ago must have been dead long since. The sign over the present 
locality is 55 years old.

Fifty eight years ago, Henry Kneeland, of the first of Bogart and Kneeland, 
had his private residence at No. 183 William, near Beekman Street. He resided 
there some years and probably in that same house, young Kneeland, who killed 
himself, was born.  

Coroner Gamble was called upon yesterday to hold an inquest upon the body of 
Henry Kneeland, a brother of Mr. Kneeland, of the firm of Bogart and Kneeland, 
cotton merchants, No. 49 William Street, who committed suicide on Friday 
afternoon by shooting himself in the head with a pistol.  Henry K. Bogart, the 
partner of deceased's brother, testified that Mr. Kneeland came into the 
office as above about three o'clock on Friday afternoon and closed the door. 
Mr. Bogart asked him whey he closed the door, but deceased took a seat and 
made no reply, deceased then made use of some incoherent language in which the 
work "dishonorable" occurred and drawing a pistol out of his coat pocket, shot 
himself through the head.  Witness ran for a physician immediately but all 
medical skill proved of little avail, as the unfortunate man lived but a few 
moments; deceased never threatened to commit suicide nor had the witness any 
idea that he contemplated such a thing; deceased had been financially 
embarrassed for some time past and it is supposed that the derangement of his 
financial affairs led to the commission of the rash act. The jury rendered a 
verdict in accordance with the above facts, and the body was handed over to 
the friends for interment. Deceased resided at Fairfield Court where he leaves 
a large family to lament his untimely end. Mr. Kneeland was a native of New 
York, and was fifty four years of age.

The Mr. Kneeland who founded the great cotton house was the subject of scandal 
connected with Rosina Townsend in 1836 when Helen Jewett was murdered. It was 
said that when he died, proofs were found among his returned checks and papers 
that he had paid $30,000 to suppress publications about the matter.