BIOGRAPHY: John Begg; Haverstraw, Rockland co., New York

transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives

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Portrait and Biographical Record of Rockland and Orange Counties New York
Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens of the Counties.
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United
States.
New York and Chicago; Chapman Publishing Co., 1895

JOHN BEGG, of Haverstraw, was born in Paisley, Scotland, August 15, 1818. His
father, James Begg, himself a silk-weaver and a member of one of the old
families of Scotch Paisley silk-weavers, came to the United States in 1821 and
settled at Tarryville, twelve miles west of Hartford, Conn., where he was
employed in a carpet-weaving establishment. His skill as a weaver was widely
known and he was regarded as an expert in the industry. He died at Tarryville,
when about fifty-four years of age. Twice married, his first wife, who was a
Miss Dizell, died when our subject was a small child.

At the age of ten years John entered the mill, where his first work was at a
carding-machine. Later he gained a thorough knowledge of the weaver's trade,
his specialty being ingrain carpets and tufted rugs. Becoming proficient in
the work, he often earned as much as $40 per month, his wages being regularly
turned over to his father until he was twenty-one. He then began for himself,
entering the employ of Henry Winfield as a carpet-weaver. He followed the
trade until 1852, meantime being with several of the leading carpet
manufacturers. For a time he was with E. & A. S. Higgins, of Brooklyn, and
when they were burned out he went to Poughkeepsie, coming from there to
Haverstraw in 1844.

Soon after settling here, Mr. Begg erected a building where the Peck gristmill
now stands. Elisha Peck owned a rolling-mill, a wiremill and a lock factory,
which he leased to Mr. Higgins for ten years, and the latter at once
established a carpet industry that gave employment to one hundred weavers and
three hundred hands in all. At the expiration of the ten-years lease, the
business was removed to New York City. From 184o until 1857 Mr. Begg worked
for Mr. Higgins, mainly in the capacity of weaver. Resigning from his employ
in 1857, he became proprietor of the Warren Hotel, that stood on the site of
the residence of Ira M. Hedges. For four years he was landlord of that hotel,
after which he was connected with Mr. Knapp in the butcher business for twelve
years. For a number of years he has lived in retirement from active business
cares, and his declining years are being spent in his res residence on Front
Street, where he has made his home for forty years.

April 20, 1850, Rev. Dr. Lord, of Haverstraw, united in marriage John Begg and
Mrs. Caroline A. Mabie. Mrs. Begg was a daughter of Isaac Martin, at one time
well known as a hotel-keeper. Her grandfather, Isaac Martin, Sr., was the son
of the lady who took Major Andre his breakfast the morning after his capture.
She lived where the Irving family often held picnics, and figures in the noted
"Sketch Book" of Washington Irving. The father of Mrs. Begg, who was a soldier
in the War of 1812, was for a time proprietor of a furniture store in New
York. For a half-century he resided in Haverstraw, and a portion of the time
kept the hotel occupying the site of the present United States Hotel. His
death occurred here in 1855. Mrs. Begg died January 19, 1885, leaving a
daughter, Caroline, wife of James D. Lawson, a Meat-dealer in Haverstraw. Mr.
and Mrs. Lawson and their three children, Carrie, John and Amelia, reside with
Mr. Begg.

The first vote of our subject was cast for General Harrison in 1840. He
affiliated with the Whig party until the organization of the Republican party,
to which he has since adhered. Of Covenanter descent, he has been a sincere
member of the Presbyterian Church, and has aided in its efforts to promote the
cause of Christianity. He had a brother, Thomas, who became a noted mechanical
engineer of Paterson, N. J., and there died of cancer. A daughter of this
brother married Charles D. Cook, who was connected with the Cook Locomotive
Works. A son, who also became a famous engineering expert and served in the
Union army during the war, was the owner of two stores in New York and
acquired a fortune estimated at $100,000. Our subject is numbered among the
old residents of Haverstraw, and has been a witness of its commercial
development, to which he has contributed not a little. As is due his age and
character, he is held in high esteem by all who have been associated with him
in business or social relations.