Clothier Hathaway Vaughn (1834-1906)

From the Brooklyn Times Union, January 30, 1906.

   The inaugural posting for 2021 takes us to Long Island, New York, and Clothier Hathaway Vaughn, once a leading business and political figure in the village of Sag Harbor. Endowed with a first name that is a misnomer, Vaughn never owned a haberdashery and has no connection to the sale of clothing! While his name is certainly unusual, Vaughn briefly followed a career at sea during his youth, taking passage aboard a whaling vessel. After returning to Sag Harbor he engaged in business, including operating a grocery. He held several local offices in his community, being coroner, constable, deputy marshal, and in 1885 was named as U.S. Collector of Customs at Sag Harbor. In the twilight of his life, Vaughn would be elected as village president of Sag Harbor, serving one term.

  The son of Joseph (1792-1851) and Tryphena Vaughn (1792-1864), Clothier Hathaway Vaugh was born in Suffolk County, New York on August 24, 1834. His first name is spelled as both Clothier and Clother, the former spelling being recorded in the 1870 and 1880 U.S. census, the New York state census, New York state land records, and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac. The latter spelling can be found on his headstone in Sag Harbor, as well as the 1891 Official Register of the United States. 

   Little is known of Vaughn's early life and education, and during his youth took work in the office of J.E. and E. Smith, a shipping concern on Long Wharf. In 1850 he took passage on the whaling ship Charlotte, then under the command of Capt. Jonas Winters. Within a short period the vessel had captured "100 barrels of sperm", and eventually touched port at Fayal (Faial) Island in Portugal. The latter period of the voyage saw Vaughn and his fellow shipmates dock at the Island of St. Helena for ship repairs, where Vaughn visited Napoleon's tomb. The Charlotte later worked along the African coast before returning to Fayal and later transported 45o barrels of whale oil. The ship would make another trip to St. Helena, with Vaughn "making several voyages coasting" prior to his return to America.

   In 1855 Clothier Vaughn married Josephine G. North (1838-1922). The couple were wed for fifty years and had a total of 12 children, listed as follows in order of birth: Ida Mandora (1856-1949), James Smith (1857-1874), Lorenzo (1859-1935), Claude (1861-1935), Edna (1865-1875), Nellie Josephine (1866-1911), Carlton (1867-1939), William T. (1868-1963), Loretta (1873-1939), Edwin Smith (died in infancy in 1874), Mabel (1876-1978; died aged 102), and John Raymond (1881-1963).

   Following the return to Sag Harbor Vaughn was again affiliated with J.E. and E. Smith, and "succeeded them in the ownership of the North Battery storehouses." After the passage of the Enrollment Act of 1863, Vaughn entered into a contract with the Union Army, and "engaged in supplying substitutes for drafted men" that could pay $300 for a man to enlist in their place. In 1864 he became chief engineer of the Sag Harbor Fire Department and was returned to that post on two further occasions, 1871-73 and 1882.

   Clothier H. Vaughn continued to raise his public profile through the remainder of the 19th century, and at various times held the posts of town constable, town coroner, notary public, deputy U.S. Marshal, Suffolk County deputy sheriff, and U.S. Special Detective. Following the start of the Cleveland administration in 1885 Vaughn was named by Secretary of the Treasury Daniel Manning as U.S. Collector of Customs for Sag Harbor, serving until June 1890. 

  Vaughn's other local political offices include a nineteen-year tenure as Sag Harbor village trustee, and for over a decade sat on the village board of education. In 1890 he served as president of the village board of health, and beginning in 1897 served as Village President of Sag Harbor. His full dates of service remain undetermined at the time of this writing, but the Brooklyn Daily Alamanac of 1899 indicates he was still the incumbent at the start of that year. 

  The latter period of Vaughn's life saw him operating a grocery store in Sag Harbor, and in January 1903 was elected president of the Sag Harbor Businessmen's Association. Following his retirement from business pursuits, the ownership of Vaughn's grocery passed to his sons Lorenzo, William, and Raymond, and he continued residence in that village until his death at age 71 on January 29, 1906. Flags in the village were lowered to half staff to honor Vaughn's memory, and he was survived by his wife and ten children. Both Vaughn and his wife were interred at the Oakland Cemetery in Sag Harbor.

From the Brooklyn Times Union, February 1, 1906.