New-York tribune., 1891-02-15
DEATH or JOHN ". TOHT.
ONE OF THE EARLIEST ABOI1T1oNIsTs-sToRY
OF his LIFE


The story of the long and honored life of John W.
Towt. who died at Nyack on Thursday afternoon Is
one Of interest 10 thousands who knew hlm VT.
Tovt was horn in Ncw-Yori City in 11O2. ana hai
lived in Nyack thrty-nve years. At an carly age IL
WAS apprentced in the saddlcry and harness Du',e'
to the late Abram f. Van Nest, Of this city, On tie
completion of his time with Mr.. Van Nest nc went vi
foot TO philadelphia. seeking work There the man
70 whom he applied refused him, saying, We doh I
employ runaway apprentices I'D mcf Sc''' '''
same man was one Of Mr.. TOwts Customers
From philadelphia young Towt went 10 Wilmington
n c. and started in business for himself. WHO
there hi, personal observation of the Horrors o'
slavery Impressed him deeply. lie founded oIE'
for the blacks. and tried 10 give them secuIf anu
religious education This reused the ire Oh NIh'uH
ton pcoDle. and they ordered him 10 leave the ciF
,itnin tvontv-fo -four hours Finally. on his protests
that he could hardly sell out and settle Affairs III 80
brief time. they condescendcd 70 allow INN iof'!
eight hours during which time he did sell out ana re-
turned 10 New-York. That wac IN l73l'
He started his saddlcy and harness business al NO.
q Old slip. aud prospenng when 'he sI'H' i''' ~
1875 burned out his establishment ~ d ic''O0i va
Hook and Ladder Company No. l he helped 10 heh'
that fire. In 1887 he helped, as volunteer hrc-
man. to suppress the bread and flour ro''' A'cr '"1
,c.+ 6r. he founded In Beekman-st the saddlefy ana
harness business now carried OH By his son LOUIS ana
accumulated a large fortune.
Nearly seventy years ago nc lolhcd uc "iu 'o'"
street Church. and for sixty years wa, actively en-
gagged in sunday school work teacher ana sdpcnh-
teudcnt He was a man of deep religious cohNl'u'"'
and exemplary Christian character
During the WAR he was loyal slmO,t 70 Ia-Ilic>a'
MANY a fleeing slave he helped Oh 10 Canada ana H''
bounty 10 soldiers and their faniic, wa constant anu
large He was one of the most valued members y
tbe Loyal League, which was founded III Nla.h IN on
MAY "a l,63 lis love for Tie cOolcd It't t,,
tn the last lie founded the pro pt'pu- ON, ~ ~,
HothCist Episcopal Zion Church In Nyack. ahu HE E-''
sustained II by hls gifts from purse ever open 10 n
Hack man. Mr. I0Wt was also one 81 t!c "iu1
inenbers Of the Mechanics and ITiGer, S2pI.y t D
New York He warm per, >,iiaI ir1 @ "i i'''
Crcolcy and A liie long reader Of The tribune. ~
Intu three weeks ago lis Vigorous CONSTITUTION c''
ll.d hjm 10 Tcpc with young men IN cH1iri a.,
a,,i,.tv Mr. Towt leaves seven lvlns maf1cu oII.i @
don 0ne daughter /, the wife O. tie Key. 91o"! ~
Iar>ons of the Newark Conference another ] :, Ing
III. If Louis h. Robbins, superintendent oi jHc iH.'
70 indian Irairs NcW-York CITY, and the thii Is tlt
N,ifc Of Howard Van Buren, lawyer % uia eI,l
Snns i've In the West. AID two lc cn1a'cp III D'1 On.
-, nj. civ The Rev. ". :. GALLOWAY ol -. ~, iH >
We.hcdist Episcopal Cmch Nyack. ana tIe ICY
! g. Van Deventcr. Of the Nyack Reformed hlirI' urn
will conduct The funeral s"INl"9 dV -l4' i'"' ~
tomorrow, at Il 80 0cloch'