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VAN AUKEN,
Myron W.
A local paper obituary (name of which paper
is missing) for Wednesday, August 12, 1931.
M.W. VAN AUKEN DIES IN HOSPITAL - Long General
Counsel for Commercial Travelers' Association - A Successful Business Man
- Instrumental in Securing Site Here for Masonic Home.
Fitting honor will be accorded Myron W. Van
Auken, 79, for more than 30 years general counsel of the Commercial Travelers
Mutual Accident Association of America, and prominent Mason at a special
meeting of the executive committee of the Oneida County Bar Association
today at the office of President Stephen W. Brennan.
Mr. VAN AUKEN, in poor health for two years
died in a local hospital early yesterday morning. He was well known
in legal and business circles of this city, where he had resided for 56
years. He made his home in Hotel Utica but spent part of his summers
at Holland Patent and with his son in Fairfield.
Born in Ira, N.Y., June 5, 1852, Mr. VAN
AUKEN was educated in the common schools and in 1865 his parents moved
to Red Creek. He attended Union Seminary, Fairfield Seminary and
was graduated from later attended Albany Law School, being graduated in
1875.
FORMER CORPORATION COUNSEL
After leaving law school he came to this
city and had resided here since. He was in partnership with Henry
A. DOOLITTLE for 10 years and later took Herbert D. PITCHER as a partner.
In 1907 he had as partner E.C.RICE, but for many years he practiced alone.
He was appointed corporation counsel in 1885 under Mayor KINNEY and reappointed
in 1887. The Commercial Travelers Association was formed in this
city in 1886 and eight years later Mr. VAN AUKEN was named general counsel,
succeeding Judge W.H. SUTTON.
When he became general counsel for the association
it had but a few thousand members but in time it became the largest mutual
accident association in the world. He rose to be one of the leading
insurance attorneys in the United States and was vice president of the
International Association of Accident and Surety Underwriters. He
was also well known as a corporation lawyer, being associated with the
Utica Paving Company at one time and all its subsidiaries east of Chicago.
He engaged in several spirited suits for the companies and emerged victorious
in all. He was also attorney and director of the Interstate Paving
Company of Utica.
Mr. VAN AUKEN was also connected with various
other companies and was president of the Utica Land Company, which developed
considerable land in the easter section of the city. He was a director
also in the Utica Carriage Company, serving also as treasurer and attorney
and was an organizer, also treasurer, of the Mohawk Alpine Mining Company.
This firm was later merged with the Pittsburgh Silver Peak Gold Mining
Company. Mr. VAN AUKEN being chosen a director.
When the Utica Herald went into bankruptcy
Mr. VAN AUKEN was attorney for the receiver, Henry R. WILLIAMS. After
a serious illness in 1906, he retired from active practice of law and devoted
himself more to business.
PROMINENT
REPUBLICAN
For years Mr. VAN AUKEN was a factor in Republican
politics in Oneida County, his voice and efforts being in constant use
for the benefit of the party. He attended many conventions and in
1888 he was chairman of the Republican countyu committee. He took
an active part in the success of the Republican Continentals. He
was nominated for district attorney but was defeated.
An ardent motorist, Mr. VAN AUKEN was a charter
member of the Utica Automobile Club, holding membership since 1901.
He was first counsel of the club and assisted in the organization of the
AAA at Chicago.
Mr. VAN AUKEN was well known in Masonic circles
and more than to any other one man the credit for locating the Masonic
Home in this city idsdue to him. He was a member of Faxton Lodge
and at the time when the project of locating the Masonic Home was uppermost,
he was master of the lodge, as well as district deputy grandmaster, and
Grand Master LAWRENCE appointed a committee to choose the best site.
Sites were offered all over the state. Utica and vicinity offered
no less than 13.
The driving park site in East Utica had not
then been offered or suggested. Mr. VAN AUKEN proposed it as a compromise
measure, and the Grand Lodge decided that it was the finest site offered.
Mr. VAN AUKEN and James F. MANN called on the owner, Charles W. HUTCHINSON,
and laid the matter before him, with the result he agreed to part with
the property for half its value, and to make a donation of the other half.
The citizens of Utica had subscribed $30,000
toward the pruchase price and the balance was made up. Before ground
was broken Mr. VAN AUKEN obtained options on two pieces of land which he
thought the home should have, one a piece of 40 acres lying between the
Masonic Home property and the canal, and the other a tract of 100 acres
east of the home, and now used as a park.
Mr. VAN AUKEN was at one time a member of
the Odd Fellows, Royal Areanum and Elks. He was a member of Oneida
Chapter 57, R.A.M.,Utica Commandery 3, K.T., in which he has held several
offices, and Ziyara Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He was a
member of the Arcanum Club of this city and served as its president several
years. In 1890 he served as a superintendent of the United States
Cent__? of the Eighth district. He was a member of the Utica Curling
Club and for a long time a member of the Utica Citizens Corps whic he served
as secretary many years. He was also a member of its veterans' association.
In 1927 he was made a member of the United States Naval Institute.
In 1876 Mr. VAN AUKEN married Miss Carrie
M. RICE, daughter of Eleazur Rice of Herkimer County, who died in March,
1904. He leaves two sons, Capt. Wilbur R. Van Auken, U.S.N., Washington,
and Clarence M. Van Auken, Fairfield, Herkimer County.
VAN AUKEN, Myron W.
FUNERAL OF MR. VAN AUKEN (Local
newspaper clipping for August 13, 1931)---
The funeral of Myron W. VAN AUKEN was held
at 2 this afternoon at Masonic Temple. Faxton Lodge, No. 697, F &
A.M., was in charge of the services. The honorary bearers were David
B. LISLE, Georgfe W. PIXLEY, William A. BUDLONG, Tom W. JOHNSON, Earl C.
CLARK, Moses G. HUBBARD Jr., John MAHER and Herbert E. TREVVETT.
The Oneida County Bar Association was represent by the following committee
appointed by Stephen W. BRENNAN, president: P.C.J. De/ANGELIS,
H.D. PITCHER, Charles A. MILLER, T. Harvey FERRIS, Bradley
FULLER, James COUPE, Edmund J. WAGNER, Utica , and M.J. LARKIN,
Rome. President BRENNAN and the directors also attended. Interment
was in New Forest Cemetery.
Sharon
Ross Loysen 41 Dwight Road Middletown, NJ 07748
Providence has bestowed on him a firm constitution-great
bodily activity-a commanding stature, and strong powers of mind.
At the age of twenty-two, he commanded as a captain, at the northward,
in the old French War; and in our revolution he was found fighting for
the liberties of the country at Boston, New York and West Point.
He was always a Patriot. He died in the hope and in full faith of
the gospel of the Redeemer."