Daniel F. Larkin

DANIEL F. LARKIN. -- Abel Larkin, a native of Westerly, married Sarah Foster of the same town. Their children were: Abel, Jonathan, Daniel, John, Sarah (Mrs. Gavitt), and Nancy, who died in early womanhood. Daniel Larkin, also born in Westerly, settled as a farmer in his native town, and married Rhoda, daughter of Samuel Sheffield of the same county and town. Their children were: Daniel F., Samuel S., Charles A., Jonathan, George F., Elthan P., Stanton, Susan E. (wife of Joseph T. Ross), Sophia (married to Joseph C. Crandall), and Jane (wife of William H. Cottrell). The eldest of these children, Daniel F. Larkin, was born on the 10th of June, 1817, and passed his early years in the town of Westerly, with which the family have for generations been identified. Receiving a common school education, he was, on attaining a suitable age, apprenticed to the trade of a ship carpenter, which, with intervals devoted to other pursuits, he followed until 1860. The year 1838 found him in Middlesex county, Va., engaged in the construction of a brig, which was on completion brought north. The following year again proved a favorable one for the pursuit of his trade at this point. The winters from 1840 to 1854 inclusive were spent in marketing and fish dealing in Savannah, Ga., after which he settled at Watch Hill, resumed his trade, and received the appointment as keeper of the Watch Hill light house. Mr. Larkin determined, in 1868, to fill the role of a popular landlord, and began the erection of what is now the most important summer hotel at Watch Hill, the Larkin House, which has since that time been enlarged, greatly improved, and is now double the capacity of the original structure. With this house and its success his name has been chiefly identified. Mr. Larkin in 1876 again transferred his business relations to the South, and erected a winter hotel at Palatka, Florida, which he managed successfully until its destruction by fire, in 1884, since which time his interest has centered at Watch Hill. A republican in his [342] political convictions, he has for several years served in the town council, and was in 1857 elected to the state legislature, to which office he was re-elected for successive terms, and again for the year 1873. In 1884 he received the important appointment as one of the commissioners to effect a settlement of the questions involved in the boundary line between Rhode Island and Connecticut. Daniel F. Larkin was [sic] on the 19th of October, 1840, married to Martha, daughter of Clark Hiscox, of Westerly. Their children are: Frank, married to Jessie Cheesbro; Daniel W., whose wife was Josephine Cary; Martha J., wife of Amos D. Allen; and Sarah E., wife of F.S. Aldrich. Both Mr. and Mrs. Larkin are members of the Seventh Day Baptist church of Westerly. Westerly Westerly Biographies, by J. R. Cole, 1889.