Arthur Boyd Houghton (1836-1875), “Stoke Hole of the City of Brussels
Lafayette Britto was born in Milford, Connecticut, but made his home as a seaman in New York. He was a fireman and a seaman, known as a stoker. Stokers fed the steam engines coal. It was a dangerous job, and they worked below the waterline in high temperatures. Britto was working on the British Steamship Powerful when he was hurt and lost his left leg.
Britto was only 29 years old and a Bachelor when he entered Sailors Snug Harbor on August 15, 1857. If Britto was born later and only worked as a stoker on steamships, he would not have been able to enter Snug Harbor. It would take New York’s lawmakers in Albany to pass a law classifying these firemen as Sailors (Hellman).
The Watchman –“Twelve O’clock and all is well!- NYC Police History .
In 1864, Britto went on liberty from Snug Harbor and found a job as a watchman in New York. Britto married Charlette and had a daughter named Emma. He returned to the Harbor in 1867 with a note from the trustees explaining his absence.
Lafayette Britto would get sick and be admitted to New York’s Presbyterian Hospital in the 1880s. The Governor of Sailors Snug Harbor had Britto transferred to Sailors Snug Harbor Hospital on October 11, 1881. Britto would remain at the Harbor, dying on January 30, 1898. Britto’s wife had his body interred to Linden Cemetery in Queens, New York.