USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania : from its first beginnings to the present time, including chapters of newly-discovered early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume IV > Part 25
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MAIN BUILDING-WYOMING SEMINARY
institution was erected in 1887 in memory of the learned principal to whose management and administration for a period of twenty-seven years the Seminary owes much of its standing today. The Caroline M. Pettebone Gymnasium, erected in 1897 and bearing the name of its donor, has added much to the at- tractiveness of the Seminary's group of buildings as it has to the equipment of the institution. At the semi-centennial of the Seminary, celebrated in 1894, a plot of approximately five acres was purchased for use as an athletic field. In 1922, Abram G. Nesbitt turned this field into a completely equipped athletic ground such as is possessed by few institutions in the country. Presenting this improved athletic park to the Seminary, it was named the George F. Nesbitt Memorial Field, in memory of Mr. Nesbitt's brother who, as a student, had advocated the selection of the plot for the identical purpose to which it was afterwards dedicated.
The Seminary began to contemplate in 1924 one of the largest undertakings in its history. Free of debt, with an endowment fund well over $600,000.00 owning buildings and lands approximating a million dollars in value, the Seminary
*ABRAM NESBITT Was born Thursday, December 29, 1831, in Plymouth Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, He was not quite one year old when his parents removed in November, 1832, to Wilkes-Barré. Here he lived, in a house on East Market Street, until March, 1849, when he located in the Borough of Kingston, Luzerne County, where he continued to reside.
As a youth he attended the academy taught by "Deacon" Sylvester Dana, and located on what is now Academy Street, Wilkes-Barre In the Spring of 1845 he became a student at Wyoming Seminary, but remained there for a few months only and then returned to "Deacon" Dana's school. Here he continued as a student until he removed with his mother to Kingston, when he again entered Wyoming Seminary.
Within a short time thereafter he left school and began to study surveying under the direction of his brother-in-law Samuel Hoyt. Before he reached his twenty-first birthday he had become Mr. Hoyt's assistant, and within the next year or two he had started as a surveyor on his own account, and was soon busily and successfully at work. Mr. Nesbitt devoted all his time to his profession until 1864, when, having considerable other business of importance to look after,
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he retired from active work as a surveyor. During the next eight or ten years he was, as an expert in his profession often called upon for advice, opinions and testimony.
Early in 1863 arrangements were made for organizing and establishing the Second National Bank of Wilkes-Barre. The organization of this institution was completed in September, 1863, and in November business was begun in the Chahoon Building on West Market Street.
Abram Nesbitt, who was one of the organizers of this Bank, was elected a member of its first Board of Directors, and by successive re-elections served as a Director until his death. He was elected Vice-President of the Bank in January, 1871, and in that office he was continued until January, 1877. when he was elected President.
In 1870 Abram Nesbitt was appointed a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Poor District of Luzerne County, and by re-appointment from time to time served in that responsible office continuously until 1920. He was
ABRAM NESBITT
Treasurer of the Board and the District for most of the time from 1870 to 1895. when he was elected President of the Board.
The village of Kingston was incorporated as a Borough in 1857. and for about three-fourths of the time from that year until 1887 Abram Nesbitt was a member of the Town Council of Kingston; and for about half of the time from 1857 to 1885 he was a member of the Borough Board of School Directors. In January, 1882, he was named one of the Trustees and also Treasurer of the Forty Fort Cemetery Association. He was one of the organizers of the Wyoming Valley Coal Company in 1884, and served as a member of its Board of Directors and Vice-President of the Company.
In 1889 he was one of the organizers-being one of the largest stockholders-of the Spring Brook Water Company. He was elected a member of its first Board of Directors, and subsequently was chosen Treasurer of the Company. These offices he held until 1896, when there was a merging of this Company, the Wilkes-Barre Water Company and the Crystal Spring Water Company in a new corporation called the Spring Brook Water Supply Company, the stock- holders of which are, with a few exceptions, those who were stockholders of the original Spring Brook Company.
In 1885 the Consumers' Gas Company was organized in Wyoming Valley, and began operations in Wilkes-Barré. Abram Nesbitt was a member of the Board of Directors of this Company. Early in 1898 the principal stockholders of the Consumer's Company bought up the stock and bonds of the Wilkes-Barre Gas Company and in June, 1898, these two organizations were consolidated into The Gas Company of Luzerne County. Abram Nesbitt was elected a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, and upon the organization of the Board was chosen President.
In 1896 the Wilkes-Barre Theatre Company was organized and incorporated, Abram Nesbitt being one of the largest stockholders in the Company. A handsome and commodious building was erected by the Company on South Main Street above South, which was furnished and equipped in an up-to-date manner, and was opened to the public October 29, 1897. In June, 1897, the stockholders of the Theatre Company unanimously voted to name this new theatre "The Nesbitt."
In the latter part of 1898 The People's Telephone Company was incorporated, and was organized at Wilkes-Barré soon after with Abram Nesbitt as President of the Company and a member of its Board of Directors.
In 1883, Mr. Nesbitt became one of the Trustees of Wyoming Seminary. He also became a Life Director, having "contributed to the fund of the institution to the amount of $1,000 or upwards." For many years he was Vice-President of the Board.
In 1892 the Seminary was pressingly in need of further accommodations for its students in the way of study and classrooms, laboratories, etc., and it was decided to make a special effort to raise from the friends of the Institution about $25,000.00, to be used for the erection of the additional building so badly needed. Early in 1893 rough plans for
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the proposed building were prepared, and arrangements were made to begin a canvass for subscriptions to the building fund.
Shortly thereafter Abram Nesbitt met President Sprague of the Seminary on the street and said, "I should 1 ke to see the plans for the proposed Science Hall." A few days later the plans were taken to Mr. Nesbitt, who, after looking them over, said to President Sprague, "Well, Doctor. I will see that you have this Hall built." "Do you mean to say, Mr. Nesbitt, that you, alone, will give us this much?", exclaimed Doctor Sprague. "Why not?" was the quick reply- and that settled the matter.
At the Commencement exercises of the Seminary, June 22, 1893, ground was broken for the new building, prior to which President Sprague publicly announced for the first time the name of the Institution's latest and greatest benefactor. The large audience present greeted the announcement with tumultous and long-continued applause. But Mr. Nesbitt was not in evidence he having, with his customary modesty, remained away from the Seminary grounds upon this interesting occasion.
The semi-centennial anniversary of the founding of Wyoming Seminary was celebrated with much enthusiasm during the Commencement week of the Seminary in June, 1894. In the afternoon of Tuesday, June 19th, of that week Nesbitt Hall was dedicated with interesting ceremonies in the presence of a large assemblage of students, alumni and friends of the Institution. The Hon. Henry W. Palmer of Wilkes-Barre, former Attorney General of Pennsyl- vania, presided over the meeting, and in the course of his remarks on taking the chair he paid a high tribute to the character of Mr. Nesbitt. He also said: "Were we to follow the wish of the donor of Nesbitt Hall there would be no public exhibition of gratitude. He would say. 'Take the building, use it to the best advantage for the purpose for which it was designed. and say no more about it.' " "The Rev. George E. Reed, D. D., President of Dickinson College, Penn- sylvania, then followed with a formal address, in which he briefly but eloquently eulogized Mr. Nesbitt for his liberality to the Seminary.
At the time of his death, Mr. Nesbitt was a large stockholder of the Vulcan Iron Works, President and Director of the Wilkes-Barre Railway Company, which controls the splendid system of traction lines of the Wyoming Valley, a director of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company and a director of the Wales Adding Machine Company.
In fact, no citizen of the community has ever been more widely interested in business affairs of local and national import than was Mr. Nesbitt. Added to the time and patience which he devoted to the upbuilding and prosperity of the community at large, was the spirit of generous helpfulness which he extended to individuals who were struggling with their own enterprises and might have failed without this help which he gave. The moral risk counted more with him than the usually demanded collateral. In 1912, and in subsequent years, his generous gifts towards a hospital on the West Side made possible the institution which now bears his name. To the last of his busy career, he maintained an interest in young men whom he considered worthy of trust and scores of these throughout the Wyoming Valley owe much of their success in life to his cheerful advice and financial backing. His philanthropies were largely of a quiet. unassuming and often unknown nature. Many were the stories which were told after his death of mortgages cancelled by his direction and promissory notes destroyed through his liberality when their foreclosure or collection would have wrought hardship to struggling individuals.
These kindly acts have contributed to the erection to Abram Nesbitt of a monument in the minds and hearts of the community such as cannot be expressed in stone or bronze.
Abram Nesbitt died September 26, 1920. As a tribute to his memory, the wheels of many industries of the valley ceased for a time as his body was being carried to its place of interment. The sincere sorrow at his death, which was manifested by all classes of people in the community where his life had been spent and his work so splendidly accom- plished, hespoke the general esteem in which he was held as a business associate, a man of wide sympathies and a Christian gentleman.
Abram Nesbitt was married at Kingston, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, September 2, 1862, by the Rev. R. Nelson D. D. to Sara Myers Goodwin, who was born in Kingston, Sunday, September 30, 1832, the third and youngest daughter of Ahram and Sarah (Myers) Goodwin. Her death occurred February 22, 1894. Six children were born of this union:
WALTER JAMES NESBITT, born September 22, 1863, died April 20, 1864.
GEORGE FRANCIS NESBITT, born in Kingston, Tuesday, January 24, 1865. Having been graduated from Yale Uni- versity in 1887 with the degree of A. B., he studied law in the office of E. P. and J. V. Darling, Wilkes-Barre, and was admitted to the Bar of Luzerne County in 1890. He was an original stockholder of the old Spring Brook Water Company, and was a member of its Board of Directors In 1884, he became a director of the Second National Bank. Always interested in affairs of Wyoming Seminary, he, with several companions, presented that institution with the plot of five acres to be used for athletic purposes, which field now bears his name. His genial nature and unassuming disposi - tion won for him a wide circle of friends. His untimely death, November 27, 1900, as the result of accident, cut off a most promising career which bade fair to rival that of his father in many of its attributes. Shortly before his death he established at Wyoming Seminary two prizes for original orations at public exercises held on Washington's Birthday .
ABRAM GOODWIN NESBITT, born at Kingston, Novem- ber 18, 1866. He was the only child of the union who sur - vived both parents. He was educated at Wyoming Sem- inary and has always been a friend and contributor to that institution. Under tutelage of his father, Mr. Nesbitt early became affiliated with many of the larger business interests of the Wyoming Valley and showed an aptitude for positions of responsibility and trust which had made him a power in the community. For several years a director of the Second National Bank, Abram G. Nesbitt in 1920, succeeded his father as Presi- dent of what has grown to be the largest National Bank in Luzerne County. Identified, as was the elder Nesbitt, with a wide field of industrial enterprizes, he has taken part in the active management of many of them. In the matter of quiet unobtrusive giving, he has generously preserved family tradi- tions. His gift of a substantial sum made possible a new and completely equipped building and workshop of the Blind Association of Wilkes-Barré.
In 1922, as has been mentioned, he gave to Wyoming Seminary the substantially appointed athletic grounds known as the George F. Nesbitt Memorial Field. His offer to purchase a considerable acreage of the Shoemaker tract adjoining the river frontage donated by Abram Nesbitt, to be added to the park system of Wilkes-Barre, was deferred only by the necessity of legal means of acquiring title to the tract. Indeed Abram G. Nesbitt gave every evidence of filling the place of his father in many sided affairs of the community. His death occurred in 1925.
RALPHI NESBITT, born January 9, 1869, died February 18, 1875.
MRS. SARAH NESBITT SMVTHE, born September 12, 1872, died January 4, 1918.
FREDERICK NESBITT, sixth and youngest child of Ahram and Sara M. (Goodwin) Nesbitt, was born in Kingston, Wednesday, June 23, 1875. In the autumn of 1892 he entered the Freshman class of Lafayette College and became active in many phases of college life. He continued as a student at Lafayette until February, 1896-ahout the middle of his Senior year-when, a good opportunity for engaging in business ABRAM G. NESBITT being brought to his attention, he gave up his studies, and, in partnership with other business men there, he purchased a property in Easton and organized The Easton Foundry and Machine Company. In this business he continued until the time of his death, June 24, 1911.
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has been compelled for many years past to turn away scores of prospective students. Its enrollment of 701 students in 1923 measured the limit of capacity. Plans calling for the erection of Sprague Hall at a cost of $250,000.00 have reached such an encouraging stage of progress that the proposed building should be under way as a fitting close to the eightieth year of usefulness of the institution.
A pamphlet mailed to alumni and setting forth the needs of the new building epitomises the underlying reasons for naming the structure in honor of Dr. Sprague as follows:
"Sprague Hall will be not so much a monument to Dr. Sprague's life, as it will be an ex- pression of the gratitude of the men and women who have been influenced by his life. He has already erected a monument 'more lasting than fine bronze' in the lives and hearts of men, but the friends of Wyoming Seminary need to proclaim to the world by a fitting Sprague memorial that such a life cannot be lived without proper recognition.
"In all the years ahead, Sprague Hall will be one of the most serviceable buildings to be found on the campus and it is the dominant desire of every one who is at all acquainted with the facts that this Hall shall be in all its appointments a fitting testimonial to the peerless leadership of our good friend who for fifty-eight years has served the institution we all love as student, as professor and as President."
In concluding a Chapter devoted, in the main, to a narrative of events of civic importance to a community beginning to find itself, as was Wilkes-Barré in the period roughly outlined between the dates 1830-1850, mention is in order of the Wyoming Artillerists, an organization which brought much honor to the community through its active service in the Mexican war and was again to re- ceive a baptism of blood in the greater conflict of the Civil war. As early as 1831 there was a company of that name in Wilkes-Barre. From the files of the Susquehanna Democrat of May 27th of that year, the following is taken:
"At a meeting of signers to the articles to organize an Artillery Company to be called the Wyoming Artillerists, held at the house of J. J. Dennis, on the 14 inst., it was resolved to adjourn to Saturday the 28th instant, at 6 o'clock P. M., at the house of J. J. Dennis to determine on uniform. Punctual attendance is requested by the committee.
"IRA ASH "JOSEPH P. DENNIS."
As but few references can be found to the organization in years immed- iately succeeding, it is evident that not much interest followed on the part of members nor was much recognition accorded it on the part of the public. The early forties proved a period of the organization or reorganization of many military and quasi-military bodies in the county. They were loosely cemented companies, assuming but few responsibilities and viewing their military duties without great seriousness. The State attempted to hold these units together by skeleton regiments and brigades, but wars and the rumor of wars seemed far removed from a district from which no troops had been called to active duty since 1814.
The annual training day was one of revelry and confusion. In a small publication which he called the Record of the Wyoming Artillerists published in 1874, Col. D. C. Kitchen thus described one of these occasions:
"The old Red Tavern, in Hanover Township, on the road leading to Nanticoke, was the early training ground. Here the young men assembled on the first Monday in May for inspection and drill. Wilkesbarre was divided into two companies, those south of Market street being known as the 'Bloody Eight,' which numbered about 800 rank and file and such a motley mass could have done no discredit to Falstaff's famous regiment, yet it was only a type of the fighting material which this great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania annually paraded for the delight of little boys and as a huge joke for the public generally. The one redeeming feature was the gorg- eous array in which the field officers displayed themselves, regardless of good sense or good taste; why, a circus of the present day was nothing to it. These trainings always happened after corn planting time, when the lads who had followed the furrow and swung the hoe had money to pay the fiddler, buy the girls cake and beer, and invest in the French bank or 'sweat.' and they were always arranged so as not to interfere with each other. This gave the fiddlers, gamblers, showmen and peddlers the benefit of a full harvest. The parade ground was a lot adjoining the church near
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by. In the tavern all the rooms were appropriated to dancing and drinking. In each was a plat- form, on which was perched a man with a fiddle and a boy with a tambourine, making screeching music while the lads and lassies caused the 'double shuffle' and 'pigeon wing' in 'straight fours' and 'French fours' to the tunes of 'Money Musk' and the 'Irish Washerwoman.'
"All this was preliminary to the organization of the famous Wyoming Artillerists, and in the light of subsequent events was just what was needed to develop the patriotism necessary for the formation of the company. Gen. Isaac Bowman, the father of Maj. F. L. Bowman and Col. Samuel Bowman, was the leading military spirit. He was not only an ardent friend to the volun- teer system, but he had given his sons a thorough training and imbued them with something of his own enthusiasm."
In 1841, ten years after its organization, a few surviving members sought to reorganize the company in order to have it participate in the spring encampment of the next year. Into this task Captain Francis L. Bowman threw himself with customary zeal. The uniform selected was patterned after a Light Artil- lery uniform of the regular army and consisted of a dark blue cutaway coat, light blue trousers piped with red. A red cap with white plume completed the apparel. Captain Bowman secured a promise from the state to furnish muskets for the company as soon as it could be mustered into the militia. The company's muster roll at training day of that year showed the following officers and enlisted men in the organization:
"Captain, Francis L. Bowman; First Lieutenant, Edmund L. Dana; Second Lieutenant, Martin Long; Third Lieutenant, Aaron Brown; First Sergeant, E. B. Collings; Third Sergeant, William Sharpe; First Corporal, William Dickover; Second Corporal, G. H. Davis; Third Corporal, John Wolf; Fourth Corporal, John Millhirsh; Musicians, Gilbert Barnes, Peter Kropp, Thomas Hay.
"Privates, Adam Behee, Jacob Bauer, John C. Frederick, William H. Jones, Daniel Wagner, I. M. Fritz, Con Tippenhauer, Andrew Kessler, J. H. Robins, Augustus Schimpf, Conrad Klipple, John B. Smith, William Hunter, J. S. Mickley, J. F. Puterbaugh, Anthony Mowery, Francis Brown, S. A. Lynch, David Fry, Ed LeClerc, Valentine Flick, Samuel Bowman, William B. Maloy, Joseph Mowrey."
"Additional names in another roll, July, 1842:
"Ernest Roth, M. B. Hammer, B. R. Phillips, Charles Lehman, C. B. Price, W. H. Alex- ander, G. L. Jackson, Charles Westfield, Abram Moxby, E. P. Lynch."
The company appears to have made satisfactory progress in drill as may be judged from the following mention in the Republican Farmer of February 1, 1843:
"The 'Wyoming Artillerists' under Capt. F. L. Bowman, made their first public parade on Saturday last. They numbered about thirty muskets, and performed their evolutions with remarkable correctness and precision. Their uniform is got up with a good deal of taste. If this company carries out the promise of its commencement, it will be indeed a credit to the place."
The Artillerists were next accounted for at an encampment held on the Kingston flats in the autumn of 1843, participated in by militia units from Luz- erne, Columbia and Wyoming counties. Colonel Kitchen's booklet contains the following description of that event:
"Gen. E. W. Sturdevant, Col. Charles Dorrance and Maj. George F. Slocum were the field officers, and Capt. Francis L. Bowman was elected inspector with the rank of major. During the encampment the officers gave the country folks an illustration of military discipline. Private Conrad Tipplehauer was tried and convicted before a drum head court martial for stealing cheese and was sentenced to be shot. The news spread throughout the valley, and at the appointed hour for the execution an immense crowd had collected to witness it. Tippenhauer was placed in the centre of a hollow square and marched to the place of execution. 'There was the wailing of the dead march,' says the historian, 'and the solemnly suggestive roll of muffled drums.' The farce was made to appear so real that tender hearted maidens sobbed aloud, while stalwart country- men swore it was a 'danged shame to shoot a poor feller jest for stealin' a bit of cheese.' Tippen- hauer was shot, fell over and apparently dropped dead. Next day he appeared in the parade, however, and the people who had witnessed the affair realized that they had been duped."
The causes of the Mexican war are deeper than the question of the annex- ation of Texas. Due to frequent uprisings of revolutionary character, the United States had presented many claims against the government of Mexico for damages done to property of Americans and in reparation for the violent treat- ment of American citizens. The American clement which had taken part in wresting Texas from Mexico were set on annexation at any cost. In 1845,
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Texas had been a republic for nine years and had been so recognized by most of the countries of the world. But when President Polk indicated to congress that he would not veto any measure that might grant the annexation requests of Texas, Mexico forthwith sent notification that the consent of the United States in this direction would be regarded by her as a casus belli. Notwith- standing this attitude, Congress by resolution on March 1, 1845, passed the an- nexation act. The Mexican minister was withdrawn, but it looked for a time as if peace might be maintained even under these strained relationships. A strip of territory between the Neuces and Rio Grand was to cause the final break between the two nations and be the scene of the first bloodshed. Mexico held that this strip had never belonged to Texas, and could therefore under no circum- stance pass to the United States. The American government held otherwise, and extended its revenue laws to the strip. General Arista with a Mexican force and Gen. Zacharary Taylor with a force of some 2,000 Americans approached the strip from opposite directions. With these forces in proximity, conflict was inevitable. On April 24th, a force of Mexicans crossed the disputed river near Matamoros and defeated a detachment of Taylor's dragoon. News of this en- gagement reached Washington early in May and on the 11th, President Polk went before Congress with a war message. No formal declaration of war followed, but Congress, two days later, voted men and money for defense of the country. Many months were to follow before any definite war policy took shape and, as yet no volunteers had been called into service. By the fall of 1846, it became apparent as to what were the President's intentions. General Kearney with a small force seized Santa Fé and brought all New Mexico under subjection. Commodore Sloat took possession of upper California. General Taylor made his way slowly into the interior of Mexico, eventually reaching Monterey. Final efforts to arrange a satisfactory peace in the spring of 1846 failed. Moreover a revolution in Mexico had restored Santa Anna and his war party to power. It then became clearly apparent that American forces would be compelled to reduce the capital to subjection before peace came. In August, 1846, the Presi- dent called upon the States for quotas of troops to carry out this purpose.
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