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 V > Part 31
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On May 16, 1878, Judge Wheaton married L. Maria Covell, of Binghamton, New York, born in Tolland, Connecticut, and of old New England stock.
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DONALD O. COUGHLIN-Some men prefer to devote their business careers to one particular activity and subordinate everything else to it; others find profit and pleasure in diversifying. Science and the professions usually attract less men who maintain multifarious inter- ests, yet when they do they are often the better for the acquisition. In Donald O. Coughlin, well known Wilkes- Barre lawyer, is furnished an illustration of the man who makes the law his main activity, but is still so versatile that he can give much time to financial, commercial, edu- cational, and social pursuits. A fair idea of Mr. Cough- lin's range may be had from the statement that he is the surviving member of his father's law firm, vice- president of the Ford automobile agency in Wilkes- Barre, known as Motor Twins, Incorporated; is presi- dent of a bank and a coal company ; is engaged in work for the Girl Scouts of America ; belongs to several fra- ternal orders; and devotes some time to post-World War military activities. The point in his case is that he is not only an able lawyer with a fine practice, but that he is such a good business man that he makes a splendid success of these other activities. In addition, he is pos- sessed of such an intensely human side that he is welcome company everywhere, has plenty of close friends, and out of the bigness of his heart gives generously to every worthy charity and public enterprise.
Donald O. Coughlin was born in Luzerne, a suburb of Wilkes-Barre, August 2, 1894, son of the late Dennis O. Coughlin, for forty-five years one of the leading law- yers of Luzerne County, and Emma ( Hughes) Coughlin. His grandfather, John Coughlin, was a native of Luzerne County and a highly respected farmer. His father served as chief deputy internal revenue collector of the city for eight years under appointment of President Grover Cleveland. For many years he had been a trustee of the Luzerne Methodist Episcopal Church, and had served as a lay delegate to many important conferences. Mrs. Coughlin, the mother, was a woman of character and fortitude who made many sacrifices to put her family in the position of accomplishments such as have been attained by her industrious son.
Mr. Coughlin received his early educational training in the local schools of his borough, where he made a very good record, and in 1910 was graduated from the Luzerne High School, and in 1911 from the Wilkes- Barre High School. He thereupon entered LaFayette College at Easton, from which institution he graduated in 1915 with the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy. He soon entered the law office of his father at Wilkes- Barre, where he read law and studied in preparation for the State bar examinations, which he passed and was admitted September 1, 1021. He and his father then formed a partnership known as Coughlin & Coughlin, which maintained offices in the Miners' Bank Building and built up a most gratifying practice. Mr. Coughlin enlisted in the United States Army, Infantry Division, May 11, 1917, a little over a month after war had been declared upon Germany. He attended the First Officers' Training Camp.at Madison Barracks, at Sackett Harbor, New York, and then was transferred to Camp Lee, Virginia, where he was assigned to the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Depot Brigade as sergeant. Here he remained until he was discharged as a first sergeant May 3. 1919. When the American Legion was organizing in Pennsylvania, Mr. Coughlin succeeded in rallying the veterans of Kingston, where the Coughlin family makes its home, and assisted in the organization of the West Side Post of that organization, of which he is a charter member and director and for three years served as its adjutant ; this post, by the way, is now one the largest in the State.
In July. 1920, Mr. Coughlin became one of the found- ers and a director of the West Side Trust Company of Kingston. and on January 10, 1922, he was elected presi- dent of this institution, which has grown and flourished. Since then he has been made president of the Glenview Coal Company, retail coal dealers, and vice-president of the Motor Twins, Incorporated, which concern does one of the largest businesses in Pennsylvania in the Ford automobile and truck. To a less extent he is interested in collateral enterprises. He is much interested in outdoor affairs and is a director of the Wyoming Valley Girl Scouts of America. He belongs to the Free and Ac- cepted Masons, having membership in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, the Royal Arch Masons, the Knights Templar, and the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; and he belongs also to the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a leading member and former first vice-president of the Wilkes- Barre Lions' Club, of which he has been a director since
it was established. He and his family are communicants of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Coughlin married, September 17, 1919, Margaret Perrin, daughter of Fred and Barbara ( Wallace) Perrin, of Forty Fort. Two daughters, Barbara Ruth, born No- vember 30, 1920, and Nancy Jean, born July 26, 1926, have blessed their union.
WILLIAM J. TREMBATH-For almost three- score years William J. Trembath has resided in Wilkes- Barre and for the last forty years has been an active and prominent member of the legal profession. Today he is one of the most highly respected members of the Luzerne County Bar and, with unimpaired faculties, is one of the oldest lawyers in active practice in the county. Mr. Trembath was born in the town of Ballarat, Australia, the place famed in history as the rich gold- bearing locality of Australia, December t6, 1859, and was the son of Thomas and Adelaide ( Love) Trembath, both natives of Penzance, Cornwall, England, who left England for Australia some three years before Mr. T'rembath's birth. Mr. Trembath's mother died when he was but eighteen months of age and his father decided to return to his native land. After three years in Eng- land Mr. Trembath's father again felt the urge to travel and he came to America, bringing with him his young son. In 1871 Mr. Trembath's father arrived in Wilkes- Barre and was so satisfied with the city that he decided to locate there permanently.
The son attended the public schools and later entered the Wyoming Seminary at Kingston. Lafayette College, of Easton, Pennsylvania, was the next rung in Mr. Trembath's scholastic ladder and he graduated from that institution in the class of 1885 with the degree of Bache- lor of Arts. Returning to Wilkes-Barre, Mr. Trembath began the study of law in the offices of Nathaniel Taylor and was admitted to the Luzerne County Bar on Decem- ber 10, 1888. For the last forty years Mr. Trembath has been in active practice in Luzerne County. He is a mem- her of the Luzerne County Bar Association, for twenty- three years a member of the school board of the Borough of Kingston, and for many years has been a member of Grace Episcopal Church at Kingston, serv- ing for a lengthy period as an officer of the church. Mr. Trembath was appointed in 1921 by Governor William Cameron Sproul as a member of a commission organized for the purpose of revising and codifying the Poor Laws of Pennsylvania and, by unanimous choice of that body. he was selected to officiate as chairman: "The General Poor Relief Act" that was proposed by the Commission was adopted by the Legislature of Pennsylvania during the session of 1925. Since 1917 Mr. Trembath has served as a member of the Poor Board for the Central District of Luzerne County. He is connected in an executive capacity with the Peoples National Bank at Edwardsville, Luzerne County, holding the position of president of that institution since its organization in 1910. He is a Democrat in politics hut has never taken a very active part in political life.
Mr. Tremhath married (first), June 20, 1890, Saralı B. Colley, of Kingston, who died in 1903, a daughter of William H. and Elizabeth G. (Arey) Colley. He mar- ried, second, in 1907, Mrs. Isabel ( Hested) Carter, of New Albany, Bradford County, daughter of Joseph T. and Celestia ( Orinsby ) Hested. Mr. Trembath has five children : 1. Thomas Wayne, assistant principal of the high school in Camden, New Jersey. 2. Elizabeth Ade- laide. a graduate of Kingston High School, and of State College, Pennsylvania, completing in three years the four- years course in chemistry. She was employed prior to the war by Heinz and Company, during the war by the Atlas Powder Company and subsequent to the war by the Roessler and Haessler Chemical Company, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey. She died. unmarried, in 1922. 3. Nathaniel Taylor. a member of the class of 1918, La- fayette College, but left before his graduation to enlist in Canada as a member of the Royal Flying Corps, later transferred to Squadron No. 1, Royal Air Force. After seventeen months active service, with five enemy planes to his credit, he was sent down from the air and became a prisoner for the last six weeks of the war. He is now manager of the Dorrance Realty Corporation and the Valmont Development Company, of Wilkes-Barre, and secretary of the Guarantee Title and Mortgage Com- pany. 4. Karl Colley, in the employ of Montgomery, Ward and Company. 5. Robert Ware, educated at La- fayette College and graduate of Dickinson Law School. class of 1925, as Bachelor of Laws, and admitted to practice at the Luzerne County Bar February 22, 1927.
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GENERAL ASHER MINER, who at the time of his death was retired from the Pennsylvania National Guard with the rank of major-general, a man with a particularly brilliant military record, a distinguished citi- zen of Pennsylvania, particularly Wilkes-Barre, and a direct descendant of one of the most prominent families in America, was born November 14, 1860, at Wilkes- P.arre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. General Miner was a son of the Hon. Charles A. Miner; a great- great-grandson of Seth Miner, who was an ensign in the Connecticut line and who served on the staff of General Jedediah Huntingdon in the American Revolutionary War; a great-grandson of General William Ross who, as a boy of sixteen, served at the time of the Wyoming Massacre and afterwards held various official positions in the militia, including major-general. A beautiful sword was presented to General Ross, bearing the fol- lowing inscription : "Capt. William Ross-The Supreme Executive Council present this mark of their approbation acquired by your firmness in support of the laws of the Commonwealth on the 4th of July, 1788." General Asher Miner's great-uncle, Joseph Miner, served in the Mexican War as a lieutenant of the ist Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry ; and his father, the Hon. Charles A. Miner, served during the Civil War as a sergeant of the 30th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers.
In Pennsylvania history, the Miners of the Wyoming Valley trace their ancestry back to the pioneers Asher and Charles Miner. In America the family dates back to Thomas Miner who came to this country from Eng- land, landing at Salem, Massachusetts, during the year 1630, at the time of the founding of that colony. The complete family line is traced down with clarity from Henry Miner, who died in England during the year 1359 A. D.
Asher Miner received his education in the public schools of the community in which he was born, and he later attended the Wilkes-Barre Academy, and, still later. the Williston Seminary, at Easthampton, Massachusetts. In the year of 1879 he was employed by the firm of Miner & Thomas, one of the oldest establishments of its kind in the United States, having been founded in the year 1795, and it was there that he received his early train- ing in the milling trade and its various ramifications. With this concern he filled practically every position of importance, up to and including general manager. having been appointed thus in the year 1887. In 1894. he was instrumental in the consolidation of Miner & Company and Hillard & Brother, forming the Miner- Hillard Milling Company, of which he was appointed vice-president and general manager. Upon the death of his father, the Hon. Charles A. Miner, Asher Miner then became the president of this organization. Asher Miner was also active in a number of outside inter- ests, among the more important of which were the of- fices he filled as president of the Wilkes-Barre Board of Trade, the Pennsylvania Millers' Association, the Na- tional White Corn Millers' Association, the Pennsylvania Millers Mutual Fire Insurance Company, the Wyoming National Bank of Wilkes-Barre, and as a director of several other organizations.
An ardent supporter of the Republican party, this mem- ber of the Miner family served the people of his com- munity as a member of the Pennsylvania State Legis- lature, having been a member of that body during the session of 1906-07. He was also active in his club and social life, for he was fraternally affiliated with Land- mark Lodge, No. 422, Free and Accepted Masons, and he was a member and the vice-president of the Penn- sylvania Society of Sons of the American Revolution. and a member of the Westmoreland Club, and the Wyom- ing Valley Country Club. He was an elder of the First Presbyterian Church.
It is for his military service, however, that Asher Miner is best known, for he hegan as a private in the National Guard, and he ended his service as a major- general in Pennsylvania National Guard. He enlisted as a private, in the year 1884, in Company D. 9th Infantry. Pennsylvania National Guard, and he was promoted through the various grades until he had reached the rank of captain in this unit. Then, in 1895, he was appointed by Governor Hastings to fill the post of general-inspec- tor of rifle practice, and to hold the rank of colonel. At this time the National Guard was enlisted in the service of the United States for service in the Spanish- American War. The 9th Infantry was called into action in this war, and Colonel Miner was ordered to command the 7th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry, which never actually went into service. After being in readiness for several months, and during this time attending the in-
auguration of Governor Stone, it was disbanded after the termination of hostilities with Spain with several other organizations of its kind. Colonel Miner was recommissioned with the rank of colonel, 9th Infantry, on February 11, 1907, and he served until the expiration of his commission, in 1912. On March 7, 1916, he was recommissioned to the same rank again, and soon after the regiment was reorganized as a light artillery unit, becoming the 3rd Pennsylvania Field Artillery, on Au- gust 16, 1916, and on September 8, 1916, he was mustered into the United States Service at Mt. Gretna, serving with his regiment along the Mexican Border Patrol, particularly near El Paso, Texas. This continued until March 13, 1917, when the regiment left El Paso, Texas, for home stations and was mustered out of Federal serv- ice on March 29, 1917. For duty in the World War, Colonel Miner answered the call of President Woodrow Wilson, as commanding officer of the 3rd Pennsylvania Field Artillery, later the 1ogth Field Artillery, 53rd Field Artillery Brigade, 28th Division, United States Army. He continued in this command until he was severely wounded in action on the battlefields of France. On July 15, 1917, a camp was established at West Pittston, Pennsylvania, and this was named "Camp Colonel R. Bruce Ricketts." The entire regiment remained in this camp until September 7, 1917, when it departed for Camp Hancock, Augusta, Georgia, to join its brigade and divi- sion. Under Colonel Miner's supervision an intensive training program was followed until December 31, 1917, when Colonel Miner was ordered to report at the Field Officers' Training School, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and upon completion of the course, proceeded to the Schoof of Fire, Fort SAI, Texas, where he remained for one week, when he was obliged to accept a leave of absence due to ill health. Upon the close of Colonel Miner's leave of absence, he returned to the regiment, and upon receipt of orders early in May, 1917, proceeded to Camp Mills, Long Island, New York, to prepare for overseas' service. Preparations were completed rapidly, and on May 16 orders were received to proceed to Pier No. 59. North River, New York, and embark for Eu- rope. The commanding general of the port of embarka- tion directed Colonel Miner to assume command of the troops sailing on the S. S. "Justicia," which was to transport about five thousand troops for duty overseas. The embarkation of the regiment and the other troops completed, the S. S. "Justicia" sailed from New York on May 19. Liverpool, England, was reached by May 31, 1918. After a few days at Knotty Ash Camp, Liver- pool, the regiment entrained for Southampton, England, where boats were obtained for transporting the command to La Havre, France, where it arrived on June 5, 1918, leaving there for its training camp near Vannes, Morbi- han, France. On August 5, the initial movement of the regiment was to join the infantry of the 28th Division from which it had been detached at the time of embarka- tion. By August 10, all the units had arrived at Mezy, near Chateau Thierry, and marched to Fresnes, Depart- ment of Aisne. The regiment, commanded by Colonel Miner took up gun positions on August 11. It parti- cipated in the Fismes-Veste Sector and in Oise-Aisnes offensive. For this action it remained in the line twenty- six days, being relieved on September 8. The next day the regiment proceeded to a destination, at that time unknown, and arrived in the Argonne Forest September 22, where it participated in the famous barrage of Sep- tember 26, 1918, in support of the infantry in advance from Neuville to Apremont, France. Colonel Miner was wounded at Apremont, France, on October 4, 1918, and successively spent periods in Mobile Hospital No. 2; Rarecourt. Base Hospital No. 47: Beaume, Base Hos- pital No. 65, Brest. At Mobile Hospital No. 2 his left leg was amputated below the knee. The Colonel left Brest, France, December 17, 1918, arriving in the United States. December 24, 1918, and after a short period at St. Mary's Hospital, Hoboken, New Jersey, was removed to the Walter Reed General Hospital, Washington, Dis- trict of Columbia. Colonel Miner was cited for bravery, and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross under authority of General Order No. 140, War Department, December 24, 1918, by order of the Secretary of War, Peyton C. March, Chief-of-Staff, presentation taking place at Governors Island, New York, April 3, 1919, by Major-General Barry. The citation is as follows:
Colonel Asher Miner, 109th Field Artillery for extra- ordinary heroism in action at Apremont, France, Octo- ber 4, 1918 :- One of the batteries of the regiment com- manded by this officer, assigned to an advance position in direct support of an infantry attack, was heavily shelled by the enemy while it was going Into action. It being necessary, therefore, to take another position,
asker Siner
Thomas waders -
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he went forward under heavy shell fire and personally supervised the placing of the guns in the new position. He continued his efforts until he received a severe wound that later necessitated the amputation of his leg.
By Courier from General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, June 9, 1919, Colonel Miner was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal, under provision of cablegram No. 2830, March 1, 1919, from War De- partment to Commanding General, American Expedition- ary Forces. The citation to Colonel Miner follows :
The Commander-in-Chief, in the name of the Presi- dent, has awarded the Distinguished Service Medal to you for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service as set forth below :- "Colonel Asher Miner. U. S. A., for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service :- He served with notable success as Command- ing Officer, 109th Field Artillery, giving proof of high qualities of leadership, Inspiring his men by his self- sacrificing devotion to duty. He maintained a cred- Itable standard of efficiency, in that his regiment con- stantly furnished the most effective artillery support to the attacking infantry." By Command of General Pershing.
Colonel Miner was honorably discharged from the serv- ice of the United States, September 24, 1919. Colonel Miner was officially credited with participation in the major operations of the Fismes-Vesle sector, the Oise- Aisne offensive, and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. 'On April 26, 1921, Colonel Miner was appointed brigadier- general in command of the 53rd Field Artillery Brigade. Pennsylvania National Guard. He was retired as major- general on July 23, 1923. General Miner died September 2, 1924.
Major-General Asher Miner married Hetty McNair Lonsdale, a daughter of Henry Holloway Lonsdale, of New Orleans, who was a member of the celebrated Washington Artillery of Confederate fame, and he served through the entire length of the Civil War, taking part in many of the hard fought battles. General and Mrs. Miner became the parents of five children: 1. Helen Lea, who married Dr. Edward W. Bixby. 2. Elizabeth Ross, who married Neil Chrisman. 3. Major Robert Charles, whose biography follows in this work. 4. Mar- garet Mercer, who married Marcus Morton. Jr., of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 5. Hetty Lonsdale, who mar- ried Samuel B. Bird, of Wilmington, Delaware.
MAJOR ROBERT CHARLES MINER, vice-presi- dent and general manager of the Miner-Hillard Milling Company of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. the scion of a particularly fine old American family, and a man of much ability and high distinction in his own right, was born April 10, 1894. at Wilkes-Barre.
Robert Charles Miner, the first son and third child of Major-General Asher and Hetty McNair ( I.onsdale) Miner, received his early education at the Harry Hill- man Academy in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and he later attended and graduated from the Lawrenceville School at Lawrenceville, New Jersey. He then attended Princeton University, graduating from there with the class of 1915. when he received the degree of Bachelor of Science. He entered the employ of the Miner-Hillard Milling Company after graduation. On September 1I, 1915, he enlisted in Company K of the 9th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard. His regiment was later converted into the 3rd Pennsylvania Field Artil- lery, and was on active duty along the Border during 1916 and 1917. Mr. Miner was commissioned first lieu- tenant of artillery during 1916, but in the month of July, 1917, in response to the proclamation issued by President Woodrow Wilson, he reported for duty in the greater activities of the World War, the United States having become embroiled in this conflict but a very few weeks before. Lieutenant Miner was permitted to retain his original commissioned rank, hut was re-assigned to duty with Battery D, 109th Field Artillery which was then being mobilized at West Pittston, Pennsylvania. In the month of September, 1917, this regiment was ordered to Camp Hancock, Augusta, Georgia, and Lieutenant Miner accompanied it in this change. In the month of March, 1918, he was promoted to the rank of captain and placed in command of Battery D, of the 109th Field Artillery, 53rd Field Artillery Brigade. 28th Division. In the month of April, 1918, this entire brigade was ordered overseas, and in due course of time was sta- tioned in Brittany, France, where it completed its train- ing. On August 5, 1918 this brigade rejoined the 28th Division in action in the Fismes-Vesle Sector, and it later was under enemy fire in the Oise-Aisne offensive and the famous drive through the Meuse-Argonne offensive. It also saw active combat in the Leys-Schelte offensive
in Belgium, at which point they were fighting on Novem- ber 11, 1918, the date of the signing of the Armistice, when the temporary cessation of hostilities was obtained. For his bravery in action, Captain Miner was decorated with the Croix de Guerre of Belgium. Then, in the month of April, 1919, he returned to the United States with his command; and he was mustered out of serv- ice during the month of May, 1919, at Camp Dix, New Jersey.
Since his return to civilian life, Robert Charles Miner has assumed the duties of his citizenship with marked interest and success. In his political views he is a staunch supporter of the Republican party, and he has been exceedingly active in the commercial and general affairs of his home community, Wilkes-Barre. He has since become a director of the Pennsylvania Millers Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Wilkes-Barre, direc- tor of the American Corn Millers' Federation, director of the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, and of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce; secretary and treasurer of the Princeton Alumni Association of North- eastern Pennsylvania; and shortly after the death of his father, Major-General Asher Miner, in the month of September, 1924, was elected vice-president and general manager of the Miner-Hillard Milling Company, one of the oldest establishments of its kind in the United States, a concern dating back to the year 1795 for its founda- tion, since which time it has steadily grown in volume of business and general commercial importance until, today, it is one of the most important milling houses in the eastern part of our land. Corn, wheat, rye and buckwheat are now milled, and this company also enjoys a large wholesale grocery trade. The market for their manufactured products covers the eastern part of the United States. They also do an extensive export busi- ness. Mills and warehouses are now maintained at Miners Mills, Wilkes-Barre, Plymouth, Pittston, and Scranton, all in Pennsylvania, and the head offices are located at No. 212 in the Coal Exchange Building, Wilkes-Barre. The officials of this concern are among the most prominent men in the northeastern part of the United States, and whose family names, like that of the present Mr. Miner, are closely identified with both the carly history of the thirteen American Colonies and with administrative and operative aids of modern com- merce and finance in the present generation. Mr. Miner himself has been active, not only in commerce, but also in the club and social life of the world in which he lives, and he has not lost contact with his military inter- ests. On November 4. 1919, he was commissioned with the rank of major, Pennsylvania National Guard, and assigned in command of the 2nd Battalion of the 100tl Field Artillery. He now holds membership in the West- moreland Club. the Wyoming Valley Club, the Princeton Club of New York, and the Charter Club of Princeton University.
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