USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 15
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John Brown, the father of our subject, car- ried on farming and operated the Brown Mills during his early manhood, and was also en- gaged in the mercantile business at Mifflin. He was a very prominent member of his community and took much interest in public affairs. Politically he was an old line Whig. He passed from this life February 21, 1855. He was twice married and by his first wife, Mary Freas, a family of three children was reared, namely: Samuel, deceased, who was engaged in farming on the homestead; Freas, deceased, who started in life as a miller but later embarked in the mercantile business at Columbus, Pa .; and William, who died in his infancy. His second marriage was to Jane Hutchison, whose father was a well-to-do farmer of Center township, Columbia County. As a result of this union two sons and two daughters were born, namely: Margaret M., the wife of Hiram B. Freas, who reside in Chicago, Ill .; our subject: Elizabeth, wife of William Hill, a farmer of Center township. Columbia County; and Mark, who died in his boyhood days.
Hiram H. Brown was reared upon the farm until he was eleven years of age, when his father moved to Mifflin .. Our subject was educated in the public and select schools of Bloomsburg, commenced teaching at the age of seventeen years, and taught twelve winters; during the summers of 1855-56 he attended the Dickinson Seminary at Williamsport, Pa. In 1857 he located at Limeridge, Columbia County, where he was engaged in the lumber business until 1865. In the spring of 1866 he moved upon the old Britton homestead and has since been engaged in the cultivation of the soil; he also deals extensively in Italian bees, and in bee colonies, combs, foundations and extractors.
Mr. Brown was one of the chief organizers of the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company, which entered upon its business career De- cember 29, 1874, and on January 11, 1875, he was elected vice-president of the company, and has held that office fourteen years. Jan- uary II, 1892, he was elected secretary, which office he still holds. During the time when the Farmers' Grange flourished in this section, he was one of its most active supporters; was deputy grand master of Columbia and Lu- zerne counties from 1873 to 1880, and during that period he assisted in organizing twenty- seven local Granges. In 1860 he joined Mountain Lodge, I. O. O. F., and in 1870 withdrew to become a charter member of the Espy Lodge, No. 681, of which he is now past grand master; in 1863 he was elected to membership in Washington Lodge, No. 265, F. & A. M., of Bloomsburg; is a charter member of Camp No. 17, P. O. S. of A., of Light Street, and was district president of the same in 1895. In religious views Mr. Brown is an active member of the Methodist Church. He was school director three years and asses- sor of the township eighteen years. On March 21, 1861, Mr. Brown and Elizabeth Conner were united in the bonds of matrimony, and they are the parents of three children, namely : Eber A., a mechanic of Light Street, who married Anna E. Beers of Bloomsburg, Pa., and they have a son, Claude C., born October 7, 1898; Morse, who died in infancy; and Hannah J., who married H. W. Black of White Hall, Pa., and they have one child, Edith. The Conner family is of Irish de- scent. John Conner, the grandfather of Mrs. Hiram Brown, was a well known tanner and farmer of Center township, Columbia County, and was one of the wealthiest men in that sec- tion of the state. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Conner was twice
JUDGE ROBERT TAYLOR, JR.
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married; his first wife was Miss Hill who bore him the following children: Mary; Thomas; Samuel; Isaiah; John; and Charles. His second wife was Elizabeth Nyer and two children resulted from this union, Joseph P. and Rebecca. Thomas Conner, the father of our subject's wife, was born in Center town- ship where he was engaged in farming all his life. He died in September, 1862, at the age of fifty-four years. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. He formed a matri- monial alliance with Hannah Laubach, a daughter of Frederick Laubach, a farmer of Benton township, Columbia County. To this union three sons and two daughters were born: John Freas, a farmer residing in Kan- sas; George, a farmer of Scott township: Eliz- abeth, the wife of our subject: Alfred, de- ceased, who worked in a supply house and fur- niture store at Cape May, N. J .; and Mary Catherine, wife of W. S. Conner, a resident of Trenton, N. J.
UDGE ROBERT TAYLOR, Jr., who for five years faithfully served in the capacity of associate judge of Sullivan County, Pa., is now extensively engaged in farming and lumbering on his estate of 370 acres in Davidson township. He is a son of Frederick and Margaret (Edkin) Taylor, and was born in Shrewsbury township, Sullivan County, October 2, 1832.
Our subject conies from one of the oldest and a leading family of the county, and is a grandson of Robert Taylor, who was the first of the family to locate in Sullivan County. He came from Lewistown, Pa., and took up a tract of land, thickly covered with timber, which he cleared. He next built a house and carried on farming in connection with oper- ating a grist-mill and a distillery. Thus he
continued until his death at the age of sixty- two years, and became quite wealthy, owning at one time some 600 acres of land. He formed a marital union with Elizabeth Mayhue, and among their children was Frederick, the fath- er of our subject.
Frederick Taylor was born in Shrewsbury township, Sullivan County, where he lived most of his life, and became a prominent citi- zen of Muncy Valley. He was a Democrat in politics and served as supervisor in the town- ship and as school director for many years. He was united in marriage with Margaret Edkin, a native of England, who came to this country with her father, George Edkin, who settled in Shrewsbury township, where he lived the remainder of his life, dying at the advanced age of eighty years. Mrs. Taylor's mother lived to reach the ripe old age of nine- ty-three. This union was blessed by the birth of eight children, namely: Sarah, deceased, who was the wife of Beaver Kitchen, who re- sides at Montgomery Station, Pa .; William, deceased, who married Mary Anderson, who now resides in Shrewsbury township; Robert, Jr., the subject of this personal history; George E., a record of whose life appears else- where in this Book of Biographies; Sophia. the widow of John Foust, resides in Muncy. Lycoming County; Deborah, deceased, was the wife of John Roach, who is also deceased; Margaret, deceased; and Theodore, who lost his life in 1865, while serving in the Union Army. Mr. Taylor died on March 13, 1886. and his wife joined him beyond the river of Death in February, 1891.
Robert Taylor, Jr., after receiving intel- lectual training in the common schools. at the age of eighteen years began working on the farm for his father and also engaged in lum- bering, continuing with his father until after his marriage. He then moved to his present
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farm, which consists of 370 acres of good land, and there has since carried on general farming and lumbering, besides dealing extensively in cattle. He has improved the land to such an extent that it is one of the most valuable pieces of property in the section. He is a man of great energy and enterprise and has been decidedly successful in his various lines of business. In private life he is a good neigh- bor and a kind friend, and possesses the es- teem of a large circle of acquaintances.
In 1868 our subject married Sarah Sellers of Lycoming County, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Sellers. The former was a blacksmith by trade, and both are now de- ceased. This union resulted in the following offspring : Ocy, the wife of A. T. Armstrong, a merchant, lumber dealer, and the proprietor of a grist-mill at Sonestown,-they have four children, Rita, Taylor, Erma and Mary; Harry, born October 30, 1871; and Edna, who lives at home. In political affiliations Mr. Taylor is an unswerving supporter of the Democratic party, and for five years served the county as associate judge. He has been tax collector and supervisor, and has held many township offices of minor importance. Mrs. Taylor is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
A recent portrait of Mr. Taylor is shown on a preceding page, in connection with the above sketch of his life.
OHN JEFFERSON, foreman in the Alaska Colliery at Mount Carmel, Pa., has been actively engaged in the min- ing business for many years, and by honest labor and untiring energy has worked his way from a lowly position to a well paying and prominent one. He enjoys the respect and
esteem of his many friends and is ranked among the substantial citizens of the borough. He is a son of Joseph Jefferson and Elizabeth (Wilkinson) Jefferson, and was born in Potts- ville, Pa., May 9, 1840.
. Joseph Jefferson, the father of our subject, was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1805, and about 1832 immigrated to this country with his wife and two children, locating at Potts- ville, Pa. He was a miner by occupation and followed mining in that vicinity for a time. He first operated the Young's Landing Colliery under a contract, but had the misfortune to lose three thousand dollars in the venture owing to the absconding of the man of whom the mine was leased. He later was injured in the mines and was compelled to give up that line of work, but he soon took to agricultural pursuits at which he was more successful. He was a man of much natural ability and com- manded the good-will of all with whom he was acquainted. He was united in marriage with Elizabeth Wilkinson, and their union re- sulted in the birth of eight children, as follows : Mary, deceased; Robert, deceased; William, deceased; Joseph, deceased; Ellen, who died in infancy; Charles and Henry, twins; and John, the subject of this biographical record.
John Jefferson was educated in the public schools of Schuylkill County and in Green- wood Seminary. At the age of seventeen years he was apprenticed to the trade of a machinist under William H. DeHavers and served for fourteen months, when he became dissatisfied, during the panic which prevailed in 1857, and gave up his position. He then went into the mines as a laborer where he worked with a faithfulness to be rewarded at the expiration of five years by promotion to a position as fire-boss. He continued in that capacity until 1874 when he was again given an advance, becoming a foreman, and as such
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he has been serving up to the present time, with the exception of six years when he was superintending the Shamokin collieries. He has been in the employ of the Reading Com- pany for many years and is now inside-fore- man of the Alaska Colliery. He has ever been faithful to the best interests of his employers,' who place high value on his services.
Mr. Jefferson was united in marriage with Mary James, by whom he had the following children : Jane; Elizabeth; John E., a rail- road man in the employ of the Lehigh Valley Railroad; William, deceased; Mary; Laura; Elizabeth; Joseph; Margaret; and Garfield. Our subject formed a second matrimonial al- liance with Ellen Six Smith, and two children blessed their union, one of whom, Carrie, is now living.
Politically our subject is a Republican, but is rather inclined to be independent, always supporting the man who in his opinion is best deserving of the office and will best serve the people. Socially he is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic post at Mount Carmel; the Odd Fellows Lodge at Shamokin; and of the Patriotic Order Sons of America at Mount Carmel. He is also a member of the Mount Carmel school board.
ASHINGTON MADISON MON- ROE. This honored citizen of Rupert, Pa., is successfully engaged in the manufacture of powder kegs and is agent for the Dupont Powder Company. He was born in Muncy, Lycoming County, Pa., Sep- tember 3, 1838 and is a son of Isaac S. and Elizabeth (Davis) Monroe, grandson of Ben- nett and Lucy (Sprague) Monroe, and great- grandson of Bennett Monroe.
Bennett Monroe, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a native of Scotland and with
his brothers, Joseph and Nathan, immigrated to this country. One brother located in the state of Virginia and among his descendants was President James Monroe; another set- tled in the state of Rhode Island; and Bennett settled near the village of Woodstock, Vt., where some of his descendants yet reside. Bennett Monroe, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was born in Woodstock, Vt., and died at his home in Bridgewater, Mass., in 1845. His wife was Lucy Sprague, a member of the hon- ored Sprague family, of which Gov. Sprague was a descendant.
Isaac S. Monroe, the father of our subject, was born in Woodstock, Vt., in 1804. He possessed a good education and during his early life was engaged in contracting and pub- lic work; in 1833 he moved to Catawissa, Co- lumbia County, where he built one and one- half miles of the Pennsylvania Canal. He took one of the first boats loaded with coal down the Schuylkill Canal from Pottsville to Philadelphia; he also took a boatload of pig iron from Catawissa to Harrisburg, Pa., over the Susquehanna River, which was probably the only successful trip ever made over that route. Later he engaged in the distilling bus- iness at Muncy, Lycoming County, and from there he moved to Columbia County where, from 1847 to 1863, he was extensively en- gaged in the lumber business. In 1863 he erected a building at Rupert and began the manufacture of powder kegs, which business he followed until his death, on February 4. 1879. Mr. Monroe was internal revenue as- sessor of what was then the Thirteenth Con- gressional District but is now the Seventeenth Congressional District, from May, 1863, until November, 1865. From 1861 until his death he was general agent for the Dupont Powder Company, and the following seven counties were assigned as his territory: Columbia.
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Montour, Snyder, Lycoming, Sullivan, North- umberland and Schuylkill. On February I, 1870, he was appointed by the governor as associate judge of Columbia County, and on November 9, 1870, he was elected to the same office for a term of five years. Politically Mr. Monroe was a stanch Democrat until the breaking out of the Rebellion when he joined the ranks of the Republican party. He was a member of Gov. Porter's staff with the rank of major. Socially our subject's father was a member of Catawissa Chapter, No. 178; past grand master of Catawissa Lodge, No. 349, F. & A. M .; and a member of Catawissa, now Danville, Commandery, No. 37. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Davis, a daughter of John Davis who was formerly a farmer of Montgomery County, but later of Franklin township, Columbia County. Seven children blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Monroe, three of whom died in their infancy. Those who grew to maturity were as follows : Sarah, deceased, who was the wife of Peter R. Baldy of Catawissa; Lucy S., died aged seventeen years; our subject; and Mary, de- ceased, who was the wife of Austin H. Church of Wyoming County, Pa.
Washington M. Monroe, the only member of the family living, was educated in the public schools of Catawissa and in the Hill School of Pottstown, Pa. He was then employed by the Catawissa Railroad Company as operator and ticket-agent at Catawissa and after re- maining in the road's employ three years, in 1865 became a partner with his father in the manufacture of powder kegs; upon his father's death our subject succeeded him in the business, and has since been agent for the Dupont Powder Company. The keg factory is a building 40 by 60 feet, has a capacity of 1,000 kegs per day and gives employment to fifteen men.
In politics Mr. Monroe is an unwavering Republican and has contributed much toward the success of his party in his community; his first vote was cast for Stephen A. Douglas. Religiously he and his family hold member- ship in the Episcopal Church; socially he is a member and past master of Catawissa Lodge, No. 349, F. & A. M .; Catawissa Chapter, No. 178; and Danville Commandery, No. 37. February 19, 1861, Mr. Monroe and Ellen B. Leonard, daughter of George T. Leonard of Amity township, Berks County, were united in marriage, and to this union the following children have been given: George T., who was drowned in the Pennsylvania Canal in his boyhood days; Elizabeth, who is the wife of H. H. Royce, a cotton broker of New York City, whose home is at Crawford, N. J .; Mary E., who wedded William E. Johnston a telegraph operator at Rupert; and Ellen and Irene, both of whom are at home.
OSEPH PARDOE is extensively en- gaged in general farming and lumber- ing in Elkland township, Sullivan County, and is one of the most reliable citizens of that community. He comes of an old Sul- livan County family, and was born to William and Jane (McCarty) Pardoe, March 30, 1845.
His grandfather was Joseph Pardoe, who came to this country from his native land, England, locating at Northumberland, North- umberland County, Pa., where he became a neighbor of Dr. Priestly, an extensive land- owner in Sullivan County, whom he knew previously in England. From him he pur- chased 200 acres of uncleared land at two dol- lars per acre, and after clearing sufficient ground he erected a little log cabin into which he moved with his wife. Together they la- bored zealously and in time converted the
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
wild timberland through which the wild ani- mals roamed at will into beautiful fields, now under a high state of cultivation. In this little log cabin their children first saw the light of day and there grew to maturity. He lived a long and useful life, spending the last few years in retirement at the home of a daughter, having disposed of the old homestead to Wat- son Wright, Esq. He lived to reach the age of ninety years and his wife also reached a ripe old age, both now lying buried in the Pardoe burying-ground, a small tract set off from his farm for that purpose. Subsequent to settling in America, he married Sarah Roberts, and eight children blessed their home: William; Joseph; John; George; Richard; Thomas; Elizabeth; and Sarah.
William Pardoe, the father of our subject, also took to agricultural pursuits and, upon reaching manhood, purchased a tract of land three miles south of the old homestead, which consisted of eighty acres of timberland. He made a clearing and built a log house, follow- ing farming there the remainder of his days. During the forty-third year of his age, while engaged in clearing some land, he severely cut his foot, and before receiving medical assist- ance almost bled to death. This wound finally resulted fatally. He married Jane McCarty. a daughter of Joel McCarty, and they reared five children : John, a resident of Forksville ;. Albert, deceased; Joseph, our subject; Joe!, deceased; and Mary, the wife of Frank Barnes of Elkland township. Mrs. Pardoe was fifty- four years of age at the time of her demise. Politically Mr. Pardoe was originally a Whig. but became a Republican upon the organiza- tion of that party, serving in a number of township offices. Religiously he was a mem- ber of the Society of Friends.
Joseph Pardoe received his intellectual training in the district schools and was reared
on a farm. Upon leaving the parental roof he bought the Henry Huckell farm of one- hundred and thirty-six and one-half acres, and there he has since lived, following a life of consistent industry and great happiness. In 1888 he built a new and handsome house for a residence and also erected a new barn. Surrounding the house are beautifully-laid- out-grounds which, with their large trees and hedges, present a striking appearance. He has not only engaged in general farming, but in lumbering to an extent, leasing portable saw-mills, and sending his lumber to market at New Albany, Pa., and at Wilkesbarre. He has not only attained the highest success in the business world but in private life is es- teemed by all who know him.
Mr. Pardoe married Lizzie Molyneux, a. daughter of John and Martha Molyneux, and she passed away in 1883, aged forty-three years. Our subject formed a second marital union with Mrs. Mary Kelder, widow of Les- ter Kelder and a daughter of Edwin Saben, by whom he had one son, Thaddeus, a book- keeper of New Albany. In 1895 William Emery of Forksville, who at that time lost his wife, leaving him with three children, being in straitened circumstances he gave the sec- ond child, Gracie, to our subject and wife, with whom she has since lived. Politically Mr. Pardoe is a firm Republican and has served as auditor of the township.
EREMIAH M. OSLER owns a val- uable piece of land along Elk Creek, Elkland township, Sullivan County, where he is engaged in farming and lumber- ing, his life-long vocations. He is promi- nently known throughout the county as a man of untiring energy in any business ven-
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
ture he undertakes and his home and sur- roundings are of a character showing him to be a careful, conscientious worker. He was born in Hillsgrove township, Sullivan Coun- ty, Pa., June 25, 1833, and is a son of John H. and Jane (Myers) Osler.
The grandfather of our subject, Jeremiah Osler, was a native of New Jersey. When a young man he settled in Philadelphia where he was known to be one of the best carpenters in that city. He left a wife and two children, John H., and Lydia, deceased. Our subject's grandmother was Catherine Hinkle Osler and she was again wedded to Samuel Bryan who in 1810 moved to Muncy township where he worked at his trade as a carder and cloth- dresser; later he removed to Elkland town- ship and bought the farm now owned by Charles Bryan.
John H. Osler, father of our subject, started in life as an apprentice in the woolen factories at Muncy and being an economical man he saved enough of his hard-earned money with which to purchase a factory; after running a woolen factory from 1835 to 1841 he gave up that business and purchased the property now owned by Clay Osler. He died in Forksville in 1888 at the age of eighty- eight years. His wife was Jane Myers and they became the parents of the following children: Jeremiah M .; Sarah Jane, de- ceased; Catherine, now Mrs. Huckell; John S., who resides in Elkland township and mar- ried Gertrude Ketchum; Julia Ann; Clay M .. who wedded Alice Corson and resides in Forks township; Lydia S .; David W., who resides in Lycoming County; H. Wilson, who died young; and Edwin R., who lives in Mary- land where he practices medicine. Mr. Osler was an old line Whig, later a Republican, and held many township offices; religiously he was a member of the Methodist Church.
Jeremiah M. Osler attended the schools in his native township where he attained a good business education. The first two years spent on his own account were passed in farming and lumbering on his father's farm. He then came to his present farm, which consists of one hundred and eighty-five acres, and is sit- uated in one of the best farming districts in Sullivan County. Our subject built a saw-mill and rafted his lumber down the river to the markets below doing a large business. He also owns a large tract of timber land and takes contracts for bark-peeling, giving em- ployment to hundreds of men. Mr. Osler is liberal with the poor and among his fellow- citizens he is esteemed and respected by all; like his father and mother he is a good neighbor and an excellent citizen. In 1892 he erected a handsome frame dwelling and a large barn and has one of the best farms in Elkland township.
Mr. Osler formed a matrimonial alliance with Julia A. Brown, who has been of great assistance to him, and who has ably borne her share of the burden in accumulating their present fine property and rearing and educat- ing their family. She is a daughter of George W. and Mary (Snyder) Brown. Her father was a son of John and Mary (Watson) Brown, who reared a family of six children, namely : William, George W., John, Thomas, Ann and Elizabeth. John Brown settled where Henry Brown now resides and died there aged eigh- ty-four years. George W. Brown purchased land in Forks township upon which he built a saw-mill and carried on farming and lumber- ing all his active days. He died in 1889 aged eighty-six years, while his wife departed from this earth in 1892 aged eighty-eight years. They reared the following children : Charles; Elizabeth; William W .; Mary; Julia Ann, our
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subject's wife; John S .; George W .; Effic; and Margaret J.
Mr. and Mrs. Osler are the proud parents of the following children: Hiram W., of Elk- land township, who wedded Sadie King by whom he reared five children, Ina, Sidney, Marion, John, and Annie,-he was sheriff of Sullivan County in 1898; Horace Newton a prominent dentist of Dushore, Pa., formerly a veterinary surgeon, a graduate of the To- ronto (Ont.) Veterinary College, who was joined in marriage with Catherine Rogers,- two children have been born to them, Lena and Donald; Charles W., died aged two years; John G., died aged twenty-six years; Joseph W., wedded Effie Jones and they reside in Tioga County, Pa .; Mary Jane, deceased, who was the wife of D. F. McCarty; Irvin, died aged four years; Lillie, wife of Grant Little and the mother of three children, Fanny M., Julia, and Otto G .; Fanny W., died aged sixteen years; Nellie J., joined in the bonds of wedlock with Moses Randall and two child- ren, Jeremiah M. and Ransom W., have been born to them; and Boyd L., who is a student.
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