USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 40
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Casper Rhawn was born at Halifax, Pa .. in 1814, where he obtained his intellectual train- ing and learned the trade of a tailor. In 1835 he removed to Catawissa, Pa., where he followed his trade until his death in 1882. He formed a matrimonial alliance with Catherine Kruck, a daughter of Jacob Kruck, a native and resident of Berks County. Mrs. Rhawn, who was born in 1818, survives her husband and is enjoying good health for one of her age. Their union was blessed by the birth of the following children : Susan (Koslen- bauder); George B .; Stephen; Catherine (Haas); Jacob; William H .; and Jessie. Mr. Rhawn was a firm supporter of the Demo- cratic party and always took an active inter- est in local affairs, serving as postmaster of Catawissa for many years.
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William H. Rhawn, a record of whose life is here given, received his education in the public schools of Catawissa and in Dickinson Seminary, after which he took up the study of law under the preceptorship of W. H. Ab- bott of Catawissa. He was admitted to the bar in May, 1879, and has since lived in Catawissa, where he maintains his office, but his largest practice is at the Columbia County Bar. He is an active and energetic business man and his great success can only be attrib- uted to his own superior natural abilities and professional qualifications. He is a strong worker and when he enters upon a case it is with the firm determination of doing justice to his client and to himself. He is attorney for the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, the Catawissa Fiber Company, Ltd., and for the Catawissa First National Bank, of which he is a stockholder.
In his political views Mr. Rhawn affiliates with the Democratic party and has frequently been spoken of as a senatorial candidate ow- ing to his well-known executive ability and his popularity.
R. MARTIN ELIAS PLUMSTEAD, a successful practitioner of medicine of Hillsgrove, Hillsgrove township, Sullivan County, is a man of good education and has had much practical experience in the performance of his professional duties. He is a son of John and Lydia (Crayton) Plum- stead, and was born in Bradford County, Pa., May 31, 1873.
John Plumstead, the father of our subject, was born in Elmira, N. Y., where he resided until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he enlisted in the 16Ist Reg., N. Y. Vol. Inf., of Elmira. He was injured on a boat on the Hudson River while in the discharge of his
duty, and upon his discharge from the regi- ment he returned to his home. There he lived for some time and then moved to Frank- lin, Bradford County, Pa., where he worked at the carpenter's trade. He finally moved to Sayre, Bradford County, in 1885, and is now a resident of that place, being employed in the locomotive works. He was united in marriage with Lydia Crayton of Bradford County, and they are the parents of five chil- dren, as follows: William K., a mason by trade and a resident of Sayre, Pa., who mar- ried Florence Northrup; Minnie, the wife of Frank L. Garrison, a car-inspector living at Wilkesbarre, Pa .; Lewis, a laborer residing in Sayre, Pa .; Martin Elias, the subject of this sketch; and Norman, a youth of thirteen years, living at Sayre, Pa.
Dr. Martin E. Plumstead received his edu- cation in the common schools of Sayre, Pa., after which he entered the employ of the Le- high Valley R. R., working as fireman for å period of two and one-half years on the main line. He then resigned that position and be- gan the study of medicine in the Medical De- partment of the University of Cleveland, at Cleveland, Ohio. He attended school there for one year, after which he took a two years' course in the Chicago Homeopathic School. As his means were limited, it was with great difficulty that our subject was able to attend school; it required labors outside of school work, but he was equal to the demand, pay- ing his tuition by aiding the janitor in his duties. He was graduated and received a certificate to practice on March 23, 1897, immediately thereafter locating at Sayre, Pa. He received his certificate to practice in Penn- sylvania on June 24, 1897, and practiced in Sayre until August, 1898, when he moved to Hillsgrove, Sullivan County, where he has acquired a good practice. He has met with
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pleasing success since his residence in Hills- grove and as a result contemplates conduct- ing a first-class drug-store there in the near future. He has identified himself with all of the interests of the township and has made many friends in that vicinity.
On June 5, 1898, Dr. Plumstead was mar- ried to Hattie Brougham of Sayre; she was born in January, 1873, and is a daughter of Spencer and Lottie (Mills) Brougham. Her father is a machinist by trade. The doctor was on the board of health at Sayre, and was also examiner of the Metropolitan Life In- surance Company there. Socially he is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. In politics he is a member of the Republican party. Religiously he is a faith- ful member of the Baptist Church; his wife is a member of the Episcopal Church.
EORGE W. RYON, attorney of Shamokin, Pa., a portrait of whom is shown on the opposite page, is wide- ly known as one of the most thoroughly pro- gressive citizens of the Keystone State. Com- bining rare business ability and tact with a thorough knowledge of law, he has been fore- most in advancing the material interests of the town in which he resides and practices his profession. Mr. Ryon was born in Elkland, Tioga County, Pa., April 30, 1839, and is the oldest son of George L. and Hannah (Hammond) Ryon, the latter a descendant of a Connecticut family which early settled in this state. The principal material for this sketch is taken from "The Prominent and Progressive Pennsylvanians of the 19th Cen- tury," published by the Record Publishing Co., of Philadelphia, Pa.
Our subject's great-grandfathers on both ancestral lines were soldiers in the Continental
Army and served throughout the Revolution, one attaining the rank of colonel and com- missary-of-subsistence in the division com- manded by Gen. Anthony Wayne. John Ryon, Jr., grandfather of our subject and a son of one of the Continental warriors, re- sided in the Wyoming Valley until about eighteen years of age. Ile then settled in Elkland where he quickly took a high place in public affairs. He represented the Tioga- Bradford district as state senator for eleven years, being elected as a stanch Democrat. He also was for fifteen years associate judge in Tioga County, which position he filled with dignity and honor. While a member of the senate he introduced a resolution favoring the election of Andrew Jackson to the presidency. which resolution was passed by both houses of the State Legislature. Seventy years ago Mr. Ryon was superintendent of the Penn- sylvania Canal, and carved in stone in the western end of the Shamokin dam opposite Sunbury his name as such under the date. 1829.
When our subject was ten years old his parents removed from Elkland to Lawrence- ville, in the same county. George W. grew to manhood on his father's farm, receiving his education in the Lawrenceville Academy. the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima, N. Y., and at a commercial college in Roches- ter, N. Y. After graduating from the Roch- ester college he was employed for a year as a civil engineer on the Kenosha, Rockford & Rock Island Railroad, having his head- quarters at Rockford. Ill. In 1859 Mr. Ryon went to Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, Pa .. where he began the study of law in the office of his uncle, Judge James Ryon. Two years later he passed a very creditable examination and was admitted to the practice of his pro- fession at Pottsville, Pa. He soon afterwards
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took up his practice in Lawrenceville, sub- sequently seeking wider opportunities for his talent, and in 1869 removing to Shamokin, Pa., where he rapidly built up a good prac- tice and where his greatest successes as a law- yer have been made. Always among those most prominent in working to advance the prosperity and development of Shamokin, Mr. Ryon's efforts have been fully appreciated by his fellow-citizens and he has frequently been tendered public office. He was one of the principal organizers and an incorporator of the Shamokin Banking Company and was its first president at the age of thirty-one years, and he yet holds the office. He also was one of the incorporators of the Shamokin Gas Light Company; a promoter of the Shamo- kin Manufacturing Company, of which he is a director; a stockholder in the Shamokin Water Company; a trustee of the Shamokin Silk Mill, a new industry with a large mill now nearing completion; and is a stockholder in the Shamokin Silk Throwing Company, which was incorporated in December, 1898. For several terms our subject was borough solicitor, and his services were of inestimable value to the borough. In or out of public office Mr. Ryon has been energetic and tire- less in his endeavor to promote those things which have been for the public benefit.
In politics, as were his ancestors, our sub- ject is an unswerving Democrat. In 1876 he was a delegate to the national convention in St. Louis which nominated Tilden and Hen- dricks as the national candidates of the Dem- ocratic party. He also was a delegate to the state conventions which placed in nomina- tion for governor Heister Clymer and Judge Pershing. In 1881 his party testified to its appreciation of Mr. Ryon's services in its councils and in its behalf gave fitting recog- nition to his eminence as a lawyer by nom-
inating him as its candidate for president judge of Northumberland County. His pop- ularity with the people of his county was dem- onstrated strikingly, for, although defeated, his defeat was almost as flattering as would have been a victory. Twelve thousand votes were polled and Mr. Ryon was beaten by only 219 votes. In October, 1891, Gov. Pattison appointed Mr. Ryon a member of the Board of Commissioners of Public Charities of Penn- sylvania and in November, 1896, he was re- appointed by Gov. Hastings for another term of five years. He has served with energy and painstaking zeal, which have won him the ad- miration of his fellow members on the board.
For many years Mr. Ryon has been a trus- tee of the First Presbyterian Church of Sha- mokin, and during the major part of his ser- vice as trustee he has also been chairman of the board, and yet occupies the important office. He was a member of the committee which supervised the construction of the handsome edifice now occupied by the church society, contributing much of his time and means toward making the building what was desired.
Our subject was married on April 29, 1869, to Phoebe Huntzinger, daughter of the late William Huntzinger of Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, Pa. To them have been born three children,-William H., Lewis H., and Bessie.
THON HOMAS E. KENNEDY, one of the prominent and genial hotel-keepers of Laporte, Pa., who is the owner and proprietor of the well-known Commercial Hotel and who is one of the popular and highly esteemed citizens of that community, was born June 13, 1871, and is a son of Jeremiah and Bridget
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(Luby) Kennedy, and grandson of Edward Kennedy.
Our subject's father is of Irish extraction, and was born and reared in Turbal, County Roscommon, Ireland, and was founder of the prominent and prosperous family in this coun- try. While a young man he departed from his native land and sailed for the United States, locating in Schoharie County, N. Y., where he engaged in the tanning business. He was foreman of tanneries at the following places : Camden, Forrest Port, Moose River, Port Leyden, N. Y .; Ledgedale, Pa .; Ca- dosia Valley, N. Y .; Thorndale, Pa .; and Laporte, Pa. He pursued his vocation in the latter place until 1889, when he purchased of Dr. Fleshet the building used by him for a drug-store and dwelling. This Mr. Kennedy enlarged and remodeled into a hotel which he conducted until September, 1894. This hotel is now managed by our subject. He was joined in the bonds of wedlock with Bridget Luby, a native of St. Charles, County Roscommon, Ireland, her father having come to the United States when she was a young girl, locating at Staten Island, N. Y. To this happy marriage the following family of child- ren was born: Edward, a tanner residing at Buffalo, N. Y., was wedded to Maria Brown, who bore him a family of five children,-Ray- mond Ambrose, Robert, John, and Doratha; James, deceased, married Kate Mckenzie. lived in Chicago, and they had the fol- lowing children,-Francis T., deceased, James, Leo, and Clara; Mary, the wife of Dr. E. S. C. Foster, and two children have been born to them, Jeremiah and Walter; William A., a well-to-do tanner of Sullivan County, whose sketchappears elsewhere in this biographical record; Jerry, a tanner of Titus- ville, Pa., who married Lizzie Scanlon, and they have reared two children, Regenia and
James Francis; Maggie, who was united in marriage with George Nortz and the follow- ing children were reared by them,-Eulena May Raphael, Adah Philamenia Gabriel, Ray- mond Severinus Alloysius, Mary Frances. Vincent William, Emmitte George, Norbert Anselm, Hillary Hyacinth, and Winnifred Margaret; John P., who is a barber and is the father of two children,-J. Howard and E. James; Thomas E., the subject of this per- sonal history; Annie, who remains at home: and Kate, the wife of John E. Gallagher of Muncy Valley, and the mother of five chil- dren,-James, Thomas, Maggie, Agnes, and John Anthony.
Thomas E. Kennedy acquired a liberal edu- cation in the public schools of Laporte, Pa .. and he started out in life as a clerk for James McFarlane of that town; his services were of such an order that he remained with Mr. McFarlane for nearly seven years, and only left his employ at the request of his father who wished him to assist in conducting the hotel. However, he did not remain in his father's hotel long, as he was offered a much better position as head-clerk and overseer of the company store at Jamison City, Pa., and remained in that capacity a period of five years. At the time the company was pur- chased by the Union Tanning Company our subject became bookkeeper and remained with his new employers fifteen months. He then returned to Laporte, where he remained a short time and then accepted a position with Trexler & Turrell, lumber dealers of Rick- etts, Wyoming County, as manager of the company store. he remained in their employ until 1897 when he returned to Laporte and succeeded Mr. T. W. Beahen in the hotel for- merly conducted by his father. The Com- mercial Hotel is very pleasantly situated. is first-class in every particular, contains fifteen
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large and elegantly furnished rooms, and our subject has established quite a reputation as a host.
Mr. Kennedy chose for his companion in life Martha Coleman, a daughter of William Coleman of Benton, Pa., and they are the happy parents of four children, namely : Charles, deceased; Alice; Samuel A .; and Pauline Elizabeth. Politically our subject is a firm supporter of the principles of the Democratic party and has held several minor offices; religiously he and his family are prominent members of the Roman Catholic Church.
J OHN W. FLYNN, who has been en- gaged in the tanning business more or less all of his life, is at present super- intendent of the Union Tanning Company of Laporte, Pa., one of the largest industries of its kind in Sullivan County, and he has proven himself well worthy of a position of so great responsibility. He is of Irish extraction, was born in Sullivan County, N. Y., March 22, 1856, and is a son of Michael and Mary Agnes (Nolan) Flynn, and a grandson of Roger Flynn.
Roger Flynn was the founder of this well- known family in this country. He was born in Leansborough, County Roscommon, Ire- land, immigrated to the United States about 1848, and settled in Sullivan County, N. Y .. where he followed the pursuits of an agricul- turist the remainder of his active days. He was the father of the following children : Bridget; James; Michael; Catherine; Mary Ann; and Jane.
Michael Flynn, the father of our subject, was also born in Ireland, and was a young man when his parents came to America. He engaged in the tanning business during his early manhood and a few years later pur-
chased a farm in Sullivan County, N. Y., car- rying on general farming until his death at the age of eighty-four years. He was united in the bonds of wedlock with Mary Agnes No- lan, a native of Ireland, who died at the age of sixty years, leaving the following children: Joseph, who most of the time has been en- gaged in the tanning business, and married Adelia Clark; John W., our subject; Busie; Michael, who also is connected with the Union Tanning Company; Thomas, a farmer on the old homestead; and Edward J., a woodsman.
Our subject acquired a liberal education in the common schools of his native township, attending school during the winter months and working in a tannery during his spare time. In 1882 he and his brothers, Joseph and Michael, went to Thorndale, Pa., and took contracts for finishing leather for the Laporte Tanning Company. In the year following, John went to Laporte for the same company and two years later was advanced to book- keeper, remaining in that capacity for one year, when he entered Warner's Business Col- lege at Elmira, N. Y., graduating from that institution on January 16, 1888. He then accepted a position as bookkeeper for Boak, Woddrop & Co., of Hughesville, Pa., where he remained until the following fall. He then bought an interest in the Muncy Manufactur- ing Company at Muncy, Pa., which he held until July, 1889; in August, following, he again entered the employ of James McFar- lane & Co. of Laporte, as bookkeeper and remained until June, 1890. Mr. Flynn then went to Jamison, Pa., where he accepted a position as bookkeeper and manager of the company store for Thomas E. Proctor, a well- to-do tanner of that village. Remaining in the latter's employ until he sold his tannery to the Union Tanning Company, our subject
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PROF. ELMER E. GARR.
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then engaged as bookkeeper for the new com- pany until February, 1894, at Jamison, when he was transferred to Laporte as superin- tendent of the company's interests in that bor- ough. Our subject has remained in this em- ploy up to the present time and has won the confidence and good-will of both his em- ployers and the men under him. The Union Tanning Company owns and operates several tanneries in that section of the state and is composed of the following officers: C. S. Horton, president; M. F. Hammond, secre- tary; W. H. Newton, treasurer; A. S. Buck- ley, general superintendent of the tanneries: and C. B. Farr, general superintendent of bark and timber. The officers are all promi- nent residents of Williamsport, Pa., with the exception of Mr. Buckley, who . resides at Athens, Pa.
Mr. Flynn, while a resident of Jamison, was appointed postmaster of that village and held that office until 1897. He was wedded Sep- tember 25, 1894, to Mary A. Breiger, a daughter of Charles and Frances Breiger of Laporte. Two children bless their home, namely: Joseph, born December 31, 1895; and Charles, born June 6, 1898. Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Flynn are prominent members of the Catholic Church. He has served as a member of the borough council, has been member of the school board and board of health for the past five years, and in his politi- cal affiliations is a supporter of the Demo- cratic party. He has been a member of the Democratic standing committee for the past three years; he served as delegate to the state convention held at Altoona, Pa., in 1898.
ROF. ELMER E. GARR, the super- vising principal of the public schools of Berwick and principal of the Ber- wick High School, has served in those capaci-
ties, for which he has exhibited marked quali- fications, since 1891. During his term of office he has brought the schools to a standard of efficiency that is unequalled by any in the county, and, after a pupil has completed the academic or high school course, the founda- tion of a good English education has been laid, and he is thoroughly prepared to enter college or to enter upon a business career. The method of instruction adopted is to in- culcate the habit of research into the very depths of a subject with as little assistance from the teacher as possible. Large campuses surround the schools and are well adapted for all kinds of sports, and due attention is given to the physical development of the pupils. Prof. Garr is popular not only among the pu- pils and his fellow-educators, but also with the general public, which is ever ready to appre- ciate honest endeavor and superior work.
Prof. Elmer E. Garr is a native of the state of Pennsylvania, having been born at Easton, Northampton County, and is a son of Hilarius Garr, a resident of Edelman, Northampton County. He received his primary education in the Easton Academy, from which he grad- uated in 1886, and immediately thereafter en- tered Lafayette College. He took a full course and graduated from that well-known institu- tion in 1890. He is a man of scholarly attain- ments and was well qualified to enter upon the responsible duties attached to his present du- ties when called in 1891. The high school building is a pleasant two-story structure, well fitted throughout with the apparatus neces- sary to illustrate the subjects under study, and furnished with comfortable desks. Works of reference are provided for the use of the pu- pils, who also have access to the library of the Y. M. C. A., which comprises 4,000 volumes of literary, scientific and historical works. Upon the board of education are to be found
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some of the leading citizens of Berwick, name- ly: Charles C. Evans, president; H. E. Wal- ton, secretary; S. W. Dickson, treasurer; F. W. Bower; M. G. Smith; and John A. Smethers. The faculty consists of the follow- ing capable instructors: Elmer E. Garr, su- pervising principal; W. L. Houck, vice-prin- cipal; William E. Elmes; Eva D. Stiles; and N. W. Bloss. Having made for himself a place in the difficult life-work he has under- taken, Prof. Garr commands the respect of the entire community and is regarded as an au- thority on matters educational.
Our subject formed a matrimonial alliance with Laura Hester, a daughter of Nelson Hes- ter of South Bethlehem, Pa., and they are the happy parents of three children: Florence E., Ruth H., and Marion F. Socially our sub- ject is connected with the following orders: Master of Knapp Lodge, No. 462, F. & A. M .; member of W. T. Sherman Commandery, No. 23, P. O. S. of A., of Berwick; past com- mander of Susquehanna Commandery, No. 18, Knights of Malta; and of the Royal Ar- canum. In religious belief he adheres to the doctrines of the Lutheran Church. Prof. Garr purchased the property formerly owned by Lyman Fowler, made many improvements upon it, and now has a very comfortable home. We present his portrait on a preceding page.
AMES BOYD McHENRY, ex-sheriff of Columbia County and one of the valued citizens of Benton, who is highly respected for his many sterling quali- ties, was born in Greenwood township, Co- lumbia County, Pa., February 8, 1851, and is a son of Benjamin and Lovinia (Conner) Mc- Henry, grandson of Daniel and Mary (Cole- man) McHenry, and great-grandson of Daniel and Mary (Stephen) McHenry.
Daniel McHenry, great-grandfather of our subject, was of sturdy Scotch-Irish descent and was one of the pioneer settlers of Co- lumbia County. With an ax and provisions for six months he left his home and came to the county and took up a claim of several hundred acres of land in Fishing Creek town- ship, which is now the property of his grand- son, Daniel McHenry. He felled trees and built a log cabin, and then returned to his for- mer residence and brought his family to their new home. He cleared a part of the farm and then engaged in the tilling of the soil. He was married to Mary Stephen, who bore him the following children: Benjamin; Mattie; Daniel; John, who was the first male child born in his section of the county; Moses; and Elias.
Daniel McHenry, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Chillisquaque, Pa., and when he grew to manhood he purchased of his father one hundred acres of the original. homestead and there carried on farming the rest of his active days. He passed from this life on his birthday, aged seventy-nine years, and was the grand-and great-grandfather of seventy-two children. He was wedded to Mary Coleman, a daughter of Benjamin Cole- man, a native of New York State. Eleven children blessed their home, who were named as follows: Betsey; Sally; Benjamin; Polly; William; Adeline; Mary; Moses; Uriah; Joseph; and Charlotte. Mrs. McHenry died at the advanced age of seventy-nine years.
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