USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 48
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
474
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
made that his home and has been one of the good substantial men of the community. About seven years ago, he added 100 acres to the original purchase, securing it of Mr. F. Wells, but he later sold 40 acres of the first purchase to John Bryan, Esq. At the time of making the original purchase about 125 acres had been cleared, but only 40 acres were in a fit state for cultivation. He has not only greatly improved the soil, but the buildings as well, having erected a fine, mod- ern farm house, and large roomy barns, which are always one of the main essentials of suc- cessful farming. He also carries on lumber- ing to a certain extent.
Mr. Brown was first united in marriage with Lucretia A. Snell, a daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Bryan) Snell, and they had two children: Thomas, deceased; and Frank L. He formed a second alliance with Emma A. Little, a daughter of Daniel and Annie (Cay- less) Little. Politically he is a Republican. whilst in his religious views he is inclined to be liberal.
IRAM W. BOWER, who is engaged in contracting in masonry and plas- tering work, is one of the enter- prising and successful business men of the borough of Berwick. He is a son of William and Sarah (Stephens) Bower, and was born in Center township, Columbia County, Pa., March II, 1854.
Michael Bower, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Saxony, Germany, and came to this country at the age of thir- teen years. After his marriage he located in Kutztown, Berks County, but later came to Columbia County, and the family has since leen closely identified with the county's growth and development. It was in the latter
part of the last century that Michael came to Columbia County and purchased a small clear- ing in Briarcreek township and became one of the substantial agriculturists of that communi- ty. He also cleared a 120 acre tract, which is now owned by John Fester. His wife's maiden name was Hill and they reared the following children: Jacob; Michael; Solomon; Dan- iel, the father of Francis W. Bower, of Ber- wick: Philena; Catherine; and Abraham, the grandfather of our subject.
Abraham Bower was born in Kutztown. Berks County, and was a young man when he came with his father to Briarcreek township. He learned the trade of a mason, but after his marriage he bought a farm which he oper- ated, although he still made masonry his chief means of support. He was united in mar- riage to Helen Remley, a daughter of Michael and Susan Remley of Berks County, but later of Columbia County, and they were the par- ents of the following children: Samuel, de- ceased; Phebe, whose first union was with Daniel Miller, and second with Abraham Culp: Elizabeth, who married Caleb Fowler: William, the father of our subject; Abraham. who died young; Susanna, who also died in infancy; Lavina, who married George John- son; Catherine, the wife of Thomas Evans: Ellen, deceased; Rev. Aaron, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now retired; Hiram, who is living in retirement at Ber- wick; and Matilda, who also married George Johnson, becoming his second wife. In po- litical belief Mr. Bower was a stanch Demo- crat and served his town as supervisor and school director. He passed into the unknown beyond at the age of seventy-eight years and his worthy wife died at the advanced age of eighty-four years.
William Bower, the father of our subject. was born in Center township. Columbia
475
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
County, April 27, 1818, and with his father learned the trade of a mason and plasterer. He followed that trade for about forty years, the latter of which were spent in Berwick where he erected a fine home on Fifth street. After passing a long and useful life he folded his hands in final rest, April 12, 1897. Re- ligiously he was an adherent to the doctrines promulgated in the Union Evangelical Church. He and Sarah Stephens took the marriage vows and their union was blessed by the birth of the following children: Flora Delilah, who married Dr. M. E. Brown and is a resident of Seattle, Wash .; John S., born March 16, 1844, and died February 16, 1853: Lavina, born April 19, 1846, is the wife of G. P. Stiner of Orangeville; Emeline, born February 5, 1848, is the wife of George Herring of Orangeville; Catherine, the wife of William F. Kline of Kansas, born Decem- ber 30, 1849; Elizabeth, deceased, born March 9, 1852, and married A. Kisner; Hiram W .. the subject of this personal history; Mary N., who was born March 3, 1856, and died Aug- ust 23, 1877: Elwood, born December 26, 1858; Ida, who died in infancy; Isaac Scott, who was born February 12, 1862, and is a resident of Salina, Kans .; Sarah M., born May 3, 1864; and Eva May, born August 5, 1867, who married Wesley Cool of Nanti- coke, Pa. Mrs. Bower passed to her eternal rest March 18, 1888, aged sixty-seven years, one month, and twenty-two days.
Hiram W. Bower attended the public schools until he was nineteen years of age, and then he learned the trade of a mason and plasterer. In 1878 he moved to Ells- worth, Kas., and after spending a year at his trade there, returned home. He soon after went to Nanticoke, where he clerked in the grocery store conducted by George O. Wel- liver, but being fond of travel and favorably
impressed with Kansas on his first trip there, he decided to return to that state. After clerking there for some time he received an appointment as detective on the Union Pa- cific Railroad and during his service in that capacity he had several narrow escapes and thrilling experiences which were enough to test the bravery of any man. He performed the duties faithfully and was rewarded by a position in the general offices at Wallace, Kans., where he learned telegraphy. Later he was advanced to foreman of the mason, con- structing and building department of two di- visions extending from Brookville to Denver, a distance of some four hundred and thirty- nine miles. In 1882 he returned to his home in Berwick in order to enter the realms of matrimony, and has since made that borough his home. He has since been engaged in con- tracting in masonry and plastering. He has had years of experience in that line of busi- ness and has had the contract for many of the largest buildings in his section of the county. He has done the masonry and plastering on the following buildings: The opera house of Berwick, the beautiful residence of C. R. Woodin of Berwick Heights, the wheel foun- dry of the Jackson & Woodin Company, and the residence of J. W. Evans, and many of the residences of Berwick and vicinity. Mr. Bower's honesty in dealing with others has never been questioned and he is firmly estab- lished in the good-will and friendship of his fellow-citizens.
On January 3, 1882, our subject formed a 'matrimonial alliance with Hattie Sult. a daughter of James Sult of Berwick, and their happy union has been blessed by the birth of the following children: Odell S., who was born in Salem township, Luzerne County. September 3. 1883; Randall, born in Berwick in December. 1884: Blanche, born October
1
476
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
24. 1886; Ralph, born May 17, 1888; one who died in infancy: Arthur, deceased, born February 7, 1891; Martha, born June 24. 1892; and Lewis, born November 18, 1893. In religious attachments, the family are Meth- odists. Our subject is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party. He is a member of the P. O. S. of A .; past chief of the Knights of the Golden Eagle; past com- mander of the Knights of Malta; and a mem- ber of Bloomsburg Lodge, No. 436, Elks.
OWARD D. AVERY is prominently identified with the cultivation of the soil in Sullivan County, Pa., and is the owner of a handsome farm located near Eagles Mere, in Shrewsbury township. He was born in Sullivan County, N. Y., April 4. 1839, and is a son of John F. and Hannah (Lukins) Avery.
John F. Avery was born in Plainfield Coun- ty, Conn., from which place he moved to Sul- livan County, N. Y., where for six years he followed his trade as a watchmaker, jeweler and silversmith; he then became a resident of Wayne County, Pa., where he worked at his trade several years, but was obliged to give it up on account of his eyesight failing him. Farming then became his occupation, which he successfully continued until his death, which was in the fall of 1872. He was mar- ried to Hannah Lukins, a native of Phila- delphia, and she passed from this life at Scran- ton, Pa., in the fall of 1894. This union re- sulted in the birth of eight children, as fol- lows: Mary, who is the widow of H. W. Mitchell and resides in Americus, Kans .; John T., who died in Minnesota in 1874; Addie, the widow of Thomas Young, who now re- sides in LeRoy, Minn .; Frank H., who died
in Minnesota in 1885; Howard D., our sub- ject; Linnie, the wife of R. Y. Mitchell of Findlay. Ohio; Nellie, joined in marriage with H. P. Woodward, an editor residing at Scran- ton, Pa .; and Richard L., who lives at Chi- cago, Ill.
Howard D. Avery attended the district schools and remained under the parental roof until the breaking out of the Civil War, when, cn September 6, 1862, he enlisted in Company I, 84th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., serving under Cols. Bowman and M. Opp and Capt. John R. Ross of Wayne County. This company took part in all the engagements of the Army of the Potomac, which included the notable bat- tles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wil- derness, Spottsylvania, and Petersburg, Va .. and was close to Gen. Lee when that famous soldier surrendered. After peace had been restored our subject received an honorable discharge at Harrisburg, Pa., June 5, 1865. Returning to his home in Wayne County he began tilling the soil, remaining there until 1873, when he removed to Sullivan County, and located on his present farm; with the ex- ception of four years which were spent in farming in Morgan County, West Virginia. our subject has remained on his present farm up to the present time. He owns fifty rich and fertile acres of land and has made all the improvements himself, as when he first took possession of the land it was covered with a dense forest, that has since been entirely cleared away. Our subject is a hard-working man, is enterprising and industrious, and his duties to the public are performed in such a manner as to make him hosts of friends.
Mr. Avery, on August 27, 1862, wedded Victoria E. Mitchell, born in Wayne County, Pa., June 7, 1841, and a daughter of Rev. John T. and Elmira (Wheeler) Mitchell; her father was a Baptist minister and he and his wife are
LINCOLN S. WALTER.
479
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
now deceased. Our subject and wife were blessed by the birth of four children, as fol- lows: Howard E., who died aged twenty- three years; Laura E., died aged twelve years; Arthur L., a contractor, builder and painter at Williamsport, Pa., who was joined in mar- riage with Phoebe Roller; and Friend, who assists his brother at Williamsport, and also attends commercial school there. Politically Mr. Avery is a strong Prohibitionist; socially, he is a member of Simmons Post, G. A. R., of Sonestown; religiously, he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church.
INCOLN S. WALTER, an influential citizen of Mount Carmel, Northum- berland County, Pa., whose recent portrait is shown on the opposite page, is a lawyer of recognized ability. He is a son of Solomon B. and Catherine (Mark) Walter, and was born in Chillisquaque township, Northumberland County, July 1, 1862. He is of Scotch descent and is a grandson of George Walter, a native of Scotland, who, upon coming to this country, located in Union County, Pa., where he lived until his death.
Solomon B. Walter, the father of our sub- ject, was born in Union County in 1822 and resided there until he was twenty-two or twen- ty-three years of age, when he moved to Chil- lisquaque township. He was a man of super- ior educational attainments, being well versed. in both the English and German languages, and taught school in Union County for a number of years. At the outbreak of the Civil War he offered his services in behalf of the Union but they were rejected on the ground of physical disability. He was deeply interested in politics, being a supporter of the Republican party, and he served for sev.
eral years as school director in his township. In religious attachments he was a member of the Evangelical Church. Ile was joined in the holy bonds of wedlock with Catherine. Mark, who was born in 1827 and is now en- joying life at an advanced age; her father was of German ancestry and a well known resident of Snyder County. The union re- sulted in the following offspring: Cyrus F., a merchant of Lewisburg, Pa .; George M., a farmer of Chillisquaque township; Lincoln S., the subject of this personal sketch; Chester F., who is engaged in mercantile pursuits in Chillisquaque township; Mary, the wife of Abram Grove, a farmer of Union County: Lillian, the wife of Dr. G. W. Furey of Sun- bury; Joanna, the wife of Rev. F. H. Sher- mer, a minister of the Baptist Church at Cape May Courthouse, N. J .; Lavina, who resides at home: and Maggie, deceased, who was the wife of Wesley U. Herr of Clinton County, Pa.
Lincoln S. Walter received his primary edu- cation in the public schools of Chillisquaque township, after which he entered Bucknell University, from which institution he was graduated in 1886, having completed a full classical course. After teaching school for two years in Pottsgrove Academy, he be- gan to prepare for his chosen profession, that of law, entering the office of J. Nevin Hill of Sunbury. He was admitted to the bar in September, 1889, and at once located at Mount Carmel, where in a short time he rose to a position of prominence as a lawyer. Our subject is shrewd and possessed of more than an ordinary amount of energy and, having un- dertaken a case for his client, he fights it stubbornly to the end. His knowledge of the principles of law is extensive and he has the happy faculty of applying them to the intri- cate questions which arise in every-day busi- ness affairs. In politics Mr. Walter is affili-
480
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
ated with the Republican party and enters actively into the workings of that organiza- tion. He has been a delegate to state con- xentions and has been frequently called upon to place candidates in nomination.
On June 26, 1890, our subject was united in marriage with Carrie R. McNinch, a daugh- ter of Samuel McNinch, who for many years was a leading citizen and tanner of Potts- grove, and they are the parents of two sons: Mark M., born December 21, 1891; and Stuart M., born July 17, 1895. Fraternally our subject is a member of Washington Camp, No. 35. P. O. S. of A .; Lodge No. 256, B. P. O. E .; and the Commandery, Knights of Malta, having passed through all of the chairs, being at present past com- mander.
Mr. Walter was a passenger on the train which was wrecked on the Lehigh Valley Railroad at Dunellen, N. J., on January 9, 1899, and was seriously injured. He sus- tained a compound fracture of his left leg. Seventeen persons in the car in which Mr. Walter rode were killed, and Mr. Walter's escape from death appears almost miraculous.
AMUEL E. BERGSTRESSER is rec- ognized as one of Mount Carmel's fore- most and most progressive business men, being proprietor of a large hardware business and also being in the fire insurance business, representing several of the leading companies in the United States. He is a son of Samuel A. and Elizabeth (Case) Bergstres- ser, and was born in Elysburg, December 12. 1854.
Our subject was educated in the common schools of Elysburg and in the academy at
that place and also took a course in an Eas :- man National Business College, from which he graduated in the spring of 1873. He then worked as a clerk until the spring of 1875. and in August of that year he engaged in busi- ness with his father, the former having about five years previous removed to Mount Carmel and opened a hardware store. The business was unusually successful and our subject con- tinued in it with his parent until 1882, when he branched out for himself, continuing the hardware line. He has since been active'y engaged in that business and has made it one of the principal and largest mercantile inter- ests of Mount Carmel. A handsome and sub- stantial brick building on Oak street, 25x75 feet in dimensions and three stories high, is devoted entirely to the very large and the constantly increasing business which, under Mr. Bergstresser's able management, has grown to be one of the most important and one of the largest concerns in Northumber- land County. In addition to his original busi- ness our subject also is agent for nine of the leading and most representative fire insurance companies in the country, and he annually places many thousands of dollars of fire in- surance, so satisfactorily and promptly does he adjust losses and so reliable are the com- panies he represents. Mr. Bergstresser was one of the organizers of and is now a director in the First National Bank of Mount Carmel; is a director in the Mount Carmel Water Company, of which he was an original mem- ber; was an organizer of the Edison Electric Illuminating Company, of which he is treas- urer; a director of the Citizens' Building & Loan Association of Mount Carmel: also a director of the Mount Carmel Iron Works.
Politically our subject long has been an ar- dent and an active Republican, although he never has cared to relax his attention to busi-
4×1
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
ness sufficiently to accept office, so frequently as he might have done. He has served twelve years continuously on the board of school di- rectors of Mount Carmel, taking especial in- terest in school work and doing much to ad- vance the schools to their present high posi- tion among the schools of this state.
Fraternally our subject is a prominent member of Mount Carmel Lodge, No. 378, F. & A. M .; Griscomb Chapter No. 219. R. A. M., and Prince of Peace Commandery No. 39, Knights Templar, of Ashland, Pa .; and a member of Washington Camp No. 231, P. O. S. of A., of Mount Carmel.
On May 4. 1879, Mr. Bergstresser was united in marriage to Clara Keeler, daughter of Ralph Keeler of Northumberland County, and to thent have been born seven children: Elizabeth E .: James L .: Florence Ethel: Clara B .: John Walter; Catharine K .; and Samuel A.
The subject of this sketch, Samuel E. Berg- stresser, comes of a family of pioneers in this state who lived useful and honorable lives in Eastern Pennsylvania, where they were among the earliest settlers. Samuel A. Berg- stresser, the father of our subject, was born December 25, 1816, near Mifflinsburg, for- merly in this county but now in Union Coun- ty. He is a son of John and Ann (Auchmuty) Bergstresser. His paternal great-grandfather was John Jacob Bergstresser, a native of Ger- many, who came to this country in 1731 and settled in the eastern part of Pennsylvania. Subsequently, with his three brothers, he re- moved to Union County, where they were among the earliest settlers. The paternal grandfather of Samuel A. Bergstresser, Philip Bergstresser, was a native of Montgomery County, this state, was a farmer by avocation. and died in Union County. The father of Mr. Bergstresser and the paternal grandfather of
the subject of our sketch, John Bergstresser. was born in Union County, October 8, 1775. and resided in that county for a number of years. He removed to Dauphin County, Pa .. where he died March 27, 1852. He was a millwright by trade and ran several saw and grist mills, building one at Fisher's Ferry in 1817, which he successfully operated for nine years. He served as captain of a company of American volunteers in the War of 1812. His wife, Ann Auchmuty, was a daughter of Sam- uel and Ann ( McMahan) Auchmuty. Samuel Auchmuty was born near Selinsgrove, Pa .. where he resided nearly all his life time. He served with the patriots in the War of the Revolution from 1776 to 1781. He was a private in Capt. Stephen Chambers' company of the 12th Regiment; was transferred to the 3d Regiment in July, 1778, and was dis- charged from the American Army January 25. 1781. Jolin Bergstresser was the father of ten children, as follows: Jacob; William; Mary, wife of Joseph Shipman; John: Lot: Phebe, who became Mrs. Jonathan Hoffman; Sam- uel A., the father of our subject: Hannah, Mrs. Daniel Rumbarger: Asa; and Julia, Mrs. A. B. Sprout, all of whom are deceased ex- cepting Samuel A. and Asa.
Samuel A. Bergstresser, the esteemed fath- er of the subject of this review, came to Northumberland County with his parents in 1817. He received some education in a sub- scription school, but, as his father died when he was quite young. he was obliged early in his youth to "paddle his own canoe." He learned the trade of millwright of his father and followed it for about twelve years in the vicinity of his home. In 1847 he took his mod- est savings and went to Elysburg, where he entered into business, opening a general store, which he conducted very successfully until 1870, a period of twenty-three years. He
482
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
removed to Mount Carmel in 1870 and there engaged in general merchandising, soon pos- sessing a large and very successful business. He continued as the active head of the busi- ness until 1873, when he practically retired, leaving the business in charge of liis son, Sam- uel E., the subject of our sketch. In politics the father of our subject was originally a Whig, and naturally he was one of the organ- izers of the Republican party, with which he has been allied since its formation in 1856. In 1853-54 Mr. Bergstresser served as a member of the State Legislature for Northumberland County, and in 1860 he was a delegate in the Republican national convention at Chicago which nominated Lincoln for president. He has frequently served the borough as school director and councilman. He is an elder in the Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a member for over fifty years. He was one of the organizers of the First Presbyterian Church of Mount Carmel, which was organ- ized July 10, 1887, being one of the first board of elders. He was a charter member of Elys- burg Lodge No. 414, F. & A. M .; a member of Griscomb Chapter No. 219, R. A. M .; and Prince of Peace Commandery No. 39 of Ash- land, Pa. The father of our subject has twice married. He first won as his bride Elizabeth Case, daughter of John Case of Montour County, Pa. To them were born seven chil- dren, four of whom died in infancy. These survived to youth : Ella, who died at the age of twenty-one years; James Calvin, who is the editor and proprietor of the Insurance World of Pittsburg; and Samuel E., the subject of this review. Mr. Bergstresser's second mar- riage was to Anna M. Robins, sister of Dr. Edwin S. Robins of Shamokin. To this mar- riage has been born one daughter, Annie, who died in her infancy.
ACOB H. SWENK, train-master of the Sunbury and Shamokin division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, stationed at Sunbury, Pa., is a son of Justus and Hannah (Harris) Swenk, and was born August 18, 1846, at Milton, Northumberland County, Pa.
The family is of German origin and the name was formerly spelled Schwenk. Prior. to the Revolutionary War the family settled in Montgomery County, Pa., at or near "The Trappe." Jacob Swenk, the grandfather of our subject, was born at "The Trappe," grew to manhood, married there and subsequently moved to Milton, Northumberland County, where he spent the remainder of his days, dy- ing in 1870 at the age of seventy-four years. He bought produce in large quantities and by means of several cana !- boats which he owned transported it to various Eastern markets on the Pennsylvania Canal. and on his return brought goods for various merchants along the route, as railroad facilities at that time were few and inadequate.
One of Jacob's sons, who was named Jus- tus Swenk, and was our subject's father, was born at "The Trappe" and moved with his parents to Milton, where he spent nearly all his active career. He, however, moved a few years prior to his death to Lock Haven, Pa .. and died there in April, 1886, aged seventy- six years. Early in life he engaged in the manufacture of rope which business he con- tinued successfully at Milton until 1867. He was also associated for many years with his father in buying and shipping produce. He married Hannah Harris, who died in 1873. aged fifty years. Their family consisted of three sons and three daughters, as follows: Mrs. C. C. Straub of Milton, now dead; Mrs. Mary E. Frymier of Williamsport, Pa .; Mrs. Anna Deffenbach of Brooklyn, N. Y., now dead; R. H. Swenk, a prosperous farmer re-
JOHN H. GOESER.
4×5
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
siding at Pleasant Valley, Pa .; Jacob H., our subject; and Thomas G., a merchant of Mun- cy, Pa., and also operator for the Western Union Telegraph Company at that place.
Jacob H. Swenk, our subject, attended the common schools of Milton until he attained the age of fifteen years when he entered the Miltonian printing office at Milton and re- mained there five years, mastering the trade of a compositor. While in that office he learned telegraphy and in 1866 entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad as telegraph opera- tor at Jersey Shore, Pa. He, however, re- mained there but two weeks when he was transferred to Sunbury, Northumberland County, in January, 1867, as a telegraph oper- ator for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He worked in various capacities until 1870 when he was made train-despatcher and di- vision operator, continuing thus thirteen years. In the latter part of 1883 he was re- lieved of the duties of train-despatcher; and, in addition to his duties as division operator, was made assistant train-master. On May I, 1891, he was promoted to the position of train-master which he is now efficiently filling.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.