USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 50
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Dr. James Pollock McCleery, the subject of this personal history, acquired a high intel- lectual training in the Milton Academy and then studied medicine with his father. He dil- igently applied himself to his work and was graduated from the Jefferson Medical College in March, 1857, immediately thereafter enter- ing upon practice. He soon succeeded to his father's practice, and this he has extended to such an extent that he has little time which he may call his own. He is constantly on the go and is obliged to make such trips as none but the sturdiest constitutions can stand. He has always been interested in public improve- ments and is one of Milton's most progressive citizens. In 1871, at No. 45 North Front street, he erected a handsome residence, in which his office was located, but this building was destroyed by fire in 1880. He imme- diately built a handsome brick residence, with all modern improvements and conveniences, with office attached. Politically he is a firm Republican, but does not aspire to office.
On June 4, 1870, Dr. McCleery married Margaret S. McCormick, a daughter of John McCormick of Turbot township, and they are the parents of five children: Anne M .; Mary H., widow of Lawrence B. Fonda, by whom she had one son, Henry L .; Martha; Jose- phine; and William.
AMES I. HIGBEE. We introduce to our readers throughout the Seven- teenth Congressional District one of the foremost men of Northumberland County, the gentleman whose name appears above, a prominent railroad contractor and a large real estate owner of Watsontown, Pa. He is a son of Philip Higbee and was born in Tioga Center, Tioga County, N. Y., in 1856. He moved to Northumberland County, Pa., in
DR. WILL L. SHINDEL.
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1878. He purchased the Van Fleet farm near Watsontown and for a couple of years devoted his time entirely to agricultural pursuits.
During the flood of 1880 Mr. Higbee took the contract from the West Branch Lumber- men's Exchange of gathering and cutting the logs taken from the flood and manufacturing them into lumber at the Pardee Mills in Wat- sontown. In 1886 our subject began the im- portant and lucrative business of railroad building. He built sixteen miles of the Cen- tral Pennsylvania & Western Railroad from Watsontown to Orangeville, and in 1893 built the Central Railroad of Pennsylvania, thirty miles, from Bellefont to Mill Hall, Pa. All the stone and abutment work to the bridges was entrusted to him and it has proved emi- nently satisfactory to all concerned.
Mr. Iligbee was united in marriage with Mary D. Miller of Smithboro, Tioga County, N. Y. Ira M. Higbee, their only child and son, was given a thorough education, mas- tered the profession of a civil engineer, and was graduated from Lehigh University in 1895. In 1896 he accepted a position with the Venezuelan government as assistant engineer in constructing water works, in the state of Miranda, towns of Maraca and Victoria, Ven- ezuela, spending one year on the above work. Soon after he was married to Mary M. Boon of Williamsport, Pa., and is now assistant su- pervisor of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Wat- sontown.
After becoming a contractor our subject left his farm and purchased a handsome modern brick residence on South Main street, in Wat- sontown. In this comfortable home he and his estimable wife have since enjoyed life, and they make it hospitable for their many friends. In politics Mr. Higbee is a Republican, but has never been prevailed upon to accept office, except in a minor capacity in the borough.
R. WILL L. SHINDEL. Prominent among the successful professional men of Northumberland County stands its present coroner, Dr. Will L. Shin- del, a prominent physician and expert sur- geon of Sunbury. His portrait is shown on a preceding page. He is a son of Dr. Daniel W. and Sarah E. (Irwin) Shindel, and was born in Sunbury, January 7, 1867. Dr. Will L. Shindel obtained part of his education in the schools of his native place, but educated himself mainly by self-tuition and newspaper work. In early life he was employed on the staff of the Sunbury Daily as reporter, and subsequently was the city editor of the Shamo- kin Daily Dispatch. During that time he was also staff correspondent for several met- ropolitan papers, among them the New York Sun, New York Press. While engaged in newspaper work he also studied medicine un- der his father, afterward taking a course at the Medico-Chirurgical College of Philadel- phia from which he was graduated in 1893, after three years of hard study and work, a full-fledged M. D. He immediately began the practice of his profession in Sunbury and met with much success. In 1893 he was nom- inated and elected coroner of the county by his party, the county being at the time a Democratic stronghold, and was re-elected to the same office in 1896.
The family is of German origin and the name was originally "Von Schindel." The first of whom we have an account is one Conrad Schindel who, with his wife. Barbara Schin- del, lived at Gemmelsbach, Germany, in 1678. Their son, named Johanna Conrad Schindel, was baptized October 18. 1685, and was mar- ried January 22, 1710. to Susanna Trexler. Subsequently the Schindel family removed from Gemmelsbach. the home of the husband and his ancestors. to Airsbach, the home of
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the wife and her ancestors. From that time on, Airsbach was the home of the Schindel family. The next and third in line of de- scendants was Johanna Peter Schindel, born at Airsbach February 28, 1732, and baptized March 2, of the same year. He married Maria Margaret Gebhart and in 1751 immi- grated to the United States, settling in Leba- non County, Pa., where his death occurred May 29, 1784. He was one of the earliest pioneers of Lebanon Valley.
Fourth in line of descent was also Johanna Peter Shindel, born in Lebanon County, Pa., August 21, 1766, and died there September 17, 1829; he married Maria Menges and reared a large family, one of whom, Rev. John Peter Shindel, D. D., was the grandfather of our subject. He was born in Lebanon Coun- ty, Pa., October 3. 1787. He obtained a classical education, graduating and receiving the degree of D. D. He was one of the ab- lest and best known Lutheran ministers of Pennsylvania; he went to Sunbury, June 4, 1812, and his death occurred there October 26, 1853. He preached from 1812 to 1851. covering a period of forty years, in the ser- vice of the Sunbury church and other con- gregations in the vicinity. Rev. Mr. Shindel was a fluent speaker and an effective organ- izer of church work; he was the leader of the New Church movement, which resulted in the establishment of the East Pennsylvania Luth- eran Synod, in the 40's and was the first president of the Synod. He married Susanna Mccullough, of Irish descent, by whom he had eleven children, as follows: Rev. Jere- miah, a Lutheran minister, who served in the Assembly and two terms in the State Senate as a Democrat, and resigned to become chap- lain of the IIoth Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., in the Civil War, serving three years; John Peter, Jr., D. D., who was also a prominent Luth-
eran clergyman, spending his entire life in the service of the church; Jacob, formerly as- sociate judge of Snyder County, and a prom- inent druggist of Selinsgrove, Snyder Coun- ty, Pa .; Solomon, who was a civil engineer by profession but did not follow it to any great extent, was a Democrat, and served several terms in the State Legislature; Dr. Newton, who was a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, and practiced medicine at Selinsgrove, Snyder County, Pa .; Dr. Daniel W., father of our subject; Martin L., D. D., a Lutheran minister of Danville, Pa .; Philip M., who was employed in the U. S. revenue service most of his life; Louise, who married Gideon Leisering; Mariah, intermarried with Benjamin Hendricks; and Susanna, who wedded Samuel Gobin, she becoming the mother of Gen. John Peter Shindel Gobin, the present lieutenant-governor of Pennsyl- vania.
Dr. Daniel W. Shindel, father of our sub- ject, was a worthy scion of this illustrious fam- ily. He practiced medicine in Sunbury for nearly half a century and was regarded as one of the ablest and most skilful practitioners of the day. He was regarded as the best authori- ty on fevers in the West Branch Valley. He was a close student not only of medical works but also of general literature and was a scholar of recognized ability ; he adhered strictly to his profession and attained eminent success local- ly. He, like all the family, was a member of the Lutheran Church.
Dr. Daniel W. Shindel was born in Sun- bury, Pa., November 17, 1822, and received his primary education at Sunbury Academy, beginning the study of medicine while he was teaching school. He graduated from the Pennsylvania Medical College in 1850; he served in various local offices, as councilman, assistant burgess, and school director. He
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was a member of the school board for twenty- one years; also was U. S. pension examiner from 1865 to 1885. He was twice married; first, in Sunbury, June 17, 1851, to Mary Wharton, who was the mother of three daughters. Mrs. Shindel died in January, 1863, and a year later Dr. Shindel was united in marriage with Elizabeth Irwin and six children resulted; Will L., subject of this sketch; Jane, deceased; Carrie, deceased; Min- nie; Georgia A .; and Webster, also deceased. Dr. Daniel W. Shindel's death occurred De- cember 12, 1895.
Our subject is president of the Northum- berland County Medical Society, a member of the Pennsylvania State Medical Associa- tion, and president of the Sunbury Board of Health. He is also surgeon to the Mary M. Packer Hospital and has done considerable in that line. He does medico-legal work be- fore courts and is, therefore, considered an ex- pert witness. Dr. Shindel is a member of the following lodges: Sunbury Lodge, No. 22, F. & A. M., of which he is a past master; Northumberland Chapter, No. 174, R. A. M .; Calvary Commandery, No. 37, K. T .; Lulu Temple, A. A. O. N. of the M. S. of Phila- delphia; and the I. O. O. F. In political be- lief he is a stanch supporter of the principles advocated by the Republican party.
ILLIAM L. SIDLER is one of the prominent attorneys-at-law resid- ing at Danville, Pa., and is register of wills and recorder of deeds of Montour County. He is a native of Danville, and is a son of Franklin and Amanda (Gulick) Sidler, a grandson of Jacob Sidler, and a great- grandson of Jacob Sidler, Sr.
Jacob Sidler, the great-grandfather of our
subject, spelled his name Sittler; he was a na- tive of Germany, who came to this country and settled in New Jersey. He and his son Jacob moved to Montour County, then a part of Columbia County, and purchased a tract of land in Valley township, which is now the property of Emanuel Sidler, and there carried on general farming the remainder of his active days. He passed from this life at an advanced age and was buried in the old log-church grounds in Mahoning township. He was the progenitor of four children, as follows: Phil- ip, David, Marcia, and Jacob. Jacob Sidler, the grandfather of our subject, is supposed to have been born in Allentown, Pa. He learned the trade of a carpenter by the old scribe rule, followed that vocation some time, and then engaged in farming on the old home- stead, which consisted of 140 acres of highly cultivated land. At his death he also owned another farm of 210 acres. He passed from this life at the age of sixty-two years; his wife, who was Elizabeth Benfield, a daughter of John Benfield, entered the world of rest at the age of fifty-two years. They were the parents of the following children: John, Mary, Sarah, Franklin, Emanuel, Elizabeth, and a child who died in infancy. Mr. Sidler was a strong Democrat in politics and served as su- pervisor and school director many years; in religious views he was a member of the Luth- eran Church.
Franklin Sidler, the father of our subject. was born on the old homestead, where he spent his boyhood days. He and his brother changed the name Sittler to Sidler, as it is now spelled. I11 186; he enlisted in the 3rd Reg., Pa. Vol. Artillery, as a private and served throughout the close of the war; returning home at the close of the struggle, he was em- ployed in the rolling mills until 1872. when he purchased a farm in Valley township. Mon-
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tour County, and followed agricultural pur- suits the rest of his active days, with the ex- ception of 1874 and 1875, when he was a stockholder and contractor in the Co-opera- tive Iron Works at Danville, now known as the North Branch Iron & Steel Company. He was united in marriage to Amanda Gulick, a daughter of Samuel Gulick of Montour County, and as a result of this union four chil- dren were born, namely: William L., the sub- Ject of this biographical sketch; Charles A., an attorney residing at Sunbury, Pa .; Horace A., who is engaged in farming on the old homestead; and Samuel G., who died in in- fancy. The father of our subject died in 1891, aged fifty-seven years. The mother of our subject still resides on the homestead with lier son Horace. Mr. Sidler was an unwaver- ing Democrat, and was supervisor and tax collector; religiously he was attached to the Lutheran Church. He was a man greatly re- spected for his many fine qualities and was recognized as one of the active and progres- sive men of his community.
William L. Sidler acquired a good educa- tion in the public schools; he then taught several years in the public and grammar schools of Danville. Later he supplemented his education by a course in Princeton Col- lege, from which institution he was graduated in 1888; he then began the study of law un- der the direction of Edward S. Gearhart, and was admitted to the bar in 1890. In 1891 he began practicing his chosen profession with the above-named gentleman, and has been meeting with the greatest of success. He is regarded as one of the promising young at- torneys of his community. He was elected register and recorder of Montour County, which office he still holds, the duties of which he is honestly and faithfully fulfilling.
Our subject was united in marriage to Mary
E. Divel, a daughter of Hon. Henry Divel, a prominent citizen of Danville, whose sketch may also be found in this Book of Biog- raphies. Four children blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Sidler, namely: Margaret R., born Angust 10, 1891; Franklin William, born August 1, 1894; Mildred, born Feb)- ruary 28, 1896; and a son born January 24. 1899. Mr. Sidler is a member and past mas- ter of the Mahoning Lodge No. 516, F. & A. M .; Danville Commandery, Knights Templar, No. 37, of which he is captain general; Mon- tour Lodge No. 109, I. O. O. F .; and Beaver Lodge No. 132, K. of P. Religiously he is a devoted member of the Lutheran Church.
UGUST C. HERR, a worthy German- American citizen of Shamokin, and inside-foreman of the Luke Fidler Colliery, was born May 8, 1855, in Bremen, Germany, and is a son of Lewis and Sophia (Willis) Herr. The father was a native of Germany and lived there until his death in 1866, when only forty-five years of age.
August C. Herr attended the schools of his native country until thirteen years old when he went to sea on a vessel of the North German Lloyd line, and remained with that company until 1870, being in England when war was declared between Germany and France. From England he came to Hobok- en, N. J., where he secured leave of absence from the ship on which he was employed with the understanding that he would go back as soon as the ship returned. He did not re- turn, however, but went to St. Mary's, Elk County, Pa., where he worked in the soft coal mines until March, 1873, and then re- moved to Shamokin Pa .. where he worked at the Luke Fid'er Colliery as a miner for a
JACOB H. VASTINE, M. D.
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
period of about three months. He then be- came a miner at the Cameron Colliery and after a term of fifteen years was promoted to assistant foreman, in which capacity he was employed five years, serving in all for a period of twenty years, and was connected with the Mineral Railroad & Mining Company exactly twenty-six years. In 1893 he became inside- foreman at the Luke Fidler Colliery, in which position he has since efficiently served.
On February 21, 1875, Mr. Herr married Minerva Milbrand, whose parents were lost at sea on the voyage from the Old World to America, and to them have been born the following children: Charles Augustus, born August 10, 1875, who married Mary E. Ker- stetter, and is living in Shamokin, Pa .; Min- nie, who died when five or six days old and was born April 19, 1877; Clara Wilhelmina, born April 21, 1879, is the wife of Harvey C. Kerstetter; Ludwig C., born June 16, 1880, resides at home; William, born October 26, 1882; Ida, born December 21, 1884; Franklin Monroe, born July 30, 1887; John Alfred, born September 15, 1889; Edward Benjamin, born March 22, 1892; and Annie May Allen, the pet of all, who came to bless their home on October 8, 1895. Socially our subject is a member and past grand of Shamokin Lodge, No. 664, I. O. O. F .; and a member and past master of Lodge No. 225, F. & A. M .; also a member of Shamokin Chapter No. 264, R. A. M .; and member of Shamokin Commandery No. 77, K. T.
J ACOB H. VASTINE, M. D., one of the influential and honored physicians of Columbia County and a highly es- teemed citizen of Catawissa, was born in Rush township, Northumberland County, Pa., April 2, 1836.
Our subject is a descendant of Amos Vas- tine, who emigrated from Holland and set- tled in Bucks County, Pa. His son, John, was a native of Bucks County, but with his parents moved to Northumberland County, where he engaged in farming and distilling the rest of his active days. He was united in the bonds of wedlock with Catherine Os- man, a native of Hackettstown, N. J., and they reared seven children, as follows: Eliza- beth, William, Amos, Marguerite, Sarah, Thomas, and John. Mr. Vastine died aged sixty-two years; his wife passed from this life at the age of eighty years.
William Vastine, the father of our subject, was born in Rush township, Northumberland County, Pa., in 1812, and his boyhood days were spent working with his father. Attain- ing his majority, he purchased a farm and suc- cessfully carried on general farming all his life. He was joined in marriage with Eliza- beth Hursh, a daughter of John Hursh, a na- tive of Rush township, Northumberland County. The father of our subject entered the world of rest in 1859. Mrs. Vastine passed to the unknown beyond in 1890, aged eighty- one years. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Vastine: Amos, a retired farmer of Danville, Pa .: Hugh, a farmer re- siding near Riverside, Pa .; Simon, who re- sides on the old homestead; Ezra, deceased, who was a retired farmer and resided at Dan- ville, Pa .: Elizabeth, the wife of Dr. James Ogleby of Danville; Daniel, who died at the age of eleven years; and Ellen, who also died at the age of eleven years. Mr. Vastine was a Whig; religiously he and his family favored the Lutheran Church.
Dr. Jacob H. Vastine received his primary education in the common schools of his native town, which was later supplemented by an academic course in Danville Academy and
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Shamokin Collegiate Institute. He then en- tered Jefferson Medical College and was grad- uated with the class of 1858. He immediately began practicing his profession at Elysburg, Pa., and after remaining there two years went to Numidia, Columbia County, Pa., and suc- cessfully followed his profession in that dis- trict for a period of twenty-one years. In 1881 he removed to Catawissa, where he has since resided. Dr. Vastine has always had a large and lucrative practice, and during his younger days he covered a field in which three doctors now work. Until recently the Doctor has been a strong, robust man, never refused a call, and for thirty-five years he was not once compelled to take to his bed on ac- count of sickness. He was a director of the old Bank of Catawissa, and since the forma- tion of the First National Bank he has been its president.
Dr. Vastine was married in 1861 to Sarah Hughs, a daughter of George Hughs of Cata- wissa, and they are the parents of the follow- ing children: Henrietta, wife of Asa Spencer of Lansdale, Pa .; Elizabeth, deceased; Dr. George H. Vastine, who was educated in the University of Susquehanna and then took a medical course in the University of Pennsyl- vania,-after spending one year abroad he re- turned and began practicing in Catawissa, and has since been united in marriage with Nellie Pfahler of Catawissa; William, cashier of the First National Bank of Catawissa, who re- ceived his education in the Susquehanna Uni- versity and later graduated from Gettysburg College in 1893; Marion, a medical student; Harriet B .; Sarah; and Alder. During the late Rebellion our subject served one year as assistant surgeon in the 127th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf. Dr. Vastine is prominent among his pro- fessional brethren and an influential member of the Columbia County Medical Association,
of which he was one of the original members; the State Medical Association, of which he has been a member since 1875; American Medical Association; in 1887 he attended the ninth International Medical Congress at Washing- ton, D. C., as a delegate from the state asso- ciation; has been president of both county and state associations; has been physician for the Pennsylvania Railroad for a number of years; was the first president of the board of health of Catawissa; is a member of the I. O. O. F .; Catawissa Lodge, F. & A. M., and the R. A. M., and is past high priest of the same; and is a member and present command- er of Hoagland Post, G. A. R. Politically Dr. Vastine is a stanch Republican. We present a recent portrait of our subject on a previous page.
AMES M. DERBY, secretary and treasurer of the Mount Carmel Iron Works, is one of the most popular and prominent men in Mount Carmel, where he stands very high as a business man of unusual ability who has been very successful. Mr. Derby is a son of Chauncey H. and Esther P. (Cary) Derby, and was born at Dunmore, near Scranton, Pa., September 10, 1851.
Our subject was educated in the common schools near Scranton and at an early age learned the trade of tinsmith with his father and also learned the details of the hardware business. He followed both the trade an.1 business for a few years, when he engaged in business as a general merchant, conducting a very successful store until 1880, in which year he branched out and sought a larger field and more opportunities for his ability and his busi- ness talent. He removed to Mount Carmel in 1880 and established a business as a general merchant, having sold out a quite prosperous
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
general store which he had established a short time previous in Shamokin. He conducted his general store in Mount Carmel until Jan- uary 1, 1896, when he was active in the forma- tion of the Mount Carmel Iron Company, which was chartered July 15, 1895. He re- signed a clerkship with the Union Coal Com- pany to form the Mount Carmel Iron Com- pany. He was the first superintendent and general manager, which position he filled with great ability, and he was later made sec- retary and treasurer. The works do a very large business, manufacturing all sorts of iron used in connection with mining machinery.
In politics Mr. Derby formerly was a Re- publican, but he now is classed as a Prohi- bitionist. He is prominent in fraternal circles, being a member of Mount Carmel Lodge No. 378, F. & A. M., and of the R. A. M. Chap- ter and Knights Templar; also a leading mem- ber of Mount Carmel Lodge No. 630, I. O. O. F. He is an active member of the Methodist Church.
Mr. Derby was united in marriage on July 22, 1873, to Helen M. Clarkson of Ashland, Pa., and to them have been born these chil- dren : Archibald, who is employed in the Mount Carmel Iron Works, and married Min- nie, a daughter of F. M. Everett; Ethel M .; Robert Wilson; Florence; and Loue'la. Through the efforts of Mr. Derby a post- office was established two miles west of Mount Carmel, which is called Strong, and of which he was the first postmaster ap- pointed. Mr. Derby always has taken great interest in everything which has had a ten- dency to advance the commercial and indus- trial interests of Mount Carmel. He has been prominent in every movement for the general good of the public and is looked upon as one of the most progressive, energetic and public-
spirited citizens of the town in which he is so popular, both in business and social circles.
The father of our subject, Chauncey II. Derby, was a native of Lackawanna County; so also were several other members of the fam- ily on the paternal side. The family origina'ly came from Ireland and were the founders of Derby, Conn. Many of its members have re- sided in the state of Pennsylvania for gener- ations. The grandfather of our subject, John Derby, located in Lackawanna County, this state. He was a Presbyterian clergyman and followed the work of the church during his life-time.
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