USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 52
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Our subject married Lavina Farnsworth of
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
Sunbury in 1850 and unto the happy couple have been born four children : Mary C., wife of F. B. Luce of Sunbury; Florence S., who married A. W. Bradstreet of Rochester, a relative of the originator of the Bradstreet reports and who, upon her demise in April, 1895, left surviving her two children, Andrew J., and Elsie, Florence and Floyd, twins, hav- ing died in their infancy; John C., of Sun- bury, who wedded Lillian McCaulay of Phil- adelphia, five children resulting from the union, two of whom, Elizabeth and Nellie, are now living and two having died while in- fants; and George A., who died when quite young.
ILLIAM F. HARPEL, superin- tendent of the public schools of Shamokin, Northumberland Coun- ty, Pa., was the youngest son of Rev. Mark and Martha Ann (Morgan) Harpel, and was born near Freemansburg, Northumberland County, Pa. He was reared and educated in the public schools of Lancaster County and Reading, Pa., and subsequently at the State Normal School at Millersville.
Our subject first entered the field as an act- ive educator when quite young, teaching the public school in Elizabeth township, Lancas- ter County, one year, then receiving the ap- pointment of principal of the second gram- mar school of Shamokin; in 1877 he was ap- pointed principal of the first grammar school; September 2, 1880, was promoted to the re- sponsible position of superintendent of the local schools to fill the unexpired term of Prof. F. M. Bates, resigned, which position he has since occupied. Although he was but twenty- four years old at that time, his remarkable success in the school-room had already at- tracted the attention of the directors, hence
his successive re-appointments, serving eiglit- cen years in this capacity, during which time his educational methods have placed the local educational system on a par with that of any other town of its size in the country. His career in the educational interests of Shamo- kin is a conspicuous example of a high posi- tion won by a man of learning and energy.
Supt. Harpel stands among the leaders in the ranks of education, which place has been universally accorded him by reason of success achieved by him in the local public schools. He is a diligent worker and has earned the reputation of being one of Pennsylvania's most progressive educators: is an active mem- ber of the National Teachers' Association, the Pennsylvania State Teachers' Association, the National Superintendents' Association, the City Superintendents' Association of Pennsyl- vania, the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, and is also a state councilor of the American Institute of Civics.
One of the priceless possessions of Supt. Harpel is that happy faculty of giving to oth- ers, in a clear manner, that knowledge and information with which his own mind is so richly stored. This endowment, or Nature's gift, if you so choose to call it, is the most desirable factor in the make-up of a success- ful educator; many of our earnest and pains- taking teachers fail because of this lack of ability to explain. "They know, and know well, but cannot tell what they know." Supt. Harpel possesses personal enthusiasm in a marked degree, and the able papers prepared and read by him at educational assemblages invariably attract widespread attention. He has personally visited and studied the systems of education pursued in most of the leading cities of our country and frequently spends his vacation in attending summer institutes or Chautauqua lectures. Being progressive in
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every respect, he is not slow to adopt new and advanced ideas, which is amply demon- strated by the high standing of the schools which he manages.
Traveling is Supt. Harpel's favorite recre- ation, and he has already visited nearly every state and territory in the Union, as well as most of the British provinces to the north of us. In 1882 he made an extensive trip to the Old World and toured Ireland, Scotland, En- gland, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Switzer- land and France, and spent the summer of 1888 in touring through our most northern possession, Alaska.
On July 2, 1896, Supt. Harpel chose for his bride Elizabeth May Stedman, a charm- ing and cultured lady. She is a daughter of James A. Stedman and is a native of New York State. Despite his arduous school duties our subject takes an active interest in church work, and is at present a deacon of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran congregation, and was superintendent of its Sunday School for a number of years. He is a tried and valued adviser in the councils of the Republican par- ty. Socially he is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, and affiliates with Shamokin Lodge No. 255, F. & A. M .; Shamokin Chap- ter, No. 264, R. A. M .; Shamokin Command- ery, No. 70, K. T .; Caldwell Consistory, S. P. R. S., 32d Degree, of Bloomsburg, and Rajah Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Reading, Pa.
RANCIS M. EVERETT, cashier of the Mount Carmel Banking Com- pany and one of the most prominent men in the financial circles of Mount Carmel, is a son of Elijah and Elizabeth (Stiner) Everett, and was born May 11, 1850, in Orange township. Columbia County, Pa.
The paternal grandfather of our subject, James Everett, was a native of Northampton County, this state, who removed to Blooms- burg when young, being one of the pioneer settlers in what is known as Orange town- ship. He was engaged in agricultural pur- suits in that township for many years. The family on the maternal side was of German origin and its members were among the ear- liest settlers in Briarcreek township. The father of the subject of this sketch, Elijah Everett, was born in Briarcreek township and resided in it until his death at a comparatively early age.
Our subject was educated in the common schools. His father dying when he was quite young, his mother remarried and removed to Muncy, Lycoming County, Pa., where Fran- cis remained until he was seventeen years of age when he forsook the farm and took a position as a clerk in the general store of I. W. Hartman & Son, in Bloomsburg. After clerking for a short time he was made man- ager of the grocery department of the store, successfully conducting the firm's large bus- iness for a number of years. Subsequently, from 1871 to 1874. Mr. Everett was employed in the War Department at Washington, D. C. In 1890 he connected himself with the Bloomsburg Banking Company at Blooms- burg, with which he remained until January, 1895, when he removed to Mount Carmel, where he now resides and where he has been very successful in managing banking busi- ness. As cashier of the company of which he now is one of the leading men, the Mount Carmel Banking Company, Mr. Everett has shown much ability as a financier and to his ability and careful direction is largely due the prosperity of the company. The officers of the company are: President, Thomas M. Righter; vice-president. David Camp: cash-
CHARLES L. SANDS.
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
ier, Francis M. Everett, our subject; direct- ors, Thomas M. Righter, David Camp, George E. Berner, H. S. Robins, D. D. Bo- lich, Isaac Goldschmidt, Peter A. Stief, Ben- jamin Wirt, Joseph Gould, John L. Williams, O. B. Millard of Centralia, and Joseph S. Nowakoski.
Mr. Everett is a member of the board of directors of the Mount Carmel Iron Works, the officers of which are: President, David Camp; vice-president, S. E. Bergstresser; treasurer and manager, J. M. Derby. He also is president of the Miners' & Laborers' Build- ing & Loan Association. He is a trustee of the M. E. Church in which he is an active member.
Twice has our subject been united in mar- riage, first to Anna Hartman, daughter of T. W. Hartman, and unto them were bern two daughters: Minnie, wife of A. H. Derby of Mount Carmel, and Mary, wife of E. F. Carpenter of Bloomsburg who is one of the clerical force of the First National Bank of Bloomsburg. Mr. Everett's second marriage was to Amelia Neyhard of Bloomsburg and their union has been blessed by three child- ren, Robert, Frederick and Margaret.
HARLES L. SANDS, of the firm of C. L. Sands & Company, proprietors of the Mordansville Woolen Mills, manufacturers of flannels, yarns, blankets and skirts, and one of the highly esteemed citizens of Mordansville, was born in Greenwood township, Columbia County, Pa., December 16, 1849, and is a son of Joseph and Esther (Lundy) Sands.
John Sands, the great-great-grandfather of our subject, and his brother Samuel emigrated from England prior to the Revolutionary
War. being driven from their native country, as were many others, by religious persecution. Samuel settled on Long Island, N. Y., where many of his descendants now reside. John, the progenitor of our subject's branch of the family, located in Berks County, Pa. Among his children was Daniel Sands, the great- grandfather of our subject, who was a resident of Berks County all his life; he was the father of a family of children, one of whom was John, our subject's grandfather, who came to Co- lumbia County about 1800. John Sands was a miller by trade and first located at Brown's Mills, Mifflin township, where he followed his trade a number of years, and later operated what is now known as Coles Mills, in Pine township. He worked these mills until death claimed him, in June, 1856, aged seventy years. His wife was Hannah Eck of Briar- creek township, Columbia County, and they were the parents of the following children: Anna, widow of Baltis Girton of Hemlock township, and now a resident of Aledo, Ill .; Emma, who died young; Uzilla, widow of James Strong, who was killed in the blowing- up of Fort Fisher: Mary, who resides at Or- angeville, Columbia County; Horace, a miller of Wyalusing, Bradford County; and Joseph E., the father of our subject.
Joseph E. Sands was born, March 11, 18II, in Mifflin township, Columbia County, Pa .. at Brown's Mills; when but a boy he found employment in the Briarcreek Woolen Mills. Becoming thoroughly acquainted with the manufacture of woolen goods, he erected a factory one mile north of the village of Rohrs- burg, Columbia County, and there engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods on his own account. His factory was operated by water power and, in 1857, when the water sup- ply gave out, he built the Sands Woolen Mills at Mordansville, into which he moved his old
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
machinery and successfully followed his busi- ness until his death, on February 24, 1881, at Philadelphia; he and our subject, his son, were in that city at the time purchasing goods when the elder Mr. Sands succumbed to a stroke of apoplexy. Originally Mr. Sands was a Whig in politics, but later a Republican, and in 1875 was elected county commissioner over the opposing candidate by a majority of 2,800 votes. He was one of the commission- ers who supervised the construction of the present county jail. He was a member of the Masonic Order and the I. O. O. F .; he joined the state militia to repel the invasion of Gen. Lee in 1863. Like his ancestors, he was a member of the Society of Friends. He was joined in marriage with Esther Lundy, a daughter of Reuben Lundy, a farmer of Mill- ville, Pa., and to this union eight children were born, namely: John, a farmer of Rohrs- burg, who died in 1880; Henry Harrison, a soldier in the Civil War, was a member of the 132d Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., nine months and served one year in the 210th Pa. Regiment, and took part in the battles of Antietam, Fred- ericksburg, South Mountain, Chancellorsville, Grand Forks, and many other notable engage- ments; William E., also a veteran of the Civil War, now engaged in farming in Mt. Pleasant township, Columbia County, Pa .; Thomas E., a retired woolen manufacturer, who was also a soldier in the Civil War; Annie Margaret, deceased, who was the wife of Webster W. Eves, a member of the firm of Ellis Eves & Bros., merchants of Millville, Pa .; Charles L., our subject; Joseph H., an oil producer and president of the gas company at Bowling Green, Ohio; and James P., deceased.
Charles L. Sands received his elementary education in the common schools and at Greenwood Seminary. He then followed the occupation of a farmer for two years, and in
1875 went to Millville, where he was engaged in the livery business and ran a stage line from that village to Bloomsburg. In 1880 he be- came a resident of Mordansville, and in the following year purchased the woolen mills, which he conducted alone until 1886, when he took W. R. Hagenbach and M. J. Elder into the business. In 1898 Mr. Elder retired from the business and the firm name has since been.C. L. Sands & Company.
Mr. Sands is an ardent Republican in poli- tics, and in 1891 he was one of the county commissioners who supervised the building of the county court-house; he also served as mer- cantile appraiser in 1888, and he has served as justice of the peace since 1884. He is a meni- ber and past master of Washington Lodge No. 265, F. & A. M., of Bloomsburg; and a member of Camp No. 17, P. O. S. of A. He belongs to the Society of Friends. Mr. Sands was married May 13, 1871, to Mary Zeigler, daughter of the late Daniel Zeigler of Mt. Pleasant, and this union was blessed by three children: Maude, the wife of Harry Johnson, a farmer of Madison township; Maggie, united in marriage to Allen Eves, a farmer; and Joseph E., a merchant of Mordansville. Mr. Sands' portrait is shown on another page in this work.
J OHN CLIFFORD, a prosperous, en- terprising merchant of Shamokin, was born in Wierzchucin, Prussia, Febru- ary 10, 1843, and is a son of Joseph and Victoria (Kaczmarek) Clifford. Mr. Clif- ford immigrated to America when about eleven years of age in company with his moth- er and the following sisters and brother : Con- stance, the wife of Albert Hopper, North- umberland County; Mary, deceased, who married Arthur Balcer; and Peter, a whole-
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
sale liquor dealer, agent for beer, etc., who resides in the Second Ward of Shamokin.
Our subject's mother was born in 1818 in Poland and married as her second husband John Stenk, and four children were the results of their union: George, who is a prominent hotel-keeper in Shamokin; Joseph, now de- ceased; August, residing in the suburbs of Shamokin; and one who died at the age of two years.
The Clifford family upon coming to Amer- ica, in 1854, came directly to Northumber- land County and located near Shamokin, at the place then called Coal Run or Lancaster Colliery, now known as Lancaster Switch. After residing there about two years the fam- ily removed to Trevorton where our subject engaged in mining for about six months, sub- sequently locating at Herndon one summer, thence to Danville where he remained until 1861. In 1861 the family located perma- nently in Shamokin. Our subject received his early education in his native country, Prus- sia, and for a number of years after coming to Shamokin he found employment in and about the mines, serving as supervisor and at various other occupations in connection with the mines. About 1874 he quit mining and engaged in the hotel business for about twelve years, discontinuing that to engage in the general mercantile business. He has fol- lowed this business successfully until the pres- ent time. He is now located at No. 703 Race street, and enjoys the reputation of handling only first-class goods and giving good, hon- est bargains to his customers.
On December 27, 1864, Mr. Clifford was united in marriage with Barbara Harris, and their union was blessed with the following large and numerous family of children : Cecilia, born June 30, 1866, wife of Enoch Fongo, proprietor of the Franklin House in
Shamokin; John, born December 20, 1867, in Shamokin, was reared and educated in Sha- mokin, after which he also engaged in the mercantile business and at present is his fath- er's very proficient bookkeeper,-he is agent for the Holland American Steamship Line, and has served as clerk of election board,-he married Mary Jasielones of Shamokin; Jos- eph A., who was born February 6, 1870, was educated in the common schools of Shamokin and is now in the employ of his father, but was formerly a tailor by trade, and now is employed as a cutter; Frank A., a prominent plumber and tinsmith of Shamokin, was born May 25, 1872, and was united in marriage with Mary Mullen; Charles, a conductor for the Shamokin Street Railway Company, was born July 7, 1874, and chose for his wife Mary Snyder; Mary Catherine, born August 20. 1876; Alfred J., born December 20, 1878; Amelia, born November 16, 1880, and died June 3, 1884; Gertrude, born January 27, 1883; Genevieve, born March 11, 1885: Leo, born October 7, 1887; Marcella, born Octo- ber 30, 1889. died December 16, 1889; Bar- bara, born March 17, 1893, and died in in- fancy.
Mr. Clifford has been a director in the Guarantee Trust & Safe Deposit Company. and also of the Shamokin Street Railway Company since the organization of those com- panies. He is also director of the Shamokin Electric Light & Power Company. He for- merly interpreted in court, but of late has given up that work. He still retains the agency for several steamship companies. He represents the Red Star Line, American Line. and also the Hamburg and American Line. Politically our subject is a Democrat and is always pleased at the success of his party. He has served one term as councilman.
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
HARLES FRITZ enjoys the distinc- tion of being the most successful hardware dealer in Trevorton, Zerbe township. He began business in this line in 1873, having then only a common tin store but shortly afterward branched out in the hardware business also, and for many years owned the only hardware store in Tre- vorton. He has gradually built up his busi- ness until now he is supplied not only with all kinds of tin and graniteware, but also with a complete line of all kinds of hardware, stoves, etc.
Our subject is a son of William and Christiana (Schlatter) Fritz and was born November 17, 1854, in Trevorton, North- umberland County. He obtained the rudi- ments of an education in the public schools of his native town, but at the early age of nine years began working in and around the mines which work he continued until he at- tained the age of fifteen years. In 1869 he was apprenticed to a tinner in Sunbury, where he continued to work until 1873, when he went into business for himself in his native town of Trevorton.
Dr. William Fritz, father of our subject, was a man of prominence and was also one of the most successful physicians in the Sev- enteenth Congressional District. He was born in Kircheim on the Sudetic Mountains, in the Kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, Oc- tober 28, 1813. He received a splendid edu- cation in Germany, graduating as a druggist and physician from the celebrated University of Lubengin, April 8, 1836. He immediately began to practice his profession in his native country and continued with marked success for a period of twelve years. In 1848 he immi- grated to this country and practiced in Min- ersville, Schuylkill County, Pa., until 1852 when he located permanently in Trevorton
where he practiced his chosen profession un- til death overtook him. He was a Christian man and was beloved by all. He attained great skill in the practice of his profession and it was such a pleasure to him to be able to relieve pain that he did much charitable work among the poor. In 1836 he was united in marriage with Frederica Schlatter, who departed this life in 1892 at the age of eighty years. The following are the names of their children, who grew to manhood and womanhood : Wilhemina, born 1837 and died 1857: John William, born January 2, 1841, died August 21, 1869, born in Germany and lived in Trevorton after coming to America, where he followed mining,-he married Cath- erine Kastetter, who with three children, Wil- liam, George and Ella, still survive him and reside in Trevorton; Amelia, born September 4. 1856, and died in 1878, became the wife of John Reichwine, and left two child- ren, William and Mary, of Sagon, Northum- berland County; Mary, born in 1844, wife of John Schweitzer, is the mother of the follow- ing ten children,-William, Emma, Kate, John, Mary, Matilda, Charles, Fred, Frank, and Andrew.
Charles Fritz, our subject, was united in marriage November 19, 1882, with Jemima Weiser, a daughter of George Weiser of Low- er Augusta township, Northumberland Coun- ty. To them have been born six children : Mary Jane, born October 12, 1883; Sarah Alice, born July 3, 1885, and died on Christ- mas Day 1891; Charles William, born Octo- ber 3, 1887; Emma Bertha, born March 8, 1890; Martin Luther, born October 9, 1893; Irene Jemima, born January 10, 1897.
George Weiser, father-in-law of our sub- ject, deserves especial mention in this sketch. He was born in 1812 and died in the autumn of 1882. He was universally esteemed as a
DR. WILLIS H. PURMAN.
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
good citizen, faithful to every trust placed in his hands; he was a man of character and possessed more than ordinary intelligence, which, joined to a large fund of common sense, made him a man of prominence in his community. He was a man of good judg- ment, was stern in his views, yet he was kind- hearted and charitable; as a neighbor, he was peaceable and ever ready to lend a helping hand. He was not indifferent to the great questions of the day in religion or politics. He was one of the founders of St. Peter's Lutheran Church at Hollow Run and one of its most liberal supporters. His life was considered well and nobly spent and his death caused universal grief.
Our subject is a most valued member of the Lutheran Church in which he served as dea- con six years, after which he resigned. He is class-leader and Sunday school superintend- ent for the German department. Politically he is a good Democrat, and has served one term as auditor, during which he made a good record. He was one of the organizers of the Trevorton Mutual Fire Insurance Company, has served as its vice-president, and is one of its present directors.
R. WILLIS H. PURMAN. Colum -- bia County enjoys the reputation of having in her midst some of the most skilled physicians of the state, and not by any means the least of them is the gentleman whose name appears above and whose portrait precedes this sketch. Dr. Purman possesses that peculiar insight into the hidden causes of various forms of disease which will ever be the greatest recommendation of a success- ful physician. A case once definitely diag- nosed loses much of the dread that surrounds it, and the mistakes that are occasionally made
by even the best practitioners result invariably from an incorrect diagnosis. Our subject was born in Clinton County, Pa., and is a son of the distinguished physician, Dr. John K. Pur- man, grandson of Rev. Dr. Melchior Purman, and great-grandson of Dr. John Purman.
Dr. John Purman was a native of Germany and was graduated from the Medical Science University of Germany; he practiced his pro- fession in that country for many years and then immigrated to America with his family. locating in New York City, where he gained a wide reputation as a physician. Melchior Purman, the grandfather of our subject, pre- pared himself for the ministry, and occupie:1 a pulpit in Harrisburg for a number of years. He was joined in the bonds of wedlock with a Miss Kimble, and they reared a family of four children, namely: Elizabeth, the wife of Dr. Myers; Catherine, the wife of Mr. Bech- tle; William, deceased, who was prepared for the ministry; and John K., the father of our subject.
Dr. John K. Purman graduated in medi- cine and followed his chosen profession in Harrisburg. Pa., but later retired to the vil- lage of Dauphin, Pa. He passed from this life at the age of seventy-four years. During his latter days he spent many of his winters in Jacksonville, Fla. He chose for his life companion Sarah Harter, a daughter of John Harter of Center County, Pa., and eight chil- dren blessed their home, as follows: William J., a graduate of medicine, and ex-Member of Congress, now residing in Washington, D. C .. where he is engaged in dealing in real estate: Louis C., a prominent physician of Wash- ington, D. C .; Willis H., whose name heads these lines: Mary, wife of William Taylor; Sadie, wife of John A. Williams; Susan, whose first husband was M. Q. White, formed a sec- ond matrimonial alliance with John Wolf:
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
Eliza, deceased; and Luella, wife of George E. Tracy.
Dr. Willis H. Purman commenced study- ing medicine with Dr. Ira M. Mitchell in Jacksonville, Fla., after which he entered the University of Harvard, from which he was graduated in 1886. Later he completed his education by taking a special course in the University of Washington and the Medico- Chirurgical College of Philadelphia, Pa. He then began practice in the Providence Hos- pital at Washington, D. C., but subsequently removed to Northumberland, Pa., where he was appointed physician and surgeon for the Pennsylvania & Erie R. R., continuing in that capacity until 1895. At the expiration of that time he moved to Bloomsburg, Columbia County, where, by the gentlemanly demeanor which he has manifested toward every one, he has won the good-will and respect of the entire community.
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