USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 58
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Mr. Higgins is a thorough railroad man. possesses progressive ideas, is popular with the masses, and makes an all-round ideal agent and citizen. He is an active member of Sunbury Lodge, B. P. O. E., of which he is exalted ruler: and is also a member of the Cresco Social Club of Shamokin, of which he is a trustee.
GNATIUS B. BINDER, a worthy cit- izen and retired merchant of Shamokin. Coal township, is of German-Bohemian descent. He is a son of Joseph and Agnes
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
(Sterski) Binder and was born July 30, 1845, in Austria-Bohemia. His parents were na- tives of Bohemia.
The father of our subject was born in 1820, immigrated to America in 1873 and located in Northampton County, where he purchased a large farm and engaged in agricultural pur- suits. In this calling he met with much suc- cess, and after some years of careful work he finally died at Berlinville in 1884, at the age of sixty-four years. He and his good wife were parents of eleven children, three of whom died in the Old Country and the fol- lowing grew to manhood and womanhood, be- sides our subject: Ferdinand, Anthony, Adolph, Albert, Philip, Mary, and Rudolph. Ferdinand, Anthony, Albert, Philip, and Ru- dolph are residents of Mauch Chunk, while Adolph lives in Berlinville and Mary is a nurse in St. Louis, Mo.
Ignatius B. Binder received a good educa- tion in his native country, where he also learned the butcher's trade. He immigrated to America several years before his parents, lo- cating in Bethlehem in 1867, where he fol- lowed butchering about one year. He then removed to Catasauqua, where he carried on the same business for about two years, return- ing to Bethlehem again for a short time. He sold out his business to good advantage and spent some time traveling in the states and thus familiarizing himself with the scenery and customs of America. After spending three months in travel throughout the West he re- turned to the East and again embarked in business, following his trade quite success- fully in Heidelberg, Lehigh County, Pa., then in Lehigh Gap, and finally located per- manently in Shamokin in 1872. After being actively engaged in butchering for about twenty years he decided to discontinue the
butcher business. In 1893 he engaged in general merchandising, at which he prospered for two years. Having accumulated a snug sum of money and having no family depend- ing upon him, he retired from active business pursuits, and he and his amiable wife are spending their days in comfort and ease, in a way to suit their fancy.
On July 10, 1870, Amelia Kautter became the wife of our subject. She is a daughter of Conrad Kautter of Stuttgart, Wurtemberg, Germany, and first saw the light of day Feb- ruary 4, 1845. Her sister, Paulina Slopey, widow of Edward Slopey, also resides in this country.
Our subject and his worthy wife were de- nied a family of their own, but one of his brother's children was taken into their home and they reared and loved her as their own. This was Mary, now the wife of Wesley Ber- ren of Shamokin. Mr. Binder is a faithful member of St. Edward's Roman Catholic Church and is deeply interested in all work pertaining to the church.
RANK M. GROSS, M. D., a physician of good repute throughout Sullivan County, is a highly esteemed citizen of Forksyille. He is a son of Dr. James D. and Ann (Brenizer) Gross, and was born at Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County. Pa., January 4, 1852.
James D. Gross, father of our subject, was born near Mechanicsburg. Cumberland Coun- ty, and was a son of Jacob and Catherine (Barnhart) Gross. The family on the paternal side came from Maryland, and his mother was a native of Cumberland County, Pa. The father was a man of high educational attain- ments and was a graduate of Dickinson Col-
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
lege at Carlisle, Pa. He chose medicine as his profession and graduated from the Jeffer- son Medical College of Philadelphia, after which he commenced practice at Shepherds- town, Pa. He later went to White Pigeon, Mich., and finally located at Flat Rock, O., where he died at the age of forty-three years. He married Ann Brenizer, a daughter of George Brenizer of Cumberland County, and they had but one child, the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Gross passed away in her sixty- fifth year.
Frank M. Gross was but a child when his father died, and his mother passed away March 20, 1888. He attended the public schools of Mechanicsburg and later the Cum- berland Valley Institute, being possessed of high ambitions and determined to obtain a good education. Noting the success attained by his father as a physician, he decided to study medicine, and entered the office of Dr. Harshbarger, now of New Albany, Pa. He graduated from the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1881, and, with a grim determination to succeed, he entered upon his practice at Burnt Cabin, Pa. He subsequently followed his profession in the following places: New Albany, Pa .; Forkston, Wyoming Coun- ty, Pa .; Loomis, Mich .; Little Meadows, Sus- quehanna County, Pa .; Powell, Pa .; and in 1897 located at Forksville, Sullivan County, Pa., succeeding to the practice of Dr. Ormsby and forming a partnership with Dr. Blake E. Gamble. He has attained a high degree of efficiency in the diagnosing and treatment of cases and his efforts have been attended by the best of results.
Dr. Gross was united in marriage with Ar- metta Simpson, a daughter of Isaac D. Simp- son of Waverly, N. Y., and they have one daughter, Maud, who was born at West Au- burn, Susquehanna County, Pa., June 12,
1881, and is a student of the Waverly Acad- emy. Dr. Gross is an Odd Fellow.
ILLIAM G. HOLLISTER, a high- ly-esteemed resident of Mount Car- mel, Northumberland County, Pa., is a well-known manufacturer of shoes, hav- ing followed that line of business ever since embarking in the business world. He is a son of Isaac and Jane (Mahood) Hollister, and was born in Schuylkill County, Pa., March 2, 1854. He is of Irish descent and is a grandson of Samuel Hollister, a native of Ireland, who. upon coming to this country, located in Schuylkill County, Pa., with his family.
Isaac Hollister, the father of our subject. was born in Ireland in 1828, and at an early age was brought to America by his parents. They resided in Schuylkill County until 1853, when they removed to Mount Carmel, North- umberland County. Isaac was a shoemaker by trade and throughout his life plied that trade with good success. In 1863 he was the only Democrat in the village, but with the courage of his convictions he cast his vote for Woodward, his party candidate for governor. He was at all times an enthusiastic supporter of the Democracy, but never aspired to office. Mr. Hollister was called to his final rest on July 20, 1895. His companion in life was Jane Mahood, who was born in 1830, and their hap- py union was blessed by the birth of eight chi !- dren, a record of whom follows: William G .. the subject of this biographical record; Sam- uel, a shoe merchant at Locust Gap. North- umberland. County: Isaac H., deceased, who was appointed postmaster in February, 1894. and served until his death, on July 13, 1895: Lydia, deceased: Jane, the present postmis- tress of Mount Carmel, who was appointed to
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succeed her brother upon his death; Mary Emma, who died at an early age; James, who resides at Mount Carmel and is a fireman at the Reliance Colliery; and Mary, who lives at Mount Carmel with her mother.
William G. Hollister, the subject of this sketch, was reared at Mount Carmel and re- ceived his education in the public schools, after which he learned the trade of a shoe- maker with his father. He was quick of per- ception and in a short time was a very skilled workman for his years. He was but thirteen years of age when he completed his first pair of boots, and he has continued in shoemaking up to the present time. He carries a full stock of shoes, and for the past year also has been successfully engaged in the manufacture of mining and mill shoes, for which there is a good demand in that section. He is a reliable business man and is respected by his fellow- men wherever known.
On July 3, 1891, Mr. Hollister was united in marriage with Mary Cavanaugh, and four children have been born to them: Mary Ger- trude: James; Joseph; William Leo; and Samuel Edgar.
OHN McCLEERY, president of the Milton Trust & Safe Deposit Com- pany, through whose efforts it was or- ganized in 1887, has for many years been prominently identified with business enter- prises in Milton, Northumberland County. Pa. He is a man of great energy and strong personality and his efforts in various under- takings have met with gratifying and deserved success. He is a son of Dr. William and Mar- garet (Pollock) McCleery, and was born April 8, 1837.
Our subject's ancestors were natives of
Scotland, who, at the time of the early perse- cutions, established a home in Ireland, where Michael McCleery, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born. He had a brother John, who came to America and served as a captain in the Revolutionary War, being killed in the battle of Bunker Hill.
John McCleery, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was born at the forks of the Conestoga. in Earl township, Lancaster County, Pa., Oc- tober 13, 1767, and at an early age engaged in mercantile pursuits at Harrisburg. He later moved to Milton, Northumberland County, Pa., being among the first to engage in business there, and opened a general mer- chandise store on the corner of South Front street and Broadway, where Folmer's grocery store is now situated. He dealt large- ly in produce and grain, but the means of transportation to markets were very limited and he had to ship them down the river in arks to the larger cities, where he would trade for merchandise. He finally retired from that business and purchased a farm, which now forms a part of the William Cameron estate, and there successfully engaged in farming the remainder of his life. On September 23, 1802, he and Mary Lytle, who was born at Lytle Ferry, on the Susquehanna River, in Dauphin County, March 16, 1774, and was a daugh- ter of Joseph and Sarah Lytle, were united in marriage by Rev. Nathan Souden. Pater- nally she was of English descent, while ma- ternally her ancestors were of Irish extraction. Their union resulted in the following issue: William; Sarah, the wife of John L. Watson. was born February 18, 1805; Joseph, born January 10, 1807; Jane, who married Rev. David X. Junkin, was born February 4, 1809; Elizabeth, born September 10, 1811; and Mary, born March 16, 1814, who wedded Rev. Nathan Shotwell.
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
Dr. William McCleery, the father of our subject, was born at Halifax, Dauphin Coun- ty, Pa., July 31, 1803, and early in life was brought to Milton by his parents, practically growing up with that borough. His educa- tion was obtained in the Milton Academy, Rev. David Kirkpatrick, D. D., principal. He then attended the Washington College at Washington, Pa., and later graduated from the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1827. He then entered upon the practice of his profession at Milton, and in a very short time established a very large clientage, which he retained until 1857, when he was succeeded by his son, Dr. James P., who is a promi- nent physician of the borough at the pres- ent time. He then lived in retirement for a brief period, gaining a much needed rest, but a state of idleness was antagonistic to his energetic temperament, and he was soon ac- tively engaged in business, building at Milton the first steam saw-mill erected on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, it being sit- uated where the car manufacturing establish- ment is now located. This saw-mill was erected in 1844. This he operated until death, which occurred on December 4, 1867, at the age of sixty-four years. He was originally a Whig in his political affiliations, as was his father, but he later became a Republican. He built the handsome residence in which our subject now lives, in which he spent his latter days. He was joined in the holy bonds of wedlock with Margaret Pollock, a daugh- ter of William Pollock, and a sister of the late James Pollock, ex-governor of Pennsyl- vania, and they were the parents of the follow- ing children: Mary, born September 9, 1830, is the wife of Joseph D. Potts of Philadel- phia; James P., a record of whose life ap- pears elsewhere: Sarah, deceased, was born November 5, 1834; John, the subject of this
personal history: William P., born April 27, 1834, was a captain in the 18th Reg. C. S. Inf. in the Civil War, and later served against the Indians on the western plains,-he re- signed his commission in 1868 and is now engaged in business at Troy, Pa .; and Julia J., deceased, who was born October 18, 1841, was the wife of Gen. Jesse Merrill. Mrs. Mc- Cleery died in 1842 aged thirty-six.
John McCleery was educated at the Milton Academy, Tuscarora Academy, Juniata, and in Princeton College, from which he was grad- uated in 1858. Immediately after leaving co !- lege he accepted a position as assistant princi- pal of the Milton Academy, being associated with Rev. W. T. Wylie, and at the same time he read law with Hon. James Pollock, and continued until the Civil War broke out, when he entered the service, being mustered in June 1, 1861, as captain of Company H, of the 5th Regiment of Pennsylvania Reserves. He was severely wounded in the battle of the Charles City Cross Road in the seven days' fighting before Richmond, and was taken prisoner on June 30, 1862, being incarcerated in Libby Prison. There his health was ini- paired and he has never completely regained it as his injuries finally resulted in paralysis. Upon his release from Libby he was mustered out on account of his physical disability, but as he later greatly improved in health, he was mustered in as a lieutenant-colonel with the 28th Emergency Regiment at Harrisburg. After the close of the war he returned home and began to practice law, but the duties were too arduous for one who had undergone the great physical strain to which he was sub- jected during the war, and he finally gave it up. He has since been closely allied with all enterprises organized to further the interests of Milton. He was recently identified wit'? the Milton Car Works; the Milton Rolling
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
Mills; is a director of the Milton Water Works; and is president of the Milton Trust & Safe Deposit Company. It was largely through his efforts that the latter was organ- ized on February 17, 1887, it being incorpo- rated with an authorized capital of $250,- 000.00, one-half of which was paid in in cash.
Mr. McCleery was married June 6, 1866, to Mary Helen Marr, a daughter of David and Hettie L. (Davis) Marr, and a great-grand- daughter of Joseph and Susanna (Price) Marr. Joseph was born in Northampton County, Pa., June 15, 1750, and in 1793 he came up the West Branch of the Susquehanna River to Turbot township, where he purchased of the widow of Turbot Francis a tract of 379 acres of land, it being a portion of the estate known as "The Colonel's Reward." It was a choice piece of land for which he paid five pounds per acre, and in 1793 he located upon it with his family. He lived there the re- mainder of his life, dying September 3, 1796; his wife died December 27, 1826. His wife's maiden name was Susanna Price, and she was born April 27, 1754. They had the follow- ing children: Mary, the wife of Robert Mar- tin; Hannah, the wife of William Hull, whose sketch also appears in this work; David; Will- iam; Joseph; and Alem, a prominent attor- ney who has twice served as congressman. David Marr, the father of Mrs. McCleery, was born on the old homestead, and was a farmer by occupation, owning two fine farms. He later became a railroad contractor and finally became a woolen manufacturer at White Deer Mills, Union County. He died at the age of forty-seven years. He married Hettie I. Davis and they had four children: Annie Eliza, the wife of John A. Grier; Mary Helen, the wife of our subject; William, who died in infancy; and Rebecca, who also died young. Mr. Marr formed a second union with Harriet
Matchin, by whom he had five children: William; Alem; Brainard; Alfred; and Jean- ette.
Mr. and Mrs. McCleery have two children, namely: Edward Heber, a physician of Kane, Pa., who attended Lawrenceville School, was a member of the class of 1888 at Princeton, and graduated from the Jefferson Medical College in 1890; and Margaret Pollock. Po- litically our subject is a stanch Republican, but has never accepted an office. He is a conscientious member of the Presbyterian Church. Socially he is a member of the G. A. R. post; and also the Union Veteran's Legion.
J OHN WHITELEY, one of the most progressive residents of Elkland town- ship, Sullivan County, is a man of ster- ling worth and integrity, and is one who has won his way to a high station in life through his individual efforts. He is a son of Joseph and Mary (Hague) Whiteley, was born in Lancastershire, Eng., March 31, 1838, and was christened in the Olden Episcopal Church.
Joseph Whiteley, the father of our subject, was born in England and was a cotton manu- facturer by trade, being an expert in his line. In 1841 he emigrated from his native land to this country, locating in the city of Philadel- phia; but, desirous of having a home of his own. he later removed to Sullivan County, where land could be obtained at a reasonable price and where many of his friends had pre- viously located. In 1846 he bought fifty acres of land which had been little changed from its primitive state by the hand of man. After making a partial clearing he purchased an ad- joining fifty acres which had been partly cleared by Mr. Ainworth, and upon which had
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
been built a house. Into that he moved with his family and subsequently purchased a third tract of fifty acres, all of which he cleared up and turned into valuable land. On this third tract one of the first clearings in the county had been made; at the time of its purchase it contained a log house, the floors of which were made of split hewed planks, and it con- tained the first panel door in the township. Our subject has about four feet of this plank- ing and he prizes it very highly. This land has been divided and is now owned by three persons: J. Barnes, who has the homestead; A. Dey, Esq .; and Mrs. Bryan. Joseph Whiteley was a man of great industry and un- tiring in his energy. In the summer months he lived upon the farm and cultivated the soil, whilst during the winter he worked at his trade in Philadelphia, following that plan for several years. When he came to Sullivan County he was not very well provided with the world's goods, owning a grey horse, a wagon, and fifty cents, but he led an exem- plary life and at the time of his retirement to Forksville, a short time prior to his demise, he was a well-to-do man. The only part remain- ing of the wagon in which our subject came to Sullivan County is the singletree bolt. Both Joseph and his wife lived to reach an advanced age and lie buried in the Bethel Cemetery. His union with Mary Hague resulted in the fol- lowing offspring: Ann, wife of John Wright; John, our subject; William, a veteran of the Civil War; Elizabeth, wife of William C. Marsden; Martha, wife of Daniel Bedford; and Mary, wife of E. W. Snell. In religious views he was strongly attached to the estab- lished English Church. Politically he was a Whig and later a Republican, serving as school director, supervisor, and in minor township offices.
John Whiteley, the subject of this sketch,
attended the public schools and farmed with his father for a time, after which he peddled Yankee notions with much success. He next bought a farm near Bethel Church consisting of 114 acres, erected new buildings, and has since followed farming. He is a hustling and energetic man, and in whatever line he has engaged has been very successful. He is a man of strong character, leads an honest life, and has a large circle of acquaintances and friends.
Mr. Whiteley was joined in wedlock with Elsie Dikeman, a daughter of Parks Dikeman of Tompkins County, N. Y., and they have five children: Joe, a stock dealer, who mar- ried Ada Walker, and has two children, Renie and Vibert; Mary, who was a school teacher and postmistress for several years and is the wife of Orville Bartow, and has three children, Earl, LaRue, and Brice; Ora, wife of Eugene Avery, who has one child, John Roy, and taught school for three years; Susie, a mu- sician; and Roy, fourteen years old, who lives at home.
Mr. Whiteley is a Republican in politics and has served several years as auditor and poormaster.
J AMES VISICK, a prosperous and en- terprising business man of Mount Car- mel, Pa., is efficiently serving in the po- sition of outside-foreman of the Pennsylvania Colliery. He is a son of Theophilus and Eliz- abeth (Moyle) Visick, and was born in the County of Cornwall, England, March 23. 1848.
Mr. Visick traces his ancestry on the pater- nal side to a French Huguenot origin, and on the maternal side to Scotch-Irish.
Theophilus Visick, the father of our subject. was a resident of the most active and wealthy
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
parish in the wonderfully rich mining district of County Cornwall. He was a machinist by vocation, and throughout his life worked at that trade about the copper and tin mines.
James Visick was educated in the common schools of his native town, after which he learned the trade of a machinist and engine- driver, at which he continued until he reached the age of twenty-one years, when he set sail for this country. He first located at Mt. Riga, Dutchess County, N. Y., where he plied his trade with good results for four years, in con- nection with other branches of the mining business. He acquired an extended knowl- edge of the business and in 1873 accepted a position in the anthracite coal region of Penn- sylvania, erecting machinery for Mr. Holden Chester at the Luke Fidler Colliery. His next position was with the Mineral Railroad & Mining Company, by which he was employed to look after machinery. He remained with that company until after the Union company was organized, and on December 1, 1884, be- came outside-foreman of the Pennsylvania Colliery at Mount Carmel, Northumberland County. He is a man of ability, faithful to the best interests of his employers, and stands high in the estimation of his fellow-workmen and fellow-citizens.
Mr. Visick was joined in the holy bonds of wedlock with Anna Maria Brey, August II, 1868, and they are the happy parents of the following children: Minnie, who is at home with her parents; William, who is a black- smith at the colliery; Gifford, who also resides at home; and Myrtle.
OHN F. WELSH, whose wide expe- rience in mining operations makes his services invaluable as inside-foreman of the Burnside Colliery, Shamokin, Pa., is
a gentleman who has ever exerted a pow- erful influence in behalf of the working man.
In 1852 he came to the United States, locat- ing in New York City. In the spring of 1853 he crossed the continent and settled in California for a period of four months, when he joined Walker's filibustering expedition to Nicaragua. Afterwards he went to New York State, where he enlisted in the Federal Army during the Civil War, serving with credit for a period of three years. The war having closed he returned to England, where he married, but soon after again came to this country, taking up mining at Tonsville, Schuylkill County, Pa. This has since been his vocation, and with the exception of some time spent in the copper regions of the United States and the gold fields of Alaska, he has mined in the anthracite coal region. He has always been devoted to the best interests of his em- ployers, who value his services highly, and stands among the foremost men of the bor- ough.
For the advanced position he took in the furtherance of the interest of his fellow-work- men he attained much prominence in the min- ing circles, and in 1878 the appreciation of his efforts were shown by his election to the State Legislature of Pennsylvania from the Second District of Schuylkill County. He served two terms in that capacity and his career at Har- risburg was marked by the greatest activity. He opposed all measures which in his opinion were not for the public welfare, and aided in passing a number of bills which are now laws, among them being: the Night School Bill, the Store Order Bill, and the Ambulance Bill. He also strongly advocated the eight-hour law, which never passed through the House, and his honest efforts were heartily com- mended by organized labor bodies throughout the country. He was also at one time nomi-
JAMES U. M. SHEW.
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
nated for State Senator from the Schuylkill district. In 1875 he was president of the anti- monopoly committee that met in Harrisburg, which organization wielded a potent influence in the presidential campaign that followed.
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