USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 69
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
County Cork, Ireland. Our subject's mother was born in 1818 and died in 1883. The following children were born to this union: Egbert, a retired merchant of Muncy, Pa .; Francis, who lives at Montoursville, Pa .; John, who resides at Glen Mawr, Pa .; Pier- son, deceased; Hyman P., the subject of this sketch; William C., who is farming on the homestead; Sylvester, a resident of Shrews- bury, Lycoming County, Pa .; and Nancy, de- ceased.
Hyman P. Hall received a good education, passed the necessary examination for a school- teacher, and taught one term in Penn town- ship, Lycoming County, Pa. He then turned his attention toward masonry and later fol- lowed contracting. Entering the employ of the W. & N. B. R. R. he was made station- agent at Chamouni, Pa., from which place he was later transferred to Nordmont, and in 1890 assumed the duties of his present posi- tion, which he has filled to the entire satis- faction of his superior officers and to the trav- eling public. Mr. Hall purchased the Lion Lumber Company property, upon which site was a handsome residence.
Mr. Hall chose for his life-companion Mary E. Boatman, a daughter of Claudius Boatman of Shrewsbury, Lycoming County, Pa., and they are the happy parents of the following children, as follows: Leslie, who married H. D. Lockwood of Sonestown and they have one child, Abbie; Damon, a woodworker in Sonestown; Ada, residing at home; Orville, also a woodworker by trade; and Mildred, Ward, Lettie, Paul La Rue, and Iva, who reside at home. Fraternally our subject is a member and has passed through all the chairs of the P. O. S. of A. Politically he is a Dem- ocrat and served as postmaster of the village during 1896-97. Mr. Hall's portrait is shown on another page of this work.
J ACOB L. SNYDER, a large landowner and one of the representative men of Elkland township, Sullivan County, re- . sides on his farm most of the time, but also is practically a citizen of Forksville. He is a son of Adam L. and Louisa (Eichenlaub) Sny- der, and was born in New Bavaria, on the Rhine River, Germany, November 27, 1834.
Adam L. Snyder, the father of our subject, was born in Germany and there learned the trade of a button and loop-maker, which he followed until 1836, when he came to Amer- ica, landing in Baltimore, Md. He again took up his trade in Harrisburg, Pa., with that of tailoring, and continued at those occupations until after his removal to Pottsville, Pa. He next moved to Sullivan County, where he pur- chased a tract of timberland off the Ward tract in Cherry township, on which he resided ten years. He then moved to Dushore, in 1849, and erected the second house built in that town, which is now owned by James Farrell. He remained in that section until 1852, when he purchased the Eldred farm in Elkland township, one of the earliest settled farms in that locality, but in a short space of years he returned to Dushore and engaged in the gro- cery business. Later he purchased a small farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits un- til he removed to Campbellville, where he pur- chased a water privilege and built a grist-mill, which is now the property of Norton & Hot- teinstein. He also built a house and barn and lived there until he removed to New Al- bany, Pa., where he bought a farm and fol- lowed farming until 1871, when he retired from active labors and moved to California. where he finally died. He was united in mar- riage with Louisa Eichenlaub, and the follow- ing children blessed their home: Henry, de- ceased; Jacob L., the subject of this personal history; John, a fruit-grower of California;
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
Nicholas, a farmer of Canton; Louise, the wife of Benjamin Faustner of Salem, Ore .; Mary .(McGeorge), of California; Adam, a farmer of Salem, Ore .; Christian, a farmer of Elkland township, Sullivan County; Caroline, de- ceased, who was the wife of Frederick Wig- gen; and Angeline, the wife of John Knight, who resides in Salem, Ore. Politically Mr. Snyder was a strong Democrat, but never held nor sought office. Religiously he was reared under German Catholic influences in his native country, but upon coming to America he joined the Albrights.
Jacob L. Snyder attended the public schoo's and, being bright and industrious by nature, he obtained a good education. His father's success as an agriculturist aided him in choos- ing his occupation, and he followed farming after leaving school. He acquired part of the Eldred farm, some fifty acres, on which a Mr. Houck now resides, and on this he continued to live for some years, building a new house and making many other substantial improve- ments. He then went to Montoursville, where he purchased a canal boat and followed boat- ing for one year, after which he again took up his former occupation. In 1867 he moved to Forksville, purchased the Forksville Hotel. which was being built at the time, and after completing it conducted it with the highest success for a period of twenty-one years, with the exception of two years, which he spent in the West. It was in the spring of 1870 that John Huckell came East as agent for the Cawker, Huckell, Kaskinka & Rice Colony in Kansas. He described in glowing terms the in- ducements and benefits of the Western coun- try, and during the summer succeeded in get- ting sixty of the citizens of Sullivan and Brad- ford counties interested in the project. Each member, upon the payment of $75, became a member of the colony, $15 of which sum was
to go to the government These men selected the land and upon the arrival of the colonists cach was told where his tract was located. During the summer of that year all plans were laid, and in October, 1870, our subject and the other members bade good-bye to the East and started for the then far West. At the end of a week's travel they reached Solomon City. Kan., and at that point Mr. Snyder, together with John Huckelf, William Brown, Francis Warren, Cheat Craven, William Warren, Ru- dolph Kaskinka, and William Huckell, en- gaged a team and together they travelled up the Solomon River Valley to the forks of the Solomon River, where the town of Cawker City was located. The journey covered 100 miles, taking three days to traverse the dis- tance. The second night after leaving Solo- mon City a very amusing incident occurred which is of interest. As the party was travel- ing along wondering where they would spend the night, they discerned a light on the prairie. and with prospects of a good meal ahead and a warm place to sleep, they made for the light. Upon reaching it they were somewhat sur- prised to find that it was a mere hut con- structed of sod, 11 by 13 feet in size, and occu- pied by a man, his wife and three children. Advancing to the door our subject inquired if he and his party could be put up for the night. The proprietor, who was an Eastern man, replied that he would give them the best possible accommodations. So the team was outspanned and after partaking of a comfort- able supper the balance of the evening was spent in telling the various experiences through which they had passed, and at an early hour they prepared to retire. Taking their blankets they made themselves as com- fortable as possible on the floor. and there spent the night. During their journey it was not an uncommon sight to see many newly-
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made graves, the result of the Indian out- rages that had taken place the June before. In the third night the party reached the end of their 1.424-mile journey and were greatly surprised to find that Cawker City consisted of two houses or shanties, one being used for a hotel and the other occupied by Mr. Sny- der's brother-in-law, Francis Best, who had arrived there about a month previously with his wife and nine children. It may be well to mention here that the party of ten of which our subject was a member left their families in the East. The day after their' arrival the party proceeded to look up their land. All readers of history and those in touch with current events are presumably familiar with the ins and outs of what was called the Home- stead Grant. Mr. Snyder received his grant of 160 acres, which had been selected by the above-mentioned company, but at the end of four days his idea of Western life underwent a decided change and remarking to the oth- ers that he would not bring his family to such a wilderness, he picked up his few belongings and with Francis Warren returned to Solo- mon City, and from there back to Forksville. In the spring of 1871 he purchased a hotel in Solomon City, Kan., for $4,000, and to- gether with his family moved to his new pur- chase, where he conducted a hotel for about one and one-half years. At the expiration of that time, owing to ill health, he disposed of his property, but in the end lost his entire investment. He returned to Forksville, and in the spring of 1873 became proprietor of the Forksville Hotel, establishing a great rep- utation for himself and the establishment throughout that section of the county. Dis- posing of this finally, he built the store now conducted by A. L. Smith, which he still owns. and also three tenement houses. In 1893 he built the Snyder Hotel which he conducted
for five years. He purchased the Daniel Lit- tle farm, located in Elkland township, con- sisting of 190 acres, on which he erected a new house and barn, and there he has since resided with the exception of the time which he spends in Forksville. He is also owner of numerous landed interests throughout that section. Always industrious and energetic, he has won his way to the front ranks of the business men.
On January 1, 1857. Mr. Snyder married Sarah Ann Huckell, who was born in Elkland township, October 22, 1830, and was a daugh- ter of William Huckell. They had two chil- dren: William H., who was born August 24. 1858, and died January 18, 1864; and George W., a commercial man of Forksville and own- er of the old Ridgeway Farm in Elkland town- ship, who was born September 7, 1860. He married Mary Fleming and has two children: Marion and Lou. Mrs. Snyder died Novem- ber 26, 1861, and our subject formed a sec- ond alliance with Sarah Ann Huckell, who was born August 24, 1831, and they had one son: Charles L., born September 16, 1863, died September 18, 1863. Politically our subject is a Democrat and has served as a member of the borough council of Forksville, as supervisor and school director.
ACOB SMITH, a veteran of the Civil War and outside-foreman in the Ster- ling Colliery near Shamokin, was born January 3. 1839, in Limestone township. Montour County, Pa., and is a son of Fred- erick and Catherine (Miller) Smith.
Grandfather Smith, a native of Reading. Berks County, Pa., removed to Columbia County, thence to Montour County, and later back to Columbia County, where his death oc- curred.
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
Frederick Smith, our subject's father, is still living in Limestone township, Montour County. He was born January 3, 1809, near Reading, Pa. He married Catherine Miller and became the father of five children, three boys and two girls: Peter, who lives near Jerseytown, Pa .; Jacob, our subject; Matilda, who married John Strickland; Mary, unmar- ried; and William, who is also single.
Jacob Smith was educated in the public schools, attending for a limited time, and then learned the harnessmaker's trade, working at it for three years prior to the war and four years after. He then became an employee of the Bear Valley Colliery and began work at the lowest round of the ladder in the coal region, where he was allowed to remain only four or five months when he was promoted to the position of outside-foreman. In that colliery he was retained by Heim & Goodwill until it was sold to the Philadelphia & Read- ing Coal & Iron Company, and then our sub- ject went to the Burnside Colliery, where he remained three years. He next moved to Delaware and engaged in farming for five years, at the expiration of that period re- turning to Shamokin and assuming the posi- tion of outside-foreman at the Sterling Col- liery, where he has remained ever since. Mr. Smith married Emma Kester, and to them have been born seven children: Jennie; George; Andrew; Edith B .; Warren; and Clara and Emma, who both died at an early age.
When the necessity for volunteers became pressing in the Civil War Mr. Smith enlisted in Company E, 13Ist Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., on August 6, 1862, for nine months, but served almost ten months. He participated in the battles of Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg and Antietam. He was wounded in the ter- rible battle of Fredericksburg. The total Un-
ion loss that day, killed and wounded, was 12,321, and the Confederate loss, killed and wounded, 5,309. To-day a National. Ceme- tery is on the ground where the battle was bloodiest and about 15,000 brave soldiers are buried there.
. Our subject is a member of Lincoln Post, No. 140, G. A. R .; James .A. Garfield Lodge, No. 1061, 1. O. O. F., and the Encampment in connection with same.
LLIS EVES, a member of the firm of Ellis Eves & Bro., manufacturers and dealers in lumber and shingles and all kinds of mill work, of Millville, is one of the substantial business men of Greenwood township, and is a scion of one of the oldest and most prominent families of Columbia County. He is a son of Charles and Saralı (Kester) Eves, and was born in Greenwood township, Columbia County, Pa .. January 16. 1834.
Our subject's great-grandfather was John Eves, who was of Scotch-Irish parentage, and was born in Ireland in 1720. After growing to maturity John engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods near Dublin, Ireland, at which he continued until he sought a home in America, first locating in Delaware and later in Bucks County, Pa. He resided in Bucks County for some time. In 1769 he pur- chased a tract of land consisting of 1.200 acres located at the forks of Fishing Creek, in Co- lumbia County, and including the site of the village of Millville. Having never seen the land, in the following year he went to examine his new acquisition. first going to Milton. Northumberland County, where he made in- quiry for Fishing Creek. None had ever heard of the place. but an Indian who heard
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him ask the question quickly volunteered the information and with another of his race of- fered to act as his guide. The three started for what was to be Mr. Eves' future home and fi- nally arrived at Fairview, a high bill overlook- ing the valley in which his property lay. The Indian, pointing to the land below, informed him that it was the desired spot, but utterly refused to descend with Mr. Eves, who went alone and made a thorough examination of the soil, which proved entirely satisfactory. He spent some time below and upon return- ing to the top of the hill found the Indians in a high state of impatience over his long de- lay. Upon returning, the Indians suggested that one go ahead and the other follow Mr. Eves, but the latter, fearful of Indian treach- ery, compelled both to precede him, and they continued their journey. He returned to his home and prepared to move to his new tract of land with his family. In the spring of 1771 he went to Fishing Creek with some of his sons and they effected a clearing and erected some buildings, after which he again went to Bucks County, and in the spring of 1872 started with his family for their new home. By means of a wagon drawn by four horses, in which was packed only such goods and furniture as were absolutely necessary, they made their way overland with much difficulty. They arrived safely within a few miles of their destination, when night overtook them, rendering it im- possible to find the roads. The mother, with her young children, rode the horses to a cabin which was located at a spring, one-fourth of a mile northwest of the present village of Mill- ville, on the estate now owned by David and William Masters. There they located and en- tered upon the duties of pioneer life, having for neighbors only the beasts of the forest, and the Indians, with whom they were very friend-
ly and who always respected Mr. Eves. No white inhabitants resided nearer than fifteen miles, which was also the distance to the near- est grist-mill, which was located at Catawissa. There the great-grandfather of our subject re- mained at peace with the world and engaged in the laborious task of clearing up his farm. He and his family had no trouble with the Indians, excepting when his son Thomas 'was shot by an Indian spy, having been mistaken for another man. The Indians were often guests at his home, and one particularly, who frequently stopped with him when making long trips through the country, promised to warn him if there ever was an uprising among the tribes so that he might seek safety in flight. True to his promise, on the night of the Wyoming massacre, the friendly red man walked forty miles to warn his white friends of their danger, giving his warning in the ex- pressive language, "Go quick, bad man among the Indians!" By noon of the follow- ing day the family were on their journey, reaching Washingtonville, Montour County, that night. There they stopped long enough for the worthy and kind-hearted wife to care for a woman who had been severely wounded by a shot from an Indian's gun. They then returned to Bucks County, where they re- mained until 1785. when the rebellious spirit of the red men had been quelled. Then, deeming it safe to return to their home in Columbia County, they again set out, taking cattle and hogs with them. One pig was caught by a bear and. frightened the others and they broke loose and, with the instinct true to animals, returned to their former home. Mr. Eves found his home and out- buildings burned and immediately set about to rebuild them. He also built and operated a saw-mill, and in 1790 built the first grist- mill in that section of the county. He was a
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
member of the Society of Friends and was the first of that sturdy old Quaker body to locate in that neighborhood, and to him and his descendants is due much of the credit for the present standing of Greenwood township, with its fine farming land. He was united in mar- riage to Edith Yelman, and their union re- sulted in the following offspring: Sarah; Thomas; John; Joseph; Martha; William; Chandler; Eliza; Sarah; Edith; Andrew; Mary; Priscilla; Mark; Anna; Samuel; and Elizabeth. Mr. Eves was called to his eternal rest in 1802, after a long and useful life, and his worthy wife survived him sixteen years, dying in 1818.
Chandler Eves, the grandfather of our sub- ject, probably was born in Bucks County in 1762, and moved to Greenwood township, Columbia County, with his parents. He was extensively engaged in farming on a portion of the old homestead, where he built and for a number of years operated what is now the Shultz grist-mill, located near Rohrsburg, Greenwood township. Later he built a woolen mill, the first in that section of the state, lo- cated about one-half mile from Millville, which is now known as the Millville Worsted & Woolen Mill, and he successfully operated it for several years. Where John Eves's wag- on factory now stands he also erected a saw- mill and clover-mill, which he conducted until his death, in 1836. He was a man of excellent judgment and good business qualities and was one of the most prosperous men in Green- wood township. He married Rachel Kester, and reared a family of four sons and two daughters, namely: Annie; John K .; George F .; Benjamin; Charles; and Rachel.
Charles Eves, the father of our subject, was born on his father's homestead and early in life turned his attention to agricultural pur- suits. Later he operated the saw-mill which
was built by his father, and was extensively engaged in the manufacture of limber, wag- ons and wagon-material until his death, which occurred in 1854, at the age of forty-five years. Hle formed a marital union with Sarah Kester, a daughter of Aaron Kester, late a farmer of Mount Pleasant township, and they became the happy parents of five sons and one daughter, whose names are here recorded: Ellis, in whom the interest of this sketch cen- ters; Rachel, the wife of Edwin John of Mill- ville: Chandler, who follows the occupation of a farmer and is an insurance agent of Green- wood township; John, an extensive wagon manufacturer and lumberman of Millville; William Webster, who is in partnership with our subject; and James Barton, who is a deal- er in hardware and agricultural implements.
Ellis Eves obtained a good education in the public schools and in the Greenwood Sem- inary of Millville, and was reared upon the farm. In 1856 he succeeded his father as own- er of the wagon manufacturing establishment and later sold an interest to his brother. John, and subsequently two of his other brothers, William Webster and James Barton, became members of the firm They also embarked in the mercantile and lumber trade and con- ducted the business successfully for several years, when John withdrew to take entire charge of the wagon factory, and Jantes Bar- ton became a dealer in farming implements. Since 1870 the firm name has been Ellis Eves & Bro .. and they have a large patronage in the mercantile business and also deal exten- sively in lumbering and planing-mill work. They have always resided in the vicinity of Millville and have sustained the reputation for strict integrity and honesty, established by their ancestors. Our subject always has been interested in the advancement of the interests of the village and has been closely connected
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
with many leading enterprises. He is a di- rector of the Farmers' National Bank of Wat- sontown; a director of the Bloomsburg Water Company; is a life member of the Columbia County Agricultural Society, of which he has been president for several years; has been secretary of the Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany of Millville since its organization; is a member of the board of trustees of the Green- wood Seminary Company, having served as such trustee continuously for over thirty years, having always been active in his en- deavors to sustain and promote the best inter- ests of that institution.
In 1860 our subject was united in marriage to Mary Margaret Masters, a daughter of the late George Masters of Millville, by whom he has four children: Charles Millard, who clerks for his father; Lois Melvina, deceased, who was the wife of H. J. Demott; Paschal Lewis, also a clerk for the firm of which our subject is a member; and Georgianna, wife of Samuel Demott. Margaret, his wife, died in 1870, and in 1880 Mr. Eves married Elizabeth Eves, daughter of David and Sarah Eves.
Politically Mr. Eves is an unswerving Re- publican. He has served several terms as a member of the borough council. He is a member of Washington Lodge No. 265, F. & A. M., of Bloomsburg; and a charter mem- ber and past grand of Millville Lodge No. 809, I. O. O. F.
J ORDAN HOWARD ROCKEFEL- LER is a successful real estate dealer and attorney-at-law of Sunbury, North- umberland County, Pa., of whose family a more complete history will be found elsewhere in this book in a biographical sketch of Wil- liam M. Rockefeller.
J. Howard Rockefeller is the only son of
the late A. Jordan and Mary A. (Forsyth) Rockefeller, and was born in Sunbury, March 12, 1862. He was educated in the public schools of Northumberland and at Granville Military Academy, Granville, N. Y., from which he graduated in 1880. He was subse- quently engaged in the general mercantile and coal business at Espy, Columbia County, Pa., for three years, and later was engaged in the same business for two years at Northum- berland. Having accumulated sufficient mon- ey in five years' business to defray expenses, in 1885 he entered upon the study of law un- der the late J. N. Hill of Sunbury. Three years later, in 1888, he was admitted to the bar and has since practiced his profession in Sunbury. He has also been admitted to the Supreme Court of the state and the United States District and Circuit Courts. He has a good general practice and is meeting with success as an attorney.
Mr. Rockefeller possesses a natural bent of mind for real estate speculation, and from his earliest manhood he has been dealing in real estate. Having keen insight into land values he is regarded as a careful and shrewd in- vestor, always making profitable investments. He owns a farm of 750 acres in Point town- ship, 400 acres of which is under a fine state of cultivation, the balance being timberland. This is one of the finest farms in Central Penn- sylvania. Mr. Rockefeller personally super- intends this farm and is one of those who know how to make farming profitable. He also owns a large number of lots within the corporate limits of Sunbury.
Our subject's father, A. Jordan Rockefeller, was born in Sunbury, and was educated in his native town, after which he studied law with the late Judge Alexander Jordan. He was admitted to the bar at the early age of twenty years and gained a good practice. He was
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