USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 76
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"John Lyman, known as Lieutenant Ly- man, born in High Ongar, September, 1623, came to New England with his father. He married Dorcas, daughter of John Plumb, of Branford, Conn. He settled in Northamp- ton, Mass., where he resided until his death,
August 20, 1690. Lieutenant John Lyman was in command of the Northampton soldiers in the famous Falls fight, above Deerfield May 18, 1676. Moses Lyman, son of Lieu- tenant John Lyman, was born in Northamp- ton, Mass., February 20, 1623, and died Feb- ruary 25, 1701. Captain Moses Lyman, the only son of Moses Lyman, was born February 27, 1689, and died March 24, 1762. He mar- ried Mindwell Sheldon, December 13, 1712. Simeon Lyman, son of Captain Moses Ly- man, was born in 1725 in Northampton, Mass., settled in Salisbury, Conn., and joined the church in that place in 1740 by letter from the church in Northampton. He married Abigail Beebe, of Canaan, Conn., and both died in Salisbury in the year 1800. John Ly- -man, son of Simeon Lyman, of Salisbury, Conn., was born March 11, 1760. He mar- ried Huldah Brinsmade, of Stratford, Conn. He migrated to Jericho, Vt., soon after the Revolutionary War, among the first settlers of the state. He was a man of deep thought, sound judgment, and an earnest Christian. As a bold and fearless soldier and sure marks- man, he served faithfully his country in the war of the Revolution. He died in 1840. Laura Lyman was born November 10, 1789. and married September 7. 1807, William P. Richardson. She died at Butternuts, Otsego County, N. Y., February 28, 1869."
In an address delivered by Hon. Lyman Tremain, a descendant of Richard Lyman through Simeon Lyman, at a reunion of the Lyman family, he uses this language:
"How mighty and marvelous are the physi- cal, moral, and political changes that have been wrought in the condition of our country since Richard Lyman first entered the val- ley of the Connecticut. These can only be briefly sketched on this occasion. Eleven years before he landed at Boston, the Pil-
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
grims had planted their footsteps upon the rock at Plymouth, and laid broad and deep the foundations of free religious worship and republican liberty. Two years before King Charles the First had granted the charter in- corporating 'The Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England.' The year before John Winthrop had been chosen governor of Massachusetts, and had emigrated to the colony, leaving his wife in England to follow him when her health would allow. * These feeble colonists have become a mighty nation. Where stood those primeval forests now stand populous cities, flourishing towns and villages, and smiling farms and farm houses, while the journey that then required fourteen days for its accom- plishment is now made by the iron horse sev- eral times every day."
John Lyman Richardson received his pri- mary education in the public schools of Wilkesbarre, Pa., which was later supplement- ed by a course in the State Normal School at Bloomsburg where he was prepared for Lafayette College, entering the class of 1885. He then taught school for a short time, and in 1886 became shipping clerk and buyer for the Manhattan Brass Company of New York City, remaining in the position for three and one-half years; he then accepted a like posi- tion with Randolph & Clowes of Waterbury, Conn. In 1891 he removed to Bloomsburg and in company with F. J. Richard built the Tube Plant, of which our subject was treas- urer until 1894. For the past year Mr. Rich- ardson has been representing the Weatherwax Manufacturing Company of San Francisco, Cal., and has been assigned to the eastern states, where he is meeting with the greatest of success. In 1895 our subject and Mr. Richard built four large tenement houses, and in 1898 the former built a large and hand- some residence on East Main street.
Mr. Richardson formed a matrimonial alli- ance with Minnie Bittenbender, a daughter of Evan E. Bittenbender of Grand Rapids, Mich., and they have been blessed by two children, namely: Catherine R., born June 5, 1896; and John L., born July 4, 1897. In political views our subject affiliates with the Republican party.
Evan E. Bittenbender, father of Mrs. J. L. Richardson, was born February 26, 1842, at Cambria, Luzerne County, Pa. Ilis father, Henry Bittenbender, removed with his family to Forks, Columbia County, Pa., and pur- chased what is now known as the Zaner farm, one of the best in the Fishing Creek Valley. Upon reaching his twenty-first year Evan E. enlisted in Company E, 209th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., in which company he served until the end of the Civil War. His company was engaged in some of the fiercest battles of the war, among others Fort Steadman and Petersburg. He married Rebecca Matilda Stoker, daugh- ter of Daniel Stoker, September 28, 1865, and removed in the same year to Constantine. Mich., subsequently removing to Grand Rap- ids, Mich., in 1881.
EORGE P. and HARRY W. ARM- STRONG, constituting the firm of G. P. Armstrong & Bro., are pro- prietors of the leading general merchandise store and are among the foremost of the pros- perous business men of McEwensville, North- umberland County, Pa. They are sons of Gen. George W. and Elizabeth (Witter) Arm- strong, and are members of an old and well- established family of Northumberland Coun- ty.
Their earliest known ancestor was James Armstrong, a native of Ireland, who taught
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
school and engaged in surveying in that coun- try. He was a well-educated man, and on June 1, 1786, came to America, locating in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pa. He brought with him the following high recommendation from business and professional men, an excel- lent testimonial as to his character:
COUNTY OF FERMANAGH.
CORPORATION OF ENNISKILLEN. [Seal. ]
We, the under-named Provost, Burgess, and Freemen of the aforesaid corporation, do cer- tify that the bearer, James Armstrong, was born and bred in the neighborhood of this Corporation, of Protestant parents; that he always behaved himself soberly and indus- triously, practicing the business of a Land Surveyor, with many other businesses of trust, which he punctually discharged to the satis- faction of his employers. In testimony where- of we have affixed the seal of our Corporation. Given under our hands this twenty-fifth day of May, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-six. ยทยท ART. JOHNSTON,
Recorder.
WILLIAM SCOTT,
Provost.
WALTER HUDSON, ROBERT HASSARD,
Burgesses.
The bearer, James Armstrong, was born on my estate, in County Fermanagh, of reputable parents, and has always behaved himself reg- ularly and soberly. MR. ARCHDALL,
Member for the County of Fermanagh.
James Armstrong, above mentioned, served as clerk to my church twelve years, last April, and behaved himself soberly and well and was schoolmaster to my parish of Ennis McSaint, otherwise Churchhill, for five years, and de-
clined teaching school on getting employment as Surveyor of Land, which was of more ad- vantage to him than teaching school. Given under my hand this thirty-first day of May, 1786. JN. NIXON,
Tutor and Vicar of Said Parish.
N. B .- I have promised to restore him to his clerkship if he returns in twelve months' time.
The bearer, James Armstrong, of Cossbys- town, who is now about to set out for Amer- ica, acted in a place of trust and authority for me for seven years past, and acquitted himself with as much honesty and integrity as I could expect or wish for.
Given under my hand this 30th day of May, 1786, six. WVM. OWENS,
Curate Ennis McSaint Parish, Ireland.
I have known the above mentioned James Armstrong for some time, and I believe the above to be true. AND. R. MILLAR,
Vicar Clogham.
Mr. Armstrong readily procured a position as instructor in the Carlisle High School as teacher of mathematics. While residing in Carlisle he married Eleanor Pollock, who was born February 7, 1760, and died February 26, 1823. She was a daughter of John Pollock, who also came to this country and made his home in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pa. He was a son of Dr. Thomas Pollock, whose ancestors were from Renfrewshire, Scotland. Mrs. Armstrong fell heir to a tract of 200 acres of land in Northumberland County, the place now owned by Merritt Sanster, which adjoins McEwensville, and her husband then resigned his position and located thereon. He followed farming until his death, on Septem- ber 20, 1829. James Armstrong was the pro- genitor of the following children: Anthony,
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
the grandfather of our subjects. Elizabeth, who was born November 11, 1789, and died on July 5, 1861, married George Blain, and had five children; Ellen, who married Ja- cob Mosteller; Prudence, the wife of J. D. Brittain ;. James, whose wife was Elizabeth Amans; Jane; and Mary, the wife of Henry Martin. Eleanor, the third child of James and Eleanor Armstrong, was born July 28, 1791, and died on September 22 of the same year. Eleanor, the fourth child born to her parents, was born on August 8, 1792, and died on Feb- ruary 7, 1857, married Andrew Guffey, and their children were: Margaret, the wife of J. P. Armstrong; Andrew J., who married Mary M. Falls; James, who married Elizabeth Shan- non; Harriet, the wife of S. C. Frymire; Clar- issa; Richard, who married Hester McKee; and Eleanor. Catherine, the fifth child, was born September 26, 1793, and died November 9, 1857. John, born December 18, 1795, died April 2, 1863. Jane, born October 25, 1798, died September 14, 1844. James, who was born December 3, 1800, and died on October 15, 1871, married Mary Reeder, and they were the parents of the following children: Dr. Richard, whose wife was Mary Kensing; Mar- garet E .; George B., who married Emma Ax- tell; William; and Mary, the wife of Frank Morgan. Mary, the ninth child born to James and his wife Eleanor, was born September 9, 1803, and died April 20, 1879. Richard, who was born April 13, 1805, became a mis- sionary, going to the Sandwich Islands in 1832, where he established the first church. He followed his calling there and accom- plished much good, but his life was cut short in 1860, when he was thrown from his horse and killed. His wife and daughter, Amelia, established a school at Oakland, Cal., for the education of the Chinese, and his son, Sam- uel, established the institute at Hampton, Va.,
for the education of Indians and Negroes. He married Clarissa Chapman, and their union was blessed by the birth of eight children, namely: Caroline; Carrie, the wife of Ed- mund Beckwith; Samuel; William N .; Ellen; James; Clara; and Amelia.
Anthony Armstrong, the grandfather of our subjects, was born on September 6, 1788, and early in life was engaged in teaming from Mil- ton to Philadelphia, before the existence of railroads in that section or before the canal was built. He hauled produce and provisions down to market and returned with a stock of merchandise, the trip being three weeks long. He subsequently took to agricultural pursuits and continued at that the remainder of his life, dying in January, 1868. Politically he was a firm Democrat. He was appointed captain of the Northumberland Cavalry Troop, it be- ing organized in 1824, by Gov. J. Andrew Shultze, the first in the county. He married Elizabeth Guffey, who died in 1832. Several years afterward he married Martha Conley, who died in 1878. His union with his first wife resulted in the following offspring: Jane, the wife of Edwin V. Derickson. Matilda A. was the wife of Judge John F. Dentler, by whom she had ten children, namely: Mary E., the wife of P. Mellick; Harry C .; Wallace W .; Jane E., the wife of J. N. Sloan; John M .; James D .; Julia, the wife of William Withers; Jessie F., the wife of Alfred Bagney; Maggie M., who married Leidy Morelock; and Sally M. (Gifford). Margaret, the third daugh- ter of Anthony and Elizabeth Armstrong, was the wife of John Sloan. Andrew married An- geline Watson, and their children were: James; Elizabeth, the wife of H. Allen; An- thony, who married Kate Grifey; David, who married Jane McWilliams; Mary, the wife of Frederick Gosh; and Emma. James F., the fifth child of Anthony and Elizabeth, married
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES
Margaret Guffey, and they were the parents of the following children: Hannah; Mary; Liz- zie, the wife of Henry Nye; Henry; Samuel; Clara; Scott; and Hattie. George W. is the father of the gentlemen whose names head these lines.
General George W. Armstrong was born, July 31, 1822, in Turbot township, Northum- berland County, Pa., and received a good ed- ucation in Milton Academy and the public schools. He taught school for two terms and at the age of eighteen years went into the office of the Ledger at Milton, where he learned the printer's trade and subsequently became a part-owner of the publication. In 1844 he disposed of it to J. R. Eck and en- listed in Company C, 2nd Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., serving in the Mexican War until August of the same year, when he received his discharge in order to accompany the remains of Gen. R. H. Hammond to his home at Milton, Pa. He then became one of the proprietors of the Pal- ladium of Bordentown, N. J., and after dis- posing of his interest there moved to Potts- ville, Pa., where he was associated with G. L. Vliet, Esq., in publishing The True Democrat. After a period of two years, in 1849, he moved to McEwensville, and in the following year began clerking in the store of Dentler & Arm- strong, in which capacity he continued until 1859, when he embarked in business on his own account. He purchased the Watson & Vincent store, which was built in 1828, and also the residence adjoining, which was built by the same firm in 1832. His business was begun on a small scale, but as his patronage grew he increased his stock and facilities for handling the trade of his customers, occupy- ing two floors of the building. He became the leading merchant in the village and one of the largest in the district, and continued in a prosperous manner until 1890, when he re-
tired in favor of his sons, who now operate the store. They have a first-class store in every respect and enjoy the confidence and respect of the community to a marked degree. Gen. Armstrong served as postmaster of Mc- Ewensville for about eight years and has served as school director for twenty-eight years, still continuing in that capacity. In 1853 he was commissioned first lieutenant in the Northumberland County Cavalry Troop by Gov. Bigler, was commissioned second lieutenant in 1854, and one year later was made a captain. Ever since the time of James Armstrong the family have been strict adher- ents to the faith of the Presbyterian Church. The father of our subject was united in hymeneal bonds with Elizabeth Witter, who was born July' 1, 1822, a daughter of Amos Witter, who came from near Westfield, Mass., and settled at Milton at an early day. The Witter family traces its ancestry back to one Capt. Ebenezer Witter, who was a native of Westfield, Mass. He served as a captain in the Revolutionary War, and on page 20 of the "Lexington Alarm List" from the town of Preston, Conn., may be found his record. He was born September 11, 1732, and was three times married. His first wife was Amy Meref, to whom he was married June 2, 1757, and from this union the Cook family de- scended. His second union occurred Septem- ber 22, 1763, with Abigail Geer, and in 1796 he married for his third wife Hannah Page. The family record is very incomplete, but it is thought that Mrs. Armstrong is a descendant of Capt. Witter's second union.
In connection with Francis Ball, under the firm name of Witter & Ball, Amos Witter en- gaged in the manufacture of carriages on Wal- nut street previous to the year 1840, and became a prominent man of that locality. He was a major of the state militia. He insti-
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
tuted the first lodge of Masons at Milton, and was the first grand master; he was also a mem- ber of the Odd Fellows' Lodge. He lived to reach the advanced age of seventy-five years, and his wife died at the age of forty-five years. His wife's maiden name was Mary Delevan, and their union resulted in the following issue : Amos; Albert; Henry; Hammond; Jane; Lucy; Amelia; Elizabeth; and Margaret. Gen. Armstrong and his wife were the parents of five children: Lucy Blanche, the wife of William F. Dewitt; Matilda, the wife of James Buoy; George P .; Annie; and Harry W.
George P. Armstrong was born in Mc- Ewensville, Pa., May 3, 1854, and received his education in the McEwensville Academy, af- ter which he taught school for ten years. He took up the trade of a plasterer and followed that occupation for some years; he also spent one year prospecting in the West. He clerked in a general merchandise store and after ac- quiring the requisite amount of experience, in 1890, became a partner with his brother, Har- ry, in conducting the store formerly owned by his father. He is a shrewd, clever business man, and has been very successful. He has held many minor offices of the borough and is now serving as assessor. Socially he was formerly a member of the Odd Fellows' Lodge.
Harry Witter Armstrong was born Septem- ber 18, 1861, in McEwensville, and was edu- cated in the academy at that place. He served as a clerk in his father's store and for a num- ber of years prior to the latter's retirement had complete charge of the store. He has fol- lowed that line of business continuously since. He became a partner to his brother in 1890, and by their honest and straightforward meth- ods of dealing with the public they have ac- quired an enviable reputation for their estab- lishment. Harry Witter Armstrong was ap-
pointed postmaster and served under both of Cleveland's administrations. Religionsly he is a member of the Warrior Run Presbyterian Church and is trustee of that organization. He is one of the popular men of the village and has many friends throughout the county.
UNCAN C. CAMPBELL,* a repre- sentative and leading farmer of Rush township, Northumberland County, was born June 15, 1826, on the place where he now lives, and is a son of Abraham and Jane (Cameron) Campbell, and grandson of Robert Campbell of New Jersey, who was a farmer and had a family of eight children. The Cameron and Campbell families are of Scotch descent.
Abraham Campbell, our subject's father. was a native of New Jersey, but was brought when a lad of eight years to Rush township. where he grew to manhood and lived the re- mainder of his life, following the peaceful vo- cation of a farmer, until he died in October, 1861. His wife, Jane (Cameron) Campbell, who died in 1854, was a native of Fishing Creek, Pa. To them were born five children: Robert, who died in 1861, was a farmer and married Sarah Ann Vastine, now deceased, of Rush township; Margaret, and her husband, Joseph Hartman, are both deceased; Flora, who died at the age of four years; Duncan C., our subject: and Joseph L., deceased, whose wife was Ellen John of Danville, N. Y. Mr. Campbell was an active, stirring man. a Dem- ocrat in political views, in religious attach- ments a Methodist and served as trustee and steward in the church.
Duncan C. Campbell, our subject, was mar- ried December 25, 1849, to Nancy Colket of
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
Rush township, who died May 30, 1887. She was a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Vas- tine) Colket. John Vastine was a cooper by trade, and both he and his wife lived and died in Rush township. Our subject and wife be- came the parents of five children, namely: Arthur Monroe, born February 17, 1851, mar- ried Blanche Wood of Syracuse, N. Y., and manufactures corsets in that city; Flora J., who married Charles M. Vendevander, and lives in Northumberland, Pa., having one son, Forrest: Elizabeth, who married Oba- diah Fox. a merchant of Mount Carmel, Pa., and has four children, Stella, Kimber K., Howard, and Ethel; Joseph B., who married Esther Leiby of Bear Gap, Pa., and has two children, Gertrude and Duncan; and James L., a carpenter for the Pennsylvania Railroad at Riverside, Pa., who married Mary Hurd, and they have four children, Blanche, Arthur, Duncan C., and Myrtle.
Our subject has always lived on the old homestead, with the exception of three years, when he lived on an adjoining farm. He has 180 acres of land, upon which he has made many improvements; he built a very fine house in 1894, in which he has hot and cold water, bath, furnace heat, etc. He has oper- ated a threshing machine for several years and also cut and sawed a great deal of lumber from his place. He keeps on the average about twenty cows and has run a milk route to Dan- ville, Pa., for about fifteen years, the manage- ment of which is now in the hands of his son Joseph. who has always lived with him and is one of the prominent men of Rush township. Our subject's popularity among his friends has caused him to hold many offices, viz., school director, auditor, overseer of the poor, judge of elections and many other minor po- sitions. He has always been a stanch Demo- crat. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.,
Lodge No. 527, of Snydertown, Pa. He is also a member of the Grange. Inheriting all the love and respect of his Scotch ancestry for the Sabbath and divine worship, our subject has not confined his energies to secular work alone, but has devoted much of his time to church affairs, and has served as trustee and steward of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Kline's Grove. He has a rugged constitu- tion, which has enabled him to labor hard and long, and his many friends regret that a bad accident which left him with a broken hip should cripple him for life and prevent him from enjoying some of the blessings which have come to him as the result of the toil of younger days.
R. W. T. GRAHAM,* who is unex- celled in Northumberland County as a physician and surgeon, is acting in that capacity for the Pennsylvania Railroad and is one of the foremost citizens of Sunbury. He is a son of Dr. G. M. and Rebecca (Kelley) Graham, and was born in Juniata County, Pa., November 27, 1862.
The family is of Scotch-Irish stock, and its members were among the early pioneer set- tlers of Central Pennsylvania, where William Graham, our subject's great-grandfather, lo- cated, buying a tract of one hundred acres of land on the south side of Tuscarora Creek, in what is now Spruce Hill township, Juniata County, for the paltry sum of three dollars per acre. He cleared part of the land and during the remainder of his life was engaged in its cultivation. His son, John Graham, the grandfather of our subject, was born upon this property, which he was engaged in cultivating until 1837, when he moved to Cumberland County, near Carlisle, and tilled the soil the
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
remainder of his life, dying in 1867, after at- taining the age of eighty-four years. He was a man of exceptional business qualifications and good judgment. He formed a matrimo- nial alliance with Polly Turbett, a daughter of Col. Turbett, who was actively engaged in the battle at Princeton, and others of prominence in the Revolutionary War. This union re- sulted in the birth of ten children, the young- est of whom was Dr. G. M. Graham.
Dr. G. M. Graham was born in Spruce Hill township in 1829, and obtained his intellectual training in the Tuscarora Academy and Dick- inson College of Carlisle, Pa., after which he took up the study of medicine and was grad- uated from the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1853. He immediately after located in Perrysville, now Port Royal, and acquired a lucrative practice, doing a vast amount of work in the surgical line, as he was especially efficient in performing operations. He was for many years an elder in the Presby- terian Church. At 6 o'clock a. m., June I, 1854, he was joined in wedlock to Rebecca Kelley, and they became the parents of four children, three sons and one daughter, all of whom grew to maturity. Mrs. Graham was a daughter of Joseph Kelley, M. D., a native of Lancaster County, who was born Novem- ber 19, 1795. He was a graduate of the med- ical department of the University of Penn- sylvania, and located in Spruce Hill township, where he was a prominent physician. He lived a long and useful life, dying in 1887, at the age of eighty-two years. Religiously he was an elder in the Presbyterian Church for many years. He chose as his companion in life Anna Breson Stewart, who died in 1870, aged sixty-five years, and who was a descendant of the Stewarts, a prominent family of Scotland.
Dr. W. T. Graham was educated in the Port Royal Academy and in Dickinson College,
from which he graduated in 1886, after which he read medicine with his father for some time, and was graduated from the Jefferson Medical College in 1889, after which he remained at home for one year, and then moved to Miner's State Hospital at Ashland, Pa. He served for two years as assistant surgeon of that institu- tion, and in 1893 removed to Sunbury, and has since been surgeon for the Pennsylvania Railroad and carried on a general practice. He is also a member of the Northumberland County Medical Association. During his brief residence in Sunbury Dr. Graham has become firmly established in the good will and affec- tion of the people.
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