Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 106

Author: Stocker, Rhamanthus Menville, 1848-
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : R. T. Peck
Number of Pages: 1318

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Abraham became a large land-owner, and, in 1815, built the well-known saw-mill which exists to-day and still remains in the possession of the family. He was active in all enterprises looking to the advance- ment and interest of the town. In company with John Mckinney, he built upon a picturesque and sightly hillock the present Presbyterian Church, and was al- ways one of its most earnest and devout supporters. He was one of the largest stock-owners in the Great Bend Bridge Company. In 1811 he married Juliet, the accomplished daughter of Joseph Bowes. Thir- teen children were the result of this union, nine of whom lived to manhood and womanhood. The sons were Joseph, Nicholas, William and James. The daughters were Catherine, Elizabeth, Lydia Jane, Fannie and Juliet.

JOSEPH DU BOIS, the eldest of the children, held, during his lifetime, many positions of trust in his native town, and was always recognized as a consci- entious and faithful officer. He was noted for his public spirit, and did much to add to the attractive- ness and beauty of his native place. He furnished much of the interesting matter published in the Blackman " History of Susquehanna County " rela- ting to the earlier days of Great Bend township.

He was born in 1812, and was married, in 1840, to Emroy, the only daughter of Benjamin Taylor. Nine children were born to them,-Richard, Ellen, Juliet, Harriet, James, William, Frances, Addison and Abra- ham. Richard, who is a captain in the regular army of the United States, married Ella, daughter of C. F. E. Richardson, Esq., of Washington, D. C. Juliet married S. S. Wright, of Hickory Grove. Harriet married Commander George M. Bache, of the United States navy. Frances married M. B. Moore, of Sen- eca, N. Y. James married Emma, daughter of Henry Paster, Esq., of Aix-la-Chapelle, Germany. William married Fannie, daughter of Dr. Motram, of Kansas.

Addison is an attorney in Washington, and Abraham married Abbie, daughter of Henry Mckinney, Esq., of Great Bend, There are twelve grandchildren living. Joseph Du Bois died March 22, 1885, and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery.

2. Catharine, the eldest daughter of Abraham Du Bois, became the wife of Rev. J. B. McCreary. Their children were Robert, a civil engineer; James B., a · merchant at Hallstead; William H., Edwin P., Gregory, Charles, Alfred R. and Catharine, who re- mains with and cares for her aged father. 3. Eliza- beth A. was the wife of Francis P. Catlin, who be- came a resident of Wisconsin. Charles L., their son, is a lawyer and a prominent railroad man. 4. Lydia, wife of Dr. James Brooks, who practiced medicine at Great Bend and subsequently at Binghamton. 5. Nicholas attended school at Mannington and Gettys- burg, and became a civil engineer, and was employed on a section of the Erie road; afterwards went to Oregon with Surveyor-General Preston. In 1859 he removed to Washington, and was killed in 1879 by being thrown from the open car of a construction train. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery. Dr. Sunderland, in a memorial address, said : "We shall not soon forget him, for though he was a man of no pretensions, yet in his quiet way he was always doing good." 7. William was killed by a gun-shot wound from a detachment of Nicaraguan soldiers, who fired upon the passengers while securing tickets at the transit company's office. Fanny, the ninth child, is the wife of Simeon B. Chase. She is a lady of culture and Christian refinement, and has been prominently engaged in Sunday-school, missionary and temperance work all her life. Juliet, the eleventh child of Abra- ham Du Bois, is the wife of R. E. Curtis. James C. is a resident of Binghamton, Jane Du Bois Lusk, like her brother, became a large land-holder, and was widely known for her hospitality and liberality. She helped to organize the Sunday-schools in her native town and became one of the founders of the Episco- pal Church at Great Bend.

HOTELS .- Minna Du Bois had an inn or tavern where the present hotel stands in the pioneer days of the settlement. H. K. Niven married his daughter Jane, and died there. She afterwards married Frank- lin Lusk, Esq., and removed with him to Montrose. Mr. Lusk rented the hotel to Benjamin Taylor and others, and finally built the present tavern-stand and rented to Elijah Barnum. Dr. E. Patrick had it a number of years. W. D. Lusk sold it to Frederick Hill, who sold it to M. T. Mitchell, the present pro- prietor.

HALLSTEAD GRADED SCHOOL .- Rev. Mr. Calnon was the first principal and remained one year. Sam- uel S. Wright, now station-agent at Hickory Grove, then taught the school two years, followed by Ray- mond Smith two years, Miss Sherman one year, Cor- nelia McMillan one year, Miss Brown one term, Miss Carpenter one term. F. L. Wood was principal for

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six or seven years, and was succeeded by I. M. Gray two years, who graded the school and advanced it somewhat. Miss Nellie Simrell has taught in the school four years, and is acting principal (1887). There are two rooms, eight grades and an average at- tendance of about two hundred pupils.

MERCHANTS .- Joseph Bowes, in 1807 or earlier, followed by Jeremiah Baker, who had a store shortly afterwards where Crook's shop now is, and Allen McIntosh, who had a store where J. B. McCreary resides, were pioneer merchants at what is now Hall- stead. John McKinney built a store near where Jas. B. McCreary, Jr., had his store in 1822, and was the leading merchant in the place until about 1837, when he sold out to Conklin & Page, who, in a few years, sold to William Dayton, who did a thriving business for many years. His brother Samuel succeeded him- Previous to his death William converted the old Mckinney building into a dwelling-house and pur- chased, of Elias Young and Milton Gilman, the store now occupied by Jas. B. McCreary, Jr., who succeeded Samuel Dayton in 1869. William Trowbridge had a store adjoining McCreary's, and after carrying on business a number of years, he sold to Henry Lang- ley, who also occupied and run both of the hotels at that time. Daniel A. Dayton and J. B. McCreary each had the store until Johiel Dayton bought it for his son, Dr. Wellington C. Dayton, who occupied it as an office. McCreary bought a building of Dayton, and moved it across the street and started a store. Wm. C. McIntosh bought a one-half interest in the concern and finally purchased the entire business. Marsh and J. Lewis successively had this business ; then the firm became Lewis & Langley, succeeded by C. J. Langley, the present occupant. Langley & Hol- land occupy a building erected by B. Hill. J. B. Brown owns the building adjoining, which was occu- pied as a restaurant for some time, and is now used as a post-office. S. H. Dayton erected the next building about forty years ago, and it was occupied for a store by E. A. Houghton and L. S. Lenheim. After that it was used for school purposes by E. P. Rogers, prin- cipal. Rogers and Cushman were professors, and W. S. Barrett was musical director-this was about 1849 -50. After a few years the building was again con- verted into a store by S. D. Ross. He had a number of different partners. J. R. Douglass has the business now.

Hiram S. Hanna occupies the store building that has been used for a shoe-shop, harness-shop, post- office, and finally for a store. C. E. Bennett built the store which he occupied about one year, and then sold to his father-in-law, E. D. Burton, who occupies it as a hardware-store. M. E. Allen occupies Barnes' building as a dry-goods and grocery-store. W. D. Lusk built the drug-store occupied by Dr. F. D. Lamb, a practicing physician. E. R. Mason built and occu- pies his building as a jewelry-store. Millane & San- ford occupy the brick building on the corner of Pine

and Church Streets, which was first occupied by W. S. Beebe. E. C. Chase was there also for awhile. Henry D. Warner was cabinet-maker and undertaker in the place for about forty years, and recently re- inoved to Montrose.

There were five of the Dayton brothers. William was the leading man among them. He carried on business successfully, and was succeeded, after his death, by his brother Samuel. Wm. D. Lusk married one of his daughters, and finally succeeded to the ownership of the property by purchase at an Orphans' Court sale. Johiel Dayton lived nearly opposite Kistler's tannery, and was a farmer. His son, Dr. Samuel W., became a skillful physician. Elias was a peddler and farmer, and resided about two miles below the village, near the State line. Daniel was a peddler and farmer also. He is the only one of the brothers now living. His son, Page Dayton, resides on the farm opposite Red Rock.

1 CONGREGATIONAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- The very early history of church-work and privilege in this region can, at the best, be only imperfectly given. The preaching of the Word, in the early days of this community, was more rare than regular, the church meetings occurring at very irregular intervals, so coin- bining to hide in obscurity the religious advantages, trials and triumphs of the Christian fathers and mothers. The present organization of the Presby- terian Church, known in the very early days of this community as the Congregational Church, was doubt- less first on the ground as a religious institution. The first authentic records extant concerning the early church-work and organization have these important entries. "Great Bend (Pa.), May the 7th, 1789. A society meeting, held at the appointed place of pub- lic worship after prayer, proceeded and chose, first, Daniel Buck, Moderator ; second, chose, Daniel Buck, Jonathan Bennet, Ozias Strong, Elijah Leonard (and) Jacob Bacon a committee to form Articles of Faith and Covenant. May the 21st, (1789), being appointed a day of humiliation and prayer, the Articles of Faith and Covenant were agreed on by a number who formed into a Church, and proceeded then, in the first place, and chose Elijah Leonard, Clerk ; second, chose Daniel Buck, Moderator." Further record gives reliable information that, on the 15th day of February, 1790, the Rev. Mr. Stephens, of Connecticut, came, administered the sacrament, and pronounced the body of believers covenanted together a church of Jesus Christ after the Congregational order. The names of the first members of the Congregational Church of Great Bend, Pa., were Daniel Buck, Olive Buck, Ozias Strong, Susanna Strong, Elijah Leonard, Mary Leonard, Moses Bennet, Mary Bennet, Jane Strong, Asa Adams, Olive Adams, John Baker, Susanna Bak- er, Orasha Strong, Patience Strong, Jonathan Bennet, Priscilla Bennet. October 15, 1790, Asa Adams was

1 By Rev. L. W. Church.

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chosen the first deacon of the church, and March 8, 1792, Jonathan Bennet, second deacon. The Rev. Daniel Buck was ordained (and probably installed) first pastor of their church March 7, 1790, by the Rev. Joseph Badger, of Blandford, Massachusets. Priest Buck, as he was called, was born in Connecticut,-a resident of that State prior to the Revolutionary War, -a brother-in-law of Rev. Mr. Stephens before re- ferred to, was a man of fine form (six feet in height) and of commanding address, and possessed of con- siderable wealth, besides being the father of a numer- ous family of children. When the War of the Revo- lution came, Mr. Buck's son Ichabod was drafted. The father paid the commutation of fifty dollars; but when Ichabod was drafted the second time, the father said: "Ichabod, you must go, live or die. I can put my money to a better use than that of keeping you from the service of your country." Both the father and son went to the war, the latter taking his money with him, and spending it freely, during the struggle, for the relief of the suffering. Mr. Buck attained the rank of major, serving to the end of the war. After the war Mr. Buck emigrated to Great Bend from Connecticut, and settled, bringing his wealth with him and spending the balance of it here, with his strength, for the temporal and spiritual good of his fellow-men. For a goodly number of years he served this church faithfully, over which he had been ap- pointed pastor, and served the community as the only physician in this region. His residence was a log house, situated a short distance beyond the present house of Mr. J. F. Carl, and on the opposite side of the road-way, wherein religious meetings were often held and the Word of God explained to the people gathered. "Priest Buck " had a numerous posterity ; many of them settled in this region ; and when he preached his son-in-law's (Thomas Bates') funeral sermon, he said "that about one hundred souls called him father or grandfather." He died in 1814, and his sepulchre is with us to this day. The " Buck difficulty," so called, created a deep feeling in the church and community and led to division, Cause of difficulty said to be the discipline of a member of the church by the name of Strong. The following charges werc formulated and pressed against the Rev. Mr. Buck : first, preaching immoral doctrine; second, saying that "faith " was not found in the Old Testament ; third, had said that conscience is not a natural faculty, but the result of education. In the trial which followed, Mr. Buck was exonerated from blame in his preaching. The "diffi- culty " resulted, however, in the suspension of five members, and probable dismission of seventeen more. The five suspended members were afterwards restored to full fellowship with the church. The disastrous effect of this " difficulty,." however, was felt in the weakness, both numcrically and spiritually, of the church afterward for several years. Mr. Buck closed his labors, apparently, as pastor over the church in 1799 (?)

In 1802 the church renewed her covenant under the advice of Rev. David Paster, and an associate mission- ary, from the society of Cumberland and Berkshire, Conn., to which renewal of covenant the following persons signed their names: Asa Adams, Nathaniel Gates, Stephen Murch, Jedediah Adams, Ichabod Buck, Thomas Bates, Samuel Blair, Margaret Faber, Betra Adams, Lucy Buck, Rebeccah Murch, Deborah Gates, Olive Adams, Phebe Buck, Deborah Lothrop.

August 30, 1814, a council of ministers convened to regulate the church, which was considered wanting in strict orthodoxy. Ouly thirteen of the members survived this ecclesiastical sifting. The Rev. Oliver Hill was pastor from August 30, 1814, to April 2, 1823. In 1815 the church joined the Luzerne Asso- ciation of Congregational Churches. March, 1831, the church voted, under the advice of Rev. James B. Mc- Creary, to become Presbyterian, by formally adopting the Covenant of Faith and Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church; though, as early as Sep- tember, 1819, the church is said to have been repre- sented in the Presbytery. Wright Chamberlin, Ru- fus Fish and Nathaniel Ives were the first ruling elders of the church under Presbyterian form, and Samuel Chamberlin, deacon. In January, 1830, the society determined to build a meeting-house. It was formally " Resolved : that Abram Dubois, Esq., and John McKinney build said house at their own proper expense and cost (by their consent, both parties being present and agreeing thereto), and when said building shall be.completed, they shall be, and are allowed the privilege of selling the slips to remunerate them for their expenditures in building said house." In due time the " said house" was built at a cost of about eleven hundred dollars, and the "ex- penditures" of the builders "remunerated " in the way and manner before noted, less an amount of donation of some two huudred dollars. "January 13, 1831, house accepted and dedicated."

The following-named ministers served the church succeeding Oliver Hill's pastorate, viz. : Rev. Ebenezer Kingsbury, April 2, 1823-27; Rev. Abram Dewitt, November 4, 1827-30; Rev. James B. McCreary supplied two years, 1830-32; Rev. Moses Jewell and Lyman Richardson, 1832-37. The Rev. James B. McCreary, now living (1887) in Hallstead, Pa., at the advanced honored age of eighty-nine years, states that when he came here, in 1830, there were only twelve or fifteen members in the church, and that there were no church edifices here nor between Great Bend, Pa., and Binghamton, N. Y. There was a meet- ing-house in Franklin, Pa., with no fire in it, in which Mr. McCreary preached with his overcoat and mittens on, the women bringing their boxes of hard- wood coals for keeping their feet warm.

In 1837 the Rev. James B. McCreary was called from Northumberland, Pa., to the pastorate of this church, and immediately entered upon his labors. From this time (1837) the church rapidly gained in

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strength and numbers, about seventy persons being added to the membership on one occasion. In 1851 the church edifice was enlarged to its present dimensions, and a bell purchased and lung in the tower thereof. May 4, 1864, the Rev. James B. McCreary resigned the pastoral relation ; his resignation was accepted, after faithfully serving the church for a period of about twenty-seven years, the longest pastorate in the history of the church. During his pastorate ninety- eight persons were received by letter into member- ship, and one hundred and eighty-five on confession of faith, making a total number of two hundred and eighty-three souls. Succeeding Mr. McCreary, the Rev. John S. Hanna served the church as stated sup- ply for one year ; after him the Rev. Wilber Johnson as pastor for a period of two years, until September, 1867. Elder Nathaniel Ives died May 23, 1867, hav- ing been an elder in the church thirty-seven years. Rev. D. M. Rankin served the church as stated sup- ply from 1868-70, a period of two years. Elder Wright Chamberlain died 1869, having been an elder in the church thirty-nine years. Rev. A. J. Arney was called to the pastorate of the church October 2, 1871, closing his labors January, 1875, after a service of nearly four years. About this date, October, 1871, the rotary system of eldership was adopted by the church. Rev. R. N. Ives assumed the pastorate Jan- uary 4, 1875, and served the church faithfully and successfully through a period of nearly nine years. During Mr. Ives' pastorate the church wasstrengthened in spirit and largely increased. Mr. Ives retired from the service of the church in September, 1883. The Rev. Leonard W. Church (present pastor, 1887) was called December 1, 1883, and subsequently installed by a commission from the Presbytery of Lackawanna, June 17, 1885. The number of resident members at present, 1887, is one hundred and fifty seven.

Pastors and Supplies .- Revs. Daniel Buck, 1790-99; Oliver Hill, 1814-23; Ebenezer Kingsbury, 1823-27; Abram Dewitt, 1827-30; James B. McCreary, 1830- 32; Moses Jewell, 1832-33; Lyman Richardson, 1834-37; James B. McCreary, 1837-64; John S. Hanna, 1864-65; Wilber Johnson, 1865-67; D. M. Rankin, 1868-70; A. J. Arney, 1871-75; R. N. Ives, 1875-83 ; L. W. Church, December 1, 1883.

Elders .- 1831, Wright Chamberlin, Rufus Fish, Nathaniel Ives; 1834, Peleg Johnson, John McKin- ney ; 1841, David Thomas ; 1858, Nicholas Dubois, R. N. Ives ; 1862, Henry Warner, Orlando E. Cham- berlin ; 1871, Simeon B. Chase, Charles E. Baldwin, H. H. Newell, George Buck ; 1874, J. B. Johnston ; 1875, J. S. Jacobus, Ansel Gere. Deacons .~ 1790, Asa Adams; 1792, Jonathan Bennet; 1831, Samuel Chamberlin ; 1834, Norman Rouse; 1841, Abram Dubois, John Scatten. Deaconesses .- 1874, Frances F. McCrearey, Ellen M. Baldwin.

REV. JAMES B. MCCREARY .- It very rarely falls to the lot of man to celebrate his ninetieth birthday in the full enjoyment of physical health and in pos-

session of all of his mental powers ; but still more rare it is for a man to pass the border of four-score years and ten with the blessed privilege of looking back upon a career free from blemish, and a life which has been entirely devoted to the welfare of mankind. Such an enviable condition of things has fallen to the Rev. James B. McCreary, of Great Bend Village. He was born in the year 1797, in sight of the famous battle-grounds of Gettysburg. His parents were Robert and Anna McCreary, both descendants of a sturdy race. When a very young man he traveled through the Southern States as agent for the pub- lishing house of E. Littell & Co., of Philadelphia. During his business tours he became profoundly im- pressed with the religious wants of the communities through which he journeyed, and believing that a great field of usefulness was open to him, he resolved to enter the ministry. After conferring with the Rev. Ezra Styles Ely, D.D., of Philadelphia, who kindly encouraged him in his decision, he commenced his preparatory studies, and in due time entered the Theological Seminary at Princeton, where he re- mained three years under the instruction of those celebrated professors, Archibald Alexander, Samuel Miller and Charles Hodge. At the close of his theo- logical studies he was licensed to preach by the Pres- bytery of Philadelphia, and turning his face to the southward, he commenced his work in the ministry as a home missionary on the eastern shore of Maryland. In the arduous labors of this important mission his health became so impaired that he was obliged to re- turn to Philadelphia, where he remained for a long time at the home of his good friend, Mathew New- kirk. When he began to convalesce, his physician recommended a sojourn in the pure air of the moun- tains of Northern Pennsylvania, and as soon as he was able to travel he journeyed to Wilkes-Barre by stage. At that place he became acquainted with Judge Jessup, who invited him to Montrose, where he resided at the pleasant home of the Jessups, and supplied the pulpit of the Presbyterian Church for some time during the absence of the regular pastor. The people of Lawsville desiring a pastor, Mr. Mc- Creary was sent to them, where he labored faithfully over a year. Having received from Philadelphia let- ters of introduction to Abraham Du Bois and wife, of Great Bend, he one day paid them a visit. Leaving Lawsville, he went to the Bend by the way of the old Steam-mill road, which then crossed the high ridge just to the west of Round-Top Mountain. In regard to this tour Mr. McCreary says: " As I came up to the summit of this ridge and gazed down into the beautiful valley of the Susquchanna it seemed as though I had suddenly come upon the Garden of Eden. This was in 1831, and at that time there was no village where Great Bend now stands, and only a small cluster of houses where Great Bend Village is located. A few scattering farm-houses could be seen now and then through the dense foliage. The

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splendid Hogarth-line-of-beauty-mountains formed a grand amphitheatre, but, unlike now, were clothed to their very summits with vast forests of pine and hem - lock. The crystal river turning the Great Bend from Susquehanna swept majestically by its grassy banks, the view of which was so interrupted by the heavy foliage of the trees along its borders as to resemble a chain of silver lakes, it finally disappearing in the picturesque valley coursing towards Binghamton. It was my first sight of this wonderful amphitheatre, where nature has lavished her favors with such a free and generous hand, and her blessings here seem per- petual."

During the first visit of Mr. McCreary to the Bend he received a call from the Presbyterian organization to preach to them. So pleased was he with the re- · ception of the citizens and the charming surround- ings that he accepted the invitation and labored for two years in this new field. While there he married Catherine, the eldest daughter of Abraham Du Bois. After two years of successful work at Great Bend he was called to Groton, N. Y., to take charge of a large congregation. During his ministrations at that place there was a great revival, which added seventy new members to his church. From there he was trans- ferred to Deposit for one year, and from Deposit he went to Northumberland for a year, and then, after an absence of five years, returued to Great Bend, in 1837. He labored at Great Bend with marked suc- cess for nearly thirty years, and, his health again failing, he went to Washington, D. C., in 1864. While at the National Capital he was appointed to a responsible position in the War Department, which he held until 1881, and then voluntarily resigned and returned to his pleasant home at Great Bend Village, where he now resides with his daughter Kate, whose devotion to and tender care for her venerable father has won for her the admiration and esteem of all who know her.

Truly this grand old man can say, with the immor- tal Longfellow : "Time has laid his hand upon my heart gently, not smiting it, but as a harper lays his open palm upon his harp to deaden its vibrations."

REV. R. N. IVES was born at Lawsville Centre, Susquehanna County Pa., October 7, 1837, and united with the Methodist Church South, in Virginia, Au- gust 19, 1852, and was received into the Presbyterian Church at Great Bend, June 1, 1856, and was made elder in the church in 1858. He was dismissed to Conklin Church in 1871, and January 4, 1875, com- menced preaching at Great Bend, or Hallstead, re- maining until September 3, 1883. His labors were very successful, about one hundred and thirty members being received into the church by him.

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 106

Author: Stocker, Rhamanthus Menville, 1848- Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : R. T. Peck Number of Pages: 1318

Author: Stocker, Rhamanthus Menville, 1848-
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : R. T. Peck
Number of Pages: 1318