Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 145

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania > Part 145

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Abel Read lived near the line of the township and was there as early as 1803. He had a good farm, which he left to his sons Abel and Noah, who lived and died here. Noah's son, Guilford, lived and died on the homestead. Joseph Blanding was an old set- tler here. His sons were Joseph, Rebe, Sabinus, John, Aden and Martin. John Blanding had a good farm and was quite prominently identified with the Agricultural Society. He died recently, aged cighty- nine. All the family are now away or dead. David Blackington lived near the line and Jones Avery just across the line in New Milford. Gabriel Everett bonght of Franklin Avery in 1836. He died aged seventy-seveu. His widow is living, aged eighty- eight.

JOHN LESLIE .- His father, John Leslie, a native of the Isle of Mull, Scotland, removed to the North of Ireland and acted for many years as land-steward for one Montgomery, of Scotland, a large land-owner. There he became a well-to-do farmer. His wife was Margaret Moore, and his father Malcom Leslie, of Scotland. The children of John and Margaret Moore) Leslie who came to America" are, John,

Daniel, James and Mary, the wife of Archibald Hanna, of New Milford. James came here after his other brothers did, and lived and died in Newburgh, N. Y. John was born in Benverdin, three miles from the Giant's Canseway, Ireland, on the family homestead, February 15, 1808, and died in Harford, this connty, March 24, 1875. In 1829 himself and brother Daniel sailed from Port Rush, Ireland, and landed in New York. John had served five years at home in learning the cloth-trade, and during his five years' stay in New York, was, for a part of the time, a clerk in a white-lead mannfactory. Both re- turned to Ireland in 1835, and John married, the same year, Mary Ann Bernie, who was born in parish Ahadoey, Ireland, September 5, 1817, and who was the only child of John and Nancy (Hunter) Bernie. Their ancestors were of Scotch origin, and, in common with the Leslies, Presbyterians, and belonged to those old stanch Presbyterian families who, two hundred years ago, withstood that almost intolerable persecu- tion on account of their religious persnasion. After his death John Bernie's widow came to America and died at her danghter's residence and was buried at Harford. John Bernie had one brother, Dr. George Bernie, of Belfast, a head surgeon on a British man- of-war. Daniel Leslie returned, and lived and died in Newburgh. After their marriage, in April, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie sailed on the 29th of June, 1835, from Liverpool and landed in New York in August. They had some means with which to start in a new country. Mr. Leslie served as a clerk for some time in a cloth house in New York, but his wife not liking the city, they left for Newburgh, and upon hearing of the then far West, and the great opportunities offered for settle- ment, they came to Harford in the fall of 1836, and shortly afterward bought of Lyman Follet the present homestead, about one mile east of Harford village. Under the management of Mr. Leslie the half-cleared fields and woodland in a few years gave place to well- cultivated soil, the honse was remodeled, out-bnild- ings erceted, and, in due time, all the appointments of the new home bespoke the hand and judicious care of a thrifty, industrious and intelligent farmer. Here this worthy couple reared their large family of chil- dren, trained them in all that makes trne manhood and womanhood, and gave them the best educational advantages of the Harford Academy and the graded school of the village. Mrs. Leslie brought letters from the church at home to the Presbyterian Church at Harford, and has remained a member since, devoted to her family and to the church. He became a mem- ber soon after settling here, was a careful and diligent student of the Bible, a lover of good books and thoroughly read many standard historical works dur- ing the latter years of his life. He was liberal to those in need, a supporter of charities, and a kind, in- dulgent husband and father. Inheriting that indi- vidnality characteristic of the Scotchman, he was a man of high moral and religious impulses, judicious

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

in everything and honest in the purposes of life's work. He was one of the early members of the Har- ford Agricultural Society, served for many years on its executive board, and for a dozen years or more served his township as assessor, often being supported for office by those differing with him in political opinion. It may be safely said that Mr. Leslie had the high esteem of all who knew him, and none knew him but to be impressed with his integrity of motives in all that he did. Their children are Mary, born 1837, wife of William T. Gillespie, of Harford; George

was very properly named in honor of Rufus Kings- ley, an old Revolutionary hero, who was the first set- tler there. Rufus Kingsley was born in Windham, Conn., February 1, 1763. He entered the Revolu- tionary army as a drummer when thirteen years of age, and was at the battle of Bunker Hill. He served through the war, and was discharged at its close. He came to Harford in 1809, and died 26th of May, 1846, aged eighty-four. His wife died the fol- lowing Friday, aged seventy-nine. They had been married sixty years. Mr. Kingsley was not only a

John Leslie

H., 1838, a contractor in Sturgis, Dakota; John M., 1840, an employé of the Erie Railroad at Susque- hanna; Dr. James D. (1843-81), an eminent young physician, died at Susquehanna, whose sketch may be found in the medical history of this volume; William G., 1845, proprietor of the Park House, Binghamton ; Catherine E. M., died young ; Joseph H. L., 1848, an engineer on the Erie Railroad, resides at Susque- hanna; Jennie E. and Alexander M. on the home- stead; and Samuel M. Leslie, died young.

KINGSLEY'S .- A post-office was established at Kingsley's March 13, 1886, Willis N. Whitney, post- master. It is a station and shipping point on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. It

soldier of the Revolution, but he had been a soldier of the Cross for fifty years. He had one son, John, who lived on the homestead and died there ; his son Rufus moved elsewhere. Mary Kingsley, of the old family, was the wife of Ira Nichols, of Herrick.

ANDREW J. ADAMS .- John Adams (1745-1849), a Revolutionary soldier, of Ashburnham, Mass., came to Harford in 1837, being then ninety-two years of age, to spend the remainder of his days with his son James. He was a shoemaker by trade, and after reaching his one hundredth year would make a pair of shoes in a day. He was well educated, and method- ical in everything he did, plain in his tastes, and pleasant in his manners and a man of correct habits.

Andrew J. Adams

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HARFORD.

He never employed a doctor when ill, but depended upon simple herb remedies to recuperate healthı. At the age of one hundred and one he wrote several let- ters, which were published in his native State papers, evincing a wonderful retention of mental faculties and a mind cultivated and improved after maturity. He lived to the great age of one hundred and four years, one month and four days, and was buried on East Hill, in Brooklyn. He married, in 1770, Joanna, a daughter of Jonas and Joanna Munro, at Lexing- ton, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Jonas Clark. She was born in 1747. His parents were Thomas and Lydia Adams, of Ashburnham. His children were as follows: John, born 1771; Levi, 1773, a tanner, settled in Harford about 1830, where he carried on the tanning business, (he died leaving a family, one son, Amos H., residing near Scranton) ; Joanna, 1775; Jonas, 1777, settled in Harford about the same time as his brother, and died here, leaving a family ; James (1779-1855), father of Andrew J., was a soldier in the War of 1812; Rebecca, 1781; Walter Russell, 1783; Betsey, 1785 ; and Dolly Adams (1789- 1854). Of these children, James was the first to leave his native place, Ashburnham, and find a home in this then new country. He came to Harford in 1825, and bought two hundred acres of woodland, having only a small clearing and a log house, situ- ated one-half mile east of Kingsley's Station. His wife, Dolly Dickerman (1779-1818), whose father was a soldier in the Revolution, and fought for the colo- nists at Lexington, died in Ashburnhan, leaving children,-Nancy (1800-59), wife of Loren B. Gates, resided in Harford for a time and went West; Dolly (1802-28), married one Brooks, of Massachusetts; James (1804-80), settled in Brooklyn, and his sketchı is in this volume; Elizabeth D. (1806-75), married John Boynton, of Groton, Mass .; Jonas (1808-70) died in Harford; and Joanna Munro (1811-49) be- came the wife of Laban Capron, of Harford. For his second wife he married Lucy Sartell (1792-1864), and had children,-John S., born 1820, a farmer in Har- ford ; Lucy E. (1821-82) was the wife of Alfred Jef- fers, of Lenox ; Sarah M., 1824, the wife of H. N. Smith, of Lenox ; Mary Ann died young; Andrew Jackson, born July 10, 1828 ; and William B. Adams, 1831, of Hopbottom. His second wife, and nearly all the children above mentioned, except the last two, came with him to Harford. James Adams cleared most of his land, with the assistance of his sons, and erected a frame house, which was the residence of the family until it was remodeled by his son, Andrew J., in 1877, and an addition made thereto. He was a shoemaker and a farmer before leaving New England, but gave his time mostly to the improvement of his new home after coming here. He was a man of un- pretentious ways, never sought official place, but quietly passed through his life's work, honest in his purposes and pure in his motives. He was fond of music, and used to play the bass-viol and bassoon at

the services in the Universalist Church in Brooklyn, where he worshipped. Andrew J. Adams was born on the homestead in Harford, and succeeded to it by purchase at his father's death. He obtained his early book education at the district school and at Harford Academy. At the age of seventeen he went to New- ton, Mass., where he learned morocco manufacturing and tanning. He afterwards worked at this business as a journeyman at Ashburnham, and followed it until the death of his father. He married, in 1852, Sarah J. Sawyer (1833-67), a daughter of Abel Sawyer, of Ashburnham, where she was born. Their children are Herbert S., 1856, married Lottie, a daughter of Isaac Halstead, of Gibson ; Nettie G. ; and Hattie L. Adams. He married, in -- for his second wife, Elmira M. Wilmarth, who was born in Harford, October 4, 1838. Her father, De Lafayette Wilmarth (1812-54), belonged to a family who were early set- tlers of Harford, and one Thomas Wilmarth was a constable here in 1808. Her mother was Harriet Payne, a daughter of Captain Oliver Payne (1780- 1868), a native of Lebanon, Conn., who married Elvira, daughter of Dea. Samuel Barstow, of Columbia, Conn., and were pioneer settlers in Gibson. Eight of Captain' Payne's family served in the late Rebellion, including a son-in-law, one a captain and one a colonel. By this union Mr. Adams has two daughters-Emma S. and Jennie E. Adams. Since 1855 he has en- gaged in general farming. He was an early member of the Harford Agricultural Society, has served his township as supervisor for six years and as assessor for one year. He was a stanch supporter of the Union cause in the late Rebellion, and although not drafted, put in a substitute at nearly the close of the war at an expense of one thousand dollars. He was the prime mover in getting the depot built at Kings- loys in 1885, is a progressive, active business man, and one of the intelligent farmers of the country. He is a member of Live Oak Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 635, of Harford.

I. O. O. F. OF HARFORD .- On the petition of the following brothers, residents of this place and mem- bers of "Huron Lodge," No. 483, of Jackson, Pa Aus- tins Darrow, G. L. Payne, W. H. Shannon, Henry Grant, A. A. Eaton, W. A. Payne, D. M. Farrar, E. E. Corwin, William Ira, William Tiffany, A. V. Price, a warrant was granted, May 20, 1868, by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for the institution of a subor- dinate lodge at Harford. Arrangements were made for a lodge-room over Guile & Eaton's, which is properly fitted and furnished, and still occupied by them, April, 1887. July 22, 1868, Daniel Brewster, D. D. G. M., assisted by a number of brothers of Montrose Lodge, came and proceeded to institute and organize

LIVE OAK LODGE, No. 635, I. O. O. F., with the following officers : Austin Darrow, N. G. ; E. E. Cor- win, V. G .; Williams Tiffany, secretary ; W. H. Shan- non, assistant secretary ; A. P. Price, treasurer. Im- mediately afterwards H. J. Tiffany was,introduced and

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

instrueted in the mysteries of the order. The doors were then opened to the publie, and the hall was properly dedicated to extend the noble principles of the order. The brothers are all living, except Wil- liams Tiffany, who died October 15, 1884, although not a member of this lodge. The following brothers are offiecrs for the ensuing term : Herman G. Adams, N. G .; Osear C. Talman, V. G .; Fred. A. Osborne, seeretary ; James B. Raub, assistant secretary ; David L. Hine, treasurer.

HARFORD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH .- Among the settlers of 1794-95 were several members of the Congregational Church in Attleboro'. In the fall of 1794 the settlement was visited by Rev. Daniel Buck, who had emigrated from New Milford, Conn., and purchased a farm near Great Bend, where he was preaching the gospel. The visit was soon repeated. These first sermons in the settlement were preached in a log cabin, covered with bark, which stood on the side of "Farrar Hill." A "reading-meeting" was then established by vote of the people, and John Tyler was appointed to conduet it. The services consisted of reading Seripture, some printed ser- mon and singing. Not long afterwards a missionary, named Smith, preached here a few times; after that an Irish minister, named Bolton, was employed a short time. Rev. Daniel Thacher made several transient visits. The people occasionally had the pleasure of meeting missionaries of the General As- sembly or of the Missionary Society of Connecticut. Rev. Messrs. Asa Hillier, M. L. R. Perrine and David Porter have been remembered with interest. They were pastors elsewhere, but would employ a month or two in the year to look up the destitute in the wilderness. A church was organized June 15, 1800, by Rev. Jedediah Chapman, of the Presbytery of Orange, N. J., a missionary of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. It consisted of seven members, Obadiah Carpenter and Anna Carpenter (his wife), John Tyler and Mercy (his wife), John Thacher, Mercy Carpenter (wife of Obadiah Carpen- ter, Jr.), and Miss Mary Thacher. All had letters from Attleborough Church, of which Rev. Peter Thacher was pastor. The Articles of Faith, drawn up by Mr. Chapman were subsequently exchanged for others of the Congregational form. "March 3, 1803, being met in church meeting, after prayer to God for direction, the church, after due deliberation, do sol- emnly deelare themselves to be of the Congregational order, by vote unanimously. Voted, that the Confession of Faith of the 2d Church of Christ in Attleborough, and Covenant, together with the Cambridge Platform, be the rule of faith and disciplinc." In April, 1803, John Tyler and Obadiah Carpenter were elected deacons. Meet- ings were held in the house of John Tyler, which stood on the site of the residence of the late Henry M. Jones. This was the first frame house in the set- tlement. Meetings were also held in his barn, which

stood on the hill-side, west of his house. The winter of 1802-3 is memorable for its influence on the religious character and prospects of the growing community. In those days ministers were sometimes sent forth, two and two, to look up the sheep seattered in the wilderness. January 24, 1803, Rev. Seth Williston writes to the Missionary Society of Connecticut : " I eame to a settlement ealled Nine Partners, intending to preach a lecture and pass on. This was Monday evening. They urged me to stay through the week. I agreed to stay and preach again the next day. I now agreed to stay over the Sabbath. That day was a remarkably solemn day. I believe God was in the midst of the assembly, of a truth. Sabbath evening we had about as full a meeting as in the day-time, though there was no moon." Rev. Mr. Woodward had preceded Mr. Williston, and on the Sabbath be- fore had preached and administered the Lord's Sup- per to the little church. Mr. Williston returned af- ter two weeks and found the work had spread during his absenee. He continued the meetings five weeks, and at times there were one hundred and seventy per- sons present, which was a large number for such a settlement. Sarah Thacher joined the church in 1800. In 1803 Joseph Blanding, Huldah Blanding, Sarah Thacher, John Carpenter, Molly Carpenter, Samuel Thaeher, Betsey Thaeher, Thomas Sweet, Nanny Sweet, Ezra Carpenter, Mary Carpenter, Oba- diah Carpenter, Jr., Achsah Tyler, Elias Carpenter, Abigail S. Claflin, Sally Chamberlin, Wright Cham- berlin, Obadiah Thacher, Elizabeth Thacher, Anna Knapp, Elizabeth Jones, Patty Gere, .Elizabeth Whitney, Ichabod Seaver, Mary Seaver, Nathan P. Thaeher. In 1805 Elisha Bell, Sarah Bell. 1806, Eliza Sweet, Nancy Howard, Abel Read, John Tyler, Jr., Polly Tyler, Polly Carpenter, Joab Tyler, Eliza- beth Read. 1807, Caleb Richardson, Jr., Huldah Richardson, Mary Tracy. In 1809 forty-seven were added to the church. For five years succeeding Rev. S. Williston's visit the people had been supplied by transient missionaries' about one-fourth of the time. In 1806 a small church was ereeted. In the winter of 1808-9 Rev. Mr. Griswold, while here on a visit to relatives, suggested that Rev. Joel T. Benedict, of Franklin, N. Y., be invited to labor a while. He came, and the addition of forty-seven members, be- fore noticed, is the result of his labors. In personal address Mr. Benedict was frequently abrupt and pun- gent. He gave prominence to the doctrines of grace. Some of his discourses produced deep impressions. Meetings were held almost daily. Some of them were held in Brooklyn and Gibson, which were then within the bounds of the church of Harford. The word of the Lord was precious in those days. Distance, darkness and bad roads were considered but slight obstructions to the gathering of the congregations anywhere.

Rev. Ebenzer Kingsbury was installed pastor August 3, 1810, and continued in that relation until

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HARFORD.

September, 1827. In 1810 six persons were received into the church. From that time until 1818 twelve were received; from that time until 1827 eighty-six persons were received. After Mr. Kingsbury's con- nection was dissolved, Rev. Adam Miller prcached one year, 1828, on trial, and finally accepted the call of the church and was installed pastor April 28, 1830.

The sermon was preached by Rev. Cyrus Gildersleeve. Rev. Adam Miller stood before the people of Harford for more than half a century, occupying the unique position of a Presbyterian minister serving a Congre- gational Church, composed of members of intelligence, holding decided views, which a man of less prudence and discretion might have provoked into opposition at any time. Mr. Miller had decided opinions, but never entered into controversy in order to enforce them, but quietly abided his time and usually suc- ceeded in impressing his opinions at the right mo- ment. He had the complaisance and conservatism of a German united with the shrewdness and thrift of a Yankee, that made him " as wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove " among the people with whom he labored. He always avoided controversy. both in his church and at Presbytery. If there was any difficulty in any church Adam Miller was a good man to send to heal all differences. He was unosten- tatious and modest in his way of living, being careful to keep within his salary and pay his debts. After his death his congregation were astonished to find that their pastor had some fifteen or twenty thousand dollars, which had fallen to him as a legacy. That prudence which was a necessity in his early life became a habit as he grew older. He had a large family to support, and if he did not live as liberally as he might have done in the latter part of his life, let us remember that honesty and prudence are better

than dishonesty and extravagance. He did not leave a legacy of church debts to burden the congregation, nor of private debts to harass his children. That extravagance which led so many congregations into debt, building costly churches, received no encour- agement from him, and the congregation are entitled to credit for paying him all and even more than was named in the agreement. Mr. Miller preached a his- torical discourse on the fiftieth anniversary of his la- bors here. At that time there was a number of distin- guished persons who spoke; among them, Rev. N. G. Parke, who represented Lackawanna Presbytery, who said : " A ministry among the same people, for

fifty years, in this age of the world is not com- mon. It speaks well for you, my brother, that you have been able to stand in your place all these years preaching only Christ and Him crucified. And it speaks well for the people who have stood by you and sustained you with their sympathy, their substance and their prayers." The first year of Mr. Miller's ministry thirty werc added to the church ; the next year fifteen, and the next sixty. Rev. E. O. Ward said : "No church, perhaps, has been more prosper-

ous or enjoyed a greater measure of spiritual sun- shine ; and no minister, perhaps, has been more useful, or has impressed himself more indelibly on the character of his people, or has more thoroughly incorporated himself into their history and experi- ence. Not a church in this whole region but has been instructed by his life and encouraged by his ex- ample. Not a pastor in his Presbytery but has found in him for the past fifty years a wise counselor and a faithful friend and brother." Since Rev. Mr. Miller's death, in 1881, the church has had three different ministers,-Rev. J. Merriam, from July, 1882, to November 1, 1884; Rev. R. N. Ives, from March 1, 1885, to April, 1886 ; Rev. Nestor Light, the present pastor, commenced May 1, 1886. The following per- sons have been deacons since the organization of the church : John Tyler, 1803, dismissed 1810, died 1822; Obadiah Carpenter, 1803, died 1810; Caleb Richardson, Jr., October, 1810, died April, 1838; Moses Thacher, January, 1811, dismissed 1825; Joab Tyler, August, 1825, died January 13, 1869; Lee Richardson, August, 1825, died June, 1833 ; Preston Richardson, July, 1833, died December, 1836 ; Pay- son Kingsbury, July, 1833, resigned 1839, died 1843; Onley Thacher, 1840, dismissed ; Jared Tyler, 1840, died July 7, 1876 ; Tyler Brewster, 1866, dead ; Den- nison K. Oakley, 1866, resigned; Edwin T. Tiffany, 1866 ; Wallace L. Thacher, 1877 ; Edwin J. Tyler.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, HARFORD.

In 1806 a small church edifice, twenty-two by thirty feet, was built on land given by Hosea Tiffany. It stood in front of the location of the present church. It is now standing on the other side of the street, and is transformed into part of a dwelling-house. The present church was commenced in 1822 and completed several years afterward. It cost originally about two thousand seven hundred dollars. In 1836 it was fur- nished with a good bell, weighing eight hundred and thirty pounds, at a cost of two hundred and fifty dol-

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

lars. The lecture-room, twenty-four by thirty feet, was built in 1844, and opened for worship February 9, 1845. It cost about five hundred dollars. In 1851 the church was repaired and extensively changed within and without, at a cost of one thousand five hundred dollars. The house was re-dedicated January 29, 1852. In 1873 seven hundred dollars more was spent in repairing and carpeting. Notwithstanding all the repairs and changes, the old-fashioned appearance of the church is largely retained. The pulpit, which has been lowered, is still high. A gallery, supported by pillars, extends over the entrance and along the sides. The church stands on rising ground, with the chapel to the right adjoining, next to the burying-ground, which gently slopes to the right, with maple shade in the cemetery and in front of the church. Taken to- gether, it forms a beautiful picture, a typical country church of the New England style.

Sunday-School .-- A Sabbath-school was organized in the year 1816 by the members of the Congregational Church. How successful or by whom conducted no one is now able to tell. About the year 1824 an or- ganization was effected, with a constitution, and the school was under the management of Messrs. Daniel Oakley, C. C. Richardson, E. M. Blanding, Deacon Lee Richardson, and perhaps others, until the year 1834. In March, 1834, the following record appears : " Resolved, That the regulation and management of the Sabbath-school in this place be directed in future by a superintendent and a committee of two, all of whom are to be chosen by the church yearly." Dea- con Payson Kingsbury was elected superintendent, and Deacons Joab Tyler and Preston Richardson committee. It appears that Deacon Kingsbury held the position by re-election until May, 1843, when he declined a re-election, and Amherst Carpenter was elected superintendent, with Peter Williams and Shepherd Carpenter assistants. In 1847 Deacon Jared Tyler was elected superintendent, with Deacon O. Thacher and Shepherd Carpenter assistants. Deacon Tyler served as superintendent for twenty years. The assistants were changed a number of times. In March, 1867, Deacon D. K. Oakley was elected superintend- ent, with Tyler Brewster and E. T. Tiffany assistants. They served until March, 1873, when E. T. Tiffany was elected superintendent, with Wallace L. Thacher and A. B. Tucker assistants. Deacon Tiffany still holds the position as superintendent. For a great many years this was the only Sunday-school in this part of the county, and pupils attended from all the surrounding country for miles around. As many as seven schools have been in operation during the sum- mer months in Harford township, and many of them are outgrowths of this school. Since 1856 this school has been continued through the year except, perhaps, a short vacation in the spring. The school is still in a prosperous condition, with an average attendance of about sixty. The Congregational Society was incor- porated in 1832, and the church property is under

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 145

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