Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 155

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

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SAVORY DISTRICT .- John S. Savory and Guerdon Williams came from Connecticut together, in 1823, and found their way to what has long been known as Savorytown, more recently Lake View, and rolled up two log cabins about six rods apart, on the knoll above Jasper J. Savory's. The only settler in the vicinity at that time was Deacon Norris, who was the pioneer in the neighborhood. Savory had been in the War of 1812. He cleared up a farm and died in 1867, aged eighty years. Jasper J. Savory, his only living son, resides on the homestead. Guerdon Williams' daughter Phebe was the wife of Alonzo Perry. The farm is now owned by A. D. Corse.

Deacon Nathaniel Norris came from Vermont in 1816. His farm joined Savory's on the southwest. His log cabin was the first house in the district, and the first frame house that he built sixty years ago is standing. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, a deacon in the Baptist Church, a leader in the Sun- day-schools and prayer-meeting, and a good citizen. Amasa, one of his sons, resides on the farm adjoining the homestead which is now owned by Billings Bur- dick. Nathan Knowlton came a few years later and stopped in Deacon Norris' log house, until he built a log house on the place now owned by his son Hollis Knowlton. Silas Gates located on the place adjoin- ing where his son Maynard lives; Lewis, John and Charles, his other sons, reside in the vicinity. Hosea Barrett settled where his son Luther L. resides. Israel B. Gregory came to the place where Daniel Gregory lives. Stephen Mann and Nathaniel Bixby took up farms in the district. Solomon Matteson

A. D.Corse

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came later and resided on the Norris place ; Orrin, one of his sons, lives in the northern part of the township. Hiram Follet was an early settler here. Archibald Hill erected the first saw-mill on the out- let of Butler Lake. M. B. Washburn has a saw-mill and feed-mill there now. Henry Morris started a store on the corner and did a good business. The Lake View post-office was established in 1879, A. D. Corse, postmaster; the residents of the neighbor- hood built a school-house on the corner, about 1832. The first schools were in Guerdon Williams' barn in summer, and log house in winter; Lucina Farrar was the first teacher. Clarissa Tucker and A. D. Corse taught here.

LIEUTENANT ASA DODGE CORSE .- His grand- father, Rufus Corse, was a native of Vermont. His children were Calvin, Gad, Luther, Chester, Leonard, Hannah, Mercy, Molly and Sally-all born in Vermont. Of these, Calvin, Chester, Gad and Leonard removed to Pennsylvania, and settled in New Milford. Three of the daughters married, and with their husbands also settled in New Milford, where they and their descendants have been identi- fied with the growth and development of that town ship. Hannah married William Coleman; Mercy married James Walworth ; and Molly became the wife of Lincoln Hall. Gad afterward removed from New Milford and settled in Jackson, on the farm where his grandson, Fred. Corse, now resides. Calvin Corse, father of Asa Dodge, was born at Dover, Vermont, September 29, 1794. He remained on his father's farm, receiving the usual advantages of the common schools of that day, until he attained his majority, when he came to New Milford, and took up an unimproved tract of one hundred acres, and commenced life for himself. Early imbued with habits of industry, he bravely set to work to subdue the forest and make for himself a home in the wilder- ness. Here he erected a log house, and in 1821 he brought to it as a bride Mela (1802-66), daughter of Thomas and Melatiah Tiffany, of Harford, Pa., who was born at Attleboro', Mass. Their children are Mela Caroline, 1822, now a widow, living at Dalton, Pa .; Betsey S. (1825-70), was the first wife of Alonzo Barrett; Rufus Thomas (1827-48); Asa Dodge, August 21, 1829; Miles Jerome, 1834, is a teacher, has been principal of the High School at Paterson, N. J., for the last twelve years ; Martha L., 1836, is the widow of Fred. Bryant, now residing in Jackson ; Mary S., 1839, wife of I. O. Stevens, resid- ing in Scranton. Asa Dodge was born in New Mil- ford, and at an early age attended the district school. After his father had erected a frame house the school was held there for two terms, and, on one occasion, before he was eight years old, young Corse " spelled down" the whole school. When ten years of age his father sold the New Milford farm and removed to Jackson, where he purchased a farm at Savory Corners (now Lake View), now owned and occupied

by his son, Asa Dodge. Shortly after coming to Jackson, Calvin Corse met with an accident that made him a cripple the remainder of his life. He died at the homestead, in Jackson, in 1881, at the ripe age of eighty-seven, having the esteem and respect of all who knew him. After his removal to Jackson, Asa Dodge availed himself of all the advant- ages afforded by the district schools, whenever he could be spared from the farm, and also attended the Harford Academy.

At the age of nineteen he commenced his career as a district school-teacher-teaching school in the winter and working on the farm in summer, with a term at the academy in the fall. This course he continued-remaining on the farm with his father until October, 1852, when he married Monemia, 1820, daughter of Walter and Effie Stewart, who were natives of New York, but who came to this county in 1815, and were for a short time with the "Nine Partners " at Harford, from which place they moved to Bridgewater, where Mrs. Corse was born. Imme- diately after his marriage Mr. Corse brought his wife to the homestead, his father having, by a mutual and satisfactory arrangement, transferred all his busi- ness and interests in the farm to him; and from that time until his death his father and mother lived with and was cared for by himself and wife. Their children are Barbara E., died young ; Clarence Stew- art, 1855, educated at the district school and at Hills- dale, Mich., where he remained four years. He afterwards commenced the study of the law with William H. & H. C. Jessup, at Montrose, but after contiuing his studies for two and one-half years, he suddenly resolved to take the advice of the late H. G., and "Go West," and for a number of years he has been engaged in the lumber business there. He found a bride in the West in the person of Jennie Blackford, and they are at present residing in Illinois. Clayton Grow, 1857, was educated at the district and select schools, and was for two years a student at Hillsdale, Mich. He married Hattie Burdick, and is a farmer of Jackson, residing near the old home- stead. After his marriage Mr. Corse taught two terms of school, after which he devoted all his time and attention to his farm.

The breaking out of the Civil War found him busily employed in the peaceful pursuits of home. But with a broad and intelligent knowledge of public affairs, he watched the lowering war-clouds with anxious heart, and when hostilities actually com- menced, and the nation was calling upon her sons for help, his loyal heart beat in response to the call, and he felt it his duty to go. But his age, parents (his father a cripple) looked to him for care and support ; and a wife and two small children claimed his pro- tection. Thus the first year and a half after Sumter was fired upon passed, when, yielding to what he believed to be his highest duty, he enlisted, in September, 1862, in Company B, Seventeenth Regi-

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ment Pennsylvania Cavalry, and bidding adieu to wife, children and parents, started for the front. Upon the organization of the company at Montrose he was elected "supernumerary " second lieutenant ; but on arrival at Harrisburg, finding this office abol- ished, he entered the ranks. He was soon after- wards promoted to orderly sergeant, and in 1864 was commissioned second lieutenant of the company. His company and regiment were with the Army of the Potomac in nearly all its battles, and participated during its service in more than fifty battles and skirmishes. (See military chapter for service of Company B, Seventeenth Cavalry.)

When the company was mustered out, Lieutenant Corse was retained in service by reason of his later commission, and assigned to Company B, Second Provisional Cavalry. This order Mr. Corse reluc- tantly obeyed; the war was over, he longed to see his wife and children and to receive the blessing of his aged parents ere they died. But true to duty, he regretfully saw his companions start for home and friends, while he started for his new field of duties. Mrs. Corse told the writer that when the company came home without her husband, the disappointment was keener than were the pangs of separation when he left for the army, nearly three years before.

Lieutenant Corse afterwards served on the staff of Colonel Leiper, commanding the forces at Louisville, Ky. He was finally mustered out in August, 1865, and reached home a few weeks before his full three years' term of enlistment would have expired. As a soldier in the ranks, and as a commanding officer, he won the esteem and respect of both subordinates and superiors. Home from the war, he immediately resumed his agricultural pursuits, which, with only an interruption of two years, he had steadily followed; and among the intelligent and forehanded farmers of Jackson, he stands in the front rank. In the spring of 1876 he removed with his family to Hillsdale, Mich., that his sons might have the benefit of the superior school at that place, and remained there for nearly two years.

In politics Mr. Corse was a Free Soiler until the organization of the Republican party, with which he acted until recently, but is now identified with the Prohibition party.

He has served his town several terms as school director, auditor and assessor. In 1879 Lake View Post-office was established, and Mr. Corse was ap- pointed postmaster, which office he still holds. Him- self and wife have been members of the Jackson Free-Will Baptist Church for more than thirty years, and a portion of this time he has served the church officially as deacon and Sabbath-school superin- tendent.

EASTERBROOK FAMILY - WILLIAM WHIPPLE EASTERBROOK .- The grandfather, Warren Easter- brook, was born in Rhode Island, in the town of Warren, and being the first male child born there,

his parents named him after the town. He learned the trade of a ship carpenter and made several trips on whaling vessels. He removed to Brattleboro', Vt., before the Revolutionary War, served in that struggle as a soldier, and was a pensioner at his death, which occurred about 1840. While a resident of New Jer- sey he married Rosanna Hale, and their children were James, Robert, John, William, Elizabeth, Sarah, Sylvester and Bernard. Of these, Robert and John settled in New York State; the others, with the ex- ception of Sylvester, remained in Vermont. Major James Easterbrook was a soldier in the War of 1812. Sylvester Easterbrook (1790-1859) was born in Brat- tleboro', Vt. At the age of eighteen he left home to learn the tanner's trade, at which he worked a short time after his apprenticeship expired and then estab- lished a shoe-factory. In 1811 he married Demmis, daughter of William (1763-1848) and Sophia Prowty (1763-1837) Whipple, the former of Groton, Conn., the latter of Brattleboro', Vt., at which place Demmis (1792-1871) was born. Their children are William Whipple, 1811; Rosanna, 1813, wife of Nelson Cole, residing in Wisconsin; John (1815-73); Sophia, 1817, wife of George M. Cole, residing in California ; Elizabeth (1819-58); Sylvester Hale, 1822; Henry, 1824, enlisted in Company F, Fifty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, is a farmer of Harford ; Sarah M. (1826-56) ; Harriet E., 1829, wife of George Squires, a farmer of New Milford ; Warren, 1832, a farmer of Jackson and residing on the old homestead ; Theodore H., 1837, a farmer of Harford. About the year 1817 he removed with his family to Massachu- setts with the intention of making that State his home, but the change proving unsatisfactory, he re- turned to Vermont in 1820 and remained until 1838, when he came with his family to Jackson and settled upon a farm, where he resided until his death. Wil- liam Whipple Easterbrook was born in Brattleboro', Vt. From an early age until he was fifteen years old he resided much of the time with his grandparents, whose namesake he was. During these years he ob- tained all the schooling he ever had. At the age of sixteen he worked out on a farm at five dollars per month, and continued working on a farm until his marriage.

In 1832 he married Cynthia (1817-63), daughter of Whitmore and Lovisa (Miller) Barrett, a native of Brattleboro', Vt., and at once went to housekeeping on a farm he had rented. Here he remained until 1837, when he came to Jackson and purchased fifty acres of land, on which was a log house, and around it the trees had been chopped which were used in its construction. He then returned to Vermont and, at his suggestion, his father came on and also purchased land here. In February of the next year, himself, father and brother-in-law, Cole, with their families and a man by name of Griggs, started from Vermont and came to Jackson. They had two teams and sleighs-the goods in one and the three families in

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the other which, though a good-sized covered one, was pretty well filled with the representatives of three generations. He at once went to housekeeping in the log house on his fifty acre purchase, which is a part of his present homestead farm. In 1840 he bought fifty acres adjoining and continued clearing and im- proving. In 1854 he added seventy-seven acres more, and the next year erected a saw-mill, which is still in running order.

Their children are Frederick, 1832, married and living in Kansas; Jane M., 1834, married George W. Lamb, who was a member of Company B, Seventeenth

visa B., 1845, wife of Palmer Houghtalin, who was a member of Company D, Fiftieth Regiment Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, a farmer living in Wayne County, Pa .; Hiram W., 1847, was also a soldier in the late war, married and a blacksmith in Gibson ; Edgar A., 1850, married and living in Nebraska; Alma F. (1852- 55) ; Lillie F., 1855, wife of H. R. Crowell, a merchant in Massachusetts ; Forrest B. (1857), married and liv- ing in Massachusetts ; Rolla F. (1859-69). It can truthfully be said that this was a patriotic family, for in addition to having four sons and three sons-in- law in the army, Mr. Easterbrook himself enlisted in

WhoW Easterbrook,

Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry, and died 1879 from disease contracted in the army; Ann A., 1836, was the wife of G. S. Ames, a soldier from Gibson, who died at Washington, D. C., while in the service ; is now the wife of Joseph Atkinson, residing in Ill .; Whit- more B., 1838, enlisted in 1861 in the three months' service and afterwards in Battery F, First Pensylvania Artillery, and was wounded ; married, and a farmer of Jackson ; William D., 1840, was a member of Com- pany D, Fiftieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, married and living in Kansas; Elijah W., 1842, was a member of the Sixteenth New York Independent Battery, married and residing at Susquehanna ; Lo-

Company B, Seventeenth Pensylvania Cavalry, and after passing the examination, was rejected by tlie mustering officer on account of his age. In 1867 he erected his present pleasant and commodious home- stead, and in 1868 he married Charlotte (1829), daugh- ter of Hiram (1806-65) and Sally C. (1806-86) Hough- talin,'born in Schoharie, N. Y., from which place her parents removed to Wayne County, Pa., in 1854. Mr. Easterbrook was a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church in Vermont, but since his residence here has not connected himself with any church society. Originally a Whig in politics, he has been a Repub- lican since the party was formed, and as such has

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

been an earnest supporter of its principles. In 1883 he made an extended tour in the West, during which he visited his children and relatives, and many places of interest and note. Learning early the lessons of self-reliance, perseverance and industry, his life is the record of a practical and successful farmer.

PHYSICIANS .- Dr. Flavel Smith was the first phy- sician in Jackson. He came in 1833 and practiced eight years, and then located elsewhere. Ezekiel Guy studied medicine with Dr. Streeter and located here in 1841, and remained two years; then removed to Harpersville, N. Y. He was succeeded by Dr. Mack, who came in 1843, and Dr. Hamilton Whit- ney, who came in 1845 and died here about 1852. Dr. Whipple was also practicing here during part of this time. Dr. Thomas B. Orchard came in 1853 and removed to Salem in 1859. Dr. S. A. Welch came from Clinton, Wayne County, and practiced a short time, then went into the army. Dr. William Orchard came in 1862 and removed to Hightstown, N. J., in 1878. Dr. William W. Wheaton located in Jackson in 1855 and practiced medicine for twenty-five years, and is now a resident of the township. Dr. S. J. Engle located here in 1879.

THE OLD LOG SCHOOL-HOUSE.

SCHOOLS .- The first school-house was located about one mile west of Jackson Corners, on the creek. It was built about 1820, and was known as "Centre School-house." It was used for schools and meetings. They came to church on horseback-a man and wife with two children on one horse sometimes. The women came with a handkerchief on their heads and the boys were barefooted. The next school-house was built near Martin Hall's. There are ten districts now-Yale, Benson, Slocum, Miles, Jackson Corners, Nye, French, Savory or Lake View, Baldwin or Ridge. The Nye is sometimes called the Kansas School, be- cause it was built during the Kansas troubles. Moses B. Wheaton taught fourteen seasons in Harford, Gibson and Jackson, and is said to have been the first teacher in the latter township. Evaline Spoor, Perry Wilmot, Polly and Nancy Carpenter and Wareham Walker taught here or near Gelatt in Gib- son, where Jackson pupils attended. Austin Benson

taught nine terms. James Hall, Augustus Bushnell, Arba Rounds, Esther Parmenter, E. O. French, Alvin French, Elder Lamb, Hannah Sweet, Merritt and Obed Coughlin were teachers. M. B. Wheaton's family were all school-teachers but one. Fostina taught thirteen terms. She remembers her examiners under the old system. Pelatiah Gunnison, Milton Tingley, Stephen Tucker and Jesse Dix were direct- ors and examiners. Lucy French, Clarissa Tucker, Miranda .Hall, Lucy Hall and Fostina (Wheaton) Whitney were examined under this system. They were required to read a selection, to write, to spell orally, to " do sums " on the slate that were given them, to answer questions asked from the geography, and when they came to grammar the examiners told the teachers "that they must criticise themselves, as they didn't know anything about parsing." Afterwards they called upon Elder Gray to assist them. Their certificates read like the following : "This is to cer- tify that the Directors of Jackson township have taken to their assistance Elder D. D. Gray, and have examined Miss A. in reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling, geography and grammar, and found her qualified to teach," and this permit was signed by the directors. Julia Wheaton taught one of the first schools in a log hovel near where Job Benson lived. M. B. Wheaton lived where Nathan S. Williams does, neighbor to Benson, and their two families of thirteen children each supplied the school with pupils.

Freedom Lodge, No. 328, F. and A. M., was in- stituted April 4, 1859, with Torrey Whitney, W. M .; Moses B. Wheaton, S. W .; and Charles Tingley, J. W. When this lodge was instituted they surrendered the old "North Star" charter which had been granted in England, and it gave power to confer the Mark Mas- ter's degree, which now belongs to the Royal Arch Chapter. Besides, they had to make returns to Eng- land, which was not convenient. M. J. Mulvey is the only living member of the revived North Star Lodge. None of the members of the old North Star are now living. He is also the only living charter member of Freedom Lodge. Leander Griffis and H. M. Benson are old members.

Huron Lodge, No. 483, I. O. of O. F., was institu- ted June 23, 1853, with the following charter members : Augustus Pickering, Tracy O. Hollis, L. D. Benson, Dr. Joel M, Mack, Gilbert Witter, James M. Bron- son, S. W. Pickering, C. C. Payne, Ambrose Benson, Abraham Coon and C. B. Gunnison. Harford Lodge and Thomson Lodge have been started from this one. It meets every Saturday evening.

BURIAL-PLACES .- The first person that died in the settlement was a son of Major Lamb, and he was buried on Jairus Lamb's farm. Several others were buried here until the Whitney burying-ground was started, and Major Lamb was the first person buried there, in 1832. It consists of about one-fourth of an acre taken from Major Lamb's place. Norris Page is , said to have been the first person buried in the North

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Jackson burying-ground. It is now the largest ground in the township. Edson Hall was the first person buried in the Griffith grounds. There is a burial- place at Lake View, and also one at Jackson Centre, Deacon Norris gave one-half acre, in 1828, and walled in one side for the Savory or Lake View yard, and his first wife was the first one buried there.

The North Jackson Cemetery has been chartered, and contains about one acre. It originally contained one-half acre given by Enos Bryant, about 1835. There are many old settlers buried in Jackson Centre or Baptist Yard. Among them William Fletcher, died 1875, aged ninety-two; Betsey, his wife, died 1865, aged eighty-four ; Pelatiah Gunnison, died 1860, aged sixty-six; Margery, his wife, died 1883, aged eighty-nine; Rev. Jesse B. Worden, died 1855, aged sixty-eight; James Sands, died 1869, aged eighty- three; Elizabeth Sands, died 1885, aged eighty-two; Ira Curtis, died 1870, aged eighty ; Dexter Washburn, died 1884, aged seventy-six ; Deacon Otis Stearns, died 1858, aged seventy-four; Lois Stearns, died 1869, aged seventy-four.

Ede Potter, wife of Deacon Daniel Tingley, died 1859, aged sixty-six. She was one of the first, if not the first, person born in Gibson. Daniel Tingley died 1853, aged sixty-two; Ichabod Hill died 1858, aged eighty-five; Christeen, his wife, died 1866, aged eighty; Reuben Hill died 1878, aged sixty-eight ; John Morse died 1864, aged fifty-four; Stephen Tucker died 1882, aged eighty-eight; Lucy Harris, his wife, died 1871, aged seventy-eight; William Barrett died 1882, aged seventy-six; James Powers died 1862, aged seventy- four ; Eunice, his wife, died 1863, aged seventy-two ; Peter Eymer, died 1866, aged eighty. Hyde Olin, born 1833, died at Bermuda Hundred, Va., in 1864; Milo W. Duren, died 1885, aged seventy-eight; Henry Brown, died 1868, aged fifty-one; Ephraim Hill, died 1872, aged ninety-one.

GIBSON AND JACKSON BAPTIST CHURCH history begins December 25, 1825. Of the religious influence previous to that date we have no account ; but, accord- ing to the recollection of some, Elders Worden and Wilson, who were employed by the New York Bap- tist State Convention, preached occasionally among them. Elders Chase and Dodge, of the Free-Will Baptists, also preached in different neighborhoods where the people could be conveniently met. At this period it was not uncommon for meetings to be held in barns. Elder Elijah Peck, of Mount Pleasant, Wayne County, visited the settlement and prcached regularly to the people. The first record says, " At a meeting of a few respectable inhabitants of Jackson and Gibson, desirous of promoting the cause of Chris- tianity, according to their own belief and understand- ing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his apostles, appointed Saturday, the 12th day of November, 1825, to examine the minds of those who should meet con- cerning the formation of a church in this place." The meeting was attended according to appointment. Dr.

Chandler was chosen moderator, and Stephen Tucker clerk. December 24th delegates assembled from the Mount Pleasant, Bethany, Damascus, Scott and Bridgewater Churches. Seven brethren and five sisters constituted the church. Elder Smitzer preached the sermon, Elder Peck offered the constituting prayer, Deacon Rufus Grenell gave the charge. Daniel Platt was engaged to labor with them one-fourth of the time, and remained about two years. Elder James Clark, a missionary from New York, next preached to them once in two months. He was succeeded by George W. Leonard, who labored from 1829 to 1833. Deacons Stearns and Tingley were ordained with Elder Leon- ard, during whose pastorate sixty-nine were added to the church. But this appareut prosperity was checked by the supposed unchristian character of their pastor. They became divided, and were three years without a pastor. In the summer of 1836 Elder Parker visited them and was successful in gathering those who were in fellowship, who, in a meeting, the record says, "voted to withdraw the hand of fellow- ship from those who have left us, and are constituted into a church in fellowship with the 'signs of the times.'" From that period the church has been sup- plied with preaching most of the time. At first the meetings of the church were held in Jackson and Gibson, alternately, in two school-houses. December 17, 1842, the present church in Jackson was dedi- cated. Up to 1865 two hundred and thirty-cight per- sons had been baptized. The following persons have been pastors of the church since Elder Parker, who ministered two years, followed by D. D. Gray (1838- 43), five years ; J. B. Worden (1844-53), nine years ; R. G. Lamb (1853-56), three years ; George Plummer, eight months; William Miller (1857-61), four years ; H. Curtis, six months ; G. M. Slaysman (1862-64), eighteen months; R. G. Lamb, 1865. Rev. Messrs. Davis and Miller were succceded by Rev. Charles M. Tower, in 1878, who continued until 1883. Rev. James Rainey is the present pastor. The church membership is about one hundred and forty. A Sun- day-school was organized early. The average attend- ance is about seventy-five. William H. Pope, E. V. Tucker, Charles O. Tingley and J. H. Miles are the present elders.

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 155

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