Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 77

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 77

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

405

SPRINGVILLE.

daughters ; Phebe Ann was the wife of O. P. Townsend, a book-keeper in the Evangelist office, New York, for forty years, and died leav- ing a large family.

BUSINESS INTERESTS .- The people of the township are mainly agriculturalists, but soon after its settlement small business centres were established, which have increased in importance as the surrounding resources have been devel- oped. The oldest and largest of these places is

THE VILLAGE OF SPRINGVILLE, now located in Spring Hollow, in the most northern part of the township, west of the centre. It is one of the best-known places on the old Wilkes- Barre turnpike, south of Montrose, and is also an important station on the Narrow-Gauge Railroad. Since the completion of the latter thoroughfare the village has had its business life quickened, and its general appearance has been much beautified. In 1886 it had Meth- odist and Episcopal Churches, a fine school building, four stores, a large public-house, shops, post-office, and one hundred and seventy- five inhabitants.

still his property, and was kept, in 1886, by N. H. Sherman. The hotel was entirely remod- eled by Dr. Brush. In the lower part of the village David Lathrop opened another public- house, which was continued, after his death, by his widow until 1868. The building was de- stroyed by fire a few years ago. Many years ago the traveling public was entertained at the old Spencer House, below the village, and the stage- horses were changed at Myron Tuttle's.

On the authority of Miss Blackman, it is stated that Francis Morris & Brother sold the first goods in Springville, the year being uncer- tain. In 1816 Samuel Pierpont had a small store on his farm, now the David Wakelee place. In 1826 F. A. & E. Burrows opened the first regular store in a small building which stood on the McCain stand. They were suc- ceeded, in 1830, by Noble & Day, and, later, by James Noble, who sold out to Sherman D. Phelps, later of Binghamton, N. Y. About 1840 Fred. Williams put up a new building on this site and engaged in trade, closing out in 1844. He was succeeded by Azur Lathrop and, after him, came S. S. Grover, James McMillan and Asa Park, Minot Riley and J. R. Lathrop, M. Riley, R. T. Handrick, Thomas Irving, Minot Riley and the present W. W. McCain.

The Blakeslees, Scotts, Prichards, Pierponts, Wakelees, Hickoxs and Baldwins were the early settlers of the hollow, as is elsewhere related. In 1827 Samuel Beardsley came from Auburn to identify himself with the interests of the vil- Opposite this stand another store was opened by A. Beardsley about 1840, in which he and Thomas Jackson traded. Later came Ira Scott, followed by Scott and various partners-John R. Hungerford, Hungerford & Meserole, and the present C. A. Hungerford. A third stand was opened by Spencer Hickox, opposite his hotel, in which Thomas Jackson traded about 1842. Various merchants occupied it later, among them being Justus Smith, Henry Williams and Thomas D. Hoxie, of Paterson, N. J., the store being in charge of M. Prichard. It is now occupied by Isaac Meserole as a tin- shop. lage, and has remained ever since. For many years he followed the business of money broker and was also the notary public. When he be- came a resident F. A. Burrows was the mer- chant, Spencer Hickox the tavern-keeper, Ben- jamin Prichard the blacksmith, Ezekiel Fritz the tailor, Dr. Miner Kelley the physician, Marshall Prichard the carpenter, and some of the above-named farmers around the village. Some of the first good buildings were put up by Jesse and Emory Scott, Marshall Prichard, Dr. Elijah B. Slade and Spencer Hickox. The lat- ter was the inn-keeper. On the site of his tav- ern was a small house of entertainment, opened After removing from the above place, Thom- as Jackson built the house later converted into the M. E. Church, in which he traded a short time, then removed to Joliet, Ill., where he be- came very wealthy. in 1818 by Leonard Baldwin, which was en- larged and improved from time to time by Hickox, who was a popular landlord. He was succeeded by J. W. Rhoads, Samuel Loomis, and, in the fall of 1868, by Dr. P. E. Brush, The furniture and undertaking establishment who became the owner of the building. It is | of Tuttle Bros. occupies a three-story frame

406

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

building, erected a few years ago. Since Janu- ary, 1886, I. B. & H. Lathrop have had a drug-store in Springville, the first in the vil- lage, where is kept the Springville post-office.

Springville post-office was established Sep- tember 19, 1815, and Francis B. Spencer was the first postmaster. The successive appointees have been, in 1828, Spencer Hickox; 1845, Azur Lathrop ; 1849; Ira Scott; 1849, Thos. Jackson; 1850, Ira Scott; 1853, Israel B. Lathrop ; 1861, Amos Williams; 1862, Ira Scott ; 1866, John B. Hungerford ; 1874, Charles A. Hungerford ; 1880, William R. Meserole ; 1885, Homer B. Lathrop.

There are two mails daily from the north and the south and a tri-weekly mail from Hop Bottom. Since July 1, 1884, Springville has been a money-order office.

In 1824 John J. Whitcomb was a tanner and currier at Springville. Later, William Young was a tanner, and was succeeded in that business by Frederick Stevens. After 1840 Willian B. Handrick became the owner of the tannery, which was rebuilt four years later. In the course of years steam power was added and the capacity of the tannery much increased. It was burned down January 30, 1879, and rebuilt the same year. It was again destroyed by fire April 10, 1882, while operated by Byron C. Handrick, and has not since been rebuilt. Machine-shops are car- ried on by M. Prichard & Son (Willianı W.), and Theron Strickland. A large shop belong- ing to E. H. Culver is vacant.

" In 1828 Dr. Miner Kelly wasappointed jus- tice of the peace for Springville. Either in that year or the one following, Dr. Jethro Hatch, from Connecticut, settled in the place. Previous to their coming Dr. Jackson, of Tunkhannock, was the physician for all this region. About 1835 Dr. William Wells Pride bought out Dr. Hatch, and remained nearly twenty-five years. Upon giving up the practice of his profession he removed to Middletown, Conn., where he passed the evening of his days with his daugh- ter, Mrs. Rev. Dr. J. Taylor. One cannot cor- rectly estimate the value to the community of two such Christian lives as those of Dr. and Mrs. Pride. Both had gone in their early prime as missionaries of the American Board of Com-

missioners for Foreign Missions (1819-26) to the Choctaws in Mississippi ; the former from Cambridge, N. Y., and the latter as Miss Han- nah Thatcher, from Harford, Susquehanna County. Two of their children were born at the South. On account of the doctor's failing health, the family were obliged to come to the North, the parents most regretfully leaving the work to which they had hoped to give the remainder of their days. Dr. Pride had been established in Gibson a short time before coming to Spring- ville. In the latter place he was a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church, and an active anti- slavery advocate. Mrs. Pride died at Middle- town, Conn., August 8, 1861, aged sixty-three years ; Dr. Pride, March 24, 1865, aged sixty- nine years. His house in Springville is now owned and occupied by Thomas Nelson, Esq."1

Dr. Israel B. Lathrop has been a practicing physician in Springville since 1844, and is one of the oldest practitioners in the southern part of the county. For some years he was con- temporary with Dr. Pride and succeeded Dr. J. R. Hall. Prior to 1860 Dr. P. E. Brush fol- lowed his profession three years, served in the army and practiced a short time after his return. He is still a resident of the place, though not in practice. In 1878 Dr. Homer B. Lathrop engaged in practice actively for six years, and is also a resident of the village. Dr. F. G. Grattan is in active practice. Other practitioners at this point were Drs. John G. Woodhouse, A. C. Blakeslee, N. C. Mackey, C. D. Mackey and E. B. Slade.

Maple Lodge, No. 902, I. O. O. F., was instituted at Springville July 17, 1883, with twenty charter members and the following prin- cipal officers : H. B. Lathrop, N. G .; Z. N. Smith, V. G .; W. W. Prichard, Secretary ; C. A. Hungerford, Treasurer. In 1886 there were sixty-five members and the following officers : S. A. Shook, N. G .; Lemuel Blakeslee, V. G. W. W. Prichard, Secretary ; and I. A. Strick- land, Treasurer. The lodge owns a large, well- furnished hall in the third story of the Tuttle building.

MINOT RILEY. - His grandfather, John

1 Blackman.

}

SPRINGVILLE.

407

Riley, came from Dublin when he was eighteen years old, with a merchant of that city who was emigrating to America, intending to establish a mercantile business in New York City. Young Riley was accompanying him, expecting to enter his employ after their arrival. The merchant died during the passage over, and the young man landed in New York with little money and no friends. Having received a liberal educa- tion in the old country, he turned this, his only

he had superior educational advantages. But a student's life had no charms for him and his half-brother, Lloyd Goodsell, having settled in Braintrim (now Auburn) in 1799, he deter- mined to seek his fortune in that new country, and in 1807 came all the way on foot from Connecticut.

He first found employment at lumbering down on the Susquehanna River, near Meshop- pen. About 1811 he settled in Auburn and

Minor Riley

" stock in trade," to good account and went to teaching school. He was in Connecticut engaged in this avocation when the War of the Revolution broke out, and leaving his school- room, he enlisted as a soldier. After the Revo- lutionary War he married a Mrs. Goodsell, whose maiden-name was Davis, and settled in Connecticut. They had children,-Henry and John. John Riley, Jr., was born in Connecti- cut, October 31, 1788. His early boyhood was spent at home, and, his father being a teacher,

took up a woodland tract of one hundred acres. He lived with his half-brother while making a clearing and putting up a log house. In 1812 he married Polly Miles, a daughter of Jona- than Kellogg, and a native of Connecticut. After his marriage he took his bride on horse- back to their log house home and immediately commenced housekeeping. He erected a saw- mill on the west branch of the Meshoppen Creek, which passed through his farm, and was afterwards known as Riley Creek.

408

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

He was recognized as a shrewd and enter- prising farmer and business man, possessing much wit and sound sense and was a good financier, never owing more than he could pay. He died in 1880, at the age of ninety-two, and his wife survived him until she reached the same ripe age. They had lived together as man and wife nearly the full term of man's allotted years. Their children were Kellogg (1813- 40), was for a number of years a merchant of Tunkhannock, in company with Sherman D. Phelps; Harriet, 1816, died young; Minot ; Harriet (2d), 1821, widow of the late Dr. J. P. Lambert, now residing in Illinois ; Eliza (1823- 72), was the wife of John M. Bushnell, of Auburn. Minot Riley was born Nov. 15, 1818, in Auburn, Pa., where he spent his boyhood on his father's farm. He had the advantages of the district schools, and later attended select school. After attaining his majority he spent a part of his time on his father's farm, and part of the time lumbering for a year or two. About this time he went to Tunkhannock and assisted his elder brother in the store, and there received his first lessons in the mercantile business. Af- ter his brother's death, in 1840, he remained to settle up his estate and then came back to Auburn and assumed charge of the home farm. In 1842 he married Emily C., daughter of Oren (1796-1885) and Eleanor V. Avery (1797- 1852) Baldwin. Her father came from New Hampshire and settled in Springville, where she was born January 6, 1821. In 1835 her parents removed to Tunkhannock, at which place she was married. Mr. Riley brought his bride to the home farm, where he remained until 1844, when he went to Tunkhannock (uow Lemon) and purchased a grist-mill situated on the main branch of the Meshoppen Creek. This he overhauled and repaired, and in March of that year, after he had his mill in running order, a big freshet came, demolished the bulkhead and carried the mill down the stream a half-mile and completely ruined it. Nothing daunted by this serious misfortune, he immediately com- menced the work of rebuilding, and, although he had to take his lumber from the "stump " and erect the mill on a new site, he had it com- pleted and was ready to commence grinding in

July following. About 1848 he sold the grist- mill and purchased a saw-mill about one and one-half miles farther down the stream, and turned his attention to lumbering for two or three years. He then returned to Auburn and farmed the home farın, under an arrangement with his father, until 1857, when he came to Springville and purchased a half-interest in a store and stock of goods and entered into part- nership with Ira Scott. This was the com- mencement of a mercantile career that, with slight interruptions, he continued for nearly thirty years. The partnership with Scott was dissolved in 1858 and shortly afterwards Dr. I. B. Lathrop became associated with him in the business, and the firm of Riley & Lathrop con- tinued until 1861, when Dr. Lathrop retired, and he continued the business alone. In 1872, shortly after he sold his stock and business to Roscoe Handrick, he became a partner with Albert Alger in the mercantile business at Lynn, which terminated with his death in 1874. He resumed business again at Springville after- wards, and in 1885 he again sold out his mer- cantile business to W. W. McCain. Since retiring from business Mr. Riley devotes most of his time to his farm, which he purchased in 1878. He has also recently purchased what was known as the " Vanness" farm, and it would seem to be his desire that his latter years should be spent as his earlier years were-in agricul- tural pursuits.

His pleasant home in the village he erected in 1869, and here he resides surrounded by the comforts that a life of business activity has garnered. Diligent in business, honorable in his dealings, he represents the best type of the successful country merchant and careful financier. Of the four children born to them but one sur- vives. Their names are Morton Wilmot (1843- 44), George Clinton (1852-64), Mary Ursula (1855-64). Their surviving son, Stuart, 1860, was educated at the district and select schools of his native town. He also received a business training in his father's store, and was in part- nership in the business, under the firm-name of Riley & Son, when his father sold out and re- tired. He is now engaged at farming with his father and resides at home.

SPRINGVILLE.

409

LYNN is a pleasantly located village on the turnpike, several miles below Springville vil- lage. It contains a fine church, three stores, several shops and fourteen residences. A little more than a mile east is Lynn Station, on the narrow-gauge railroad, which is the shipping- point for this part of the township. In 1816 A. Luce came from Pittston and opened a wagon-maker's shop, in which were built the first platform wagons in the county. Several hands were employed and business was carried on quite extensively about a dozen years. Near this time, in 1868, he built his large brick resi- dence and, about the same time, Miner K. Wil- liams built another fine brick house on the op- posite corner. Soon after the place assumed a substantial growth, but has become more im- portant as a business point only in recent years. It is said that James Piatt sold the first goods, occupying a small building which has been burned up. The first store-house of noteworthy size was erected by Dean & Johnson, who occu-

pied it for trading purposes several years. A large number of firms have merchandised at Lynn, some remaining in trade but a short time. In 1883 A. B. Sheldon put up a store building on the corner opposite the old stand in which George & Irwin Luce have traded since 1884. Near by is the new store of Greenwood & Blakeslee, and on the old site is the store of James M. Jeffres, which was remodeled in 1886.1 The old building had a dozen different occupants, Miner K. Williams being one of those who there merchandised. In this build- ing is kept the Lynn post-office, which was es- tablished April 21, 1836, with John Cassedy as the first postmaster. His successors were, in 1840, Thomas Cassedy ; 1845, Stephen Lott; 1849, Thomas Cassedy ; 1851, Andrew John- son ; 1853, David G. Sherman ; 1859, Henry N. Sherman ; 1861, Edward M. Phillips ; 1866, Eugene S. Handrick ; 1869, Orville T. Spencer ; 1876, Charles W. Smith ; 1878, James W. Os- terhout ; 1882, F. S. Greenwood and Arthur L. Titus ; 1883, F. S. Greenwood ; 1885, James M. Jeffres. Two mails per day are supplied. Dr. A. L. Boughner is the resident physician at Lynn. Other practitioners have been Dr.

Miner Kelley, Dr. D. N. Camp, Dr. C. D. Mackey and Dr. D. W. Sturdevant.

Springville Lodge, No. 181, I. O. O. F., was instituted at Lynn July 21, 1876, with twenty- one members and H. A. Mack as the first No- ble Grand, and A. R. Safford, Secretary. Since that time the Noble Grands have been A. B. Sheldon, A. R. Safford, M. K. Williams, C. A. Hungerford, W. W. Prichard, F. L. Fish, G. L. Coggswell, M. B. Lyman, J. M. Jeffres, w . E. Taylor, Herbert Fish, Edgar Ely, S. O. Crawford, Thomas Ellsworth, William Smales, N. C. Mackey, B. C. Handrick and S. L. Gar- rison. The lodge has sixty-two members, meets in a fine hall in the Jeffres building, and is in a prosperous condition.

NIVEN is a post-office and hamlet in the southeastern part of the twnship. The locality was first known as " Fisk's Corners," and most of those residing here at an early day embraced the Mormon faith and left the country about 1836, to connect themselves with Mormon settlements in the West. Joseph Fisk owned one of the farnis at the Corners, and died at that place. Other settlers here were people named Monroe, Winters, Hall, Oakes and Shibley, the latter living across the line, in Wyoming County ; and Josepli Shibley was a preacher of this sect. In their profession they were not polygamous, and were reputed good citizens. After their removal another class of settlers came, and a number of them made way for the present occupants of the many fine farms of this section. Among those coming in last were the Parke, Stark, Squiers and Stephens families.

Dr. J. P. Lambert opened a small store on the A. Parke place and also followed his profes- sion, but did not remain long. Others sold goods here, the last one being Justus Hickox, after the late Civil War. Not long after the store was opened J. W. Fisk built a public- house, which he sold in 1865 to Jeremiah Stephens, who kept a licensed place till 1877. Upon his removal here he became tlie post- master, serving until 1881, when Rosetta A. Stephens was appointed, and the office hield at the same place. Three mails per week are sup- plied. Niven post-office was established August 14, 1855, and was named for the Hon. Niven,

1 Burned March 6, 1887.

263

410

HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

through whose influence it was secured, and Setlı B. Stark was the first postmaster. Hc was succeeded, in 1861, by Joseph W. Fiske, and the latter four years later by J. Stephens.

The hamlet has had mechanic shops, and in 1880 had thirty-seven inhabitants.

The first saw-mill in the eastern part of the township was built in 1824 by Samuel Rosen- grant, and quite an extensive business was done in sawing lumber and hauling it down the creek about ten miles, where it was formed into rafts and run down the river. Nathaniel Hobbs had another mill at the outlet of Schooley Pond, about the same time ; and other mills, some of them portable, were built, but as a rule they proved poor investments to the owners, and hastened the destruction of much timber which would now be valuable. One of the best sites on the Meshoppen has become known as Statcs Mills. In 1826 a saw-mill on this site was owned by Ezra Tuttle, who died that year from injuries received in the mill. A grist-mill was built later, and, in 1835, the Odell family owned it. In time J. States became the propri- etor and still owns the saw-inill. The grist- mill was burned down early in 1886, but has been rebuilt by N. M. Seeley. In the lower part of the township a steam-mill, owned by H. A. Mack, was burned, and, being rebuilt, was again destroyed by fire in 1882. Northeast from Springville village R. Squires had a good steam saw-mill, which has lately been inoperative. Near the Dimock line was a water-power saw- mill, and, farther down the same stream, other small mills have outlived their uscfulness.

Asa Packer purchased a number of farms in the township, which he improved for dairying, and established a creamery near the village of Springville, where the milk from these farms was consumed. This creamery is still carried on by Lemuel Blakeslee.

BENJAMIN STEPHENS, son of Eliphalet and Elizabeth Felten Stepliens, was born in Nichol- son township, Wyoming County, June 26, 1817. His grandfather, Eliphalet L. Stephens, came from Connecticut with his family and settled on the east side of Tunkhannock Creek, about three miles below the present site of Nicholson, having children-Jessic settled in Nicholson

township and died there at ninety-three, leaving a family of children ; and Eliphalet. By a second marriage he had a son Lord, who died in Car- bondale; and by his fourth marriage he had children-Katy, wife of Hiram Stark, of Lemon township, Wyoming County; Sally, widow of Ziba Smith, resides in Nicholson bor- ough ; Betsey, wife of Gordon Hewett, died in Lemon township ; Polly and Peggy, died young women ; Ward, in Lathrop; William lived in Nicholson, was drowned in the Tunkhannock and left a family ; Elsie, wife of William Felten, died in Lathrop.

Eliphalet (son of Eliphalet L.) Stephens' chil- dren arc Jessie, resides in Kansas; William, married, died and left a family in Hyde Park ; Rachel is the wife of Lewis Billings, of Lemon township; Benjamin; Joseph, a farmer in Nicholson, on the homestead, resides in the stone house, where his father lived, on the west side of the Tunkhannock; Heister resides in Nevada ; George, a farmer in Wisconsin ; Hal- loway, drowned in the Mississippi at the age of twenty-three; Elizabeth, married John Schooley and resides in Nevada with Heister ; Abagail, died in Wisconsin, leaving a family ; Ritner, a farmer in Wisconsin ; and Eliphalet, the youngest, last heard of in Missouri. All of the above married, and eleven of them reared fami- lies.

Benjamin Stephens spent his boyhood at home until he was sixteen, when he was placed in charge of a farm by his father, which he and his sister Rachel successfully managed for one year. The balance of his minority was spent in farming and lumbering with his father, re- ceiving very meagre opportunities for any edu- cation from books ; yet he got practical ideas of business, which formed the basis of his success- ful career afterwards.

The year he became of age he paid for his first yokc of oxen by getting in lumber donated him by his father. In 1840 he cut logs on his father's property for a raft, manufactured the lumber at his father's mill, and in the spring of 1841 his brother Joseph rafted the same to Columbia, realizing therefor five dollars per thousand. This gave him money, which he ap- plied in payment for the improvements on one

411

SPRINGVILLE.

hundred and four acres which he had bought He was early a Whig, later a Republican, and held the offices of supervisor and poor-master for twelve years. The children by this marriage are Jeremiah, born 1841, resides at Niven, is serving his second term as justice of the peace, married Rosetta Stark, of Springville ; Henry, 1843, farmer in Nevada ; (Reno), married first Lydia Brown, of Nicholson, and after her death, Emily Quick, of the same place ; Miner, 1849, of his father in 1840, formerly the property of Erastus Brown. He had to pay for the right of soil to the Drinker estate, and afterwards added forty-six acres to his purchase. In August, 1840, he married Delilah (1823-52), a daughter of Jeremiah and Sophia Rosengrant, of Spring- ville, whose family are elsewhere mentioned in this history. In October following he went to house-keeping on his farm, but soon removed to a farmer adjoining the homestead in Springville,

Bangumin Stephens

East Nicholson and worked for his father to complete the payment of his improvements. This couple met the obstacles then incident to house-keeping with fortitude and patience. Their first house was a plank one, twenty-four by sixteen. Mr. Stephens built the present one in 1853, at various times spacious out-buildings, and the farm is well-fenced with substantial stone wall. He was an industrious farmer, a nan of good judgment, and reared his children to habits of industry and honesty of purpose.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 77

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