Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 78

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

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married first Mary Vaugh, and second, Emma Felton. Benjamin Stephens, in 1852, married Caroline (1821-85), daughter of Peter and Re- becca Bond, a native of Northampton County, Pa., who bore him children, Otto Silsman and Newton H., died young; Appleton Bryant, born 1858, resides on the homestead, married Emily, daughter of Washington and Mary Waterman, of Nicholson township. * Benjamin Stephens' third wife, whom he married in 1885, is Mary E. Shibley, born in 1824, a daughter

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

of John and Sarah Shibley, who was the widow of Henry Stark, of Nicholson township, and her surviving children are, Augusta, Loren L., Sarah E. and Daniel Stark.

Mr. Stevens built his present residence in Nicholson borough in 1874, where he has re- sided since. He keeps the management of his farm in his own hands, and has placed his four sons on farms which he has purchased.

ALBERT SQUIER .- His paternal great-grand-

the family settled in Nicholson. He married Fanny (1797-1841), the daughter of Col. Levi Phelps, who settled in Lathrop, at the junction of Tarbell's Pond and Horton's Creek, in 1812, and for a time was a farmer on the Phelps place, and he was also a lumberman. Their children are Ira, born in 1813, married Eme- line Lovce and resides at Nicholson ; Fanny, 1815, the wife of Seth B. Stark, of Springville ; Albert, born November 27, 1817, in Nicholson

Albert Squier

father, with his oldest sou, residents of New Jersey, served in the Revolutionary War, and his father, Arah Squier, was drafted in the War of 1812. His grandfather, Stephen Squier, removed from New Jersey, and settled with his family in Nicholson in 1793, where he died. He was a shoemaker by trade, but on coming to Pennsylvania bought some four hun- dred acres of land, upon which he made con- siderable improvement during his life. Arah Squier (1789-1870) was four years old when

township, then Luzerne County ; Nathaniel (1819-76) married Nancy Robinson, was a farmer in Nicholson, where his widow resides ; Arah (1821-75) was three times married,-first to Perlina Place, second to Adelia Ball, third to Haunah Robinson, and resided and died at Tunkhannock; Amanda, 1823, widow of Dens- more Stark, of Springville, resides at Scranton ; Wealthy Ann, 1825, wife of Ziba Billings, proprietor of the Packer House, Tunkhannock ; Mary (1827-75) was the wife of Lewis Billings,

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of Nicholson ; Daniel T. died at six ; Rebecca (1831-76) was the wife of Jedediah Hewett, of Brooklyn ; William, 1834, married Frances, daughter of Dr Samuel Wright, of Lathrop, and resides on the Wright homestead ; Eliza, 1841, wife of Alonzo Foot, of Scranton.

Of these children, Albert Squier has spent most of his active business life in Springville, where he is known as a man of sterling integ- rity, of correct habits and an honorable citizen. He was reared on the farm, and early learned what hard work meant. His first venture for himself was just before becoming of age, when he hewed oars enough to buy himself a colt with the proceeds. In 1837 he bought one hundred and eighteen acres, a woodland tract in the southeast corner of Springville township, erected his log house, in which he kept bache- lor's hall, while he was making improvements on his land, which had cost him three dollars per acre. In 1841 he married Elizabeth Phelps, who was born in Nicholson December 21, 1823, who has been a help-mate worthy in every way, and has done hier part well from the be- ginning of their married life in poverty to their present comfortable competence, both her- self and husband having been members of the Methodist Church at West Nicholson for the past forty-four years, and supporters of the various charities in their vicinity. In 1848 Mr. Squier built his first frame house, and in 1864 he erected his present residence. His life work has been general farming and dairying, and all the appointments of his place, with its commo- dious out-buildings and from four to five miles of stone wall, show his persevering industry, and are a monument to his ambition and thrift to those who succeed him in the ownership of this property. Although not blessed with any living offspring of their own, their nephew, Elijah Harris Phelps, has resided with them from his boyhood, and is now the main nianager of the farm. Their only child, Luman Squier, died in 1860 at the age of seventeen. Mr. Squier has never been an aspirant for office, but has been interested in local matters, has acted with the Democratic party, and has served his township as school director. Eliza- beth Phelps' parents were David (1795-1852)

and Roxanna Sackett (1795-1869) Phelps, married in 1813, who resided at Nicholson, and whose children were Mary, born 1815, wife of Alvah Aldrich, of Plymouth, N. Y .; Almira, 1817, wife of Sanders Ward, of Cicero, N. Y., died at Nicholson ; David C., 1821, married Altheda Sheffield, and resided at Nicholson, moved to Illinois, and died in Kansas ; Eliza- beth, 1823 (Mrs. Squier); Levi, 1829, mar- ried Cynthia Camp, of Maryland, and has cliil- dren ; Otis (1833-63) enlisted in 1862, Com- pany A, Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was killed the following year, near Falmouth, Va. (married Serepta Harris, daughter of Elijah Harris, of Lemon, and left children,-Sarah, Roxanna and Elijah Harris Phelps) ; Homer, 1836, married Lydia Beebe, and resides in Springville, and has children, -Henry D., Jesse E, William H., Tempia A., Mary A. and Ida M. Phelps.

One son of Sanders Ward, above noticed, James H. Ward, enlisted also in Company A, Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and served three years, being mustered out at Richmond in August, 1865. He was a resident of Spring- ville, but enlisted from Wyoming County. This David Phelps was the son of Col. Levi Phelps, before mentioned, whose other children were Alvah, Curtis, Ira (drafted and went as far as Danville in 1814), Griswold, Millie, Polly, Phebe and Fanny Phelps (Mrs. Arey Squier).

EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS .- An account of the early schools is elsewhere given, and mention of a few select schools only is here made.

"In the fall of 1843 or '44 William Belcher pro- posed teaching a select school in Lyman settlement, providing he could get a room. John and Joseph A. Lyman built a small house on the old homestead, near the Junction, or corners of five roads, where the school was kept for several years, and which became known as the Lymanville Select School, giving name Lymanville, as it has been called ever since, though there is no village. The Methodist Episcopal Church parsonage and school-house is all there is to distin- guish it from other farming communities." 1

About 1845 J. Lorenzo Lyons established a select school in a private residence, which was successfully taught a number of years, and

1 Miss Blackman.

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

which was attended by about thirty pupils. He subsequently became a missionary to Syria, but is at present a colporteur in Florida. From 1849 to 1851 Miss Caroline Skinner, a sister of the Rev. G. M. Skinuer, at that time rector of St. Andrew's Church, taught a select school of much the same nature as Rector Freeman Lane had taught, at an earlier day, in the village of Springville. She was an accomplished teacher, very exemplary in her life, and her memory is still highly cherished.

Miss Dora Scott and Miss A. Etheridge had a well-attended school. In the same period the Rev. A. H. Sloat had another select school, and the aggregate attendance of the two was more than oue hundred.

Professor S. S. Thomas, a native of the township, is a very successful public school teacher and has taught twenty sessions of select schools in Springville, much of the instruction being devoted to the preparation for teaching.

In the summer of 1882 the citizens of Springville village raised nearly one thousand dollars, which, with the sixteen hundred dollars appropriated by the township, was used in build- ing a fine school edifice in that village. It has a good location, on one acre of ground, and has an attractive exterior. It is thirty by fifty-two feet, two stories high and substantially finished.

In this building a graded school of three departments was opened iu the fall of 1882, under the principalship of C. O. Bramhall. He was succeeded by Harry James, who was princi- pal until the close of the schools, in 1886. In the fall of that year C. O. Bramhall again as- sumed charge and is the present principal. More than one hundred and twenty-five pupils are in attendance, many of them being residents of other townships. The school is maintained at a yearly expense of nearly $1,000 per year.

Soou after the settlement of the county Methodist meetings were held in the southern part of Springville, where afterwards was or- ganized the Lyman Class. This was composed mostly of members of the Lyman family, Joseph Earl, George Atkinson, William Belcher, Nathaniel Sheldon, John Oakley, William Tay- lor and some others living in Wyoming County. Meetings were held at private houses, in the

woods, and in the school-house, as soon as it was built, and the preachers came at long in- tervals only. The Rev. Silas Comfort was one of the first presiding elders, and in 1812 the Rev. George Harmon held that position in this section of the country ; iu 1815 the Rev. Mar- maduke Pearce ; and in 1819 the Rev. George Lane. After 1830 preaching was held stat- edly by ministers assigned to what became the Springville Circuit, which extended over a large area of country, but which had this sectiou as a centre, so that the work became more perma- nent and led to the demand for a house of wor- ship consecrated to the services of the Method- ist Church. Accordingly was built, in 1842, a plain frame meeting-house, thirty-six by forty- eight feet, which became known as "The Ly- manville Church," but which was incorporated September 2, 1848, as the First Methodist Episco- pal Church of Springville, on the petition of the following persons, at that time members of the church : Joseph Whitham, Samuel Lyman, Timothy D. Walker, George Atkinson, Joseph A. Lyman, N. Sheldon, Prentiss Lyman, Lan- dis Lyman, Elihu H. Lyman, William Belcher, Whitman Earl and William Taylor. Previous to the building of the church, a home for the preacher had been built on the land of Gideon Lyman, but in 1851 the old buildings were re- moved and a new parsonage was erected, which is still the home of the ministers of Spring- ville Circuit. The church was repaired in 1878, and the property is at present in a fair condition. In 1886 the trustees were N. B. Sheldon, U. A. Church, Willis Walker, H. A. Spencer, L. S. Taylor and G. G. Rogers. Two of the former members of this church have be- come foreign missionaries, leaving this country in August, 1883, for Tokio, Japan, where they became teachers in the Anglo-Japan College. They are David S. and John O. Spencer, sons of H. A. Spencer, for many years one of the principal members of this church. The former was born in 1854, and the latter in 1857, and were educated in the Wyoming Seminary. Francis Spencer, Jr. (of another family) also became a minister of the Gospel from this church, as also did George H. Blakeslee, of the same township.

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SPRINGVILLE.

The bounds of Springville Circuit have been frequently changed, several other circuits hav- ing been formed out of it. In 1886 it em- braced the appointments at Lymanville, Lynn, Springville and Dimock, and there were nearly two hundred members on the circuit. Prior to 1830 the preachers of the old circuit were the Revs. Thomas Wright, Joshua Dawson, Caleb Kendall, Joshua Rogers, Mark Preston, Wil- liam Lull and Philetus Parkiss.

In 1830 the Methodist Churches of this sec- tion were served by the ministers of Bridge- water Circuit, Susquehanna District of the Oneida Conference. In 1841 the name of the circuit was changed to Springville, and the dis- trict to Wyoming. In 1855 Wyalusing Dis- trict, in the Wyoming Conference, took its place, and so continued until 1877, when this county was classed in the Binghamton District, where it still remains.

In 1816 a class of Methodists was formed at Springville which had seven members, and of which Abiathar Tuttle was the leader. Thomas Lane was a later leader. Betsey Sutton and Sarah Harkins were active members. Samuel Sutton became the leader at a still later day. The first preaching services were held in pri- vate houses, and in an old log school-house near Ezra Tuttle's. For a time no meetings were held in this locality, and the few surviving members had to attend meetings at Dimock Four Corners. The membership being aug- mented, services were again regularly held in the village of Springville, and in 1861 The Second Methodist Episcopal Church of Spring- ville was established in its own house of wor- ship. For this purpose a building which had been erected by Thomas Jackson for a store- house was remodeled and converted into an attractive edifice, which is still used. Novem- ber 22, 1865, the church became an incorporated body, with the following trustees: Abiathar Tuttle, John Compton, Jacob N. Vought, Loren Newton, J. W. Rhodes, Joseph S. Ris- ley. The class is at present under the leadership of Professor C. O. Bramhall, and is in a flour- ishing condition.

The Lynn Methodist Episcopal Church is the youngest organization of that denomination in

the township, and may justly be called a mem- orial to the enterprise and devotion of a few ladies residing in the hamlet where the church stands. On the 6th of October, 1880, a La- dies' Aid Society, of eight Methodist members, was formed, whose general object was to pro- mote the interests of the church. A fund of one dollar was secured at this meeting. At the second meeting it was decided to build a church, and a fund of two dollars was secured towards that object. A series of entertainments were now held, which materially augmented the building-fund, and in 1881 subscriptions were solicited with a view of commencing to build. The operations were placed in charge of a committee composed of A. Luce and Lu- cinda Luce, James Jeffres and Edith Jeffres, B. F. Blakeslee and Mary Blakeslee. An eligible lot was donated by Mrs. A. Luce, upon which was begun a building in the Gothic style, thirty by fifty feet, with a corner tower for a vestibule and belfry, the latter being thirty feet high. In the corner-stone were placed the names of the following persons, at that time members of the Ladies' Aid Society : Mrs. Lydia Blakeslee, president ; Mrs. Alvina Hemstead, secretary ; Mrs. Lucinda Luce, treasurer ; Mrs. Hattie Fish, Mrs. Mary Sheldon, Mrs. Mary White, Mrs. Edith Jeffres, Mrs. Jennie Spence, Miss Laura Fish, Mrs. Hattie Osterhout, Mrs. Betsey Coggswell, Miss Lillie Blakeslee, Mrs. Eliza Safford, Mrs. Mary Blakeslee, Mrs. Hiram Fish and Lyman Coggswell. The society, as a body, raised $549.61, and $904.38 was raised by subscriptions through their efforts, a number of the ladies contributing generous amounts themselves. In addition, much labor was do- nated, so that the actual cost of the edifice was not far from eighteen hundred dollars. It was formally dedicated November 24, 1883, when the ladies transferred the property to the Meth- odist Church. In December, 1886, the belfry was supplied with a clear-toned bell weighing five hundred pounds, and the building is now one of the most complete in this part of the county. Mrs. Lucinda Luce was especially prominent in the erection of this fine building. Franklin Brooks is the leader of the class, which has twenty-two members, and Emory

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Taylor superintends a flourishing Sabbath- school.

The Presbyterian Church of Springville is on the turnpike less than a mile above Lynn. It stands on an elevated lot of ground opposite the cemetery, which was opened as early as 1804. Although the congregation was organ- ized in 1819, the church edifice was not com- pleted for dedication until February 9, 1837, when the Rev. Sylvester Cooke was the pastor. The church had been built the preceding year by Justus Smith, Sr., Justus Smith, Jr., Lyman Avery and Dr. William Pride, as a committee, acting with the pastor. It was repaired in 1871, and is still in good condition. The structure is a frame, surmounted by a spire, which can be seen many miles around.

When the congregation was organized the Rev. Enoch Conger was the minister, preaching, before the church was built, in the school-house in this neighborhood. The next regular minis- ter was the Rev. Sylvester Cooke, prior to 1836, and after him came the Rev. Archibald B. Sloat, B. Baldwin and James W. Raynor. The latter was the last installed pastor the church has had, the ministers since his leaving being supplies, preaching at irregular periods. The church never had a strong membership, and many of its members withdrew to connect themselves with congregations in the adjoining townships, leaving but very few belonging. Orrin Fish, the last ruling elder, removed, leaving Deacon H. G. Ely as the only surviv- ing officer, and, as he is more than eighty-four years old, age has incapacitated him from active service. The church is mainly used for funeral services by those who inter in the cemetery op- posite. This is inclosed with a substantial stone wall, and contains some neat monuments. A parsonage was formerly a part of the church property. It was secured through the efforts of the ladies of the neighborhood, but it has been sold, and the proceeds have been applied for the benefit of the church.

St. Andrew's Church, Protestant Episcopal, is the successor of an earlier organization of this faith, whose history was given by Miss Blackman as follows :

"ST. JUDE'S CHURCH .- Some time previous to

1815 several families from Waterbury and its vicinity, in Connecticut, removed to and settled in Springville Being mostly Episcopalians, they established a stated Sabbath meeting, some one reading the service from the prayer-book and a sermon from some published volume. They were visited by the Rev. George Boyd, of Philadelphia, during whose stay a church was or- ganized, a vestry elected, and application made for a charter of incorporation. The charter was granted by the Governor 7th October, 1817, and Joel Hickcox, Amos Bronson, Thomas Parke, John Camp, Titus Scott, Randall Hickcox, Benjamin Welton, Spencer Hickcox, John Bronson and Leonard Baldwin were appointed the first vestry. The Society for the Ad- vancement of Christianity in Pennsylvania sent the Rev. Manning B. Roche, who alternated for some months between Springville and Pike, occasionally preaching in other places. About 1825 the Rev. Samuel Marks was sent to Springville, where he re- sided several years, officiating occasionally through- out the county. He was a man of popular manners, made many friends and did much good."

The meetings were held at the house of Titus Scott and in the school-house, in the village, and there were but few communicants. In 1829 it was proposed to erect a church edifice, and a difficulty arising in relation to the election of the vestry, which was not settled for several years, Bishop Henry N. Ouderdonk advised that a new charter be procured and a new or- ganization be made under it. Accordingly, a new charter was obtained in May, 1832, with the name of "St. Andrew's Church," and a vestry was chosen as follows : Thomas Cassidy, Arad Wakelee, Myron Kasson, A. B. Prichard, Philonus Beardsley, Asa Packer and Amos Williams. A lot of ground was donated by A. B. Prichard, in the village of Springville, upon which a plain frame church with a belfry was built, mainly by the above-named vestrymen.

Arad Wakelee secured aid from friends in Philadelphia, and Asa Packer himself worked on the church as a journeyman carpenter. In the course of years a pipe-organ was supplied, and for thirty-five years Miss S. M. Wakelee was the organist. In 1851 a bell was placed in the belfry, and subsequently the church was repaired. It was destroyed by fire February 14, 1879. A movement was at once set on foot to rebuild the following spring, and the present neat chapel was erected by an executive com- mittee composed of Dr. I. B. Lathrop, Isaac

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AUBURN.

Meserole and Albert A. Root. The Rev. George D. Strond, who served the church at that time, was untiring in his efforts to complete it-a task not easily accomplished, since the membership of the church had become very small. He served St. Peter's Church at Tunk- hannock at the same time, and preached at Springville until 1885. Since that time there have been only occasional lay services, the parish having but twenty members and no regular vestry. Of the early ministers of the church, the Rev. Samuel Marks preached al- ternately at Montrose and Springville, and some time after 1830, removed to Carbondale. He was succeeded, at Springville, by the Rev. Willis Peck, who was pastor two years. In December, 1835, the Rev. Freeman Lane suc- ceeded him, officiating in Springville and Pike, in Bradford County. In 1836 he taught a select school in the village, and during his rec- torship a parsonage was built, in which he later taught a select school. This building is still church property, but for many years has not been used as a rectory. In 1842 he resigned, and the Rev. Richard Smith took charge of the interests of the parish, giving Springville two- thirds of his time and Montrose the remaining third. In 1846 the Rev. John Long came to the church for one-third of his time, giving Montrose and New Milford each the other two- thirds. He also organized the parish at Tunk- hannock, with which the Springville Church was afterwards served. In September, 1848, the Rev. H. H. Bean became the rector, preach- ing with great acceptance the two years he remained with the parish. Then came as rectors the Rev. G. M. Skinner, about two years ; tlie Rev. J. G. Furey, about seven years ; the Rev. W. S. Heaton, about five years ; the Rev. W. Kennedy until 1872; the Rev. Luther Wolcott until after the burning of the church, in 1879; the Rev. Horatio Howard a short time; and the Rev. George D. Stroud being the last minis- ter in charge of the parish. The Rev. Luther Walcott still retains his residence near the church, but not in a ministerial capacity. While rector he served the parish six years, holding two serviees each Sabbath. The affairs of the ehnrch are not as prosperous as they have been,

but there are prospects that its work will be revived so that it will again become a power in the community.

The cemetery at Springville village is lo- cated on the old Arad Wakelee farm, and is cared for by the community. It is in fair con- dition. The oldest cemetery in the township is on the right-hand side of the turnpike, opposite the Presbyterian Church, and was located on land donated by Jeremiah Spencer. Prior to 1804 there were already interred there Reuben Spencer, Ebenezer Carrier, Ashley Spencer and John Tuttle, son of Ezra, who died September 20, 1804. The death and interment of others occurred as follows : before 1810, Clarinda, first wife of Zophar Blakeslee. From 1810-20, Alfred and Thomas Brownson, John Taylor, the first Mrs. Elijah Avery, James Rosencrants, Mrs. Timothy Mix, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Strickland, Sr., and Ebenezer Fish. Joel Hick- cox came in 1814 and died 1817. His widow survived him nearly thirty years, and saw a descendant of the fifth generation. From 1820-30, Gideon Lyman, Sr., J. Bullock's wife, Captain J. Spencer, Ezra Tuttle, Samuel Thomas, Sr., and wife, and Aaron Taylor, aged seventy-five years. From 1830-40, Rhoda Fish, Keziah Lyman, Daniel Spencer and Zo- phar Blakeslee.

The interments in subsequent years were proportionately more numerous, and several hundred persons have been there inhumed. On Striekland Hill a school-house, built by sub- scription in 1856, having been abandoned by the directors, has been fitted np as a place for public worship and funeral occasions when in- terments are made in the cemetery near by. Jacob, a son of John Strickland, was the first person interred here, some time in 1859. A number of fine monuments mark the places of the dead, and the cemetery appears to be well kept. It has a fine location.

CHAPTER XXV.

AUBURN TOWNSHIP.

THIS township occupies the south western corner of the county, and, prior to 1811, was

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

known by the name of Braintrim. When Sus- quehanna County was formed its southern line bisected old Braintrim township, and the lower part retained the old name, while the upper part received the name of Auburn. This title had already been applied to a part of this territory in the Connecticut surveys, Braintrim being the Pennsylvania name. Auburn has retained its original dimensions, it being about eight miles from the Bradford County line on the west to Dimock and Springville on the east, and six miles from the Wyoming County line on the south to Rush township on the north. Its area is thus forty-eight square miles.

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 78

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