Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 99

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 99

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).

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Rufus W. Smith, son of Colonel Smith, was educated at the district school and at Harford Academy, under Dr. Lyman Richardson. His life-work has been farming on the old homestead where he was born, on which he has rebuilt the old farm residence, com- manding an extensive view of the surrounding coun- try. He has filled the offices of assessor, school director and school treasurer in his township, and been warmly interested in the progress and develop- ment of agricultural and kindred interests in the community. Both himself and wife have been mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church at Upsonville for

tended the construction of a section of the Erie Canal while building, and died in 1848. His wife died in 1842. Her paternal grandfather was Asher Fairchild, of Vernon Centre, N. Y., a farmer.

The only child of Rufus W. and Lucy J. Smith was Chauncey Turner Smith, who was born April 30, 1868, and died July 31, 1882, of Bright's disease of the kidneys.

Sylvester Smith, the fifth of the seven brothers, lived on a farm adjoining that of Titus Smith. His children were Thomas Bates, Benjamin, Erastus, Angelina, Louisa and Mary. Lyman Smith, the youngest of the

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over thirty years, of which he has been a ruling elder for six years, chorister for over a quarter of a century and a teacher in the Sunday-school, and his delight is in work for the "Master."

His wife, born July 10, 1841, is Lucy J., only daughter of Almon and Lucinda (Turner) Fairchild, of Lockport, N. Y., and granddaughter of Deacon Chauncey Turner (with whom she spent most of her time until marriage), whom he married in 1862. Before marriage she was a member of the Lawsville Church, afterward of the Upsonville Church. Almon Fairchild was a merchant at Lockport and superin-

seven brothers, was under the guardianship of Ros- well when he came into the township, being a minor, but on attaining his majority, married and settled on a farm near the eastern line of the township. ' His wife was a daughter of Capt. Ichabod Buck, of Great Bend, and a sister of his brother Ephram's second wife In 1849 he moved to Binghamton, where he died, aged seventy-five years, the only one of the six brothers who died a natural death, who was less than eighty years old when he deceased.

" Anson Smith, one of the seven brothers who set- tled in Franklin, was at work in 1805 on the farm

FRANKLIN.

where Charles Lawson now lives, when, by the fall of a limb of a tree into which he was chopping, as is supposed. his skull was fractured. Miss Polly Lord (afterwards Mrs. Dr. Fraser) found him lying help- less by the road, procured assistance, and he was taken to the house of his brother Titus, near by. A skillful physician was indispensable, and his brother Raymond set out at once by a bridle-path and marked trees for Dr. Baker, at the Forks of the Wyalusing. On hearing the case, Dr. Baker advised him to consult Dr. Hopkins, of Tioga Point. He then retraced his steps, went down the valley of the Susquehanna forty or fifty miles, and returned with Dr. Hopkins. It was then at least three days after the injury was received ; the case was considered hopeless, and the doctor would not repeat his visit unless sent for. The sufferer lived nine weeks, and his brother went three times for the doctor, each trip required three days. Anson was twenty-two years of age and unmarried. The Rev. Seth Williston, a missionary, visited him. The presence of a minister was then a rare event and highly prized. Upon the death of Mr. Smith, the ground for a cemetery was selected, and his burial was the first in the cemetery, as well as in the town- ship. The purchase was made from the adjoining farms of Rufus Lines and Ephraim Smith. In that sacred inclosure nearly all the first settlers of the place now rest." 1

The Smiths were all tall, well-formed men, with vigorous constitutions, and were characterized by a spirit of independence which would be truly refresh- ing in these times. Moreover, they were stanch Presbyterians, and brought up their families in that faith. Four members-Anson, Winfield Scott, Iram and Norton-entered the ministry and others be- came teachers. The descendants of the seven brothers were very numerous, and having inherited the vir- tues of their fathers, became very useful citizens. They still constitute a large proportion of the popu- lation of eastern Franklin.

J. L. MERRIMAN .- In the year of 1800 Theophilus Merriman came from Cheshire, Conn., and settled in Lawsville (now Franklin) township, about one mile south and a half-mile east of Upsonville. His wife, Sarah (1768-1835), whom he married in Connecticut, was a sister of 'Squire Rufus Lines, one of the most prominent of the early settlers of Franklin. Herself and Mrs. Tamar Lines (her brother's wife) were the first, and for five years the only, professors of religion in the township. Theophilus Merriman died in 1852, aged eighty-eight. His children were Titus L. (1792-1876) ; Julia died in the township in 1880, and was the wife of Harrison Warner; Lois was the wife of Archi Marsh, of Liberty (they subsequently re- moved to Franklin, where both died); Sally, the widow of J. A. Pestana, resides in Chicago; and Alfred, a farmer, died in Clifford. The eldest son,

Titus L. Merriman, born in Connecticut, married Susan, a daughter of Captain Roswell and Lucy Ann (Norton) Smith. The latter died in Connecticut in 1803; the former settled in Franklin about 1804, and was the first male professing religion in the township. The Smith brothers were all prominently identified with the early settlement of Franklin. Roswell Smith spent the remainder of his life in the township, and died in 1855, past eighty years of age. Titus L. Merriman spent his life as a farmer, and interested himself in the welfare of the community in which he lived, and was a bright and safe example in all that pertains to moral sentiment and devoted Chris- tianity. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Upsonville, of which he was an elder for many years. His children were Joseph L., born Sep- tember 1, 1817; Herman N., a carriage-maker, en- listed and commanded a company in a New York regiment, was wounded at the battle of Port Hudson, died on the steamer on his way home and was buried at sea ; James E., a carriage-maker, died in Franklin in 1849; Ann M., wife of Nathaniel Newton, of Liv- ingston County, N. Y., resides in Chicago. The mother of these children died in 1874, in her sev- enty-seventh year. Joseph L. Merriman was early in life inclined to study, and became proficient in book education while in his boyhood. For some time after attaining the age of seventeen years he was a clerk in a store in Franklin, and also at Ithaca, N. Y. Re- turning to the home farm, he married, in 1837, Mercy, daughter of Artemas and Huldah Baker, of Green- field, Pa., who bore him children,-Everington P., born in 1840, entered the law-office of Judge Hand, of Scranton, after his graduation at the Albany Law School; Ellingford H., born in 1841, a clerk for his father; Edgar Leroy (1844-76) rcad law with Mr. Denni- son, of Wilkes-Barre, after graduating from the Wyo- ming Seminary, Kingston, was admitted to the bar be- fore reaching his majority. was district attorney of Lu- zerne County for three years, and received the nomina- tion of the Democratic party for Congress in 1876, but died before election; Franklin (1853-69). Mrs. Mcrri. man died in the spring of 1866, and two years afterwards Mr. Merriman married Frances E., a daughter of Ephraim (1806-73) and Mary (Barnum) (1810-81) Smith, who was born March 3, 1833. Ephraim Smith was a son of Ephraim and Sarah (Tuttle) Smith, who settled in Franklin from Cheshire, Conn., in 1798. Her maternal grandfather was Stephen Barnum, a brother of David Barnum, one of the early settlers of Franklin, left in 1805, and established Barnum's Ho- tel, Baltimore, Md.

The children of Ephraim and Sarah Smith were William, Merab, Ephraim, Sally ; and by his second wife, Sarah B. Buck (who died in 1849, at the age of sixty-one), Henry Boardman, James P. and Julia Smith. The children of Ephraim and Mary (Bar- num) Smith arc Frances E., the present wife of J. L. Mcrriman ; Sarah E. (1836-84) was the wife of O. M.

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Hall, of Franklin ; Stephen A., born 1838, a farmer residing at Upsonville; Lavina M., born in 1843, married Edson H. Pickering, a farmer of Bridge- water ; Elijah B., born 1845, a farmer in Salem, Wayne County; William H., born 1846, a manufac- turer of Birmingham, Conn. ; and Hiram F., born in 1848, a farmer in Franklin.

The children of Artemas and Huldah Baker are John, a merchant, died in Michigan in 1883; Lucy, the wife of Alfred Merriman, resides in Clifford town- ship, this county ; Mercy, the first wife of J. L. Merri- man; Nash, a merchant and farmer in Clifford ; Ann married Wm. R. Gardner, and died in Lenox in 1884; Susan, wife of John Halstead, died in 1883; Eliza married a Mr. Decker, and also resides in Clifford.

After his marriage Mr. Merriman settled on his farm at Upsonville, to which he made an addition of a timber tract in 1843 on Bald Hill. For several years he bought butter, eggs and other farm produce, which he marketed at Carbondale, and returned loaded with coal for merchants at New Milford and elsewhere; and after his last purchase of land men- tioned, he cut large quantities of timber during the winter season, which he hauled and sold on the Sus- quehanna River. In 1846 he established mercantile business in his own house, and there conducted busi- ness until 1856, when he built the brick block since known as the "Upsonville Exchange," in which he has carried on a successful general mercantile busi- ness since. His father had been postmaster at Up- sonville for many years, and his son has also been postmaster for some twelve years. Mr. Merriman had the contract for carrying the mails for ten years from Lawsville Centre, and for thirty years from Great Bend to Upsonville, during which long period he has never missed carrying them but one day. He has been identified with the Presbyterian Church of Upsonville as a member for fifty years, has served as elder, and has been superintendent of the Sunday- school for the past thirteen years. His wife has been a member of this church from early girlhood. He has been a liberal patron to the cause of education, influential in politics, and has held all of the town- ship offices, including justice of the peace ten years, and is the present treasurer of the township, besides which he was county auditor for one term of three years.

David and Friend Tuttle, young unmarried men, came in 1800, and four years later, May 21, 1804, the latter married Eunice, a daughter of Rufus and Tamar Lines, which was the first wedding in the township. He settled on a farm south of the present church, where he died, December 19, 1820, aged thirty-nine years, leaving eight children. Of these, four were sons,-Rufus, who lived on the homestead ; Reuben, deceased ; Andrew, moved to the West; and Friend, moved to the South. Mrs. Tuttle died Aug- ust 13, 1869, in her eighty-fifth year.

From 1800 to 1805 a number of settlers came into

Franklin, most of them remaining for short periods only, then removing to other localities. Among these were the families of Josiah Churchell, Ralph Lines, Enos Tuttle, Asa Cornwell, Edward Cox, Samuel and Daniel Chalker. The two last finally settled in the nothern part of Liberty, but Cox remained in Choco- nut, where he was one of the first settlers.

Simon Park settled south of Tuttle's in 1809. He was a native of Plainfield, Connecticut, but had settled in the Wyoming Valley in his youth. In 1804 he moved to Windsor, New York, carrying his effects up the river in a flat-boat, and from that place came to Franklin. He built a saw-mill on Wylie Creek, a short distance below the later Tingley mill, but it was not a profitable venture and was soon abandoned. Of his family, Covell and Nehemiah died in this township, and Simon in New Milford; Char- lotta became the wife of James Dean.

Wright Green came to the same neighborhood, about the same time, and died on the place he cleared up. His son John moved to California, and William to New York. About the same time Calvin and Luther Peck began improving farms in the township. A son of the former, Munson, is still a resident of Frank- lin. Andrew Leighton, a Scotchman, settled north of Lines, on the present Dearborn place at Upson- ville, where he opened a small store in his log house. He reared a large family, and died at this place. East from him was Aaron Van Voorst, on the Clark farm, which later passed into the hands of Billosty Smith. Near this time James Watson, an Irishman, settled on a tract of land northwest. He raised sons-David, John, Jeremiah and James. His daughter Betsey married David Banker, and Mary became the wife of J. C. Wheaton, both citizens of the township.

DAVID BANKER .- His grandfather, George Banker (1768-1851), a native of Tarrytown, Westchester County, N. Y., married Mary Tillottson, of the same place, who died in 1856, aged about ninety years. Their children were Phoebe (1791-1869), Benjamin (1793-1861), Hannah (born in 1796), David (1799- 1883), Sophia (1802-72), Charlotte (1804-78), Nathan- iel (1807-84), Maria (1810, died young). George Banker removed with his family, and settled in Lawsville township, (now Franklin), in 1810, near where Upsonville is located, where himself and wife died. David, second son, married for his first wife, in 1820, Elizabeth Watson, who bore him children,- Julia Ann, widow of J. E. Gunn, of New Milford ; Andrew, an insurance agent at Binghamton ; Mary E. wife of J. A. Cornwell, died at New Milford; Seeley, a farmer at Afton, Iowa; Esther, wife of George W. Barton, of Binghamton ; David, born March 27, 1840; Jeremiah, born March 7, 1843, married Mary E., a daughter of William and Lucina (Howard) Lawson, an English family who settled in Silver Lake in 1816, and resided on the home farm. Mrs. Banker died in 1851, and in 1853 David Banker married Esther Watson, a sister of his first wife, who

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bore liim one child, Charles S., residing near Great Bend.

David Banker, third son of David and Elizabetlı Banker, married Adelia, a daughter of Justin and Lydia Ann (Camp) Dewey, formerly of this county, and resides also on the home farm.

In the spring of 1869 David and Jeremiah Banker formed a co-partnership for the purpose of carrying on the stock business, under the firm-name of D. & J. Banker, since which time they have been giving their entire attention to the pure breed of Devons. They have brought, bred and sold many noted cattle, having purchased seventeen thoroughbreds, includ- ing "Prince of Wales, 15th and 19th ;" " Rose of Baltimore, 1st and 3d;" " Belle, 8th ;" and "Edith, 5th ;" all of which have taken important prizes. Among the number raised by them may properly be mentioned the following winners of important prizes, viz .: "Bright Promise," which took the first prize national milk and butter test, 1882, with milk record of three hundred and seventy-one pounds in seven days, and butter record of twenty and five-sixteenths pounds for the same time (also first prize New York State Fairs in 1884, '85, '86 ; first prize Pennsylvania State Fair, 1885; and sweepstakes at the same fair as best cow on exhibition) ; " Emily ;" " Bright Promise, 3d and 4th ;" "Lady Hilton ;" "Rose of Baltimore, 7th and 8th ;" " Effie Rose ;" " Effie;" "Take Prize ;" "Mary Anne ;" "Captain Morris ;" "Emily Quarto;" and "Albert Banker." Their stock has gained renown, and their manner of doing business has gained the firm such a high reputation as to cause demands from many parts of the Union; and repre- sentatives from their farm have been sold in almost every State and Territory, which stock, wherever shown, have taken premiums. In their herd of twenty-two pure-breed Devons is "Prince of Wales, 19th," which has taken the first prize wherever shown, and is acknowledged by competent judges to be one of the best Devon bulls in the United States. Since entering the prize area with their cattle, Messrs. D. & J. Banker have taken thirty-eight first pre- miums at the New York and Pennsylvania State Fairs (including four sweepstakes for best on exhibition, and nine first herd prizes), and eighteen second premiums .. Their home, "Fairview Stock Farm," is located near Upsonville, Franklin township, about five miles southwest of Great Bend, and is comprised of one hundred and sixteen acres of land, with good buildings and accommodations for their large and growing business.

Among the settlers in 1811 were James Vance, Leman Churchell and Chauncey Turner. The latter first lived on the present Mckinney place, and taught a small school soon after he came. One of the daughters became the wife of Arthur Southworth. Churchell settled on the N. T. Buck place, where he died. He was a hard worker. His son Jonathan, by trade a blacksmith, removed to the West. Frceborn lives at

Great Bend, and Sarah became the wife of Henry Beebe, of Franklin Forks. James Vance lived north of the latter place, at the "Half-Way House," a place midway between Montrose and Corbettsville. Here he built a large frame house, which lias but lately been demolished. Of his family, Robert lived at the Forks, where he built the Summers house; Benja- min C. resides on the homestead. Other sons were Brewster and Lorenzo.

Charles Blowers became a resident of Franklin the following year, settling in the Stephen Barnum neighborhood. He died in 1851, aged ninety-one years, having been twice married and the father of nineteen children, most of whom attained mature years. His oldest son, John, settled in the southern part of the township, now occupied by his son, Henry G. Another son, Daniel, lived near Franklin Forks. The family was remarkable for its vigor and longevity. On one occasion, August 1846, four generations mowed together,-Charles Blowers, eighty-six years old; John, sixty-three years; Daniel C., thirty-eight years ; and Albert, fourteen years. This family and others of the later settlers came from Dutchess County, N. Y. .

The same year, 1812, Harrison Warner, from Con- necticut, settled on the present David and Jeremiah Banker farm. He was the father of Mrs. Edwin Summers, of the Forks. David Summers, a son of David Summers, an early settler in New Milford, located on a farm still owned by one of his descend- ants, his son Levi having remained on the home- stead. He was the father of Harvey Summers. An- other son, Ely, removed to Binghamton, N. Y., and Edwin resides at Franklin Forks.

West from the Forks, on the township line, lived Harry Beebe, who died in June, 1875, but whose wife, Orilla Waller, survived him until November 1 1886, when she departed this life, aged ninety-three years and six months. They were the parents of the Beebes of this part of the township. In the same neighborhood, at a later period, settled William Stockholm, coming from Orange County, N. Y. He bought what was known as the Samuel Risley place, and reared a large family, among the sons, being F. A. Stockholm, on the homestead. Other sons are George, Aaron and John J. William Bur- rows, an Englishman, came to this neighborhood at a still later period, and has since been identified with this locality. His son, S. A. Burrows, became a dis- tinguished educator. 1

Of the settlers who came to Franklin about 1820, but a brief account can here be given : Jacob Allard lived on the A. I. Welsh place, his daughter having married Jolin Welsh. The sons were John and Henry. The Websters lived farther north, some of their farms being in Liberty. Joseph Webster, Sr., was a Free-Will Baptist preacher, as was also his son, John. The latter was the father of Henry and John C. Webster, and of a daughter who married Andrew

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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Watson. Others of this period were Joel Morse, Ira Cole, Joseph H. Holley, Wm. Salmon, Allen Upson and Calvin Wheaton. Of this number Calvin Whea- ton lived on the place where afterwards settled John Pierson, who came from Morris County, N. Y., with his seven children, in June, 1841. He reared four sons, one of whom, John R., now lives on the homestead. A daughter, Elizabeth, married John Cromwell, of Salt Springs, in this township. John Pierson died in 1873, aged seventy-five years, and his wife, Betsey (Talmadge), in 1885, aged eighty- seven years.

NATHAN P. WHEATON .- The progenitor of the family in New England was Caleb Wheaton (1664-1770), who came from Wales and settled in New Hampshire, where he died at the great age of one hundred and six years. Roswell Wheaton, a de- scendant of Caleb, remembered returning with his father to New Hampshire from Connecticut, where his parents had settled, when only ten years of age, to visit their relatives there. He was an ingenious man, handy with tools, and followed the cabinet- making business in Litchfield County. He was a na- tive of Branford, Conn., and died in Roxbury, aged near ninety years. He served in the Revolutionary War, and enlisted when only fifteen years old. His children were Calvin (1788-1843), was a farmer and married Mrs. Julia (Phillips) Hurd, widow of Asel Hurd. Her father, Nathan Phillips, was a soldier also of the Revolution, was wounded and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, in 1781. He lived and died at Port Jefferson, Long Island. The other children were Warren, Isaac, Lester, Cyn- thia, wife of Wm. Elliott, died in Connecticut; Avis, wife of Abijah Dascom, died at Athens, Pa .; and Phidelia, wife of Homer Bronson, who also died near the latter place. One sister of Julia Phillips, Eliza- beth, married Captain Apollos Dayton, whose son, Captain William Dayton, received a gold medal from the French government, presented by their minister at Washington (Mr. Outrey), in 1879, for his assistance in rescuing the crew of the French vessel, "Minerve," in a great storm at sea. He was notified of this valu- able reward by Hon. Wm. H. Seward, then Secretary of State.

The children of Calvin and Julia (Phillips) (1783-1850) Wheaton were as follows: Nathan Phil- lips, born Nov. 17, 1810, at Washington, Litchfield County, Conn .; Laura (1813-42), wife of Abner James C. Wheaton was educated at Wyoming Seminary at Kingston, Pa., where he became pro- ficient in surveying and civil engineering, and which he has made his life-work since. He received the nomination from the Democratic party for member of the State Legislature in 1882 and for county surveyor in 1884 and again in 1886 ; but his party being largely in the minority, he was defeated. He was elected justice of the peace, and by re-election is serving his fourth term of five years each. James Watson, the Deming, then of Binghamton (Abner Deming's son, Ferdinand, is a machinist of Waterbury, Conn., and had a contract from the Spanish government for making cartridges); Roswell, born in 1818, was an extensive brick manufacturer-was at one time a member of the Connecticut Legislature and influen- tial in politics, and resides at Middlebury, Conn .; Julia (1819-42), died unmarried ; Albert (1821-40) was a teacher and died of consumption ; Mary, born in 1823, was the second wife of Abner Deming, before . father of Mrs. Wheaton, came from County Armagh,

mentioned, and died suddenly some twenty years ago. Calvin Wheaton removed from Litchfield County in 1814, and settled in Lawsville, this county, near Great Bend, where he took up a piece of timber land and carried on the lumbering business about seven years, when they were obliged to yield the property to others under a previous title. They returned to Con- necticut and settled on the old Hurd place. In 1831 Nathan P. and Roswell Wheaton came to Franklin township and purchased the property where D. B. Townsend now resides, upon which their parents, re- turning, settled the following year. Nathan spent several years manufacturing brick, by which means he accumulated sufficient means, and returned to Franklin in 1838, and paid the balance due upon his purchase. In the fall of that year he married Mary Watson, who was born Sept. 8, 1814, and for ten years carried on his farm, sold it and purchased his present property, the salt spring lot, on Silver Creek, about one mile west of Franklin Forks. His parents removed to the farm now occupied by J. R. Pierson, where both died. His farm consisted of some five hundred acres, a few acres of which he disposed of to a company who drilled for oil and afterwards for salt, boring to the depth of eight hundred feet without, however, reaching either in paying quantities. Mr. Wheaton has given considerable attention to stock- raising, and his herd of Devons have been awarded premiums both at the County and State Fairs. Upon the erection of the present court-house, he took charge of a yard for the county and manufactured the brick for its construction and also for the Des- sauer block at Montrose. He has been school director and otherwise officially identified with the township, and served for many years as justice of the peace until he was succeeded by his son, James C., who was elected to that office upon reaching his ma- jority. Both himself and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church at Franklin Forks, of which he has been an elder for over twenty-five years.

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Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Part 99

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