Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 117

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 2390

USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 117
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 117
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 117
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 117

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George H. Pickering, a well-known resi- dent of Gibson township, Susquehanna county, and one of its native-born citizens, has been identi- fied for many years with the business interests of the locality; he is at present living in retirement upon his pleasant homestead. He remained with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-two and when eighteen began working at carpentering with his father. On leaving home he settled upon his present farm, and, with the exception of ten years ( 1861 to 1871) spent in Gelatt Hollow, oper- ating a gristmill, has been engaged in agriculture ever since, devoting some time, also, to lumbering. He resided on the homestead ten years, but returned to his present place in 1874. As a good citizen he has taken an active part in local affairs, for eleven years held the office of assessor, and for two years that of constable. In politics he is a Republican. On January 30, 1847, he was married, by Rev. George N. Tood, to Elvira M. Payne, who was born April 10, 1815, in Greenfield, Lackawanna county, and they had two children: (1) Henry D. is men- tioned below. (2) Elizabeth R., born March 26, 1849, was married May 9, 1866, to William W. Pope, a furniture manufacturer of Gibson town- ship, and has two children, Bertha and Gracie. Mrs. Elvira M. (Payne) Pickering resides in Gibson township, Susquehanna county, with her son, Henry D. On April 29, 1877, the father formed a second union, with Mrs. Elizabeth ( Hines) Howell.

HENRY D. PICKERING, a successful business man of South Gibson, son of George H. and Elvira M. Pickering, was born near Johnson Bridge, Gib- son township, December 17, 1847. He remained on the home farm until sixteen years old, and at that age enlisted at Binghamton, N. Y., January II,

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

1864, in Company F, 14th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, and served to the close of the war, participating in many of the most stubbornly contested engagements that were fought during that period. He was in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Beth- esda Church, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Fort Steadman, and at the siege of Petersburg; his was the first regiment directly in front of the explosion. He was discharged at Fort Reno, D. C., June 22, 1865. Returning home, he attended school to the age of nineteen years, then taught school one win- ter on East Mountain and worked on the farm in summer. At the age of twenty-one he taught one winter at Gelatt.

Our subject was married, in Gibson, February 9, 1869, by Rev. G. R. Hair, a Methodist Episcopal clergyman, to Miss Estella M. Howell, who was born in Gibson township, September 22, 1853, daughter of Curtis and Julia A. ( Steenback) How- ell. Curtis Howell, now a retired farmer of South Gibson, was born in Wayne county, Penn., May 4, 1819, and in 1824 came with his parents, Israel and Olive (Madison) Howell, natives of Long Island and Vermont, respectively, to Smiley's Hol- low, Gibson. Israel Howell was a hatter by trade, which he followed in connection with farming. . He died in 1874. His children were Henry, deceased ; Curtis; Harriet, Mrs. Charles Fuller, of Sullivan county, Penn .; Freelove, who died young ; Rebecca, who married Alfred Hines, and is now deceased ; Betsy A., Mrs. William Tarbox, of Wayne coun- ty ; Silas, a farmer of Gibson township; Nevin, de- ceased; Elizabeth, who married George Potter, and is now deceased; David, who is deceased; and Charles, a resident of Gibson township. Curtis Howell married in Gibson township, June 15, 1841, Julia A. Steenback, who was born in Gibson township, July 5, 1825, daughter of Silas and Fanny (Denny) Steenback, of Orange county, N. Y., and to them were born four children, namely: Lucy A., wife of C. W. Davis, a farmer of Gibson town- ship; John S., a farmer of Gibson township; Edwin N., a farmer of Gibson township; and Estella M., wife of our subject.

To Henry D. and Estella M. Pickering have been born two children: Jennie M., born January 4, 1870, is the wife of J. H. Pritchard, of Gibson township. Ben B., born December 3, 1872, mar- ried Hattie M. Ball; they live on the Preserved Pickering homestead, and have three children- Charles E., Marian and Howard.

After his marriage, in 1869, our subject en- gaged in farming for one year in Gibson township. He then rented, and for six months operated, a gristmill at Gelatt. Going on the road as a sales- man for silverware and jewelry, he continued in that employment until 1875, when he returned home and purchased his father's homestead. This he left in charge of his family, and continued to travel until 1886. In that year he purchased, in partner- ship with T. C. Manzer, the Eymer stick factory, which they operated for six months. Selling out in the spring of 1887 our subject came to South

Gibson, where he has since been engaged in the furniture and undertaking business, in connection with the management of his farm.

Mr. Pickering is in politics a Republican. He has never aspired to office, but has served two years as township clerk. He is a member of the G. A. R. and the I. O. O. F. In his business affaire he has met with flattering success, possessing experience, judgment, integrity, confidence and an intimate knowledge of the conditions upon which modern business must be conducted. He is highly esteemed for his many admirable qualities, and ranks as one of the leading men of the township.

WARREN R. CORY, the well-known post- master of Tirzah and a representative farmer of Herrick township, Susquehanna Co., Penn., was born in Lenox township, the same county, August 16, 1839, a son of Chauncey and Eliza (Walker) Cory. The father, who was a farmer and carpenter by occupation, was born in Connecticut, May 15, 1807, and in 1818 was brought to Susquehanna county, Penn., by his parents, Rufus and Rachel (Owney) Cory, also natives of Connecticut, who settled in Lenox township. Rufus Cory, a miller by trade, died in that township in 1850. In Clif- ford township, Susquehanna county, Chauncey Cory was married June 29, 1828, to Miss Eliza Walker, who was born in Vermont, October 26, 1808, a daughter of Enos and Mary (Reading) Walker, of Bloomfield, Vt. They came to Sus- quehanna county in 1815, and first located in Gib- son township, but in 1832 removed to Clifford town- ship, where they spent their remaining days. Enos Walker was born March II, 1777, and died March 29, 1856, and was buried in Gibson township, where he had lived for twenty years ; his wife, Mary Read- ing, was born February 20, 1776, and died October 3, 1832, and was buried in Clifford township. The names and dates of birth of their children were as follows: Warren R., April 17, 1798; Willard, March 8, 1800; Mary, March 30, 1803; Rins, Oc- tober 7, 1806; Eliza (mother of our subject), Oc- tober 26, 1808; Enos, February 14, 1811 ; Harriet, July 4, 1813 ; and Mary A., August 25, 1815. Har- riet first married Thomas Wilcox, and second Seth Dann, the father of our subject's wife. For his second wife Enos Walker married Mary Elizabeth Fenno, who died December 3, 1860, at the age of seventy-two years. Enos Walker was a son of Mar- shall and Hannah (Dunber) Walker, who spent their entire lives as farming people in Massachusetts. The former was born June 20, 1759, and died Feb- ruary 9, 1815, and the latter was born May 26, 1760, and died February 2, 1815. Their children were Enos, born March II, 1777; David, August 30, 1779; Isaiah, March 14, 1782; Hannah, July 5, 1784; Marshall, March 17, 1787; Arnold, April 6, 1789; Dinah, April 5, 1792; Cady, February 5, 1795; Keith, April 27, 1799; and Sabinas, August 5, 1801. The parents of our subject both died in Herrick township, the father June 1, 1880, the

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mother June 18, 1889, and were laid to rest in the Lyons Street cemetery. They were earnest mem- bers of the Free Will Baptist Church and were highly respected by all who knew them. Their children were as follows: Eliza Ann, born March 29, 1830, married first Stanley Stewart, and sec- ond Alfred Pratt ; Enos W., born February 8, 1831, is a carpenter and farmer of Jackson township, Sus- quehanna county ; Harriet F., born March 16, 1833, died in infancy ; Almira, born May 25, 1834, is the wife of John Coyle, of Clark county, Wis .; Frances L., born February 22, 1837, married An- drew J. Bass and second M. J. Sweet, and is now deceased; Warren R., our subject, is the next in order of birth; George A., born January 24, 1842, is a farmer of Herrick township; Betsy C., born July 18, 1844, died in infancy ; Sarah C., born October I, 1845, married Robert Stewart, and is now de- ceased ; and Laura L., born August 23, 1848, and John D., born August 4, 1852, both died in infancy.

Warren R. Cory was reared upon his father's farm and remained there until entering the Union army during the war of the Rebellion. He en- listed at Harrisburg, Penn., August 28, 1861, in Company G, Ist P. V. C., for three years or dur- ing the war. He participated in various battles and skirmishes, including the battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. At Culpeper Court House he was wounded in the right thigh and lost his left thumb by the explosion of a shell, and the follow- ing day was taken to the hospital at Washington, D. C., where he remained one month, and was then transferred to McClellan Hospital, Philadelphia, Penn. Eleven months later, on September 22, 1864, he was honorably discharged, and returned home.

On December 13, 1864, in Clinton, Wayne Co., Penn., Mr. Cory was united in marriage with Miss Rachel E. Dann. They have no children of their own, but have an adopted daughter, Hattie M., now the wife of Ralph P. Stone, a farmer of Ararat township. Mrs. Cory was born in Star township, Hocking Co., Ohio, July 28, 1845, a daughter of Seth and Harriet ( Walker) Dann, natives of New York State and early settlers of Wayne county, Penn. In 1871 they removed to Herrick township, Susquehanna county, where the father, a farmer by occupation, died August 25, 1889, at the age of eighty-four years; the mother died in Cortland, N. Y., December 1, 1890, at the age of seventy-seven, and both were buried in the Lyons Street ( Penn.) cemetery. They held membership in the Regular Baptist Church and were highly esteemed by all who knew them. The children born to them were Rachel E., wife of our subject ; Lloyd W., who died young; Harriet L., wife of J. W. Callender, a traveling salesman of Washington, D. C .; and Seth Warren, a farmer of Herrick township. The par- ents were united in marriage in November, 1844. Both had been previously married, the father hav- ing wedded Rachel Beatty, February 27, 1828. As previously stated, the mother was formerly the wife of Thomas Wilcox. Mrs. Cory's paternal grand-

parents were Seth and Jane ( Munger) Dann, agri- culturists and lifelong residents of New York State. The former was born December 8, 1773, and died May 18, 1854, while the latter was born December 25, 1779, and died April 19, 1858. The names and dates of birth of their children were as follows: Abijah, November 25, 1796; Philip, August 13, 1798; William, June 20, 1800; Rhoda, May 6, 1801 ; Seth, August 7, 1805 ; Anson, April 30, 1809; Har- vey, February 25, 1810; Silas, February 1I, 1814; Jane, November 4, 1816; Jonathan, September 22, 1819; and Ickabeth, November 5, 1825.

After his marriage Mr. Cory lived upon his father's farm until May, 1872, when he went to Muscatine county, Iowa, and engaged in bridge building there for fifteen months. Returning to Pennsylvania in July, 1873, he operated the old home farm until 1882, and then engaged in farming near there for four years. At the end of that time he re- moved to his present farm, which consists of 103 acres of well-improved and valuable land in Her- rick township, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. He keeps well informed on the leading questions and issues of the day, always casts his ballot with the Republican party, and has creditably filled the offices of school director six years and township treasurer one year. He was also elected township collector, but refused to qual- ify. In early life he was a Baptist, but is now a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has served as class-leader for the past ten years. -

CALVIN PARMENTER, a well-known citi- zen of Gibson township, Susquehanna county, has been prominently identified with the agricultural and building interests of that locality for many years, and is now living in retirement upon the Mrs. E. A. Whitney homestead, near Gelatt.

Mr. Parmenter was born in Gibson township, May 10, 1831, and is of French descent. Joseph Parmenter, his grandfather, lived for a time in Connecticut, but made his home in later life at Quinebaug Meadows, Vt., where he engaged in farming, in connection with the manufacture of guns, powder horns, and similar articles. He was married in Connecticut to Beckie Meads, and they had the following children, all now deceased : Charles died in New York State; Lavina married William Phippens, and died in Susquehanna coun- ty, Penn .; Cynthia married Nathan Daniels; Re- becca married Jonathan Gelatt; William was the father of our subject; Sally married Henry Chand- ler ; Esther did not marry; Emma married David T. Babbitt; Valentine was a drummer boy during the war of 1812, and also served in the regular army for a time.

William Parmenter was born in Vermont, May I, 1787, and died December 17, 1853, in Gibson township. In 1808 he walked from Vermont to Susquehanna county, Penn., carrying an ax, and his clothes done up in a handkerchief, and located in Gibson township, then a wilderness. He first

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CALVIN PARMENTER

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

settled upon a tract of land at what is known as "Kentuck," and after making improvements sold his claim, about the time of his marriage locating upon another farm in the township, which he cleared for a homestead, a large maple tree being dug up to make a place for the cellar of his log cabin. He took an active part in local affairs, holding town- ship offices, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Church. He enlisted for service in the war of 1812, but the struggle was ended before he reached camp. In 1810 he was married, in Gibson township, to Miss Derinda Bennett, a native of Orange county, N. Y., born January 26, 1793, daugh- ter of James and Anna ( Waymer) Bennett, who settled in Gibson township in 1809. She died De- cember 8, 1863, and the remains of both now rest in Union Hill cemetery. They had a large family of children, as follows: Malinda, born November I, 18II, married (first) Hiram Belcher and (second) Nicholas Lowe, and died July 5, 1881; Eli, born December 26, 1812, died October 7, 1816; Mathias M., born May 19, 1814, died March 30, 1816; Joseph, born April 6, 1816, was drowned in Grand river, Grandville, Mich., November 7, 1838; Sarah, born December 12, 1817, married Eli Z. Seely, and died December 26, 1848; Almira B., born Septem- ber 18, 1890, died April 2, 1821 ; Almeda, born July 20, 1821, is the widow of Jacob L. Gillett, of Gib- son township, and the mother of Mrs. B. H. Tiffany and Prof. U. B. Gillett, of New Milford ; Calphurna, born July 4, 1823, married Silas M. Whitney, and died September 8, 1856; Eliza Ann, born June 21, 1825, married Joseph E. Whitney, and died June 21, 1896 (Mrs. Whitney died December 12, 1869; they had six children) ; Mariette, born March 25, 1827, is the widow of William M. Tiffany, of Monroe county, Mich .; Jackson, born June 4, 1829, married Ellen Birdsall, and died November 10, 1857; Calvin, born May 10, 1831, is the subject proper of these lines; Urban, born May 1, 1833, married Phobe Bruce, and died April 5, 1873; Emaline, born June 15, 1835, died August 17, 1835 ; and Adelia, born February 12, 1837, married N. Truman Woodward, of Dakotah, Iowa.

Our subject received his education in the com- mon schools, and remained at the old homestead until his twenty-third year, when his father's death occurred. His eyesight having failed him in July, 1853, while he was working in the hay field, he spent the next two years with his brother Jackson, on the old home farm, and in May, 1858, he and his mother took up their home with his brother- in-law, J. E. Whitney, Mrs. Parmenter remaining here until her death, and here our subject has since resided. His sight had been restored, but was again lost in 1896, when he retired. Mr. Parment- er is gifted with mechanical genius of a rare order, having at the early age of seven years constructed a small barn. In 1850 he began working regularly at the carpenter's trade, and he put up all the build- ings on the J. E. Whitney farm. He has dealt ex- 32

tensively in real estate. In politics he is a Re- publican, and he has served three terms as town- ship collector.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BALDWIN, an agriculturist of energy and ability, was born No- vember 9, 1836, in Bridgewater township, Susque- hanna Co., Penn., on the farm which he now owns and occupies. He traces his ancestry back to three brothers who came to this country from England at an early day. His grandfather, Noah Baldwin, was born April 13, 1745, and on reaching man- hood married Sarah Scott, who was born May 18, 1756, and both died in Susquehanna county.

Matthew Baldwin, father of our subject, was a native of Balltown, N. Y., and in that State was reared and married to Betsey Vaughn, a native of Rhode Island and daughter of Jonathan Vaughn, who was of German descent. They became the par- ents of ten children, as follows: Jeremiah; Mary Maria; William; Jonathan, a soldier of the Civil war; James C .; H. Scott, also a soldier ; Samuel A., deceased ; L. Mumford, who was one of the boys in blue in the Rebellion ; Benjamin Franklin, our sub- ject ; and G. H., deceased, who was a soldier in the Union army. The father died at the extreme old age of ninety-four years, the mother at the age of eighty-one. He was a farmer by occupation and a Democrat in politics, and both were earnest and faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 1

Benjamin Franklin Baldwin, whose name intro- duces this sketch, passed his boyhood and youth under the parental roof and obtained an excellent knowledge of every department of farm work, while his literary education was acquired in the public schools of the neighborhood. On Septem- ber 9, 1861, he was united in marriage with Miss Mima O. Washburn, a daughter of Dexter and Abigail (Doty) Washburn, who were born in Rhode Island and died in Susquehanna county. To our subject and his wife have been born three children : Jay M., a carpenter, contractor and first-class me- chanic, who learned his trade in Scranton, Penn .; Vernie A., at home ; and Ina, who died at the age of ten years. Throughout his entire life Mr. Bald- win has devoted his energies to agricultural pur- suits, and is now the owner of the old homestead, comprising 100 acres of good land well adapted to farming. The pleasant residence, good barn and outbuildings are surrounded by well-tilled fields, good meadows and pasture land; there is also a good orchard upon the place and everything is in first-class shape, showing that the owner thoroughly understands his chosen calling. In connection with general farming he is also interested in dairying. He is a man of strict integrity, honorable in all busi- ness transactions, and in manner is frank and genial. Politically he is identified with the Democratic party, and religiously his wife, a most estimable lady, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

WILLIAM M. BOWEN, a representative farmer and dairyman of Scott township, Wayne county, was born June 11, 1821, in Susquehanna county, a half mile east of Montrose, the county seat, and is a son of Oliver and Electa ( Darrow ) Bowen. In 1832 or 1833 the father went to Canada, where he remained a few years, and then returned to the Keystone State to find his only son-our subject -- but not finding him, he again went to Canada, and has never been heard from since. For her second husband the mother married Stephen Griffis, of Sus- quehanna county, and they lived in Brooklyn, that county, where our subject grew to manhood, receiv- ing a fair education in the public schools.

Mr. Bowen was married, in 1843, to Miss Sal- lie A. Washburn, of Susquehanna county, a daugh- ter of Joseph and Polly Washburn, natives of Con- necticut. For three years after his marriage he lived on his father-in-law's farm and then purchased a tract of wild land in Jackson township, Susque- hanna county, which he at once began to clear and improve, erecting thereon a house and log barn. At the end of ten years he sold and moved to New Milford, the same county, where he bought fifty acres of land, and in connection with its cultivation he worked in a sawmill and also built dams by con- tract for different parties. He erected the walls for the first house in the town of Susquehanna. After living in New Milford eleven years he sold his property there in 1866, and came to Scott town- ship, Wayne county, where he purchased 200 acres of wood land near Star Pond, on which he engaged in lumbering for a number of years. He then traded that place for the David Spoor farm at Maple Grove, in Scott township, where he has now made his home for twenty years.

Mrs. Bowen died in 1891, leaving eight chil- dren, namely: (1) William B., born in Susque- hanna county, August 26, 1844, is now engaged in farming near Hancock, in Wayne county. He married Amanda Johnson, and has three children- Frank, who is married and lives in Binghamton, N. Y., where he is employed as conductor on a trolley car ; Lillie, now Mrs. William Cole, of Buck- ingham township, Wayne county ; and Susie, wife of Charles Barlow, of Sherman, Wayne county. (2) Oliver F., born in Harford, Penn., in June, 1846, is a farmer of Scott township. He married Louisa Hobbs, of Franklin township, and has three children-Mrs. May Henderson, of Starrucca, Wayne county; and Manley and Elsie, both at home. (3) Horace B., born in March, 1849, mar- ried Hannah Smith, and lives in Niagara Falls, N. Y., where he conducts a barber shop and is also engaged in the jewelry trade. He has two chil- dren-Walter and Nellie. (4) Polly A., born September 29, 1851, is the wife of S. P. Quick, of Windsor, Broome county, N. Y. (5) Mary J., born in March, 1854, was a well-educated young lady, who died in 1889, leaving her parents almost heart-broken. (6) Nathan L., born in October, 1856, married Elsie Sampson, of Sherman, Wayne

county, where they reside. They have two daugh- ters-Elizabeth and Grace. (7) Dolly, born in May, 1859, is the wife of Andrew Case, of Broome county, N. Y., and has children-Bernice, Arthur and Horace. (8) Rose, born in New Milford, in February, 1862, is the wife of J. M. Quick, of Windsor, Broome Co., N. Y., and has one daughter -Eva.

In February, 1894, Mr. Bowen was again married, his second union being with Mrs. C. O. Best, of Binghamton, N. Y., a daughter of Isaac and Rachel Tyler, honored pioneers of Delaware county, N. Y. Her father was a soldier of the war of 1812. In his family were thirteen children, namely: Clark, Smith, Polly, Miranda, Phoebe, Debby A., Catherine, James, George W., William L., Sabrina, Lydia, and Chloe Ophelia, wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Bowen are both earnest and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are held in high regard by all who have the pleasure of their acquaintance. Politically he is a Jacksonian Democrat, and has filled the office of supervisor of his township and other local posi- tions. His early life was one of hardships, as he started out to make his own way in the world when quite young, but by perseverance, industry and good management he is now enabled to lay aside business cares and enjoy the fruits of his former toil.

TERRENCE O'REILLY (deceased). The name O'Reilly is intimately associated with the his- tory of Choconut township, Susquehanna county, and with the religious history of Northeastern Pennsylvania and of New York. It was made so by two brothers, Terrence and John, the sons of John O'Reilly, a resident of County Longford, Ireland. Terrence was a farmer, and his brother John a Catholic priest. They came to America in 1837. Terrence settled on a farm in Choconut township. The clergyman became one of the pioneer and tire- less religious workers among his countrymen throughout a vast region of wilderness.

John O'Reilly was born in County Longford, Ireland, in 1797. He was educated in the Theo- logical College of Manoath, Ireland, was ordained by Bishop Kinrick in the diocese of Philadelphia, where he was offered a charge. He, being young, preferred the northern part of Pennsylvania, where he combined the counties of Susquehanna, Brad- ford, and Broome, Delaware, Tioga and Chemung counties in New York, there being no Catholic clergyman in all that section. At that early day the country was principally a wilderness. Father O'Reilly rode horseback from forty to sixty miles a day to perform the sacred rites of the Church. He was constantly on the road, visiting the sick and doing good. Sometimes his journeys were so long that he was compelled to ride all night through storms. He would often tie his horse to a sapling and, rolling up in his blanket, sleep until morning. In sickness he was a nurse and doctor, for which reason he was said to be Priest, Lawyer and Doctor.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 117

Author: Publication date: 1900 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 2390

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 2390