Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 129

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 129
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 129
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 129
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 129

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

May 5, 1818, is now living retired on the old home- stead in Auburn township, honored and respected by all who know him. The mother died April 19, 1888, aged sixty-four years, and was laid to rest in Jersey Hill cemetery. Their children were Leander L., who also lived on the old homestead, but is now county treasurer and resides at Montrose; Sarah C. L., wife of our subject ; Adelbert, who died Sep- tember 16, 1879, aged thirty-one years; Emma, born October 19, 1853, whodied in infancy ; George, born July 8, 1863, who is now a farmer of Broome county, N. Y .; and Alford, born July 2, 1868, a farmer and paper-hanger of Broome county. Mrs. Linaberry's paternal grandparents, Abraham and Sarah L. ( Heverly ) Lott, were natives of Connecti- cut, and in 1826 became residents of Auburn town- ship, Susquehanna Co., Penn., where the former engaged in business as a farmer and speculator. The maternal grandparents, Peter and Lovina Hal- lock, were natives of Dutchess county, N. Y., and early settlers of Luzerne county, Penn., where the former carried on operations as a farmer and hotel man.

After his marriage Mr. Linaberry located upon his present fine farm in Rush township, and he has since successfully engaged in its cultivation and improvement, making it one of the most desirable places of the community. In politics he is a Demo- crat, and for three years he has most creditably served as school director. He is also a director of the East Rush Creamery, and is recognized as one of the most reliable and conscientious business men of the township. For the past twenty years he has been an earnest and consistent member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church in East Rush, of which he has been steward and trustee the entire time. Both he and his wife are highly esteemed and respected by their neighbors and many friends, and enjoy the confidence and regard of all who know them.

MRS. AUGUSTA LEACH. Among the most attractive rural homes of Harmony township, Sus- quehanna county, is that of this highly-esteemed lady, widow of the late Charles Leach, and her able and successful management of the estate indicates unusual business acumen. Her interest in religious work and other progressive movements has been shown in many ways, but throughout her life she has made her home the center of her thought and effort.

Mrs. Leach is a native of the northern part of Vermont, and comes of good New England an- cestry. Stephen Howard, her father, was born in Concord, N. H., and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. By trade he was a carpenter, and for some years he was engaged in business as a contractor and builder in Vermont, where his death occurred when Mrs. Leach was but four years old. His wife, Laura Eastman, was born in Danville, Vt., daugh- ter of Dr. Eastman, a well-known physician. She married for her second husband Jacob Brady, of

Vermont, and later removed to Susquehanna coun- ty, where shedied some years ago. By her first mar- riage she had nine children, of whom Mrs. Leach was the youngest. (1) Joseph married Miss Martha Litchfield, and removed to New Hampshire, where he still resides. (2) Hannah married Lewis North, of Canada, where she died. (3) Divexa married George Banfort, of Vermont, and died leaving sev- eral children. (4) Eliza, deceased, married Christ- opher Morgan, of Massachusetts, where her four children still reside. (5) Ezra married a New Hampshire lady, and settled in that State. He has two children, Charles and Frank. (6) Emily died at the age of fourteen. (7) Frank served during the Civil war in a Pennsylvania regiment, enlisting at Scranton. At Gettysburg he was wounded and captured, and for three months endured the horrors of Libby prison. After the war closed he settled in Susquehanna, where he was employed in the rail- road shops until his death, in 1894. He married Miss Mary J: Stamback, of Susquehanna, and had two children, Frank and Lila, who reside with their mother in Susquehanna. (8) Lafayette was killed at Norfolk, Va., at the age of sixteen, while on a sailing vessel.

Mrs. Leach was educated in the district schools of Vermont, and during her girlhood made her home with her married sisters. In 1848 she married Mr. Leach, then a successful farmer in New Milford township, Susquehanna county, where he was born and reared. His parents, Samuel and Betsey Leach, came from Connecticut at an early day, and were among the pioneers of New Milford township. For some years after his marriage Mr. Leach continued to occupy his old homestead, but in 1873 he pur- chased the present farm in Harmony township, comprising one hundred acres. The land was under cultivation, but he made many improvements, being known as one of the enterprising agriculturists of the locality. As a citizen he was held in high es- teem, and although he never sought political hon- ors he was an ardent believer in the principles and policy of the Democratic party. In religious faith he was a Methodist, and he and his estimable wife became known as liberal supporters of the work of the Church wherever they resided. He died at the homestead in 1890, leaving three children: (I) Laura, born in 1861, in New Milford, married Ellis Slocum, of Harmony township, who afterward settled in Potter county, Penn., where his death occurred. They had five children, Stella, Rufus, Nina, Scott and Harry, all living with their grand- mother, Mrs. Leach. (2) Lillie, born in 1871 in New Milford, married Edwin Turner, of Broome county, N. Y., and they now reside in Harmony township. They have seven children, Oliver, Della, Dora, Edna, Agnes, Roy, and Annie A. (3) Harry, born in April, 1878, on the present homestead, re- ceived a district-school education, and now assists in the management of his mother's interests, being regarded as a bright young business man.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

OLIVER W. CHANDLER, an enterprising and progressive young farmer residing on Elk Hill, Clifford township, Susquehanna county, is a na- tive of the county, born in Herrick township, Feb- ruary 12, 1872, the only child of Alvin and Abby (Churchill) Chandler. The father was born in Chenango county, N. Y., in 1810, and was a son of Oliver Chandler, who conducted a hotel in that county, and was a lifelong resident of the Empire State.

In 1830 Alvin Chandler came to Susquehanna county, Penn., and took up his residence in Her- rick township, where he continued to make his home throughout life, dying there at the age of seventy-four years. His remains were interred in the Lyons Street cemetery, Herrick township. In connection with farming he operated a gristmill and turning shop, was a man of considerable promi- nence in his community, and served as constable and collector for twenty consecutive years. Politically he was a Democrat. He was three times married, his first wife being Rachel Tucker, his third Mrs. Cordelia Arnold, and by those unions he had no children: The mother of our subject died Feb- ruary 22, 1872, being laid to rest in the Churchill family burying ground, in Herrick township. She was of the sixth generation in descent from Roger Williams, and was a daughter of Rev. William Churchill.

Our subject was with his father until eleven years of age, and then started out to make his own way in the world empty-handed. He worked as a farm hand until seventeen, and then contracted to purchase his present farm of ninety acres in Clif- ford township, which he secured on attaining his majority. He is a thorough and systematic farmer, of known reliability, and for the success that he has achieved in life deserves great credit, as it was all due to his own industry, perseverance and capable management. In his political views he is inde- pendent.

In May, 1889, in Susquehanna county, Mr. Chandler married Miss Christina Finn, a native of Clifford township, who died in June, 1892, and was buried in the Uniondale cemetery. Her father, Clark Finn, was born in the same township, Jan- uary 23, 1820, and died January 22, 1895, his re- mains also being interred in Uniondale cemetery. He was a farmer by occupation, and a member of the Adventist Church. On January 23, 1843, in Dundaff, he married Maria Coleman, who was born near Hyde Park, Lackawanna Co., Penn., October 30, 1822, and is still living in Uniondale, whither the family removed in 1890. Their children were Albert E., deceased; Ann F., wife of Alson Bur- dick, a farmer of Clifford township; Henry H., a merchant of Uniondale, who married Emma E. Whitman; and Christina, deceased wife of our sub- ject.

Mr. Chandler was again married, in Bingham- ton, N. Y., in October, 1893, his second union being with Miss Mary E. Williams, by whom he had three

children, Luella A., Alvin E. and Olive I. She was born in Clifford township, August 13, 1874, and is a daughter of Edward and Huldah (Casterline) Williams, prominent farming people of that town- ship. The father was born in North Wales, No- vember 14, 1836, the mother in Pittston, Penn., June 8, 1850, and they were married in Clifford township, March 31, 1867. In their family are five children: John, who married Evalyn Lowry, and is a school teacher and traveling agent, residing in Gibson township, Susquehanna county ; Charles B., who married Ethel Bowman, and is a farmer of Gibson township; Mary E., wife of our subject ; and Owen W. and Lena M., both at home.

HENRY W. LOVE, one of the prosperous farmers and dairymen of Auburn township, Sus- quehanna county, was born there, April 9, 1863, son of Newell and Annie ( Fox) Love. Mr. Love is of Irish descent, his great-grandfather, Henry Love, having been a native of the Emerald Isle, whence he came to the western continent with his brother John, who located in Canada. Both brothers served in the Revolutionary war, and Henry lost a limb in the service. He settled in Wyoming county, Pennsylvania.

Andrew Love, son of Henry Love, passed his entire life in Wyoming county, engaging in farm- ing and lumbering. Newell Love was born in 1819, in Wyoming county, and there reared, in early man- hood coming to Susquehanna county and settling in Auburn township, where he purchased 105 acres of land which was then for the most part in its wild state. He devoted himself to clearing and cultivat- ing his property, and succeeded in improving nearly all of his original purchase, to which he had added another 105 acres before his death. He also owned a tract of 100 acres in the vicinity. He was mar- ried, in Susquehanna county, to Miss Annie Fox, who was born in 1824, daughter of William Fox, one of the early settlers of this region, and of the children born to this union, John, who died in 1896, lived in Auburn township; Jackson resides in Au- burn ; Charles, deceased in 1897, lived in both Sus- quehanna and Wyoming counties; Marcella is the wife of John Titman, of Dimock township; Sophia, Ida and another died in infancy; Lucy died when thirty years old ; Butler, deceased, was a resident of Auburn township; Henry W. is the subject proper of these lines ; one died in infancy. The mother of this family passed away in November, 1889, and the father followed her to the grave March 4, 1895, dying in Wyomnig county. He was a Republican in political faith and took an active part in local affairs, serving some years as supervisor of his township.

Henry W. Love grew to manhood in his native place, and during his boyhood attended the common schools of the township, receiving a good practical education. When eighteen years old he went to Michigan, in which State he remained for five years, living in Saginaw and Bay City ; he was engaged in

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

lumbering on the lower peninsula. After his re- turn home he continued to live at home for some years, and when he married he bought a place of ninety-six acres, which he sold after residing six years thereon. Meantime he had added eleven acres to the place, erected buildings and made other improvements. His next purchase was a tract of 175 acres near South Auburn, which he still oc- cupies, successfully carrying on general farming pursuits. At one time he owned 300 acres. In addition to the regular farm work he has engaged in dairying for some time, at present keeping twenty cows. Mr. Love's large farm is nearly all im- proved, and he has the reputation of being one of the most careful agriculturists in this section, justly deserving of the prosperity which has rewarded his efforts. He is one of the substantial and highly respected citizens of the community which has al- ways been his home, and a man of unquestioned integrity and fairness in all his dealings with his fellow men.

On September 18, 1888, Mr. Love was married, in Auburn township, to Miss Arvilla Titman, who was born March 21, 1867, a daughter of Elias and Almira (Low) Titman, natives of New Jersey, and granddaughter of Elias and Phœbe ( Harris) Tit- man and Cornelius and Elsie (Brown) Low. This union has been blessed with four children, born as follows: Anna Grace, May 25, 1889; Frank Elias, August 8, 1890; Almira Ruth, July 25, 1891 ; Fred Newell, October 26, 1892. The entire family attend the M. E. Church, of which Mrs. Love is a mem- ber. Our subject is a stanch Republican in political faith.

HENRY ALDRICH, a leading dairyman and agriculturist of Harmony township, Susquehanna county, is one of the honored veterans of the Civil war, having seen active service during some of the most critical and decisive engagements of that struggle. Enlisting in 1861, at Elmira, N. Y., as a member of Company K, 89th N. Y. V. I., he was assigned to duty with the Army of the Potomac, his first battle being at Roanoke, Va. Later he fought at Camden, under Burnside, and at South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Charleston, Folly Island, Petersburg and Richmond, with Gen. Butler, and during the fierce conflict along the Weldon railroad he had a leg broken, necessitating a stay of several months in convalescent hospital. On recovering he joined his regiment at Roanoke Island, from there went to Fortress Monroe, and later participated in the engagements at Petersburg and Chapin's farm, being mustered out at the ex- piration of his term of enlistment.

Mr. Aldrich is a native of Susquehanna coun- ty, born in Silver Lake township, June 25, 1840. During boyhood he attended the Brackney school in his native township, and his term of military service came before he had made a definite start in business life. In 1865, after his return from the army, he married and settled upon a farm in Broome

county, N. Y., in 1879 purchasing his present home- stead, which is located near the New York line, and not far from the village of Gulf Summit. He has made many improvements, clearing much of the land himself, and now has 150 acres under culti- vation. In 1891 he built a large two-story house, also excellent barns and other buildings for use in connection with his extensive dairy business. He has a large herd of cows, and at present is one of the large shippers of milk to New York markets. Politically Mr. Aldrich has always been identified with the Republican party, but he has not aspired to office, and he and his wife are prominent in re- ligious work as members of the Presbyterian Church. Of their four children, (1) George H., who was born in Binghamton, in August, 1869, died there when ten years old. (2) Louis S., born in Bing- hamton, in January, 1871, was educated in the town of Sanford, and is now a telegraph operator on the Erie railroad in New Jersey. He married Miss Charlotte Silvernail, of the town of Sanford, N. Y., and they have one daughter, Freda. (3) Mary M., born in Binghamton, August 2, 1872, was ed- ucated in Sanford, and is now the wife of Edward Lawrence, of Orange county, N. Y., station agent and operator at Gulf Summit. They have three children, Henry R., Eleanor and Elbert B. (4) Miss Lida A., born at Binghamton, in 1879, is an accomplished young lady, living at home.

Mrs. Aldrich, whose maiden name was Mary C. Balcom, was born in 1836, in Chenango county, N. Y., where she was educated, and became a suc- cessful teacher, being employed for some time in Chenango and Broome counties, N. Y. She comes of good New England stock, her parents, Benja- min and Maria (Smith) Balcom, having both been natives of Connecticut, although their last years

were spent in Broome county, N. Y. This worthy couple had three children, all of whom are living: (I) Samuel S., born in 1832, in New York State, is a manufacturer in Brooklyn, N. Y. He mar- ried Miss Louise Taylor, of Yonkers, N. Y. (2) Mary C. is the wife of our subject. (3) George M. N., born in 1845, in Chenango county, N. Y., served in the Civil war as a member of the 16th New York Artillery, taking part in a number of import- ant battles. He was educated at Cortland, N. Y., and for some time was successfully engaged in teaching school, but at present he is in business at Binghamton, N. Y. He married Miss Adelia Gage, of that city, and they have two living children --- Theodore, who married Miss Georgia Thompson, and resides in Binghamton; and Louise, a teacher in the city high school.

HARRY C. FRENCH. This section is ad- mirably adapted to dairying, and the subject of this sketch, a well-known resident of Harmony town- ship, Susquehanna county, is among the leaders in that branch of industry. He is a representative of a family that has long been prominent in the coun- ty, his grandparents, Nelson and Amelia French,

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having come from Vermont at an early date to make their home in Jackson township, then a wilderness. Their old homestead, a large estate, which is now in a high state of cultivation, is still held in the family. The six children of this worthy couple were all born in Jackson township. Cordelia married Wes- son Lamb, of Oakland. Eliza married Charles McKune, of Harmony township. Julia married Elias Barrett, of Susquehanna, and has two chil- dren, Agnes ( wife of Harry Page, of Jackson town- ship) and Herbert (who is at home). George occupies the old homestead.

Edgar French, our subject's father, was born in 1845, the second youngest in the family, and grew to manhood at the old home farm, his educa- tion being received in the district and select schools of the neighborhood. In 1865 he married Miss Martha Birdsall, daughter of George Birdsall, a prominent resident of Jackson township. For three years Mr. French resided upon a farm in the same township, but he then purchased a large tract of land at Comfort's Pond, where he cleared and improved two farms. In 1898 he removed to the city of Susquehanna, purchasing property there. He has always taken an active part in political affairs, being a strong Republican, was frequently chosen to office by his fellow citizens in Harmony township, and is at present serving as street com- missioner in Susquehanna. He and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to the support of which he has been a liberal contributor. They have three sons, of whom the first, George, born February 18, 1868, in Jack- son township, was drowned in Comfort's Pond when six years old. (2) Harry C., our subject, is mentioned more fully below. (3) Frank, born January 22, 1874, in Harmony township, was edu- cated in Lanesboro Academy, and taught for some time in the public schools of Harmony township, but is now engaged in carpentering in Susquehanna. He married Miss Leona Bennett, of Lanesboro, daughter of John Bennett, a highly-respected citi- zen of Harmony township, and they have had one daughter, Margaret.

Our subject was born December 14, 1871, at the old homestead in Harmony township, and, after completing a course in the local schools, attended the Jackson Academy. As a young man he took charge of the home farm, and in 1891 he purchased the Willard Austin estate, at Comfort's Pond, which he has since conducted as a dairy farm. He owns a fine herd of cattle, and the products of his dairy find a ready sale in the markets of Susquehanna. In politics he has always been identified with the Republican party, and in religious faith he inclines toward Methodism, in which he and his wife were reared. He is connected with the Order of Red Men, Lodge No. 268, at Lanesboro, and socially he and his family are much esteemed. In January, 1891, Mr. French married Miss Emma Hankinson, of Rome, Bradford Co., Penn., daughter of Obadiah and Adaline (Knapp) Hankinson, formerly resi-

dents of Susquehanna county, where her youth was spent. Two sons brighten our subject's home : Carl, born November 16, 1892; and Lloyd, born March 20, 1895.

LEE D. SPEARBECK is one of the active young farmers and dairymen of Great Bend town- ship, Susquehanna county. He has been identified through life with the agricultural interests of this fertile and beautiful locality, and his forbears for two generations before him cultivated the same soil, clearing the land of its primeval forest growth and ever since retaining possession.

Mr. Spearbeck was born on his present farm February 10, 1855, son of Benjamin and Eliza (Shufelt) Spearbeck, and grandson of Michael Spearbeck, a native of Greenbush, N. Y., who in 1839 removed to Great Bend township and made the first improvement on our subject's present farm. There he died October 27, 1877, aged eighty-four years. His children were as follows: Alpha, who married Kilborn Roberts, and moved to Cass county, Mich., where she died leaving one son, Frederick; Henry, who lived in Harford town- ship, Susquehanna county; Andrew, a farmer of Windsor township, Broome Co., N. Y. (he served during the Civil war as a member of Company M, Ist New York Regular Cavalry) ; Michael, now a resident of Binghamton ; Theodore, who was a sol- dier in the Civil war, serving as a member of Com- pany E of a Pennsylvania volunteer regiment, and who now resides in Great Bend; Mary, widow of Charles Snedeker, of Binghamton; Catherine, who married Russell Thatcher, of Harford township, and died leaving a family; Nancy, who married Alonzo Andrews, and settled in Broome county, N. Y .; Amanda, wife of Ralph McLeod, of Conk- lin, N. Y .; and Benjamin, the father of our subject.

The last named was born in Conklin, Broome Co., N. Y., in 1822, and came with his father to the wilderness home in Great Bend township. He mar- ried Eliza Shufelt, who was born near Albany, N. Y., in 1832, and after his marriage purchased his father's farm, adding to it by purchase until he had 200 acres of land. He cleared up a large farm, erected good, substantial buildings, and built one of the old-fashioned sash sawmills, which he later improved by substituting a circular saw. The mill as thus improved is yet in operation by our subject. Benjamin Spearbeck died on the farm in 1897, his worthy wife passing away in 1895. They left two children: Lee D., our subject; and Georgia, the daughter, still living on the old homestead.

Lee D. Spearbeck grew up on the old home- stead, and received a good common-school educa- tion. He remained on the homestead, managing his father's farm, for many years. In 1877 he mar- ried Miss Ida A. Baker, of Windsor, who was born in the town of Barker, Broome Co., N. Y., in 1857, daughter of Jerome and Jane Baker. Our subject and wife began housekeeping on the old homestead, which he purchased in 1898. They have a family

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of three children, namely: Lena, born in 1879, who in March, 1899, married Elmer E. Lockwood, a farmer of Marydell, Md .; Bertha, born in 1882, a student in the home schools; and Duane E., born in 1890.

Politically Mr. Spearbeck has always been identified with the Republican party, and for three years he served as supervisor in Great Bend township. He is a member of the Order of Red Men at Great Bend, and is a Protestant in his religious faith. He is highly esteemed by all who know him, and is intimately identified with the best interests of the township.

JOHN W. SPENCE, a popular engineer on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad, running between Montrose and Alford, Penn., with headquarters in the former place, was born in Har- risburg, Penn., July 2, .1860, a son of John and Nancy M. ( Youngs) Spence, also natives of Penn- sylvania. The father enlisted in 1861, at the call for three-months' men during the Civil war, be- coming a member of Company I, 84th P. V. I., and was killed in the service. Our subject was the only child of this union. In 1865 the mother mar- ried Moses Snyder, of Lake Ariel, Wayne Co., Penn., who was a raftsman, and to them were born five children: Frances, now the wife of Jacob Haines, a farmer of Lackawanna county, Penn .; James, who died at the age of four years; George N., who died at the age of two years; Anna, who died in 1888; and William, who died at the age of three years. The father of these children died at Moscow, Penn., in March, 1874, the mother at Salem, Penn., September 22, 1872.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 129

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