Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 133

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 133
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 133
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 133
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 133

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

of the D. & H., Carbondale, Penn .; J. Dahlgreen is a resident of Kizers, Lackawanna county ; Verna is the wife of M. S. Shaffer, a prominent merchant of Wilkes Barre, Penn .; Alton F. is a prominent merchant of Peckville and Scranton, Penn .; Syl- vania is the wife of Frank Peck, a merchant of Peckville, Penn .; and Bertha is the wife of Vane H. Kennedy, clerk, Peckville, Pennsylvania.

Our subject was reared at Kizers, which was named in honor of his father, and with his parents he remained until he attained his majority, aiding his father in the mill. He then successfully oper- ated the sawmill with his father and others for two years. In 1881, removing his family to South Canaan, Wayne county, he rented from his father a gristmill, which he operated until 1884, when he sold his stock to his father and went to Bradford county, Penn., buying a one-third interest in the firm of Kipp, Kizer & Co., operating several saw- mills. After remaining one year and one-half, he sold his interest to his brother, E. F. Kizer, and re- turned to South Canaan, took charge of the mill, and operated it for the following three years. He sold his stock to John D. Kizer, and traveled throughout the Southern States, and finally located in North Carolina in 1890, and again engaged in the lumber business ; built a residence, removed his family and remained there nearly three years. Hc then returned to Varden, Wayne county, in 1894, and took charge of the Middle Creek Mills, owned by his father ; our subject now operates both mills, and is meeting with a well deserved success in his business undertakings.

At Kizers, Mr. Kizer was married April 8, 1877, to Miss Mary Van Sickle, Rev. Mark Berri- man, a Methodist Protestant minister, officiating. Four children bless this union : Ernest C., Leslie A., Lillian May, and Ward Glenn, all at home. Mrs. Kizer was born in Jefferson township, Lackawanna county, February 9, 1857, a daughter of Garrett and Rachel (Sharp) Van Sickle.

Socially Mr. Kizer is a Knight Templar Mason, belonging to the Commandery in Scranton, Penn .; politically he is a Republican with Prohibi- tion tendencies, and religiously is an earnest and consistent member of the Methodist Protestant Church. His straightforward, honorable course as a business man and citizen has won the com- mendation of all with whom he has come in con- tact, and he has a host of warm friends through- out the community.

RICHARD H. BIDDLECOMBE, at present living on the Hartwell farm in Damascus township, where he has full charge for J. Burchard, is an Englishman by birth, born October 2, 1843, in Dor- setshire, and as an honest, loyal citizen of the com- munity in which he has made his home for so many years none is more highly respected or esteemed.

In 1856 Mr. Biddlecombe came with his mother, Mrs. Esther Biddlecombe, to the United States, and they settled in Damascus township, Wayne Co., Penn., where she was subsequently

married to W. Goodall, who was also a native of England. She died in 1879, the mother of three children by her second marriage, viz .: Alexander, who grew to manhood in Wayne county, and moved some years ago to Colorado, where he married and has a family; Matilda, born in Damascus, who resides on the Goodall homestead with her brother ; and William, unmarried.

Richard H. Biddlecombe received his educa- tion in the public schools of his native country. After coming to Wayne county he commenced work at the carpenter's trade, and he also learned wagon-making, but he has been principally engaged at farming, in which line he has made a signal suc- cess. After his marriage he settled on what is known as the old Stearns property, which he bought, and there he continued to clear the land, erected a house and barn and made general improvements, living on that place until 1871, when he sold and removed to the farm adjoining. In 1881 he moved to Boyd's Mill, in Damascus town- ship, where he had charge of the mill work for twelve years, at the end of that time returning to his old home in the township, where he lived until the spring of 1897, since which time he has resided on and managed the Hartwell farm for J. Burch- ard. He is a thorough-going farmer, progressive and up-to-date in all his ideas and methods where- ever practicable, and he has the unqualified respect of his employer and his fellow farmers in this locality.

In 1865 Mr. Biddlecombe was united in mar- riage with Miss Frances E. Darling, of Damascus, whose parents, James and Phoebe Darling, now residents of Damascus township, were formerly of Sullivan county, N. Y. Five children have blessed this union, of whom, Etta, born May 14, 1867, is a teacher in select schools; she obtained her prelim- inary education in the public schools of Damascus, later became a student in the select schools of the town, and is a very bright young lady, highly accomplished; she resides at home. John J., born March 28, 1870, died August 2, 1870. Martha A., born August 5, 1871, was reared and educated in Damascus, and in September, 1892, became the wife of Ellery P. Bunnell, of Honesdale; they re- side on his farm in Berlin township; they have no children. Frank H., born September 25, 1874, and Irene M., born December 12, 1883, are with their parents. In religious connection the entire family belong to the Disciple Church. They are well and favorably known throughout Damascus township, and are a family which would be a credit to any community, industrious, intelligent and progressive in every way.

Mr. Biddlecombe has always been active in the ranks of the Republican party, of which he is a stanch member, and he is at the present writing holding the office of collector in Damascus town- ship. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic Lodge No. 561, at Callicoon, Sullivan Co., N. Y., and of the Odd Fellows Lodge No. 240, at Jef- fersonville.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ISAAC M. THORP, one of the prosperous farmers of Damascus township, Wayne Co., Penn., has occupied his present farm for over thirty years, and during that time he has attained a high stand- ing among the agriculturists of this locality. He was born in 1837 in Orange county, N. Y., and is of English descent, his grandfather, Cornelius Thorp, having been a native of England.

John W. Thorp, father of our subject, was born in 1800 in Orange county, N. Y., where he grew to manhood. He married Abigail Hendricks, of Wayne county, Penn., and they located in Orange county, later moving to Berlin township, Wayne county, where he bought a farm and re- mained some years. In 1852 the family removed to Kalamazoo county, Mich., but they returned east after three years' stay there and located in Long Eddy. N. Y., where Mr. Thorp died in 1856. His wife survived until 1871. They were the par- ents of six children : Lester A., Louisa, John J., Isaac MI., Commodore H., and Nathan, of whom, Lester, born in Orange county, N. Y., married a Miss Kellam, of Wayne county, Penn., and now resides in Illinois. Louisa is the wife of Edgar Pullis, of Wayne county. John J., born in Orange county, enlisted for service in the Civil war as a member of the Sixth Pennsylvania Reserves, and was killed at the battle of Petersburg. Commo- dore H., born in Wayne county, also enlisted in the Civil war, and was starved to death in Libby prison. Nathan, born in Michigan, married Miss Rosie Billing, of this county, and they reside on his farm at Pine Mills, in Manchester township; they have two children-William and Florence.

Isaac M. Thorp was reared and educated in Pennsylvania, during his boyhood attending the common schools. In January, 1862, he was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Baker, whose parents, James and Phœbe ( Mitchell) Baker, were promi- nent people of Damascus, Wayne county, and belonged to its carly pioneer families. In 1867 he bought a partially improved farm in Damascus, located three miles north of Galilee, and he has since devoted all his time and attention to the care of this place, having now a large farm, cleared from its primitive condition by his own exertions and under a profitable state of cultivation. He has erected a substantial dwelling, barn and other out- buildings, and made numerous other improvements on the neat sixty-acre tract, of whose appearance he may well be proud. Mr. Thorp is known as a thrifty, industrious man, systematic and careful in all the details of his work, and progressive in his methods of operating his farm, a fact which is apparent in all his surroundings. He is honest and straightforward in his dealings with all, and is spoken of by those who know him in terms of the highest respect.

Mr. and Mrs. Thorp have had three children : James A., born in 1863 at Long Eddy, N. Y., mar- ried Miss Violetta Conklin, of Damascus, and has two children-Josephine and Isaac; they reside in Delaware county, N. Y. John P., born in 1868,

clied in December, 1869. Emily L., born in 1871 in Damascus, is the wife of Evans L. Rutledge, formerly of Damascus, who is now engaged as a glass manufacturer in Brooklyn, where they live; they have three children-Beatrice, Louisa L. and Ralph. In religious connection Mr. and Mrs. Thorp are zealous members of the M. E. Church, with which they both united in early life, and they take an active and deep interest in Church work, doing all in their power to further the Master's cause, and living up to their faith in their every- day life. Politically Mr. Thorp has always been identified with the Democratic party.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SCHOONOVER. There are few men more worthy of representation in a work of this kind than the subject of this review, who is now passing the later years of his life in re- tirement on the old homestead in Lehman township, Pike county. His has been a long and busy career, in which he has developed a fine farm, and also established himself in the esteem and confidence of all who know him.

Mr. Schoonover was born in Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county, Penn., November 16, 1825, a son of Daniel and Cornelia (Swartwood) Schoonover, who were natives of Pike county, and were married in Monroe county, when it formed a part of Pike. Both died on the present farm of our subject, the father in 1877, at the age of seventy-two years, the mother in 1873, at the age of seventy- seven, and both were laid to rest in a private burying ground on their homestead. In their family were three children: Barney ( deceased), who married Miss Hester ( Brown) Berner; Benjamin F., our subject, and Ryma, a resident of Stroudsburg, Penn. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Rudol- phus Schoonover, an early settler of this region, and the maternal grandfather was Manordus Swartwood.

At the age of fifteen years Benjamin F. Schoon- over accompanied his parents on their removal to his present farm, and since attaining to man's estate he has successfully operated the same, its neat and thrifty appearance indicating his careful supervision and untiring industry. However, he is now living retired, leaving the arduous labors of the farm to younger hands. During the Civil war he was draft- ed, and paid $300 for a substitute. In his political views he is a Democrat, and he has served as poor- master twenty-one years; collector, two years, and assessor, three years-to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. In religious connection he is a mem- ber of the Dutch Reformed Church, and his life has ever been such as to commend him to the confidence of all with whom he has come in contact.

On March 5, 1873, in Pike county, Mr. Schoon- over was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Van Campen, a native of Marshall Falls, Monroe county, Penn. Her parents. John M. and Jane B. (Heller) Van Campen, were born, reared and married in Cal- no, N. J., whence they removed to Monroe county, Penn., where the mother died at the age of thirty- two years, being laid to rest in Bushkill cemetery.

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The father, who was born January 2, 1818, was in early life a farmer, and is now living retired at Noxen, Penn. Their children were Mary A., wife of Cyrus Van Auken, a farmer of Monroe county ; Sarah, wife of our subject; George, who died in the Union army during the Civil war, and Philip B., who married Eliza Overfield, and is engaged in farm- ing in Monroe county. For his second wife the father married Margaret Michael, who died in 1896, leaving three sons: Andrew, who married Eliza- beth Smith, and resides in Pittston, Penn .; Peter, who married Maggie Burger, and lives at Berwick, Penn., and John G., who married Clara Norris, and lives in Noxen, Penn., his father making his home with him. Mrs. Schoonover's paternal grandpar- ents were Andrew and Anna ( Michael) Van Cam- pen. The former was born in Calno, N. J., where he also died, while the latter was born in Monroe county, Penn., and died in Pike county. Their chil- dren were Mary, John, Sally, Moses, Abraham, James, Elizabeth, George and Margaret. The maternal grandparents were Michael and Elizabeth ( Depew ) Heller, natives of Pike county, Penn., and New Jersey, respectively, and both died in Bush- kill, Pike county, where their remains were interred.

GEORGE F. RONEY, a successful and pros- perous lumberman and agriculturist of Buckingham township, Wayne county, started out in life for himself with nothing but his own indomitable energy, and his accumulation of this world's goods is due entirely to his own individual efforts. He is justly recognized as one of the most energetic and representative citizens of his community, and his success is well deserved.

Frank Roney (our subject's father) was a native of Ireland, and when a young man crossed the Atlantic, locating first in Wayne county, Penn., where he married Miss Margaret Hamlin. Subse- quently he purchased a tract of timber land in Lackawanna county where he followed both lum- bering and farming, delivering his lumber at the Scranton markets. He bought other property in the same locality, cleared and improved a farm, and carried on agricultural pursuits in connection with lumbering. There he still makes his home; his wife died in February, 1886. Four children constituted their family, all of whom were born, reared and educated in Lackawanna county. In the order of birth they are as follows: Eveline, now the wife of Orrin Spencer, of Scranton : George F., subject of this sketch ; Melville D., a resident of Scranton, who married Mary Russell, of that city, and has one daughter, Maggie; and Johnnie A., who lives on the old homestead with his father.

The public schools of Lackawanna county afforded George F. Roney his educational privi- leges, and he early became familiar with the occu- pations of lumbering and farming in their various branches, being for eight years in the employ of Frank Holenback, a lumberman carrying on opera- tions in both Lackawanna and Wayne counties. After his marriage, he located in Forest City,

where he continued to engage in lumbering until 1894, when he purchased the William L. Sherman farm of 286 acres in Buckingham township, Wayne county, which has since been his home. He has made it one of the best dairy farms in the county.

In February, 1891, Mr. Roney was united in marriage with Miss Nettie A. Miner, a daughter of Robert and Annie Miner, of Waymart, Wayne county, and they have become the parents of two children : Clarence F. and Howard R., both born in Forest City. The parents are Protestants in relig- ious belief, and have the respect and esteem of all who know them. Politically Mr. Roney is identi- fied with the Democratic party.

WILLIAM DOWNEY. Cuite a number of the leading and prominent citizens of Pike county are of alien birth, and in this country have succeed- ed in accumulating a comfortable competence, and in making a good home for themselves and fam- ilies. Among these there is no one better known or more widely respected than William Downey, a prosperous farmer of Blooming Grove township.

Mr. Downey was born in 1835, in County Limerick, Ireland, of which place his parents, Thomas and Ellen ( Maloney) Downey, were also natives. The mother died when our subject was eighteen years of age. The father spent his entire life in County Limerick, engaged in farming, but since our subject's emigration to America, the remainder of the family went to Australia. The children were as follows: Michael, who is probably a resident of Australia; William, of this review ; Mary, wife of Martin Simmons, of County Limer- ick. Ireland; and Nora, who was unmarried when our subject came to America.

During early life William Downey assisted his father on the farm, and was also employed in a gristmill. When twenty-six years of age he crossed the Atlantic, landing in New York City, and first worked as a gardener in Westchester county, N. Y., remaining there until 1861, when he returned to the city, where he was employed for a short time. He then came to Blooming Grove township, Pike county, Penn., where he had previously purchased land which was covered with a dense forest. He at once began to prepare the land for farming, car- rying on lumbering during the winter months, and clearing the land during the summer season. Acre after acre was soon placed under the plow, and he now has one of the most productive and desirable farms of the township. To his first purchase, which consisted of fifty acres, he has added from time to time until now he has 160 acres, of which forty are under a high state of cultivation.

In New York City, Mr. Downey married Miss Ann Hanlon, a native of County Limerick, Ireland, and a daughter of Thomas Hanlon. She died leav- ing no children. In his political affiliations our subject is a stalwart Democrat, and he has several times served as judge and inspector of elections, also twice elected to the position of tax collector. In religious faith he is a Catholic.

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JOHN MARSCH is one of the honored citi- zens that Germany has furnished to the New World, and since coming to this country he has been prominently identified with the agricultural interests of Pike county, owning and operating at the present time a fine farm of 175 acres, about half of which is fitted for pasturage and the rais- ing of grain. In connection with farming he also gives considerable attention to dairying and lumber- ing, having upon his place both hemlock and hard- wood timber.

Jacob Marsch, the father of our subject, was born near the Rhine, in Prussia, Germany, Sep- tember 1, 1799, and was a son of Jacob Marsch, also a native of Prussia. There the former grew to manhood and followed farming for some years. In his native land he wedded Miss Mary Beisher. who was also born in Prussia. In 1844 he sold his small farm with the intention of coming to America, but it was not until March 17, 1847, that the family started for the New World. They were fifty-three days at sea, but finally were safely land- ed in New York and proceeded at once to Hones- dale. Penn., a part of the trip having to be made on foot, as no railroad at that time connected New York with Wayne county points. From Hones- dale they went by slow stages to Sterling township, Wayne county, where they located. There all of the family commenced working for the farmers of the neighborhood, each trying to add a little to the general store, as land and a home they could call their own was the desire of all.

The subject of this sketch was born in Prussia January 3, 1834, received a good practical educa- tion in the German schools, and came over from Germany with the rest of the family in 1847. Sub- sequently the father purchased seventy acres of land in Greene township. Pike county. Space was cleared to erect a barn, and in this the family lived for two years. As the land had to be cleared, the fa- ther and the family ( except John ) began the work of improvement, while the latter worked among neighboring farmers and supplied the other mem- bers of the family with the necessaries of life. When this property was cleared, improved and a home had been built upon it, they took a just pride in knowing that they possessed one of the finest farms in Greene township. In order to pay for this land, our subject worked for sixteen years as a farm hand. After a long, useful and honorable life, the father died January 12, 1871, and the mother passed away May 5. 1882. To them were born six children. all still living, namely: Margaret, wife of Reuben Albright, of Lancaster, Penn .: John. the subject of this sketch; Sophia, wife of Charles Heis, of Columbia county, Penn. : Catherina, wife of Jacob G. Simons, of Greene township, Pike coun- ty : Peter, a farmer of the same township, and Charles, of New Columbus, Luzerne Co., Pennsyl- vania.

John Marsch was first married, March 7. 1860. to Miss Eliza Jane Hazelton, a native of Dreher

township, Wayne county, who died October 6, 1863, leaving two daughters : Sophia A., now the wife of Gus D. Distle, living in Jefferson county, Penn. ; and Mary, wife of Edward F. Helmich, a Mora- vian minister, now located in North Dakota.

At Newfoundland, Penn., November 12, 1865, Mr. Marsch wedded Miss Emma J. Heberling, the ceremony being performed by John J. Detterer, a Moravian minister. She was born March 29, 1842, and is the eldest child of Peter and Regina (Stroup) Heberling, both natives of Germany, the former born in Bavaria, August 10, 1814, and died December 8, 1891, and the latter born in Wurtem- berg, June 23, 1820, and is still living. They were married June 6, 1841. The other children of their family are: Louisa, wife of George Robacker, of Greene township : William H., who married Bertha Cramer, and lives in the same township; John L., also a resident of Greene township; Edward Peter, who married Ellen Fribley, and lives in Greene township; Jacob, of Helena, Mont .; L. Bernard, who married Eva Logger, and is engaged in the in- stirance business in Philadelphia, Penn .; Peter F., of Stroudsburg, Penn. ; Elizabeth H., wife of Moses Phillips, of Stroudsburg; Ellen L., wife of George Meyers, of Greene township, Pike county ; Ida E., wife of Jacob Waltz, of Stroudsburg, and Herbert, who married Helen Grimm, and lives in Greene township. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Marsch were as follows: Ellen Louisa, born July 17. 1866, died at the age of twelve years ; Henry L., born April 12, 1868, is interested in silver mining in Montana, where he makes his home; Albert John, born March 29, 1870, married Sue Auman, and is employed as bookkeeper at Lancaster, Penn .; Jacob F., born February 27, 1872, died December 6, 1874; Elizabeth R., born August 25, 1874, is the wife of Charles A. Sieg, a blacksmith of Newton, N. J .; Annie E., born September 9, 1876, is also living in Newton, N. J. : Hattie A., born January 28, 1879, is. at home ; Louella B., born March 19, 1883, died De- cember 19, 1892, and Ida, born August 10, 1884, is. at home.

Mr. Marsch is unswerving in his allegiance to the men and measures of the Democratic party, and he has been honored with a number of local offices, which he has most creditably and satisfac- torily filled, being constable, one year ; assessor, one vear : school director, six years ; county auditor, nine years, and tax collector, seven years, serving in the last named office at the present time. He and his family are leading members of the Moravain Church at Newfoundland, Penn., in which he has served as trustee and leader for many years; socially he be- longs to the Grange.

ELIAS TRACH. The subject of this sketch is a worthy representative of one of the prominent families of Pennsylvania, a family noted for its sturdy independence, its admirable industry, its effective contributions to those causes which have made the Keystone State famous for her agricult-

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ural and industrial development. While the fam- ily for generations has been devoted to agriculture and has prospered in that pursuit, its members also usually allied themselves with some branch of industry, and thus broadened their respective fields of usefulness. Our subject has been a worker in both iron and wood, and as a wheelwright and a blacksmith has been known far and wide through- out Monroe and adjacent counties. He has now partially retired from these active trades, but his reputation for good workmanship lingers, and work that requires both care and skill still seeks his well-known shop.

Mr. Trach was born in Northampton county, Penn., November 23, 1835, the son of Jacob and Anna (Hiney) Trach, and the grandson of Mich- ael and Soloma (Cope) Trach. His maternal grandparents were Michael and Susannah Hiney. Both grandparents were old settlers of Northamp- ton county. Michael Hiney was a life-long farmer of that county. Michael Trach was by trade a pot- ter, and closed his active and useful career at Moorestown, Pennsylvania.

Jacob Trach, the father of our subject, was born in Northampton county, in 1802. He there grew to manhood, and acquired the trade of a weaver, which he followed through life. He was. a member of the Lutheran Church. He died in 1845, and was buried at Moorestown, Penn. His widow subsequently married David Smith, of Monroe county, Penn. She survived her hus- band three years, and died at the home of our sub- ject in 1875, aged seventy-three years. She was a member of the Reformed Church, and is buried in Pleasant Valley cemetery. The children of Jacob and Anna Trach were as follows: Helen, who married John Hoff, and is now deceased ; Michael, a farmer of Indiana, who married Levina Smith; Elizabeth, wife of Edward Craver, of Car- bon county, and is now deceased; Elias, the sub- ject of this sketch; Maria, who married Lawrence Smith, and is now deceased, and Sarah, wife of John Smith, of Springtown, New Jersey.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 133

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