Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 143

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 143
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 143
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 143
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 143

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RANDALL VAN GORDEN, better known to his numerous friends and acquaintances as Ran. Van Gorden, the popular proprietor of the "Delaware House," at Dingman's Ferry, in Pike county, Penn., is a native of the county, born March 31, 1838, in Leh- man township. As his name indicates, he is, like many of the best citizens of this part of the country, of Dutch origin, and the Van Gorden family has been prominently identified with the history and prog- ress of Lehman township for over a century.

Moses Van Gorden, the grandfather of the gentleman whose name introduces these lines, was born in Lehman township, Pike county, where he carried on farming all his life, and was one of the well known men of his day in that region. On May 28, 1781, he married Elizabeth Van Etten, a native of Delaware township, Pike county, whose father, Jacobus Van Etten, came from his native country, Holland, to the United States in an early day, and settling in Delaware township, Pike Co., Penn., passed his remaining days here. A large family blessed this union, of whom we give a brief record : Mary, born July 30, 1782, died April 1, 1813; Cath- erine was born August 25, 1784; Elizabeth was born December 5, 1786; James, born January 9, 17S8, married Sarah Rosencrans, and died May 16, 1854; John, twin of James, married Mary Van Gorden, and died August 7, 1852 (his wife lived to the advanced age of ninety-seven years) ; Rachel, Mrs. Reser, was born April 1, 1790, and died October 8, 1853; Diana, Mrs. Eldredge, was born in August, 1793, and died September 18, 1852; Jemima, Mrs. David Howell, was born

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May 12, 1798, and died January 24, 1830; Lanah, Mrs. Peter Walter, was born September 24, 1800, and died August 21, 1855; Moses, born October 27, 1803, is mentioned more fully below. The mother of these passed away March 30, 1813 ; the father ()c- tober 9, 1838, at the age of seventy-two years, both dying in Lehman township ,and their remains rest in a private burying-ground on the farm now owned by William Cortright, in that township. After her death he married, for his second wife, Mrs. Elsa Middaugh. No children were born to this mar- riage.

Moses Van Gorden, father of Randall Van Gor- ‹len, was born October 27, 1803, in Lehman town- ship, and there passed his entire life. He was a farmer by occupation, owning a fine property at the head of the Delaware Valley, in Lehman township, and inheriting the industrious and thrifty traits of his Dutch ancestors he became in the course of his long life one of the well-to-do men of his township, where he was held in the highest esteem. Though not an office seeker, he was made justice of the peace and held the office for many years to the sat- isfaction of all concerned, his neighbors generally having the greatest confidence in his judgment, and his opinions on matters of local interest were sought and valued by all. He was a good business man as well as farmer, and he was regarded by all as one of the representative, intelligent and worthy citizens of the vicinity, a man who would be a credit to any community. On August 9, 1835, Mr. Van Gorden was united in marriage, at Lehman, to Mrs. Char-

lotte (Newman) Easton, and they became the par- ents of three children. namely: Elizabeth, born May 17, 1836, who is the wife of James D. Brisco, of Lehman township; Randall, born March 31, 1838, and Thomas N., born May 12, 1840, who mar- ried Mary Bedient, and is now engaged in farming at Oshkosh, Wis. Mrs. Charlotte Newman ( Eas- ton) Van Gorden was born December 14, 1802, at Milford, Penn., and died July 28, 1858; she is bur- ied in the Milford cemetery. By her first husband, Calvin Easton, she had two children-Ophelia and James, the former of whom is the wife of Andrew Broadhead, a retired resident of Flemington, N. J. James, who married Elizabeth Corwin, is a merchant at Otisville, N. Y. Mrs. Van Gorden was the daughter of Thomas and Cornelia (Randall) New- man, the former of whom was born May 22, 1770, and died November 27, 1841, in Sussex county, N. J. ; the mother was born April 20, 1776, and died De- cember 16, 1853, in Lehman township, Pike county. Their family consisted of three childern, viz. : Sarah, Mrs. Peter A. L. Quick, born April II, 1799; Cyn- thia, Mrs. Samuel L. Thrall, born February 26, 1801, and Charlotte, Mrs. Van Gorden. Mr. Van Gorden passed away August 25, 1873. in Milford, while vis- iting his daughter. In religious connection he was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. His po- litical sympathies were with the Democratic party.

Randall Van Gorden was reared and educated in his native place, living on the old homestead at

the head of the Delaware Valley until 1876, when he sold the property and moved to Milford, where he lived retired for seven months. In 1864 Mr. Van Gorden had gone to Mauch Chunk, Penn., and he remained there one year, as car inspector in the em- ploy of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Co. In 1877 he came to Dingman's Ferry, where he has since resided, conducting the "Delaware House," which he purchased at a sheriff's sale. This hotel was erected by John Lattimer, and is located on the river road, sixteen miles from Port Jervis, and twenty- five miles from Stroudsburg. There are twenty- two rooms in the house, which, owing to the popu- larity of its genial proprietor, has a good patronage from the traveling public, and Mr. Van Gorden leaves nothing undone which will add to the com- fort of his guests, who are, one and all, his friends and well wishers. He is highly esteemed .in the town where he resides, his fellow citizens regarding him as a valuable and intelligent member of the com- munity, where his energy and activity in all affairs of local interest have made him widely known and equally respected. He is generous and liberal to a fault, especially to the needy, and he well deserves the favorable opinions which he has won in this neighborhood, for he has proved himself a valuable friend and citizen whenever occasion has arisen. His political sentiments are Democratic, but he is not particularly active in that line, though he has been elected to the office of school director for the past twelve years, filling the position with his customary efficiency.

On March 10, 1863, at Milford, Mr. Van Gor- den was united in marriage with Miss Hannah L. Decker, and eight children were born to this union, namely : Carrie, who died April 19, 1865; Hattie, at home; Charlotte E., at home; Edgar, who died June 27, 1895; Linda D., at home; Elizabeth, who married Floyd E. Bevans, of Dingman's Ferry, and has one child, Hilda V .; Gertrude G., and Warren, both at home.

Mrs. Hannah L. (Decker) Van Gorden is the great-granddaughter of Daniel Decker, who ran the old Decker ferry which crossed the Delaware river below Bushkill. His son, John Decker, was born April 24, 1780, and died March 10, 1827. He was a farmer of Wallpack, Sussex county N. J., where he passed his entire life. His wife, Maria (Bro- kaw) Decker, was born September 18, 1787, and died July 31, 1823. Both are buried at Wallpack. His son, Peter Decker, the father of Mrs. Ran. Van Gorden, was born September 18, 1806, in Wallpack, Sussex Co., N. J., where he grew to manhood, mar- ried, and remained until 1838, in which year he re- moved to Pike county, Penn. Locating on a farm in Lehman township he carried on agricultural pur- suits there until 1867, when he went to Middle Smithfield township, Monroe Co., Penn., and there continued to farm for the remainder of his days. In his youth he had learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed during his early manhood, and while living in Lehman township he was for fourteen

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years, in addition to his farm labors, engaged in hotel-keeping, conducting the old "Central Hotel," which is known as the old "half-way house" between Port Jervis and Stroudsburg, being located on the river road. Mr. Decker died December 26, 1887, in Monroe county, in the parsonage of the old Cool- baugh Church, of which he was a member.

Peter Decker was married to Miss Margerie Smith, who was born July 8, 1810, daughter of Will- iam and Mary (Decker) Smith, farming people of Wallpack, N. J. The mother died there, the father in Montrose, Penn. Nine children were born to Peter and Margerie (Smith) Decker, as follows : Mary, July 22, 1830; Salache, August 4, 1832; An- geline, December 21, 1834; William S., December 24, 1836; John, April 19, 1839; Hannah L., August 15, 1841 ; Bedinda, January 15, 1844; Malvine, Sep- tember 16, 1846; George, December 29, 1849. Of these, Mary married Shay Dephew. Salache lives with her sister, Mrs. Overfield, in Smithfield township. Angeline, the widow of Oliver Place, also lives with Mrs. Overfield. William S. died Au- gust 23, 1839. John, deceased, married Margaret Pipher. Belinda became the wife of Joseph Bens- ley, of Lehman township. Malvene married John Overfield, a farmer of Middle Smithfield, Monroe Co., Penn. George resides in East Stroudsburg, Penn. ; he married Mary Shoemaker. The mother of this family passed away September 15, 1890, in Monroe county, and she and her husband sleep their last sleep in the Coolbaugh Church cemetery. He was a Democrat in political faith.

JOHN N. SAWYER, a retired farmer living at Mill Rift, Westfall township, Pike county, was born at Carpenter's Point, Orange Co., N. Y., April 6, 1817, and is a son of James and Catherine ( Near- pass) Sawyer, also natives of that place. His pater- nal great-grandfather, James Sawyer, was born in England of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and came to America at an early day in the history of this coun- try, locating somewhere in the New England States. He entered the Colonial service during the Revolutionary war, and was taken prisoner by the British and placed on Long Island, where he was starved to death. A Mr. Cunningham had charge of the prisoners at that place. Benjamin and Han- nah (Wood) Sawyer were both born near Goshen, Orange Co., N. Y., and for many years the grand- father engaged in farming and in conducting a hotel at Carpenter's Point, same county. He also oper- ated a ferry on the Delaware river just below Port Jervis, N. Y., and was a man of prominence in his community. He died in 1838, aged seventy-five years, his wife had passed away a few years pre- viously. Their children were: John W .; James, father of our subject; Calvin Garner, who was a general in the State militia; Moses : Benjamin F. ; Juliann, who died unmarried; Eliza, wife of Anthony Wood; and Harriet, wife of Fleming Val- entine. On the maternal side our subject traces his ancestry to Major John Nearpass, a native of

Germany, who was a distinguished officer in the Revolutionary war, and was taken prisoner at Bea- ver Brook, N. Y. His son, Benjamin Nearpass, also a native of Germany, was the great-grandfather of our subject. The grandparents were John and Sarah (Squirrel) Nearpass, of Orange county, N. Y., in whose family were the following children : Walter; Rachel, who married William K. Stone; Catherine, mother of our subject; Michael, who married Jemima Cuddeback; Jacob, who married Frances McCavy; William, who married Sarah Cole; and Mary, who married Benjamin A. West- brook.

James Sawyer, our subject's father, was an extensive lumberman and farmer, owning land in Orange county, N. Y., and Pike county, Penn. In 1818 he removed to Mill Rift, where he operated a large lumber mill, and was prominently identified with the early prosperity and development of this region. He was born in 1794 and died in 1850; his wife,who was born in 1792,departed this life in 1852, and the remains of both were interred in the Re- formed Church burying grounds at Port Jervis, N. Y. Their children were as follows : Hannah married Solomon Middaugh; John N. is next in order of birth; Benjamin married Mary Valentine; James married Hannah Davis; Sally Ann married James Caskey ; William married (first) Frances Arnett, and (second) Susan Wood; and Michael married Jemima Coleman. John N., Michael, Benjamin and William are the only ones now living.

John N. Sawyer was only one year old when the family located upon a part of his present farm at Mill Rift, Westfall township, and here he has since made his home. In common with the other members of the family he experienced all of the hardships and privations of pioneer life, and was early inured to the arduous task of clearing and developing wild land. From the age of ten years until 1849 he worked in the sawmill, first for his father and later for himself, and since then has been principally engaged in agricultural pursuits, though he has followed lumbering to some extent. His early school privileges were very meagre, he attend- ing the old fashioned district schools to a limited extent, and studying by the light of a pine knot. His education was mostly obtained at Sparrowbush, N. Y., crossing the Delaware river on the ice in going to and from school. One winter he was able to attend school only thirteen and a half days, and during his entire life received but about three months schooling. By reading and observation in later years, he has become a well informed man, and he has most capably filled a number of local offices, including those of supervisor, collector, school director and poormaster. His parents were members of the Presbyterian Church, but in early manhood he became a Methodist, and later joined the Evangelical Church, in which he now holds membership. In his political views he is a Demo- crat. In many respects his life is well worthy of emulation, and he has the esteem and high regard

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of the entire community, where he has so long made his home and where he is so widely known.

At Handsome Eddy, Pike county, April 16, 1846, Mr. Sawyer was united in marriage with Miss Martha A. Crane, who was born in Shohola town- ship, same county, August 27, 1829, and died Jan- vary 2, 1899. She was a daughter of Calvin and Jemima (Quick) Crane, the former a native of Ver- mont, the latter of Pike county, Penn. When a young man her father came to Pike county, where he followed farming throughout the remainder of his life, dying here in 1870 at the age of eighty- four years. The mother died in 1862 at the age of seventy-five, and both were buried at Handsome Eddy, near Shohola. In religious faith they were Methodists, and in politics the father was a Dem- ocrat. In the family were the following children : Joseph Y. married Rosanna Westbrook; Phoebe married Robert Johnson; Catherine married Isaac Buley ; Harriet married Thomas Gilroy ; Perry mar- ried Hannah Lambert ; Asa married Charlotte Snow ; Jesse, a farmer of Wisconsin, married a Miss Pounder; Martha A. was the wife of our subject ; Carrie married William Nearpass, of Carpenters Point, N. Y. ; and Manning F., a resident of Orange county, N. Y., married Sarah Nearpass. All are now deceased with the exception of three: Jesse, Carrie and Manning F. Mrs. Sawyer's pater- nal grandfather was Asa Crane, a farmer of Ver- mont, and her maternal grandparents were Henry and Hannah Quick.

Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer: Julia Ann, born July 2, 1847, died June 7, 1871 ; Calvin C., born April 5, 1849, is men- tioned below; Harriet, born September 22, 1850, died September 27, 1851 ; Gertrude, born Febru- ary 14, 1852, is the wife of Henry Stearns, of Matamoras, Penn .; Mary Alice, born October 25, 1854, died December 25, 1855; William, born July 8, 1856, is represented elsewhere; Gabriel F., born October 8, 1858, is a veterinary surgeon and horse trainer living in Beaver Dam, Wis .; Samuel H., born September 8, 1860, married Kate Ennis, and died September 14, 1896; Carrie A., born August 13, 1862, is the wife of Jasper Joy, a school teacher of Chichester, N. Y .; George, born October 15, 1864, is represented elsewhere in this volume ; Henry H., born November 6, 1866, is a machinist in New Haven, Conn. ; and Emma T., born March 28, 1871, is at home.

Calvin C. Sawyer, son of our subject, has spent his entire life on the old homestead at Mill Rift. He aided in the work of the farm and engaged in teaming at a stone quarry until 1891, but since then has devoted his attention wholly to agricultural pur- suits with good success. He holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is prominently identified with the local Democratic organization. In 1897 he was elected supervisor of Westfall township, and so acceptably did he fill the office that he was re-elected the following year, being the pres- ent incumbent. In Sullivan county, N. Y., he was

married, April 28, 1883, to Miss Josephine Halock, by whom he has two children : Mabel E. and Jessie. Alrs. Sawyer was born in that county, May 1, 1851, a daughter of Hosea and Mary ( Vantile ) Halock, natives of Orange county, N. Y. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, and held a number of township offices, died in Sullivan county, in 1889, aged seventy-one years, and the mother died in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1893, aged seventy-one. They had five children, namely: Rebecca, wife of John Van Akin, of Matamoras, Penn. ; Daniel, who wed- ded Mary Halock; Josephine, wife of Calvin C. Sawyer; Horace, who died when young; and Estelle, wife of W. W. Reynolds, a contractor and builder. Mrs. Sawyer's paternal grandparents were Thomas and Julia ( Vantile) Halock, natives of Long Island and Orange county, N. Y., respect- ively, while her maternal grandparents, Daniel and Rebecca (Riter) Vantile, were born in Orange county of German ancestry.

HON. JOHN D. HOUCK, associate judge of Pike county, is one of its representative citizens, and for years has been prominent alike in business and in public life. Beginning his career with the prestige of a name which was already made hon- orable by the enterprise and ability of his ancestry, he has added new distinction to the family record.

The first ancestor of whom we have a definite account was our subject's great-grandfather, Peter Houck, who died at a good old age in Lehigh coun- ty, Penn., where he had long been active in public affairs, having been the first sheriff of that county. This worthy pioneer was an earnest worker in the Lutheran Church. He married a daughter of Abraham Harp, a life-long resident of Berks coun- ty, Pennsylvania.

Peter Houck (2), our subject's grandfather, was born June 25, 1777, in Allentown, Penn., and the greater part of his life was spent in the vicinity of Boyertown. By occupation he was a carpenter and joiner, and in politics he was a stanch Demo- crat. On May 10, 1801, he married Elizabeth Harp, of Berks county, and they had the following chil- dren : Abraham, who married Mary Gotchall; Sarah, who married George Gilbert; Charles and Reuben, who never married; Peter, who married Mary Cassel; Elizabeth, wife of John Dutery; Isaac, who married Rebecca Keeler; and Nathan, who is now the only survivor of the family. The father died December 30, 1854, and the mother on February 19, 1875.

Nathan Houck, our subject's father, was born March 24, 1818, at Boyertown, Berks county, and remained at home until he attained his majority, his educational opportunities being restricted to the local schools. On leaving home he spent about sixteen years in cabinet-making, lumbering and similar work, dividing the time between Philadel- phia, Montgomeryville and Spruce Grove. In 1855 he purchased from John Torrey a tract of 300 acres of land in Greene township, Pike county,

John & Houck

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where he has ever since resided. The neighbor- hood was practically an unbroken wilderness when he first settled there, and he cut the first road through, leading the first team that entered there. His first dwelling was a rude structure covered with peeled bark, and for some time the only beds which the family had consisted of boughs or brush. With the practical knowledge of lumbering gained in his previous experience, Mr. Houck was able t. make good use of his opportunities in that line, and by energetic and judicious management he soon de- veloped the resources of his new estate. As years passed, he added other purchases until he had, at one time, over two thousand acres of land, and at present he owns an extensive tract which he has improved, and keeps in a high state of cultivation. During the war of the Rebellion he furnished the government with large quantities of tent poles, and soon after- ward he engaged in the manufacture of umbrella and parasol sticks, toys of all kinds, clothes-pins, and similar articles. His factory, built in 1872, is now one of the largest of the kind in the United States, but since 1886 he has not given personal attention to the management, his health being much impaired of late years, and his sons have since car- ried on the business in connection with same, giv- ing employment, the year round, to about fifty hands-men, boys and girls. They have enlarged it considerably, and now run a sawmill and general store.

On April 14, 1841, Mr. Houck married Miss Laanna Deetz, and eight children were born of the union, viz .: John D., our subject; Charles, born January 1, 1845; Franklin, born May 29, 1847, died in infancy; Elizabeth (Mrs. Dr. Fletcher Gilpin), born March 17, 1849 ; Amanda ( Mrs. Emory Gilpin ) , born September 6, 1851 ; Emma (Mrs. Frank Nich- olson), born February 10, 1854; Anna M., born June 9, 1856, died October 5, 1864; and Carrie M. (Mrs. Dr. Arthur Simons), born November 26, 1860.

On the maternal side our subject is a great- grandson of Jacob Deetz, who came from Germany at an early day, and a grandson of Abraham Deetz, of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Abraham Deetz married Elizabeth Berger, daughter of Abraham Berger, a farmer in Connecticut, and they had chil- dren as follows: Caroline, who married (first) Charles Scheisle, and (second) Jesse Deetz ; Laanna, mother of our subject; Charles, who mar- ried Mary Yeager; Elias, who married Sarah Au- burn; Mariah, wife or Elias Althaus; William, who married Hester Weidner; Livy, who married James Althaus; Thomas, who married Caroline Nace; Edward, who married Hannah Thomas ; Sarah, wife of William Sellars; Daniel, who mar- ried Emma Ott; Catherine, who married John W. Youthers ; and Manassa, who married Sarah Fritz.

Judge Houck was born September 28, 1842, in Bucks county, and was a lad of thirteen when he came to this section with his parents. The coun- try schools of that day did not satisfy the demands 39

of his active intellect, but with the exception of three months in Wyoming Seminary, when he was twenty-one years old, he was obliged to look to the local schools for instruction. At an early age he began to display ability in business lines, and in 1871 he became a partner with his father and brother Charles under the firm name of N. Houck & Sons, continuing thus untilthe father's retirement on January 1, 1886; the business has since been con- clucted under the name of J. &. C. Houck. He is still engaged in merchandising and manufacturing at Houcktown, a pleasant little village, named after the mother, and containing seventeen families, which are chiefly employed in his factory. He has always been interested in local affairs, being an . active member of the Democratic organization, and from 1883 to 1897 he served as school director of his township. In the fall of 1891 he was elected associate judge of Pike county for the term of five years, and his able and efficient service led to his being chosen again in 1896 for the same office. In 1886, through the influence of our subject, a post- office was located at Houcktown, called Laanna, after Mr. Houck's mother's first name, and the town has been called that since, instead of Houck- town. Mr. Houck was appointed postmaster, and has held it since. Socially Mr. Houck and his family are prominent, and he is identified with the Masonic fraternity as a member of Salem Lodge, F. & A. M., at Salem, Wayne county, in which he is a Master Mason. Mr. Houck spent considerable time in travel in the East.

On May 3, 1871, Mr. Houck was married, at Houcktown, to Miss Mary L. Wallace, the cere- mony being performed by Rev. G. H. Hornet, pas- tor of the M. E. Church at Salem. Three children have blessed this union: Nathan Ray, born Feb .. ruary 3, 1880; Lulu, born March 25, 1884; and John Earl, born February 25, 1887.

Mrs. Houck, who is much esteemed by her as- sociates, was born September 27, 1843, in Sterling township, Wayne county, a daughter of John and Mary (McDavitt) Wallace, both natives of the North of Ireland. On the paternal side she is of Scotch descent, and her grandparents, John and Martha ( Stewart) Wallace, were born in Scotland, but removed to Ireland and later to America, her father being about sixteen years old at the time of emigration. Her mother crossed the ocean when ten years old, with her parents, Robert and McDavitt, who were born in Ireland. John Wal- lace (2) and Mary McDavitt, parents of Mrs. Houck, were married in 1837 in Brooklyn, N. Y., and removed in 1840 to Sterling township, Wayne county, where the mother died January 2, 1893, aged eighty-one years, eleven months and four days. The father, who was born March 1, 1813, is now residing at Madisonville, Lackawanna Co .. Penn. They had six children: Elizabeth, wife of W. R. Gilpin, a farmer in Greene township, Pike county ; Joseph W., who died while serving in the United States army; Mary L. ( Mrs. Houck) ; Jo-

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 143

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