Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 148

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 148
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 148
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 148
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 148

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Lorenzo Collins, the father of our subject, was born May 24, 1794, in Connecticut, but came in early life to Wayne county, where he remained, becoming known as one of the leading agriculturists of Cherry Ridge township. He was prominent in local affairs, holding various township offices, and. for many years he was an active member of the Metho- dlist Church in his locality, serving as superintendent of the Sunday-school for a full quarter of a century. On July 7, 1839, he was married to Miss Sarah F. Muchmore, who was born January 31, 1803, in Cornwall, England, and died May 16, 1871, and his own death occurred July 14, 1878, the remains of both being laid to rest in Cherry Ridge Ceme- tery.

Our subject, the only child of this worthy cou- ple, was born June 16, 1842, at the old homestead in Cherry Ridge township, and during his youth he enjoyed the usual advantages of a country lad. At the age of eighteen he began to learn the car- penter's trade with James Pragle, of Honesdale, and after serving an apprenticeship of two years and a half he engaged in business on his own account as a contractor and builder, meeting with decided success. During the larger part of his life he made his home at the old farm on which he was born, but in 1893 he removed to another estate at Hoadleys. In politics he is a Democrat, as were previous generations of his family, and since the age of twenty-one he has held some office in the township, having served fifteen years as constable, and a number of terms in other positions, including those of auditor and school director. He is also active in religious work as a member of the Method- ist Church, and he has always been prompt to show his sympathy with any movement which promised to benefit the community in which he has passed his life.

On January 27, 1875, he was married in Cherry Ridge township, by Rev. Jacob Harris, a Metho- dist minister, to Miss Victoria E. Avery. She was born December 5, 1851, a daughter of James B. and Rosina Avery, well-known residents of Wayne county, and a niece of Otis A. Avery, formerly assistant judge of that county. She died October 13. 1888, and her remains were interred in Cherry Ridge Cemetery. On April 26, 1893, Mr. Collins was married at the Woodward homestead by Rev. F. A. Dony, a Methodist clergyman, to Alice L. Wood- ward, whose family is mentioned below. Mr. Collins has had three children, all by his first marriage : Miss Sadie M., born October 31, 1877, resides at home, and is now engaged in successfully teaching school ; and George L., born February 4, 1880, and Walter A., born November 2, 1884, are also at home.

Mrs. Alice (Woodward) Collins was born October 9, 1849, at Honesdale, and is a member of one of the leading families of that locality. Her grandparents, John and Sarah (Kaywood) Wood- ward, natives of Connecticut, came to Wayne county at an early day, and made their home upon a farm in Cherry Ridge township. The late Daniel

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D). Woodward, the father of Mrs. Collins, was born in that township, and was for many years engaged in agriculture there, being at one time an extensive land owner. Later he was employed as agent for the Pennsylvania Coal Co., at Hoadley's Station, where he died August 3, 1887, at the age of seventy- five years, ten months and eleven days, his burial taking place at Cherry Ridge Cemetery. He was widely known and greatly respected, his honored character winning the regard of all classes, and he was especially noted for his charitable disposition and for his even temper, having never been heard to utter a profane word. He was frequently urged to accept public office, and from 1855 to 1859 served as county commissioner, while he held the position of justice of the peace for several terms until he declined to allow his name to be again presented as a candidate. Politically he was a Democrat, and for many years he was a leading member of the Metho- dist Church in his locality. The family has always been prominent in political life, and Hon. George W. Woodward, a cousin of Mrs. Collins, was chief justice of this commonwealth. Daniel Woodward married Miss Frances D. Stanton, who was born April 28, 1821, in Canaan township, Wayne county, and is now residing with our subject and his wife. Her parents, Jonas and Eliza ( White) Stanton, came from Connecticut during pioneer times and located upon a farm, her father being well-known in his day as a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a worker in the local Democratic organization. Daniel and Frances Woodward had the following children: Sarah E., wife of Rev. F. A. Dony, of Scranton, Penn. ; Harlan P., a resident of Dun- more, Penn., and editor of the Wyoming Monitor; and Alice L., wife of our subject; and Franklin P., editor of the Dunmore Pioncer.

J. B. EIGHMY. one of the well-known farmers and stock raisers of Damascus township, Wayne county, is a native of same, and is a son of William and Caroline ( Boyd) Eighmy, who were well known among the old residents of this region.

William Eighmy was born in 1830 in Dela- ware county, N. Y., son of John Eighmy, of that county, and was reared and educated in the place of his birth. In 1848 he came to Wayne county, Penn., to commence life as a farmer on his own ac- count, purchased a tract of wild land in Damascus township, and here passed the remainder of his days. He cleared out a good sized farm, which he put under cultivation and improved by the work of his own hands, and he lived to see all the surrounding country undergo the same transformation as his own land. In 1855 he married Miss Caroline Boyd, daughter of James and Nancy Boyd, who were prominent people in the county, and they located on the homestead, where she is still living and where he passed away in November, 1895. They had four children-two sons and two daughters, namely : Helen, J. B., Lynn B. and Jessie C. The eldest was born in 1856 and has always lived on the homestead ;

she is unmarried. Lynn B., born in 1867, was mar- ried in 1892 to Miss May Calkins, of Damascus, daughter of Harrison and Mary Calkins, and they reside in Port Jervis ; they have no family. Jessie C., born in 1879, received her elementary education in the public schools and later attended Mt. Pleas- ant and Waymart academies, where she had a thor- ough English training ; she is now following the profession of teacher in Wayne county and has taught several terms with encouraging success.

J. B. Eighmy was born in September, 1858, in Damascus township, and was trained to farm work on the home place, acquiring a good practical edu- cation in the neighboring public schools. He con- tinued under the parental roof until his marriage, in 1882, with Miss Maria A. Dann, who was born in Damascus township and is the daughter of Asil and Elizabeth Dann, prominent farming people of the township in their day. The young couple settled on their present farm, which Mr. Eighmy had pur- chased in 1881 from John Balome, and which is best known as the Stewart farm, and here they have since resided. Mr. Eighmy has also purchased forty-seven acres adjoining, and the greater part of this tract has been cleared under his own super- vision and brought to a high state of excellence. He has a large farm under cultivation, highly im- proved with good barns, outbuildings, etc., and he has earned an enviable reputation as a good man- ager and systematic agriculturist by the manner in which he has carried on his farm work. During his earlier years he was actively engaged in lumber- ing, but since the disappearance of the vast timber tracts which once covered Wayne county and, in- deed, this entire portion of Pennsylvania, he has devoted all his attention to farming and stock rais- ing, in which he has met with continued success from the start. Mrs. Eighmy has proved a com- petent and worthy helpmeet to him in all these busy years, and the prosperity which they now enjoy is due to their united efforts. One daughter has blessed their union, Bertrice, born in November, 1883, who is now attending school. Mr. and Mrs. Eighmy are, in religious connection, members of the Christian Church, and they are known to all as obliging, kind-hearted neighbors and true Christian people. Mr. Eighmy gives his political support to the Republican party, but he takes no interest in politics beyond casting his vote, and he has never aspired to office.

In 1895 Mrs. Eighmy and her sister, Mrs. Bry- ant, made a trip to California to visit their other sister, Mrs. Edward Callan, who was dangerously ill and died in Napa City, Cal. They made the jour- ney to the Pacific coast through Chicago, Kansas City, Deming (N. M.), and Los Angeles to Napa City, returning by way of Pueblo, Kansas City, Chi- cago and Buffalo.

FRANKLIN HOLBERT, a highly respected and honored citizen of Lackawaxen township. Pike county, has for many years been prominently identi-

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fied with the agricultural and industrial interests of northeastern Pennsylvania, and has borne an important part in the development and upbuilding of this section.

The first of the family to come to this region was our subject's great-grandfather Holbert, who located in Wayne county before the Revolutionary war, but learning that the Indians had planned a raid in this part of the State, he started for a set- tlement farther south, driving his cattle before him, while his wife paddled down the Delaware in a canoe. However, he was overtaken by the Red men and captured, but was released when peace was restored.

Benjamin Holbert, our subject's grandfather, was born in Lackawaxen township, Pike county, December 25, 1782, and died May 24, 1856. Dur- ing his lifetime he followed farming and lumber- ing in that county, rafting the lumber down the Delaware river to market. He wedded Mary Rider, also a native of Pike county, and to them were born ten children, all now deceased, namely : Elizabeth, wife of John Barnes, of Wayne county ; William, also a resident of Wayne county; Joseph G., father of our subject; Catherine, wife of John Grey ; Martha J., wife of William G. Stanton ; Ste- phen Decatur and Benjamin F., both of whom died when young men; Mary, wife of Benjamin H. Rose, of Milford, Penn. ; Frederick R. ; and Albert J.

Joseph G. Holbert was born at Westcolang (Holbert's Bend), Lackawaxen township, Pike county, March 2, 1803, and spent his entire life in that township, dying there May 14, 1848. The old homestead stood at an eddy in the Delaware river, commonly spoken of as Holbert's Bend, and after his marriage our subject's father built a home of his own about two miles farther down the river, of which the huge fireplace and a considerable por- tion of the log house still stand. In Pike county he married Miss Sabra Brown, who was born in Damascus township, Wayne county, March 22, 1803, a daughter of George and Eleanor (Decker) Brown, and died April 13, 1882. The children born to this worthy couple were as follows: Elizabeth is now the widow of Moses Cole, and a resident of Sussex county, N. J. Josephine is the wife of C. B. Lishey, of Damascus township, Wayne county. William, a tanner, farmer and lumberman, first mar- ried Emma Poole, and for his second wife Eliza- beth Hornbeck, and died at the age of fifty-nine years. Benjamin D. married Miranda Haggarty ; when a young man he was for seven years an engin- eer at Kimble, Pike county, and died in that county March 6, 1898, at the age of sixty-five. George, a farmer residing on the old homestead at Holbert's Bend, first wedded Phœbe Adelza Brown, and after her death Ella Ramsen. John, a resident of Buck- ingham township, Wayne county, married Catherine Lassley, and is engaged in farming, dairying, lum- bering and the flag-stone business. Franklin, whose name introduces this sketch, is next in the family. Thomas Jefferson, who died at the age of

forty-seven years, married Mary Stewart, and they lived at Big Equinunk, Wayne county ; he was for some years engaged in the hotel business at Beach Lake, Berlin township, Wayne county, and was foreman of a tannery for many years. Mary, born March 7, 1843, was married, January 8, 1873, to Randall W. Kelley, who was born in Lackawaxen township, Pike county, December 29, 1835, and by whom she had three children-Wilber, Edith (de- ceased) and Lana ; Mr. Kelley served in the Union army during the Civil war ; he was engaged in mer- cantile business at Kimble, Pike county, for some years, but now devotes his entire time to farming. Lana, the youngest of the family, died at the age of eleven years.

Franklin Holbert was also born at Westcolang (Holbert's Bend), December 15, 1838, and at the early age of fifteen years began to earn his own livelihood as a teamster at Masthope, Pike county, for a lumber company in which an older brother was interested. They also operated a tannery at Equi- nunk, Wayne county, where our subject was employed for twenty years as foreman over two hundred men. He became a partner in this tannery, and on selling his interest acted as foreman for his brother in the lumber business for sixteen years. After spending many years in Wayne county, he returned to the county of his nativity in 1894 and settled at Lackawaxen. Accustomed as he had been to be continually on the alert, he decided to have some occupation to engage his time, so rented a large farm located along the Delaware river, and now oversees its operation, carrying on both general farming and dairying with good success. He has always been a stanch Republican, but has never aspired to political honors, and has served only as school director. Though not a member of any Church, he believes in Christianity, and gives his support to all measures calculated to advance the moral, intellectual or material welfare of his town- ship or county.

At Bethany, Wayne county, in February, 1859, Mr. Holbert was married, by Rev. Halstead, to Miss Clara, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Hol- bert) Barnes. She was born in February, 1839, and died in February, 1888. Of the two children born to this union, the elder died in infancy: and Franklin died at the age of fifteen years. At Han- cock, N. Y., Mr. Holbert was again married, in November, 1894, his second union being with Mrs. Elizabeth (Holbert) Hornbeck.

HENRY LESOINE, a prominent and repre- sentative farmer of Price township, Monroe county, was born in New York City, in July, 1846, a son of Leonard and Mary (Essebourn) Lesoine, na- tives of Bolburn, Germany. The father, who was born in 1812, was a cabinet maker by trade, and after coming to America followed his occupation in New York City for eight years. In 1852 he brought his family to Monroe county, Penn., and in the midst of the forest developed a fine large

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farm in Price township. His first home here was a small plank house which he erected, which four or five years later was replaced by a more commo- dions and substantial residence. He made many other improvements upon the place, which added greatly to its value and attractive appearance, and cleared and placed under cultivation over 100 acres. There he and his wife made their home until called from this life, his death occurring in 1883, hers in 1893-

The subject of this sketch is the eldest in their family of ten children-seven sons and three daugh- ters-the others being as follows : (2) Charlotte, born in New York, in 1848, married Philip Ruster, of Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county, and with their family they now reside in East Strouds- burg. (3) Lewis, born in New York, in 1850, married Elizabeth Rinehart, who died in East Stroudsburg, leaving no family. (4) John, born in New York, in 1851, married Katie Kline, of Price township, by whom he has two sons, Edward and Lewis, and they now reside in Stroud township, Monroe county. (5) Leonard, born in Monroe county, in 1853, married Katie Cowell, of Smith- field township, where he now resides, but his wife died, leaving three children, Charlie, Irene and Mat- tie. (6) David, born in Price township, in 1855, married Tressie Derone, of Smithfield township, by whom he has two children, Harry and Layton, and they make their home in Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county. (7) George; born in 1860, married Hattie Dunn, of Stroudsburg, by whom he has two children, Vernie and Sadie, and they live on a farm in Middle Smithfield township. (8) Mary, born in 1863, died in early life ; she was a young lady of great promise and a favorite among her many friends. (9) Susan, born in 1866, married Peter Lesoine, of New York, by whom she has one son, Lewis, and they reside in East Stroudsburg. (10) Frederick, born in 1869, married Laura Dunn, of Smithfield township, by whom he has four children, Willie, Clarence, Frederick and Raymond, and they reside on his father's old homestead in Price town- ship.

Henry Lesoine was eight years of age when brought by his parents to their new home in Price township, Monroe county, and his education was obtained in the public schools of the neighborhood. He remained under the parental roof until his mar- riage, in October, 1869, to Miss Helena Blackmire, of Paradise township, Monroe county, a daughter of Frederick and Mary (Haas) Blackmire. She was born in Philadelphia, in 1849, and after the death of her mother came with her aunt, Mrs. George Ackerman, to Paradise townchip, Monroe county, where she grew to womanhood and was edu- cated in the public schools. Mr. Lesoine brought his bride to his present home in Price township, which he had previously purchased of Benjamin Price. He has remodeled the buildings, cleared much of the land, planted an orchard and made many other im- provements upon the place until it is now one of the

best and most desirable farms in the township. He has purchased 200 acres of valuable timber land ad- joining his farm, making in all a tract of 300 acres.

Mr. and Mrs. Lesoine have a family of eleven children. Mary A., the eldest, was born in Feb- ruary, 1871, and is now the wife of Albert Somers, of Barrett township, Monroe county, by whom she has two children, Chester and Vienna. William L., born in May, 1872, married Sarah, daughter of W. H. and Hannah Detrick, one of the old and prom- inent families of Paradise township, and they have two children, Otto and Anna B. Charlotte, born in October, 1873, is now the wife of William Smith, a resident of Stroudsburg. Henrietta, born in Oc- tober, 1875, is the wife of Calvin Bush, of Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county, and they have two children, Mabel and Lizzie. Lizzie M., born in October, 1877, resides in Stroudsburg. Leonard L., born in May, 1880, George B., in May, 1882, David H., in November, 1883, Robert J., in July, 1885, Frederick, in June, 1890, and Earl H., in Sep- tember, 1893, are all at home.

In his political affiliations Mr. Lesoine is a Re- publican, and he has most creditably and satisfactor- ily filled the offices of school director, supervisor, overseer of the poor, in the first and last of which he is still serving. Religiously both he and his wife are earnest and consistent members of the Baptist. Church. He is a man of rare business ability, and has met with wonderful success in life by his good management, industry and perseverance, having ac- cumulated a fine property, although he started out in life for himself empty-handed. His wife is a lady of fine character, who has proved a true helpmeet to him, and has reared a large family which does. credit to her training. She has two brothers : Henry Blackmire, a farmer of Mountain Home, Penn., and George, a business man of Philadelphia.

WILLIAM PARTRIDGE (deceased ) was born December 20, 1824, in Wayne county, Penn., a son of Stephen J. and Polly ( Bigelow) Partridge. The father was born in Connecticut, in 1798, and when a young man came to Wayne county. After his mar- riage he located near the Attewater mills, which he- conducted a number of years, but in 1829 removed to Wysox, Bradford Co., Penn., where he had charge of limekilns. There his wife died in 1831, leaving a family of five children-two sons and three daughters: (1) Sophia, the eldest, was born in Wayne county, in 1822, and married Calvin Peck, who belonged to an old and prominent family of that county ; she died a few years after her marriage, leaving no family. (2) William was the second child. (3) James, born in Mount Pleasant, Wayne county, in 1826, married a daughter of Edwin Spen- ser, and she died upon his farm in Dyberry town- ship, leaving one daughter, Eva, now the wife of David Spencer, of Mount Pleasant. He subse- quently married Rhoda John, of New Milford, Sus- quehanna Co., Penn., who died leaving three sons, Irvin, Bert and Lewis. The father now resides with:

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friends in New Milford. Parney, born in Mount Pleasant, in 1828, married Egbert Norton, of Wayne county, and removed to Battle Creek, Mich., where her death occurred. He died a few years later. (5) Martha, born in Mount Pleasant, in 1830, died of consumption at the age of twenty years.

The opportunities afforded William Partridge of obtaining an education were very limited. After the death of his parents he and one sister lived with Jonathan Wilbur, of Mount Pleasant, and on at- taining his majority he began to learn the black- smith's trade with Benjamin F. West, who later ad- mitted him to a partnership in the business. In 1850 he married Miss Lucinda Gates, of Mount Pleasant, and three years later he purchased prop- erty at Whites Valley, where he has since made his home. He erected a blacksmith shop upon his land, and contintted to successfully engage in busi- ness until 1890, when he retired after forty years of work at his trade. During this time he erected a fine residence which he still occupies, and also bought a partially improved farm near the village, which he continued to superintend. His first wife died in 1890. There were two children born of that union, the elder being Ella V., who was born in Bethany, Wayne county, in 1853. She was serious- ly injured at the age of twenty-four years, and re- mained an invalid until her death in 1887. The son, William W., was born in 1856, and was principally educated in academies in Massachusetts and in Kingston, N. Y., in which he was well fitted for a business life. He married Miss Sadie Norton, of Ithaca, N. Y., and they resided in Whites Valley, where he engaged in merchandising until his death, which occurred in 1889. He left a widow and one daughter, Belle, who is a fine scholar and success- ful teacher in the public schools.

In 1891, Mr. Partridge married Mrs. Della L. Hine, of Scranton, Penn., a daughter of Thomas Leonard, and a representative of one of the old and prominent families of Wayne county. By her first marriage she had two children: Earl E., who died in childhood, and Bessie, now the wife of Al- bert Fitze, of Mount Pleasant. Mr. Partridge died May 12, 1899, of chronic cystitis, at Dr. Wheeler's private hospital, Carbondale, Penn. He was a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as is his widow, and contributed liberally to its support. Po- litically he was identified with the Republican party, and though he took a deep interest in its success, he never sought political honors. At one time he held membership in the Odd Fellows society at Bethany. His honorable, upright course in life won for him the confidence and esteem of all with whom he came in contact.

LAFAYETTE W. QUICK. In our rural communities we find a high type of citizenship, the fertile soil and picturesque scenery of the region hav- ing attracted some of the best of the old pioneer families who settled in Pennsylvania and trans-

formed the vast wilderness into a well-ordered state. The subject of this sketch, a prominent ycung agriculturist of Delaware township, Pike county, belongs to a family which has occupied a leading place in this section from an early day, and no history of Pike county could be written without mention of the part that has been taken by its mem- bers in the settlement and development of the local- ity. As a more complete account of the early gen- erations is given elsewhere, it will suffice here to trace our subject's line of descent to Peter Quick, probably a native of Holland, who settled in what is now Westfall township, Pike county, about the time of the Revolutionary war, taking up a large tract of land at Quicktown. This worthy pioneer was not the first of the family to locate in Pike county, how- ever, one Thomas Quick, supposed to have been a brother of Peter, having made his home near Mil- ford between 1730 and 1735. The noted Indian fighter, Tom Quick, was a son of Thomas. Peter Quick had the following children: Jacob : John B. ; Margaret, who married Dr. Francis A. L. Smith ; Elias ; Cornelius ; Roger ; Jane, wife of Cyrus Jack- son, and Maria, who married Cornelius Cox.

John B. Quick, our subject's grandfather, mar- ried Diana Rosenkrantz and settled upon the old homestead, engaging in farming, lumbering and hotel-keeping. He was also interested in the de- velopment of the anthracite coal lands in Luzerne county, where he owned a large tract of land. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-five, and three sons survived him, viz .: Martin C., James R. and Peter A. L.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 148

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