Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 155

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 155
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 155
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 155
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 155

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Mr. Case was married, in 1860, to Miss Har- riet S. Abbott, of Bangor, Maine, daughter of Major Joseph and Sallie (Lawrence) Abbott. To our subject and wife have been born three children: Frank (now Mrs. Dr. Rhoads) : Mittie G. (Mrs. W. B. Easton, of Summit, N. J.) ; and Isaac S., Jr., lately a student at Yale. The wife of our sub- ject died December 22, 1894, mourned by a large circle of friends, and since her death the home of Mr. Case has been presided over by his accomplished daughter, Mrs. W. B. Easton. The home bears every evidence of culture and refinement, and truly attests the character of the owner. Though de- prived in his youth of educational advantages, he has by the application of his native talents won from the world a brilliant substitute. He possesses those qualities of mind and heart which endear him to many friends, which make his acquaintanceship sought by men of influence throughout the State. He is genial, generous, benevolent and enterprising. His judgment of men and affairs is keen and un- erring. In the annals of Monroe county for the past half century he typifies its highest and best citizenship.

DANIEL B. OWEN. Among the many rep- resentatives of railroad interests in Matamoras, Pike county, this gentleman occupies a prominent posi- tion. He was born at Pine Bush, Orange Co., N. Y., June 8, 1851, but when a mere child came with his parents to Pike county, Penn. His father, Levi Owen, was also a native of Orange county, born in 1810. and there grew to manhood. When a young man he traveled through portions of southeastern New York selling clocks, but during his residence. in Pike county followed agricultural pursuits, oper- ating a farm in Milford township. He died at Mil- ford in May, 1892. He was twice married, first in New York to Sarah Jane Sloat, by whom he had three children: George, who died in Pine Bush, Orange county ; Sarah Jane, wife of John Chillis, of Pine Bush, and James, a soldier of the Union

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army, who was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg. In Milford, Penn., Levi Owen wedded Miss Eliza- beth Burrell, who is still residing at that place, at the age of seventy-two years. She is the youngest child of Daniel Burrell, one of the prominent farmers and early settlers of Pike county, whose other children were Daniel, who served as major in the Civil war and is now a resident of Westminster, Md. ; Susan, wife of George Olmstead, living near Milford, Penn., and Mary, wife of William McCarthey, of Sawkill, Pike county. Daniel B. is the eldest in a family of six children, the others being Edward, a resident of Milford, Penn. ; John, a tinsmith, of that place : Levi, a farmer of Milford township; Ida, a resident of Bridgeport, Conn., and Mary, who died at the age of nineteen years.

The subject of this sketch was reared in Milford township, Pike county, and though he only attended the public schools for six weeks, he was taught at home by his father, who was a man of considerable learning. He began life for himself at Lackawaxen, Pike county, where he tended a lock on the Delaware & Hudson canal, and also worked for a farmer in Lackawaxen township At the end of two years he went to Port Jervis, N. Y., and in 1869 commenced railroading on the Erie line, serving as brakeman on the Delaware division of that road for three years. He was then a brakeman on the New York division, and afterward a flagman until 1879, when he was promoted to the position of freight con- ductor, which he still holds. . Politically he follows in the footsteps of his father, voting the Republican ticket, and he always takes an active and commend- able interest in public affairs.

On March 27, 1871, at Port Jervis, N. Y., Mr. Owen was united in marriage with Miss Harriett Billings, who was born November 18, 1850, a daugh- ter of Oliver and Jane (Gifford) Billings, both now deceased. Her father was a native of Wayne coun- ty, Penn., and in his family were the following chil- dlren : Jane, wife of Palmer Hinkley, of Equinunk, Wayne county ; John, a farmer of the same county ; Alice, wife of Theodore Barriger, of Hancock, N. Y .: Adeline, wife of Coe Decker, of Matamoras, Penn .: Henry, who was in California when last heard from; Harriett, wife of our subject, and Na- than, a carpenter of Binghamton, N. Y. Six chil- dren blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Owen, namely: Blanche, born October 21, 1872, is a nurse in the hospital at Middletown, N. Y. ; Grace, born August 5, 1874, died August 5, 1875: Leah Belle, born August 7, 1876, is at home ; Effie, born November 27, 1879. is a nurse in the Metropolitan Hospital of New York City, and Albert. born Octo- ber 28, 1886, and Agnes, born June 2, 1890, are both at home.

NATHANIEL P. DENNIS, one of the thrifty, prosperous farmers of Damascus township, Wayne county, owns and conducts a fine tract of 100 acres situated one mile west of Boyd's Mills, where he has resided for over thirty years. Mr. Dennis has

passed all his active life in this vicinity, but he is a native of England, born in 1842 in Cornwall, and his parents, John and Sallie A. ( Pethick) Dennis, were also born in that country.

John Dennis was reared and married in his na- tive country, and his family consisted of five chil- dren when he set sail for the New World, where he had determined to try his fortune. In October, 1847, he located near Rileyville, in Wayne county, Penn., where he resided for about four years, farm- ing for Stephen Hopkins. In 1851 he removed to Four Story Hill, in Damascus township, where he lived another four years, at the end of which time he bought fifty acres of wild land in the township, on which he erected a house and barn and com- menced clearing. Later he purchased a fifty-eight- acre tract adjoining, making a farm of 108 acres, to the cultivation of which he devoted the remainder of his life, establishing himself, in time, in a com -: fortable home and acquiring by earnest and unre- mitting labor a valuable property. He died in 1890, preceded to the grave by his wife, who passed away in 1881. They were the parents of ten children, viz .: (I) Henry, born in England in 1838, resides in Oregon township where he owns a good farm ; he married Miss Annie McCarthy, of Wayne coun- ty, and has a family of four children-Frank, Will- iam, Sadie and Ernest. (2) Annie, born in Cornwall, England, in 1840, became the wife of Abram Knapp, of Wayne county, and they resided in Damascus, where she died in 1876, leaving four children-Ella ; Iona, Mrs. August Smith, of Damascus; Elwood, who is married and lives on the homestead; and Burton, married, who resides in Dyberry. (3) Nathaniel P. is the next in order of birth. (4) William, born in England, was drowned when a young man in Penn Wardens Lake, in Oregon township. (5) Samuel, born in England, was drowned at Carbondale, while boating on the lake. (6) John, born in Lebanon in 1846, married Miss Eunice Roberts, of Wayne county, and has five children-Bertha, Edith, Howard, Hattie and Mabel. They make their home in Scranton. (7) Elizabeth is the wife of Parson Smith, of Damascus. They have no children (8) Iamsen B. is the wife of Leavitt Holgate, and they reside in Honesdale with their family of three children-Chester, Lulu and Ella. (9) Charles, who married Miss Rachel Blair, owns a farm of about seventy-five acres, and lives in Lebanon township; he has one son. (10) Hattie became the wife of Harry Dennis, who was born in England, and they now reside in Carbon- dale, Lackawanna, Co., Penn. They have no family.

Nathaniel P. Dennis attended the public schools in the neighborhood of his home during his boy- hood, and from his earliest years had been inured to agricultural work, commencing to assist his father when a mere child. He worked on various farms in the county until his marriage, on February 28, 1865, to Miss Phoebe J. Simonson, of Damascus, who was a daughter of Washington and Rachel Simonson. Her father was a native of New Jersey,

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married in Lackawaxen, and subsequently lived in Hawley, where he died at the age of forty-five years. The mother was later married to Joseph Soite, who resides in Honesdale. Mrs. Dennis was one of eight children, viz. : Thomas A., married to Gertrude Van Kuren, residing at White Lake, N. Y. ; Phœbe, Mrs. Dennis; Asa, married and residing in Buffalo, N Y .; Hannah, widow of George Lakin, of Scran- ton ; Harrison W., living in East Branch, Delaware Co., N. Y., who is married and has four children ; William, a resident of New York City, married and has four children ; Maria, who is the wife of Charles Daniels, of Hawley, and has one daughter, Florence ; and John, married and living in Pike county, Penn- sylvania.

The year following his marriage, 1866, Mr. Dennis moved to the home which he has since oc- cupied in Damascus township, and which after many years of toil has grown to be one of the most highly improved and desirable farms in this section. He has cleared a large part of the land, erected a house, barn and other outbuildings and made many other substantial improvements, all of which have ma- terially increased the value and appearance of the place. His noble wife has shared with him all the hardships and drawbacks which are invariably to be met with in the arduous work of converting a piece of wild land into a profitable farm, but they have gained prosperity by their united efforts, and they are highly respected among their neighbors and friends as hard-working people and good managers, who have richly deserved the reward which their toil has brought them. Ten children have been born to this couple, four of whom-Theodore, Everett, Avis and Frank-died in childhood. Dorsey Mary, born in April, 1870, is the wife of Wilbert Calkins, of Boyd's Mills. Emmet Roy, born in December, 1871, received a good common-school education and afterward learned the blacksmith trade, which he is now engaged in, living at Kennebec Corners ; he married Miss Ada Kimble, of Damascus. Minnie E., born in August, 1873, received a good education in the public schools and is now following dressmak- ing in Carbondale, Penn. William Edwin, born in July, 1875, is learning the blacksmith trade with his brother Emmet; he is unmarried. Samuel Irwin, born in March, 1877, is at home with his parents. Fred (twin of Frank), born in 1881, is still at school. Mr. and Mrs. Dennis are earnest members of the M. E. Church, and they are known to all as Christian citizens, always ready to aid with their means and influence any worthy cause for the moral or material advancement of the community. Mr. Dennis is an ardent Democrat in political faith, and he has always taken an active part in local public affairs.

URIAH TRANSUE, a well-known carpenter residing in Smithfield township, Monroe county, and one of the honored veterans of the Civil war, was born in Shawnee, in the same township, July 24, 1832, a son of Isaac E. and Elizabeth (Titus) Transue, the former a native of Bucks county,

Penn., the later of Warren county, N. J. His paternal grandfather, Elias Transue, was of French descent, born in the United States. His father was one of the Huguenots, who fled France at the time of the French revolution. The family located in Bucks county, Penn., but at an early day three of the sons came to Monroe county, Elias and John set- tling at Shawnee, and Jacob near Stroudsburg. All made for themselves homes in Smithfield township. Elias took up a large amount of gov- ernment land and cleared an extensive tract, con- verting it into a good farm. He reared a large family of children, namely : Anthony lived and died in Smithfield township; John died in Bradford county, Penn .; Abram lived for some years in Monroe county, and then removed to Wyoming county, Penn., where his death occurred : Jacob, a miller by trade, lived for some time in Smithfield townhip, but spent his last years in Sussex county, N. J. ; Lanor was the wife of a Mr. Kiper, of New York State : Katie married Joseph Price, and moved to Ohio; Rachel was the wife of Jacob Yetter, of Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county ; Bar- bara married Philip Shively, and died in Pocono township, Monroe county ; Susan married Michael Hardenstein, and died in Stroudsburg; Mary wed- ded William Fish, and died in Bradford county ; and Isaac completes the family. All married and nearly all reared families of their own.

Isaac Transue, our subject's father, spent almost his entire life in Shawnee following his trade of shoemaking, and there died in 1879. His worthy wife then made her home with our subject until she, too, was called to her final rest in 1887. In their family were the following children: (I) Sarah, born in Smithfield township, in April, 1826, is now the widow of Alfred Stephens, of Plymouth, Luzerne Co., Penn, where she and her family still reside. (2) Jane, born in Shawnee, in May, 1888, is a resident of Delaware Water Gap, in Monroe county, and the widow of Jeffrey Ten- ner, who enlisted in Company G, 142nd P. V. I., and died in the service of his country during the Civil war: he left three children who are still liv- ing-Elizabeth, Hannah and Charles. (3) Cather- ine, born in Monroe county August 24, 1830, mar- ried Benjamin Cortwright, of Warren, N. J., and with their family they now reside in Greene, Iowa. (4) Uriah, our subject, is the next in order of birth. (5) Martin, born in 1834, married Harriet Christian, and follows the mason's trade in Smith- field township; they have two children-Caroline, now the wife of William Snyder, of Warren coun- ty, N. J., and Flora, wife of Myron Detrich, of Smithfield township, Monroe county. (6) Hannah M., born in 1838, is the wife of Charles Doll, of Jackson, Monroe county, and they have seven chil- dren-Harry, Anna. Katie, Grant, Edward, Lizzie and Will. (7) Ananias, born in Smithfield town- ship in 1840, was a member of Company G, 142nd P. V. I. during the Civil war, and took part in the battle of Fredericksburg, after which he was dis-

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charged on account of physical disability. He mar- ried Sarah Walter, of Smithfield township, and resides at Shawnee, where he owns a home; his children are Walter, Charles, Maggie and Alta. (8) Aramilla, born in Smithfield township, in 1842, married George Merian, of New Jersey, who died in 1870, leaving two children-Maggie, now the wife of J. Eliot; and George. The mother subse- quently married David Conklin, also of New Jer- sey, who died in Stroudsburg, Penn., in 1890, leav- ing four children-Lizzie, Roscoe, Martha and Mabel. (9) Findley, born in 1844, married a Miss Donbrazer, of Susquehanna county, Penn., who died leaving one son, Bradley, and he later wedded Frances Beers, of Bradford county, where they now live ; they have one child, Georgie.

Reared at the old home in Shawnee, Uriah Transue received a fair district-school education and when a young man was apprenticed with Rich- ard Benjamin to learn the carpenter's trade, to which he has since devoted the greater part of his attention. In 1853 he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Smith, of Middle Smithfield town- ship, a daughter of Rudolph Smith, one of the pio- neers of Monroe county. He then engaged in agri- cultural pursuits until December, 1861, when he entered the service of his country as a member of Company K. goth P. V. I., to assist in putting down the rebellion. After being mustered into the United States service at Philadelphia, the regiment was sent to Washington, D. C., where it was as- signed to the army of the Potomac, under Gen. Mc- Dowell. They built the railroad from Aqua creek to Fredericksburg. At Falmouth Mr." Transue was taken ill with bilious and intermittent fever and sent to the Alexandria hospital, May 7, 1862, rejoining his regiment October 8, same year, at Sharpsburg, after the battle of Antietam, and re- maining with it until honorably discharged in Janu- ary, 1865. He participated in the battle of Fred- ericksburg, spent the winter of 1862-63 at Pratts, Va., and the following spring was with Gen. Burn- side in the march of "Stick in the Mud." The regiment was on the extreme left in the battle of Chancellorsville, and after their retreat across the Rappahannock to Warrington Junction, Gen. Lee marched into Pennsylvania, bringing on the famous battle of Gettysburg, where the losses were heavy on both sides, but the Union forces were victorious. Following this the goth P. V. I. met the enemy at Hagerstown, then crossed the river near Harper's Ferry, proceeded to Centerville and on to War- rington Junction. Near Fredericksburg they again crossed the Rappahannock to Culpeper Court House, where some of the advanced troops met the enemy, and then were in winter quarters until March 1. 1864. The campaign of that year was opened with the battle of the Wilderness, where the 90th P. V. I. was filled up with conscripts. In

April, 1864, Mr. Transue was detailed with others as commissary guard on the Rapidan river at Mine creek, where he remained on duty until finally dis-

charged in January, 1865, with the honors of a brave and gallant soldier.

Returning to Monroe county, where he had left his wife and three children, Mr. Transue super- intended the farm of J. D. Labar for five years, and then removed to Sussex county, N. J., where he en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until 1872. During the following six years he worked at his trade in Luzerne county, Penn., and at the end of that time returned to Monroe county, where he has since made his home. Here his wife died, leaving four children: (1) Charles, born in Monroe county, in 1858, married Ida Michaels, and resides in Middle Smithfield township, where he follows the black- smith's trade. He has three children-Cora, Pres- ton and Emma. (2) Lovenia, born in Monroe county, in 1860, is now the wife of Theodore Wel- ter, chief of police of Stroudsburg, and they have two children-May and Charles. (3) Clarence, born in 1866, married Susan Plattenburg, of Stroud township, Monroe county, and they live in East Stroudsburg, where he follows boiler-making ; their children are Adda and Ernest. (4) Elnora, born in 1868, married Jacob Anthony, of Stroud township, and they reside near Spragueville. Their children are Norman, Minnie and Gracie.

In March, 1889, Mr. Transue married Miss Clara E. Titus, daughter of Daniel and Susan ( Mil- ler) Titus, prominent early settlers of Jackson town- ship, Monroe county. The Titus family is of En- glish descent, and was first founded in Titusville, Penn., whence they came to Monroe county, loca- ting in Jackson township. Daniel Titus was a sol- dier of the Civil war, and died in the service of his country in March, 1865. His children were: Lucy, now the wife of David McDonald, of Butte county, Cal .; Mary, wife of Elbridge Engler, of Wilkes Barre, Penn .; Clara E., wife of our subject ; John WV., a resident of Mitchell county, Iowa; Franklin, who is married and lives in Iowa; Jennie, who re- sides with her sister in California ; and Hattie, wife of Rev. P. J. King, of Manayunk, Philadelphia.

Mr. and Mrs. Transue have a pleasant home in Smithfield township, and it has been brightened by three children : Susan Ilena, born August 18, 1890 ; Paul Irvin, born June 24, 1893 ; and Fred S., born March 10, 1897. The parents are both earnest Christian people, take a prominent and active part in all Church work, and are identified with Union Chapel at Hauserville, while Mr. Transue is presi- dent of the board of managers. His political sup- port is given the Prohibition party, and he never withholds his aid from any enterprise which he be- lieves calculated to benefit his fellow man. A loyal and patriotic citizen in times of war, he is equally true to his duties of citizenship in times of peace, and is held in high esteem by the entire community in which he lives.

FREDERICK KESTING is one of the highly esteemed citizens of Matamoras, Pike county, whose early home was on the other side of the i

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Atlantic. His grandfather, William Kesting, was a native of Mengeringhausen, Germany. He mar- ried Miss Augusta Lerpst, and their son, Charles, whose birth occurred in the above village, prin- cipality of Waldeck, April 27, 1827, was the father of our subject. When a young man he entered the German army, and remained in the service for fourteen years, attaining to the rank of sergeant. He participated in the Rebellion of 1848, the war with Denmark in 1864, the war with Austria in 1866, and the Franco-Prussian war in 1870-71, and he was five times wounded. After leaving the army he was appointed a government inspector of breweries and distilleries; later was revenue collector for seven years, and a custom house offi- cer for thirteen years. He married Wilhelmena, (laughter of Carl Hauschildt, and they became the parents of six children, namely: Charles, who is married and is a prosperous grocer in Germany, having been in business since 1884; Henrietta, wife of Frank Driller, a tinsmith, of Matamoras, Penn. ; Frederick, our subject : Martin, who is engaged in business in Buffalo, N. Y .; Lena, wife of Frank Houghton, a saddler of Düsburg, Germany; and Robert, who is a corporal in the German army, and has been in the service for six years. The father died October 4, 1883, and the mother, who was born November 20, 1833, died October 17, 1878.

Frederick Kesting is also a native of Menger- inghausen, Germany, born May 10, 1859, but when eleven years old went to Carbach, Germany. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to a machin- ist to learn the trade, which was accomplished in three years, and he later worked at same for some years in several different cities in Germany. In 1879 he was drafted, and for four years served in the German army, holding the rank of corporal during the last year. When discharged he resumed work at his trade, and was thus employed until com- ing to the New World, in 1884. He located at Matamoras, Penn., and soon after his arrival secured employment at his trade in the Erie shops at Port Jervis, N. Y., a position he still holds.

At Matamoras, Mr. Kesting was married, December 28, 1885, to Miss Barbara Moses, a native of Baden, Germany, and a daughter of William Moses, who owned a large vineyard in Baden. Five children blessed this union: Minnie, born September 20, 1886; Frederick, who died at the age of ten months ; Carl, born May 21, 1889: Fred- die, born January 5, 1892 ; and Sophia, born March 7, 1896. The parents hold membership in the Ger- man Lutheran Church of Port Jervis, and they have the high regard of all who know them. Polit- ically Mr. Kesting is a Democrat, and he is now efficiently serving his first term as school director of Westfall township, Pike county.

HIRAM P. LOOMIS. The Loomis family has from early pioneer days been prominently identi- fied with the growth and development of Wayne county. Our subject traces his ancestry back for

nine generations, the first of whom he has any record being Joseph Loomis, who was born about 1590, and was a woolen draper in Braintree, Essex, England. Deciding to try his fortune in America, he, with his five sons and three daughters, sailed from London, April 11, 1638, in the ship "Susan and Ellen." He (lied November 25, 1658. From him to our subject in direct line are Joseph, Nathaniel, David, Aaron, Ephraim, and Reuben.

Reuben Loomis ( our subject's father ) was born October 9, 1785, in Torrington township, Litchfield Co., Conn., and died in 1848. He married Miss Sal- lie Westlin, and they became the parents of seven children : Erastus, born April 9, 1810, died Decem- ber 31, 1894; Oliver H., born in 1812, died Decem- ber 25, 1838; Daniel D., born in 1814, died in 1841 ; Reuben F., born June 18, 1817, died June 1, 1833; Hiram P. is next in the family ; Mariette, born Jan- uary 2, 1821, died at Mt. Pleasant, Wayne county, in 1848; and Lucretia, born December 5, 1832, is the wife of Rensselaer Stephenson, of Peckville, Penn- sylvania.

The subject of this sketch was born December 9, 1819, at Mt. Pleasant, Wayne county, and at the age of twenty-nine purchased a farm in Clinton township, which he successfully operated for sev- eral years. The following three years he spent in Delaware, and he afterward, for one and one-half years, engaged in mercantile business in Carbondale, Penn. Removing his business interests to Alden- ville, Wayne county, he continued merchandising at that place for five years, and then returned to the old homestead in Wayne county, where he owns 250 acres of valuable and well improved land. Upon this farm Mr. Loomis erected a beauti- ful residence at a cost of $5,000, and the outbuild- ings alone are valued at $2,000. A sawmill, belong- ing to the estate, was burned in 1896, at a loss of $1,500, but it is now being rebuilt by some of the younger members of the family. This model farm is stocked with four horses, thirty head of cattle, be- sides calves and hogs.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 155

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