Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 16

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 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 16

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Mr. Braman was born in Schoharie county, N. Y., September 30, 1836, a son of Rhodes and Cath- arine (Russ) Braman. The father was born and reared in Rhode Island, of which State the grand- father, James Braman, was also a native. When our subject was a lad of fourteen vears his parents with their six children came to Wayne county, Penn., and located on the William G. Stanton farm, where they remained for two years. The father then purchased a farm at what was known as Indian Orchard, on the Hawley road near Honesdale, and there he and his wife spent their last days, both dy- ing upon that place in 1860. The children of the family were all born in Schoharie county, N. Y., and were as follows: (I) Maria wedded W. L. Case and lived on a farm in Wayne county, where she died in 1894, leaving one son, John, still a resident of Wayne county. (2) Margaret is the widow of Daniel Gore, a native of Germany, and resides at Factoryville, Penn. Her children are Annie, Hattie, and Hosea. (3) Elizabeth is the widow of John S. Garret, of Wayne county, and makes her home at In- cijan Orchard. She has five children, Henry, Nelson W., Katie, Effie and Lizzie. (4) P. L. married Betsy

Church, of Bethany, Wayne county, and they live on his farm at Indian Orchard, near Honesdale. They have two daughters, Adda and Maud. (5) Nelson married Ida Root, of Wayne county and they now live at Austin, Potter Co., Penn., where he is employed as filer in large sawmills in that county. They have three daughters, Sadie, Nellie and Edith.

Hamilton Braman, who completes the family, attended the public schools and assisted in the work of the home farm until he grew to manhood. On December 14, 1859, he married Miss Jane C. Comp- ton, of Hawlev, a daughter of David and Cynthia Compton, well-to-do and highly respected citizens of Wayne county. For six years after his marriage Mr. Braman made his home upon a part of his fa- ther's farm, and in 1866 removed to Honesdale, where he conducted the "Wayne County House" for one year. While living on the farm he engaged in freighting between Narrowsburg and Honesdale for four and a half years, and on quitting the hotel business followed lumbering five miles from Equi- nunk, for the firm of Holbert & Branning, for two years. Subsequently, for the same length of time, he engaged in the manufacture of lumber at High Lake. In the fall of 1869 he and his brother pur- chased the sawmill and 325 acres of timber land of Moses T. Young. With Isaac Parmenter as a partner they carried on business under the firm name of Parmenter & Braman until 1879, when he and his brother Nelson purchased Mr. Parmenter's interest, continuing operations under the style of H. & N. S. Braman until 1885, in which year our sub- ject bought his brother's interest in the business. With his son Orman H. he erected a large brush handle and block manufactory in 1880, and they now have one of the largest plants of the kind in Wayne county, shipping their manufactured goods to Bal- timore, New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and other points throughout the United States. They also own and operate a sawmill and feed mill. In connection with this property Mr. Braman owns a good farm adjoining his mill and home.

Children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bra- man as follows: (1) Wallace, born in Wayne coun- ty, in May, 1862, died at the age of one year. (2) Zelma E., born at Indian Orchard, in June, 1864, is now the wife of D. M. Stalker, a farmer of Man- chester township, Wayne county, and has three sons, Reuben, Gale and Orman C. (3) Orman H., born at the present home of the family January 3, 1872, re- ceived a good public-school education which has well fitted him for an active business life, and for some years he has been associated with his father in his industrial interests, as junior member of the firm of Braman & Son. He has acquired a thorough knowledge of the business, which he now controls, and is meeting with excellent success. He is at pres- ent serving as postmaster of Braman. (4) Carrie J., born in April, 1874, married Abram Galloway, of Middletown, N. Y., and they reside on his farm. They have one daughter, Eva. (5) Marvin L., born June 20, 1878, is still attending school.

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Mr. Braman's ancestors were supporters of the Whig party, and he gives his allegiance to the Re- publican organization, taking an active and promi- nent part in local political affairs. He has most creditably served as supervisor of his township for seventeen years, was auditor three years, and in 1882 was appointed postmaster of Braman, a posi- tion he acceptably filled for thirteen consecutive years. His wife is an ardent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he contributes quite liberally to its support. His business and private life are alike above reproach, and he enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who know him.

WILLIAM PENWARDEN. The title of generals of finance has been aptly bestowed upon those men who, marshaling the peaceful hosts of in- dustry, conquer new realms of commerce and widen the reach of business activity. Of this class the subject of this sketch is a notable representative, his financial operations assuming breadth and scope which indicate the determination, persistence, sound judgment and power of combination which distin- guish the born leader of men. Starting out in life for himself, in moderate circumstances, he has made his way to the front rank in business affairs, and this success is made still more emphatic by the broad and generous interest that he has shown in all that concerns good citizenship.

Samuel Penwarden, the father of our subject, was born and reared near Parwitte, Devonshire, England, where the grandfather, Samuel Penwar- den, Sr., spent his entire life. The former married Johanna Chubb, and in . 1830 they emigrated to America, locating in Berlin township, Wayne Co., Penn., where he purchased new land, during the de- velopment of which they experienced all the hard- ships and privations incident to pioneer life. In 1868 Mr. Penwarden gave up his farm and came to live with William Penwarden, and he passed away at Prompton. Wayne county, in August, 1885. Three of his eight sons were born in England, the others in this country. Our subject is the eldest ; Simon, a railroad employe, died in 1888 ; Walter, a carpenter in the employ of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Co., died in 1884; Samuel (deceased) was for thirty years in the employ of that company, and was con- ductor on the Gravity railroad for twenty years ; John was a farmer of Berlin township, Wayne county, but after the death of his wife removed to Honesdale ; George is cashier for the Pratt Oil Co., at New York City; James died at the age of seven years ; and Richard J. is a resident of Honesdale.

William Penwarden, whose name introduces this review, was born September 23. 1823, in Devon- shire, England, and when a child of seven years ac- companied his parents on their removal to the New World. The only education he obtained was such as the district schools of Berlin township, Wayne county, afforded at that early day. At the age of twenty-one he began his business career threshing grain by hand on shares, for one year drove team

for Henry Bunnell for $13 per month, and then ran his sawmill for nine years, receiving 56 cents per hundred. In 1856, in company with Henry Bunnell, he purchased a large tract of woodland in Oregon township, erected a sawmill thereon, but after engag- ing in the manufacture of lumber together for some time Mr. Penwarden purchased his partner's inter- est, giving $20,000 for the same, and successfully carried on business alone. He is now one of the heaviest land owners in Wayne county, having 1,000 acres in Oregon, 500 in Damascus, and 200 in Berlin townships, besides having bought, taken off the timber and sold over 1,000 acres more. When he first began as a lumberman he sawed some 2,000,- 000 feet of hemlock and hardwood timber annually, but of late years 700,000 feet has been considered very good for one season, owing to the fact that lumbering was a little dull, and he wanted to save the lumber for the present time. Besides his mill property Mr. Penwarden also owns a woodenware factory in Honesdale, which he purchased in 1887, at a cost of $15,000. His brother Richard is now business manager of the factory, where employment is furnished twenty-five men all the year round. Our subject himself oversees the operation of his model farm in Oregon township, which comprises 300 acres of rich and arable land, under a high state of cultivation. Upon the place is the largest barn to be found in Wayne county, easily accommodating seventy head of stock. Most of his stock is market- ed at Scranton, Penn., and some at Jersey City, New Jersey.

In Berlin township, February 26, 1854, Mr. Penwarden was married, by Rev. James Stalbert, to Miss Olive De Pew. She was born in Madisonville, Penn., December 4, 1832, a daughter of Thomas and Abigail ( Rice) De Pew, and granddaughter of Levi and Rachel ( Walker) De Pew, natives of Holland. Her father was born in New Jersey, but in early life came to Pennsylvania, and was married in Provi- dence, this State. He spent his remaining years as a farmer near Madisonville. His children were Lucinda, who died in childhood ; Mahala, who mar- ried L. Schoonover (by whom she reared a large family), and died in 1886; Merritt, who died at Madisonville, in 1837 ; Jane ( deceased ), who became the wife of the late Elder Stalbird, a Baptist minis- ter ; Levi, who died from the effects of wounds re- ceived at the battle of Newbern, N. C., during the Civil war; Olive, the wife of our subject; Simeon, who died in childhood ; Silas, a resident of Madison- ville, and William, who died when thirty years of age.

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Penwarden are as follows: Leroy, born November 24, 1854, is married, and with his wife and two children, Helen and Raymond, lives in Chicago, Ill .; Charles L., born Jaunary 18, 1857, is married and lives in Los Angeles, Cal .; he married Bell Williams, of Kan- sas, and has three children, Oretta, Mabel and Earl. Levi, born November 22, 1859. is a resident of Honesdale, Penn .; he married Lizzie Rogers, of

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Honesdale, and has two children, Grace and May. Edvenna A., born September 15, 1863, is the wife of Frederick Bryant, of Honesdale, and has three chil- dren, Pearl, Olive and Flora. Richard Willis, born March 25, 1867, lives in Honesdale; his wife was Kate Mills. Elmer Darwin, born June 7, 1869, married Miss Lottie Riefler, a daughter of John Riefler, of Honesdale, and with his wife and child, Catherine Olive, lives in Oregon township. To each of his children Mr. Penwarden has given $5,000 as a start in life. The first money he himself earned amounted to $60, which he gave to his father to ap- ply on the home place, and then commenced to lay the foundation for the large property he has accumu- lated by his own unaided efforts. He is now build- ing an acid factory near his home, and a gristmill near Honesdale.

At National elections Mr. Penwarden always casts his ballot in favor of the Republican party. He has held several offices in his township, serving as school director many years, and also as supervisor and auditor. In the Methodist Episcopal Church at Carley Brook he and his family hold membership, and he is now serving as trustee. As a man of in- fluence, public spirit and liberal ideas, this brief rec- ord of his history will be more than ordinarily inter- esting to those who are identified in any way with the business or industrial interests of Wayne county.

WILLIAM HENRY (deceased) is well re- membered as one of the worthy and honored citi- zens of Paradise township, Monroe county, where he carried on operations as an agriculturist for thirty years. He was a native of the county, born in Pocono township, in 1819, and was a son of Arthur and Sarah ( Poston) Henry, who belonged to old and prominent families of the county. The father, who followed farming throughout life, died at his home in Pocono township when our subject was seven years old, and the son was then reared by his uncle, William Poston. His educational privileges were very meager as the schools of those days were few and far apart.

In August, 1851, Mr. Henry married Miss Elizabeth Beaker, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Anthony) Beaker, well known farming people of Jackson township, Monroe county, where they died in 1884 and 1886 respectively. They reared a large family of children who are still residents of the county: George and Henry live in Reeders ; Felix in Bradford county, Penn .; Sarah, the wife of Adam Bender, resides at Stevensville, Penn .; Emma, the wife of Jacob Singer, makes her home in Gouldsboro, Penn .; and Elizabeth is the widow of our subject.

For eight years after his marriage Mr. Henry made his home in Henryville, where he engaged in farming, and in 1860 purchased 100 acres of wild land on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad, in Paradise township, where he and his wife commenced life in the woods. He cleared and improved a large farm, erected thereon a good

house and barn, and made many other useful and valuable improvements, which converted it into an attractive home. He led a life of honest toil, was upright and honorable in all his dealings, and made many warm friends in the community in which he lived. Politically he affiliated with the Republican party. He died in April, 1890, and his death was widely and deeply mourned. Being quite well- to-do he gave liberally of his means to the support of all enterprises calculated to advance the moral, intellectual or material welfare of his township and county. Mrs. Henry is also a devout Christian, an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and reared her children in that faith.

To them were born seven children, five of whom are still living: (1) Emma, born at Hen- ryville, died when a young woman. (2) Arthur, born on the present farm of his mother, in Para- dise township, in 1865, was a promising young man who died in early life. (3) Horace, born in 1872, died at the age of eighteen years. (4) Anna E., born in 1854, received a public-school educa- tion, and is now the wife of William Lake, an en- gineer on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad residing at Jersey City, N. J .; they have one daughter, Lizzie May. (5) Malan, born in 1856, married Nora Blitts, who died at their home in Canadensis, Monroe county, in 1893, leaving one daughter, Anna, who now lives with her grand- mother Henry. (6) Georgiana, born in Paradise township, in 1860, married Luther Seebring, of Barrett township, Monroe county, where he died in 1890, leaving his wife with three daughters, namely, Laura E., now the wife of Frank Nixon, of Dover, N. J .; Jennie and Lulu. (7) Sanford, born in May, 1868, was reared on the home farm and received a public-school education. After the death of his father he took charge of the place, which he has since successfully managed for his mother. In 1896 he married Susanna Buck, a daughter of Bernard Buck, of Paradise township, and they have a daughter, Florence Ellen.

FRANK H. SMITH, a prominent resident of East Stroudsburg, was born August 19, 1832, in Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county, and is a member of an old pioneer family. John Smith, his great-grandfather, came from Holland at an early day and made his home near Bushkill, near the pres- ent border line between Pike and Monroe counties, his remains being interred in a burial plot about one mile above Bushkill, on the bank of a small stream (the ground is now farmed over) ; his wife died at Mt. Bethel, and was buried there. He left a large family of children, among whom was a son Isaac.

Isaac Smith, our subject's grandfather, was born near Bushkill, and lived in that vicinity all his life ; by profession he was a lumberman and farmer. He married Catherine Arnst, and they each lived to the age of seventy years, and were buried at Cool- baughs cemetery. Their children were: John, father of our subject; Catherie, who married Elias La-

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Bar, and resided near Bushkill (both are deceased) ; Elizabeth, widow of Charles Huffman, of Smithfield township, Monroe county ; George, who settled in Michigan, and of whom nothing definite is now known; Sarah, who married Joseph Ace, of Wyom- ing county, Penn., now deceased and buried at Tunk- hannock, Wyoming county; Peter, who settled in Pike county, near Dingmans, died there and was in- terred in Dingmans cemetery; Louise, widow of Peter Huffman, of Smithfield ; and Mary, who mar- ried Anthony Friend, of Orange county, New York.

John Smith, our subject's father, was born De- cember 29, 1807, and died October 13, 1867. He was a self-made man, beginning his successful busi- ness career on one hundred dollars borrowed from a bank, on the first and last note ever signed by him. By trade he was a blacksmith, and in early manhood he followed that line of work in Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county, in connection with farm- ing, the iron work on the first bridge across the Dela- ware at Dingmans Ferry being his work. Politically he was a Democrat, and in religious faith he was a Presbyterian. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Hankinson, was born March 12, 1807, in Sussex county, N. J., and died May 12, 1878; she was buried beside her husband in Stroudsburg ceme- tery. Of their three children, Frank H., our sub- ject, was the eldest ; George H., who was connected with the army of the Potomac during the Civil war, died in Newbern, N. C., in 1863; Martha, who mar- ried Frank C. Bunnell, now resides with our subject.

During his boyhood Frank H. Smith attended the common schools near his home, and Wyoming Seminary, Kingston, Penn., being the first student from Monroe county to enter the latter institution. For several years he taught in the district schools of this State. In the spring of 1855 he went to Iowa prospecting, and there entered the employ of Senator Trumbull as surveyor and agent to buy and sell land, continuing with him some two years. At that time there was not a foot of railroad in the State, and he made the preliminary survey for the Cedar Valley road. After commencing on his own account, he speculated in land and helped to develop many new settlements, this business proving very profitable ; for a while he made his headquarters at Camp Creek, Blackhawk county. Later he conducted a general mercantile business in Chickasaw county, and con- tinued same until 1863, meantime spending one win- ter at home. He returned east in the year men- tioned on account of the death of his brother and illness of his father, and here he has since remained, though he still has interests in Iowa. Here he com- menced farming, taking his father's place, which he still owns, having bought it in 1870, and he made his home there until the fall of 1894, when he removed to his present residence in East Stroudsburg. How- ever, he has been prominent in financial circles in the town since 1882, when he helped to organize the First National Bank of Stroudsburg, of which he was chosen vice-president. He held that office until

1884, when he was elected president, and he has re- mained at the head of the institution ever since.

In 1892 Mr. Smith bought up the franchise and equipment of the old horse-car line in operation be- tween Stroudsburg and the railway depot at East Stroudsburg, and re-organized same, the stock being principally owned by Mr. Smith, I. S. Case and George C. Adams. It was their intention to adopt electricity and run the line according to modern methods, but as the charter did not provide for elec- tricity as the motive force, and the property owners along the line objected strenuously to the change, the plan was defeated and steam has been used, though Mr. Smith still has hopes of seeing his original plan carried out. Our subject is president, and his son the superintendent of the road. In addition to these enterprises he is interested in the State Normal School at East Stroudsburg, in which he is a stock- holder and one of the trustees, and he has taken an active part in establishing the silk-mill, pail factory and knitting mills, though not financially interested. In politics Mr. Smith is a Democrat, and he and his family take an active part in religious work as mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church.

In February, 1856, Mr. Smith married Miss Mary Brown, who was born in 1835 in Chestnut Hill township, Monroe county, daughter of Daniel and Mercy ( Hallock) Brown, and five children have blessed the union : (1) Louis, a physician at Bush- kill, took the degree of M. D. at the University of New York, and has since completed a post-graduate course. (2) Nellie married John Albertson, of Warren county, N. J., residing near the Delaware, and they have two children, Frank and Mary. (3) Edward is superintendent of the Stroudsburg Pas- senger railroad, of which his father is president. (4) May, a graduate of the Model School at Tren- ton, N. J., is at home. She taught school for a num- ber of years, and is now clerk in the First National Bank. (5) George died at the age of nine years.

W. A. MILLER, M. D., is an eminent and suc- cessful physician of Tannersville, Monroe county, whose birth occurred in Schuylkill county, Penn., September 27, 1852. His father, Joseph Miller, was born and reared in the same county, and when a young man went to Berks county, Penn., where he subsequently married Miss Mary Ritter, a daughter of Frederick and (Stroser) Ritter. Her father was born in Germany and in early life emi- grated to America, locating in Berks county, as a farmer, and there reared his family.

Joseph Miller, Sr., learned the shoemaker's trade, and followed the same for some time in Berks county, but finally moved to Schuylkill county, where he engaged in lumbering and conducting a boarding house. He entered the service of the Reading Railroad Company as section foreman, and was promoted to superintendent of a division of the same line. During this time he owned a half-inter- est in a general merchandise store at Middleport, Schuylkill Co., Penn., and afterward bought out his

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

partner, carrying on the business for thirty-seven years alone until his death, which occurred in 1877. His children were Seth and John Frederick, who died of diphtheria when young; W. A., our subject ; J. E., a physician and dentist of Salina, Kans., who married Clara S. Gebhart, and has two children, Neva M. and Helen M .; Amelia, who is living with our subject ; Helen, widow of J. Dreibelbis, and a resident of Allentown, Penn .; Cordelia, wife of Peter Berger, of Montgomery Station, Lycoming Co., Penn .; and Sally L., wife of Charles Lutz, of Steinsville, Lehigh Co., Pennsylvania.

In the county of his nativity Dr. Miller grew to manhood, acquired his literary education in its coun- try schools, and also attended the Bloomsburg State Normal School. He began business life as a clerk in his father's store, and later was in the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company for three years. On leaving that employment he operat- ed his father's farm for nine years, and then entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, where he was graduated in April, 1888. He was elected a mem- ber of the board of the Censors of the Medico Chirurgical College of Philadelphia, Penn. Soon afterward ne came to Monroe county and opened an office in Tannersville, where his thorough knowledge of medicine and skill in surgery soon won for him the confidence of the people, and in consequence a large and paying practice which he still enjoys.

At Reading, Penn., Dr. Miller was united in marriage with Miss Emma L. Wannemacher, and to them have been born four children: Anna M., Nellie, Ida M. and Sarah R., all at home. In re- ligious faith the Doctor is a Lutheran, while his wife holds membership in the Reformed Church. He is quite prominent socially, and is a member of the Odd Fellows Society of Tannersville. Although his father is a Republican, and he was reared in the doctrines of that party, he is to-day a stanch sup- porter of the Democracy.

GUSTAVE SMITH, a leading merchant and citizen of Seelyville, Texas township, Wayne county, is one of the esteemed self-made men of the com- munity where he has made his way from the bottom of the ladder to an honorable position among the prominent and valuable men of the county. Mr. Smith is a native of Germany, born December 9, 1838, in Wurtemberg, of which kingdom his father, John Frederick Smith, was also a native.

John Jacob Smith, the grandfather of the gentle- man whose name introduces these lines, was born in Germany in 1781, and died in 1855. His first wife died young, when their son John F. Smith was about five years old, leaving three children : John Frederick ; Elizabeth, Mrs. Bozenhardt, who died in Germany, leaving a family; and Mary, Mrs. Heldmeier, who died in April, 1892. For his second wife John Jacob Smith married Hannah Herter, by whom he had four children, namely: Andrew, who died at the age of nineteen years; Louis, who is a butcher

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 16

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