Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 224

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 224
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 224
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 224
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 224

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who resides on the home farm, married Miss Etta Kennedy, by whom he had two children, Estella and George, and after her death wedded for his sec- ond wife Miss Nettie Miller; to them have been born two daughters, Vera and Hazel. Cynthia J. is the wife of Charles Crandall, of Forest City, Penn. Alva C. is married and makes his home in Preston township, Wayne county. Ann Del- phine is the wife of Wilbur Kennedy, of Pleasant Mount, Wayne county. Matilda M. is the wife of E. P. Cargill, of Thompson, Penn. Louise is the wife of John Hayden, of Dickinson, N. Dak. Hattie is the wife of Ed Hayden, of Ararat, Penn. Weiss is deceased. Ira N. completes the family.

Prompted by a spirit of patriotism, Mr. Ben- nett enlisted in 1862, on President Lincoln's call for 300,000 men, becoming a member of Company B, 17th P. V. I., and after two years of faithful and gallant service on many a Southern battlefield, he died August 28, 1864, being laid to rest in the South, on the farm that once belonged to Gen. Lee. He was a Republican in politics, and was a zealous worker and class-leader in the Methodist Church, to which he belonged. Thus passed to his reward a man of noble character, one who acted well his part in life, "wherein all honor lies," and who gained and retained the confidence, respect and esteem of his fellowmen.

Left a widow with nine children depending upon her, Mrs. Bennett deserves great credit for the excellent manner in which she has managed her affairs, displaying remarkable skill and ability in the supervision of her farm and other busi- ness interests. Her children do credit to her care and attention, all occupying honorable positions in life, and by her wisdom and kindness she has reared an everlasting monument in their hearts and those of her friends. In her declining years she will be able to look back over a well-spent and useful life, and when the inevitable end comes can confidently expect the welcome plaudit: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

W. E. FLOWER, proprietor of the leading meat market in Gouldsboro, Wayne county, was born in Clifton township, Lackawanna Co., Penn., October 16, 1869, and is a son of Silas Flower, a native of Sterling township, Wayne county.

At the age of eighteen years the father of our subject moved to Lackawanna county, where he has since engaged in lumbering and farming, being foreman of a sawmill there for fourteen years. For the past twenty-six years, however, he has lived upon his present farm, and now devotes his entire time and attention to general farming. He was married, in Clifton township, Lackawanna county, to Miss Sarah Summers, by whom he has four chil- dren, namely: W. E., of this review ; and Flora, Walter and Mary, residing on the old home in Lackawanna county. Our subject's paternal grand- parents were Abraham and Susan ( Hazelton) Flower, the former born in Stroudsburg, Penn.,

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where he grew to manhood. Later in life he be- came a resident of Sterling township, Wayne coun- ty, where he followed the carpenter's trade for some years. His last days, however, were spent in Daleville, Penn., where both he and his wife died.

The subject of this sketch is indebted to the common schools of his native county for his edu- cational privileges. He began life for himself at the age of twenty-one years, working for neighbor- ing farmers, and subsequently purchased forty acres of land upon which he engaged in farming and lumbering until April 27, 1895, when he moved to Gouldsboro and purchased the meat market which he has since so successfully conducted.

At Gouldsboro, December 18, 1890, Mr. Flow- er was married, by Rev. Mr. Heilig, a Lutheran minister, to Miss Linnie Tiger, whose parents, Gar- ner and Mary (Fackenthall) Tiger, are natives of Lebanon, N. J., and now make their home in Gouldsboro. By trade her father is a mason. Mr. and Mrs. Flower have three children: Howard, born September 22, 1891 ; Mabel, born March 24, 1893; and Annie, born September 29, 1894. In his political affiliations Mr. Flower is a Republican, has most creditably served as inspector of elections for two years, and is tax collector at the present time. In religious faith both he and his wife are Lutherans, and they enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them.

ALEXANDER F. LAWSON, of Manchester township, Wayne county, is a well known contrac- tor and builder, of whose skill many notable ex- amples are seen in this region. Thoroughly reli- able in all things, the quality of his work is a con- vincing test of his own personal worth, and the same admirable trait is shown in his conscientious discharge of the duties of different positions of trust and responsibility to which he has been chosen in business and political life.

Mr. Lawson was born in Bethel, Sullivan Co., N. Y., January 7, 1836, a son of Mathew B. and Elizabeth (Kirshamer) Lawson, both natives of Dutchess county, N. Y., the latter born in Pough- keepsie. The paternal grandfather, Benjamin Lawson, was one of the Revolutionary soldiers who settled on Manhattan Island, and was driven away by the British. After his marriage Mathew B. Lawson located at Bethel, N. Y., where he pur- chased a large amount of real estate. and he died upon one of his farms there, in 1860, at the age of sixty-two years. His wife passed away a few years later, at the age of about seventy-eight. In their family were ten children, all born in Bethel, Sulli- van Co., N. Y .: (I) Peter C., the eldest, married a Miss Ostehont, of Bethel, and located on the old homestead, where he followed farming. His wife died leaving three children, of whom two died young, and the other, Margaret. is unmarried. Later he wedded Eliza Fitzgerald, of Bethel, by whom he has one daughter, Mary, and they still

live on the old home farm. (2) Sarah J., born in 1825, married Edward R. Lawrence. of Sullivan county, who died in 1895; her death occurred in 1888. Their children were Viola S., William N., Nellie (deceased) and Edward. (3) Thomas, born in 1832, married and resided in Sullivan coun- ty, where he died some years ago, leaving one daughter, Annie, now a resident of New York. (4) Alexander F. is the next of the family that reached years of maturity. (5) John, born in 1840, enlisted during the Civil war in the 28th N. Y. V. I., and was killed during McClellan's retreat at the battle of Bull Run. Five of the family died in childhood.

Alexander F. Lawson was reared in his native county, and received a good education. In 1857, when still a young men, he came to Little Equi- nunk, Wayne Co., Penn., and erected a tannery for the firm of Wood & Vanhenscoten, continuing to engage in contracting and building there until his marriage. In 1863 he wedded Miss Mariette Car- gin, who was born in Delaware county, N. Y., where she was reared, her parents, Gilbert and Caroline Cargin, being pioneers of that county. After his marriage Mr. Lawson located at Long Eddy, Sullivan Co., N. Y., where he followed con- tracting for three years, in 1866 returning to Little Equinunk. In 1873 he bought forty acres of wild land in Manchester township, on the creek, one mile from the village, and upon that place erected a fine house and also a wagon and blacksmmith shop, which he still conducts. He has cleared and im- proved his farm, but still gives a portion of his time to contracting and building. In 1879 he built a tannery at Hills Grove, Sullivan Co., Penn., and in the fall of the following year erected one at Hoytville, Tioga Co., Penn., for the firm of Hoyt Bros. He is a skillful workman, and conscien- itously fulfills his part of every contract.

Mr. and Mrs. Lawson have become the par- ents of five children, namely: (1) Eudora M., born at Long Eddy, N. Y., in 1865, was educated in Wayne county, Penn., and married Gilbert Miner, of Delaware county, N. Y. They now live in North Sanford, Broome Co., N. Y., where he is engaged in farming. They have had the follow- ing named children: Nellie, Rena, Grace, Frank L., Helen, and Frank B. (who died in infancy). (2) Edward G., born at Little Equinunk, in 1868, mar- ried Lillie Toms, of Wayne county, and they reside at Long Eddy, N. Y. Frank B., born in Wayne county, in 1870, was educated in the schools at Equinunk, and now follows the carpenter's trade at Long Island, N. Y. He makes his home with his parents. (4) Mate E., born in Little Equinunk, in 1873. is a very bright, well educated young lady, residing at home. (5) Ida M., born in 1876, died in 1877.

Mr. Lawson casts his ballot in support of the men and measures of the Republican party. In 1870 he was appointed justice of the peace under J. W. Geary, and held the office for ten years; in 1893 was re-elected to the same position and is the

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present incumbent, discharging the duties of that office in a most able and satisfactory manner. He has also held the office of school director for thir- teen years, and township treasurer for six years. He and his wife are prominent members and liberal supporters of the Methodist Church at Little Equinunk, and for twenty-seven years he has been a Master Mason, belonging to Delaware Lodge No. 561, F. & A. M. By his thrift and good man- agement he has accumulated a comfortable proper- ty, and as a business man, private citizen and pub- lic official his career as ever been such as to com- mand the respect and confidence of all with whom he has come in contact.

DANIEL BINGHAM, a prominent and highly respected ctizen of Hawley, Wayne county, was born November 3, 1845, in Brownville, N. Y., a son of Hiram and Ann ( Deviny) Bingham, also natives of that State, where they continued to make their home until coming to Hawley, in the fall of 1848.

The father of our subject, who was a carpenter by trade, was made overseerer on the construction of the Gravity railroad for the Pennsylvania Co. He was of quiet, retiring disposition, but all who knew him had for him the highest regard. He always cast his ballot with the Democratic party, and was a faithful member of the Baptist Church, to which his wife also belonged. In September, 1879, he passed away at the age of eighty years, and she died three years later. at the age of eighty-three, the remains of both being interred at Hawley. Our subject, the youngest of their five children, is the only one now living. John was drowned in the Delaware & Hud- son canal at Brownville, N. Y., at the age of ten years : Sylvia died at the age of three years ; Cornel- ius died in Hawley, in 1876; and Mary A. died in Dunmore, Penn., in 1894.

Daniel Bingham was but three years old at the time of the arrival of the family in Hawley, where he grew to manhood, attending the old-fashioned district school for three months during the winter un- til twelve years of age. He was then apprenticed to the carpenter's trade with his father, and finished his literary education by many weary nights of home study. After mastering the business, he had charge of the machinery in Joseph Ensley's planing-mill for three years. He then worked at house building until, in 1865, he went to Scranton, Penn., where for three years he was employed in a sash and blind factory. Returning to Hawley in 1868, he and his brother Cornelius leased the planing-mill of Mr. Ensley, which stood on the present site of J. S. O'Connor's glass-cutting shop, and operated it together until 1873, when they admitted B. K. Pellett to a partner- ship. With other work they manufactured furni- ture, and also engaged in the undertaking business. After Mr. Pellett became a member of the firm the plant was removed to the site of the present electric plant, but in 1876 it was destroyed by fire, at a loss of $9,000, with no insurance upon it. Owing to hard times, business was not resumed, and Mr. Bingham

again turned his attention to the carpenter's trade, being engaged in house building until 1887, when he took charge of B. L. Wood's planing-mill in Hones- dale. During the five years he operated same his family still continued to live in Hawley, where he afterward worked at the carpenter's trade for three years. In 1895 he became interested in journalistic work, being now solicitor and correspondent for the Wayne county Independent, and is also on the staff of the Scranton Daily Republican and local corres- pondent for the Citizen of Honesdale, for which he lias written many able and interesting articles. He is also the leading insurance agent in Wayne county, for fire, life and casualty insurance.

Mr. Bingham has devoted his whole time to newspaper work and insurance since early in 1897. His courteous treatment, honest representations in business matters and close adherence to the in- terests of his patrons and the companies he repre- sents, have won for him the esteem of the inhabit- ants within a radius of many miles from his home town, and the mention of "Bingham's Agency" at once authenticates reliability in all branches of in- surance. Hawley has been the home of Mr. Bing- ham for fifty years. He owns and occupies a fine residence on the corner of Fifteenth and Nineteenth streets, and has his office adjoining, on Nineteenth street.

In Mav. 1867, at Hawley, Mr. Bingham was married to Miss Mary A. Ammerman, who died in December, 1880, and was laid to rest in the cemetery at East Hawley. Five children were born to them, namely : Lizzie A., who died at the age of two years ; Minnie L., now the wife of Charles M. Potter, a butcher of Dunmore, Penn. ; Albert Judgson, a glass- blower at Streator, Ill .; Grace M., who died at the age of eleven years; and William G., who died at the age of five months.

At the bride's home at Cherry Ridge, Wayne county, Mr. Bingham was again married, December 11, 1882, his second union being with Miss Jennie S. Hurd, who was born there September 13, 1855. Her parents, Thomas and Hanna (Dony) Hurd, were natives of Cornwall, England, and came with their respective parents to America, the former at. the age of sixteen years, the latter at the age of fifteen. The father engaged in farming at Cherry Ridge. He died in February, 1897, aged eighty-five years, and was laid to rest in the cemetery there. The mother died in November, 1899. Of their children, William H. died in 1877; Maria, died un- married ; Elizabeth married Alfred Ward, a stone mason of Honesdale, and is now deceased ; Jennie S. is the wife of our subject ; Della lives in Honesdale ; and Ida is the wife of Arthur Pierce, a farmer of Greenfield, Pennsylvania.

Socially Mr. Bingham is a member of the F. & A. M., of Hawley ; the I. O. O. F. ; and he and his wife both belong to the Rebekah branch of the latter order. He is an earnest and faithful member of the Baptist Church, she of the Methodist Church, and they are held in high regard by all who know

D) Bingham

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

them. Politically our subject is identified with the Republican party, and is well informed on the lead- ing questions and issues of the day.

CHARLES KELLER, a well-to-do agricult- urist of Stroud township, Monroe county, is one of the leading citizens of that locality, and in the course of his long and useful life has been identi- fied with many progressive movements. His home- stead, which has been in the possession of the fam- ily since pioneer times, gives evidence of thrift and industry, and fully justifies the high reputation en- joyed by Mr. Keller as manager.

The first of the family to settle in Monroe county was our subject's great-grandfather, who made his home on the banks of the Delaware, at which time the Indians were still troublesome, and our subject's grandfather, Joseph Keller, and a sister, Mary Keller, were captured by the Indians and held as prisoners for eight years. Joseph settled at the site of the present homestead, clear- ing the land and building a log cabin. He and his wife died there many years ago, leaving a family of nine children: Adam, Leonard, Joseph, Samuel, Peter, George, Sarah (wife of Robert Shaw, of Illinois), Melissa (Mrs. John Hagenshalt), and Lizzie (Mrs. John Fellenser).

Peter Keller, our subject's father, was born at the present homestead, where he spent his life. In 1851 he built a residence, which still stands on the farm, and he died there in September, 1878. In October, 1798, he was married in Hamilton township, Monroe county, to Miss Elizabeth Hel- ler, daughter of Peter Heller, and she died No- vember 4, 1886. They had twelve children, as fol- lows: (I) John, born in 1818, died in April, 1886, unmarried. (2) Susan, who was born in 1821, and died in 1883, was never married. (3) Catherine, born on 1823, married Thomas Rhodes ( now de- ceased), and resides in Stroudsburg with her chil- dren. (4) Daniel, born in 1825, married Jane Drake, of Stroud township (now deceased), and at present he resides in Scranton, Penn. (5 Charles, our subject, is mentioned more fully far- ther on. (6) Mary, born in 1829, married Henry Dennis, of Stroudsburg, and has a large family of children. (7) Joseph, born in 1831, died in Ham- ilton township in 1871; his wife, Jane (Rhodes), of Stroud township, died in 1897. They had six children-Francis, Rachel, Clayton, Jacob, Harry and Joseph. (8) Lewis, born in 1833, married Miss Julia Workheiser, of Hamilton township, and now resides in Scranton .. (9) Miss Louise, born in 1833, and (10) Miss Sarah, born in 1835, are also residents of Stroudsburg. (II) William, born in 1837, married Miss Sarah Kemmerer, of Hamilton township, and now resides in Bangor, Northampton Co., Penn. (12) Theodore, twin of William, married Miss Martha Staples, of Ham- ilton township, and resides in Scranton.

Charles Keller was born April 20, 1827, at the old homestead, and was educated in the public

schools of that neighborhood. In 1851 he married Miss Lavina Smith, daughter of Christian and Elizabeth Smith, who were prominent residents of Smithfield township, Monroe county, in the early clays. Mr. Keller brought his bride to the old home, where they spent nearly half a century of wedded life. On June 22, 1897, she passed to the unseen world. Of their nine children: (1) Miss Ella, born February 28, 1853, is exceptionally in- telligent, and is a capable graduate from train- ing school of nurses connected with a hospital in New Jersey, being now in successful practice in East Orange, N. J. (2) Frank died at the age of two years. (3) Mary E., born October 22, 1856, married Warren Nyce, of Warren county, N. J., and later of Stroud township, Monroe county, where she died in 1892, leaving three children-Anna L. (Mrs. John C. Hunton), Charles E., and Lester. (4) Miss Emma, born November 25, 1858, resides at home, caring for her father in his declining years, and is much esteemed in the community for her fine qualities of mind and heart. (5) Davis, born March 15, 1861, occupies a portion of the home- stead. He married Miss Valeria Nicholson, of Stroud township, and has three children, Oscar N., Margaret A., and Alice, all born at the old home. (6) Christian, born March II, 1864, is a blacksmith at Scranton. He married Miss Annie Hutchins, of that city, and has two children, Clay- ton and Charles Frederick. (7) Angeline, born March 18, 1866, married Frank Rice, a machinist in Scranton, and has four children-John, Mildred, Charles, and Elizabeth. (8) Ernest, born May 10, 1868, is a blacksmith by trade, but owns and oper- ates a fine farm in Stroud township. He married Miss Laura Fellenser, of Hamilton township, and lias two children-Ella F., and Emma S. (9) Thomas, born June 26, 1870, is a machinist in Scranton. He married Miss Alice Spencer, of the same city.

Since coming into possession of the old home Mr. Keller has made many improvements of a sub- stantial nature, erecting several buildings. The farm comprises 125 acres of choice land, being one of the best estates of its size in the township. Po- litically Mr. Keller is a Democrat, and at times he has held local offices, serving as supervisor of the poor. He and his family have always been noted for their liberal aid to the cause of religion as mem- bers of the Reformed Church, and the land for the German Reformed Church in the valley near their residence was donated by him.

FRANKLIN L. BENJAMIN, a resident of Lake township, Wayne county, where he is engaged in farming and also in the business of repairing clocks and watches, is a native of the county, born January 14, 1859.

Mr. Benjamin's parents, Wells and Mary J. (Swingle) Benjamin, were natives, the father of the present site of Carbondale, Penn., born August 8, 1831, and the mother of Jefferson township, Lu-

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zerne (now Lackawanna) county, born December 10, 1838. When ten years of age Wells Benjamin was brought by his parents to the farm in Wayne county on which they died. He was by occupation a farmer, and from April, 1857, to June, 1865, he was also in the employ of a railroad company. In June, 1865, he quit the railroad work and purchased a farm in Jefferson township, Luzerne (now Lack- awanna) county. Here he resided until the autumn of 1866, when he sold this farm and purchased an- other in what is now Lake township, Wayne Co., Penn., continuing to reside there the remainder of his life, which terminated August 29. 1893. He wife died some years previously, passing away June 10, 1887. Both were members of the Chris- tian Church; their remains rest in the Kizer grave- yard in Lackawanna county. Their children were: Franklin L., Julia A. (born March 23, 1868, died October 26, 1879), and Elmo O. (who is attending school at Pittston, Penn.). The grandparents, Henry H. and Sally (Krotzer) Benjamin, are re- ferred to elsewhere.

Franklin L. Benjamin passed the first six years of his life on the top of the Moosic Mountains, at a place called "No. II," on the line of the Pennsylva- nia Coal Co.'s railroad, on which road his father was employed as a brakeman, and afterward as a conductor of a coal train. He lived with and worked for his father, farming, lumbering, clearing new land, and following the various pursuits connected with farming, until 1882, when, in his twenty-fourth year, he was married to Miss Eva A. Bell, of Sa- lem township, Wayne Co., Penn. On April 16, 1882, he commenced life on his own ac- count, on a farm owned by his father in Jefferson township, Lackawanna county, and there he lived one summer, when his father sold the farm. The son then moved with his father to the house where he continued to reside until August, 1885, when he built the house near his father's, where he still makes his home, dividing his time between farming and watch and clock repairing, in which craft he is very proficient. On October 17, 1889, he be- came a charter member of Harvest Grange No. 892, Patrons of Husbandry, organized at Maple- wood, of which he was elected secretary. On Feb- ruary II, 1890, he became a charter member of Macoby Tribe No. 234, Improved Order of Red Men, organized at Maplewood; in this order he held varoius positions, including that of chief of records. On the organization of the Wayne and Lackawanna County Pomona Grange he became a charter member and was elected master, which office he held for two years, and on the expiration of his term of office he was unanimously elected lecturer on the first ballot, which was the more remarkable when it is remembered that no nominations were made, each one voting for whom he chose. In February, 1892, he was elected school director for three years, and also served as secretary of the board. On February 15, 1898, he was re-elected a member of the school board for a term of three

years. We may here remark that the only educa- cional opportunity that came within the reach of Mr. Benjamin was that of a country district school, to attend which, most of the time, he was obliged to walk one and one-half miles. The term was a short one during the winter season, and only a few branches were taught (and many times those in- differently), consisting of reading, writing, spell- ing, arithmetic and geography. He made the most of his opportunities in this direction, and be- came farther advanced than most of his school- mates. He is a great reader, and is at present a paid subscriber to eight newspapers, periodicals and magazines, including three agricultural and one scientific journal.

Mr. Benjamin is the father of three bright boys : Howard W., born February 15, 1886; Alton L., born June 23, 1888; and William Walter, born April 8, 1891. Mrs. Eva A. Benjamin was born November 7, 1857, in Salem township, Wayne Co., Penn., a daughter of Joseph and Mary ( Barklow) Bell.

WILLIAM BLEWETT, one of the honored and respected citizens of Mt. Pleasant township is, like many other of the prominent and representa- tive men of Wayne county, a native of England, born in Cornwall August 14, 1839.

Our subject's father, Henry Blewett, was a blacksmith by trade, as was also his paternal grand- father. His mother, who bore the maiden name of Mary Anne Wellington, was a daughter of Peter Wellington, a farmer by occupation. In 1849 the parents with their children sailed for America, and after a long and tedious voyage of six weeks landed at Quebec, Canada, whence they proceeded to Montreal, and then by way of St. Johns to Albany, N. Y., and from there to Honesdale, Penn. In that city the father worked at his trade until 1852, when he purchased a blacksmith shop and farm in Dyberry township, carrying on operations there until called from this life, at the age of seventy- four years. In religious faith he was an Episco- palian, and he was highly esteemed wherever known. His wife had reached the age of eighty- five years at the time of her death. In the family of this worthy couple were eight children, of whom four died in England. Of those who came to this country, John is now a farmer at Bethany, Wayne county ; Mary Anna is the wife of James Mc- Reynolds (Tubs), of Delhi, Delaware Co., Iowa; Jane, deceased, was the wife of Henry Arthur, of Dyberry, Wayne county; and William is the subject of this review.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 224

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