Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 231

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 231
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 231
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 231
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 231

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Doud, Charles and Betsy ( Beckworth) Tennant, were na- tives of Connecticut who became residents of Clin- ton township, Wayne Co., Penn., in 1812, but later migrated to Illinois, where the grandfather died. He was twice married, his second wife being a Mrs. Meredith. His children were Charles; Abel; John A .; Lyman; Betsy, wife of Horace Buckland; Sal- lie, wife of Pierce Sloan; Laura, who was three times married, first to Castle Peck, second to a Mr. Lynch, of New York, and third to a gentle- man out West; and Ann J., who first married Hi- ram Brown and later Nelson Carpenter.

The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Doud were Hon. William and Mabel Herd, of New York State, the former of whom was associate judge at New- burg. His daughters were Sallie, wife of Jona- than Gates; Nancy, wife of E. Fitch; Betsy, wife of G. Sherwood ; and Abigail, mother of Mrs. Doud ; there were also ten sons in the family. The grand- mother was twice married, her second husband be- ing a Mr. Sherwood.

JOHN ANDREW FISHER is a wide-awake and progressive agriculturist of Dingman township, Pike county, carrying on operations on the old Fish- er homestead, where he was born May 24, 1861, a son of Andrew and Sophia (Gampert) Fisher.

The father of our subject was born in Saxony, Germany, October 24, 1823, and died on the pres- ent farm of our subject, May 10, 1888, being laid

John a Fisher

- ----

985

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

to rest in Laurel Hill cemetery. At the age of twen- ty-two he emigrated to America and located in New York City, where he learned the cabinet maker's trade, following that occupation there for ten years, He then traded his home in New York for a farm of seventy-five acres in Dingman township, Pike Co., Penn., to which he removed, and afterward gave his attention to agricultural pursuits, having previ- ously engaged in farming in his native land. At the time of his death he was the owner of two good farms in Dingman township, Pike county, the other, which has since been sold, being in Delaware town- ship. Though he came to this country a poor boy, he prospered in his undertakings, and was able to leave his family in comfortable circumstances. He was one of the most prominent and influential citi- zens of his community, and was called upon to serve in several township offices, acting as road supervisor one term and as school director for ten years. In religious belief he was a Presbyterian.

Andrew Fisher was united in marriage at New York City, in April, 1851, with Miss Sophia Gam- pert, who was born in Weisenbrun, Germany, May 3, 1830, a daughter of Frederick and Wilhelmina (Snyder) Gampert, who spent their entire lives in Germany, where the father engaged in the occu- pations of milling and farming. He died in 1841, aged thirty-nine years, the mother in 1839, at the same age. Their children were as follows: Christo- pher, an upholsterer, who died in New York City; Anna, widow of John Reiderick, of New York; Sophia, mother of our subject : Jenette, wife of An- thony Reisert, of New York, a manufacturer of brewery material : Dorothy. deceased wife of Lieut. Charles Wolfe; Ernest, who is married and is con- ducting a large boarding house in Germany; and John, who is married and lives on the old home- stead in the Fatherland. In 1850 Mrs. Fisher came with her sisters Anna and Dorothy to the United States, and located in New York. By her marriage to Mr. Fisher she became the mother of the following children : Barbara, who died at the age of six years ; Jenette, who married George Major, a carpenter of New York, where she died : Charles, who died at the age of sixteen months: Dorothy, who is now the widow of William Quinn, and resides with her mother and our subject ; Louisa D., deceased wife of David Newman, ex-sheriff of Pike county, resid- ing in Dingman township: John A., our subject ; Helen, who died at the age of twenty-six years ; Augusta, who died at the age of nineteen years : Sophia, wife of Bernaldi McCarty, a farmer of Dingman township: Rosa, who died at the age of nineteen years; and Anna, who died at the age of six years.

John A. Fisher early became familiar with all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist, and is now successfully operating the old homestead . and another farm which the family own. He is a thorough and skillful farmer, an upright and reliable business man, and a citizen of whom any commuity might be proud. At the age of twenty-one he be-

came prominently identified with public affairs, at that time being elected constable, in which office he served one year, and he was re-elected to the posi- tion in 1893 and in 1896, serving seven years in all. He has been inspector of elections two years, judge of elections one year, overseer of the poor five years, in 1896 was made county mercantile appraiser, and for the past four years has been school director, act- ing as secretary of the board one year. Politically he is a Democrat, and socially he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Milford (be- ing past grand of his lodge), and the Daughters of Rebekah. In December, 1892, he represented Sawkill Grange of his town in the annual convention at Harrisburg, Penn., and since 1890 he has been the regular correspondent for Dingman township to the United States Department of Agriculture, at Washington, D. C., to which he has rendered val- uable services.

JOHN W. SANDERCOCK. The subject of this sketch finds an appropriate place among those men of business and enterprise in Wayne county whose force of character, sterling integrity, and ex- cellent executive ability, have contributed in an eminent degree to the development and prosperity of this section. He is to-day the leading general merchant of Lake Ariel, and the success that he has achieved in life is due entirely to his own efforts.

Mr. Sandercock was born in Berlin township, Wayne county, November II, 1850, a son of George and Mary (Ballemy) Sandercock, who were na- tives of Cornwall, England, but became acquainted and were married in Wayne county, having come to this country in 1819. Our subject remained with his father until he reached the age of twenty-three years, when he came to Lake Ariel and embarked in his present business. He has a large and well-ap- pointed store, and by fair dealing and courteous treatment of his customers has gained a liberal patronage.

In 1875 Mr. Sandercock was married, at Hones- dale, by Rev. Mr. Cridenwise. a Methodist Epis- copal clergyman, to Miss Susan Greene, a native of Lake township, Wayne county, and a daughter of Giles Greene, whose sketch appears elsewhere. Seven children graced this union: Bertha, who is now attending Wells College ; Rosa, at home ; Har- riet and Julia, both deceased; and Agnes, Homer and Helen, all at home.

In 1800 Mr. Sandercock was appointed post- master of Lake Ariel, and most acceptably filled that office for six years, two years under President Cleveland's administration, although he is a stanch Republican in politics. For fifteen years he has been treasurer of Lake township, and for three years school director, filling both positions with the utmost fidelity to duty and to the entire satisfac- tion of all concerned. Socially he belongs to the Odd Fellows Lodge at Hamlinton, Wayne county, and in religious connection is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He has ever been an im-

986

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

portant factor in the business circles of his com- munity, and in all the relations of life has been found true and faithful to every trust reposed in him, whether public or private.

HENRY O. SILKMAN, an enterprising, pub- lic-spirited business man of Maplewood, Wayne county, who has won success through his own ef- forts, is a man of influence and prominence in his community.

Born January 6, 1831, at Katonah, Westchester Co., N. Y., Mr. Silkman is a son of William and Mary Jane ( Bailey) Silkman, both born in West- chester county, N. Y. William Silkman's father was John Silkman, and his mother was of the Hitch- cock family of New York; both lived and died at Cross River, Westchester Co., that State.

William Silkman came with his family to Penn- sylvania in 1838, locating on the site of Scranton, then a wilderness, where he cleared and improved a farm. He not only farmed, but engaged in con- tracting and the real estate business. He and his wife were members of the M. E. Church, and were respected members of society and esteemed citizens. He died in 1877, when aged sixty-five years, and she in 1895, at the age of eighty-two years. Their children were: John (deceased) married Elizabeth Thatcher ; Henry O. is our subject; William, who married a Miss Ettinge, is a retired hardware mer- chant of Scranton ; Frank B., a merchant of Prov- idence (now Scranton), Penn., married Lida Ful- ler ; Caroline E. and Augusta reside at Scranton ; Theodore, deceased, was the youngest of the family.

The family, as stated above, moved to what is now Scranton, Penn., when Henry O. Silkman was about seven years old. Our subject went to school summer and winter until fourteen years old, and lived on a farm until fifteen. He then worked one year at the carpenter's trade, and after one year at Wyoming Seminary went into an engineer corps under James Archibald and John B. Smith, on the Pennsylvania Coal Co.'s railroad. He was employed as civil engineer for several years on different rail- roads in the Lackawanna and Wyoming valleys, making the first survey of the Scranton & Blooms- burg railroad, and at the age of twenty-five was the chief engineer of that road, continuing thus for two years. On the completion of the road he was for three years engaged in surveys in the West and Northwest, in the vicinity of St. Paul, making the survey for the first road from Duluth to St. Paul. Returning East in 1860, he engaged in and built up a large stove business at Scranton, Penn., mak- ing and selling in eight years twenty-five thousand stoves. His large factory and patterns were burned and not rebuilt. In 1887 he moved into Wayne county, on a tract of lumber and farming land of 1,500 acres, on which there was a large chair fac- tory, a sawmill, a small village of tenement houses, two churches, and a lake of three hundred acres now called Lake Henry. The place was built up by

Washburn & Norman, and then called Forest Mills, now changed to Maplewood. Mr. Silkman was the financial partner of the Maplewood Chair Company, which did a large business, employing some thirty men and boys; Jacob Schantz, deceased, was the managing partner of the company. Lake Henry, owned by Mr. Silkman, on which he and six others have their summer cottages, is an attractive sheet of water, noted for its pickerel and perch fishing, its numerous floating islands, and as a summer re- sort for fishermen and small private parties all along its pleasant shores. The Consumers Ice Company, in which Mr. Silkman has a large interest, has erect- ed at the lake one of the largest ice houses in the State, and ship therefrom thirty thousand tons per annum.

Mr. Silkman and all the family are Republi- cans ; he was elected to the first council of Scran- ton City, but generally he has avoided office and active political life, his own business requiring all his personal attention. Mr. Silkman has been a hard-working, active, successful business man, and belongs to the class that is neither rich nor poor. He was one of the original surveyors of Scranton. laving out the first streets in the primeval timber. His financial standing and reputation have always been unquestioned, and the property that he now owns has been honestly made and none of it inherit- ed. In 1862 Mr. Silkman volunteered to defend his State and served for three months. Previous to this he had been drafted, but paid three hundred dollars, as his private affairs would not permit his leaving them. When the State was invaded he vol- unteered, leaving his stove business with his partners.

On October 20, 1863, our subject was married to Frances Gardner, and to the union have come the following children: Bertram, Gardner, and Eliza- beth, all now deceased. The mother was born in Fulton, N. Y., a daughter of Dewitt and Elizabeth G. (Simmons) Gardner, who were also born in Fulton, of which place DeWitt Gardner was for years a prominent and influential citizen and busi- ness man, being a large flour manufacturer, and president of the First National Bank of Fulton. He died in November, 1897.

W. E. SAMSON, general manager for the firm of Morgan Brothers, merchants of Pleasant Mount, Wayne county, can trace his ancestry on the maternal side back to the sixteenth century, and the family was prominently identified with the early history of this country.

Mr. Samson is a native of Wayne county, born in Starrucca, July 29, 1855, a son of James M. and Lois (Sprague) Samson. The father was born near Starrucca, November 6, 1826. and grew to manhood in Wayne county. In 1850 he married Mrs. Lois (Sprague) Samson, whose ancestors were among the Protestants, known as Huguenots, driven from France after the Edict of Nantes was revoked, being again persecuted by the Catholics.

987

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

A shipload of these refugees landed in the Province of Maine, whence they later removed to Massachu- setts, and finally located a few miles from Plymouth Rock. In 1732 there was a child born to the Spragues, and he was given the name of Abel. After reaching manhood he removed from Rhode Island to Connecticut, where he married Mercy Harvey, a bright and active young woman, and they reared a family of six sons. They prospered in the Nutmeg State, but learning that land could be pur- chased very cheaply on the west shore of the Hud- son, Abel Sprague packed his knapsack with pro- visions for his journey, and started to investigate this new territory. On his way he met Silas Bowk- er, formerly a resident of Connecticut, who told him that the land was cheap but the Indians were troublesome, but he had no fear of the Red men, as the land was being settled up, and from parties in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., he purchased a tract of land and erected thereon a log house and barn. He also bought a yoke of oxen and a cow. About this time King George sent over his army to subdue the Colonies, which had become rebellious and were ready to fight for liberty and freedom. Mr. Sprague enlisted in the patriot army and was captured by the Tories and Indians, who took him as prisoner to a place called Oquaga, on the Susquehanna river, and in trying to escape he was shot by the Indians while swimming the river. His children grew up to be useful men and women, and from this brave and patriotic gentleman is descended Mrs. Samson, the mother of our subject. Her brother, Mil- ton Sprague, was with John Charles Fremont in his several trips over the Rocky Mountains, and was one of those who helped plant the American flag on Fremont's Peak and save California to the United States. He has passed the greater part of his life in Wisconsin and still survives.

On the paternal side our subject can trace his ancestry to a little before 1800, when his great- grandfather, Henry Samson, with his twin brother, Ezekiel, came to Wayne county, Penn., from Seneca Lake, N. Y. Ezekiel soon left the county and was lost track of. Henry Samson married Polly Hammond, and to this union were born: Sons- Hiram K., Justin, James M. (father of our sub- ject), Willard H., William and Isaac: and one daughter-Sallie, who died rather early in life. Henry Samson was one of the pioneers of Metho- dism in Starrucca, and served as a class leader for many years.

Throughout the greater part of his life James M. Samson engaged in the sawmill business and in lumbering along the Delaware river. He resided in Starrucca until the Civil war broke out, when he enlisted at Owego, N. Y., in Company A, 144th N. Y. V. I., under Dr. Redfield, of Equinunk, captain, and he remained in the service until the close of the conflict. He died in October, 1896, leaving a wife and five children, who are still living.

Mrs. Samson was first married to Justin Samson, an older brother of James M., and three

children were born to this union: (1) Oscar F., born in Binghamton, N. Y., enlisted in 1861 in the Union army, and re-enlisted in 1864, remaining in the service until hostilities ceased, and partici- pating in the battles of Cold Harbor, Spottsylvania and the Wilderness. He married Maggie Davis, of Starrucca, who died leaving five children, and he subsequently wedded Eunice Stickner, of Stevens Point, Penn., by whom he has one daughter, Lois. (2) Osmar died in infancy. (3) Mary, born in Binghamton, N. Y., married E. J. Collyer, of Thompson, Susquehanna Co., Penn., and died in Starrucca. Her children were May, Fred, Cora, Minnie, Rose, Frank and Lois. To James M. and Lois Samson were born nine children : ( 1) Sallie D., born at Starrucca, is the wife of William Myrick, of Sherman, Wayne county, and they have had three children, Lucy, John and Vena, the eldest now the wife of Alvin Fulier, of Deposit, N. Y. (2) Milton, born in Starrucca, in 1853, married Han- nah Marks, of Galilee, Wayne county, resides in Scott township, and has two children, Ruth and Robert. (3) W. E., of this sketch, is next in the family. (4) Rose, born at Hales Eddy, N. Y., in 1857, married George L. Sands, of Hancock, N. Y., and died in 1897, leaving a husband and five chil- dren, Clinton, Howard, William, Georgie and Dorothy. (5) George R., born in Wayne county, in 1859, is engaged in farming and the stone quarry business at Stevens Point, Penn. He married Leora Cook, of that place, and has five children, Harry, Ralph, Mabel, Archie and Georgie. (6) Nellie, born at Starrucca, in 1861, first married Alvin Newman, of Otsego, N. Y., and after his death married Jesse Scott, of Meridale, Delaware Co., N. Y., by whom she has two daughters, Grace and Iva. (7) Cora died at the age of two months. (8) Minnie died at the age of two years. (9) James H. died at the age of two and one-half years.

W. E. Samson was reared in Starrucca, and after attending the public schools of that place for a few years was a student in the Pleasant Mount Academy for two terms. During the year 1877 he began his business career as a clerk in the store of W. W. Mumford, of Starrucca, where he remained for two and one-half years, and in May, 1880, he ac- cepted a position in the store of J. L. Morgan & Brother, at Pleasant Mount, in whose employ he has since remained. For several years he has served as superintendent of their general mercantile establishment, and has the entire confidence and respect of the members of the firm. In 1883 he pur- chased a house and lot in the place, where he has since made his home. Mr. Samson has for years been a great admirer and breeder of fine poultry, his favorites being the Silver Wyandottes, which he ships to nearly every State in the Union. He has exhibited at the leading shows, Madison Square, New York, Boston, etc., and has taken some of the best prizes offered.

Mr. Samson was married, in November, 1881, to Miss Dora Lloyd, of Equinunk, Wayne county,

988

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

a daughter of Anthony and Martha Lloyd, former- ly of Colchester, N. Y. One child graces this union : James Lynn, who was born in 1884, and is now attending the Pleasant Mount Academy. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, take a leading part in all Church work, and Mr. Samson has held the positions of class- leader, Bible class teacher and steward. Fraternal- ly he belongs to the Odd Fellows Lodge at Thomp- son, and to the Knights of Honor. Being a strong Temperance man, he is unswerving in his support of the men and measures of the Prohibition party, and his influence is great and always for good in the community where he has now made his home for nearly twenty years. He is treasurer of the Village Improvement Association, and he is al- ways numbered among the most valued and useful citizens of the town.

P. R. CROSS is a typical well-to-do farmer and lumberman of Palmyra township, Pike county, whose success in life may be attributed to his per- severance, untiring enterprise, resolute purpose and commendable zeal, and his actions have always been guided by an honesty of purpose that none have questioned.

Mr. Cross has spent his entire life in this sec- tion of the State. He is a grandson of Thomas Cross, a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, who was married in his native place, and continued to make his home there until after the birth of some of his children. In 1832, with his family, he came to the United States, and took up his residence in what is now Dreher township, Wayne Co., Penn., where he spent the remainder of his life as an agriculturist. Besides Abram, our subject's father, he had children as follows: Anthony, who is deceased; Mary Ann (widow of Simon Dilworth), who lives at Denver, Colo .; Sarah Ann, who married Nathaniel Martin, a farmer of Sterling, Wayne county ; William B., deceased ; and Thomas Nathan, a farmer of Greene township, Pike county.

Abram Cross, our subject's father, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, July 20, 1828, and was four years old when brought by his parents to America. His boyhood and youth were passed in Wayne county, and when a young man he went to Easton, Penn., and for fourteen years was in the employ of one man, Peter Uhler, first on the Dela- ware & Raritan canal, later on the Morris & Essex, and the last few years on the Lehigh canal. Com- mencing as boy, driving for six dollars per month, he rose in time to captain, being engaged as such some ten years, and the last year received $1,000 for the season. Returning to Wayne county, he purchased a farm in Dreher township, but some time after his marriage he removed to Greene town- ship, Pike county, where he followed agricultural pursuits throughout the remainder of his life. For two years he also engaged in the manufacture of pottery-ware, a good quality of clay having been found in Palmyra township, Pike county, but when

the plant was destroyed by fire it was never re- built owing to a disagreement among the stock- holders, though the venture had proved a success. In Wayne county Mr. Cross married Miss Susan Hazelton, a native of Philadelphia, and a daughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Thorp) Hazelton, the former of whom was born in County Tyrone, Ire- land. Mr. Cross died February 14, 1894, his wife on February 24, 1898. Our subject was the eldest in their family, the others being Thomas Wesley, a farmer of Palmyra township, Pike county ; Eliza J., wife of F. V. McMunn, living at Campbell Hill, Orange Co., N. Y .; Anthony, who died at the age of fourteen years; Abram L., a lumber inspector at Austin, Potter Co., Penn .; Friend, a resident of Dunmore, Penn .; and Lafayette, who is living with our subject, and is engaged in lumbering. The parents were members of the M. E. Church at East Sterling for nearly fifty years. Mr. Cross was a charter member of Wallen Paupack Lodge No. 478, I. O. O. F. He was a Republican in political senti- ment, but he neither sought nor held public office.

P. R. Cross was born in Sterling ( now Dreher) township, Wayne county, July 20, 1863, but was reared in Greene township, Pike county, and in the schools of that locality began his education. He also attended Waymart Academy for one term, and the Telegraphic Institute of Philadelphia for one year. After the completion of his education he suc- cessfully engaged in teaching school for five years, in Wayne and Pike counties, and then bought a partially improved tract of 175 acres of land in Pal- myra township, Pike county, on which he has since followed general farming with marked success. He is also quite extensively interested in lumbering, being a silent partner in the Hazelton & Kipp Lum- ber Co., who own the timber on 2,700 acres of land and are engaged in the manufacture of sawed lum- ber, turning out about one million feet annually, umbrella handles, dowells, etc .; they give steady employment to about twenty men, and last year (1898) paid out some ten thousand dollars to their help. In addition to his interest in this concern, Mr. Cross follows lumbering on a tract of his own, and has in all about 500 acres of land in Pike county, much of which is covered with a fine growth of timber, while fifty acres are under a high state of cultivation. He also conducts a store, selling gro- ceries, feed and flour.

On May 28, 1885, at Factoryville, Wyoming Co., Penn., Mr. Cross was married, by J. H. Harris, V. D. M., to Miss Minnie Basley, who was born October 4. 1866. Her parents, David and Rosie (Piper) Basley, were natives of Monroe county, Penn., and now make their home in Salem township, Wayne county. Their other children are Harry, a resident of Sullivan county, Penn .; William, of Freyton, Lackawanna county; Georgie E., who makes her home with our subject in Palmyra town- ship, Pike county ; and Hattie, who is living with her grandmother in Monroe county. Mr. and Mrs. Cross have an interesting family of five children,

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 231

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