Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 242

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 242
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 242
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 242
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 242

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).

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

away at the advanced age of ninety-one. Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hacker, six are still living, namely : William, a resident of Peck- ville, Penn .; Charlotte Ann, now the wife of S. P. Peck, of Mt. Pleasant township, Wayne county ; Mary- Jane; Sarah, wife of Fred Caulkins, of Mi- lanville, Damascus township, Wayne county ; Fan- ny, wife of Bevery Sherwood, of Lackawanna, Penn .; and George. Mr. Hacker has been called upon to mourn the death of his estimable wife, who passed to the world beyond on January 12, 1882. She was a faithful wife, a kind and affectionate mother, and a worthy member of the Methodist Church for many years.

Politically Mr. Hacker affiliates with the Re- publican party, taking a commendable interest in political affairs, but he has never been an aspirant for office. He is one of the leading farmers and popular citizens of his community, and is justly de- serving of the high regard in which he is uniformly held by all who know him.

EDWARD EVERETT JONES. This well- known citizen of Harford, Susquehanna county, has grown up among its people, having been born there November 25, 1867. Although only thirty-two years of age, he has already prominently identified himself with. the public interests and general ad- vancement of the community, where he is held in high esteem for both his public spirit and genial disposition.

Mr. Jones' parents and grandparents were resi- dents of Harford. Austin Jones, his grandfather, was born in 1788 in Andover, Tolland Co., Conn., and was the eldest of seven sons, one of whom, Dr. Jones, became a prominent citizen of Alabama. In 1812 Austin Jones came to Harford township, Sus- quehanna Co., Penn., in 1825 settling on East Hill, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was quiet and unostentatious in all his habits, was in- dustrious and prosperous, and was regarded throughout the community as one of its most sub- stantial and valuable citizens. He was an influential member of the Congregational Church at Harford, and took an active part in its work. In 1824 Austin Jones married Polly T. Carpenter, who was born in 1798, and of the children born to this union Henry M., father of our subject, was the only son who reached man's estate. The only surviving daugh- ter, Sarah, was born February 18, 1828, in Harford, and died December 12, 1887. She received a good education, attending the common schools of her na- tive township, Harford Academy, and later the Ontario Female Seminary, from which she was graduated in 1852. She was engaged as teacher in the last named institution for fourteen years, and on returning to Harford continued to follow her profession, in which she met with the highest suc- cess. She also attained considerable local fame as a writer of verse, an edition of her poems being now on the press which will be received with much favor by her large number of friends, scattered over

the whole country. Her poems written for Rev. Adam Miller's Semi-Centennial, and the "Centen- nial Hymn" for the hundredth anniversary of the settlement of Susquehanna county, are among her best known. Many hearts have been comforted and sustained in the loss of their friends by the tender- ness and sympathy of her verse. Austin Jones and his wife passed away in 1861 and 1870, respectively.

HENRY M. JONES was born May 24, 1830, in Harford township, and gained a practical knowledge of the English branches in the schools of the home neighborhood, studying at Harford Academy, under the celebrated teacher Rev. Lyman Richardson. During his early manhood he taught successfully for several terms in the local district schools. He was reared to farming, to which he devoted the greater part of his time until 1864, on the homestead, which he sold in that year to David Van Buskirk. In the fall of 1865 he bought the property in Har- ford village-a farm of 130 acres formerly owned by Deacon Joab Tyler-on which he resided dur- ing the remainder of his life, and in the spring of 1866 he purchased the store property of E. T. Tiffany, adjoining his new home, which he also retained until his death. His sound business judg- ment, combined with fair dealing, brought him suc- cess, but while his mercantile interests demanded constant attention he never entirely gave up farm- ing, supervising the cultivation of his land and tak- ing the warmest interest in agricultural affairs. He was one of the founders of the Harford Agricultural Society, of which he served one year as president. Mr. Jones was an all-around active citizen, con- tributing much toward the improvement of his vil- lage and township, was a warm friend to the poor, who often came to him for counsel, and the high csteem in which he was held by his fellow citizens, and all with whom he had dealings in any of the relations of life, was evidenced in the fact that he was often chosen executor and administrator. He pos- sessed the qualities which made him prosper in all he undertook, but he was equally desirous of seeing others prosper, and he contributed liberally to all worthy causes. He was always deeply interested in the general moral welfare, taking an active part in educational advancement, was an ardent advocate of the Temperance cause, and a liberal contributor to the support of the Congregational Church and its work. Naturally, he was chosen to various posi- tions of trust, filling nearly every township office, served several years as justice of the peace, and for two terms-1873-74-represented his county in the State Legislature, being elected on the Republican ticket.

On September 12, 1854, Mr. Jones married Marietta I. Blandin, who was born August 24, 1831, in Honesdale, Wayne county, daughter of Daniel Blandin, of that place, and five children blessed their union : Mary Charlotte, William Henry and Sarah Adaline, all of whom died in infancy ; Daniel Austin, born in 1864, who died at the age of twenty-two, and Edward E., whose name introduces this sketch.

HENRY M. JONES

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Henry M. Jones passed away at Harford September 9. 1879, leaving a vacancy in the community which was long felt. His widow now makes her home with her son. She is an active member of the Congre- gational Church, which Mr. Jones also attended and in which he held office, and her life has been one full of good works, devoted to her home and to Church and charitable enterprises. Prior to her marriage she was teacher of music for one year, . 1850, in Harford Academy, and her intelligence and high character have placed her side by side with her honored husband in the esteem of their many friends and acquaintances in Harford.

Edward E. Jones was married, July 14, 1891, at Harford, to Miss Hattie Sweet, of whose family extended mention is made below. She died February 28, 1899, twenty-four hours after having undergone an operation at Carbondale, leaving one child, Henry S., born June 6, 1892. Her short life was one of beautiful devotion to her family and parents. Of a quiet and lovable disposition, she was supremely fond of home and friends, was an active member of the Congregational Church, being a consecrated and efficient worker in the various interests of same. Like his father Mr. Jones is a Republican in politics, and not without some fondness for public life, having served one term as county auditor and filled the of- fice of town treasurer for the past four years. He was educated at Amherst ( Mass.) High School, and at Williston Seminary, East Hampton, Mass., graduating from the latter institution in 1886. After leaving school he returned to Harford, where for a time he was employed in the store of C. H. Johnston, and in January, 1890, he purchased the establish- ment, which he has since conducted himself. He is a member of the Congregational Church. For the past seven years he has been secretary of the Har- ford Agricultural Society, which holds one of the largest and best annual fairs held in this part of the State.

The late Mrs. Edward E. Jones (nee Sweet) was the second and youngest child of Horace Sweet and Sarah M. Ketcham. Horace Sweet was born in Harford township March 24, 1834, son of Stephen and Polly (Seymour) Sweet. His parents were na- tives of Connecticut and New York, respectively, and were among the early settlers of Susquehanna county. Stephen Sweet was a farmer, and at vari- ous times held all the township offices. He died February 7, 1860, aged fifty-three years, and his wife in 1878, at the age of sixty-nine. Both are buried in Harford cemetery. Horace and Sarah M. (Ketch- am) Sweet were married at Montrose in March, 1867, and to their union were born two children- Charles W., who died at the age of twenty-five years, and Hattie, who has been already mentioned. Sarah M. (Ketcham) Sweet, mother of Mrs. E. E. Jones, is the daughter of Robert and Catherine ( Utt) Ketch . am, and was born August 17, 1844. Her parents came from Northampton county to Montrose not long after their marriage, and there Mr. Ketcham operated the first foundry ever started in Montrose.

He died in 1846, at the age of thirty-two years, and his widow subsequently married Daniel Stuart, of Bridgewater, a farmer, who died at Hop Bottom, Penn. She died in 1877 in the sixty-fourth year of her age, and is buried at Montrose.

Horace Sweet received his education under Rev. Lyman Richardson, at Franklin Academy, and pos- sessed what so many of these students did, a fluency in speech and readiness in debate. He began teach- ing school in Harford at the age of sixteen, and was subsequently engaged in Schuylkill, Luzerne, Colum- bia and other points, following this vocation for eight years. On reaching his twenty-fourth year he became a farmer, and in 1891 he retired and took up his residence in Harford village. In politics he is a Democrat. He has held all the township offices, having been for many years auditor and assessor, and for nine years school director, has always been public-spirited, and interested in all the good enter- prises of his town.

MRS. ZUBA C. BORCHERS, one of the highly-esteemed residents of Dyberry township, is a representative of an honored pioneer family of Wayne county whose members have been import- ant factors in its growth and development. Her paternal grandfather, Simeon Kimble, Sr., was a native of Indian Orchard, Texas township, Wayne county, as was also her father, Simeon Kimble, Jr., who was born in 1804. The latter married Miss Margaret Bishop, a native of Texas township, and a daughter of Hiram and Ann (Walton) Bishop, Mr. Kimble died in 1882, honored and respected by all who knew him. In his family were the following children : Maximilla, now the wife of George Will- iams, of Kingston, Penn .; Alfred, a resident of Honesdale, Wayne county ; Ann, wife of Chauncey Shoemaker, of Brooklyn, N. Y .; John, who died in Honesdale, November 5, 1890, at the age of forty- two years ; Zuba C., our subject ; George, a contrac- tor and builder, of Warren county, Penn. ; William, a resident of Kane, Mckean Co., Penn .; Charles, a resident of Honesdale; and Frank, a carpenter of Kingston.

Zuba C. Kimble was born August 4, 1848, at Indian Orchard, and at the age of fourteen removed to Honesdale, where she remained until her mar- riage to James W. Borchers, the ceremony being per- formed in Dyberry, by Rev. E. O. Ward. Mr. Bor- chers, who was a blacksmith by trade, was born April 2, 1840, in New York City, of which place his parents, Henry and Margaret ( Scofield) Borchers, were also natives, coming to Wayne county, Penn., when their son James was ten years of age. The father died January 21, 1884, aged seventy-three years, the mother December 14, 1883, aged sixty- seven. Our subject has been called upon to mourn the decease of her husband, who passed away July 23, 1891. He was widely and favorably known throughout Wayne county, and had many warm friends who appreciated his sterling worth.

To Mr. and Mrs. Borchers were born four

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children, namely : Asa K., born April 25, 1871, is now engaged in business in Sullivan county, Penn. ; Lena M., born June 10, 1873, is the wife of War- ren Brown, of Tanner's Falls, Wayne county ; and Ada A., born September 19, 1879, and Harry L., born April 6, 1883, live with their mother in Dy- berry township. Mrs. Borchers is a lady of re- finement, who presides with gracious dignity over her home, extending a warm-hearted hospitality to her many friends.

GEORGE M. BIDWELL, a representative farmer and dairyman of Salem township, Wayne county, belongs to one of the prominent pioneer families of the county, and is also descended from good old Revolutionary stock.

Mr. Bidwell's grandfather, Ephraim Bidwell, who valiantly fought for the independence of the Colonies, came to Wayne county in 1800 and lo- cated in the central part of Salem township, but later purchased land on what is now known as Bid- well Hill, on which place his death occurred. From the virgin forest he developed a farm, and there built his cabin home. His burial place, though not exactly located, is on the John Watson farm, near Hamlinton, Penn. He married Dora Andrews, and to them were born the following children: Luther, who made his home in Salem township; Jabez, who died in Wayne county, where he made his home after the age of sixteen years; Orin, an extensive lumberman of Salem township, now deceased; and Ashbel, our subject's father.

Ashbel Bidwell, the only one of the family born in Wayne county, was born in Salem town- ship December 7, 1802, and there grew to man- hood, with no opportunities of gaining an education, as there were no district schools in eastern Pennsyl- vania at that time. For many years he engaged in farming on the old homestead, but in 1858 sold the place and removed to Nebraska. Subsequently he returned to Wayne county and bought a farm in the eastern part of Salem township. He married Polly Griffin, a native of Connecticut and a daugh- ter of William M. Griffin, and they became the par- ents of the following named children: Julia, wife of T. W. Conklin, of Nebraska; John W., of Sa- lem township; S. L., deceased ; Orlando, who died in infancy ; and George M.

George M. Bidwell, whose name introduces this sketch, was born in Salem township, August 21, 1838, and was reared in much the same manner as other farmer boys, attending school in winter and assisting in the farm work during the summer season. At the age of twenty-one years he began farming for himself on a part of the old homestead, and now. owns one of the finest and best improved farms in the township. He is engaged in dairying quite extensively and keeps on hand for this purpose eleven head of cattle.

On November 3, 1860, Mr. Bidwell wedded Miss Mary Ammerman, who was born in Wayne county, April 18, 1841, a daughter of Joseph and

Sally (La Bar) Ammerman, of Dutch descent. Sev- en children bless this union : Marvin Sylvester, born October 1, 1861, is a farmer of Salem township; Amy M., born August 4, 1864, is the wife of Frank Walker, of the same township; Dora M., born Janu- ary 26, 1868, began teaching in 1888, and is now employed in Lake township, Wayne county; Hel- en L., born July 1, 1874, is the wife of James L. . Noble, of Lake Ariel, Penn .; Floyd L., born March 18, 1876, is attending business college at Scran- ton, Penn. ; Lulu B., born August 20, 1878, is attend- ing school at Lake Ariel; and George E., born De- cember 23, 1880, is at home.

During the . Civil war Mr. Bidwell manifested his patriotism by enlisting in Battery L, Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, was under fire at the battle of the Wilderness, and from that time until the close of the war was in all of the engagements. in which the Army of the Potomac took part. While fighting in front of Petersburg he was wounded, June 17, 1864, and was sent to the hospital and later to his home. On his recovery he rejoined his regi- ment and served in Virginia for some time after the war closed, being finally discharged February 7, 1866. He has always been a stanch .Republican in politics, and has most creditably and satisfactorily. filled the offices of tax collector ( for five years ), member of the election board, school director and supervisor of his township. Fraternally he is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and at one time belonged to the Grange. In religious connection he and his wife are active and prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he is serving as trustee and steward.

WILLIAM BUSHWALLER, who since 1895 has made his home in Clyde, N. Y., is well and fav- orably known in Hawley, Wayne Co., Penn., where he resided for a number of years, and also at Hones- dale, where his youth and early manhood were passed.

Mr. Bushwaller's parents, William and Han- nah (Linkey) Bushwaller, were both born in Ger- many, but came to America in early life, the father when fifteen years old the mother, who was born in 1848, at the age of seven years. They met and were married in Sparrow Bush, N. Y., where they resided until 1875, in which year they removed to Honesdale, Penn., and made a permanent home there. Mr. Bushwaller was employed by the Erie Company as foreman for a number of years, re- tiring from the railroad in 1886, just six months. before his death, which occurred September 5, 1886, when he was forty-six years old. He was laid to rest at Sparrow Bush, N. Y. In religious connection Mr. Bushwaller was a member of the German Lu- theran Church. Mrs. Bushwaller now makes her home in Honesdale. They were the parents of sev- en children, of whom William, the eldest, is the subject of this sketch. Wilhelmina lives with her mother. Hacket married Miss Hattie Bishop, and has two children, Harold and Ruth; he is a glass-

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cutter and lives at Philadelphia. Florence lives with her mother. Charles is employed in the shoe fac- tory at Honesdale; he lives with his mother: Em- ma and Hannah are also at home.

William Bushwaller was born June 12, 1867, at Sparrow Bush, N. Y., and was reared in his na- tive place and in Honesdale, living with his parents up to the age of sixteen years, when he came to Hawley to work in the factory of the Hawley Glass Co. Here he served three years as gatherer and five years more as apprentice to the trade, after which he went to Atlanta, Ga., with the intention of following the business there. As the work there was not to his liking, however, he returned to Penn- sylvania, and for six months worked in Honesdale at glass blowing, subsequently working two years at Newark, Ohio, one year at Scranton, Penn., and one year at Rochester, N. Y., at the trade. In 1895 he located at Clyde, N. Y., where he has since re- mained, employed at his trade. Mr. Bushwaller is a member of the G. G. B. B. A. ( the glass blow- ers association) of the United States and Canada, and fraternally he unites with the Heptasophs, hold- ing membership in Conclave No. 117, at Scranton.

On December 24, 1891, Mr. Bushwaller was united in marriage, at Hawley, by Rev. Father James Shandley, with Miss Mary E. Kearney, who was born at Hawley February 1, 1867, and is the daughter of John F. Kearney, a prominent citizen of that place. This union has been blessed with two children: William, born September 27, 1892, and Christina, born April 7, 1894. Our subject in political preference is a loyal Republican.

CHARLES A. MASTERS. After a varied but successful career the subject of this sketch finds rest and contentment in looking after his general merchandise business at Gravity, Wayne county, He was born at Dundaff, Susquehanna Co., Penn., September 22, 1835, a son of Steven and Cornelia (Snyder) Masters, both natives of New York State, where they were married.

About 1830 Steven Masters migrated westward, and settled in Susquehanna county, where, as · a la- borer, he made a home for his family. In politics he was a determined Democrat, and during the war of 1812 served his country as a private for six months, at the end of which time he re-enlisted in the regular army and served five years. He died December 18, 1865, at the advanced age of seventy- seven years, two months, and sixteen days, and his good wife passed away at the age of seventy, and was buried in Jefferson township, Lackawanna Co., Penn. In their family were the following children : Henry, who was a farmer and lumber- man in Salem township, married Mary Borum, and died August 10, 1897; Charles A. is our subject ; Joseph Bloomfield, a liveryman at Elmhurst, Lacka- wanna Co., Penn., has been twice married, first to Sarah Forest, and second to Lydia Compton ; Maria is the widow of Joseph Lafrance, a farmer of Lacka- wanna county ; James O., who married Sarah Hinds,

is superintendent of breakers for the Pennsylvania Coal Co. Both the father and mother of this fam- ily were twice married. By his first wife Mr. Mas- ters had children as follows: Oren, deceased ; Elias, a farmer of Connecticut; Steven, a watchman at Carbondale, for the Delaware & Hudson Co .; Ly- dia Ann, now Mrs. Stiles, of Carbondale, Penn. Mrs. Masters first married a Mr. Madison, and by this marriage had children as follows: George, last heard of in the army; Mary, who married Martin Houghtaling, both are now deceased; Matilda, who married Elisha D. Wightman, both are now de- ceased. Our subject's grandfathers both served in the Revolutionary war, his paternal grandfather be- ing a native of France, his maternal grandfather of Germany.

Charles A. Masters lived for a time at Hollis- terville, Salem township, Wayne county, and then for a year worked on a farm for Elder Ferguson, while the latter was engaged in preaching. Return- ing home for a few months, he found employment on the farm of Amasa Jones, near the present site of Gravity, where for a year and a half he toiled at regular farm work. After a rest of a few weeks he went to New York State, where he worked with a brother-in-law on a schooner on the Hudson river, being thus occupied one year, and the next thirteen years he worked on the old Gravity railroad, run- ning cars. In1864 he enlisted at Scranton, and was assigned to the construction corps, Company B, First Division, going to Nashville, Tenn., whence the corps was sent to Chattanooga and other places, finally being assigned to the army under Gen. Sherman, where he remained until the close of the war. When peace had ben declared he returned to Wayne county, and locating in Lake township purchased a sawmill and farm which he operated for five years. He then came to Gravity and purchased the "Hotel Fair- view," which he conducted with no little success for five years, at the end of which time he built his present place and rented it. A few years later he purchased the stock of Midland & Kipp, renting to George Patterson, to whom he sold the stock. Besides his store Mr. Masters owns a hotel, which he rents, two fine farms, and several pieces of city property. He has dealt heavily in real estate, and at present is agent of the Wayne County Farmers' Fire Insurance Co., and for twenty-six years was agent for the Monroe County Mutual Fire Insur- ance Co. He is also a stockholder, president and chairman of the board of trustees of the Gravity Creamery Association (of which Mrs. Masters is the secretary ), and he is vice president and appraiser of a Building and Loan Co., called the Pennsylvania Germania of Philadelphia, with a branch at Ariel.

On July 26, 1856, Mr. Masters married Miss Phobe Lafrance, a daughter of John Lafrance, a farmer of Luzerne county, Penn. She died October II, 1875, at the age of forty-six years, and was buried at Salem. To this union came the following children : Joseph E., of Scranton, a conductor on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad, mar-

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ried Belle Chapman; Frank died at the age of fif- teen years; Arthur H., conductor on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad at Binghamton, N. Y., married Abby Swingle; Ida B. died at the age of twenty-one; Fannie J. is the widow of Will- iam Medland, of Scranton, Penn .; and Allen B. is a brakeman on the Delaware, Lackawanna & West- ern railroad at Binghamton, N. Y. Mr. Masters was married August 6, 1882, to Mrs. Melissa D. ( Enslin) Buckland, a native of South Canaan town- ship. Politically our subject is a strong Republican, and has aceptably served his fellow townsmen as assessor. He is well informed on all the political questions of the day and his advice has great weight with the party leaders ; for one year he served on the county committee. In his fraternal relations he is a member of the P. O. S. of A. and is P. H. C. at large. Both he and his wife are active members of the Methodist Church, and in their bountiful char- ity have aided many an unfortunate brother or sis- ter. Mrs. Masters is a P. H. C. at large, also an ardent worker in the cause of Prohibition and wo- man's suffrage, and has done much to aid these causes. She believes that with the suppression of the sale of intoxicants and the ballot in the hands of women the home influence will be stronger, and the grand motto of the W. C. T. U., "For God and Home and Native Land," a practical reality to every living creature.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 242

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