Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 25

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 25
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 25
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 25
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 25

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connection with D. H. Brown, and backed by the tax-payers, he instituted action against the county treasurer and succeeded in compelling the treasurer to disgorge nearly $1,200, the first, last and only suit ever brought in this county for the tax-payers which resulted favorably to them. For five years he served the Republican party as the county chair- man. Each year saw some of the Republican can-

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didates elected, until the crowning result was ob- tained when nearly every county officer and two members of the Lower House were elected by the Repulican party, although the normal majority in the county in favor of the Democratic party was not less than 500. The advice of Mr. Lee is sought in all political affairs, and in all important campaigns his services as a speaker are in great demand. He has stumped the county in the interests of the Re- publican party, several times receiving from the managers no stinted praise for his services."

In December, 1888, the Court appointed Mr. Lee a director of the poor of the district of Texas township and the borough of Honesdale, and here he found that changes could be made in the interests of the residents of the district. He introduced new machinery upon the farm, planned and erected new farm buildings at the poor house farm, raised the standard of the live stock kept on the farm, insti- tuted more humane treatment of the unfortunate poor, and reduced the levy for poor purposes in the district, although during this time the indigent in- sane, whose care caused the most expense, were increasing at the rate of nearly three each year, until the number of insane paupers at Danville from this district of less than 5,000 people exceeded those from all the remainder of the county, with a popula- tion of 26,000 persons.

Mr. Lee was married at Wilkes Barre, June 19, 1878, to Miss Louise Electa Wentz, eldest child and only daughter of Hiram G. and Electa K. Wentz, and a descendant in the fifth generation from the oldest known ancestor upon the paternal side, Johannes Jost Wentz. Immediately after his mar- riage Mr. Lee built the residence at No. 1608 East street, in the borough of Honesdale, where he has since resided. Two children gather about his family board. Electa Louise, the elder, born Feb- ruary 7, 1883, is now (1897), as a sophomore in the Honesdale high school, wrestling with Caesar's Gallic war in the original, declining Greek nouns, conjugating German verbs, and endeavoring to find the values of X Y and Z, while she associates with the dead, yet to her living, characters that have graced, as well as disgraced, ancient, mediæval and modern history. Mary Ethel, born December 10, 1885, is attending the same school, and is striving to reach the position that her sister has attained.

Johannes Jost Wentz, mentioned above, was born at Beerfelden, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, December 13, 1749, emigrated to America about the year 1774, and settled in Northampton county, this State. He had eight children: John Peter, Bar- bara. Jacob, John G., Magdalen, John, Elizabeth and William. II. John Peter Wentz, who was born in Germany in 1770, was married in 1789, in his fa- ther's adopted home, to Margaret Rose, and they had eleven children: Elizabeth, John, William, Justus, Peter. Catherine, Jacob, George L., Sally, Julia, and George H. III. Justus Wentz was born in Che- nago, N. Y., April 1, 1796, and was married in his native. town, October 7, 1816, to Rhoda Butler.

Twelve children blessed this union : Charles W., Justus, Catherine, Hiram G., William S., Rhoda A., Cornelia A., Julia Barzilla, Merritt F., Hester S., and Janett. IV. Hiram G. Wentz was born De- cember 16, 1824, and was married December 6, 1848, to Electa K. Beattys, by whom he had two children, Louise Electa (Mrs. Lee) and James G. V. Mrs. Louise Electa Lee was born December 4, 1849, at Carbondale, Penn. She resided with her parents at various places until the breaking out of the Civil war found her father and his brother-in- law, John Hosie, of Scranton, now deceased, en- gaged as contractors in the building of a railroad in the mountains of western Virginia. Their well- known northern origin and their evident Union sentiments made their longer sojourn at that point exceedingly precarious, and hastily gathering a few necessary articles of personal clothing, leaving the table as it was when they finished their noon-day meal, they sought the quickest, and yet quietest, way to their Northern friends. Mr. Wentz settled in Wilkes Barre in 1861, and there Mrs. Lee re- ceived her education, with one year at Millersville Normal School.

On the maternal side Mrs. Lee is of the eighth generation from Thomas Stanton, the oldest known ancestor. Whether the last name of Noah was Stanton or not, the Bible furnishes no accurate in- formation ; but the conclusion that it was would seem justified by the numberless Stantons inhabit- ing this country. In Wayne county alone there are at least four families by that name, but not of kin to each other so far as they know. Thomas Stanton is generally believed to have been born of English ancestry, about 1615, in Wales, very near the .En- glish line. In 1635 he emigrated from London to America, embarking on the "Bonaventura." and so far as known he is the only one of his family to come to this country, although there were Stantons contemporaneous with him residing in Rhode Isl- and, one named Robert, being an ancestor of Ed- win M. Stanton, Lincoln's great war secretary. In 1637 Thomas Stanton settled in Hartford, Conn., where he married Ann Lord, and in 1650 he estab- 1 shed a trading post at Stonington, on the Pawca- tuck river, where the family maintained an ancestral home for upward of two hundred years. He had ten children : Thomas, John, Mary, Hannah, Joseph, Daniel, Dorothy, Robert, Sarah and Samuel. II. John Stanton, a captain in King Philip's war, mar- ried Hannah Thompson in 1664, and had six chil- dren : John, Joseph, Thomas, Ann, Theophilus and Dorothy. III. John Stanton and his wife Mary had eleven children: John, Daniel, Joseph, Lydia, Robert, Hulda. Jabez, David, Mary, Sarah and Samuel. IV. David Stanton married Sarah Kim- ball, and had twelve children: Sarah, David, Jerusha, Asa, Jason, Hulda, Jonas, Levi, Jeremiah, Eunice, John and Lucy. V. Asa Stanton, known as Col. Asa, served as a soldier in the Revolution. He was the first Stanton to be connected with the history of Wayne county, and his career is treated

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of at length in the "History of Wayne, Pike and Monroe Counties," and in Goodrich's "History of Wayne County." He married Keziah Kimball, and had eleven children : Charles, Asa, Sarah, William, Nancy, Levi, Harriet, Louise, Clinton, Julia and Julia (2). VI. Louise Stanton, Mrs. Lee's grand- mother, was married September 20, 1820, at the age of thirteen, to Philander Beattys, who made his home during the greater portion of his life on the old turnpike, a mile north of Waymart, on part of the first purchase of lands made by her father, his death occurring there in 1885. They had five chil- dren : Julia, Electa K. (Mrs. Lee's mother), Will- iam H., Sophie B., and George P. VII. Electa K. Beattys was born in Connecticut, where her parents resided for a few years, and was married December 6, 1848, to Hiram G. Wentz, mentioned above.

CAPT. WILLIAM D. CURTIS needs no spe- cial introduction to the readers of this volume, which would be incomplete without the record of his life. For many years he has been prominently iden- tified with the business interests of Wayne county, and has taken an active part in the upbuilding and progress of this section of the State. He has now located in Hawley, where he is serving as justice of the peace ; is also agent for the Canfield Oil Co., of Cleveland, Ohio; the Brooks spool cotton thread ; the Grand Rapids Seating Co., of Chicago, Ill .; sewing machines ; pianos and organs; government pensions ; and dealer in church and school furniture.

Capt. Curtis was born July 16, 1820, in Wind- ham, Greene Co., N. Y., a son of Squire David and Paulina (Snow) Curtis, natives of New York. The father died in Prattsville, Greene county, Jan- uary 2, 1839, aged forty years. He was a lawyer, but never followed the profession, being engaged in milling and general merchandising during the greater part of his business career. At one time he was quite wealthy, but before his death lost most of his fortune. He took quite an active and prom- inent part in political affairs, and for many years served as justice of the peace. His father, David Curtis, a native of White Creek, N. Y., was a soldier of the Revolutionary war.

The mother of our subject was a daughter of Jacob Snow, of Pennsylvania, who also aided the Colonies in their struggle for independence during the Revolutionary war, and died in Pennsylvania. She was three times married, her second husband being Paletine Farrington, who was born June 16, 1770, and died in Prattsville, N. Y., December 12, 1841. He was reared among the Quakers, was a lumberman by occupation, and was a Presbyterian in religious belief, serving as deacon in his Church. Her third husband, Nehemiah Tompkins, was a prominent and well-to-do farmer, and was a de- vout Christian, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died in New York State at a ripe old age, and the mother of our subject passed away January 2, 1871, at the age af seventy years. She was an earnest Christian woman and took an active

part in all Church work. All her children were by her first marriage, and two now survive: Hershel was killed while at work at Morse's tannery, at the age of sixteen years; William D. is the subject of this sketch; Jacob, a railroad man, was born in 1822, and died in Wayne county ; and Mrs. Adelia Chase, a widow, resides in New York.

Leaving home at the age of ten, Capt. Curtis worked for his uncle, Isaac P. Hull, on a farm for one year, and was then employed in the B. G. Morse tannery in Prattsville, N. Y., until 1845, in which year he came to Pennsylvania, locating near Car- bondale, where he conducted a boarding-house at Morse's tannery one year. During the winter of 1845-46 he was employed as a coal weigher at Carbondale, and for the following three years con- tracted with the Hudson & Delaware Co. to keep their tracks to the mines in order. He then worked at carpentering in Carbondale for two years, and in 1850 removed to Lake Ariel, Wayne county, having charge of the two tracks of the Pennsylvania Coal Co., between Hawley and Lake Ariel, until May 18. 1861. He was also engaged in merchandising, his interests being looked after by his partner, S. R. Evans.

Hardly had the echoes from Fort Sumter's guns died away, when our subject raised a company, of which he was commissioned captain, it being Company B, 3rd P. V. I. On June 2, 1861, the regiment was ordered to Easton, Penn., where it remained until the disastrous battle of Bull Run. During the seven-days' fight Capt. Curtis lost nineteen of his men, and at Harrison Landing he was taken ill, being compelled to resign. In the spring of 1861, while with the Pennsylvania Coal Co., he had embarked in merchandising at Lake Ariel, as above mentioned, and his partner con- tinued in charge of the store while he was at the front. On his return home in 1863, Mr. Evans en- tered the service, and our subject conducted the busi- ness until sometime during the following year, when he went to New York, and at Goshen, that State, enlisted in the 50th New York Engineers, in which he served as orderly sergeant until honorably discharged at the close of the war.

Capt. Curtis then returned to Lake Ariel and resumed business, and also contracted to carry the mail from Moscow to Honesdale for a year. Selling his interests in Lake Ariel, he next took No. 14 En- gine on the Gravity railroad, near Hawley, and ran the engine for a year. In the spring of 1869 he and Mr. Evans again embarked in merchandising, open- ing a store in Hawley, which they successfully con- ducted until 1885. Since then the Captain has en- gaged in the wholesale and retail sewing-machine business, selling on the road until 1893, and now devotes his time to his store and to the business of the different agencies before mentioned.

In Prattsville, N. Y., Capt. Curtis was married, August 7, 1843, to Miss Gertrude M. Brandow, Rev. Arad Lakin, a Methodist Episcopal minister, officiat- ing. She was born in that place March 12, 1822,

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of German parentage, and died September 12, 1882, being laid to rest in the Hawley cemetery. Children came to this union as follows: Mary C., born Sep- tember 23, 1844, died July 28, 1847. Sarah Alice, born January 3, 1846, married F. Hamlin, and both died in Wayne county, leaving one daughter- Gertrude M., who is now the wife of J. A. McKee, a dentist in Worcester, Mass. Clara D., born February 7, 1848, married Henry Vaughn, a resident of Dunmore, Penn., and died leaving three chil- dren-Alice, Carl and Harold. Mary J., born August 31, 1851, is the wife of George Fessenden, a farmer and miller of Hollisterville, Wayne coun- ty, and has one son-Leroy. Capt. Curtis is now a great-grandfather.

On November 6, 1883, at Hawley, the Captain was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Rebecca B. (Peet) Turner, who was born in Salem township, Wayne county, April 14, 1840. Her par- ents, Daniel and Jemima (Hollister) Peet, were na- tives of Connecticut and Salem township, Wayne county, respectively, the former born in 1801, the latter in 1814. The father in his younger days was a blacksmith, but later devoted his energies to farming. He died at the age of sixty-six, his wife, who is a consistent member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, is still living. His parents were Dan- iel and Betsy (Peet) Peet, natives of Connecticut, who were distant relatives previous to their mar- riage. In 1827 they emigrated to Wayne county, Penn., and spent their remaining days in Salem township. Mrs. Curtis' maternal grandparents, Timothy and Betsy (Treet) Hollister, were also na- tives of Connecticut, and as early as 1812 became pioneer settlers of Salem township, Wayne county, where they continued to make their home until called from this life. The children born to Daniel and Jemima (Hollister) Peet were Abigail, now the widow of Mayland Christa, of Deckertown, N. J .; Solon, who died with fever during his service in the army ; Abner, a farmer of Salem township, Wayne county ; Rebecca, wife of our subject ; John, a farmer of Salem township; Orinda, who married Alvin Squires (both are now deceased) ; Violetta, deceased wife of Hartman Detwilder, a molder living in Pitts- burg, Penn .; Mynot, a farmer living in Salem town- ship ; Byron, a clerk in Scranton, Penn. ; Hattie, wife of David Turner, a machinist of Scranton; and George, an ex-machinist and a farmer of Salem township.

Mrs. Curtis first married William Turner, who died June 6, 1872, aged thirty-five years, and was buried in Salem township, Wayne county. He was employed as stationary engineer on the Gravity rail- road, and died from wounds received in a fall. The three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Turner died of scarlet fever within two weeks-Bell, aged ten years; Rosalia, aged six years, and Earl M., aged two and one-half years.

On attaining his majority Capt. Curtis became identified with the Democratic party, with which he voted until 1856, subsequently supporting the men

and measures of the Republican party until 1872, since when he has voted the Prohibition ticket, being a strong temperance man. He has been hon- ored with a number of local offices, and in 1893 was elected justice of the peace, a position which he is now creditably and satisfactorily filling. For the past forty years he has affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, and also belongs to G. A. R. Post No. 195. In 1841 he was converted, and has since been a leading and active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, taking a prominent part in its work and serving in some official position during the entire time, being class-leader for about forty years. He has been a liberal contributor to all objects tending to advance the welfare of the Church, and in his daily walk has shown himself to be consistent with the beliefs which he professes, being generous and charitable in answering the appeals of the dis- tressed.

REV. HORACE ADELBERT SMITH was born in South Sterling (now Dreher) township, Wayne county, October 31, 1858, son of Lewis R. and Christian (Bailie) Smith.

During his minority Mr. Smith remained with his parents, who about 1868 purchased a farm at Sugar Hill, Greene township, Pike county, on which he was reared, assisting with the farm work sum- mers, and attending the public schools winters. During the three or four winters that preceded his majority he worked for N. Houck & Sons, of Laanna, Pike county. In February, 1880, he went West, locating at Muscoda, Wis., where he remained for one year, working on a farm. He returned to his former home in Pike county where he secured employment with R. D. Jones & Co., at German Valley, laboring there until the opening of the fall term of the Wyoming Seminary, at Kingston, Penn., when he entered that institution to prepare for the work of the ministry. He attended the Seminary during 1881 and 1882. Mr. Smith was converted in November, 1876, under the labors of Rev. J. F. Warner, who was then pastor of the Hemlock Grove M. E. Church. He united in Church fellow- ship with the Methodist Episcopal denomination, but after his return from school he united with the Evangelical Association, joining the East Penn. Conference on trial in 1884, and in full connection in 1888. His first appointment from this confer- ence was on the Wayne Circuit, which he served from 1884 until 1887. There were glorious awaken- ings in this charge during his pastorate, and many were born into the Kingdom of Grace, Among the revivals was one at Sparrow Bush, N. Y., where the class was so increased that it was made a separate charge, and in 1880 our subject was appointed pastor. Besides attending to his duties at Sparrow Bush he took up work at Mill Rift and Matamoras, Penn. He held the first preaching service in Matamoras, the congregation meeting in the school-house on Thursday evenings of each week, which was the only time the building could be had ; and the direct-

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ors were reluctant in granting this. From this un- promising beginning there has grown a fine Church and congregation. Under this strain Mr. Smith's health gave way, and he was compelled to resign, returning to Wayne county to recuperate. In the spring of 1890 he accepted a pastorate at Lykens, Dauphin county, which he served for one year. The charge was then divided, having gained so in num- bers, and he received the part of it known as Wicon- isco Mission, which he served for two years. Fail- ing health again compelled him to resign, and he re- moved to Dunmore, Lackawanna county, where he purchased a lot, built a house, and set about regain- ing his health. During the contention that raged in the Church of which he was a member he withdrew and united with the M. E. Church. This was in 1894. In 1895 his health was so far restored that he again accepted an appointment, this time in the Wyoming Conference, serving Gouldsboro and Spring Brook in 1895, and in the spring of 1896 was appointed to the M. E. Church at South Canaan Corners, which he served for three years, laboring faithfully to build up and strengthen the Church in every way, and he was held in the highest esteem by the entire community, as well as by his own congre- gation. He has since served at Bethany, Wayne county. Being a strong Temperance man, he casts his ballot for the Prohibition party, and is well post- ed on the leading questions and issues of the day.

On January 1, 1880, in Greene township, Pike county, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Susan Robacker, the ceremony being performed by Rev. F. A. Doney, a Methodist Episcopal minister. Three children bless this union, as follows: Oscar L., born in Pike county, April 28, 1881 : Ray B., born in Pike county, July 17, 1883 ; and Ernest E., born in Dauphin county, December 9. 1891.

Samuel Robacker, Mrs. Smith's father, is a general farmer of Greene township. Pike county. He was born in Northampton county, Penn., April 25. 1831, a son of William and Elizabeth ( Roback- er) Robacker (who were not related previous to their marriage), natives of Baden, Germany, where they were married and continued to reside until after the birth of their eldest daughter, Margaret. They were farming people. On coming to America they located in Greene township. Pike Co., Penn .. in 1867 removing to West Salem, Edwards Co., Ill., where they made their home until called to the world beyond. Their remains were interred at West Salem, Ill. They were consistent members of the Albright Methodist Church. Their chil- dren were Margaret, widow of Louis Kagely, of West Salem, Ill. ; Samuel, the father of Mrs. Smith ; Daniel, who married Amy Proof, and is now de- ceased : Louisa, widow of John Haag, of Dreher township, Wayne county ; Francis, who is married and engaged in farming in Kansas: William, who wedded Mary Beehn, and is a farmer of Dreher township, Wayne county ; Louis, a farmer in the same township ; Christina, who was married, and is now deceased ; Elizabeth, who was married, and died in

Illinois ; and Charles, who is married and lives on the old homestead at West Salem, Ill. The pater- nal grandfather of these children, Christopher Rohr- backer, was a native of Germany, and one of the first settlers of Sterling (now Dreher) township, Wayne county.

Samuel Robacker remained with his parents until he attained his majority, and then for three years engaged in lumbering at the mouth of the Tobyhanna. At the end of that time he purchased fifty acres of his present farm for $151, and has since added to it until he now has seventy-five acres, fifty of which are under a high state of cultivation. He is a Republican in politics, and has served as supervisor of his township for two years. In religious faith he is an earnest and faithful member of the Evangelical Association at Newfoundland, Pennsylvania.

In August, 1854, in Monroe county, Penn., Samuel Robacker married Miss Eva Williams, and to them have been born the following children : Adeline, wife of Joel Bartle, a farmer and butcher of Greene township, Pike county; Margaret A., wife of William Frick, a wood turner of the same township; Mary, wife of James Gilpin, a farmer of Greene township; Susan, wife of Rev. H. A. Smith, of this review; Julia, wife of Elwood Dunning. a butcher of Dreher township; Loretta, wife of George Cummins, a carpenter of Dunmore, Penn. ; Eva, a resident of Dunmore ; and Ida, wife of Frank Boeckder, who is operating our subject's homestead.

DAVID KELLER, deceased. This well- known citizen of Stroudsburg, Monroe county, who passed to the better world on May 27, 1895. was for many years identified prominently with the busi- ness, social and political life of his locality, his am- ple fortune enabling him to forward many import- ant enterprises. He was recognized as a skillful financier, and many of his investments, while bring- ing him good returns, were so placed as to build up and sustain the best interests of the section in which he made his home.

Mr. Keller traced his ancestry to thrifty Ger- man stock, and was of the fourth generation in descent from George Keller, a native of Germany, who came to America in a sailing vessel at an early day, his wife dying while at sea. On the same ship were a man and his wife who had been neighbors of the Kellers, in the Fatherland, and the husband dying on the voyage, the newly-made widower and widow decided to share the griefs and joys of life together through their remaining years. They were married soon after their arrival in America,. and, coming to this section, made their home in what is now Hamilton township, Monroe county. George Keller ( 1) left a son, George, our subject's grandfather, who settled in the same locality and married a Miss Troch, by whom he had five chil- dren, viz .: John, Christopher, Joseph, and two daughters whose names are unknown. John Keller, our subject's father, was born in Hamilton town- ship, Monroe (then Northampton) county, and

DAVID KELLER

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passed his active life in farming, becoming quite prosperous. He was a man of influence as well as means in the community, and as a Democrat was prominent in the political life of his day, filling ably the offices of associate judge, prothonotary and jus- tice of the peace for a number of years. In relig- ious connection he was a member of the Lutheran Church. John Keller married Miss Sarah Troch, and they became the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters: David, Rudolph, Jacob, Andrew, Lana, Julia Ann, Rachel and Sarah. The father died at the age of fifty-nine years, preceding the mother to the grave.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 25

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