Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 259

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 259
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 259
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 259
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 259

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farming, and became the owner of 400 acres of land, on which Providence, Penn., is now located.

After his marriage, in 1854, Mr. Lowry located permanently in Clifford township, Susquehanna county, where he erected a sawmill, engaging in its operation for eight years. On selling that property he purchased his present farm, and has since en- gaged largely in the raising of stock and in the sale of agricultural implements, in connection with farming. He has always maintained his interest in educational affairs, has most efficiently served twenty-five years as a member of the school board, and has also been a member of the advisory board of the Normal School at Montrose. A few years after the Civil war he was elected justice of the peace, an office he has since continued to hold, his service in same now covering a period of nearly thirty years. He has held many other township offices of honor and trust, and has ever discharged both public and private duties in a commendable and satisfactory manner. He is a Republican in political sentiment, and is a prominent member of the Baptist Church at Elkdale, of which he is now a trustee and deacon, and in which he has served as clerk for twenty years, and deacon for ten years. In 1863, during Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, he served as an emergency man, and he helped to raise one hundred men who reported for duty.

HENRY J. STEPHENS. There is probably no man in Bridgewater, Susquehanna county, better known or more highly respected than the gentle- man whose name introduces this sketch. He was identified with its educational interests as a suc- cessful teacher for some years, and is to-day one of its leading agriculturists. He was born in Stand- ing Stone township, Bradford Co., Penn., Septem- ber 13, 1839, and was a boy of ten years when brought to Susquehanna county, where he was reared. He received an excellent education for his day and, being thus well qualified to engage in teaching, he entered upon that profession at the age of eighteen years.

His father, Harvey S. Stephens, was born in Cooperstown, N. Y., in 1803, a son of Josiah and Mary Stephens, the former a native of Coopers- town, N. Y. On reaching manhood Harvey Steph- ens married Miss Phobe Holley, a native of Bridge- water township, Susquehanna county, and a daugh- ter of Hart Holley, one of the old settlers of the county. Seven children were born of this union, namely : Francis H., who died in infancy, and Elean- or A. Corwin, now deceased ; Mrs. Marietta Foot, a resident of New Milford, Penn .; F. H., a promi- nent citizen and ex-mayor of Binghamton, N. Y., also deceased; Henry J., our subject ; Harriet Mes- singer, deceased; and Wilmot, of Binghamton, N. Y. The father died at the age of sixty, the mother at the age of fifty-eight years. By occupuation he was a carpenter and farmer, in politics was a stal- wart Democrat, and in religious faith was a Uni- versalist.

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In 1866 our subject located upon a portion of his present farm in Bridgewater township, and has since given the greater part of his attention to agri- cultural pursuits. He owns 130 acres of good land, and in connection with general farming is success- fully engaged in dairying. As a business man he is upright and honorable in all his dealings and wins the confidence and respect of all with whom he comes in contact. On September 1, 1864, he was united in marriage with Miss Victoria A. Beebe, a daughter of W. L. and Susan ( Bush) Beebe, promi- nent old settlers of Susquehanna county. She was reared and educated there and has proved to her husband a true helpmeet. They have three children : William B., Susan E. and Jennie H., all success- ful and popular teachers of Susquehanna county. Mr. Stephens is a recognized leader in the ranks of the Democratic party in his township, and has ever taken an active and prominent part in local poli- tics. He has filled nearly all of the township offices with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the public, and his aid is never withheld from an object calculated to advance the religious, tem- perance or educational interests of the community in which he lives. Both he and his wife hold mem- bership in the Methodist Episcopal Church and take an active part in its work.

JOHN J. PRICE (deceased) was a leading farmer and highly esteemed citizen of Paradise town- ship, Monroe county, where his memory is still held in reverence and honor. A native of Monroe county, he was born at Delaware Water Gap, in 1806, and was a son of Joseph and Hannah ( Smi- ley ) Price, the former of whom was a native of Price township, Monroe county, and the son of a Mr. Price, of Gardenville, Bucks Co., Penn. After his marriage Joseph Price settled at Delaware Water Gap, where he engaged in agricultural pur- suits for a number of years and where his first wife died, being laid to rest at that place. Subse- quently he married a Miss Transue and moved to Ohio, where his death occurred. The two sons born to the last marriage, Richard and Evans, are still residents of that State. Eight children were born of the first union, namely: Ichabod, who followed lumbering and farming near Mountain Home, Penn., and died there leaving a family ; Eliza, wife of a Mr. Burkhardt, of Monroe county; Matilda, wife of Michael Staat, of Plainfield, N. J .; Annie, wife of John Houser, of Delaware Water Gap; George, who married and moved to Indiana; Su- san, who married a Mr. Davis and moved to Ohio; and Joseph, who died when a young man.

John J. Price, who completes the family, was educated in the public schools, and in early manhood married Miss Lucy Brundage, of Orange county, N. Y., a daughter of William and Elsie Brundage, representatives of one of the old and prominent families of that county. After his marriage Mr. Price lived for a few years on Brodhead Creek, where he followed lumbering, and for a number of

years was engaged in the same pursuits near Can- adensis, where he owned a large tract of land. In 1838 he purchased 250 acres in Paradise township, which he cleared and transformed into the fine farm which is still the homestead of the family. He erected thereon good, substantial buildings and made many other useful improvements, so that it is now one of the best farms in the locality. Be- sides the family residence he also erected a house for one of his sons on this property. Throughout life he took an active and commendable interest in public affairs, and was prominently identified with

He the Republican party from its organization. died in 1877, and his memory is a sacred inheri- tance to his children and is cherished by his many friends. Throughout his career of continued and far-reaching usefulness, his duties were performed with the greatest care, and during a long life his per- sonal honor and integrity were without blemish. His estimable wife survived him several years, pass- ing away in 1886. She was a worthy Christian woman, a member of the Presbyterian Church in early life, but later became connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In the family of this worthy couple were ten children: (1) Mary A., born in Shawnee, Monroe county, received a common-school education and first married Charles Kemmerer. They moved to Lehighton, Carbon Co., Penn., where he was killed by the explosion of a boiler. He left a young wife and two children who reached years of maturity ; Anna, now the wife of W. W. Watson, a leading and prominent lawyer of Scranton, Penn .; and Mahlon, who married Annie M. Leisenring, of Mauch Chunk, Penn., where he is extensively en- gaged in coal and other business, being one of the millionaires of that place. For her second husband Mary A. married Walter Leisenring, of Lehigh county, Penn., where he died leaving five children : Gertrude, now the wife of Thomas Righter, of Mauch Chunk; Ada, wife of Dr. Henry Neal, of Boston, Mass., now residing in Upper Lehigh, Penn. ; Albert, who married Lillian Jessup, of Scran- ton, a daughter of Judge Jessup; Walter, a resident of Luzerne county ; and May, wife of Dr. Gaily, of Maryland. (2) Elizabeth Price married George Staples, of Cherry Valley, Penn., and they located in Scranton, where she died leaving two daughters : Helen, who married Eugene Chilson, of Illinois, where she died leaving one son-Eugene ; and Liz- zie, wife of William Fenner, of Marshallsville, Ill., by whom she has had children: Virginia, George, Mary Ann. (3) George and (4) Hannah Price were twins and the latter died when a young lady. George married Margaret Sebring, of Pocono town- ship, Monroe county, and located on his father's lumber tract, where he followed lumbering and farm- ing until his death, which occurred there in 1895. He was a member of the Mountain Home Lodge, I. O. O. F. His children were Gilbert, who mar- ried Sally Sebring and located in Carbon county ; Annie; Adda, wife of H. Young, of Philadelphia ;

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and Lawrence and Nettie, both at home. (5) Lewis Price married Ellen Posten, of Stroud township, Monroe county, and they now reside in Syracuse, Neb. They have no children. (6) Emily Price was the wife of Chauncey Rice, of Wellsville, N. Y., where she died soon after her marriage, leaving no children. (7) Frank Price served one year as a mem- ber of the 176th P. V. I. during the Civil war, and died when a young man on the old homestead in Paradise township. (8) Lucy Price, born at Price- burg, received a good public school education and successfully engaged in teaching for two years. She is a worthy Christian lady, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. (9) William E. Price wedded Elizabeth Van Doren, of New Jersey, and they lived at his father's home, where she died after a short married life of three years, leaving one son, Harry, who is still on the old homestead. For his second wife Mr. Price married Hannah Bowman, of Swiftwater, Monroe county, and he died in 1876, leaving a wife and four children: Lizzie, who grad- uated from a nurse's training school of Philadel- phia, and is now engaged in practice in that city ; Russell, who is a teacher in the public schools of Monroe county ; Gertrude, at home; and May, also a teacher in the public schools. (10) Anna M. Price has spent her entire life on the old homestead, and after her father's death became superintendent and general manager of the place. She is a lady of culture and refinement and deserves more than passing mention in a work of this character. She has displayed remarkable business and executive ability in the management of the estate, is careful and judicious in her investments, and has met with well-merited success. She has been greatly assisted in a financial way by her sister, Mrs. Mary A. Liesenring, one of the wealthy and leading society ladies of Scranton, who is noted for her liberal gifts to the poor and for her donations to all char- itable enterprises in the city in which she lives. The family is one of prominence in the various commu- nities in which its members reside, and all are held in high respect and esteem.

GEORGE FULLER HOLMES, a prominent agriculturist of Gibson township, Susquehanna county, was born at his present homestead February 17, 1839, and is a representative of a leading pioneer family of that locality.

Deacon William Holmes, our subject's grand- father, was born September I, 1772, at Newburg, N. Y., and was married April 13, 1789, to Mary Wyatt. In 1810 he came to Susquehanna county, Penn., and purchased 200 acres of land at Union Hill, where his remaining years were spent in farm- ing. He was a ship carpenter and cabinet maker by trade, being regarded as an expert in the latter line of work. As a citizen he was highly respected, and for many years he held the office of deacon in the Presbyterian Church. He died January 9, 1834, and his wife, who was born September 1, 1772, died December 1, 1849, their remains being interred

in a cemetery in Gibson township. They had the fol- lowing named children : Deborah, born April 5, 1790; David, our subject's father ; Daniel, born December 14, 1794, died March 5, 1846; Ann, born February 20, 1797, died March II, 1838; Helen, born May 14, 1799; Eliza, born July 4, 1800, died February 17, 1856; Thomas, born January 18, 1804, died No- vember 26, 1838; William G., born October 19, 1805; Mary A., born March 8, 1808, died November 25, 1859; Sophia T., born March 26, 1811, died in March, 1857; and Sarah, born June 29, 1815.

David Holmes was born at Newburg, N. Y., October 5, 1792, and died at the home now occupied by our subject, February 23, 1860. He engaged in farming and the manufacture of potash, and be- came a substantial citizen, being much esteemed for his upright Christian character. During the war of 1812 he was drafted and served until honorably discharged, at Danville, Penn. On October 29, 1824, he was married in Gibson township to Hannah Fuller, and they had a large family of children, of whom our subject is the youngest. ( I) David E., born July 6, 1825, operates a gristmill at South Gilbson ; he was formerly postmaster at that place. (2) William W., born March 12, 1827, is a farmer in Jackson township, Susquehanna county. (3) Sarah P., born January 20, 1829, married Richard Owens, and died December 24, 1898. (4) Jesse L., born April 20, 1831, is an extensive farmer at South Gibson. (5) Charles M., born April 10, 1834, was a successful carpenter and builder at South Gibson, and at the time of his enlistment in the army he was building a hotel there. He died May II, 1863, in a hospital at Windmill Point, Va., and his remains were brought home by his brother Jesse. (6) Samuel R., born April 10, 1836, is a farmer in Gibson township. Our subject's mother was born March 10, 1799, at Attleboro, Mass., and died March 12, 1875. Her father, Jesse Fuller, of Attleboro, served seven years in the Revolutionary army. He died January 16, 1832, aged seventy-nine years, and his wife, Lydia M., died November 2, 1830, aged seventy.

In early manhood George F. Holmes took charge of the homestead, a fine farm of ninety-three acres, and he has since been engagd in general farming. In politics he is a Republican, and he has served as supervisor and was elected in 1898 as school director for the term of three years. In re- ligion he inclines toward the Universalist faith. On March 27, 1883, he was married at Scranton, Penn., to Miss Clara M. Coil, daughter of Henry Coil, a well-known resident of Gibson township. Three children have blessed the union: Daisy A., born September 23, 1884; George R., born August 14, 1887; and Jesse H., born February 17, 1893.

LEWIS W. TENNANT. No name is better known in New Milford township, Susquehanna county, than the patronymic of the subject of this sketch. The southern part of the township has been popularly known for many years as "Tennant Town," on acount of the settlement formed there

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

early in the century. Oliver Tennant, the grand- father of our subject, was the first of four brothers who settled in New Milforld township. In 1809 he came from Fisher's Island, Long Island Sound, and settled in the southern part of the township. His brothers, William and Allen Tennant, and his half- brother, Benjamin Tennant, came a little later from Shelter Island, Suffolk county, N. Y. The four brothers married four sisters, the daughters of a Mr. Braman. Oliver Tennant remained in New Milford township through life. Of his ten children three of the daughters married three brothers. Meribah became the wife of Thurston Lewis of Harford; Abigail married Deacon Robinson Lewis, and Nancy married Libbeny Lewis. Of the sons of Oliver Tennant, there were Oliver, and William W .- the latter, the father of our subject, and he was born on Fisher's Island in 1804, and was about five years old when brought by his parents to New Milford township. He was reared in the wilder- ness and became a farmer. He made a clearing for his log cabin and spent years of his life in felling the forests. He married Phoebe Lewis, the daughter of Robinson and Polly ( Havens ) Lewis, and to them were born the following children: Orange W., who died in Harford township at the age of sixty years; George W., postmaster at Shaw, Lee county, Ill .; John W., a farmer and a former school teacher of Hesper, Iowa; Lewis W., subject of this sketch; Alvin E., a bank clerk at Fort Dodge, Ia .; William R., a carpenter of Lehigh, Ia., and Austin D., a farmer of Hesper, Ia. William W., the father, re- moved in later life to Hesper, Ia., where he died in 1875, aged seventy-one years. His wife, Phœbe, died at the same place in 1878, aged seventy-five years. They were devout and consistent members of the Baptist Church.

Lewis W., the subject of this sketch, was born in New Milford township February 9, 1838. He remained on the homestead with his parents until he attained his majority. Then for several years he worked among neighboring farmers. He then married and purchased a farm in New Milford township. His farming life was interrupted in 1864 by his enlistment on September 5, of that year, at Scranton, Penn., in Company E, 203rd P. V. I., Capt. L. M. McCune of Philadelphia. He was mustered in at Scranton, Penn., and mustered out at Fort Schuyler, N. Y., hospital, May 8, 1865. He had participated in the Fort Fisher campaign and had engaged in various skirmishes when he was sent to the Rowley, N. C., hospital and thence to Fort Schuyler. He was in the hospital two months, a sufferer from chronic diarrhea.

In March, 1862, Mr. Tennant was married in New Milford township to Miss Sarah A. Watson, who was born in that township, January 25, 1842, daughter of John and Mary (Tennant) Watson and granddaughter of Dr. Walter and Mary (Corb- it) Watson. Dr. Walter Watson was born near Glas- gow, Scotland, and was a physician by profession,

but in the latter years of his life he was afflicted with blindness. He married at Cold Spring, N. Y., and there died, and in 1831 his widow brought her family to Susquehanna county. John, one of the sons, married Mary Tennant, daughter of Allen and Polly ( Braman) Tennant, who, in 1818, migrat- ed from Groton, Conn., and settled in New Milford township. The family of John and Mary (Tennant) Watson were as follows: Mahala, who married Levi Le Roy, a farmer of New Milford township; Adelia, widow of Warren Branard, of New Milford township; and Sarah A., wife of our subject ; Mary, who married Delvan Le Roy. John Watson was a prominent farmer, and in the later years of his life operated a sawmill. He and his wife were promin- ent members of the Congregational Church. He died in June, 1872, aged fifty-eight years and nine months; his wife died in February, 1881, aged sixty-seven years.

To our subject and wife have been born these children: Lizzie, wife of M. M. Moon, of New Milford township; Julia, wife of Charles Burling- ame, a farmer of New Milford township; Louie, who died aged eleven years; Bert, a butcher at Lestershire, N. Y .; Candace, wife of F. A. Hartley, a farmer of New Milford township, and Ray, Ralph and Mabel B., at home. Mr. Tennant re- moved to his present farm of sixty acres in 1885. In politics he is a Republican, and has filled various local offices, for two years he was constable, for two years collector and for three years poor com- missioner. Mrs. Tennant is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Tennant is an industrious and progressive farmer, and as an agriculturist holds high rank in the community.

JESSE LANE WILLIAMS. On the line between Jackson and Thompson townships, Sus- quehanna county, is a pleasantly located homestead, where now reside the subject of this sketch and his. family. He is a native of Susquehanna county, and is one of its prosperous and leading agricult- urists, born in Lanesboro, July 15, 1836, son of Nathan and Sarah (Lane) Williams.

Nathan Williams was born in Connecticut in 1803, and when a boy moved with his parents, and Percilla Williams, to Otsego county, N. Y. In the family were three sons: A. D., Israel and Nathan. A. D. settled in Otsego county, where he died leaving no family. Israel migrated to Mil- waukee, Wis., where his descendants now live. Nathan Williams, the youngest, was a self-educated man, of more than ordinary ability, and was con -- sidered one of the best accountants and bookkeep- ers of his day. When a young man he migrated to Lanesboro, Susquehanna county, and there married Miss Sarah Lane, daughter of Martin and Sarah Lane. Martin Lane was one of the early and promi- nent settlers of Harmony township, migrating from Cannonsville, N. Y., and in 1818 he purchased 480. acres of land, including the mills at Lanesboro. That borough was originally called Lanesville, in:

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his honor. Martin Lane died in 1825. His son, Jesse Lane, became a very wealthy lumberman.

After his marriage to Sarah Lane, Nathan Williams engaged in mercantile pursuits for some years at Lanesboro. In 1841 he purchased the farm in North Jackson, where his daughter, Mrs. Gelatt, now lives. Here he erected good buildings and made substantial improvements, and here he re- mained until his death April 27, 1887, at the age of eighty-four years, his worthy wife surviving him until 1893. She was for many years a consistent and active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of North Jackson. Mr. Williams was reared in the Episcopal faith. In politics he was a Jeffersonian Democrat. He held various local offices, was post- master of Lanesboro and North Jackson for many years, and was unusually well informed in local and State affairs. To Nathan and Sarah Williams were born seven children, as follows: (I) Harriet M. married Horace L. French, a contractor and builder of Susquehanna, and died leaving four children- Carrie, wife of Charles Curren, of Hallstead; May, wife of E. Gelatt, of Carbondale; Clark, of Bing- hamton; and Jessie, wife of William Hedges, of Mansfield, Ohio. (2) Clinton M. was for several years a school teacher in Susquehanna county, then for twenty-four years, until his death, a prac- ticing dentist at Pittston. (3) Jesse Lane is the subject of this sketch. (4) Miranda married Hor- ace Bryant, now a leading dentist at Boone, Boone county, Iowa, and has two children-Iva, wife of Ste- phen Goldthwaite, of Boone county, Iowa, and Har- ry, of Des Moines, Iowa. (5) Butler F. for years was a prominent teacher of Susquehanna county, and is now a traveling salesman of Mansfield, Ohio. He has one son, Charles S., of Mansfield. (6) Sarah, for some years a teacher of Susquehanna county, mar- ried George Gelatt, of Thompson, and resides on the old Williams homestead in Jackson township; she has one child, Cora, at home. (7) Emily J. married, at the home of her sister, Mrs. Bryant, in Iowa, Edward Green, a lawyer of Boone, Iowa, where she died leaving two children-Hallie, now a student at the Ladies Seminary, in Wisconsin; and Martin, of Webster City, Iowa.

Jesse L. Williams, our subject, was educated in the schools of Jackson, and remained at home with his parents until twenty-six years of age. In 1862 he began an experience of ten years as a train man on the New York & Erie railroad, first as fireman and then as engineer. He married, in 1863, Miss Emma L. Bryant, of Thompson. She had been a successful school teacher of Susquehanna county and of Broome county, N. Y., and was the daughter of Elias M. and Maria Bryant. Her father, Elias M. Bryant, was the second child born in Jackson township, the date of his birth being 1819, and was a son of David and Abigail (Hilliard) Bryant, who migrated from Connecticut. David Bryant came into the woods of Jackson township in the spring of 1812. and became one of its first settlers. He erected a log cabin and cleared up a place. He

was a great hunter, and killed many deer. He mar- ried Abigail Hilliard, and his children were Cla- rissa, wife of Oliver Clinton; Elias M., father of Mrs. Williams; Elvira, wife of Elon Wilcox; Jane, wife of William Benson; Alonzo; Lazelle; Louisa, wife of Arthur Price; and Marian, wife of Delos Roberts.

Elias M. Bryant married Maria Wheaton, and in 1843 went into the woods on the present line of Jackson and Thompson townships, clearing up one of the best farms in that vicinity. He was a man of unusual prominence and public spirit. Pos- sessing deep religious convictions, he was a leader in Church work, serving on the committee which erected the North Jackson Methodist Episcopal Church. He died April 17, 1899, leaving a wife and five children of their family of seven, as fol- lows: (I) Horace, born in 1839, a dentist of Boone, Iowa, married Miranda Williams, and has two children, Iva and Harry. (2) David D., born in 1842, served for ten months in the Civil war as a member of a Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment ; he married Julia Edwards, of Gibson, and moved to St. Paul, Minn., where his wife died, leaving one daughter, Helen. He now lives at Lake City, Minn. (3) Emma L., wife of our subject. was born November 12, 1843. (4) Helen, born in May, 1845, is the wife of Gilbert Miller, a veteran of the Civil war, who enlisted in a Pennsylvania regiment. They now live at Boone, Iowa, and have two children living, Cora and Fred. (5) Warren W. died in childhood. (6) Abbie, born in 1851, taught school in her younger years, married Orval Griffis, of Jackson, and has four children, Alice (a successful teacher of Susquehanna county), Eva, Ethel and Helen. (7) Katie Lincoln, born in 1859, died in 1875.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 259

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