Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 260

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 260
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 260
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 260
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 260

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).

After marriage our subject and wife settled at Port Jervis, whence they removed to North Jack- Abandoning railroading in 1868, he moved to a farm in Jackson township, whence they moved in 1873 to the old Bryant homestead at Thompson, and there he has since resided, except for three years, when he resumed railroading on the Jeffer- son branch of the Erie railroad. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Williams has been blessed with three daughters, namely: Louise, who was born in 1866, was for several years a successful school teacher in Susquehanna county, until her marriage, in 1890, to Newton Potter, of Harmony township; she has one daughter, Rachel. Nellie, born in 1869, was well educated, became a teacher in the public schools, and is now the wife of Hugh Perry, of Thompson. Flora Belle married Albert Nelson French, a farmer of Jackson, and has one daugh- ter, Marguerite E. Our subject and wife have adopted one child, George B. Williams, now a bright student in the Thompson high school.

Politically Mr. Williams is a Prohibitionist, and formerly he was identified with the Demo- cratic party. Once elected justice of the peace, he refused to serve. While a resident of Jackson town-

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ship he was appointed postmaster, during the ad- ministration of Abraham Lincoln, serving about six years. Mr. Williams is interested in school work, and for eight years served the town as school director, a position which he now fills. For nearly twenty years he has been a prominent member of Susquehanna Lodge No. 452, Knights of Pythias. In religious affiliation himself and family are lead- ing workers in the Methodist Episcopal Church. For forty years he has been an active member of that Church, and for a long term of service he has filled the offices of steward and trustee, now offi- ciating in the latter capacity.

WILLIAM D. TOBIAS, a leading business man of South Gibson, Susquehanna county, is the propretor of a gristmill of thirty-two-horse power, built by Elisha Williams and David Hines in 1839. In 1895 it was rebuilt by our subject's father, and in 1898 extensive improvements were made to meet the requirements of a large and constantly increasing trade.

Mr. Tobias was born June 27, 1865, in Clifford township, Susquehanna county, son of David and Joannah (Daniels) Tobias, of Wales, who were married in that township. His paternal grand- parents, William and Sarah Tobias, lived and died upon a farm in Wales. David Tobias, our sub- ject's father, came to America in 1848, settled in the Lackawanna Valley settlement in Clifford town- ship in 1859, was engaged in the butcher business in Luzerne county, where he also worked for a time in mines and later returned to Clifford and engaged in farming. In 1867 he removed to South Gibson and purchased the mill, operating same until his death, which occurred April 7, 1897, when he was aged sixty-eight years. At the time of his death he had been president of the South Gibson Cream- ery Co., for six years. In politics he was first a · Republican and later a Prohibitionist. He united with the Congregational Church in 1858, his wife having joined same in 1840, and both united with M. E. Church in 1889. Mr. Tobias' remains were interred in the Welsh cemetery in Clifford township: Our subject's mother now resides at South Gibson, at the age of seventy-four years. Four children were born to this worthy couple: Sarah J. and William D., who died in infancy ; William D., the subject of this sketch ; and John B., a physician at Wilkes Barre, Penn. The Daniels family is also of Welsh origin, our subject's grandparents, Benjamin and Jane Daniels, coming from Wales in 1831, and after spending six years in the Lackawanna Valley settled upon a farm in the Welsh settlement in Clifford township, Susquehanna county.

Our subject was only two years old when the family removed to South Gibson, and he began working in the mill as soon as his strength permit- ted. He resided with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-five years, and at his father's death he purchased the mill. His political affiliations

are with the Republican party, and he has served one year as township clerk and three years as auditor. He and his family are much respected socially, and he is an active member of the Methodist Church. On September 18, 1890, he was married, at South Gibson, to Miss Bertha Pickering, and they have two children : E. Eloise and Myron A.

Mrs. Bertha (Pickering) Tobias was born in Gelatt, Gibson township, November 2, 1871, daugh- ter of Alden Pickering, a native of Gibson town- ship, Susquehanna county, and his wife Ellen (Ehrgood), who was born in Pennsylvania. Her paternal grandparents, William and Mary (Tiffany) Pickering, were prominent among the early set- tlers of Gibson township. Her father located at South Gibson in 1883 and operated a hotel for eight years, but he died in Herrick township, Jan- uary 22, 1899, at the age of fifty-two years, while engaged in farming. For fifteen years he operated a gristmill at Gelatt. He and his wife were devout members of the M. E. Church; she died in 1879, aged thirty-three, the remains of both being interred in Manzer cemetery. They had two children : George, a druggist in Oregon; and Bertha, wife of our subject. The father married for his second wife Miss Eloise Van Barrager, a native of Sus- quehanna, Penn., daughter of Jerry Van Barrager, a shoemaker, and his wife Mary (Sterns), who were early settlers in Susquehanna county.

CHARLES JUDSON GELATT, a successful agriculturist of Gibson township, Susquehanna county, is a member of a well known family, rep- resented elsewhere.

Mr. Gelatt was born April 16, 1862, at his pres- ent homestead, son of Silas C. Gelatt, and grand- son of George and Susan ( Williams) Gelatt. His father, who was born at the homestead, November I, 1839, now resides in Susquehanna, where he is engaged in business as installment agent, but until 1882 he resided at the homestead, following farming as an occupation. While there he took an active part in local affairs as a member of the Republican party, serving as school director and supervisor. He mar- died Miss Sarah Ann Stone, who was born in 1842, in Thompson township, Susquehanna county, daugh- ter of Elson and Elvina (Slocum) Stone, for many years residents of Ararat township, same county. Our subject is the eldest in a family of three chil- dren: William is a farmer near Gelatt; and Mattie H. married James Hogan, a railway fireman, resid- ing in Susquehanna.

During his boyhood our subject gained a thor- ough knowledge of agriculture under his father's direction, and at the age of nineteen he was left in charge of the place, where he has remained with the exception of one year spent in a furniture fac- tory at Gelatt, in the employ of his father-in-law. He is a stanch Republican, is interested in all the progressive monvements of his locality, and for three years passed has served as school director. He and

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his wife are leading members of the Union Church, and he also belongs to the I. O. O. F., Hiram Lodge No. 483, at Jackson. On January 15, 1881, he was married, in Gibson township, to Miss Etta Eymer, and four children have blessed the union, viz .: Nel- lie May, born October 19, 1882; Lena Dell, born June 27, 1887 ; Mildred Esther, born December 15, 1895 (died February 9, 1898) ; and Tracy Collin, born December 26, 1898.

Mrs. Gelatt is a native of Gibson township, born June 28, 1863, and belongs to a prominent family of that locality. Her paternal grandparents, Peter and Elsie Eymer, natives of New York State, settled in Gibson township in 1867. William Day Eymer, father of Mrs. Gelatt, was born in New York State, but came to Pennsylvania in early manhood, locat- ing first in Carbondale and later in Gelatt. He was the first undertaker in this part of the State, and made the first coffin at Gelatt. For many years he was engaged in the manufacture of furniture, and his shops, which were run by water power, were twice burned to the ground. While he never as- pired to political honors he was a firm supporter of the Republican party, and he took an active part in religious work as a member of the Baptist Church at Jackson, holding office for some years. He died January 17, 1885, aged sixty years, and was buried in Jackson cemetery. He married Miss Mary Dart, who was born in 1827, and now resides in Jackson township. Her father, Samuel Dart, died in New York State, and her mother (now also deceased) afterward removed to Gibson township, Susque- hanna county. William and Mary Eymer had a large family of children, as follows: Harriet, born January 13, 1845, married Tipp Bennett, and died in Kansas; Mary Ann, born March 1, 1847, mar- ried Stanley Barrett, of Jackson; Loretta, born February 10, 1849, married the late Rev. Austin Sterns, a Baptist minister, and she now resides in Binghamton, N. Y .; Abby married Joseph Bosket, a farmer in Gibson township; William is deceased ; Emma, born March 20, 1860, married Augustus Rice, and died February 18, 1899; Susan, born February 27, 1851, died April 4, 1854; Etta is the wife of our subject; and Evaline married Joel Barnes, a farmer near Gibson.

CALVIN W. DEAKIN. As an enterprising and wide-awake business man of Susquehanna, and one who, through his own efforts, has established himself among the prominent and successful men of the place, we take pleasure in giving the follow- ing biography of the gentleman whose name intro- duces this sketch. He is a member of the firm of Deakin Brothers, who are engaged in the meat and stock business in Susquehanna, and are also inter- ested in farming and dairying.

A native of Susquehanna county, our subject was born July 14, 1856, on Snake creek, in Liberty township, in a log cabin, a part of which is still standing. His father, John H. Deakin, was born

in England, June 20, 1817, and during childhood was brought to this country by his parents. The grand- father, Thomas Deakin, was engaged in the fur business and was quite wealthy, but as he died when John H. was quite young, the latter was bound out. After coming to America he made his home in Sus- quehanna county, where he engaged in business as a farmer and butcher. He filled the offices of con- stable and tax collector in his township, and held membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which his widow also belongs. He married Miss Emaline Sanford, who was born in Liberty township, Susquehanna county, in 1822, daughter of Dr. San- ford, a native of Massachusetts, who at an early day came by ox-team to Susquehanna county, locat- ing in Liberty township. Mr. Deakin died Decem- ber 23, 1894, and was buried in Franklin township; his wife now makes her home with her daughter in Liberty township. The children of the family were Jane, wife of Eugene Stanford, a prominent farmer of Liberty township ; Henry J., a farmer of Franklin township; William C., who is engaged in business with our subject, and resides in Oakland township ; Calvin W., subject of this review; Benjamin, who died in infancy ; and Cornelia, who died at the age of eleven years.

The first five years of his life Calvin W. Deakin passed in his native township, and then removed with the family to Franklin township. In 1870 he became a resident of Great Bend township, where he made his home until twenty-two years of age, and then went to East Saginaw, Mich., where he worked in a sawmill during the summer months, and in the lumber woods during the winter season, for six years. While there he was married, in No- vember, 1883, to Miss Eva Brown, of Bay City, Mich., a native of Jamestown, N. Y. Her parents, George and Mary (Shonyon) Brown, were also natives of the Empire State, and from there re- moved to Bay City, Mich., where they still reside. Her father and paternal grandfather were both sol- diers in the Civil war, are still living, and now draw pensions from the government. To our sub- ject and his wife were born six children: C. Ray, Guy (who died in infancy), May, Rena, George and Maudie.

Returning to Susquehanna county at the age of twenty-eight years, Mr. Deakin purchased a farm in Great Bend township, which he operated as a dairy farm for two years, and then removed to Sus- quehanna in order that he might better engage in his present business, having formed a partnership with his brother a few months after his return home. Progressive, energetic and reliable, they have gained the public confidence, and have succeeded in build- ing up a large and profitable business, so that they now rank among the leading business men of the town. Our subject is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Improved Order of Red Men of Susquehanna, and he is a stanch supporter of the Prohibition party.

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HORACE S. STODDARD. The mention of the heroes of our Civil war will always arouse the attention of a true American, and the history of this well-known resident of Lakeside, Susquehanna coun- ty, who participated in forty-three battles, will be read with more than ordinary interest.

Mr. Stoddard was born August 29, 1835, at Brattleboro, Vt., and comes of good New England stock in both paternal and maternal lines. Isaac and Phœbe Stoddard, our subject's grandparents, resided upon a farm at Brattleboro. Jacob Stod- dard, his father, was born and reared at the old homestead, and married Miss Eliza Harris, also a native of Brattleboro, whose parents, Howard and Harris, were lifelong residents of Vermont. Her father was a farmer and merchant by occupa- tion. In the spring of 1839 our subject's parents came to Susquehanna county, Penn., locating in New Milford township, but later they went to Canada, where the father died in 1868, aged eighty-four years, his remains being buried there. For many years he followed agricultural pursuits, and while residing in Susquehanna county he was also en- gaged in business as a drover. He was active in local affairs, holding township offices at times, and he and his wife were devout members of the Pres- byterian Church. The mother died in Jackson township, Susquehanna county, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Butterfield, in 1865, aged sixty-seven years, and was buried in Gibson cemetery. They had the following children: Heleann, deceased ; Eliza, deceased ; Sarah, widow of Alford Stoddart ; Jacob, deceased; Susan, deceased, who married James Sherman; Horace S., our subject; John, a farmer in Jackson township; Hartley, deceased ; Henry, a farmer in Jackson township; and Atae, a farmer in Franklin township, Susquehanna county.

Our subject remained with his parents dur- ing his minority, and on leaving home was employed for about six months by a neighboring farmer. He then bought his present homestead, where he re- sided until the spring of 1892. As advancing years made the management of the place a burden, he ar- ranged to have the work attended to by others, and retired to the village of Lakeside. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party, and although he has never cared for official honors he served one and a half years as supervisor of his township and then resigned. For eleven years he has been a dea- con in the Baptist Church at Lakeside, and he and his family hold an enviable place in social life. His military service began with his enlistment, August 27, 1862, in Company B, 17th Pennsylvania Cav- alry, under Capt. Donahue. He was mustered in at Harrisburg on September 15, 1862, and after a short stay at Camp Curtin was sent to Washington, D. C. Six months later he was assigned to duty as driver of an ambulance, and this work he con- tinued about two years, being finally discharged, on June 19, 1865, at Todd's Mill.

In February, 1857, our subject was married,

in Jackson township, Susquehanna county, to Miss Mary Harris, a native of Franklin township, who died February 9, 1895, aged fifty-seven years, her remains being buried in Jackson township. On February II, 1896, Mr. Stoddard was married, at New Milford, to her sister, Mrs. Jennie (Harris) Vail. He has seven children, all by the first mar- riage: Hattie married Henry Barnard, of New Milford township; Miss Thedia is at home; Carrie married Stanley Page, of New Milford township; Vina is the wife of Frank Woodard; Eliza married Frank Zimmer; Ola married Arthur Shay (the last three reside in Lestershire, N. Y., their husbands being connected with a shoe factory there) ; Walter died in 1881. The Harris family is of Vermont stock; Mrs. Stoddard's parents, Isaac and Rachel (Baker) Harris, both natives of the Green Moun- tain State, were married in Rush township, Susque- hanna county, where they settled at an early date. The father, who was engaged in agricultural work for many years, died at the home of our subject July 20, 1898, at the age of eighty-four. They had six children, namely: William, who died in 1885; Mary, our subject's first wife; Emily, wife of Ste- phen Hall, a farmer near St. Paul, Minn .; John, probably deceased; Jennie, the second wife of our subject; and Eliza, who died in childhood. Mrs. Jennie Stoddard, who was born in New Milford township Mav 1, 1845, was married in 1865 to Horace Vail, a carpenter by trade, who was born in Orange county, N. Y., son of Venona Vail. She has two sons by her first marriage: Ernest W., a machinist at Lestershire, N. Y., who married Miss Abby Cockran; and Herbert A., a farmer in Pot- ter county, Pennsylvania.

PAUL R. BARRAGER has not only proved one of the most valuable and useful citizens of Sus- quehanna county in days of peace, but was one of the brave defenders of the Union during the dark days of the Civil war, serving with distinction as a com- missioned officer in the famous "Bucktail" regiment, which was noted for its bravery and daring. He is now one of the most honored agriculturists of Great Bend township, where he has efficiently served as justice of the peace for twenty years.

A native of Susquehanna county, Mr. Barrager was born July 16, 1841, in Gibson township, a son of Henry S. Barrager, who was born in Wayne county, Penn., in 1803. His parents, John and Ann (Awalt) Barrager, were of German descent, coming to this country during the time of the Revolutionary war, and Henry Awalt, our subject's great-grand- sire, was one of the Hessian soldiers in the British service in that struggle. After his marriage John Barrager settled in Wayne county, Penn., purchas- ing several hundred acres of land, and he was at one time extensively engaged in lumbering on the Delaware river. He and his wife had a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, namely: Henry S .; George, a farmer living near Lake Como,

Lieut. BR Barrages

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Wayne Co., Penn., now the only survivor of the family ; John, who was killed at the battle of Look- out Mountain, while serving as color-bearer of his regiment, during the Civil war; German, who died when a young man; William, who died in middle age, on his father's farm, leaving a wife and two daughters ; Polly Mrs. Daniel Rose; Betsey, wife of William Starbard, of Pike county, by whom she had several children, one son, Frank, being on the police force of Binghamton, N. Y .; Susan, wife of William Gardner, of Lackawanna county, Penn., and the mother of more than one Union soldier during the Rebellion; Esther ; and Lovisa, wife of Job Greene, a farmer of Broome county, N. Y., where she died leaving a large family. The father of these lacked only a few months of being a centenarian at his death; the mother, who was younger, survived him a number of years, and they rest side by side in the cemetery near their old home.

Henry S. Barrager, our subject's father, assist- ed his father in his farming and lumber operations for some years. In 1829 he married Miss Sophia Pickering, a native of Jackson township, Susque- hanna county, and a daughter of Phineas Pickering, who was born in Massachusetts in 1793, a direct descendant of the Revolutionary Pickerings, and in an early day came to New Milford, Penn., later mov- ing to Jackson township, where he cleared and im- proved a farm, remaining there until his death. In 1848 Mr. Barrager settled in Gibson township, Sus- quehanna county, where he purchased a farm, erect- ing thereon a fine residence and making many other improvements. Selling that place in 1863, he moved to Uniondale, Susquehanna county, where he bought a home and lived retired until his death, in 1892. His worthy and estimable wife died in 1889, at the age of eighty-one years, six months. Politically Mr. Barrager was first a Whig, later a Know-Noth- ing, and finally a Republican, and he always took an active part in political affairs in his county, where he filled the office of constable for many years. Both he and his wife were active and prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and were highly respected by all who knew them. Their ten chil- dren, all born in Gibson township, Susquehanna county, were as follows: (I) Almon was educated in the district schools, and learned the trades of harness maker and carriage trimmer in his youth. He lived for some time in Dundaff, Susquehanna county, later conducted à hotel in Oil City, Penn., and in 1867 moved to Toledo, Ohio, where he studied medicine. being now engaged in practice as a mag- netic healer. He married Mary A, Denman, a native of England, and has four children. (2) Laura A. (deceased) married Harvey Wellman, of Pough- keepsie, N. Y., who was a member of a New York regiment during the Civil war, and died in Union- dale, Susquehanna Co., Penn. (3) Elvira, wife of William Denman, of Scranton, has five children. (4) Urbane learned the shoemaker's trade, which he fol- lowed until enlisting, in Company 1, 56th P. V. I.,

during the Civil war. In 1864 he re-enlisted, in the same company, was mustered out in July, 1865, and after the war located in Uniondale, where he still follows his trade, of harness making. In 1862, at. Ararat, he married Charlotta Bloxham. (5) Guyelma married Orlando Darrow, of Uniondale, who enlisted in the Northern army in February, 1864, and remained in the service until the close of the war. He died in Uniondale in 1895, leaving a wife and one daughter, now the wife of Robert Frink, burgess of New Milford, Penn. (6) Calder died in 1843, aged two years, ten months. (7) Paul R. is the subject proper of these lines. (8) Georgieanna is the wife of Prof. Alfred Larrabee, of Uniondale, who was also a soldier in the Civil war. (9) Webs- ter W. was educated at Wyoming Seminary for the Methodist Episcopal ministry, and, in connection with his ministerial work, now conducts a music store in Baltimore, Md. He married Lillie Burtell, of Wilkes Barre, Penn., and they have three chil- dren. (10) Ann is the wife of Samuel Hultslander, of Binghamton, N. Y .; he, too, was a soldier.

Paul R. Barrager grew to manhood upon the old homestead, and his early education, acquired in the district schools of the neighborhood, was sup- plemented with a course in the academy at Canada Hill, Gibson township. When a young man he learned the harness maker's trade with his brother Almon, and he continued to work at the same until August II, 1862, when he was enrolled among the boys in blue of Company B, 143rd P. V. I., which was known as the "Bucktail" regiment, and was under the command of Col. Dana, of Wilkes Barre, and Lieut .- Col. George E. Hoyt. Mr. Barrager was sworn into the United States service at Camp Luzerne, as a private; was made fourth sergeant in September, 1862; first sergeant in August, 1863; and second lieutenant February 16, 1864. He took part in the battles of Chancellorsville, Bealton Sta- tion, Broad Run, and Gettysburg, where he was wounded and taken prisoner ; however, he was pa- roled, and rejoined his regiment a month later. He participated in the engagement at Hatcher's Run, and the battle of the Wilderness, where he was very seriously wounded, a ball entering the right shoulder and coming out at the left, a distance of fourteen inches. From the battlefield he was taken in an ambulance to Belle Plaine, thirty miles away, thence being transferred to the officers' hospital at Washington, D. C., and later to the officers' hos- pital at Annapolis, Md., where he remained until honorably discharged, on account of disability, in July, 1864.

Returning to his home in Susquehanna county, Mr. Barrager was married there, in 1868, to Miss Mary Conrad, of Gibson, a daughter of George and Betsy Conrad, representatives of one of the old Huguenot families of that town. Mrs. Barrager was born in 1849, in Gibson, where she was reared and educated. Our subject and his wife have two chil- dren: Kenneth W., born in Great Bend in 1875, pursued his studies in high school of Hallstead and

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is a well-educated and promising young man; and Aleeta A., born at the present home of the family in Great Bend township, in 1881, is being educated in the schools of Hallstead and Great Bend.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 260

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