Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 269

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 269
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 269
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 269
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 269

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O. S. KENYON, an old and honored citizen of Liberty township, Susquehanna county, has spent his entire life there, his birth occurring in July, 1823.

Our subject's parents, Rodger and Freelove (Dawley) Kenyon, were born, reared and married in Rhode Island, where they continued to make their home until October, 1822, when they came to Susquehanna county, Penn., and settled on the hill near Lawsville, upon the farm owned by the Cos- griff brothers. From that tract of land the father cleared away the trees, and then converted the wild land into a highly-cultivated farm, on which he erected good and substantial buildings. There he died in 1872, aged eighty-four years, and his wor- thy wife passed away in 1862, aged seventy-four. They were well-known and highly respected. Only

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two of their nine children are now living: Rodger, a resident of Montrose; and O. S., our subject. Those deceased are Sallie, Hannah, James, Free- love, Susan, Annie and Phœbe.

O. S. Kenyon was educated in the schools of Liberty township, and as he was in poor health when a young man he traveled throughout the country with a team, selling dry-goods, tor several years. In 1846 he was united in marriage with Miss Hannah Sherman, a native of Rhode Island, and a daughter of Sheffield L. and Hannah Sher- man. He brought his young wife to his present home in Liberty township, which he had previ- ously purchased, and to its cultivation and general improvement he has since devoted his energies with most gratifying results.

Of the eight children born to our subject and wife, three, Rodger, Edna, and Othenal, died in childhood. The others are as follows: (I) Mary A., born in 1847, has been an invalid from child- hood, and resides at home. (2) Ellen P., born in 1852, married John Adams, of Liberty township, and after his death wedded Isaac Rosa, of New York State. They now make their home in Bing- hamton. (3) Eva J., born in 1854, married Nor- man Van Houten, of Liberty township, and they, too, lived in Binghamton, N. Y., where she died. (4) Cynthia, born in 1866, is the wife of Payson Banker, of Liberty township, where they reside on his farm. Their children are Ina, Eva, Moses G. and Alfred. (5) Lewis B., born in 1870, was edu- cated in the home schools, and in Rhode Island learned the machinist's trade, which he is now fol- lowing in the Jones Scale Works, of Binghamton, New York.

Mr. Kenyon and his son Lewis are both sup- porters of the Prohibition party, and do all in their power to advance its interests and insure its suc- cess. Our subject and his wife are consistent and faithful members of the Baptist Church of Laws- ville, give liberally to its support, and never with- hold their aid from any enterprise calculated to advance the moral or social welfare of their com- munity. By their many deeds of kindness, and charitable acts, they have gained the friendship of all classes, and it is safe to say that no couple in Liberty township are held in higher esteem.

FRED A. OSBORN is one of the prominent men of Harford township, Susquehanna county, where he has been for several years a successful farmer. His keen intelligence has won him respect, and his genial, kindly disposition has attached to him a host of personal friends. He is still in the prime of manhood, having been born December 29, 1852, at Oxford, Chenango county, New York.

Our subject's father, Edward M. Osborn, mar- ried Elsey Permelia Youlin, she being his second wife, and marrying him after the death of her sis- ter, to whom he had been first united. She was born in Chenango county, N. Y., July 3, 1826, and died there November II, 1862, now sleeping in the

beautiful cemetery at Oxford, where her life as a wife and mother was passed. Edward M. Osborn was born June 22, 1816. He was a man of fine physique and resolute will. In 1861 he enlisted in the Union army, and was commissioned second lieu- tenant of Company H, 114th New York Volunteers. After six months' service, however, he was honor- ably discharged, on the score of disability, the result of disease contracted in the miasmatic marshes and swamps of the South. Not long after the death of his second wife he went to Great Bend, Penn., where he married, for his third wife, Miss Sarah B. Miles. He conducted a shoe store there, both making and selling footwear, until 1870, when he moved to Harford, and was so highly es- teemed by his fellow townsmen that for ten years he served as justice of the peace. He died May 27, 1895, at the ripe old age of seventy-nine, and is buried at Harford. He was a devout and con- sistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and his passing away was a cause for public re- gret. No children were born of his first marriage. Fred A., as has been said, was a child of the second wife, whose other children were as follows: Elijah accompanied an army surgeon to the front when but a boy of thirteen years, and became the pet of the regiment, but within a year was attacked with typhoid, and died March 18, 1863; Amelia F. is the widow of C. A. Chant, of Worcester, Mass. ; Charles M. conducts a coffee-roasting plant at Syracuse, N. Y. ; Mary E. married E. W. Miller, a grocer of New York City; Lizzie L. is the wife of F. B. Peck, a hotel keeper and the postmaster at Amherst, Neb. ; Frank E., a machinist, lives at Brooklyn, N. Y .; Lelia B. is married to W. L. Bennett, a mer- chant of Sidney, N. Y. To the third marriage were born six children : Ella B., deceased ; Lulu M., who married Everett Perry, of Susquehanna, Penn .; Edward M., a resident of Philadelphia ; Eugene H., who conducts a barber's establishment at Har- ford; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Harry Hemander, of Susquehanna; and Ray, who is connected with a Toilet Supply Co., at Philadelphia.

Fred A. Osborn married while very young. His life has been one of hard work, but its story is a tale of the success which attends industry, integrity and thrift. On January 28, 1872, before he had reached his majority, he led to the altar Miss Alzada Phillips, who was born December 8, 1846, in Lenox township, daughter of Nelson and Sally A. (Farn- ham) Phillips. Mrs. Osborn's family may be reckoned among the early settlers of Susquehanna. county. Both her parents died in Clifford town- ship, her father (who was a shoemaker) in 1881, at the age of seventy-five, her mother in 1897, at eighty-six. Mrs. Phillips was a member of the Baptist Church. She bore her husband ten chil- dren : Celestia, now deceased, who was the wife of Hiram Dolph ; Owen, who lost his life while gallant- ly fighting in the battle of the Wilderness ; Stephen, a prosperous farmer at Williamsport, Penn. ; George, who lost his life through a railroad accident at Har-

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risburg, while on his way to rejoin his regiment after three years' service ; Mary A., wife of Joshua Vail, of Scranton, Penn .; Hannah, widow of Truman Whipple, of Carbondale; Alzada, Mrs. Osborn ; Juliatte, who became the wife of Charles Gifford, a farmer at Lenox, Penn .; Nelson, a farmer at Elk Hill, in Clifford township; and Elisha P., whose whereabouts are unknown, nothing having been heard of him since he started for the West, many years ago. To Mr. and Mrs. Osborn has been born one son, Nelson E., who resides at home.

Mr. Osborn remained with his parents until he was twelve years of age, when he began the real battle of life. He commenced by working on the farm of William Clark, who paid him the by no means princely compensation of his board and clothes, with the privilege of attending school dur- ing the winter months. He remained with Mr. Clark for three years, when his ( Osborn's) father removed to Tom's River, N. J., taking Fred with him. After a year spent there the boy went to Great Bend, Penn., where he secured work as a farm hand, earning his board and, clothes, with a stipend of eight dollars per month and the same educational privileges as before. He stayed at Great Bend for one year, and then, finding it impossible to collect the pittance due him, he made his way back to his birthplace, Oxford, N. Y., where he re- mained until he was married, then settling at Scrant- on, Penn. Moving to Harford three years later, he spent the next twenty-four months as a cobbler in his father's shop, and then rented a farm, which he cultivated for five years. His next venture was in carpentering, at which he worked, with fairly good success, for some five years. Later he was engaged in the village of Harford two and a half years as clerk for C. H. Johnston, and during the next four years for his successor, E. E. Jones, when he re- ceived the appointment of postmaster under Cleve- land's administration, filling the office for four years. Meantime he engaged in mercantile business for himself, continuing successfully for four years, at the end of which time he disposed of his store and bought the eighty-acre farm on which he now re- sides. He has received many tributes of popular good-will and confidence, having been elected town- ship clerk, and school director for nine years, and having been chosen, in 1898, as one of the executive committee of the Harford Agricultural Society, be- coming one of the executive council of that body, which position he still holds.

Mr. Osborn's political affiliation is with the Democratic party. He is a prominent Odd Fellow, affiliating with Live Oak Lodge No. 635, his mem- bership in the order dating from 1875. Twice he has represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge, and he has served two terms as District Deputy Grand Master in Susquehanna county. He also belongs to G. L. Payne Camp, Sons of Veterans. and served as its chief executive officer during two terms. While his career has not been marked with

startling achievements, it presents a noteworthy ill- ustration of the possibilities afforded by a demo- cratic commonwealth. He has hewed out his own path to success in the face of difficulties which might have overcome weaker men, and stands to-day as one of the best types of the "self-made man."

WILLIAM E. ROSS has passed his life in northeastern Pennsylvania, and is a most pro- gressive and successful farmer.

Mr. Ross was born and reared in Wyoming county, but for twenty-two years has been one of the enterprising residents of Lenox township, Sus- quehanna county. His father was in later life a farmer of Lenox township, and his grandfather, William Ross, was one of the pioneers of Scran- ton, moving from New Jersey, his native State, to the site of that city when it was known as Slocum Hollow. William Ross possessed the true pioneer spirit, and after a residence of some years at Scran- ton, where he was engaged as a charcoal burner, removed to Ohio, where he died. He had married a Miss Osborne, and their family of children were: James, the father of our subject; John; David ; William; Daniel; Samuel; Ącineth, who married John Britian; Polly, who became Mrs. Gay; Mar- garet, wife of John Weis; and Elizabeth, who mar- ried E. Covey.

James Ross, the father of our subject, was born at Scranton, March 2, 1797, was reared in that vil- lage, and, adopting farming as an occupation, lo- cated in Falls township, Wyoming county. In 1877 he removed to Lenox township, where he pur- chased a farm and resided until his death, February 6, 1884, at the ripe old age of eighty-six years. He was twice married. By his first wife, Olive ( Hall), his children were as follows: Gilbert, of Falls township, Wyoming county; James, of Falls township; Christopher, deceased; Durinda, who married Ezra Setzer, of Ransom; Ziba, of Lenox township; John, of Falls township; Sarah, who married George Walters; and Chester, of Clark's Summit. For his second wife James Ross married Catherine Ainey, who was born in Vineland, N. J., in 1818, daughter of William and Hannah ( Craw- ford) Ainey, and widow of Orlando Terpenny. William E., our subject, was the only child born of this marriage.

Our subject was born in Falls township, Wy- oming county, February 1, 1859, received a com- mon-school education, and in 1877 removed with his parents to Lenox township. There he was mar- ried, in 1879, to Miss Ora L. Miller, who was born June 1, 1860, daughter of Douglas and Rebecca ( Ransom) Miller, and granddaughter of William and Almeda ( Lewis) Miller, and of James and Mary (Brundage) Ransom. Douglas Miller, her father, was born in Clifford township, Susque- hanna county, December 29, 1832, her mother in the same township, May 22, 1840; she died Octo- ber 2, 1881. The family of Douglas and Rebecca Miller consisted of the following children: Amnie,

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wife of James E. Severance, of Lenox township; Ora L., wife of our subject ; Elphia, wife of S. Hal- stead, of Lenox; Delphia, wife of William Finn, of Scranton ; Herbert, of Lenox township; and Oscar, of Lenox township. Mrs. Ora L. Ross prior to her marriage was a successful school teacher of Lenox and Greenfield townships.

To our subject and wife have come five chil- dren : Emma, born March 28, 1882; Ruth, in 1885; Shirley in 1887; Lewis, in 1890; and Cleveland, in 1892. Mr. Ross began life for himself on the old homestead in Lenox township. He has a well- improved property of one hundred acres, and en- gages in general and dairy farming, dealing also in horses, especially of the better breeds. Politically he is a Democrat, has served on the election board, and was school director for three years. He is a man of unusual energy and ability, and ranks among the foremost farmers of his township.

SPENCER W. LUCE, a well known and prominent citizen of Liberty township, Susque- hanna county, who is engaged in contracting and building, and also in general farming, was born in that township, in 1837, and is a representative of an old New England family. His grandfather, Israel Luce, was born in Rhode Island, but at an early day removed to Schoharie county, N. Y., where he reared his family of seven children. He was twice married, and by the first union had six children, one of whom was Philo C., father of our subject, while the others were as follows: Sallie, wife of Linas Watrous, who located in Bridgewa- ter township, Susquehanna Co., Penn .; Dimice, who married Anthen Watrous and settled in Conklin, N. Y .; Asa, who married and located in Bridgewater township; Israel, who married Margaret Young, and made his home in Troy, N. Y .; and Warren, who when a young man disappeared while rafting on the river and has never since been heard of.

Philo C. Luce, our subject's father, was born in 1800, in Schoharie county, N. Y., where he was reared and educated. When a young man he came to Susquehanna county, Penn., and here was united in marriage with Miss Roxy Southworth, who was born in Deep River, Conn., in 1809. They began their domestic life in Bridgewater township, where he purchased what is now known as the Joseph Jame- son farm and resided thereon for some years. In 1836 he bought the Howard farm, near Lawsville, Liberty township, which now belongs to our subject. The father cleared the principal part of this farm, erected thereon a good house, barn and other out- buildings, and there continued to reside until called from this life in October, 1882. His first wife had died in 1843, and he had subsequently married Mrs. William Northrup, of Windsor, N. Y. Seven chil- dren were born of the first union, namely: (I) Flora A., born in Bridgewater township, in 1829, married Joseph Bell, a native of Ireland, who died in Liberty township, leaving one daughter, now the

wife of Irvin Ireland, of Liberty township. For her second husband Flora A. married Watson Bai- ley, who died about twenty years ago, leaving a son, Frederick L., a resident of Liberty township. (2) Warren J., born in Bridgewater township, in 1831, married Wealthy Webster, of Liberty town- ship, where he is engaged in farming, and they have three daughters: Mary, wife of Andrew Mitchell; Carrie, wife of Tracy Whitmarsh, of Franklin town- ship, Susquehanna county ; and Cora, wife of Dell Row, of Liberty township. (3) Rebecca, born in 1833, is now the widow of Williston Stanford, of Liberty township, and has three children: Philo E., who is married and lives in Liberty township; Loretta, wife of Edward Fish, of Binghamton, N. Y .; and Albert H., who is married and resides in Binghamton. (4) Israel, born in 1835, enlisted, during the Civil war, in the 44th N. Y. V. I., known as Col. Elsworth's Avengers, and was mustered in at Albany. As a member of the Army of the Po- tomac, he participated in a number of engagements first under Gen. McClellan and later under Gen. Grant, and was in active service for three years. After the war he married Ella Northrup, of Lib- erty township, where they made their home for a short time, and then moved to Susquehanna, Penn., and later to Owego, Tioga Co., N. Y. From there he went to Kansas and later became a resident of Los Angeles, Cal., where his home was twice de- stroyed by floods and he lost everything that he possessed. He is now living in Pasadena, that State. He has one son, Wesley, who is married and lives at that place. (5) Spencer W., our subject, is next in order of birth. (6) Russell F., born in 1839, enlisted, in April, 1861, in the 4th P. V. I., and after serving for one year was taken ill with fever and honorably discharged from the service. He married Kate Kunkle, of Delaware Water Gap, Monroe Co., Penn., and located on his farm in Lib- erty township, Susquehanna county, where he died in June, 1896, leaving a wife and several children, who still reside there. The children born to him were Culver, who married Cora Babbitt, of Bing- hamton, N. Y., where they now reside; Lena, who died when a young lady; Flora, wife of Edward Warner, of Liberty township; Lvdia, who died when a young lady ; and Benjamin, who, in January, 1900, married Daisy Howard ; Asa, who, in August, 1899, married Ida Travis ; Wesley, at home; Katie, who, in May, 1899, wedded Walter Craik; Zela and Ray, at home. (7) Sally, born in Liberty township, in 1841.

Spencer W. Luce acquired his literary educa- tion in the district schools of Liberty township, and when a young man learned the carpenter's trade with his brother-in-law, Mr. Bell. Having thor- oughly mastered that occupation, he commenced contracting and building on his own account in con- nection with his brother Warren, and is to-day one of the leading business men in that line in Liberty township. He has always resided on the old home-

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stead, on which he has made many improvements, including the erection of a modern and comfortable residence.

On July 4, 1863, Mr. Luce married Miss Clara C. Mitchell, of White Hall, on Lake Champlain, Vt., who was born at that place in 1846, a daughter of William Mitchell. She died in 1866, leaving one daughter, Minnie, who is with her father. He was again married in 1867, his second union being with Miss Emily Webster, of Liberty township, a daughter of Joseph and Emily ( Southworth) Web- ster. She departed this life in 1898. By this union Mr. Luce had five children. (I) Wellington H., born in February, 1869, was educated in the Laws- ville schools. He was for some time employed as shipping clerk by the Lester Boot & Shoe Manu- factory, but on account of failing health was obliged to give up that position, and is now working with his father at the carpenter's trade. He was mar- ried, in December, 1886, to Nellie M. Burt, of Broome county, N. Y., a daughter of John and Mary Burt, prominent citizens of that county, and to them have been born five children: Roy, born in Liberty township, in 1889; Spencer, born in Bing- hamton, N. Y., in 1891; and Rita, born in Liberty township, in 1893; Burt, born in the same town- ship, in 1894; and Harry, in 1896. (2) Joseph, born in April, 1871, assists in the operation of the home farm. In 1896 he was united in marriage with Helen Stanford, a daughter of Judson and Olive Stanford, of Liberty township, and they have one son, Ralph H., born in July, 1897. (3) Nel- lie, born in 1874, is the wife of Warren Chandler, of Owego, N. Y., and they have one daughter, Ethel M., born in 1896. (4) Etta A., born in 1877, is a young lady of culture and refinement, and on September 27, 1899, she married Conrad Berg, of Liberty. She received a good classical educa- tion, and has been one of the successful teachers of the county. (5) Jennie, born in 1882, is a bright and attractive girl who is now attending the home schools.

Mr. Luce and his family are active and promi- nent members of the Baptist Church, to which his wife also belonged, and he has served as choir leader in the Church, and as treasurer of the Sab- bath school. He has always been identified with the Republican party, and takes a deep and com- mendable interest in local politics. He has served as school director and treasurer for three years, and as township treasurer for six years, and in all the affairs of life, both public and private, he has been found true to every trust reposed in him, and his duties have been most capably and satisfactorily performed.

JULIUS FREEDMAN, a leading and success- ful business man of Forest City, Susquehanna coun- ty, carries on operations as a general merchant and proprietor of the "Freedman House," a popular hotel containing thirteen rooms, halls for dancing and

holding meetings, and supplied with water and elec- tric light.

Mr. Freedman was born in Austria, nine miles from Vienna, November 21, 1852. His parents, Solomon H. and Anna Rebecca Freedman, are na- tives of Hungary, born near Buda-Pesth, the former June 15, 1816, the latter November 29, 1817. The father is still engaged in the hotel and butcher busi- ness in that country. The children of the family were David, who died in Austria ; Julius, our subject ; Herman and Peppie, who died in Austria; and Benjamin C., a butcher, miller and general merchant of that country. Our subject's paternal grandparents, Mayer and Sarah (Rosenstein) Freedman, spent their entire lives in Austria. The grandfather was engaged in the milling business, and was also a rabbi at Pressburg.

At the age of six years Julius Freedman ac- companied his parents on their removal to Vienna, where he attended school for eight years, and then went to live with his uncle, Moses L. Feldman, while attending a Hungarian school until nineteen years of age. Later he spent three years in the Austrian army, and was bookkeeper for the lumber firm of H. S. Goodman in Hungary for twelve years. He then engaged in the milling business in Hungary, on his own account, but through bad speculation and fire he lost all that he possessed. He also lost 230 pigs, the animals dying within three days.

At Galszecs, Hungary, June 7, 1882, Mr. Freed- man married Miss Lena Heller, and to them have been born the following children : Rosa, Peppie, Tilla (born in Austria ), Samuel H. (born in New York), Sarah, Abraham I., Jennie and Max (born in Forest City ), Mrs. Freedman was born in June, 1862, a daughter of Abraham I. and Esther ( Goldburger) Heller, natives of Hungary, where the father died December 12, 1885, at the age of forty-two years. By occupation he was a farmer. The mother was born in 1844, and came to America in 1886, locating in New York, where she still resides. Their children were Lena, wife of our subject ; Fanny, wife of Emil Cline, a farmer of Hungary ; Max, a general mer- chant of Richmond Hill, Susquehanna county ; Sallie wife of Samuel Lefkowitz, a merchant of Forest City ; and Tille, wife of Lewis Lefkowitz, a brother of Samuel and a butcher of New York City. Mrs. Freedman's paternal grandparents, Martin and Sarah Heller, were farming people of Hungary.

After failing in business Mr. Freedman came to America, in 1886, to try his fortune in the New World, and remained in New York from May 24 until November 15. In order to become familiar with the English language he engaged in peddling goods, and worked at various occupations. In 1888 he removed to Scranton, Penn., and during the time spent at that place was a peddler. On May 30, 1889, he came to Forest City, and opened a general mer- cantile store in company with Emil Feldman, but on the 12th of the following August his partner re-

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tired from the business, and our subject has since been alone. On March 27, 1898, he purchased his present hotel, and has since conducted both enter- prises with marked success. He has steadily pros- pered since coming to this country, and has never yet had occasion to regret his emigration. Through his own unaided efforts he has acquired a comfort- able competence and become one of the leading busi- ness men of his adopted city. He is a Republican in politics, and has served as notary public since December 7. 1898. He belongs to Brith Abraham, No. 447, of Scranton, the Congregation of Israel at that place, and the Universal Workmen and the Masonic Fraternity at Forest City.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 269

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