Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 277

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 277
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 277
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 277
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 277

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In Cornwall, England, Trevenen Mills grew to manhood, and was married in St. Breock parish, January 5, 1852, to Miss Sarah F. Arthur, also a native of Cornwall, born November 15, 1826, a daughter of David and Jane Arthur, who spent their entire lives as farming people in England. Mr. and Mrs. Mills had the following children: Sarah J., born July 23, 1853, is the wife of J. P. H. Raynor, teller in the Miners & Mechanics Bank of Carbon- dale, Penn .; Kate A., wife of our subject, is next in the order of birth; John T., born August 30, 1857, died December 10, 1893, married Clara E. Lewis, of Uniondale; and Emma, born June 20, 1862, is the wife of Clarence W. Pierce, a coal merchant of Ithaca. New York.

The wedding journey of Mr. and Mrs. Mills was a voyage to the United States. They located in Mt. Pleasant township, Wayne Co., Penn., where he worked for a farmer one year, and the following year rented a farm on shares. He then purchased a part of his present farm near Uniondale, paying $1,- 500 for an eighty-five-acre tract. He paid $500 down, and the remainder within nine years, before it was due. He now has a fine farm of 200 acres. He is a Republican in politics, has served as school director nine years, poormaster at intervals for

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

twenty years, and has been a member of the city council since Uniondale was organized with the exception of a few years. He is an active and prominent member of the Presbyterian Church of that place, and has served as elder for several years.

BRUCE B. BUFFUM is a merchant, by edu- cation and by natural inclination. His father built up in Friendsville, Susquehanna county, a most profitable mercantile business, and his trade has been assumed and greatly enlarged by our subject, who ranks as one of the successful and active busi- ness men of Susquehanna county.

Mr. Buffum was born in Friendsville, Decem- ber 25, 1863, son of William and Eliza J. (Rice ) Buffum. His father was born in Apolacon town- ship, Susquehanna county, in 1829, son of Robert and Messina Buffum, who migrated to the township in an early day from Connecticut. Robert Buffum was a tax payer in old Choconut township ( now Apolacon ) in 1815, and his sons David and Charles were tax payers in Apolacon in 1847.

William Buffum had meager educational advan- tages in his youth, and was inured to toil and hard- ships incident to pioneer life. However, he attend- ed during the winter months such schools as were conducted in the locality, and it is not improbable that his mental attainments were stimulated by his marriage to Eliza Rice. She was the daughter of Ezra Rice, one of the first school teachers in For- est Lake township, who was well skilled in mathe- matics and other branches of learning, and one of the finest grammarians in the county; he taught school in all twenty-five years, for a number of winters at his own home, there being no school houses in the vicinity. Eliza Rice, the mother of our subject, was also for a number of years a school teacher, having received a good education from her father.

Soon after his marriage, in 1853, William Buf- fum engaged in mercantile pursuits in Apolacon township in a limited way. About 1857 he removed to Friendsville, where he operated a general store up to the time of his death, in 1881. He was a man of great influence, a Democrat in politics, and a leader in the affairs of that party in Apolacon township. He held many of the local offices and was unusually popular among the people. Frater- nally he was a Free Mason. His estimable wife died at the home of her daughter, in Union, N. Y., in 1898. To William and Eliza Buffum were born six children : Helen, the eldest, died when one year old ; Isabel was first married to George M. Keeler, and subsequently to J. Coughlin; they now reside in Binghamton, N. Y. William died when three years old. Bruce B., our subject, was the fourth child. George L., born in Friendsville in 1866, mar- ried Clara Brister, of Birchardville, where he en- gaged for some time in mercantile business, and he is now proprietor of a creamery at Union Center, Broome Co., N. Y. ; they have two sons-Ira and Allison. Lorena, the youngest, married W. D.

Gould, proprietor of a large creamery at Little Meadows.

Bruce B. Buffman was reared to mercantile life in his father's store, attending school during the winter months. After the death of his father, in 1881, his interests were managed by our subject and his mother until the former attained his ma- jority, in 1884, when he purchased from his mother and the other heirs the entire business, which he has since carried on in his own name. He has pros- pered, conducting the business on sound principles, and he now carries an extensive stock of goods.

Mr. Buffum was married, in September, 1887, to Miss Gussie Doud, who was born in 1862 in Wyoming county, Penn., daughter of Jeremiah and Emeline Doud, pioneers of Susquehanna county, and received a liberal education in the schools of Wyoming and Susquehanna counties. She is one of a family of nine children, three of whom-Milo (a resident of Bloomsburg, N. J.), Jacob (a resi- dent of San Francisco, Cal.) and Gussie-survive. Milo enlisted for service in the Civil war in 1862, becoming a member of Company D, IIth Regiment Penn. Vol. Cav., 2d Brigade, Kautz' Cav. Div., Army of the James, and took part in eight battles : Charles City Cross Roads, October 7; Fair Oaks, October 13; Seven Pines, October 27; New Market Heights, December 10, 1864; Dinwiddie Court House, April 1; Deep Creek, April 6; Amlie Court House, April 6, and Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865. Lorenzo, one of the deceased brothers of Mrs. Buffum, belonged to the same company and regiment, and was in the battles, first and second, on the Weldon railroad, June 16, 1864; on the Wilson Raid, two battles being fought ; and in many other engagements; he died while in the service, of typhoid fever.

The family of our subject and wife consists of four children : William W., born August 25, 1888; Harry H., born November 19, 1892; Charles C., born October 31, 1896, who died August 24, 1899, aged two years and nine months; and Frederick F., born August 2, 1898. Mrs. Buffum is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. Buffum owns a large amount of real estate in the town of Friendsville, as well as farm land in Susquehanna county. For the past three years he has been engaged in buying all kinds of live stock, which he ships to New York and to Newark, N. J. Politically he has always been identified with the Democratic party. He has never aspired to politi- cal preferment, but his name has been carried a number of times by his friends to conventions for various county offices, and on August 23, 1899, at the Democratic convention, he was nominated for the position of county recorder, to which he was elected by a majority of 325, though the county is Republican by 1,500. He is the first Democrat elected to this incumbency since the war, and no further comment on his popularity is necessary. He has capably filled a number of local offices in his town, and is now a member of the school board.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Mr. Buffum is recognized as one of the leading business men in his section of the county, and his reputation is that of an upright and honorable citi- zen. His dealings with his fellow men have ever been characterized by fairness, and he holds the high respect and esteem of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.

THOMAS KNAPP, a prominent citizen of Preston township, and an honored veteran of the Civil war, has spent his entire life in Wayne county, his birth occurring in Starrucca, May 26, 1841. His parents, William and Julia ( Hine) Knapp, had three sons who responded to their country's call for aid during the dark days of the Rebellion, the others being Ira, who was killed in front of Petersburg; and John, who was wounded in the service.

In 1861 Thomas Knapp enlisted in Capt. Oliver Mumford's Company, which was raised in Star- rucca and vicinity, and became a part of the 56th P. V. I. In three different battles he was wounded, once in the right shoulder, and at another time was taken prisoner by the Rebels, who at the end of the first week of captivity took him to Columbia, S. C. From there he was sent to Annapolis, Md., and after being paroled rejoined his regiment. He partici- pated in the battles of Rappahannock Station, Sul- phur Springs, Gainesville, Groveton, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam (first and second), Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, the seven-days fight, and other engagements in which his regiment took part. Col. Osborn and other comrades speak in the highest terms of praise of his bravery and valor on the battlefield.

At the age of twenty-five years Mr. Knapp mar- ried Mrs. M. C. Thurston, widow of Henry Thurs- ton, who died in the service of his country, leaving one son, Frank. To this union were born two chil- dren : Jennie, now the wife of Howard Wolfe, of Scranton, Penn .; and Frederick D., of Preston. After the death of the mother of these children, Mr. Knapp married Miss Phebe Carpenter, a daughter of John Carpenter, a soldier of the war of 1812, and by this union Mr. Knapp also has two children.

Although our subject still suffers from the wounds received in the army, he is always cheerful, and his genial, pleasant disposition wins for him the friendship of all who know him. He is a promin- ent member of Capt. Oliver Mumford Post, No. 373, G. A. R., of Starrucca, and in politics is an ardent Republican.

NAAMAN M. TINGLEY, the genial proprie- tor of the hotel at Hopbottom, and one of its most estimable citizens, is a representative of one of the oldest and best known families of Susquehanna county. His great-grandfather, Elkana Tingley, was born in 1760, son of Thomas and Martha Ting- ley, and migrated with his family in 1795 from Attleboro, Mass., locating on 200 acres of land in Harford township, adjoining the Nine Partners 75

settlement. He died in 1838. His eldest son, Darius Tingley, grandfather of our subject, mar- ried Miss Sabra Yoemans, and settled on fifty acres of the homestead, to which he afterward made large additions, becoming a prominent general farmer of Harford township. He died in 1839, leaving a family of nine children: Calista, who married Luke Bennett, of Lenox township; Naaman, of Harford township; Philena, wife of Hazard Powers, of Gib- son; Freeman, of Harford; Truman, of Harford; Almon, father of our subject, born May 2, 1814; Melia, wife of Rufus Russell, of Tunkhannock; Sabra C., wife of Timothy Carpenter, of South Gib- son; and Sally Charlotte, wife of Joseph Oakley, of Brooklyn.

Almon Tingley married Mary E. Scovell, who was born in Harford township in 1815. He be- came an extensive farmer of Harford township, owning a farm of 200 acres. In politics he was a Democrat. He died April 20, 1894, when nearly eighty years of age. To Almon and Mary Tingley were born eight children, namely: Rosalia, who married Wesley Reese, of Hopbottom, and is now deceased; Scovell, who lived at Unadilla, N. Y., and is now deceased; Naaman M., subject of this sketch ; Stephen, a merchant of Great Bend; D. D., who for many years conducted a hotel in New York State, and now resides at Hopbottom; James C., a farmer of Nicholson, Penn .; Alice, wife of Edgar Van Loan, of Harford; and Mary Eugenia, who died at the age of seven years.

Our subject was born in Harford township February 5, 1841, was reared in that township, and received a good common-school education, remain- ing at home until he was twenty-one years of age, when he began farming for himself. He was mar- ried, in Lenox township, April 1, 1870, to Caroline Van Loan, daughter of John and Polly Van Loan, of New York, and their family consists of two chil- dren-Rosalia, born June 13, 1875, and Rual D., born December 25, 1880. In 1880 our subject pur- chased a well-improved farm of thirty-six acres in Lenox township, where he lived for five years, en- gaged in general farming. He was then employed for three years on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad. In 1898 he removed to Hopbot- tom, renting of Mr. Tennet, of Clark's Summit, Lackawanna Co., Penn., the hotel in that village, where he has been favored with a liberal patronage, possessing as he does those admirable and genial traits which to the hotel proprietor are almost in- valuable. He is also engaged in the livery business. In politics he is a Democrat. He is a member of Harford Lodge No. 635, I. O. O. F., and has also been a prominent member of the local Grange.

AMASA ROBERTS, a wide-awake and ener- getic farmer of Bridgewater township, has spent his entire life in Susquehanna county, his birth oc- curring in Dimock township, October II, 1847. He is a representative of one of its honored pioneer

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

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families, his grandfather, Horatio Roberts, having located in Dimock township when this region was al- most a vast wilderness and was the haunt of many wild beasts. In the midst of the forest he cleared and developed a farm which became the homestead of the family. He was born in one of the New Eng- land States, and married a Miss Wells, by whom he had six children, namely: Sallie, Charles, Ada- line Eliza, Horace and William.

Charles Roberts, father of our subject, was born on the old homestead in Dimock township, and was there reared to habits of honesty, industry and thrift. He assisted his father in clearing the land and placing it under cultivation, and after his mar- riage came into possession of part of the farm, on which he and his wife made their home until called to their final rest. Politically he was first a Whig and later a Republican, and he always took an act- ive and commendable interest in all matters per- taining to the welfare of his community and the country at large. In early life he married Miss Nancy Shelp, of Jessup township, Susquehanna county, a daughter of Nathaniel Shelp, who was a native of Connecticut. Five children were born of this union, of whom Amasa is the eldest; Arletta is the wife of Canfield Estus, of Jessup township; Cyrus is a resident of Rush township, Susque- hanna county ; Frederick lives in Bridgewater town- ship; and Alice, deceased, was the wife of Henry Quick. The father of these children died at the age of forty-eight years, the mother at the age of fifty-eight, honored and respected by all who knew them.

In much the usual manner of farmer boys of his day Amasa Roberts spent his early life, receiv- ing a fair education in the common schools of the county. On January 24. 1871, he was united in marriage with Miss Amelia F. Stone, of Bridgewa- ter township, whose parents, Apollo and Lavina (Root) Stone, made their home in Montrose; they were earnest, consistent Christian people. Their family numbered three children: Harry, a resident of Bridgewater, Penn. ; Amelia, wife of our subject ; and Harmon, a resident of Montrose. Our subject and his wife have one son, Charles, who was born September 3, 1871, educated in the common schools, and on December 24, 1892, married Lovina Lina- berry, a daughter of Alfred and Sarah C. (Lott) Linaberry, of Rush township. He was elected tax collector in that township in 1897, to serve six years, and is now acceptably filling the office of con- stable, to which he has been elected for six years. For three years he was a member of Company G, 13th N. G. P., and was on duty during the Home- stead riots. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts have an adopted daughter, Eva K., who is a daughter of his sister, Alice A. Quick

After his marriage Mr. Roberts located in the southern part of Bridgewater township, where in 1893 he purchased his present farm, known as the Montrose and Bridgewater asylum farm. It is

pleasantly located two and one-half miles from Montrose, and contains 127 acres of well-improved and highly-cultivated land. There is a good frame residence upon the place, substantial barns and out- buildings, together with all the other accessories and conveniences found upon a model nineteenth century farm. Here Mr. Roberts is engaged in general farming and dairying, and is meeting with a well- merited success in his undertakings. As the eldest child, when his father died it became his duty to look after the mother and younger children, which he cheerfully did. In his political affiliations he is a Republican, and he is now filling the office of su- pervisor of his township, which he has held for two terms, with credit to himself and to the entire satis- faction of the public.

CHARLES G. WIRTH. Our German-born citizens are usually models of thrift and enterprise, and the subject of this sketch, a well-known agri- culturist of New Milford township, Susquehanna county, is an excellent example, his fine farm near New Milford village having been acquired through his own industry and careful management. It is beautifully located on a hill, commanding a charm- ing view, and contains 133 acres of land, all well adapted to general farming.

Mr. Wirth was born September 12, 1855, in Baden, Germany, where his ancestors in both lines have resided for many generations. Jacob Wirth, his father, was a farmer in Baden, where he died in 1870, aged forty-four years. His first wife, Cath- erine (Lights), our subject's mother, died in 1857, aged twenty-four, and he then married her sister Elizabeth. By the first marriage he had three chil- dren : Elizabeth, who married Jacob Fogle, a butch- er, and died in Carlsruhe, Germany, in 1898: Jacob, who died at the age of seven years ; and Charles G., our subject. There were also three children by the second union, namely: Barbara (wife of Charles Reinholz), Frederick (a baker by trade), and Ja- cob, all now living in Germany.

Our subject was seventeen and one-half years old when he left home to come to America, and he had no capital except his ability and energy. The ocean voyage lasted thirteen days, and the ship he came in recently sank with about 1,300 people on board. On landing in New York Mr. Wirth spent a short time in looking at points of interest, and then went to Newark, N. J., to take a position as a clerk in a grocery store for an uncle, Charles. Wirth. Finding the business too confining, he gave it up after three months, and came to Susquehanna county, finding employment on the farm of Freder- ick Miller, of Brooklyn township, with whom he remained six months, receiving $10 per month. Realizing the value of an education, he attended school during the following winter, and for four years he was employed eight months in the year by different farmers, spending the winter season in school. During the second year he worked for

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

James Sterling (now deceased), and he then spent one season with Daniel Westbrook, two with Fred- erick Jewett, one with Nathan Jewett, a broth- er, and one with William Curtis. He continued to work as a farm laborer until 1880, when he pur- chased sixty acres of his present homestead, his subsequent additions being made as his means would allow. He carries on general farming, and is also engaged to some extent in dairying, of which he makes a success. He is a Republican in pol- itics, and for the past six years has held the office of township auditor. His influence can be relied upon in aid of any progressive movement, and he is especially interested in educational affairs. In October, 1877, Mr. Wirth made a visit to his old home and friends in Germany, returning the fol- lowing January.

On March 18, 1880, our subject was married, at New Milford, to Miss Eliza G. Warner, and three children have blessed the union, viz .: Jen- nie K., born January 27, 1881 ; George P., born July 20, 1884; and Louise M., born July 11, 1893. The family attend the Baptist Church, but Mr. Wirth is a member of the Lutheran Church, although no society of that denomination exists in his vicinity.

Mrs. Eliza (Warner) Wirth is a member of a well-known pioneer family, her paternal grandpar- ents, Timothy and Lydia (Platt) Warner, having came from Connecticut at an early day, to set- tle upon a farm in Bridgewater township, Susque- hanna county. Her father, Ansel Warner, was a prominent farmer there for many years, but his last days were spent in retirement at the home of our subject, his death occurring March 21, 1893, at the age of sixty-five. He married Miss Mary J. Cook, a native of New York State, and a daugh- ter of Harry Cook (who settled some years later in Jackson township, Susquehanna county) and his wife, Eliza Grover, who died in New York State. Mrs. Mary Warner was a devout member of the Methodist Church; her death occurred in Brook- lyn township, Susquehanna county, October 7, 1889, when she was aged fifty-five years and ten months. She was buried in a cemetery in that township, where her husband's remains were also taken for interment. Mrs. Wirth, who was born August 26, 1854, in Bridgewater township, was the eldest in a family of four children, the others being: Lillice E., wife of Bennett Freeman, a farmer in Bridge- water township; Edison M., who died October 12, 1887 ; and Gordon D., a resident of Scranton, Penn- sylvania.

RALPH F. HOWARD is one of the prominent and representative citizens of Thompson, and is now acceptably serving as justice of the peace in that village. He takes quite an active and influential part in political affairs, and whether in public or private life, he is always a courteous, genial gentle- man, well deserving the high regard in which he is held.

Mr. Howard was born in Monroe county, N. Y., April 10, 1846, a son of Francis and Emma ( Mosher) Howard, also natives of the Empire State, the former born in Monroe county, in 1815, the latter in Oswego county, N. Y., in 1826. The father was descended from an old New England family and was a son of Noah Howard, who lived in Vermont and died in young manhood. In his family were seven children: Francis, Noah, Fred- rick, Angeline, Adaline, Jane and Alice. Francis was a well educated man and for many years a promi- nent teacher and professor in the higher graded schools. He also served as county superintendent of schools in Monroe county, N. Y., for one term. He died at the age of forty years, leaving a wife and five children, all of whom were born in Mon- roe county, N. Y. They were as follows: (I) Frederick, who is engaged in putting down artesian wells, married a Miss McCullom, of Michigan, where they now reside, and they have five children --- Bert, Frank, Nina, Ernest and Daisy. (2) Wal- lace, a sailor on the ocean, was in California when last heard from, ten years ago. (3) Helen mår- ried E. Hartshorn, of Monroe county N. Y., where she died. (4) Mary married S. O. Shoemaker, of Chenango county, N. Y., who is now engaged in business as an electrician in Waverly, that State, and they have three sons-Lewis, Fred and Frank.

Ralph F. Howard, who completes the family, passed the first seventeen years of his life in his native county, principally as a student in the com- mon schools. He then entered the Union army as a member of Battery F, 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, under Capt. John A. Blake and Col. Joseph Roberts. The regiment being assigned to the Army of the James, he participated in the sieges of Suffolk and Smithfield, but was on de- tached duty most of the time. In October, 1864, he was attached to Company C, 188th P. V. I., un- der Capt. Lewis Ull, and his first engagement after joining that command was the battle at Chapman farm. He was then on picket duty at that place until March, 1865, when the regiment marched to Fredericksburg and with their brigade took part in a battle before Richmond. They were also in a number of skirmishes and were on provost duty after Lee's surrender until June, 1865. The regiment guarded Jefferson Davis and other Rebel prisoners after the close of the war, remaining at Camp Ham- ilton until September, when our subject was as- signed to Company F, which was detailed to take charge of the freedman's bureau, and were stationed most of the time at Yorktown. They were mus- tered out at Fortress Monroe, November 9, 1865.

After the war Mr. Howard came to Waymart, Wayne Co., Penn., where he learned the wagon- maker's trade, and continued to work at the same at that place until 1869, when he removed to Star- rucca, the same county. Later he worked at his trade in different parts of Pennsylvania and New York for some time. In 1876 he married Miss

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Amanda Brown, a daughter of Elisha and Maria Brown, who belonged to prominent pioneer fam- ilies of Jackson, Susquehanna county. She was born in 1846, was educated in the graded schools of Wayne county, and for twenty-seven terms suc- cessfully engaged in teaching in the district schools. By her marriage to our subject she has become the mother of one daughter, Estelle, born in Jackson, in November, 1879. She attended the graded schools of Thompson and Starrucca, where she was graduated, and is now a student at Wyoming Sem- inary, Kingston, Penn., and she is a young lady of culture and refinement, quite popular in social circles.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 277

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