Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 278

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 278
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 278
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 278
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 278

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Mr. and Mrs. Howard commenced married life in Jackson, where they continued to make their home until 1882, our subject being engaged in agri- cultural pursuits. In that year they removed to Starrucca, where he worked at his trade and also followed farming until coming to Thompson in 1894. For a year and a half he was engaged in mercantile trade as a member of the firm of Under- wood & Howard, but at the end of that time sold his interest in the business in order to give his en- tire time and attention to his official duties, having been elected councilman and collector of the bor- ough. He is still filling those offices in a most cred- itable and satisfactory manner, and since 1898 has also served as justice of the peace and school di- rector. He is also mercantile appraiser for Susque- hanna county. In business affairs he has met with well deserved success and is the owner of consider- able property. In 1896 he purchased the Searle home in Thompson, one of the handsome and pala- tial homes of that town, and also owns real estate in Starrucca and Susquehanna. Politically he is a pronounced Republican, and socially is a member of Freedom Lodge, F. & A. M., of Jackson. He and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church of Thompson, and are charitable and benevolent, the poor and needy always finding in them a friend. Pleasant and genial at all times, Mr. Howard has become one of the most popular and prominent men of his town.

J. PARKER DEVINE. Among the promi- nent and influential citizens of Rush township, Sus- quehanna county, there is probably none who en- joys in a greater degree the esteem and confidence of his fellow men than the gentleman whose name introduces this article.

Mr. Devine was born on a farm adjoining that on which he now resides, March 19, 1829, a son of George and Susan (Haverly) Devine, the former a native of Schoharie county, N. Y., the latter also born in that State. They became acquainted and were married in Susquehanna county, Penn., where they continued to make their home throughout the remain der of their lives. The father was a farmer by occupation. He served as a private in the war of 1812. He died in March, 1882, aged eighty-

seven years, his wife in November, 1847, aged fifty- two years. Their children were Mary A., deceased wife of Daniel Seely ; Daniel H., deceased, who mar- ried Eliza Lott; Sally, widow of Smith James, a farmer of Rush township; John, deceased, who first married Lucy White, and second Hulda White; J. Parker, our subject; Norman, a farmer of Forest Lake township, Susquehanna county, who married Betsy A. Carter ; and George W., a farmer of Rush township, who married Adeline Whittaker. Our subject's paternal grandparents were Michael and Polly Devine, who were born, reared and married in New York State, and came to Susquehanna county about 1829, a few years after their son George located here. The grandfather died in 1832, at an advanced age. His children were William, Jacob, George ( father of our subject), Hiram, John, Henry, Samuel, and Polly (who first married a Mr. Fryer, and second a Mr. Spearback).

Until attaining his majority J. Parker Devine remained under the parental roof, and then started out in life for himself as an agriculturist, to which pursuit he had been reared. He purchased his pres- ent farm, comprising 130 acres, which he has since placed under a high state of cultivation and suc- cessfully operated. He has prospered in his chosen calling, and is now one of the well-to-do and sub- stantial citizens of his community. He has been honored with a number of official positions of trust and responsibility, having served as auditor, three years ; assessor, four years ; and school director and supervisor, three years each. In political sentiment he is a Republican, and in his Church relations is a member of the Methodist Episcopal denomination.

In 1850 Mr. Devine was married, in Rush, to Miss Hannah Deuel, a native of Forest Lake town- ship, Susquehanna county, who died February 24, 1861, at the age of twenty-eight years. Her par- ents, Ira and Sophia (Stoddard) Deuel, were born, reared and married in Cambridge, N. Y., and in an early day came to Susquehanna county, where they spent their remaining days. By this marriage our subject had two children: Elizabeth, now the wife of William Tupper, an auctioneer of Woodbine, Iowa; and George, a speculator of Wayne, Ne- braska.

Mr. Devine was again married, at Springville, Susquehanna county, August 30, 1862, his second union being with Miss Mary Terry, and to them have been born four children, namely: Emma, now the wife of Jesse Edwards, a farmer of Forest Lake township; John, a farmer of Rush township, who married Blennie Abbot; Sarah, wife of Calvin Kin- ney, a farmer of Forest Lake township, Susquehanna county ; and Olin, who married Edith Warner, and lives on the home farm with our subject. Mrs. Devine was born in Rush township, December 16, 1845, a daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Deuel) Terry, natives of Rush and Forest Lake townships, respectively. The father spent his entire life upon one farm, was a man of prominence in the com-

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munity, and held a number of township offices. He died in February, 1898, aged eighty-two years, the mother April 5, 1898, aged seventy-five, and both were laid to rest in Snyder's cemetery, Rush town- ship. They held membership in the Methodist Epis- copal Church. Their children were Mary, wife of our subject; William, who married Elizabeth Mil- lard, and is engaged in farming in Brooklyn town- ship, Susquehanna county ; and Daniel, who mar- ried Mamie Dewers, and lives on the old home- stead. Mrs. Devine's paternal grandparents were Ichabod and Lucy ( Metcalf) Terry.

LINFORD MARSH (deceased). Few men in Stroudsburg have enjoyed the popularity which brightened the pathway of this in his lifetime ex- cellent citizen, who was serving as tax collector of that borough at the time of his decease. Although he was a stanch Democrat, and the town is as strongly Republican, his majority at the last election exceeded the entire number of votes cast for his op- ponent, and at different times he was elected to im- portant offices in the city and county. At one time he ranked among the wealthy men of his locality; and while much of his fortune had been lost, through no fault of his own, his influence, which was founded upon his sterling qualities of character, was undiminished.

Mr. Marsh came of a good old Pennsylvania family, in which the German language is commonly spoken even down to this day, and was of German descent. Abraham Marsh, the grandfather of our subject, settled at an early day in Northampton county, where he died aged between eighty and ninety years. His first wife died leaving the fol- lowing children: Isaac, Abraham, John, George, Sally and Catherine. By a second marriage there were two children: Samuel, a resident of Strouds- burg ; Anne, deceased.

Isaac Marsh, our subject's father, was born about 1795, at the old homestead in Northampton county, now a portion of Monroe county. He be- came the owner of a large farm in that section, and for many years conducted a blacksmith shop at the neighboring village of Kellersville. He established a foundry for the manufacture of plows and mill gearing, and as there were few factories of any sort his work as a blacksmith included many things not now usually included in that trade. He made a specialty of the manufacture of edge tools, and the various departments of his shop kept three fur- naces constantly in use. In early life he was a Democrat, but he became an admirer of Horace Greeley, and finally joined the Republicans. Dur- ing the Know-Nothing movement he affiliated with that party. Until his marriage he was connected with the Reformed Church, but later he united with the Methodist Church, to which his wife belonged. He died in the spring of 1863, and his wife, Mary C. Williams, who was also born in what is now Monroe county, died at the age of seventy-six.

They had twelve children: Sally (deceased), for- merly the wife of George Rafe; Susan, widow of Joseph Fenner ; John ( deceased) ; Linford, our sub- ject (deceased) ; Rosanna, who married James Mil- ler (now deceased) ; Mary Ann, who married Reu- ben Russell; Amos, a resident of Carbon county, Penn .; Catherine, deceased wife of Edward Stof- lert; Sophia (deceased), who married George Stucker ; Isaac (deceased) ; and Joseph and Jerome, both of whom died in infancy.

Our subject was born December 12, 1822, in Hamilton township, Monroe county (then North- ampton). The subscription schools of that day afforded him his only educational opportunities, and as a young boy he assisted his father on the farm and in the blacksmith shop. As he grew older he was employed in hauling lumber from a tract of land belonging to his father, and at the age of six- teen he began working in the foundry, where he spent seven or eight years. In the meantime his brother John had engaged in mercantile business at Fennersville, now Sciota, and our subject after clerking for him one winter formed a partnership in 1847. About 1850 he was appointed postmaster there, and he continued in business until 1859, when he sold out and invested in land. He had previously been interested in real-estate transactions, and in 1856 he went up the Lehigh river to Luzerne county and gave to Jay Gould sixty acres of land at the site of the present town of Gouldsboro. Mr. Marsh was always a stanch Democrat, and in 1860 was ap- pointed, under President Buchanan's administration, to the office of marshal, his special duty being to take the census of Monroe county. In 1862 he was elected sheriff, and after serving one term he took charge of "Hotel Burnett," at Stroudsburg, which he conducted five years, making it headquarters for the local Democracy. He built a large brick house at considerable cost and, a panic arising, he sustained a serious loss. For a time he was connected with the Stroudsburg Bank as a director, and in 1875 was elected county treasurer, a position which he held one term. In 1880 he engaged in mercantile business which he carried on successfully for eight years, but then met with severe reverses on ac- count of some notes which he had indorsed for other parties who left them for him to pay. About 1888 he was elected tax collector for the borough, and held that office continuously, the crying of all land tax sales being among his duties. For six years, till 1898, he served as jury commissioner's clerk. Mr. Marsh married Miss Catherine Ann Weiss, who was born in Monroe county in 1827, and they have had two sons: Milton, deceased ; and Howard W., who resides at home. Mr. Marsh, as is his widow, was a member of the Reformed Church, and always took much interest in religious work. He died February 4, 1899, and the large attend- ance at the funeral testified to the esteem in which he was held by his fellow citizens; the majority of the stores in the town were closed during the serv-

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ices. Mr. Marsh was a member of the Royal Arca- num and the Masonic Fraternity, and after leaving the house Barger Lodge, F. & A. M., took charge, many members of that body following the remains to their last resting place, in Stroudsburg cemetery.

LEVI F. BENNETT, an enterprising and suc- cessful agriculturist of Gibson township, Susque- hanna county, is a representative of a well-known family of that locality, born March 4, 1832, in Clif- ford township, Susquehanna county, son of James Bennett.

Our subject remained with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-three, when he engaged in farming on his own account in Herrick town- ship, Susquehanna county. At the age of thirty- five he returned to the old homestead, which he has continued to operate, and in 1896 he purchased the place from his father. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and as a citizen he is held in high es- teem. On July 22, 1854, he married Miss Julia M. Coon, and they have had seven children : (I) James, born August 26, 1855, died December 20, 1886. (2) Charles, born April 13, 1859, married Julia Hayden, and resides in Uniondale, Penn. (3) Almirian, born in 1861, died when three years of age. (4) Ann, born in August, 1863, died when eight or nine years of age. (5) Nora, born Feb- ruary 4, 1865, married Frank Coil, and died August 25, 1886. (6) Jerry E., born April 22, 1874, re- sides at the old homestead. He married, June 19, 1895, Miss Libbie Young, and has one son, Leon N. (7) Mary, twin of Jerry, married Bruce Belcher, a farmer of Lenox township, Susquehanna county, and has two children, Wiles E. and Ella E.

Mrs. Julia M. Bennett is a member of a well- known family, and was born January 5, 1835, in Herrick township, Susquehanna county. Her par- ents, Sylvester and Juliann (Dart) Coon, were na- tives of Roxbury, Conn., and came to Susquehanna county at an early day to engage in agriculture, locating first in Herrick township, and later in Gib- son township. The mother died there in 1859, aged fifty-four years, and in 1870 the father went to Illinois, where he died aged about sixty-four years. They had the following children: Spencer, a re- tired wheelwright, residing in Iowa; Abraham, who died in Binghamton, N. Y. ; Candace, who married William Maxson, and died in Kansas; George, who died in Kansas ; Harriet, who married Charles Halstead, a carpenter at Scranton, Penn .; Julia M., wife of our subject : Nelson, a dealer in musical in- struments, residing in Wisconsin; and Emily, who married Jerrard Tiffany, and died in Lenox town- ship, Susquehanna county.

THE YOUNG FAMILY became identified with this section at an early day, and its members have ranked among the best and most respected citizens. Benjamin C. and Jane A. (Baker) Young were na- tives of Connecticut, whence in an early day they came to Susquehanna county. Benjamin C. Young

was born October 24, 1815, and died at Nashville, Penn., February 9, 1865; his wife passed away at Harford, Penn., August 5, 1896. She was a daugh- ter of Joshua and Betsey Baker, the former born May 24, 1785, died November 12, 1872, and the latter born in June, 1782, died April 28, 1860. They were married December 25, 1803, and were the par- ents of a numerous family, all born in Connecticut, and all now deceased except Esther and Joshua. Their names and dates of birth are as follows: Dan- iel, September 18, 1804; Mary Ann, November 6, 1808; Reuben, November 4, 1811 ; Jane A., July 28, 1814; Orin, March 17, 1817; Esther, February 4, 1819; Margaret, November 4, 1821 ; Lewis, May 3, 1824 ; Anna, May 7, 1828 ; and Joshua, February 27, 1830.

On July 10, 1842, Jane A. Baker was married to Benjamin C. Young, and they had a family of six children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: James L., January 9, 1845; W. H., August 27, 1847; George C., October 3, 1849 (sketch of whom follows) ; Betsy Jane, April 18, 1852; Francis G., January 1, 1855; and Mary E., June 17, 1858-all born in Susquehanna county, Penn. Of these, W. H. married Addie R. Mattes, March 27, 1873, and they had two children, James B., born May 19, 1874; and Walter W., born Sep- tember 13, 1877. Frances G. was married May 5, 1877, to Ernest W. Harding, and they have one child, Emily J., born July 31, 1879.

George C. Young was born in Susquehanna county, October 3, 1849, and became a farmer and carpenter by occupation. He died in Lenox town- ship, Susquehanna county, April 7, 1890, aged thirty-nine years, his remains being buried in the cemetery at South Gibson. On December 1, 1874, he married Emma Bartholomew, who was born May 8, 1854, in Liberty, N. Y., and died September 15, 1887. Her father, George Bartholomew, was born in New York State, December 9, 1813, and was married April 7, 1853, at Callicoon, N. Y., to Re- becca Sparks, a native of that town, born July 29, 1829. Both died in Liberty, N. Y., the father in March, 1897, and the mother on March 24, 1892. George C. and Emma Young had four children : (I) Libbie T., born April 22, 1876, in Lenox township, was married June 19, 1895, to Jerry E. Bennett, a farmer near South Gibson, and they have one son, Leon N. (2) Vida J., born June 25, 1877, taught school in Texas, and on January I, 1900, married Charles T. Heisig, of Beaumont, Texas, where they reside. (3) Ernest E., born April 28, 1880, is a farmer in Clifford township, Susquehanna county. On March 7, 1900, he mar- ried Miss Alice Michael, and they reside at Welsh Hill, Susquehanna county. (4) Miss Grace, born July 22, 1883, is in Texas.

M. B. BELCHER, a leading contractor and builder of Susquehanna, and a representative of one of the oldest and most prominent pioneer families

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of Susquehanna county, was born in Gibson town- ship, that county, in May, 1830, a son of Hiram and Marinda ( Parmenter ) Belcher. His father was born in the same township, in 1791, and was a son of John and Sallie Belcher, natives of Vermont, who were among the first German families to locate here, taking up their residence in Gibson township in the latter part of the eighteenth century, when that sec- tion was almost an unbroken wilderness. They had to coral their stock to keep them from the wild ani- mals, and from his cabin door the grandfather once killed fourteen bears at one time. He cleared and improved a large farm, and became quite well- to-do. By his first marriage he had several children, of whom cur subject's father was one. He left one son by his second union, William, who has been a school teacher at Factoryville, Penn., for a great many years.

Hiram Belcher, father of our subject, received a limited common-school education. After his mar- riage he bought a tract of wild land in Gibson town- ship which he cleared and transformed into a fine farm, on which he spent his last days, dying there in 1863. He left a wife and the following chil- dren: (1) Byron ran away from home when a young man and went to California, where he has become quite prosperous. (2) M. B., our subject, is next in the order of birth. (3) Houston mar- ried Sallie Davis, of Wisconsin, and is now a well- to-do and successful lumberman of that State. (4) Alvira is the wife of George Fitch, of Wisconsin, and has one daughter, Emma. (5) Lisetta is the wife of Dr. Russell, of Humboldt county, Iowa, and has three children, Herman, Luella and Murry. (6) Exavier was a soldier from Wisconsin during the Civil war, and was with Sherman on his famous march to the sea. Later he removed to Humboldt county, lowa, where he owns a fine home, and is now engaged in business. He married a lady of that county, and has two children, Webster and Cora. (7) Harriet is the wife of Thomas King- ley, who is employed in the railroad shops at Sus- quehanna, and they have one son, Herman.

The subject of this sketch was reared on the home farm, and early became familiar with all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist. In 1860 he commenced learning the carpenter's trade, which he now successfully follows as a con- tractor and builder in Susquehanna. He has also been in the employ of the Erie Railroad Co., and was general manager of their work in his line. In 1864 he purchased property in Susquehanna and erected thereon a very pleasant home. He aiso owns considerable real estate in the town, and has several good farms located in Windsor, N. Y., and in Susquehanna county. He is an upright, reliable business man, who carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes, and he has steadily prospered, so that he is now one of the most substantial citizens of the place.

Mr. Belcher wedded Miss Mary -, of

Gibson township, and they began their domestic life on a farm in Thompson township, where she (lied, leaving two daughters: Eva, who is now the wife of Leroy Barnes, of Jackson, and has one daughter, Lulu; and Emma, wife of E. M. Pickren, of Gloversville, N. Y., by whom she has four sons, Clarence, Clayton, Harry and Kenneth. Our sub- ject's second union was with Sarah J. Bartlett, a daughter of William Bartlett, a prominent citizen of Jackson township, and to them have been born three children: Charles William, born in Susque- hanna, received a good education in the high schools of Susquehanna, and is now a mechanic in the Erie railroad shops there; Metta Katherine, born in Jackson township, and Mary are well-educated young ladies, who attended the graded schools of Susquehanna, and are now at home.

In 1897 Mr. Belcher traveled quite extensively over the western States, and visited brothers and sisters whom he had not seen for thirty-five years. He casts his ballot with the Republican party, and uses his influence to advance its interests, and for two terms he was an active and prominent member of the town council. He was reared in the Method- ist Episcopal Church, of which his parents were earnest and consistent members, and although he is not connected with the same he gives liberally to its support. In business and social circles he stands deservedly high, and merits and receives the highest respect and esteem of his fellow citizens.

OLIVER H. ALLARD, one of the best and most honored citizens of Liberty township, Sus- quehanna county, and a valiant defender of the Union during the dark days of the Rebellion, is a native of the county where he still continues to reside, his birth occurring in Franklin township, in 1827.

Our subject's parents were Jacob and Edith (Bailey) Allard. The father was born in Con- necticut in 1807, a son of Jacob and Ruth Allard, who came to Lawsville, Susquehanna Co., Penn., in 1814, being among the first settlers of that lo- cality. The grandfather cleared and improved a farm near Lawsville, on which he spent his remain- ing days. (I) Jacob was the eldest of his four children. (2) Matilda married Orin Lester, and located on a farm near Montrose, where they reared their family. (3) Henry married Rosa Newton, and made his home in Broome county, N. Y. He died during the Civil war, while en- gaged in building pontoon bridges for the govern- ment, and he left four children-Andrew, James, Mary and Laura. (4) Malinda married John Welch, a farmer of Franklin township, Susque- hanna county, and they died leaving three chil- dren-Laura, now the wife of a Mr. Hollenbeck, of Iowa; Allen, who is married, and lives in Mont- rose, Penn .; and Charles, who resides on the old homestead in Franklin township.

After his marriage the father of our subject purchased land in Franklin township, and to its

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development and cultivation devoted his energies until called from this life, in 1835, when our sub- ject was only eight years old. He left four chil- dren, of whom (I) Oliver H. is the eldest. (2) Sallie married Daniel Dawley, of Liberty township, who is now engaged in the grocery business in Binghamton, N. Y., and they have one daughter, Laura, wife of George Jackson, of Binghamton. (3) David, at the age of eighteen years, went as sailor on a vessel plying between New York and Liverpool. The vessel was lost, and all on board perished. (4) Ira, a farmer of Liberty township, married Esther A. Stillwell, of Franklin township, and they have one son, D. J.

For two years after the death of his father Oliver H. Allard lived with his paternal grand- father, and he afterward made his home with an uncle, D. W. Bailey, until he attained his fifteenth year. He then started out to make his own way in the world. In 1847 he married Miss Susan Ken- yon, a daughter of Roger Kenyon, of Susquehanna county, formerly of Rhode Island, and they began their domestic life upon his farm in Liberty town- ship, where she died in 1873, leaving no children.

In 1864 Mr. Allard enlisted in Company L, 157th N. Y. V. I., and joined his regiment at At- lanta, Ga. He was with Sherman on his celebrated march to the sea, requiring twenty-six days to travel from that place to Savannah. With his command he continued on the march to Raleigh, N. C., and took part in the engagement at Mill Creek. After the surrender of Johnston they pro- ceeded to Washington, D. C., by way of Spottsyl- vania, and from thence returned to Elmira, N. Y., where Mr. Allard was honorably discharged in June, 1865.

Returning to his home in Susquehanna county, our subject resumed farming. In 1874 he was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Alpha Rosencrantz, a daughter of Israel and Sa- mantha Banker, of New Milford, representatives of old pioneer families of the county. She was born in Franklin township, in 1854, and was edu- cated in the district schools of the county. She first married Mr. Rosencrantz, by whom she has one daughter, Cora L., now the wife of Amber Fuller, of Binghamton, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Al- lard have four children: Effie M., born in 1875, resides in Binghamton; Edith D., born in 1880, is now a resident of Binghamton,N. Y .; Burlington F., born in 1884, is a bright and scholarly boy, at- tended school for three years in Binghamton, and is now a student in the home schools; and Ira Z., born in 1887, pursued his studies for two years at Binghamton, and is now attending the . home

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 278

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