Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 298

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 298
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 298
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 298
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 298

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John Lamb, father of our subject, was born in the same township, in 1832, and in Honesdale, Penn., was married to Miss Elizabeth Leach, who was born in Ireland, in 1835, and when quite young was brought to this country by her parents, Thomas and Martha Leach, who first located in Honesdale, and after residing there for several years removed to a farm in Thompson township, Susquehanna county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Lamb was principally educated in the schools of this State. For some time after their marriage the parents of our subject continued their residence in Honesdale, and then removed to Com- forts Pond. In 1863 the father purchased the pres- ent home of our subject in Thompson township, and cleared a large portion of the farm, the remain- der being placed under cultivation by our subject. Upon this place they have erected a good set of farm buildings, including a modern residence and two large barns, and made many other improve- ments which add to its beauty and value. The fa- ther planted a large orchard which is now in fine bearing condition. He and his wife lived to enjoy many of the fruits of former toil, becoming quite well-to-do. He was well known as an honest man and good citizen-one who commanded the respect and confidence of all with whom he came in contact.

He died upon his farm in 1887, and his worthy wife passed away in 1898.

Thomas L. Lamb, the only son of this couple, received a fair classical education, in the public and high schools of Mt. Pleasant, Penn. He never left the parental roof, and at an early age took charge of the home farm, managing his father's business interests. He is a thorough and systematic agri- culturist and has met with marked success in his un- dertakings.

In November, 1881, Mr. Lamb was united in marriage with Miss Anna Palmer, who was born in Sullivan county, N. Y., in October, 1865, a daughter of Daniel and Mary ( Whitney ) Palmer, one of the old families of that county. The father was a soldier of the Civil war, and died in one of the hospitals during his service. Mrs. Lamb is the youngest in a family of three children, the others being Gertrude, now the wife of Frank Delamater, of Sullivan county, N. Y. ; and James, a resident of Jersey City, N. J., who is married and has two sons, Albert and James. Our subject and his wife have one son, George T., who was born in April, 1883, and is now a student in the graded schools of Thompson. In his political views Mr. Lamb is a Democrat. He and his wife are active and promi- nent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are numbered among the highly respected cit- izens of Thompson township. Their delightful home and its surroundings denote the culture and refinement of the inmates, and the farm shows care- ful thought in management and thorough under- standing of the business in all its branches.

H. B. CARPENTER, one of the most progres- sive and public spirited citizens of New Milford, has for thirty years been identified with the milling interests of Susquehanna and Wyoming counties. His success in life is due to his perseverance, un- tiring enterprise, resolute purpose, and commend- able zeal, and his actions have always been guided by an honesty of purpose that none have questioned.

A native of Susquehanna county, Mr. Carpenter was born in Lenox, August 10, 1853, a son of O. A. and Olivia (Loomis) Carpenter. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, died at the age of sixty- five years. The paternal grandfather, Luther Loomis Carpenter, was the founder of the family in Susquehanna county, coming from Connecticut and locating in Lenox at an early day. Our sub- ject is the seventh in the order of birth in a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, one of whom, P. R. Carpenter, was a soldier of the Civil war and is now a resident of Hallstead, Sus- quehanna county.

H. B. Carpenter was reared on the home farm, where he was taught to be honest and industrious, and in the common schools of the locality received a fair literary education, which has been of prac- tical benefit to him in later years. Throughout his active business life he has engaged in milling with

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good success and for two years conducted the Har- ford Mills. He built the New Milford mills and for four years conducted it in company with Will- iam T. Moxley, and then sold out his interest to him, and moved to Nicholson, Wyoming county, where he built and operated a mill for four years, when he sold out and again returned to New Milford and bought back the property he now occupies, and since that time has been in company with Albert F. Heitzman. The mill has a capacity of twenty tons per day, is operated by a forty-five horse- power engine, and the flour turned out, being of a superior quality, finds a ready sale in the local market.

At the age of twenty-two years Mr. Carpenter was tinited in marriage with Miss Ella Chambers, a daughter of E. P. Chambers. She was a most estimable woman and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She died in 1892, since which time Mr. Carpenter has married Miss Della Hal- stead, of Clifford, Susquehanna county, and one daughter, Olivia Halstead, has blessed their home. Mr. Carpenter is also a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is an active and zeal- cus worker in the Church, and has served as its treasurer and as superintendent of the Sunday-school. He is a Republican in politics, and has filled many offices in the borough in a most creditable and sat- isfactory manner. He was one of the leading cit- izens in getting the excellent system of city water introduced, and served as its treasurer for several years, and has been prominently identified with all enterprises calculated to advance the public welfare. He is one of the most prominent and popular men in the village, is fair and honorable in all business transactions, and well merits the high regard in which he is held.

RICHARD W. GELATT, a well-known wagon manufacturer at Gelatt, Susquehanna county, is a member of a prominent pioneer family, and was born at his present homestead January 10, 1831.

The first of the name to come to this country was George Gelatt, a native of France, who took part in the Revolutionary war, and afterward set- tled in Massachusetts. Between 1809 and 1812 he came to Susquehanna county, locating upon a farm one mile south of the present village of Gelatt, on what is known as the Newburgh turnpike. He was a devout Christian, and helped to found the Baptist Church in his locality. He was married in Massa- chusetts, and his wife died in 1849, aged ninety- two years; his death occurred in 1852, at the great age of 102 years. Their remains now rest in the family burial plot at Gelatt. They had the follow- ing children: Robert, who died at Thompson ; George, our subject's father ; Collins and Jonathan, who died at Thompson ; Richard, who died in Iowa ; and Abigail, who married Ebenezer Blanchard, and died in Gelatt.

George Gelatt (2), our subject's father, was

born in Massachusetts July 4, 1790, and died in De- cember, 1865, in Gibson township, Susquehanna county, where he had been engaged in farming for many years. To the last he was interested in public affairs, being an ardent supporter of the Re- publican party, and he was also identified promi- nently with the Baptist Church at Jackson, which he helped to build. He was married, on October 14, 1808, to Rebecca Whaly, who died in 1822, and' on April 21, 1825, he married Susan L. Williams, who was born in Connecticut December 17, 1794, and lived to the age of seventy-five years. By his first marriage he had children as follows: Clarissa, born October 30, 1809, married Somner Griswold, and died in Gibson; John, born March 31, 1812, died in Gibson township; Elvira, born in 1814, died aged four years ; Samantha, born August 25, 1816, married Griswold Bill, and died in March, 1895; George Washington, born August 16, 1818, died in Gibson in 1889; Rebecca, born April 20, 1820, married Elliott Benson. By the second union there were six children: Susan E., born February 17, 1826, died January 18, 1833; Almeda, born August 22, 1827, died November 13, 1830; Marnel, born January 7, 1829, died May 7, 1832; Richard W. is mentioned more fully below; Gurdon, born April 10, 1833, died December 2. 1872; Silas C., born No- vember 1, 1839, resides at Susquehanna, Penn., and is more fully referred to in the sketch of Charles J. Gelatt, which appears elsewhere.

Our subject left home at the age of twenty years, to work in a mill at Ararat, Penn., as an ap- prentice. At the end of a year he determined to engage in business for himself, in a mill which he had previously built at Gelatt. In 1856 he formed a partnership with his father, and five years later his brother took an interest in the mill, continuing four years, our subject being kept busy with the outside work during this time. He did not relinquish the mill until 1864, and at times has been interested in similar work since. He operated a farm until 1871, in which year he built a wagon shop, which he has since conducted, with E. O. Perry, for one year, with his son E. R. for two years, and subsequently

alone. He also follows to some extent the business of millwright. In politics he is a stanch Prohibi- tionist, and he has served as judge of election, au- ditor (nine years), and member of the school com- mittee (nine years)., He and his family are Bap- tists in religious faith, and at one time he was trustee of the Baptist Church in Jackson, also president of the board of trustees and trustee of the Gelatt Union Church for one term.

On August 25, 1852, Mr. Gelatt was married, in Gibson township, to Miss Catherine L. Harding, and three children were born to them: (I) Susan E., born February 3, 1854, married George C. Whitmarsh, who is in business with our subject, and they have had four children-Fred O., Effie E., William R. and Frank E. (2) Effie S., born De- cember 14, 1856, died Marchi 21, 1870. (3) Ed-

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rick R., born July 11, 1860, resides in Gibson town- ship. He married Miss Addie Foster, and has had five children, Addie Belle (called Belle), Etta M., Myron E., Sue and Hugh G.

Mrs. Gelatt is also a member of an old and honored family of this section, and her paternal grandparents, Benjamin and Polly (Hawkins) Harding, removed from Susquehanna county to Wyoming county at an early day; both died in Indiana, while visiting their children. Stukeley Harding, Mrs. Gelatt's father, was born in Harford township, Susquehanna county, December 18, 1800, and died October 13, 1835, in Michigan, where he was engaged in farming. On July 27, 1823, he married Charity Rynearson, who was born in Lenox township, March 4, 1799, and died there October 23, 1835. She was buried in Lenox township, but her husband's remains were interred in Michigan. Her father, Isaac Rynearson, a Revolutionary sol- dier, was born in New Jersey, and her mother, whose maiden name was Catherine Legrange, was a native of Kentucky. Stukeley and Charity Hard- ing had the following children: Charity, born June 26, 1824, married George Rosencrantz, a farmer in Wyoming county, Penn .; Gatherine L., born De- cember 3, 1825, is the wife of our subject ; Stukeley M., born May 3, 1828, is a farmer in Iowa; Okey R., born May 10, 1830, is a farmer at Harford town- ship; Benjamin, born July 18, 1832, is blind, and lives in retirement upon his farm at Forkston, Penn- sylvania.

LUTHER WELLS. The name Wells has been prominent in the history of Clifford township, Susquehanna county, from the earliest white set- tlement. The subject of this sketch, a prominent citizen of the township, is of the fourth generation from James Wells, Sr., the pioneer who almost a century ago founded the family in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania.

James Wells was born in 1750, at Minisink, on the Delaware river. By trade he was a millwright, and in the days of the Revolution he owned and operated a mill in what is now Monroe county. With this mill he ground flour which he furnished to the Revolutionary army. It is related that he had in his service a colored boy whom he sent one day with an ox-team with flour for the soldiers. Indians waylaid the team, and shot at the driver. The boy fled and escaped, but the savages cut out the tongues of the oxen and left them to perish. Mr. Wells remained at the mill during the war, and was granted four sections of land near the present site of Stroudsburg. At the close of the war he located near the mouth of the Tunkhannock, and still later moved up to what is now Clifford town- ship, following his occupation, and supplying the needy pioneers with their meal and flour. About or prior to 1806 he owned and occupied a farm of one houndred acres at Elkdale. His first mill was destroyed by a freshet. His second he erected in

1807, in partnership with Asahel Norton, near the present site of McAlla's. This, too, was carried away by a freshet, about 1813. Selling his farm, he removed about a mile above Clifford's Corners. He died . in June, 1839, aged eighty-nine years. James Wells was twice married, first on May 16, 1771, to Jane Westbbrook, by whom he had chil- dren as follows: Abraham, born September 20, 1774; Sarah, born April 20, 1777, who married a Mr. Hardsif ; Isaac, born September 1, 1779; Lydia, born July 17, 1781 ; and James, born September 18, 1783. The mother of these dying, the father wed- ded, on February 13, 1787, Miss Kate Van Auken, who died in 1831, aged sixty-nine, years. This. union was blessed with the following named chil- dren: John, born February 5, 1788; Polly, born. August 28, 1789, who married James Phinn; Will- iam, born April 7, 1793; Jane, born October 25, 1795; Phœbe, born December 13, 1798, who mar- ried Alanson Halstead; Betsey, born February 14, 1800, who married a Mr. Button; Nathaniel, born September 6, 1802; and Eliphalet, born May 28, 1806. Four of the sons-John, William, Eliphalet and James-settled in Clifford township.

John Wells, born February 5, 1788, died De- cember 28, 1843, in Clifford township. He was married, on November 14, 1813, to Miss Anna Mil- ler, who was born June 12, 1796, and died May 4, 1875, her remains being interred at Elkdale. To this union came children as follows: Adam, born May 9, 1815, died in Clifford township; Eleanor, born May 11, 1817, married Henry Ben- nett, and is deceased ; Mary A., born May 15, 1819,. now deceased, was the second wife of Henry Ben- nett; Charles, born April 27, 1821, is a general farmer of Clifford township; Elvira, born February 23, 1823, is unmarried, and resides with her brother Charles; Eliphalet, born August 27, 1825, when last heard from was in Arizona; Jeremiah, born September 12, 1827, is deceased; Catherine, born May 15, 1830, married William Stevens, a farmer of Clifford township; James, born September 12, 1832, is a carpenter of Clifford township; Jesse, born September 7, 1835, died May 13, 1864. The father was a farmer by occupation.

Capt. James Wells, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was two and a half years old when he came to Clifford township with his father's family. He was. reared on the farm, of which he was a lifelong res- ident, was a man of considerable prominence, and was commissioned captain of militia. He married Polly Oakley, and they reared a family of children as follows : William, Sophia (Mrs. Holloway Lowery), Jerusha (wife of Garrett Coleman), Amy (Mrs. Alpheus Baker), Wright, Mary A. (Mrs. .I. Mead), and Asenath (wife of C. N. Miller ).

William Wells, the father of our subject, was. born in Clifford township, April 11, 1809. He. adopted the occupation of a farmer, and remained in Clifford township through life. He was mar- ried, October 10, 1833, to Frances J. Baker, a na --

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tive of Canada, born November 11, 1815, daughter of Artemas and Lovicy (Barnes) Baker, who at the age of two years came to Clifford township with her parents. To William and Frances Wells came the following children: James I., born November 23, 1834, died at Traverse City, Mich., March 8, 1885; William H., born September 20, 1836, died January 1, 1839; Judson, born October 9, 1838, a farmer of Clark's Green, Lackawanna county ; Will- iam W., born April 18, 1840, died March 15, 1843; Mary L., born November 26, 1842, who married for her first husband William Bennett, and for her sec- ond John Griffith, and who now lives in Kanopolis, Kans. ; Ruth, born June 19, 1845, widow of Elisha Burdick, a farmer of Clifford township; Luther, our subject, born November 26, 1848; and Fran- ces W., born September 28, 1851, who was three times married, her first husband being Frank Bag- ley, her second D. O. Jones, and her present hus- band James Nickerson (he is a farmer and the pro- prietor of a cheese factory and creamery at Afton, New York).

Luther Wells, our subject, at the age of six- teen years began work in a blacksmith shop locat- ed just across the road from his residence, and fol- lowed this trade very successfully. Without serv- ing any formal apprenticeship, he became an expert artisan. At the age of twenty-one he had the com- mon aspiration of young men to see a little of the world, and the following three years he spent at Hyde Park, at Owego, N. Y., and at Manchester, Tenn. Returning to Suesquehanna county he was married (the first time ), and for two years operated a blacksmith shop at Elkdale. He then purchased and removed to the well-improved farm which he has since successfully managed.

Mr. Wells was married, September 28, 1872, in Clifford township, to Miss Nettie Burdick, who was born in Clifford township in 1850, daughter of Abram and Thankful ( Burdick) Burdick, promi- nent settlers of Susquehanna county. By this mar- riage there was one child, Etta T., now at home with her father. Mrs. Wells died June 20, 1876, aged twenty-six years. His second wife, Mrs. Har- riet (Goodrich) Richardson, our subject married August 23, 1878. She was born in Orange county, N. Y., October 22, 1853, daughter of George P. and Hannah (Lent) Goodrich, the former of whom en- listed in 1861, in Company K, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was killed in 1864, aged forty-four years ; the mother died in Peabody, Kans., in 1883, aged fifty-three years. The children of George P. and Hannah Goodrich were as follows: Nathaniel, a farmer of Lackawanna county ; Martha, who mar- ried John Whiting, of Hyde Park; David, a farmer of Eldorado, Kans .; Harriet, Mrs. Wells; Stephen, a farmer of Kansas; Fannie, a school teacher of Clifford township, who married John DeLaFon- tane, a farmer; and George, a farmer and carpen- ter of Lackawanna county. For her first husband Harriet Goodrich married Theo F. Richardson, son

of Frank Richardson. He was a machine agent, and died in Harford township in 1875, aged twenty- five. By this marriage there were no children.

To Luther and Harriet Wells have been born three children-E. Pearl, Rosella M. and Leora E., all at home. Our subject has a pleasant home, and ranks among the substantial and influential citizens. He is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics he is Republican. He is a supporter of the Farmers Alliance, and has been called upon fill various local offices, is interested in educational affairs, and has served a number of terms as school director. At present he is poor di- rector of Clifford township. A man of marked business ability, possessing integrity of character and the golden traits of industry and thrift, his suc- cess in life has been wholly deserved, and is due to his own efforts.

THERON STRICKLAND is one of the most skillful, enterprising and successful farmers of Springville township, Susquehanna county. His tastes have always inclined him to agricultural pur- suits, and the stock raising and dairy industries have found in him one of their most able representatives.

Our subject traces his ancestry back to Stow Strickland, who was probably a native of England, and settled in Connecticut at an early day. His son, Jonathan Strickland, the grandfather of our subject, is believed to have been born in the Nut- meg State. For some time he lived in what was known as the stone tavern, near Shohola Falls, Pike Co., Penn., and later came to Springville town- ship, Susquehanna county, locating on the farm where our subject now lives. He was a millwright by trade, and during his residence in Pike county operated an up-and-down mill. His wife died No- vember 25, 1815, and his death occurred Julv 3, 1816. To them were born four children, all now deceased, namely: Jonathan; Sylvester, fa- ther of our subject ; Sarah, wife of Jeremiah Rosen- grant ; and Phœbe, wife of Samuel Sutton, of Springville township.

Sylvester Strickland was born near Shohola Falls, Pike Co., Penn., August 7, 1791, and from there removed to Wyoming county, where he was married, September II, 1811, to Miss Rachel Tay- lor, born in Connecticut, June 3, 1792. When a child she was taken to Wyoming county, Penn., by her parents, Obediah and Rhoda (Wilcox) Taylor ; her father died October 27, 1830, her mother Jan- uary I, 1855. On leaving Wyoming county the father of our subject came to Susquehanna county, and in Springville township purchased 120 acres of wild land, of which he cleared a large portion, con- verting it into well-tilled fields. His political sup- port was given to the Republican party, and he most acceptably filled the office of supervisor of his town- ship. He died October 1, 1876, and his wife passed away May 21, 1868. To them were born the fol- lowing children: Harriet, deceased wife of Calvin

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Rogers, of Springville township; Ezra, deceased ; Isaac, who died during his service in the Civil war ; Susana, deceased wife of Theron Marsey, of Wyo- ming county ; Esther, deceased wife of j. W. Fisk, of Morrison, Whiteside Co., Ill .; John, deceased, whose son, J. J. Strickland, is represented elsewhere ; Alfred, who is engaged in farming near Omaha, Neb. ; Philander, a resident of Springville township ; Ruth, wife of Preston Merritt, a farmer of Spring- ville township; Theron, our subject; and Clarissa, deceased wife of Martin Park, of Springville town- ship.

Theron Strickland was born June 18, 1830, on the old homestead in Springville township, where he still resides. He married Miss Susan Shook, who was born in Eaton, Wyoming Co., Penn., July IO, 1843, a sister of Samuel A. Shook, whose sketch is given elsewhere. Her paternal grandfather, John Jacob Shook, a farmer by occupation, was born in Plainfield township, Northampton Co., Penn., and died in Tunkhannock, Wyoming county, where his remains were interred. Her father, John Shook, was also a native of Plainfield township, Northamp- ton county, born in 1810, and there grew to man- hood. He married Miss Lydia Albert, a daughter of Jacob Albert, also of Northampton county, and in 1840 they removed to Tunkhannock, Wyoming county, where the father engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, in 1872. The mother died in 1887, at the age of eighty years. To this worthy couple were born six children, namely: John Ja- cob, a miller, of New York State; William, a miller, of Maine, N. Y .; E. A., a farmer of Indiana ; Sam- uel A., a farmer of Springville township, Susque- hanna Co., Penn .; Susan, wife of our subject ; and Mary, wife of George Weaver, of Scranton, Penn- sylvania.

Mr. and Mrs. Strickland have four children. (I) Alice, born February 4, 1864, is at home. (2) Jennie, born November 12, 1865, is the wife of E. H. Sherman, of Springville township, and their children are Earl Rhesa and Willis Clark. (3) Clark, born May 2, 1868, married Musetta Robison, of Missouri, and they have one child, Cecile Rachel. He is now engaged in the insurance business in Little Rock, Ark. (4) Jesse, born March 13, 1870, married Dolly Squier, and they have two children-Raymond Boyd and Ruth. Jesse Strickland is now engaged in farming in Springville township.

After his marriage, which was celebrated in Springville township, October 13, 1862, Mr. Strick- land brought his bride to the old homestead, where they have since resided. At the age of twenty-eight he took entire charge of the place, and since his fa- ther's death has become the owner of the same. It comprises 120 acres, and besides this he has an ad- joining tract of 200 acres. Of this amount 250 acres have been cleared, and our subject bore an active part in transforming the wild land into highly-culti- vated and productive fields. In connection with

general farming he is engaged in stock raising and dairying, and has upon his place thirty-five head of cattle and a flock of sheep. During his entire life he has spent but seven weeks away from home, and during that time visited his family. He is an ardent Republican in politics, but has never cared for the honors or emoluments of public office, and when once elected supervisor of his township he refused to qualify. He has served on the election board, however, and always takes a deep and commendable interest in public affairs. Both he and his wife are members of the Grange, of Springville, and he also belongs to the Five States Milk Associaton. Mrs. Strickland is a member of the M. E. Church at Springville.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 298

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