Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 31

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 31
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 31
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 31
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 31

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and June 17, 1864, were mustered out, Mathias re- ceiving his discharge, which reads as follows:

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.

Know Ye, That Mathias P. Shafer a Private of Captain Jacob W. Shoemaker's Company (F) Fourth Regiment of Pennsylvania Reserves Volunteers who was enrolled on the Eighth day of June one thousand eight hundred and sixty- one to serve three years or during the war is hereby DIS- CHARGED from the service of the United States this 17th day of June, 1864, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by reason of expiration of time (No objection to his being re-enlisted is known to exist *).

Said Mathias P. Shafer was born in Monroe county in the State of Pennsylvania, is twenty-one years of age, five feet six and three quarters inches high, Dark complexion, Grey eyes, Black hair, and by occupation when enrolled a farmer.

Given at Philadelphia this 17th day of June 1864. A. G. O. No. 99. [Signed] WM. R. BROWN,

Capt. 15th U. S. Infantry Mustering off. [Signed] JACOB W. SHOEMAKER,

Capt. 4th Regt. P. R. V. C. Commanding Co.

* This sentence will be erased should there be anything in the conduct or physical condition of the soldier rendering him unfit for the Army.

After his discharge Mathias P. Shafer turned the bayonet into a pruning hook, and went back to the old farm. On February 1, 1876, he married Jane Kiser, a daughter of Michael Kiser, of Hamil- ton township. They have one child, Agnes Cathar- ine Shafer, born July 22, 1878. Mathias is the only one of the eight children of Philip Shafer still resid- ing in the township of Stroud.

VII. JOHN DAVIS SHAFER, whose portrait ap- pears, was born April 29, 1843, and passed his boy- hood on the old homestead, tilling the soil in sum- mer, and in winter attending the public school at Shafer's school-house, heretofore mentioned. At the age of seventeen years he commenced to teach in the public schools of Monroe county in winter (at the same time continuing study by himself), and attended some private school in summer, at one time walking every day to and from the old homestead through Stroudsburg to the Delaware Water Gap, a distance of about five miles, to attend the private school of Samuel Alsop, and thus he prepared for college. In 1865 he entered Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Penn., but during his Sophomore year he gave up college and on March 8, 1867, he started west of the Missouri Valley, first stopping at St. Jo- seph, Mo. Not liking it there, he visited the vari- ous Missouri river towns until he arrived at Omaha, Neb., which was then reported to be a growing city, but after a three-days' stay, as it appeared to be "dull" there, he retraced his steps. On April 2, 1867, he landed from a Missouri river steamboat at Leavenworth, Kans., then the best city on the Mis- souri river above St. Louis. The week following he engaged himself to teach in a private school there, and during spare hours while teaching he read law.

In November, 1867, he entered the law office of Thomas P. Fenlon, a practicing attorney at Leavenworth, and so diligently did he apply himself (studying twenty hours out of the twenty-four) that on June 24, 1868, he was admitted to practice at

Em Phy AH Ritchie

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Leavenworth before Judge David J. Brewer, now one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. One of the three members of the committee who examined him in open court and rec- ommended his admission was Hiram Griswold, who with George H. Hoyt, of Athol, Mass., defended John Brown at Harper's Ferry, Va. On January 8, 1873, he wa's admitted to practice law before the Su- preme Court of the State of Kansas, and June 4, 1873, he was admitted in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Eighth Circuit, while in the same year was also admitted to practice in the Dis- trict Court of the United States for the District of Kansas. He resided at Leavenworth, Kans., where he practiced successfully, being engaged in the fa- mous case of Sallie E. Hillman against the New York Life Insurance Co. and two other companies for $25,000, which was pending in court from 1883, and once went to the Supreme Court of the United States. In the spring of 1898 the New York Life Co. settled its case and paid the costs. In 1876 Mr. Shafer annotated the Constitution of the State of Kansas. In 1877 he compiled and published an Index to all the laws of the Territory and State of Kansas. In 1891 he assisted in compiling and pub- lishing the laws then in force in the State of Kan- sas, and in 1883, assisted by C. F. W. Dassler, he compiled the ordinances of the city of Leavenworth. So well did he succeed in his profession that on March 30, 1887, he retired from the practice of law, left the State and took a pleasure trip to Eu- rope, traveling through England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany, and visit- ing the capitals of those countries as well as the other towns and places of note therein. On Septem- ber 17, 1887, he purchased from the executors of his father's estate, the old homestead in Stroud township, which was ordered sold by his father's will, and there he made his home until December, 1893, when he moved to the city of New York. He has become a thorough cosmopolitan. On October 4, 1895, he started from New York City on a trip aroung the world, going west to San Francisco and stopping on the way at Denver (Colo.) and Salt Lake City. While in California he went as far south as Los Angeles, taking in the orange groves there, and then went on a side trip into the Yosemite Valley, to view the falls and the big trees. On No- vember 22, 1895, he sailed on the Pacific mail steam- ship "China" for Yokohama, Japan, stopping at Honolulu on the way. He traveled through Japan, taking in, among other cities, Tokio, Kioto, Osaka and Kobe, or Hiogo, sailing from there through the inland and Yellow seas to Shanghai, in China, where he visited Foo Choo, Canton and Hong Kong. From there he went to Singapore, near Sumatra, 80 miles north of the Equator. The next stop was at Penang, and from there he went to Colombo, Ceylon, where two weeks were spent traveling inland to Kandia and other places of note. From Colombo he sailed to Madras and Calcutta, and then he traveled by cars across India to Bombay, taking in Benares (where

he saw people burning the dead), Lucknow, Cawn- poor, Agra, Delhi, Jeypore, Abu Road, Adamabad, and other places. From Bombay he sailed to Aden and through the Red Sea to Ismalia, where he took cars to Cairo, Egypt. From there he took a boat trip, 580 miles up the Nile, to Assouan or the first Cataract. On account of cholera he passed Pales- tine, and sailed from Ismalia through the Suez canal to Brindisi, Italy. Going by rail to Naples, he stopped a few weeks, taking in Vesuvius, Pompeii, Herculanæum, and other places, and then he sailed for Palermo, Sicily. He crossed Sicily to Syracuse, where he took a boat to Malta, and there he took a steamboat to London, stopping at Gibraltar, and later he sailed from Southampton to New York on the American steamer "St. Paul." On December 9, 1898, he started from New York to take in the Southern States and Cuba, arriving in Havana Jan- uary 31, 1899, went on the wreck of the "Maine," and visited Moro Castle and other historical places. He is the only person born in Monroe county who has traveled around the world, and he is now pre- paring to make a tour to Norway, Sweden and Russia.

VIII. Allen Shafer was born May 27, 1845, at the old homestead, where he died December 24, 1889, being buried near his parents in the Shafer cemetery. He went West and assisted in building the Union Pacific railroad from Omaha to Ogden, and was present there at the ceremony of driving the last spike which united New York with San Francisco by rail. From there he went to Salt Lake City, where he saw the great Mormon, Brigham Young. A short time thereafter he returned to the old home, and on June 9, 1877, he married Martha Jane Huston, who was born in Stroud township, January 7, 1847, a daughter of John W. and Sarah (Hill) Huston. She now resides at Kunkletown, Hamilton township, Monroe county. To this union were born three children:

(I) Alzena Blanche Shafer, born April 26, 1880, graduated June 6, 1898, from the Stroudsburg high school, at the head of her class, being the valedictorian, and the same month successfully passed the school and State board ex- aminations for the Senior class of the State Normal school at East Stroudsburg ; graduated June, 1899, and commenced to teach in a public school in Ham- ilton in September following. Leona Irene Shafer, born February 28, 1882, completed a course in the public schools, and on August 29, 1898, en- tered the Junior class of the Normal School at East Stroudsburg. (3) Philip Allen Shafer was born December 17, 1883.

FREEMAN H. KRESGE. The fertile soil of this favored section attracted the attention of an en- terprising and thrifty class of settlers at an early period in the history of this State, and their descend- ants constitute a most desirable class of citizens, combining the sturdy industry and progressive spirit of their pioneer ancestry with the wholesome conser- vatism which generations of property-holding de-

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velops. The subject of this sketch, a prominent agriculturist and cattle dealer of Polk township, Monroe county, is a grandson of William Kresge, who was born in 1777, and settled in that locality in 1792, and he is also of the same family as Conrad Kresge, who located at the present site of Effort about 1745. ( William, Conrad and George were brothers ). William Kresge married Hannah Serfass, and made his home on the old farm now owned and occupied by our subject, where he and his wife reared a large family of children as follows: Will- iam, Jacob, George W., Joseph, Hannah, Elizabeth, Sarah and Susan.

George W. Kresge, our subject's father, was born in Polk township, Monroe county, and became a farmer by occupation. He was an excellent citi- zen, and was frequently chosen to office in the town- ship while he was for many years a leading worker in the Reformed Church at Gilberts. He died August 19, 1885, aged seventy-two years, ten months and six days, and his wife, Sarah ( Kunkel), died February 1, 1887, at the age of sixty-seven years, nine months and eight days, the remains of both being interred at Gilberts cemetery. Of their eight children the eldest, Catherine, born March 13, 1835, married George Angelmeyer, a farmer in Polk township; Lavina, born January 16, 1836, died in childhood ; Christina, born March 19, 1837, married Reuben Frable, a hotel keeper at Kunkletown, and died in 1879; Paul, born March 15, 1839, married Miss Mary Stemler, and resides at Stemlersville, Penn., where he engaged in farming and mercantile business ; Salinda, born January II, 1844, married Nathan Hawk, a retired agriculturist residing at Siegfried, Penn .; Freeman H., our subject, is men- tioned more fully below ; Monroe, born October 18, 1848, now a farmer near Effort, married ( first ) Miss Eliza Dersheimer, and (second) Miss Alice Serfass; Mahlon H., born October 2, 1854, is the owner of the Pleasant Valley flouring mill, and at one time held the office of county auditor.

Our subject was born April 16, 1847, at his present homestead, where he has always resided. For about thirty years he has carried on an extensive business as a cattle dealer in addition to the manage- ment of his farm, and he has won a high reputation for sound judgment as a buyer. He is active in local affairs as a member of the Democratic party, and has held various official positions, including that of inspector of elections, while he has done effective work as a school director for two terms of three years each, having been elected in , 1884 and 1895. He belongs to the Reformed Church at Gilberts, in which he has served as deacon ten years and as elder seven years, and his sympathies are always on the side of advancement.

On October 30, 1870, Mr. Kresge was married in Northampton county to Miss Elizabeth Saeger, and four children have blessed the union: Emma C. (wife of William Rolen Everett, a carpenter at Weisport, Penn.), Edwin, Harry and Sally E. Mrs. Kresge, who is much esteemed among her acquaint-

ances, was born November 22, 1846, in Northamp- ton county, a daughter of Daniel Saeger, and a granddaughter of John and Magdaline ( Beartsch) Saeger, who resides upon a farm in Northampton county. Her father was born and reared there, her mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Hun- sicker, was born in Lehigh county, Penn., a daughter of Jonas Hunsicker, a farmer, and his wife, Chris- tina (Stemler ). In 1851 Daniel Saeger removed to Kresgeville, Monroe county, and engaged in farm- ing, but in 1877 he removed to Northampton county, where his wife died February 10, 1891, aged sixty- eight years. He then made his home with our sub- ject until his death, April 29, 1897; he died at the age of seventy-seven years, ten months and fourteen days, and his remains now rest in the cemetery at Kreidersville, Northampton county. He was a man of ability and influence, holding local office at times, and he and his wife were much respected among their associates. Mrs. Kresge was the eldest of four children, the others being: Joseph, a farmer and dairyman at Bethlehem, Penn., who married Miss Vesta Angler; Emeline (deceased), who married Rudolph Serfass; and Benjamin L., a physician at Nordhoff, California.

STEWART S. SHAFER. Few attorneys have entered upon professional work with as fair prospects as confront this well-known member of the Stroudsburg Bar, whose knowledge of public documents, gained by years of service in various county offices, has given him a high standing as an authority in special branches of law. While he is successful as a pleader, his time is largely occupied with office practice, and many questions involving investments and the settlement of estates are en- trusted to his management.

The Shafer family is one of the oldest in this section, our subject's great-great-grandfather, Ma- thias Shafer, who was a German by birth, having made his home in pioneer times in what is now Monroe county. The great-grandfather, Philip Shafer, was also a resident of that county, and Adam Shafer, the grandfather of our subject, lived and died in the vicinity of Shafer's school house, in Stroud township, his death occurring when he was aged eighty years. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Buskirk, also lived to an advanced age. This worthy couple had nine children: Daniel, Amos, George, Alonzo B., Julia Ann (Mrs. Jesse Weiss), Margaret (Mrs. Daniel Walter), Mary (Mrs. Roland Potter), Martha (Mrs. Barnet Wal- ter), and Albina (Mrs. Levi Protz).

The late ALONZO B. SHAFER was born Novem- ber II, 1840, at the old homestead near Shafer's school house, and was reared to farm work. After attending the local schools for a time he took a course in the academy at Stroudsburg, and when a young man he engaged in teaching in Hamilton township, Monroe county. On October 16, 1862, he enlisted in Company F, 176th Regiment of Pennsylvania Militia, and although the company desired to elect

ABShafen

Stewart S. Shafer

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

him captain he declined that honor and accepted the rank of first lieutenant, which he held until mus- tered out, August 17, 1863. During his term of service his regiment 'was assigned to duty in the South, the latter portion of the time being spent in eastern North Carolina. For about one year he was engaged in farming, and then, purchasing a store at Snydersville, began a mercantile career which he continued several years. On disposing of the business he bought the Snyder farm, in the same locality, and again became a farmer, and a few years later, forming a partnership with Alexander Harps, he built a store room and hall at Snyders- ville, where they conducted a mercantile business for some time.

In 1878 Mr. Shafer removed to Stroudsburg, and with the exception of two years ( 1892-94) spent upon his farm he continued to reside there until his death, on October 3, 1895, after an illness of less than one week's duration. He was one of the leading citizens of the town, and for many years was a director in the First Na- tional Bank, which he helped to organize. His public spirit was shown in many ways, and while a young man he was elected school director in Ham- ilton township, where he also served ten years as justice of the peace. Being popular among his ac- quaintances, he was encouraged by them to aspire to higher positions, and in 1875 he announced him- self a candidate for the office of prothonotary and clerk of the several courts of Monroe county. He was defeated in a triangular contest, but in 1878 he again announced his candidacy, and, as his ability and geniality had gained him many friends in all parts of the county during the previous campaign, he was elected by a large majority. In 1881, 1884 and 1887 ne was re-elected, serving twelve years in the office. During his residence in Stroudsburg he continued to manifest keen interest in educational affairs, and he served one term as school director. He was a member of the Reformed Church, and when the mission was founded at Stroudsburg he not only subscribed generously toward the new church building but induced many of his friends to contribute. He also belonged to several fraternal organizations, including the Grand Army of the Republic, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Masonic Order, and the impressive ritual of the latter society was read in the presence of a large assembly at his grave in Stroudsburg ceme- tery following the ceremony at the church. His first wife, Emma J. Houck, daughter of Jacob Houck, was born in Hamilton township, Monroe county, and died in February, 1875, aged thirty years, ten months and two days. In the fall of 1876 he married Miss Elmira Heller, of Hamilton town- ship, who survives him. By his first marriage he had five children : Ella ( wife of I. J. Miller, of Phila- delphia), Chloe (wife of Frank H. Miller, of the same city), Stewart S., Franklin M. and Bertha E., all of whom are living. By the second union there are three children : Daniel H., Gertrude and Claude R. 9

Stewart S. Shafer was born November 3, 1864, at Snydersville, Hamilton township, Monroe Co., Penn., and his education was begun in the schools of Hamilton township. Later he attended the high school at Stroudsburg, and from 1883 to 1891 he served in his father's office as deputy phothono- tary and deputy clerk of the several courts of Mon- roe county. During this time he served at inter- vals as deputy treasurer, making about six years altogether in that position, and in 1891, 1892 and 1893, he served as deputy register of wills and re- corder of deeds, etc. Notwithstanding the pressure of all these duties he found time to study law, having registered April 19, 1886, with Hon. John B. Storm, and on May 23, 1892, he was admitted to practice in the several courts of Monroe county as an at- torney and counselor at law. Immediately after his admission to the Bar he opened an office in Stroudsburg and engaged in independent practice, meeting with success from the outset. His ability and efficiency in the dispatch of business entrusted to him had already been noticed by the public, and his well-proven integrity had gained him their con- fidence. Many capitalists have placed in his hands sums of money to be loaned and invested, and it is probable that more funds of this sort are managed by him than by any other man in the county. On March 8, 1897, he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Politically he is a Democrat, while socially he is identified with the Masonic Society and the Order of Red Men,in which he is an active worker, having served two years as secretary of the local lodge of each organization.

On August 3, 1886, Mr. Shafer married Miss Minerva Pipher, a native of Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county, and they have two chil- dren-Lulu A., born February 10, 1888; and Nel- lie, born March 12, 1895.

A. A. WERTMAN, M. D., is engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in . Tannersville, Monroe county, and has gained a leading place in the ranks of the profession, his skill and ability being attested by the liberal patronage he enjoys.

The Doctor was born October 2, 1863, at West Penn, Schuylkill Co., Penn., a son of Daniel H. Wertman, who was born in the same county, Octo- ber 20, 1825. His grandfather, David Wertman, was probably a native of Dauphin county, Penn., but when a young man he located in Schuylkill county, and there married Catherine Hoppes, who was of German descent. To them were born four children, namely: Solomon (deceased), who mar- ried Mary Ohl and lived in Ohio; Lydia, now the widow of John Zettlemoyer ; David (deceased ), who lived on a part of the old homestead in Schuylkill county ; and Daniel H., the Doctor's father.

Daniel H. Wertman grew to manhood under the parental roof, and on attaining his majority took the old homestead, carrying on farm work in connection with cabinet making and undertaking. He still oversees the operations of his farm. Polit-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ically he is a stanch Republican. In Schuylkill county he married Miss Sally A. Zettlemoyer, and to them were born four children: Kate, now the wife of Nathan Leiby, of Leibysville, Schuylkill county ; Jefferson, who married Kate Fritz, and is engaged in farming in East Penn township, Carbon Co., Penn. ; Mary, the wife of David Fisher, of Reading, Penn. ; and Daniel, deceased in the winter of 1899, who married a Miss Balliet, and was a farmer of Little Sandusky, Ohio. For his second wife the father married Polly Snyder, who was born in Schuylkill county, in August, 1827, a daughter of John Snyder, and the following children were born of this union: Charles, who assisted in the taking of Santiago during the Cuban war; he married Martha Ebie, and lives in Ashland, Ohio ; Amandus, a carpenter by trade, who married Mary Zehner, and lives at Quakake, Schuylkill Co., Penn. ; A. A., our subject, is the next in the order of birth ; Welles, an undertaker, who married Alice Zehner, and makes his home in Wehr, Schuylkill county ; Austin, who is a graduate of the University of Baltimore, Md. ; he married Carrie Longacre, a sister to the wife of the subject of this sketch.

In the county of his nativity Dr. Wertman passed his boyhood and youth in much the same manner as most farmer boys, his early education being acquired in the common schools. Later he attended Palatine College, Myerstown, Penn., and then entered Jefferson Medical College, Phila- delphia, where he was graduated in 1889. Imme- diately after his graduation he came to Tannersville and opened an office, and was not long in building up the large and lucrative practice which he still enjoys, his patronage coming from a large section of Monroe county.

On July 4, 1889, at North Penn., Schuylkill county, Dr. Wertman was united in marriage with Miss Arabella Olivia Longacre, a daughter of John and Amanda (Sittler) Longacre. Twin boys, Roy Burd and Ray Earl, were born to them June 26, 1890, but both died in infancy. The Doctor and his wife have a beautiful home in Tannersville, which he purchased in 1896, and there hospitality reigns supreme. Both are members of the Lutheran Church, and in the social life of the community they occupy an enviable position. Like his father, the Doctor is a stanch Republican in political sentiment, and he is now serving his first term as school director at Tannersville. Socially he has belonged to the Patriotic Order Sons of America since 1889, was district president two terms, and is a charter member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, both of Tannersville.

JOSEPH E. CROSS, a well-known general merchant and postmaster of Sterling, Wayne county, is energetic, prompt and notably reliable in business affairs. He is a native of Wayne county, born on the old homestead in Sterling township, Septem- ber 15, 1851, a son of James and Mary A. (Kipp) Cross, the former born in Moroe, Killyman Parish,

County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1802, the latter in Phila- delphia, Penn., in 1815. The father became. a prominent lumberman and farmer of Sterling town- ship. He died there March 29, 1885, at the age of eighty-three years, and his wife passed away Feb- ruary 7, 1884, the remains of both being interred in Greene township, Pike Co., Pennsylvania. In the family of this worthy couple were the following children: George, born October 3, 1833, married Margaret Correll, and died July 10, 1881 ; Frances, born November 28, 1834, died October 24, 1842; Susan, born December 19, 1836, died October 10, 1842; Isaac, born May 31, 1838, died October 21, 1842 ; John, born August 22, 1842, died June 8, 1844; Susan M., born March 20, 1844, is the wife of James D. Gilpin, a farmer of Sterling township; Samuel N., born January 23, 1846, married Ella B. Anderson, and is a hardware merchant of Sterling ; Albert J., born March 17, 1848, wedded Mary E. Hildebrant, and is a dry-goods merchant of Ster- ling; Joseph E. is the next of the family; and Horace, born August 23, 1855, died August 16, 1859.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 31

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