Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 336

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 336
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 336
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 336
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 336

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REEDER POSTEN was born October 5, 1860, at his present home, where his youth was spent and a good practical education was gained in the schools of that locality. On October 5, 1882, he married Miss Fannie Totten, daughter of Will- iam P. and Mary E. Totten, prominent residents of Sussex county, New Jersey, and brought his bride to the homestead of which they have since taken charge. Mrs. Posten conducts the domestic affairs most ably, and dispenses the hospitalities of the home, with true womanly grace. In 1894 Reeder Posten and his brother Grant purchased the old farm from their father, and they now operate it in partnership. In 1889 Reeder Posten procured a license as an auctioneer, and this business he has since followed profitably, being regarded as one of the best auctioneers in the county. Politically he is a Republican of the old time Whig antecedents, but he has not aspired to office. His wife is a mem- ber of the Methodist Church at Swartswood, New Jersey, and both take keen interest in all that con- cerns the welfare of the community.

GRANT POSTEN was born February 24, 1864, at the old farm and during his youth he at- tended the local schools. He was reared to agri- cultural work, and since becoming a part owner of the homestead has shown much ability as a man- ager. For a number of years he has been success- fully engaged in lumbering, and few men of his locality have as high a standing in business circles. So far he has not donned the matrimonial yoke.

FREDERICK W. BORN. This well-known resident of Stroudsburg, Monroe county, has been engaged in business there for thirty years as a barber, and he and his brother George W., his busi- ness partner, are recognized as valuable citizens, their influence being cast on the side of morality and progress.

Mr. Born was born September 18, 1851, in New York City, and is of German ancestry. The late Peter Born, father of our subject, was born in October, 1824, at Frankfort, Germany, where he grew to manhood, learning the barber's trade. In 1848 he came to America, spending three months on the ocean, and on landing in New York City followed his trade there for some time. In 1855 he removed to Stroudsburg, and established the barber shop now operated by his sons, the

building being erected by him. As a citizen he was much esteemed, and socially he was connected with the I. O. O. F. and the Order of Red Men. He died March 13, 1891, his wife, Louisa (Ganger), who was born in 1836, at Frankfort, dying in 1887. Our subject is the eldest of four children, the others being Catherine, widow of William F. Warwick, who has a son Charlie; Christiana, who married D. G. Parmer, proprietor of a meat market in Stroudsburg ; and George W., our subject's part- ner, who was born January 5, 1862, married Miss Flora Bayard, and has one child, Lulu.

Our subject learned his trade with his father, and has always been a diligent and thrifty worker, he and his brother being found daily at their place of business. On October 22, 1889, he married Miss Angeline Bond, a native of Chestnut Hill, Monroe county. They have no children. Politically Mr. Born is a Democrat, as was his father before him, and he takes an active part in municipal affairs, having served six years as a member of the city council. Since 1870 he has been a leading member of the local fire company, having served as assistant foreman and foreman, vice president and president. For eleven years he has been a trustee of the Pres- byterian Church at Stroudsburg, and on January 12, 1898, he was re-elected to that position. He and his family are popular socially, and he is a member of the Knights of Malta and of the Im- proved Order of Red Men, in which he has passed all the chairs, and been twice representative to the grand council of Pennsylvania.

JOHN JOSHUA POTTER is a prominent business man of Gibson township, Susquehanna county, being extensively engaged in milling, farm- ing and surveying. He was born November 23, 1859, at his present farm near Gibson, and is of noted pioneer ancestry, his homestead being one of the oldest in the township.

Captain Joseph Potter, our subject's great- grandfather, was born in Rhode Island. He served as a soldier during the Revolutionary war, enlist- ing from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and our subject now has in his possession a manuscript marked "Copy of Pittsfield Letter," in the captain's hand- writing, of which we give a copy :

Unknown friend I am under the necesity of writing to you for some information. I was a soldier in the revo- lutionary war and entitled to a pension if I can prove my services as such there was a number of young men in Pitsfield township that belonged to the same company that I did namely one by the name of Martin one by the name of Mitter their first names I have forgot there was others they are if living between seventy and eighty years old our Captains name was David Nobles first lieutenant Patterson an irishman by birth and old and grey headed Second lieutenant by the name of Martin Hall ensign and Jonathan Stoddard orderly Sergent and we Joined Col- lonell Pattersons regiment in the year A. D. 1776 Should any of these men be living in Pitsfield I wish you to present this letter to them and if they should recolect me I want them to make a depositions of my services signed and sealed by them and send to me or any others that was acquainted with me and send them to me as soon

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as they conveniently can and should you not be able to find them Please to inform me where they be if living and if dead inform me be so Kind as to inform me of the Particulars and in so doing you will Confer a favour on a soldier in the revolutionary war I am with respect your friend [Signed] Joseph Potter.

Gibson township Susquehanna county Pennsylvania state June 21 A. D. 1831

N. B. in order that these men may know and Recolect me I will state a few Particulars I with my Brother with me by the name of Joshua both enlisted in December 1775 and Joined the army at Cambridge for the campaign of 1776 and in about one week my brother was taken sick and died the third day after in Cambridge hospitel in a short time after Mark Nobles was whipped 39 lashes for deserting the army when the british left Easton we went to New York City a few of us bought a fiddle for a black man by the name of hugh Berry he was to Play for us with out Pay and in a short time we went to albany from there we went to montreal and to the ceders then back to montreal Soon removed to St Johns our sick was carried forward and Put into a barn on Islandes a dismal Place it was from there to crown point the day we arrived there we had amost an uncom- mon thunderstorm which blew down our tents from there we marched to mount independence when Captain Nobles was taken sick brought to kents borough where he Died and lieutenant Patterson advanced to captain we stayed two or three months fortifying the Place then we marched to ticonderoga by the way of lake george and then to albany and from there to Newtown in Pennsylvania about the twentieth of December 1776 and crismus eve we crossed the Delaware river and the next morning took the hessians at trenton New Jersey and on the first Day of January 1777 my time was out and I left the army yours &c forward your bill and oblige

[Signed] Joseph Potter.

After the war Joseph Potter lived at Ballston Spa, New York, whence in 1792 he migrated to Gibson township, Susquehanna county, Pennsyl- vania, locating on the present homestead of our subject. His first cabin had no door, and his wife did not see a woman's face for six months. He afterward moved two miles farther east, and later to a place on the Newburgh road, where he kept a tavern. By commission of Governor Mifflin, dated July 18, 1798, he was made captain of the Second company, Fourth regiment, Luzerne coun- ty Brigade of Militia. He died February 9, 1835, and his wife, Lois, died November 5, 1824. They had nine children: Noah, who died in Illinois ; Parley, a resident of Gibson township, who was ac- cidentally killed on the Susquehanna river; John, our subject's grandfather; Edie, wife of Daniel Tingley ; Elsie, wife of Newton Hawley ; Lucretia, who married Dalton Tiffany; Lois, wife of Otis Stearns ; Amanda, who married Wheeler Lyon ; and Cynthia, wife of Franklin Finn.

John Potter, our subject's grandfather, was born in Ballston Spa, New York, but came to Sus- quehanna county in 1792, locating at the present homestead, and his remains are interred in Union Hill cemetery. He married Polly Washburn, a native of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and they had a family of nine children: Electa (who mar- ried Jabesh Gardner) ; Joseph, Stephen W., William, Elsie (who married Joseph Loveland), F O., Par-

ley, Polly E. (who married Addison Harding), and Joshua M.

Joshua M. Potter, our subject's father, was born at the homestead, and followed farming there throughout his active years, in connection with an extensive business as a stock raiser and dealer. As a citizen he was much respected, and at times he held township offices, including those of auditor and school director. He died November 15, 1894, aged sixty-five. He married Amy D. Miller, a native of Clifford township, and a daughter of Nicholson and Asenath (Wells) Miller, of whom mention is made elsewhere. She was a devout member of the Methodist Church for many years previous to her death, which occurred in January, 1898, when she was aged fifty-six years. Our sub- ject is the eldest of four children: Fred L., born September 22, 1861, was drowned August 2, 1885, in Starn Lake; he was a very promising young man. Charles R., born November 4, 1865, married Miss Mary Whitney, and resides in Scranton, Penn- sylvania. Maunnie E., born August 16, 1871, mar- ried Judson E. Gellatt, and died in Gibson, Penn- sylvania, March 28, 1897.

The common schools of his native township af- forded our subject an elementary education, and at the age of seventeen he entered the Quaker Street Literary Institute, where he continued his studies for two years. He registered as a law student in Montrose, in the office of Little & Allen, studying law about one and a half years. At twenty he built a sawmill at the farm, and began a successful career as a lumberman, recently increasing his facilities for work by rebuilding the mill at Gibson formerly owned by John H. Claflin. This is proba- bly the oldest mill in Susquehanna county, and the first one built on the site was erected in 1794 or 1795, by Joshua Jay. In 1895 Mr. Potter built a grist mill at Ararat Summit, which he ran until sell- ing it, in June, 1899. While Mr. Potter does not seek office, he has served two terms as auditor, and is regarded as one of the leading Republicans of his locality.

On December 1, 1892, Mr. Potter was married, at Binghamton, New York, to Miss Carrie F. Strockbine, and they have had four children: J. Seward, born October 4, 1893 ; J. Miller, born De- cember 30, 1895 ; and the twins, Forest and Foster, born November 28, 1896. Mrs. Potter, who died July 15, 1897, deeply lamented by a large circle of friends, was born in New York City, daughter of Samuel Strockbine, of that city, and his wife Sarah (Sweet), a native of Gibson township. Susquehanna county.

G. G. SMITH, a representative and prominent business man of Gouldsboro, Wayne county, was born December 15, 1832, in Palmyra township, Pike Co., Penn., a son of George and Maria (Rock- well) Smith, who are mentioned more fully else- where.

On the maternal side Mr. Smith traces his

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ancestry to William and Susanna (Chapin) Rock- well, who came to this country in 1630, emigrating from Dorchester, England. They sailed March 20 from the harbor of Plymouth, on the ship "Mary and John," and landed May 30, at the pres- ent site of Watertown, Mass. They located at Dorchester, Mass., William Rockwell being one of the deacons of the first church formed, one of the first "three selectmen" of Dorchester, and one of the "twenty-four freemen" who took the "Oath of Fidelity" May 18, 1631. On November 9, 1630, he was selected one of the jurymen on the trial of Walter Palmer for the murder of Austin Brotchus, the first trial by jury in New England. Six years later he moved to Windsor, Conn., and with his son Samuel was one of the founders of that place. He died May 15, 1640. On May 29, 1645, his widow married Matthew Grant, who was the an- cestor of Gen. U. S. Grant [See Vol. I, Chapter I, Grant's Memoirs], and who, with his first wife, had been a fellow passenger of the Rockwells on the "Mary and John." By intermarriage two or three generations later U. S. Grant was descended from both wives of Matthew Grant.

Jabez Rockwell, great-grandfather of our sub- ject, was of the fifth generation in descent from William Rockwell. He was born October 3, 1761, in Ridgefield, Conn., and was but little more than fifteen years old when he enlisted in a regiment recruiting under the supervision of Benedict Ar- nold, under whom he fought at the battle of Sara- toga, when he was wounded. He was then trans- ferred to the command of the famous Gen. Putnam, and later was under Washington, with whom he passed the terrible winter at Valley Forge. He served in all seven years. Mr. Rockwell was a personal friend of Washington, and was in the same boat with him on the memorable Christmas Eve trip across the Delaware. The river was piled high with blocks of ice, and he used both hands and oars in pushing them away from the sides to prevent their crushing in their frail craft. During the following year he was wounded again, receiving a slight hurt at the battle of Monmouth, and after a short furlough returned to the ranks. He was present at the surrender of Cornwallis, at Yorktown. In 1824 ¡Mr. Rockwell walked from Milford to New York to see La Fayette, by whom he was warmly welcomed.

At the close of the war Mr. Rockwell returned to Connecticut, and on July 4, 1784, was married to Sarah Rundel, who died a few years after their migration to Pike county, Penn. For his second wife he wedded Elizabeth Mulford, daughter of the third sheriff of Wayne county, and they became the parents of seven children, one of whom, Lewis, was the grandfather of our subject. The family are unusually long-lived, and three of the daughters still survive-Mrs. Catherine B. Bowden (aged eighty-seven) and Mrs. Lucinda J. Valentine (aged eighty-four), of Stroudsburg, and Mrs. Phoebe Gainsford (aged ninety-four), of Matamoras, the

two first named living together and doing their own housework and cooking; Mrs. Gainsford, who has the distinction of being the oldest resident of Pike county, is as active as many a woman of half her years, travels to see her sons and daughters at times, and frequently reads a chapter or two from the Bible without her glasses. Their half- sister, Mrs. Anna Wells, lived to the age of ninety- three. The Stroudsburg Daily Times of December 9, 1899, in an interesting article, says they are the only three sisters living who have the distinction of being the daughters of a Revolutionary soldier. Mrs. Bowden is a member of the local Methodist Church, with which she united over sixty years ago; Mrs. Gainsford is also a Methodist, and Mrs. Valentine belongs to the Presbyterian Church. Their father, Jabez Rockwell, died January 18, 1847, and was buried at Honesdale with impressive mil- itary and Masonic honors.

Lewis Rockwell was born May 10, 1785, at Ridgefield, Conn., and came to Milford, Pike Co., Penn., in 1795. He became prominent in the pub- lic affairs of his day, filling the office of sheriff and other offices of trust, and lived to a ripe old age, dying in Paupack, July 12, 1881, in his ninety-sev- enth year. On June 30, 1805, he married Rebecca Potts, and their children were as follows: Oliver G., born May 31, 1806, died June 13, 1810; Maria, born April 18, 1808, married George Smith, and settled in Sterling, Wayne Co., Penn .; William P., born December 23, 1810, married Sarah Bassett, and settled in Waymart, Wayne Co., Penn .; Susan, born April 10, 1812, married Isaac Decker, and settled in Leonardsville, Wayne county ; Jabez R., born February 4, 1814, married Rachel Boman, and settled in Hickory Corners, Mich .; Cyrus S., born February 24, 1816, went to the Mexican war, and never returned; James W., born February I, 1818, married Sarah Bishop, and settled in Hickory Corners, Mich .; Samuel R., born January 15, 1820, married Susan Overpeck; he enlisted in a Penn- sylvania regiment during the Rebellion, and died in the discharge of his duty ; his widow lives at Pitts- ton, Penn .; John R., born May 10, 1822, died Au- gust 23, 1828; Lucy K., born February 28, 1825, died August 8, 1828; Moses K., born January 15, 1827, married Miranda Hazen, and settled in Mil- ford, Penn .; Caroline, born March 6, 1830, never married, and lives in Paupack, Penn.

At the age of twenty years G. G. Smith, our subject, came to Wayne county, and worked in Dreher township at farming and lumbering, and at Whitehaven, Penn., he also followed the latter pursuit for seven years. In 1862 he came to Goulds- boro, after engaging in lumbering for some time entering the employ of William Wallace, a well- known lumberman and mill owner of Stroudsburg, Penn., and he now has entire charge of the busi- ness of that gentleman, superintending his mill, farm and store. He is a wide-awake, energetic business man, of known reliability, and has the entire confidence and esteem of his employer.

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At Whitehaven, Penn., January 28, 1857, Mr. Smith was married, by Rev. Gerard Staples, a Meth- odist Episcopal minister, to Miss Catherine Geary, who was born March 2, 1829, a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Grey) Geary, and half-sister of Gen. Geary, who was afterward governor of Pennsyl- vania. Her father was born in Bucks county, Penn., May 7, 1801, and died July 4, 1855, while her mother was born January 19, 1807, and died March 22, 1842. They were married April 18, 1823, and children as follows came to them: Mary, born November 4, 1826, is the wife of John Prugh, of Plainfield, N. J .; Mrs. Smith is next in the order of birth; Amy, born October 17, 1831, is the wife of C. W. Coleman, of Scranton, Penn. ; Lydia, born February 5, 1834, is the wife of Richard O'Con- nor of White Haven, Penn .; William, born March 26, 1836, who was a captain in the Union service during the Civil war, went to Kansas, but has not been heard from for some years; Nelson, born Au- gust 17, 1838, was also a Union soldier, and is now a farmer and carpenter of Harmony, N. J .; and Jacob, born December 27, 1841, died March 14, 1842. Mrs. Smith's paternal grandfather, Jacob Geary, was a native of England, and after com- ing to America wedded Miss Mary Laughler, of Bucks county, Penn. Her maternal grandparents, William and Catherine Grey, were both born in Germany, but were married and made their home in Neshanic, New Jersey.

Children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith as follows : William G., born April 23, 1858, who died June 19, 1858; M. E., born October 30, 1859 ; H. D., born December 14, 1861 ; Alice, born April 13, 1864, now the wife of J. A. Heller, M. D., of Factoryville, Wyoming Co., Penn., by whom she has two children, Archibald and Blanche ; Leroy G., who is represented elsewhere; and Arthur L., born April 12, 1873, who graduated at the East Stroudsburg Normal School, since which time he has taught two terms in the public schools of Gouldsboro. Two of the sons, M. E. and Leroy G., are employed in the store with their father.

In the exercise of his elective franchise Mr. Smith supports the men and measures of the Demo- cratic party, and he has served as a member of the school board of Lehigh township, Wayne county, and as justice of the peace for twenty years, to the entire satisfaction of the general public. For twenty-one years he has affiliated with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. His wife is a member of the Lutheran Church. Becoming widely and favorably known throughout the county, they have made many friends, and are held in high regard by all with whom they come in contact.

JAMES PULIS, better known to all as 'Squire Pulis, was born in West Milford, N. J., and was of Holland-Dutch descent. He married Serena Tyler, a daughter of John Tyler, who belonged to good old Revolutionary stock. She was a wo- man of education, and proved a valuable helpmeet

to her husband. Mr. Pulis died in 1889, at the age of seventy-two years, honored and esteemed by all. He had served as justice of the peace for fifteen years with credit to himself, and to the satisfac- tion of his constituents, being thoroughly impar- tial in meting out justice. During his incumbency he also married many couples. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, in which he served as elder for many years.

WILLIS LUTHER WALTER (deceased) was one of the leading influential citizens of Promp- ton, and a worthy representative of one of the old and honored families of Wayne county.

Luther Walter, father of our subject, was born October 23, 1820, on the old homestead in Dyberry township, where he made his home throughout life, with the exception of four years, dying there May 9, 1892. His remains were interred at Prompton. In 1849 he went to California in search of gold, spend- ing two years on the Pacific slope, and at one time was offered $16,000 for the dust he had accumu- lated, but refused it. Shortly afterward a flood washed away his hard-earned fortune. While in that State he shot a bear which when dressed weighed 1,000 pounds. Coming upon it unawares, he nearly stepped on Bruin, but jumped back a short distance and fired. After his return East he lived for one year in Susquehanna county, Penn., and the same length of time in Connecticut, there working at the carpenter's trade, which he contin- ued to follow in connection with farming through- out life. As a Republican, he took quite a promi- nent part in local affairs, and was elected to several township offices, including those of poormaster and tax collector. In Dyberry township, July 31, 1851, Luther Walter was married, by Rev. Worthington, to Miss Emeline Fuller, and they became the par- ents of the following children: Cynthia A., born August 5, 1852, died in 1853; Eva E., born April 13, 1854, was twice married, first to F. A. Whit- lock, and fifteen years later to J. D. Evans, an in- surance agent of Scranton, Penn .; Chauncey F., born July 13, 1856, is a painter of Newark, N. J .; Luman J., born October 13, 1858, is a resident of Carbondale, where he was formerly in the railroad service ; Charles W., born January 29, 1862, died April 13, 1864; Willis L., born July 7, 1864, is the subject of this sketch; Rena B., born March 12, 1869, is the wife of William Loring, a glass-cutter in Dyberry.

Eber and Rhoda (Tuttle) Walter, the paternal grandparents of our subject, were natives of Con- necticut, and as early as 1816 took up their resi- dence in Dyberry township, Wayne Co., Penn., where the grandfather followed farming throughout his remaining years on the old homestead, which is now the property of his son's widow. He cut the first tree on the present site of Honesdale. His chil- dren were as follows: Lucius was killed on the Gravity railroad at Prompton, in 1867; he was a boss carpenter, and while he and a hired man were

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

carrying a heavy piece of timber, the timber struck him, threw him from the track, and broke his neck. Serepta became the wife of John Pimley ; both are deceased. Luther was the father of subject. Ada, wife of Daniel Sterling, and Ruth, wife of Richard Mathews, are both deceased, as are their husbands. Cynthia, deceased, was the wife of Andrew Catchum, of Binghamton, N. Y. Leverett T. is a wood turner, residing in Pittston, Pennsyl- vania.

Mrs. Emeline Walter, our subject's mother, was born in Lenox township, Susquehanna Co., Penn., April 4, 1828, a daughter of Asaph and Elizabeth (Osmond) Fuller, natives of Connecticut and New Jersey, respectively. They were married in Harford, Susquehanna county, and in that county continued to make their home throughout life, the father dying in 1867, aged seventy-eight years, the mother May 18, 1887, aged eighty-seven years, three months and thirteen days. Their remains were interred in Harford township. Their children were: Julia, who first married Henry Sperbeck, and later David A. Bonner; Emeline (Mrs. Wal- ter) ; Theodore, a retired farmer of Scranton, Penn .; James, a resident of Gibson, Susquehanna county ; Susan E., widow of Erastus Gard, and a resident of Minnesota ; Diantha, wife of Allen Whitney, a car- penter of Edgerton, Rock Co., Wis .; and Lydia J., wife of George Belcher, a farmer of Gibson, Penn. Mrs. Walter's maternal grandparents, Embly and Catherine Osmond, were natives of New Jersey, and farming people, and at an early day removed to Harford, Susquehanna Co., Penn. Her paternal grandfather, Rev. Fuller, was a Presbyterian minis- ter of Connecticut.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 336

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