Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 343

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 343
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 343
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 343
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 343

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

family possess remarkable musical talent, and with the exception of Grace, who is still too young, all play on some musical instrument, Arthur B. being the present leader of the Uniondale Cornet Band.

Mrs. Corey was born in Clinton township, Wayne, Co., Penn., August 25, 1852, and remained on the old homestead until seventeen years of age, when she commenced teaching in the district school at Mt. Pleasant, same county. For three years she was a student at the Lewisburg Institute, from which she graduated in 1874, and she continued to teach school at intervals until after her marriage. She also taught instrumental music, and is now giv- ing her children thorough instruction along that line. At the age of twenty she united with the Baptist Church of Lewisburg, and is now an active and prominent member of that denomination at Herrick Center. Her father, Henry B. Curtis, was born in Broome county, N. Y., near Binghamton, January 1, 1825, a son of Rev. Henry and Eliza (Banning) Curtis, who were born in England, and married in New York, and located in Broome county, N. Y., spending their last days, however, in Clinton township, Wayne Co., Penn. The grand- father, who was a Baptist minister, died August 14, 1866, aged sixty-six years, and his wife died in 1879, the remains of both being interred at Honesdale.

Henry B. Curtis was ten years old when taken by his parents to Wayne county, where he has since made his home. He is one of the prominent farmers and dairymen of his community, has held many township offices, and for many years has been a deacon in the Clinton Baptist Church, of which his wife is also a faithful member. She bore the maiden name of Louisa Griswold, was born in Clin- ton township, Wayne county, November 2, 1828, and is a daughter of Francis and Jane (Loomis) Griswold, natives of Massachusetts and Connecti- cut, respectively, and early settlers of Clinton town- ship. They located on the farm where Mr. and Mrs. Curtis are now living, and there Mr. Griswold conducted a hotel for many years. He was born November 14, 1793, and died in September, 1869, and his wife, born March II, 1792, died March 19, 1881 ; both were buried in Clinton Center. They were married March 20, 1821. His father, John Griswold, was a Revolutionary soldier.

Mrs. Corey is the eldest in a family of eleven children. (2) Francis Henry, born January 7, 1855, was married in 1889 to Rena Stanton. He is a farmer in Clinton township. (3) William Vantas- sel, born June 6, 1857, was married in 1890, to Mary He was formerly a merchant, and is now engaged in farming in South Dakota. (4) Harriet Annis, born November 2, 1859, was married in 1881 to Milo Gardner, a railroad en- gineer, of Carbondale, Penn. (5) Augusta Ger- trude, born June 1, 1862, taught public school for a time in Pennsylvania and South Dakota, and in 1892 entered upon a course of study in the Baptist Training School for Christian Work, in Philadel- phia, graduating in 1894. She is now engaged in

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missionary work at Franklinton, N. C. (6) George Augustus, twin of Augusta, was married in 1889 to Jennie Genther. He is engaged in farming in Clinton township. (7) Laura Melinda, born July 29, 1864, began teaching at the age of seventeen. In 1883 she graduated from Pleasant Mount Acad- emy, and later took a course at the Mansfield (Penn.) State Normal School, graduating from the latter institution in 1886. With the exception of three years-one spent in North Carolina, and two in Washington, D. C., in the employ of the gov- ernment-she continued teaching in Pennsylvania. In 1898 she became the wife of William Rude, a farmer of Clinton. (8) Arthur Hamilton, born Feb- ruary 22, 1867, was married, in 1895, to Katherine Giles. He is a milk merchant in Clinton township. (9) Carrie Isabelle, born August 9, 1869, died Sep- tember 12, same year. (10) Amanda Irene, born June 17, 1871, graduated from the Carbondale high school in 1890, attended school at Factoryville, taught in South Dakota, and attended the D. L. Moody school at Chicago, graduating therefrom in 1897, and engaging in evangelistic work. In 1899 she married Rev. James Patey. (II) Nathan Jud- son, born March 23, 1874, died May 2, 1883.

WILLIAM H. VOSS, the able and popular postmaster at East Stroudsburg, Monroe county, is one of the enterprising business men who have brought that thriving little city to the front.

He comes of good German ancestry in the paternal line, and his grandfather, George Voss, a native of the Fatherland, was a prosperous farmer at Bridgeville, N. J., attaining the advanced age of eighty-four years. This worthy citizen married Miss Elizabeth Mackey, who died when middle aged, and they had the following children : Mitchell, who settled at the homestead; Andrew J., our sub- ject's father ; Seth, who died in Bridgeville, N. J .; George, who did not live to maturity; Ann, who married Philip Lyons, roadmaster of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R.R. (both now deceased) ; Jane, who died at Delaware, N. J., May, 1884; and Margaret, who married Garret Bogart, superinten- dent of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R.

Andrew J. Voss, the father of our subject, was born in New Jersey, January 4, 1825, and now resides near Belvidere on a portion of the old home- stead, having been engaged in farming for many years. He married Miss Amelia L. Madill, who was born in Kingston, Penn., December 4, 1832, and died February 8, 1897. Our subject is the youngest of their three children. George A., is de- ceased, and their only daughter, Rosa E. M., is the wife of George D. Strayer, a railway conductor.

The Madill family is of Scotch origin, and many of its members have achieved prominence in their respective callings. Our subject's mother was one of a family of five children born to Dr. Alexander and Rosa E. Madill, of Wysox, Penn. Of the others Gen. H. J. Madill resides in To-

wanda, Penn .; Dr. T. F. Madill is a resident of Wysox, Penn .; Dr. W. A. Madill was a surgeon of the 20th N. Y. V. I., and 23d N. Y. Cavalry, dur- ing the Civil war and afterward spent some time at St. Louis, Sticker and Archibald, Mo., but later returned home, where his death occurred in 1893; George A. is a judge in St. Louis, Mo.

William H. Voss was born June II, 1858, in Warren county, N. J., and his education was begun in the public schools of Belvidere. Later he at- tended the academy and seminary in that city, and Dickenson Seminary at Williamsport, Penn., and in 1880 he was graduated from Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He then found employment as a brakeman on a passenger train on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R., but soon afterward he became a bookkeeper for a wholesale leather and saddle hardware jobbing house at Olean, N. Y. In 1881 he located at East Stroudsburg and engaged in the clothing business, which he followed until burned out on April 20, 1897, and he is now engaged as a manufacturer of shirts and shirt waists. He is an ardent Demo- crat and has taken an active part in local affairs. In 1888 he was appointed justice of the peace by Gov. Pattison to fill an unexpired term, and in the fol- lowing spring he was elected to that office for the term of five years. He declined to be a candidate for the next term, but in 1894 he accepted the office of postmaster at East Stroudsburg, under Cleve- land's administration. Socially, he and his family are prominent and he is a leading member of the Presbyterian Church at East Stroudsburg. He is also identified with various fraternal orders, includ- ing the Knights of Malta. In 1882 he married Miss Emma Frantz, a native of Stroud township, born January 2, 1859, but their only child died in infancy.

ANDREW BARZILLA SMITH, burgess of Montrose, Susquehanna county, is a promising at- torney who has won professional success compara- tively early in life. For sixteen years he has practiced law at Montrose. Inheriting business judgment and enterprising spirit, Mr. Smith thoroughly equipped d himself for the practice of law, and his education and application, combined with his native talent, have raised him to a command- ing position in the enrollment of his honored pro- fession. Mr. Smith is one of the substantial and progressive citizens of Montrose, leading and di- recting by force of character, and materially shaping the destinies and development of the community in which he lives.

Our subject was born in New Milford, Susque- hanna Co., Penn., November 30, 1857, son of An- drew B. and Helen L. (Grover) Smith. His father was born in Watertown, Litchfield Co., Conn., March 27, 181I, of an old Connecticut family. The father possessed the mechanical tastes and the busi- ness instincts of his native State. Early in life he had engaged in the manufacture of wooden

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clocks in Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore, in company with his two brothers, Ransom and Henry W. In 1853 he came to Susquehanna county and settled in New Milford township, about three and one-half miles west of New Milford bor- ough, where he operated a farm for about eight years. Later he removed to New Mil- ford and there operated a tannery in part- nership with A. Corbin. He was a man of industry and thrift and prospered in his new home. On January 25, 1857, he married Miss Helen L. Grover, daughter of Joseph B. and Ann Grover, who were married in New Jersey February 21, 1807. Joseph B. Grover died in Fairfield, Essex Co., N. J., and Helen L. when a child came with her mother to Susquehanna county and settled at Montrose. The father of our subject was a man of prominence and held many township and bor- ough offices. He lived to a great age, his death occurring December 22, 1896. The mother died December 29, 1891, aged sixty-eight years. From childhood she had been a devout and consistent member of the Baptist Church of Montrose, Penn. To Andrew B. and Helen L. Smith were born three sons : Andrew Barzilla, subject of this sketch; Alvan Bovay, who died at the age of four years ; and William G., who is now bookkeeper and ship- ping clerk in a cigar manufactory at Binghampton, New York.

Andrew B. Smith attended the schools of New Milford and supplemented his home education with a two-years' course at the Centenary Collegiate Institute of Hackettstown, N. J. Choosing the legal profession for his vocation in life, he entered, in November, 1878, the law office of J. B. & A. H. McCollum, at Montrose, the county seat of his native county, as a law student, and after the eleva- tion of the senior member of that firm to the Bench of Susquehanna county, concluded his studies with the new firm of McCollum & Watson. He was admitted to the Susquehanna County Bar at the November term, 1880, following which he prose- cuted a two-years' course in the Law Department of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, from which he graduated in June, 1882. He has since been actively engaged in the practice of his profession at Montrose, from July, 1882, to May, 1883, on his own account, and on the latter date becoming the junior member of the law firm of McCollum, Searle & Smith. This partnership con- tinued until January, 1889, when D. W. Searle, of the firm, was elected judge of the court of Sus- quehanna county, and the subject of this sketch has continued a member of the law firm of McCol- lum & Smith. Mr. Smith is a member of Warren Lodge No. 240, F. & A. M., located at Montrose, Penn. In politics he is a Republican, and in re- ligious affiliation he is a member of the Presby- terian Church. In 1898 he was elected burgess of Montrose for three years.

At Montrose, on October 10, 1883, Mr. Smith married Lillian E. Carlisle, who was born at Great

Bend, Susquehanna county, May 31, 1857, daughter of John T. and Mary A. (Chandler) Carlisle. Her father died at Great Bend, and her mother now resides with our subject. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born two children-Florence and An- drew C.

H. D. BROWN, a representative farmer and dairyman of Thompson township, Susquehanna county, was born there, in August, 1849, a son of Charles and Jemimah (Nye) Brown, the former a native of Otsego county, N. Y., born in 1811, the latter of Brattleboro, Vt. The paternal grand- father, Elisha Brown, was born in Rhode Island, and on leaving his native State first went to Otsego county, N. Y., but at an early day took up his residence in Jackson township, Susquehanna Co., Penn., where in the midst of the forest he cleared and developed a farm. His children were Elisha, a resident of Jackson township; Charles, father of our subject; Oremal, of Jackson township; John W., of Thompson township ; James, who died from wounds received when a soldier of the Mexican war; Theodosia, wife of William Witter, of Thomp- son ; and Caroline, who died when a young woman.

In the county of his nativity, Charles Brown, father of our subject, grew to manhood and re- ceived a limited education. After his marriage he located in the woods of Jackson township, Sus- quehanna county, where Fred Leonard now lives, and there improved a farm on which he made his home for some years. On selling that place he purchased the farm where our subject resides and erected thereon a large house and barn, which are still in a good state of preservation. There he remained throughout life, dying in 1890. The mother of our subject had passed away in 1868, and the father had married again, his second union being with Mrs. Jane (Henderson) McKeeby. He was a consistent member and liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which the mother also belonged, and was an ardent Demo- crat in politics. All of his children were by his first wife. (1) Louden A., the oldest, was born in Jackson township, and when a young man enlisted in Company I of a New York regiment; he died at City Point during his service. (2) Mary C., born in Thompson township, is the wife of Francis Davis, of Gibson, and they have one son-Clayton. (3) H. D., our subject, is the next of the family. (4) Lestina, born in 1853, was well educated and taught school for a number of years in Susquehanna county, but on account of declining health gave up teaching and is now living retired in Bing- hampton, New York.

H. D. Brown was reared on his father's farm and obtained his education in the public and select schools of Jackson. In April, 1877, he married Miss Eudora Clapper, a daughter of John and Eliza A. (Aldrich), Clapper. She was born in Thompson in 1860 and was educated in its district schools. After his marriage Mr. Brown located on

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the old homestead, which he had assisted his father in clearing, and has made many improvements thercon, including the erection of a new barn and other outbuildings. After his father's death he purchased the place. He and his wife have six children, namely: Blanch E., born in January, 1878, married Forest Empet, of Thompson, now a resident of Jackson, and they have one son- Herbert E .; Christopher A., born in 1879, and Maurice, born in July, 1881, are both at home ; Willis C., born in 1882, is attending the home schools; Rena M., one of the brightest girls of this section, was born in May, 1885, and gradu- ated from the home schools in 1899, and from the Thompson graded school in 1900; and Alice E., born in July, 1887, is attending school.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown were reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and both are members of Thompson Grange No. 868, P. of H. He has always affiliated with the Democratic party and held the office of school director for two terms. He is a worthy representative of a good old New England family that has been prominently identified with the best interests of this country. Their lives have been exemplary in all respects, and they have been supporters of everything calculated to uplift and benefit humanity, while their descendants have become honest and industrious citizens of the com- munities in which they live.

JOHN H. STEVENS, one of the most pro- gressive and enterprising general farmers and stock raisers of Clifford township, Susquehanna county, was born on the old homestead there, June 19, 1859.

His father, Joel P. Stevens, a retired agricul- turist of the same township, was born in Delhi, Delaware Co., N. Y., December 15, 1810, and is a son of Joel and Persus (Bocker) Stevens, natives of Lenox county, Mass. They were married in Vermont, and from that State removed to New York, where they made their home until the spring of 1813, when, accompanied by the family of Wil- liam Upton, they came with a team of horses to Susquehanna county, Penn. Being a cloth dresser and a carder by trade, the grandfather located on a creek, which flows into the Tunkhannock, about three-quarters of a mile from McAlla Mills, at Elkdale, where he found employment. Later he lived in retirement upon his farm, which he oper- ated for forty years. He was a man of prominence in his community, held a number of township offices, and usually attended the Baptist Church, although not a member. He died in October, 1864, at the age of eighty-four years, and the grand- mother of our subject died in 1817, at the age of thirty-two, and both were buried in Elkdale ceme- tery. The children born to them were Hiram, who married Phoebe Stearns and died in 1889; Maria, deceased wife of Francis Hull; David, who mar- ried Eliza Arnold and is now deceased; Joel P., father of our subject ; and Elias, who married Jane

Callender and is now deceased. For his second wife the grandfather married Mrs. Susan Seley, by whom he had two children: Isaac, who married Fanny Entrout and is now deceased; and Ziba, who married Hannah Harding and died in Wis- consin. His third wife was Julia Ann Spencer, and the children born to them were: Edward, a farmer, who went to Oregon in 1849; William, a farmer of Elkdale, Susquehanna county ; Peninah, wife of Charles Edwards, a wagonmaker; Ruth A., deceased wife of George Mumford, of Mt. Pleasant, Penn .; Benjamin F., who went to Cali- fornia in 1849, and later was killed in a silver mine in Oregon; and Florence, wife of George Taylor, a farmer of Amasa, Penn. The paternal great- grandfather of our subject was David Stevens, a life-long resident of Massachusetts. His children were David, a farmer, who died in Clifford town- ship, Susquehanna county; Orin, a farmer, who died in Massachusetts; Joel, grandfather of our subject ; Silas, who died in Wayne county, Penn .; and Ruth, deceased wife of Lusher Gastin, of Mas- sachusetts.

Joel P. Stevens, father of our subject, remained with his parents until twenty years of age, and then he and his brother David took possession of a farm of 100 acres in Clifford township which their father had given them, and hired a woman to keep house for them. After operating it together for four years, Joel P. sold his interest to his brother and returned home. A year later he purchased a farm at Clifford Corners, which he carried on for ten years, and then bought the farm on which he now resides. At one time he operated a grist- mill at Lenoxville for two years, but not liking the business, sold out and again turned his attention to farming, in which he met with good success. He is a stanch supporter of the Republican party and is highly respected by all who know him. He first married Caroline Callender, a native of Dundaff and daughter of Nathan Callender. She died in 1851. The children born of that union were Clarissa Ann, wife of Byington Thatcher, a grocer of Montrose, Penn .; Pierson, who died at the age of twenty years ; and Seamon, who died in infancy. On Sep- tember 14, 1857, the father married Jeanette Ait- kins, and to them were born four children, of whom John H., our subject, is the oldest; Martha, born April 17, 1861, is a trained nurse, of Philadelphia ; James, born March 24, 1866, married Gertrude Lyons, by whom he has one daughter, Jeanette L., and follows farming in Clifford township, living across the road from his father; and Grant, born February 2, 1868, is at home.

John H. Stevens grew to manhood upon the home farm, and was married in Greenfield town- ship, Lackawanna Co., Penn., September 5, 1882, to Miss Sarah C. Pierce. They have become the parents of three children : Horace P., Harold M. and Gertrude A. Mrs. Stevens was born in Green- field township, June 5, 1864, a daughter of Melvin and Tamar (Cobb) Pierce, also natives of that

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township, where the father still resides at the age of fifty-seven years. He is a farmer by occupation and at one time an earnest member of the Freewill Baptist Church. The mother died May 21, 1883, at the age of thirty-nine years, and was buried in Clifford cemetery. Mrs. Stevens was the oldest of their children, the others being Nathan H. and Dora, both deceased; Helen A., wife of George Wademan, a hotelman of Uniondale, Penn .; Cora E., wife of Frederick Burdick, a farmer of Green- field township, Lackawanna county ; Anna M., wife of Walter Gardner, of the same township; Tempie M., wife of Frank Gardner, a brother of Walter, and a farmer of Greenfield township.

For his second wife, Mr. Pierce married Miss Ellen Wademan, who is now fifty-one years of age and is a daughter of Henry Wademan. By this union there is one son-Henry-aged eleven years. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Stevens were Horatio and Catherine (Haperman) Pierce, natives of New York, who brought the first team of horses and market wagon to this part of the country. Peo- ple came from miles around to see them and get a ride in the wagon. Her maternal grandparents were Zipron and Sarah (Yarns) Cobb.

In 1882, after his marriage, Mr. Stevens lo- cated upon his present fine farm of 210 acres, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation and made many improvements thereon. Politically he is a Republican. He is an earnest and consistent Christian gentleman, and active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he serves as trustee, steward and superintendent of the Sun- day School. The family to which he belongs is one of the most prominent and influential in Clif- ford township, and their circle of friends and ac- quaintances is extensive.

GEORGE W. POOLER. Prominent among the successful and enterprising agriculturists of Oakland township, Susquehanna county, may be numbered the subject of this biographical sketch, who is considered one of the most industrious and worthy citizens of his part of the county.

Mr. Pooler was born on his present farm, in October, 1857, a son of Hiram and Isabel (McFar- land) Pooler, both natives of New York, the for- mer born in Solon, Cortland county, in February, 1805, the latter in Schoharie county, in May, 1817. The maternal grandparents were Malcolm and Margaret McFarland, representatives of an old and prominent family of the Empire State. The parents of our subject were educated in the district schools of New York, and after their marriage made their home for a few years in Delaware county, that State, coming to Susquehanna county, Penn., in 1848. Here the father worked on the Starrucca viaduct near Susquehanna, and also kept a hotel and furnished teams for that work. After two years spent in that way, he purchased a couple of canal boats and engaged in boating on the Erie canal for a year or so. He then purchased a tract

of wild land in Oakland township, on the Susque- hanna river, near the New York State line, and converted eighty acres into a good farm, on which in the course of his life time he erected two houses, built barns, and made many other useful improve- ments that materially added to the value and attract- ive appearance of the place. In connection with the operation of his land he also established and con- ducted a ferry on the Susquehanna river opposite his house, for the accommodation of the public and ran the same for twenty-five or thirty years. He was a well-informed man on the affairs of our country and a strong advocate of free school. In his political affiliations he was a stanch Republican. Both he and his wife were devout members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and gave freely of their means to the support of the same and to the building of the church. He died May 2, 1889, his wife April 5, 1898, honored and respected by all who knew them.

To this worthy couple were born the following children : (1) Mary, born at Unadilla, N. Y., Feb- ruary 25, 1847. (2) Delia, born in Lanesboro, Sus- quehanna county, in September, 1849, was well educated in the Windsor schools, and was one of the successful teachers of Broome county, N. Y., for several years. In 1889 she married Jacob Mumma, and they now reside in Colorado, where he conducts a sheep ranch. (3) Clarissa, born No- vember 25, 1851, was educated in the district schools and the higher schools of Windsor, Broome Co., N. Y., and resides on the old homestead in Oak- land township. (4) Hiram J., born in Oakland township, in May, 1853, married Ella Wilmot, of New York State, and located in Susquehanna, where she died in 1894, leaving two sons-Alfred, who is married and resides in Susquehanna; and Burton. (5) Lois B., born in September, 1855, attended the home schools and later the Windsor Academy, and has been one of the successful teach- ers of Susquehanna county. She resides on the old homestead. (6) George W., whose name introduces this sketch, is the next in order of birth. He re- ceived the benefits of a district school education and grew to manhood on the home farm, of which he became manager when quite young, taking a careful interest in his father's business affairs. In June, 1882, he was united in marriage with Miss Emma Frost, who was born in Broome county, N. Y., in 1861, and was educated in the schools of Windsor. Her parents were Corydon and Caroline Frost, prominent citizens of that county. Our

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 343

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