Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 353

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 353
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 353
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 353
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 353

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).

Darius Coleman, Jr., was born in Mid- dletown township in 1827. He began life as a farmer and stock dealer, and was married in 1851 to Miss Margaret Curley, who was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1827, daughter of James and Catherine Curley, who immigrated to America in 1841, and settled on a farm in Middletown town- ship. Their family consisted of five sons and three daughters. After his marriage our subject set- tled on the old homestead. There he has erected new buildings and made extensive improvements. In addition to farming he is engaged extensively in poultry raising. In politics Mr. Coleman is a life-long Democrat. He has been elected auditor in the township, and filled various other local offices. Himself and wife are members of the Cath-

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olic Church. Of their eight children, four, Law- rence D., Mary P., Martin and Mary P. (2), died in childhood. The survivors are: (1) Frank was born in 1853, grew up on the farm, and in 1886 married Miss Hannah Byrne, who was born in 1865, daughter of Christopher and Mary (Welsh) Byrne, of Choconut township. He purchased the John Biglan homestead in Middletown, where he has made many improvements, erecting new and remodeling old buildings and clearing up a large portion of the land. He now owns one of the well-cultivated farms of Middletown. To himself and wife have been born nine children, one of whom died in infancy ; the others are: Maggie, born in 1887; Lawrence D., born in 1888; Christopher, born in July, 1889; Mary, born in 1891, died in 1892; Martin, born November 9, 1892; Anna M., born May, 1894, Francis, born December 30, 1895 ; Honora, born October, 1897. In politics Frank Coleman is a Democrat and in religious faith a Catholic. He has held various local offices, includ- ing constable and collector, poormaster six years, school director nine years and is now auditor. (2) Katie A. was born in 1855 ; received a good educa- tion in the schools of Susquehanna county, and for many years has been a successful teacher in the schools of Susquehanna, Bradford and Wyoming counties. She is a lady of culture and resides with her parents at the home. (3) James Walter, born in 1857, married Miss Libbie Fitzpatrick, of Au- burn, Susquehanna county, and lives with his father. He has one son-John V. (4) Annie Cole- man, born in 1863, married John Murphy, a farmer of Middletown, and has three children-Mary. Jo- seph and John.

PETER G. HESS is one of the most thorough and practical agriculturists of Shohola township, Pike county, his skill in his chosen calling being attested by the success that he has achieved. Here he has always made his home, his birth occurring in Shohola township, June 7, 1850.

His grandfather, Jacob Hess, was a native of Saxony, Germany, where he was married and reared his family, but in later years emigrated to the United States and located in Albany, N. Y. In that city, Peter Hess, the father of our subject, found employment in the freight transfer business. Coming to Shohola township, Pike county, he pur- chased a farm of 100 acres, but returned to Albany in order to earn the money to pay for his land. Subsequently he located upon his purchase, and to its development and cultivation he devoted his energies throughout the remainder of his life. He was married in Albany to Miss Mary Hess, a dis- tant relative, and a daughter of George and Mag- gie Hess. He died September 3, 1893, and she departed this life February 11, 1895, honored and respected by all who knew them. Six children were born to this worthy couple, one son (our subject) and five daughters : Mary now, the wife of John W. Beyer, who is represented elsewhere in this

volume; Kate, wife of George Haas, of Shohola township; Maggie, who was drowned in a spring when only eighteen months old; Libby, wife of Charles Thompson, of Wayne county, Penn., and Annie, a resident of Passaic, New Jersey.

During his boyhood and youth, Peter G. Hess assisted his father in the work of the home farm, and when a young man was also employed by neighboring farmers and by the Erie Railroad Company. After his father's death he came into possession of the old homestead, and now owns 274 acres of valuable land, of which sixty-five acres are under a high state of cultivation, and well im- proved. In connection with general farming he also operates the quarries of blue stone located upon his land, and is meeting with good success in both branches of business. He is a stalwart Democrat in politics, as was his father, who served as county commissioner and held nearly all of the township offices, while socially he was a Mason. Our subject has been overseer of the poor, school director and treasurer of the school board, and. has discharged the duties of these positions with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. Religiously he is a member of the German Lutheran Church, and his wife is a Catho- lic.

On July 9, 1880, in Shohola, Mr. Hess was. united in marriage with Miss Maggie Keller, who- was born in Shohola township, July 15, 1857, a daughter of John and Maggie (Miller) Keller, both natives of Germany. Our subject and his wife have five children, who names and dates of birth are as follows: Lilly Catherine, April 4, 1881 ; Rosie, April 21, 1883; George H., March 18, 1885; Jo- seph, January 24, 1887, and Anna Laura, January 20, 1895.

ARTHUR F. KINNEY, the well-known manager of the Montrose milk shipping station and creamery at Montrose, Susquehanna county, was born in Davenport, Iowa, June 23, 1855, a son of George H. and Carrie (Burnham) Kinney, the for- mer a native of Madison, N. Y., the latter of Carle- ton, Ky. In November, 1878, they removed to Los Angeles, Cal., where he owns a fruit ranch, though by occupation he is an architect and builder. He was born in 1828, and his wife in 1829. Their children are Carroll H., who is engaged in the saw and planing mill business in Stockton, Cal .; Arthur F., our subject; Nellie, who died in in- fancy; William G., an engraver, who was killed by a train at Council Bluffs, Iowa; and Irving, an electrician of San Francisco, Cal. Our subject's paternal grandfather was Charles H. Kinney, a farmer of Massachusetts, and his maternal grand- father was Prof. Elijah Burnham, a farmer and educator of Carleton, Kentucky.

The boyhood and youth of our subject were passed upon a farm, and his education was obtained in the district schools of the neighborhood. On leaving the parental roof at the age of eighteen

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years, while yet a resident of Madison county, N. Y., he was engaged in the creamery business for three years, manufacturing cheese and butter, and during that time he obtained an excellent knowl- edge of the business. Later he was engaged in establishing creameries throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, with headquarters at Quakertown, and started about fifty different plants in Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh, Berks, Chester and Lan- caster counties. Becoming tired of traveling, he located in Bird in Hand, Lancaster county, where he managed a large creamery for three years, and then came to Susquehanna county in the interest of the American Dairy Company. He resigned a year later and moved to New Milford, where he built the first creamery and carried on the same for six years, and then, in the spring of 1892, came to Montrose, where he erected a creamery for a Newark, N. J., firm, and has since managed the same with most gratifying results.

In Bucks county, Penn., in September, 1882, Mr. Kinney was married to Miss Lillie Heil, a na- tive of Lehigh county, this State, and a daughter of Hiram Heil, a tailor by trade, who was also born in Lehigh county, and died in Bucks county. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Julia Gery, is now a resident of Montgomery county. Our subject and his wife have six children: Willard, Floyd, Mabel, Lillian and Arthur (twins), and Charles. Socially Mr. Kinney is a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Montrose, and of the Pres- byterian Church. He affiliates with the Republican party, and takes quite an active and influential part in local politics. In 1899 he was a candidate of his party for sheriff of Susquehanna county. As a citizen he has at all times the good of the com- munity at heart, and all his abilities are exerted to make the city and county of his adoption rank among the brightest and best of all composing this great commonwealth.

A. M. SNOW, a well-known stockman and farmer of Liberty township, Susquehanna county, and an honored veteran of the Civil war, is a na- tive of Susquehanna county, born in Silver Lake township, in 1840, and is a son of Gideon and Lu- cinda (Fisk) Snow.

The family was established here by his grand- father, John Snow, a native of Connecticut, who came to the county in 1812 and first located in Bridgewater township, where he cleared and im- proved a farm, but later traded that property for a farm in Silver Lake township, on which he spent his remaining days. The father of our subject was born and reared in Bridgewater township, and there acquired a very limited education. He be- came a well-to-do farmer of Silver Lake township, where he engaged in his chosen occupation until his death, which occurred in 1889. The mother is still living and now makes her home with a daugh- ter in New Milford. To them were born five children, of whom our subject is the second in or-

der of birth. (1) Clinton D., the eldest, was born in Silver Lake township in 1838, and during the Civil war was a member of the 61st P. V. I. He married Maria Allen, of Liberty township, who died a few years after their marriage, leaving two children- Martha and Cornelia. Later he married Jennette Smith, of Liberty township, who died leaving one daughter-Mary. He has since wedded Ada Clink, of Susquehanna county, by whom he has one son, Frederick, and they now reside in New Milford. (2) Abel B., born in 1842, enlisted in Company M, Ist N. J. V. I., and remained in the service until the close of the war. He participated in a num- ber of battles, but was never wounded until the day of Lee's surrender. He first married Sarah Good- win, of Susquehanna county, by whom he had two children-George L., and Carrie, a resident of Washington county, Penn. For his second wife he married Emily Goodsell, of Wyoming county, Penn., and they now make their home in Bradford county. They have four children-Lucinda, Edna, Alvira and Hazel. (3) Hepsebah married John De- vine, of Rush township, Susquehanna county, who is now engaged in farming in New Milford town- ship, and they have eight children-Georgie, James, Maud, Mabel, Clarence, Carmen, Willie and Alpheus. (4) Oliver has been connected with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad for some years, and has been promoted from fireman to engineer. He married Samantha Pope, and re- sides in Hallstead. His children are Jennie, now the wife of Frederick Hall, of Binghamton, N. Y .; John; Blanche; Josie; Guy ; Charles ; and Julia.

A. M. Snow was educated in the district schools of Silver Lake township and the higher schools of Montrose, and during his youth he worked at farming and at the carpenter's trade. Feel- ing that his country needed his services during the Rebellion, he laid aside all personal interests, and in August, 1862, enlisted in Company H, 14Ist P. V. I., being sworn into the United States service at Harrisburg, Penn., and assigned to the Army of the Potomac. After his first engagement at Fred- ericksburg he was taken ill with typhoid fever and sent to the regimental hospital, where he remained four months. As soon as he had sufficiently re- covered, he was sent to the division hospital to care for the sick, and rejoined his company in time to start for Chancellorsville, but soon afterward con- tracted pneumonia, and was in the division hospital for some time: He was then transferred to the hospital at Alexandria, and later to Chestnut Hill Hospital, Philadelphia, where he remained until November, 1863. He rejoined his regiment at Brandy Station, and later took part in the battles of Mine Run, the Wilderness and Spottsylvania, after which the command marched to North Ann and took part in the engagement at that place. They crossed Poe river at Cold Harbor, where a battle was brought on, and were in the battle of Petersburg, where their loss was very heavy. In October, 1864, while making a charge on South

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Side railroad, Mr. Snow was wounded by a minie ball passing through his right leg above the knee. He was first sent to Beverly hospital, N. J., and later to White Hall Hospital, from which he was discharged in May, 1865.

In September, after his return from the war, Mr. Snow was united in marriage with Miss Alvira Stephens, of Brooklyn township, a daughter of Edward and Lucy Stephens, representatives of one of the pioneer families of Susquehanna county. To them were born four children, namely: (I) Alpheus W., born in Silver Lake township, in Sep- tember, 1866, married Jessie Lazure, of Liberty township, who died leaving one daughter, Bell. During the Spanish-American war he became a member of Company G, 13th P. V. I., stationed at Camp Alger, and while there was taken ill with typhoid pneumonia, and was sent to the Medico- Chirurgical Hospital, Philadelphia, whence he was discharged October 25, 1898, and went home on a furlough. He returned to his company and was mus- tered out March 12, 1899. For his second wife he wedded Julia Whited, of Lawsville, and worked for his father during the summer, and moved to Franklin Forks. He had never fully regained his health, and on March 5, 1900, he passed away, a victim of consumption, a martyr to his country's answer to the cry of the oppressed. (2) Dollie Lucy died at the age of twelve years. (3) Bessie V., born in 1876, married Earl Tiffany, of Brooklyn township, by whom she has a daughter, Vera, and a son, and they now reside in Franklin Forks. (4) Walter E., born in 1879, is at home. After his marriage, Mr. Snow purchased a half of his fath- er's old homestead in Silver Lake township, and on selling that place bought the Almon South - worth farm in Liberty township in 1881, since which time he has resided thereon, his time and attention being devoted exclusively to agricultural pursuits. He is one of the leading representatives of the Republican party in his community, and has filled the offices of supervisor and school direc- tor for a number of terms. He is a charter mem- ber of Southworth Post, No. 222, G. A. R., of Franklin Forks, in which he has served as officer of the day and as quartermaster for six years. He is a prominent member of the Farmers' Alliance at Franklin Forks, and holds an important position in the large store which it owns at that place. He is a director of the Alliance Fire Insurance Com- pany of his township, and has held the office of vice president of the County Alliance.

WILLIAM CARR, one of the well-to-do and successful agriculturists of Clifford township, Sus- quehanna county, was born September 12, 1858, son of Henry and Ann (Carter) Carr, natives of Brown- loe Hill, England, who came to America in 1866 and located in Carbondale, Penn., where the father died March 8, 1868, aged seventy-five years. In his native land he had followed the occupation of farming, but here he lived retired from active labor.

He traveled quite extensively in the Old World and was a well informed and highly respected man. He was a sincere and consistent Christian and a member of the Episcopal Church, to which his wife also belonged. She departed this life January 27, 1885, at the age of eighty years, and was laid to rest by his side in the Carbondale cemetery. In politics he was a Republican.

The children born to this worthy couple were as follows: (I) George died unmarried in Ireland. (2) Mary died unmarried in Clifford township, Sus- quehanna county. (3) Joseph married Jane Court- ney and died in Springfield, Ohio, leaving seven children-Anna, Joseph, Mary, Rebecca, Lotta, Jennie and Emma-all residents of that city. (4) Henry wedded Mary Warren and died in Ireland, leaving six children-Eva, William, Henry, John, George, and Anna M. (5) Jane A. lives with our subject. (6) Rebecca is the wife of William Tinker, of Clifford township. (7) Richard was a member of the British army and died at Sebastopol, Russia, while in the service. (8) Andrew, a physician of St. Clair, Penn., married Jane Duncan and has three children-William, Charles and George. (9) William, our subject, completes the family.

Our subject's paternal grandparents made their home in England, and the former was a Methodist Episcopal minister. Their children were Andrew, George, Mary, Ann, Elizabeth, Phoebe, and Henry, father of our subject, who was the only one of the family to come to America. He was in the British army under Wellington at the battle of Waterloo, and lost the middle finger of his right hand in that en- gagement. His brother, Andrew, had four sons, three of whom became Episcopal clergymen, and the other, John, came to the United States and settled in New York. Our subject's maternal grandparents, Joseph and Jane (Dodd) Carter, were also life-long residents of England. They had ten children, namely: Richard, Henry, Jo- seph, George, Mary, Charlotte, Jane, Rebecca, Ann and Elizabeth. Ann, the mother of our subject, was the only one to come to America.

William Carr grew to manhood in Carbondale, and in 1875 he and his sister Jane took up their residence upon the farm of fifty acres in Clifford township, Susquehanna county, where they still make their home. Industrious and enterprising, they have achieved a well-merited success, and their lives have ever been such as to commend them to the confidence and respect of all who know them. They are members of the Episcopal Church, and politically Mr. Carr is identified with the Republican party.

ELMER E. TOWER, a successful veterinary surgeon and highly esteemed citizen of Montrose, Susquehanna county, is a native of Susquehanna county, born in Lenox township, February 22, 1861, and is a son of Warner C. and Theressa (Tif- fany) Tower. of that township.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

tered the Union army during the Civil war, and served all' through that conflict. While in the service he contracted inflammatory rheumatism, from which he suffered until death released him. He died in 1867, at the age of thirty-eight years, and was laid to rest in Tower cemetery, Lenox township, which was set off from the old Tower homestead, where now stands the Tower Church. The mother afterward married Hubbard M. Smith, a farmer, who died in 1893, and was buried in Brooklyn cemetery. By that union she had one son, Frank, now a bookkeeper at Carbondale, where she now makes her home at the age of sixty-eight years. There were four children by the first marriage, namely : Willis R., a farmer of Lenox township; Herbert L., a bookkeeper of Coventry, N. Y .; Elmer E., our subject, and Janet, who died young. Our subject's paternal grand- parents were Rev. Rial and Betsy (Carr) Tower, natives of Vermont and early settlers of Susque- hanna county, Pennsylvania.

Elmer E. Tower was reared upon the home farm and at the age of eighteen years attended the Clifford high school, where he completed his education. He then taught four terms of school in Lansdale, Glenwood and Loomis Lake, and for six months clerked in a store at Nicholson, Penn., after which he was in the postoffice at Hopbottom for the same length of time. Returning to Glen- wood, he taught one term of school there, and later taught two terms at Lansdale. During the following six months he clerked in a dry goods store at New Milford, Penn., and then again en- gaged in teaching school for one term. Return- ing to Lenox township, he operated the old Gris- wold-Loomis farm from 1882 to October, 1887, and still has charge of the same, though he now makes his home in Montrose. In 1891 he began the study of veterinary surgery ; the following year attended the Ontario Veterinary College, and then attended the National Veterinary College of Wash- ington, D. C., from which he was graduated in March, 1894; and has since successfully engaged in the practice of that profession.

On November 22, 1882, in Lenox township, Mr. Tower married Miss Laura E. Loomis, a na- tive of that township and a daughter of Griswold O. Loomis. To their union have come five chil- dren-Jean L., Clara B., Ella M., Ray E. and Theresa M. Mr. Tower is a member of the Penn- sylvania State Veterinary Association, and has been inspector for the State live stock sanitary board for the past four years. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias fraternities, and is identified with the Republican party. In May, 1899, he was appointed assessor of Montrose to fill an unexpired term of three years, and was clerk of Lenox town- ship ten years and supervisor three years. He is a progressive and enterprising citizen, who has the best interests of the community at heart, and gives his support to all measures which he believes cal-

culated to advance the welfare of his town, county and State.

JACOB B. MEITZLER, justice of the peace of Polk township, and a prominent representative of the agricultural interests of Monroe county, was born in Lehigh county, Penn., February II, 1856, and is a representative of old and prominent fami- lies of that county.

His parents, Jacob and Sarah C. (Christman) Meitzler, were also natives of Lehigh county, the former born in 1828, the latter in 1831, and were married there January 26, 1851. On leaving Lehigh county they came direct to Polk township, Monroe county, and located on the farm where they still reside. The father is now living retired, while our subject operates the place. Both he and his wife are sincere and faithful members of the Re- formed Church, and are held in the highest respect by the entire community. The children born to them are as follows : James H., a farmer of North- ampton county, Penn .; Flerinda, who died young ; Josiah B., a railroad man of Lehighton, Penn .; Jacob B., our subject ; Jonas L., a railroad engineer of Lehighton ; Anna M., who died at the age of five years ; Ella Amanda P. T., wife of James Lantz, of Lehighton ; John, who is engaged in farming and the sawmill business in Polk township; Jerry F., who died at the age of thirteen years; Lucy, who died in infancy; and Joseph O., a resident of Hazelton, Pennsylvania.

The paternal great-grandparents of our sub- ject were Henry Meitzler and his wife, whose maiden name was Gaumer, who spent their entire lives in Lehigh county, as did also the grand- parents, Henry and Catherine (Smoyer) Meitzler, who were farming people. Henry Meitzler died in 1869, aged eighty-three years, his wife in 1873, aged eighty-six. Their children were Benjamin, Hannah and Henry, all deceased ; Daniel, a resident of Lehigh county; Catherine, deceased wife of Michael Kane ; William, deceased ; Philip, who died in November, 1898; Jacob, father of our subject ; John and Aaron, both residents of Lehigh county ; and David, deceased. Our subject's maternal great- grandparents were Henry and Catherine (Rader) Christman, who as farming people always made their home in Lehigh county. There the grand- parents, Henry and Lydia (Napenberger) Christ- man, also engaged in agricultural pursuits until called from this life, the former dying 1875, at the age of seventy-two years, the latter February 7, 1833, at the age of twenty-five years, two months and twenty-six days. To them were born two children : Sarah C., mother of our subject; and Josiah, deceased. For his second wife Henry Christman married Elizabeth Weiler, by whom he had the following children: Frank, a resident of Allentown, Penn. ; Mary A., deceased wife of Henry Ritz; Adeline, wife of Herman Kramer; Amelia. deceased wife of Adam Kline; Edwin, a resident of Allentown ; Allen, of Allentown; James, of Allen-

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town; Mena, widow of Joseph Barney ; Amanda ; and Ellen, wife of Gus Weaser.

Jacob B. Meitzler began his education in the public schools near his boyhood home, and at the age of seventeen entered the Fairview Academy at Brodheadsville, where he pursued his studies for two terms. Later he attended a select school at Pleasant Valley, and at the age of twenty com- menced teaching, a profession, which he success- fully followed for five terms. He continued to make his home with his parents until his marriage, which was celebrated at Brodheadsville, September 20, 1883, Miss Mary P. Gregory becoming his wife. Four children were born of this union, namely : Harvey Z .; Emma E .; William C .; and Edwin J., deceased. Mrs. Meitzler was born at Gilberts, Monroe county, April 27, 1861, a daughter of Will- iam Gregory, who is mentioned more fully below. For three years after his marriage Mr. Meitzler farmed in Polk township, Monroe county, and then moved to Mahoning Valley, on Joseph Obert's place, where he was engaged in farming and lum- bering for four years, when he returned to the old homestead in Polk township, Monroe county, which he purchased of his father, and which he has since so successfully operated. He has ever taken quite an active and influential part in local politics, was serving as school director at the time of his removal to Mahoning Valley, having filled the office for two years of his term, and in 1897 was again elected for three years, and in 1900 re-elected with a good ma- jority. He was also elected justice of the peace in 1898, and is now filling that office with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the general public. Both he and his father are ardent sup- porters of the Democratic party, and he affiliates with the Farmers Association, of which he was president six years, and secretary for two years, which latter office he still holds. He is a prominent member of the Pleasant Valley Reformed Church, in which he served as deacon prior to leaving Mon- roe county, filled the same office in the church at Mahoning Valley, Carbon county, and has again served as deacon of the former congregation for the past two years. He is also superintendent of the Sunday school at Kresgeville, and takes an active part in all church work. His life has ever been in harmony with his professions, and he has the respect and confidence of all who know him.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 353

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