Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 365

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 365
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 365
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 365
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 365

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In his political affiliations Mr. Rollison is a stalwart Democrat, and in religious connection both he and his wife are earnest and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he serves as trustee and steward. He is a man of exemplary habits, commendable purpose and un- bending integrity, and in all life's relations merits the confidence which is so freely accorded him.

EDGAR B. WELLS. Prominent among the representative citizens and leading agriculturists of South Canaan township, Wayne county, is the subject of this biographical notice, who owns a fine farm of ninety-eight acres. It is well improved and highly cultivated, and shows conclusively that the owner has not mistaken his calling in choosing agriculture.

Mr. Wells was born September 5, 1848, in Clifford, Susquehanna county, a son of John M. and Clarissa (Callendor) Wells, the former a na-

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tive of Orange county, N. Y., the latter of Susque- hanna county. The father was born February 10, 1815, and when a young man removed to Susque- hanna county with his parents, Rev. William and Elmira (Hulbert) Wells, who spent their remaining days in that county. They were natives of Orange county, N. Y. The grandfather was in early life a Presbyterian, but later became a minister of the Universalist Church, and built the church of that denomination at Clifford, Penn. In connection with the work of the ministry he engaged in farming, and also in dyeing and dressing cloth.

The mother of our subject was born December 27, 1819, and died February 14, 1850, but the father is still living and now makes his home in Wheaton, Ill., whither he removed in 1879. He still enjoys good health, and is quite active for one of his years. The children born to this worthy couple were as follows : Mariette, born November 3, 1840, died April 4, 1866. Caroline, born February 5, 1843, married William Ribenberg, who was killed by the cars, and she died April 24, 1890. Oscar, born January 19, 1846, is engaged in farming in South Canaan town- ship, Wayne county. Edgar B. completes the fam- ily. The father was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Elmira ( Phinn) Blanchard, who by her first husband had four children, but none by Mr. Wells.

Edgar B. Wells was reared and educated like most farmer boys of his day. He was only two years old when his mother died, and at the age of seventeen the family broke up housekeeping, since which time he has been dependent upon his own re- sources for a livelihood. The first winter he worked in a steam sawmill in South Canaan township, then engaged in farm labor, and afterward operated a mill for his uncle, Capt. Jerris Buckingham, for two years. After his marriage he located upon his present farm, and to agricultural pursuits has since devoted his attention with good results, becoming one of the well-to-do farmers of the community.

On July 4, 1868, in South Canaan township, Mr. Wells was married to Miss Marietta Bucking- ham, by Rev. G. Westfall, and they have become the parents of the following children: Eugene W., born June II, 1869, married Mamie Hughes and lives in Carbondale, Penn .; Minnie E., born Sep- tember 22, 1870, is the wife of George M. Becket, M. D., pension examiner at Washington, D. C .; Bertha M., born May 3, 1872, is the wife of P. J. Meahl, a music composer, of Chicago, Ill .; Delbert M., born October 13, 1874, married Anna Boswell, and is an ex-school teacher of Carbondale, Penn .; Edwin N., born August 30, 1877, is now in Wash- ington, D. C .; Alice E., born May 20, 1882, is at- tending school in Waymart, Wayne county; and Ethel A., born January 13, 1890, and Loa Frances, born May 2, 1893, are both at home.

Mrs. Wells was born in South Canaan town- ship, December 31, 1848, a daughter of William and Rachel A. (Schumard) Buckingham, who spent their entire lives in that township, where the father

followed the occupation of farming. He died in 1853, and his wife in 1887, when she was aged sixty-three. Their children were Albert E., now a carpenter of Cleveland, Ohio; Francis M., a confec- tioner of Washington, D. C .; Marietta, wife of our subject ; J. Wilber, a decorator and brick mason of Carbondale, Penn .; and William E., who died in Washington, D. C., in 1889.

Mr. Wells is an ardent supporter of the prin- ciples of the Republican party, and both he and his wife are earnest and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Previous to her marriage Mrs. Wells successfully engaged in teach- ing for four years in the district schools of Wayne county, and now she presides with gracious dignity over their hospitable home.

OSCAR P. VAN GORDEN, an energetic and progressive farmer residing in Lehman township, Pike county, is a man who thoroughly understands the business he is pursuing, and is meeting with a well-deserved success. He is the architect of his own fortune, having started in life with but little capital beyond his own industry and a laudable am- bition to rise in the world.

Mr. Van Gorden was born in Lehman town- ship, July 22, 1842, and is a son of John R. and Ellen (Greene) Van Gorden, the former also a native of Pike county, the latter of New Jersey. Both died in Lehman township, where the father had carried on operations as a farmer for some years, his death occurring in 1888, when he was seventy-two years of age, and that of his wife in 1883, and their remains were interred in Swart- wood cemetery. Their children were James G., a resident of Bethlehem, Penn .; Oscar P., our sub- ject ; Henry, who died young ; Loretta, a resident of Lehman township; and Juliann, a resident of Stroudsburg, Penn. Our subject's paternal grand- father was James Van Gorden.

Onattaining his majority Oscar P. Van Gorden left the parental roof and started out in life for himself, at first working for different farmers. He was thus employed until 1867, when he rented a farm of Squire Moses Van Gorden in Lehman township for two years, and continued to operate rented land until 1885, when he came to his present farm, which he also leased for six years. At the end of that time he purchased it, and to its culti- vation and improvement has since devoted his ener- gies with marked success. He is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and has most acceptably served as supervisor of his township for two terms.

On April 12, 1863, in Lehman township, Mr. Van Gorden was united in marriage with Miss Anna M. Bensley, who was born in that township in March, 1843, a daughter of Jacob Bensley, and they have become the parents of the following chil- dren: Calvin G., born September 5, 1865, mar- ried Mary A. Van Auken, and is a bookkeeper living in Newark, N. J .; Diana, born April 12, 1868, is a resident of Bethlehem, Penn .; Belinda, born August

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23, 1869, is the wife of Herbert E. Jacobus, a plumber by trade, who served in the United States army in her war with Spain, leaving his wife with her parents; Sarah E., born August 12, 1871, is at home; Alford, born December 24, 1873, is a book- keeper living in Bethlehem, Penn .; Lewis, born March II, 1875, is at home; and Henry, born Sep- tember 10, 1876, is also in the army.

JOHN G. MULLER is one of the thrifty and frugal Germans who have made Wayne county their home. Enterprising and public spirited, Mr. Muller is one of the best of Lake township's farm- ers and business men.

Born October 16, 1835, in Wurtemberg, Ger- many, Mr. Muller is the son of Jacob and Catherine Muller, also born in the Fatherland. In 1853 the family came to America and located in New York City, where the father carried on a meat market, which had been his line of business in the Old Country. He and his wife were plain, good Ger- man people, respected and esteemed by their many acquaintances. He died in 1865, at the age of sixty- six years, and she passed away in 1863, at the age of sixty-eight; both are buried in the Long Island cemetery. Of their children yet living, Jacob is a farmer in Iowa, and John G. is mentioned below.

John G. Muller learned the butchering business with his father and remained with him until of age. He then engaged in that business for himself, in New York. He carried on a meat market there for four years, then went to Long Island, and for one year he was a conductor on the Fourth Avenue Street Car Line, whence he went to Jersey City and there opened a meat market, continuing the business some twelve years. At the close of this period he came to Pennsylvania, buying a farm in Lake township, Wayne county. In 1895 he built his present comfortable home. His farm comprises some 114 acres of fine land. He is a good farmer as the appearance of his neat buildings and im- provements indicate. In connection with farming he is engaged in the butchering business, and has prospered in both until he is now comfortably fixed. He is a member of the M. E. Church, and lends his influence to the support of every good and worthy cause.

On December 21, 1860, he was married to Eva Hammel, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Henry Haass, a Lutheran minister. The mar- riage has been blessed by the birth of the follow- ing children: Catherine is deceased; Carrie is the widow of George W. Butler, and her three children are-Eva E., Edward B. and George W .; Anna died in infancy; Mamie married William Butler, who is with the Pennsylvania Coal Company at Dunmore, Penn .; Andrew is employed in the "Ger- man Hotel," at Scranton, Penn .; William is in the butchering business at Dunmore, Penn .; John A. is in school at Scranton; and George, Fred and Christian are all at home. The mother of these children was born June 10, 1843. in Baden, Ger-

many, a daughter of Andrew and Catherine (Esh- way) Hammel, of Baden, Germany. The family came to America in 1848, locating in New York, where the father carried on the butchering busi- ness. He died in August, 1880, aged eighty years, and the mother passed away in 1894, when seventy- three years of age ; both are buried in the Lutheran cemetery, on Long Island. Their children were: Jacob is in the cigar business in New York; Eva; David a gasfitter in New York; Mary married Henry Fleckenstein, a cigarmaker; Katherine mar- ried Adolph Weyler, a barber in New York; John and William are deceased; Carrie married John Marchese, a barber employed in New York.

JOHN S. BROWN. Among the enterprising and progressive citizens of Wayne county none stands higher in the esteem of their neighbors than Mr. Brown, who is one of the representative farm- ers of Scott township. He was born May 31, 1857, in Delaware county, N. Y., where his grandfather, Lanson Brown, who was of English origin, located at an early day.

The father, Bolivar Brown, now a resident of Starrucca, Penn., was born in Franklin, Delaware Co., N. Y., and in early manhood married Miss Sarah Stevens, daughter of Ephraim Stevens, a soldier of the war of 1812. The children born of this union are : Mary E., wife of Benjamin Layman, now a resident of Mayfield, Penn .; E. L .; John S .; Ira; George; Estella, wife of Eugene Campbell, of Starrucca, Penn .; and Willis Emery, whose where- abouts are unknown. The father is a mason by trade, and as a soldier during the Civil war he aided in the defense of the Union.

John S. Brown passed his boyhood and youth in his native county, and when in his nineteenth year he was united in marriage to Miss Nettie Wil- son, who was also born in Delaware county, N. Y., a daughter of Horace and Sallie Wilson. Four children blessed this union, namely: Bert, Frank Erastus, Frederick Wallace and Walter Elsworth. In 1892 Mr. Brown was again married, his second union being with. Miss Tamar Shew, a native of Sus- quehanna county, Penn., and a daughter of George W. and Phebe A. ( Madison) Shew. Her mother died July II, 1890. In the Shew family were six chil- dren: Katie J., wife of A. W. Brown, of Star- rucca; Tamar, wife of our subject; Mary (de- ceased) ; Cornelius W .; Margaret S .; and Ethel, who died when in her fifteenth year. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have two children: Howard W. and Ce- cil R.

The farm now occupied by Mr. Brown is known as the Kerr farm, and is one of the most beautiful in the vicinity. The land slopes gently and is easily cultivated, while one branch of the Star- rucca creek passes through it. The residence is comparatively new, is commodious and handsome, and is pleasantly located only two miles from the Starrucca depot and postoffice. Politically, Mr. Brown is a stanch Democrat, and that he possesses

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the confidence and respect of his community is manifest by his election to offices of honor and trust in the borough of Starrucca, at present being a member of the school board. Enterprising and public-spirited, he takes an active part in all move- ments for the advancement of his town and county.

HENRY NELSON CATTERSON (de- ceased) was one of the prominent representatives of the agricultural interests of Sterling township, Wayne county, where he spent his entire life. He was born April 27, 1839, a son of John and Ann ( Stevens) Catterson, the former a native of Ire- land, the latter of Sterling township, Wayne county. The father was about four years old when brought, by his parents to the New World, and made his home in Philadelphia until nineteen years of age, when he took up his residence upon a farm in Sterl- ing township. His children were Anna, now the widow of Josiah Curtis; Martha, widow of Robert Freer, and a resident of Wyoming, Penn .; Caro- line, who married Lansing Gregory, and both are now deceased; Sarah, deceased wife of William Martin, a retired citizen of Scranton, Penn .; Mary, wife of George Archibald, of Scranton, Penn. ; Rob- ert, a soldier of the Civil war, now deceased ; John ; and Henry and Dean, both deceased.

Reared to agricultural pursuits, Henry N. Cat- terson successfully followed farming throughout life, and several years prior to his marriage he located upon the present farm of his widow. He made it one of the most highly cultivated and de- sirable places of the locality, and to its further de- velopment and cultivation devoted his energies until life's labors were over, his death occurring September 10, 1896, and his remains were laid to rest in Sterling township cemetery. He was a stanch supporter of the Democracy, and was hon- ored with a number of local offices, including those of supervisor and school director, the duties of which he most capably discharged. As a citizen he was honorable, prompt and true to every engagement ; as a man he held the honor and esteem of all classes of people, and as a husband and father was worthy of all imitation.

On July 9, 1868, at Honesdale, Mr. Catterson was married by Rev. Judd, a Methodist Episcopal minister, to Miss Vallonia S. Gorman, and to them was born a daughter, Ada L., now the wife of Charles W. Adams, who is engaged in the livery business in Moscow, Penn. Mrs. Catterson is a native of Salem township, Wayne county, and being a woman of unusual business ability and great en- ergy, she has most successfully managed the farm since her husband's death. She now rents the place, though she still resides thereon. She is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Nobletown, and is highly respected and esteemed by all who have the pleasure of her ac- quaintance.

Julius Gorman, Mrs. Catterson's father, was a native of Connecticut, and a son of Daniel and

Catherine ( Bushnell) Gorman, who were also born in Connecticut, and in an early day came to Wayne county., Penn., where they spent their last years. Julius Gorman was a young man when he arrived in Wayne county, and here he married Calista Bid- well, who was born in Salem township. Her par- ents, William and Caroline (Brown) Bidwell, were also natives of the Nutmeg State, and were among the earliest settlers of Wayne county, where Mr. Bidwell owned and operated a farm of 100 acres. Mr. Gorman was also an agriculturist, and a faith- ful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died in Sterling township, November II, 1894, aged seventy years, but his wife, who was born in February, 1829, is still living, and now makes her home with her children in that township. Mrs. Catterson is the oldest in her family, the others be- ing as follows: Fidelia, wife of John Brown, a farmer of Clay County, Neb .; Mina, wife of John Edler, a farmer of Dreher township, Wayne Co., Penn .; Linda, wife of Marcus Dubler, a bricklayer of Scranton, Penn .; and Dayton W., who wedded Mary Woodbridge, and is engaged in the manufac- ture of bed springs in Fitzgerald, Georgia.

CAPTAIN THOMAS C. MADDEN, an hon- ored veteran of the Civil war, and a prominent citi- zen of Dreher township, Wayne county, where he is successfully engaged in farming, and is also serv- ing as justice of the peace, was born in Coolbaugh township Monroe county, January 29, 1839, and is. a son of William and Margaret (O'Haren) Madden, who were born, reared and married in County Cork, Ireland, and emigrated to America in 1827. After spending six years in New York, they became resi- dents of Monroe county, Penn., where the father died in December, 1873, at the age of ninety-four years. The mother then went to Stroudsburg, that county, and made her home with her daughter, dying there in June, 1892, at the advanced age of ninety-seven years. Both were buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery at Stroudsburg. The father was one of the leading farmers of his community, and was called upon to serve in a number of township offices.

The children of the family were John, a rail- road man, who died in Reading, Penn., in 1894; Timothy, a farmer of Wisconsin ; Catherine, wife of William Girkin, a retired ironmolder of New York; Mary, of Orange county, N. Y .; William, who lives on the old homestead in Monroe county, Penn., and is unmarried ; Ellen, who died unmarried in 1891 ; Margaret, widow of J. P. Bennett and a resident of Monroe county; Elizabeth, who died unmarried at the age of thirty-six years; Anna L., who began teaching school at the age of fourteen years, was principal of a school in New York twelve years, and is now living in Stroudsburg, Penn .; and Thomas C. completes the family.

Capt. Madden remained on the home farm with his parents until fourteen years of age, when he went to Hunterdon county, N. J., where he was:

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employed on a farm for four years. Returning to Monroe county, at the end of that time, he there engaged in lumbering for a year and a half, and he spent the following three years in Pike county. He then came to Dreher township, Wayne county, where he worked on a farm for one year, but at the end of that time laid aside civil pursuits in order to aid his country in her struggle to preserve the Union. On November 2, 1861, he enlisted in Com- pany G, 67th P. V. I., which was first commanded by Joseph Altemus and after his death by Peter Marsh. From Sterling, Penn., Capt. Madden went with his regiment to Maryland, where they did guard duty until the spring of 1863, when they were attached to the Third Brigade of Gen. Milroy's Division, and later to Pickett's Division, Sixth Corps, under Gen. Wright. Among the engage- ments in which our subject participated were the battles of Winchester, Mine Run, Petersburg, Sail- or's Creek and Appomattox, and he was wounded at the first named, September 19, 1864, by a minie ball in the left foot, being for four months confined in the Satterlee Hospital, West Philadelphia. With 4,000 others he was captured at Winchester, Va., June 15, 1863, and for thirty-four days was im- prisoned at Belle Isle, but was finally paroled on July 19, at Richmond, Va. For meritorious con- duct on field of battle he was rapidly promoted, being made sergeant, in February, 1862; orderly sergeant in February, 1863 ; second lieutenant Feb- ruary 28, 1865; first lieutenant April 10, 1865; and captain June 4, 1865. He was honorably dis- charged at Hall's Hill, Va., July 14, 1865, as the war had ended, and he then returned to Wayne county, where he engaged in lumbering in Lehigh township the following winter. The following six months he followed the same pursuit in Luzerne county, Penn., and then removed to Pike county, where he engaged in farming and lumbering until 1873, in which year he located upon his present farm in Dreher township, Wayne county. Here he has since successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits.

In Salem township, Wayne county, on May 14, 1868, Capt. Madden was married to Miss Mary E. Wolf, by whom he has had five children, namely : Horace B., deceased; William D., who married Mira Waltz, and is now working in Pike county, Penn .; Anna L., wife of William Salathe, a farmer and butcher of Newfoundland, Wayne county ; and Harry T. and Franklin A., both at home. Mrs. Madden was born in Dreher township, November 18, 1847, a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Lee) Wolf, and a granddaughter of David and Christina Wolf, who emigrated from Germany to America in 1824, and first settled in Easton, Penn. Leaving his family at that place the grandfather came to Dreher township, Wayne county, where he pur- chased a farm, and while clearing his land was killed by a falling tree. His family were then sent for, and afterward made their home here. Mrs. Madden's father was also a native of the Father-

land, and was five years old when brought to the United States by his parents. He grew to man- hood in Dreher township, and there followed the occupation of farming throughout life. He mar- ried Elizabeth Lee, a native of Wayne county, and a daughter of Thomas and Maria Lee, who were born in Ireland and were among the earliest settlers of Wayne county, coming here on horseback and carrying their furniture with them. Mr. Wolf died in May, 1873, aged forty-nine years, his wife De- cember 8, 1897, aged seventy-three. Both were earnest and faithful members of the Methodist Evangelical Church, and he held a number of township offices. Their children were Mary E., wife of our subject; John A., deceased, who mar- ried Adelaide Bartleson; William E., who died when young; Anna L., wife of Samuel Simons, a farmer of Sterling township, Wayne county; and Sarah J., wife of William Gilpin, a farmer of the same township.

Socially Capt. Madden is an honored member of the Patrons of Husbandry, the Grand Army of the Republic, and Wallenpaupack Lodge, I. O. O. F., and religiously is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His political support is given the men and measures of the Republican party, and he has been honored with various township offices, being first commissioned justice of the peace in 1886, and since then holding that position continu- ously to the entire satisfaction of the public.

HANFORD KNAPP, a well-known furniture dealer and undertaker, is prominent among the en- ergetic, enterprising and successful business men of Equinunk, Wayne county. He was born in the town of Montgomery, Orange Co., N. Y., March I, 1849, a son of James and Harriet Knapp, and great- grandson of John and Mary Knapp, natives of Germany, who at an early day became residents of the Empire State. The father was reared and mar- ried in Orange county, and throughout his active business life followed the occupation of farming near the town of Montgomery, where he died in 1873. His wife was called to her final rest in Jan- uary, 1885

In the family of this worthy couple were nine children: (1) William H., born near Newburg, Canterbury, Orange county, married Rachel . J. Smith, of Dutchess county, N. Y., and made his home in Newburg, where he died in 1888, and where his widow is still living. During the Civil war he was a member of the 169th N. Y. V. I., was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness, and was later a member of Ellis Post, Newburg, N. Y. He had two sons: Charles, now a resident of Nyack, N. Y .; and George, who died at the home of his mother in 1897. (2) Helen M. married Samuel C. Higby, of Orange county, where he died some years ago, leaving a widow, who now makes her home in Equinunk, Penn., and three children- Newton, of Orange county ; James K., of Denver, Col .; and Mrs. Laura Puff, a widow, who lives

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with her son Clyde in Equinunk. (3) Walter H. makes his home in Middletown, N. Y., where he was engaged in the undertaking business for a number of years, but is now living retired. He mar- ried Martha J. Dickinson, of Newburg, N. Y., and they have two children: Mary, wife of Alexander Merritt, of Middletown; and Nelson, who married Julia Christ, of Middletown, and has succeeded his father in the undertaking business. (4) James F. wedded Mary Duffy, of Walden, Orange Co., N. Y., and they now live in Newburg. (5) Lavina married Benjamin H. Downs, of Orange county, where they made their home until called from this life, his death occurring in 1878, and hers later. They left a family of six children, namely : John J., who married Lizzie Mould and lives in Buffalo, N. Y .; Benjamin; Nelson; Hattie, Mrs. Edward Wood, of Buffalo; and Eliza and Frank, who died in youth. Of these children, Benjamin is also mar- ried and lives on the old homestead at Montgomery. (6) John Nelson enlisted during the Civil war in Company I, 124th N. Y. V. I., which regiment was called the "Orange Blossom." He died unmarried in October, 1867. (7) Emily F. married William F. Carvey, of Orange county, where they died a few years ago. Their children were: John, who is married and lives in Orange county ; Helen, who died at the age of eight years; and Charles. (8) Edwin married Miss Thomas Lena Armstrong, of New York City, and they make their home in Orange county. They have two children: Edwin, who is married and lives in New York ; and Mary E.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 365

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