Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 377

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 377
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 377
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 377
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 377

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Mr. Carmer was born in Mauch Chunk, Car- bon Co., Penn., November 22, 1851, a son of Au- gustus and Mary A. (Palmer) Carmer, natives of Orange county, N. Y., and Monroe county, Penn., respectively. . In 1853 the father came to Monroe county, but in 1861 removed to Philadelphia, where he made his home for five years, returning to Mon- roe county in 1866. By occupation he was a car- penter. He died in Stroudsburg in 1889, aged sixty-five years, and his wife passed away at Will- iamsport, Penn., December 24, 1895. In their fam- ily were six children, namely: Anna, deceased wife of A. J. Stites; James F., a meat merchant of Stroudsburg, who married Laura Myers; Edgar, who was drowned at the age of two years ; John P., our subject; Eugene, who married Elizabeth Dan- iels, and is now agent at Binghamton, N. Y. ; and Lillie, wife of J. McClintic, foreman for a refining company at Wellsboro, Pennsylvania.

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John P. Carmer was reared under the parental roof, and began his business career at the age of seventeen years, as a clerk in a grocery store in Philadelphia, where he was employed for a year and a half. For two years and a half he worked at the cabinetmaker's trade, but was obliged to give it up on account of ill health. During the fol- lowing eleven years he was engaged in the butcher business in Stroudsburg. Since 1877 he has been one of the leading business men of Bossardsville, at first carrying on only a general store, but he has gradually extended his operations, and is now inter- ested in several different enterprises, In 1883 he embarked in milling, and now owns and operates two gristmills, having purchased the second in 1898. He is also quite extensively engaged in the manu- facture of lime, having eight kilns in operation, and all of his business interests receive his personal at- tention. He is systematic and methodical in business affairs, and gives careful attention to details, with- out which success in any undertaking is never an assured fact. In 1879 he was appointed postmaster of Bossardsville, and is still acceptably filling that office. In his political views he is a Democrat, and in religious faith a Methodist.

On November 17, 1876, at Tannersville, Penn., Mr. Carmer was united in marriage with Miss Alice Bossard, and to them have been born twin daugh- ters, Laura May and Grace L., at home. Mrs. Carmer is a native of Bossardsville, and a daughter of Joseph Bossard.

SCHEMPFF BREWING COMPANY, of Honesdale, Wayne county, conducts one of the most important industries of that thriving place, and the Schempff brothers rank among its enterprising and intelligent young business men.

They are the sons of Leopold and Amelia ( Red- lich) Schempff, the former of whom was born in Germany in 1826, and was a brewer by occupation. In 1860 he came to America, and for several years following lived in New York City, where he was in the employ of one of the leading brewing com- panies during the Civil war. Later he removed to Scranton, Penn., where for fifteen years he was superintendent of Robinson's brewery. He died in 1888. His family consisted of four children, of whom, William is engaged as teacher of mathematics in the Scranton high school; Theodore is at school ; Leopold and Leo are the partners in the Schempff Brewing Company. In religious connection the father was a member of the Lutheran Church.

The senior partner and manager of the Schempff Brewing Company was born November 26, 1870, in Scranton, Penn., and attended the public schools of that city, graduating in 1885. His first position was that of clerk in a wholesale commis- sion house in New York City, and after acquiring the necessary experience he returned to Scranton and established himself in the commission business there, continuing it until he embarked in the brew- ing business. He came to Honesdale, bought the

brewery which he has since carried on and called it Schempff's Brewery ; as above stated, his brother Leo has a partnership in the concern, and he looks after the books and similar work, while our subject acts as manager. The brothers have adopted and maintained a high standard of excellence in all the details of their work, and have shown a spirit of en- ergy and progress which entitles them to an hon- orable position among the rising business men of Honesdale. The output of their plant is 15,000 barrels per annum. Their residence here has been a comparatively brief one, but they have made a fa- vorable impression from the start and gained the good-will of the people in whose midst they have settled. They are equally popular in a social way, and take an active interest in the affairs of the younger circle. Mr. Schempff is a member of the Exchange Club of Honesdale, also of the Lieder- krantz Society, and in fraternal connection he is an Elk, belonging to the lodge at Scranton.

THOMAS ALTEMOSE, a well-known auc- tioneer and general farmer of Gilbert, Polk town- ship, Monroe county, is a native of that county, born in Ross township, May 9, 1829, and is a representa- tive of one of its honored pioneer families.

Nicholas Altemose, his great-grandfather, was at one time a large land owner in Monroe county, owning all of the lake property at Saylorsburg, in which village he spent his last days. The paternal grandparents of our subject, Michael and Elizabeth Altemose, were natives of Monroe county, but spent part of their lives in Northampton county, though both died in Saylorsburg and were there laid to rest. Their children were: Jacob, father of our subject ; Michael, who married Overpeck; Joseph, who married Flight; Peter, who married Heda Shuch; and Nicholas, who died unmarried. Our subject's maternal grandparents, Jacob and Elizabeth (Weiss) Greenamoyer, spent their entire lives as farming people in Monroe county. Seven children were born to them, namely: Philip, Jacob, George (died unmarried), Julian, Ann (died un- married), Elizabeth (mother of our subject), and Katie A. (married Sebastian Frye).

Jacob and Elizabeth (Greenamoyer) Altemose, the parents of our subject, were natives of Ross and Chestnut Hill townships, Monroe county, which at the time of their births formed a part of Northamp- ton county. The father, who was familiarly known as "Farmer Jake," followed agricultural pursuits throughout life, and in his younger days also en- gaged in lumbering. He was a Democrat in politics, and for three years most creditably served as com- missioner of Monroe county, while both he and his wife were earnest and consistent members of the Reformed Church. They died in Monroe county, and were buried in the Brodheadsville cemetery. The children of this worthy couple were as follows : Linford, deceased, married Susan Weiss ; Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of George B. Weiss ; Thomas is the subject of this sketch; Catherine, deceased,

102

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was the wife of Henry Kimpst; Sarah J. is the widow of Charles Sencenbauch, and a resident of Scranton, Penn .; Ephraim; Lydia A. is the wife of Joseph Butz, of Hamilton township, Monroe coun- ty ; and Adam, a blacksmith for the railroad com- pany, married Elizabeth Shaffer and resides in Car- bon county, Pennsylvania.

Thomas Altemose remained on the home farm with his parents until he attained the age of twenty- five. Five years before he began learning the car- penter's trade with Peter Gilbert, for whom he worked eight years, and then conducted the "Gilbert Hotel" for three years. At the end of that time he removed to Effort, Polk township, where he was also engaged in the hotel business for a year, and then returned to Gilbert, following the carpenter's trade there for eight years. Since then he has made his home upon his present farm at Gilbert, and until 1889 divided his time between carpentering and farming. At present, however, his attention is de- voted principally to agricultural pursuits, though as an auctioneer he cries many sales in this section of the State. Since the age of eighteen years he has been a consistent member of the Reformed Church, and since attaining his majority has been identified with the Democratic party. In 1889 he was elected commissioner of Pike county, and ac- ceptably filled that office for three years ; was elected poormaster of Polk township, Monroe county, in 1898; and has served as jury commissioner of the latter county to the entire satisfaction of all con- cerned.

On June 24, 1855, Mr. Altemose was married to Miss Christiana Shupp, a native of Polk town- ship, daughter of Frederick and Susan (Dreisback) Shupp, who spent their entire lives in Monroe county. Mrs. Altemose died leaving three children : James, deceased, who married Anna Kresge; Ema- linda, deceased, who married Daniel F. Rickard; and Ira E., a painter and merchant of Kansas City, Mo. Mr. Altemose was again married, in Polk township, his second union being with Mrs. Sarah C. (Shupp) Kresge, a native of Luzerne county, Penn., and a daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Dreisback) Shupp. Three children were born of the second marriage; Amsa, who is with a Kansas City smelting company at El Paso, Texas; Carrie, wife of Dr. George F. Peck, of Pennsylvania; and Luella, who died at the age of ten years.

FRANK CRISSMAN, proprietor of the "Crissman House," at Milford, Pike county, has won the esteem of the traveling public by his effi- cient management of that well-known hostelry. A select class of guests from the larger cities make it their headquarters during the summer season, and at all times of the year parties of wheelmen and others find there a pleasant place for an even- ing's recreation. Mr. Crissman never seems satis- fied unless he is making changes which will add to the comfort and convenience of his patrons, and among his most recent improvements we may men-

tion the introduction of acetylene gas for lighting the premises. The house, which was originally called the "Pike County House," was erected prob- ably in 1818-19 by Timothy Candee. The records show that Frances A. L. Smith and Jonathan Brink conveyed the lots to him early in 1818, and the consideration named would indicate that there were no buildings on the place. In 1820 John Westbrook, sheriff, sold the property to John Clark, and it is described as having on it a large frame house and barn. Mr. Clark probably finished the building and began keeping a store and tavern in 1825. He continued until 1832, when William Dutcher became proprietor, and on the latter's retirement, in 1836, it would seem that A. B. Templeton had it for two years. H. S. Mott, a noted politician in his day, had charge in 1838 and 1839, followed by Ira Co- burn from 1840 to 1842. George Biddis was pro- prietor also in part of 1842 and 1843, succeeded by Charles F. Mott, in 1844 and 1845, and Jacob S. Sandt kept it until 1847. Oscar H. Mott had charge in 1848 and part of 1849, when he became an Argonaut, and H. S. Mott resumed control from 1850 to 1853, when Cyrus Crissman became the owner by purchase from O. H. Mott. Mr. Criss- man made many improvements, building a third story in 1857, and after his death in 1860 the busi- ness was carried on by various successors until 1876, when Frank Crissman, the present landlord, assumed the management.

Naturally the house many years ago became Democratic headquarters, and this brought it a large local patronage. Few, if any, important political meetings of the managers of the party in this county have been held elsewhere, and, could those venerable walls speak, many are the stories they could relate, of schemes and plots and counterplots which have been hatched beneath its roof for the promotion of the ambition of office-seekers of that stripe. One of the rooms, that on the northeast corner, and the one in which Ed Harold Mott, author of "Pike County Folks," was born, still has in it the original furniture, and the old clothes-presses and closets are models of oldtime finish and beauty. Milford Lodge, No. 82, F. & A. M., when Daniel Burrell was master and John Leforge secretary, held meet- ings in the room just over the present office. The reading room was always a favorite place for the village people, and here "Uncle Ira" and the several characters who go to make up "Childe Harold's" wonderful tales nightly assembled, chewed their tobacco, smoked their pipes and spun their yarns. Frank Crissman has spent a moderate fortune in additions and in efforts to make the house in all respects up-to-date. The dining-room is a model, and contains a large, open fireplace over which is inscribed :

"As ancient is this hostelry As any in the land may be."

Mr. Crissman comes of good old Holland stock, and his grandparents, George and Sarah (Diamond) Crissman, came to America early in the

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present century to settle upon a farm in Sussex county, N. J., where the grandfather became a prominent and highly respected citizen. This worthy couple had the following children: Clara, Mrs. Ezra Conkel; Ira (deceased), who never married ; Lucinda, Mrs. Oakley Stoll; Cyrus, our subject's father ; and Allen, who died in early manhood.

Cyrus Crissman was born December 26, 1816, in Sussex county, N. J., and in early life he followed farming there for some time. In 1844 he came to Pike county, and for six years he conducted the "Shohola House" at Shohola, previous to his pur- chase of the "Crissman House" at Milford. He was of a mild disposition, but he was a successful business man, and was also prominent in local pol- itics as a member of the Democratic party. His death occurred December 29, 1860, his remains being interred in Milford cemetery, and his widow, Mrs. Sarah (Jones) Crissman, resides in Milford. They had seven children: Frances died in child- hood; Armida, widow of Henry Bull, now resides with her mother; Blanche married George Mitch- ell, a merchant in Milford; Josephine, widow of George Bensell, an artist, resides with her mother ; Emily, widow of Edwin Baker, resides in New York City; Frank is the subject proper of this sketch; and Edgar, who is not married, is a pro- fessor of music in New York City.

Our subject's mother was born in Sussex county, N. J., where her ancestors were early set- tlers. Her paternal grandparents, Jonathan and (Aarons) Jones, were natives of Wales, whence they came to this country, their last years being spent in Sussex county, N. J., upon a farm. They had seven children: Hannah, Mrs. Michael Fry; Margaret, Mrs. Joseph Ink; Edith, Mrs. Thomas Taylor; Elizabeth, Mrs. William Taylor; Rachel, Mrs. Yoder; Catherine, Mrs. Samuel Gu- lick; and Moses, Mrs. Crissman's father. Moses Jones was a farmer in Sussex county, N. J., and was a stanch Democrat in political faith. He died in December, 1848, aged sixty-three years, and his wife, Margerie Brocar, who was a native of Read- ing, Penn., survived him about five years, dying at the age of sixty-four ; she was a devout member of the Presbyterian Church. They had the following children: Jane, who died in infancy; Cyrus, who married Rachel Buss; Sarah, our subject's mother ; Caroline, Mrs. David Morrow; Abraham, Aaron and Jackson, deceased, none of whom were married ; and Emily, who married Moses C. Westbrook, a farmer of near Blooming Grove, Pike county. The Brocar family originated in Holland, and Abraham and Cecelia (Westbrook) Brocar, natives of that country, came to America many years ago, locating upon a farm near Reading, Penn. They reared a family of five children : Jane, Mrs. Aaron Decker ; Mary, Mrs. John Decker; Judith, Mrs. Lewis Lat- ten ; Margerie, who married Moses Jones ; and Sal- · lie, Mrs. Cooens.

Frank Crissman was born December 26, 1854, at his present home, where his early life was spent.

When seventeen and a half years old he started out to make his own way in the world and, going to Port Jervis, N. Y., he secured a position as brakeman on the Erie railroad, which he held more than three years. At the urgent request of his mother he then returned home to take charge of the hotel, and in 1888 he purchased the property. He has always taken keen interest in local affairs, giving his in- fluence toward the improvement of the roads and other worthy movements, and he is prominent in political work in his county, being one of the lead- ing advisers in the Democratic organizations. His allegiance to his party is not based upon a desire for reward, however, and he has invariably declined to become a candidate for office. Socially, he is also prominent, and he belongs to the Blue Lodge, F. & A. M., at Milford. His genial manners have brought him a host of friends, and among his other admirable traits of character a love of horses and dogs holds a place, his judgment as to their fine points being remarkably accurate.

On October 27, 1885, Mr. Crissman was mar- ried at Milford to Miss Frances M. Gulick, and two children, Millicent and Frank B., have blessed the union. Mrs. Crissman is a native of Benicia Island, Cal., and the only child of John C. Gulick, who was a wholesale grocer in New York in early manhood, but went to California in 1849 and established him- self in business.

JOSEPH BOYD. There is something about the active work in developing the material resources of a community which develops a strong American character. History abounds with examples of men who discover an opportunity for the exercise of their energies in some great enterprise, and who grow in ability as they rise and master the details and obstacles of that enterprise. Joseph Boyd, the subject of this sketch, has both by his own ener- gies and by the legacy of a successful life from his father been in position to wield a wide influence in the community in which he lives, and he is yet a comparatively young man.

John Boyd, his great-grandfather, was an American patriot who was killed while serving in the American navy under Commodore Decatur, during the bombardment of Tripoli, in 1804. His son, James Boyd, was born in Philadelphia, in 1795, and when thus orphaned in tender boyhood years was "bound out" to the Duffield family. He accom- panied this family to Damascus township, Wayne county, in 1808, and thus became one of the pioneer boys in the township. Handicapped as he was in life, he labored manfully under the adverse circum- stances of a new country. Being without capital he labored for others in clearing up the wild coun- try in which his lot was cast. Ambitious to succeed he made a trip to Michigan with the hope of locat- ing there, but his health failed him and, returning to Damascus, he died there in 1842, at the com- paratively early age of forty-seven years, leaving a widow, Nancy, daughter of David Canfield, of

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Litchfield county, Conn., and a family of children. Thomas Y. Boyd, father of our subject, was the eldest son in this bereaved family, and was born January 19, 1823. He was nineteen years of age at the time of his father's death, and upon him fell the care and support of the family. He had the advantage of but two and one-half quarters of dis- trict school, for from early boyhood he had worked out by the day at lumbering and farming. His father had taken a lumbering lease, and the young man succeeded in having this lease revived-thus he began business for himself before he attained his majority. He was patient, frugal, persevering, en- ergetic and alert to take advantage of every oppor- tunity. With a combination of qualities like these, success was almost predestined for him. For more than forty years he rafted lumber down the Dela- ware river to Philadelphia, gaining steadily a wider business acquaintance and connection. In partner- ship with Joseph Wood, he purchased the old saw- mill of Truman Tymmerson, and there erected a large steam mill. The place became known as Boyds Mills, and the owner added a gristmill, a blacksmith shop and a general store, all of which he conducted or supervised. Success crowned his efforts, and he attained in Wayne county a landed possession of about 1,900 acres, most of which was timberland. Thomas Y. Boyd was originally a Douglas Democrat, but later became a Republican. He served as a member of the county committee, and for many years was postmaster at Boyds Mills. In March, 1874, he was elected a member of the State Legislature, at a special election, to represent a newly formed district, consisting of Wayne and Pike counties. In 1875, he was re-elected to repre- sent Wayne county alone.

Thomas Y. Boyd was married in March, 1849, to Elizabeth Jane, daughter of Isaac and Ursula Mitchell, of Damascus township, and formerly of Litchfield county, Conn. They had a family of twelve children, five of whom yet survive, as follows : Joseph, subject of this sketch ; Elizabeth D., wife of C. E. Clark, of Boyds Mills; Rene S., wife of P. Noble, a farmer near Boyds Mills ; Charles, a black- smith at Boyds Mills; and Thomas Y., at home with his mother. The father died in 1889, aged six- ty-six years. His widow now resides at the old home at Boyds Mills with her youngest living son.

Joseph Boyd, subject of this sketch, is now the popular treasurer of Wayne county. He was born in Damascus township, April 23, 1860. His education was received in part in the public schools, in part at a graded school in New York State. Returning home, he engaged in the active work of sawmilling at his father's mill, and later engaged in the same business for himself. This he prosecuted with en- ergy and success until his election in the fall of 1895 on the Republican ticket, as treasurer of Wayne county. His official term began January I, 1896. Mr. Boyd is a member of the F. & A. M. and of the Royal Arcanum. He has served several terms as tax collector of Damascus township, and

is one of the active social and political forces in Wayne county. He possesses the elements of strength and popularity and is recognized as one of the leading men of the county. Mr. Boyd was married in 1883 to Miss Lydia Wall, who was born in Damascus township, in 1863. They have two children, Laura Y. and Rush, both living at home.

HOMER YOUNG, a leading representative of the agricultural interests of Damascus township, Wayne county, has passed his entire life upon his present farm, his birth having occurred there June 17, 1835. The Young family was founded in the New World by David Young, a Scotchman, who emigrated here before the Revolutionary war. His. son, Thomas Young, married Miss Abigail Thomas, a daughter of Joseph Thomas, a native of Say- brook, Conn., and a grandson of Moses Thomas, who was killed at the battle of Minisink on the Delaware river, July 22, 1779.

Aaron Young, son of Thomas and Abi- gail Young, and father of our subject, was born May 20, 1810, and upon the old home- stead in Wayne county grew to manhood amid scenes of pioneer life, for the county at that time was but sparsely settled and much of the land was still in its primitive condi- tion. He was married October 3, 1833, to Miss Drusilla Drake, who was born in Damascus town- ship, April 5, 1817. Her father, Jesse Drake, was also born in that township, August 22, 1791, and was a son of Capt. Jesse Drake, a native of Connecticut, who at an early day removed to Susquehanna county, Penn., and from the Wyoming Valley came to Wayne county among the earliest settlers of this region. Jesse Drake, Jr., married Abigail Tyler, a native of Damascus township, and a daughter of John Tyler. The subject of this sketch is the eldest of the four children born to Aaron and Drusilla (Drake) Young, and the only one now living: Vir- gil, born February 3, 1838, died July 23, 1842; Paul C., born October 7, 1842, died December 29, 1842; and George, born January 4, 1846, died May 29, 1847. In politics the father was a strong Repub- lican, being one of the first to espouse the cause of that party in this section of the State. He was a public-spirited, enterprising man, and capably served his fellow citizens in several different township offices. A true and earnest Christian gentleman, he was a member of the Damascus Baptist Church, and died in that faith March 24, 1876. Mrs. Young, who has now reached the advanced age of eighty- one years, is a member of the same church, and by her consistent Christian life has gained the con- fidence and respect of all who know her.

Homer Young spent his boyhood and youth in much the usual manner of farmer boys of his day, and under his father's able direction early became a successful and skillful agriculturist. which fact is plainly shown by the neat and thrifty appearance of the old home farm, which he owns and operates. He was married June 3, 1860, to Miss Eliza Wilmot,

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who was born at Windsor, Broome Co., N. Y., but was reared and educated at Great Bend, Penn. Her parents were Thomas and Clarissa (Hartshaun) Wilmot, the former a native of Litchfield, Conn. In their family were eight children, namely: Harry, Abigail, Woodruff, Davis, Adaline, Lawrence, Ma- rion and Eliza. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Young are as follows : Grace, formerly a teacher, but now a trained nurse in Willard Park Hospital, New York ; Watson, a teacher in Damascus ; Junius, at home; Nettie, who is also with her parents; and W. A. and Elsa, both of whom are now deceased. The parents are identified with the Baptist Church, and in the social circles of the community the family occupy an enviable position. Politically, Mr. Young affiliates with the Republican party, and he has cred- itably filled a number of township offices of honor and trust. As a citizen he ever stands ready to dis- charge every duty devolving upon him, and is justly deserving the high regard in which he is held.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 377

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