Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 4

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 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 4

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).

Morris D. Robeson was born January 3, 1804, and died March 30, 1856. His youth was spent chiefly in Oxford, N. J., whence in early manhood he removed to Stroudsburg to learn the tanner's trade. His father's death left him in the possession of considerable property, and its management oc-

upied his attention. He was an excellent citizen, noted for his wisdom, and he was called to fill many offices, including that of justice of the peace. In religious faith he was a Quaker, his parents having belonged to that society. He was married No- cember 24, 1825, to Miss Emily Hollinshead, born November 24, 1805, died March 20, 1840. They had five children: William C. Stroudsburg, born November 8, 1826, died October 25, 1833 ; Peter H., our subject; Edwin D., born November 24, 1830, died February 8, 1831 ; James W., born January 17, 1834, died November 2, 1838; and Joseph M., born August 29, 1835, died December 7, 1865.

Our subject was educated in Stroudsburg, and in Princeton, N. J., and on leaving school he settled at the old homestead. Later he purchased another farm, and both have been kept in a fine state of culti- vation under his able management. His home is a center of hospitality, and he has a large circle of friends attracted by his sterling qualities of mind and heart. He is generous and genial, and is noted for his outspoken honesty, being quick to see and condemn any sham or hypocrisy. Politically he is not bound by party ties, so he votes for the best men and measures as occasion may seem to demand. He married Miss Martha Dreher, born August 27, 1827, died February 10, 1891, and they had four chil- dren : (I) William D., born October 8, 1848, was- married February 8, 1873, to Miss Mary Marsh, born October 11, 1850. They have had six children, (I) Hattie, born November 24, 1873, was married June 22, 1892, to Aaron Dixon, born April 19, 1872, and they had three children, William, born October 14, 1893; Hazel, born February 21, 1896; and Georgiana, born December 24, 1897. (2) Blanche, born August 26, 1875, married Edwin Canfield. (3) Bessie, born October 24, 1877, died November 26, 1880. (4) Morris, born November 30, 1879. (5) Fred C., born March 7, 1881. (6) Harry C., born September 24, 1883. (II) Silas D., born Oc- tober 27, 1850, was married September 26, 1872, to Elizabeth Thomas, born March 4, 1852. They have two children : May, born April 21, 1874 ; and George W., born December 29, 1878. May was married May 8, 1895, to Hiram P. Van Auken, born Septem- ber 16, 1867, and they have two children, Howard R., born June 27, 1896, and Margaret E., born May 9, 1899. (III) Edward, born September 25, 1858, died in February, 1860. (IV) Emily, born January 15, 1862, was married August 1, 1880, to Charles- M. Bryant, born July 7, 1859. They have three children : James R., born May 24, 1882; Hessie M., born January 22, 1886; and William H., born April 12, 1893.

On the maternal side Mr. Robeson is a de- scendant of Jacob Stroud, the founder of Strouds- burg, and, through that worthy pioneer, from Sir William Stroud, an associate of Pym, Hampden, Hollis and Hazelrig, in the English House of Com- mons during the stirring times of Charles I. The records state that on Wednesday, April 16, 1621, Sir William moved that "tobacco be banished wholly out

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

of the kingdom, and that it may not be brought in from any part nor used amongst us." This was in the reign of James I, and that the Knight was a fa- vorite with his constituents is shown by the fact that he kept his seat through the succeeding reign. So bold were he and his four comrades in upholding the rights of the people that on January 4, 1642, King Charles I, after calling the names of these five men, accused them of treason, and demanded that they should be given up to him. Both Houses of Parliament refused, and the City of London de- fended them by arms, thus foiling the King in his attempt to beat down the opposition. Many descend- ants of Sir William are still to be found in Great Britain, especially in the town of Stroud, in Glou- cestershire. Bernard Stroud, the father of Jacob, was born there, and according to his recollection the family occupied a large house, and had many serv- ants. At the age of five years he came to America with his parents, who died a few years later, and his youth was spent near Amwell, N. J., among some kindly farmers. He married Keziah Harker, daughter of one of his protectors, and afterward settled upon a farm in Northampton county, Penn. They had nine children, including five sons, James, Jacob, Bernard, Samuel and one, probably named John, who was killed in early manhood in the French and Indian war. Of the four daughters, Jemima mar- ried Aaron Depni; Jane wedded Enoch Anderson; while Keziah and Deborah did not marry.

Jacob Stroud was born in New Jersey, January 15, 1735, and during his boyhood he was placed with Nicholas Depni, the owner of a large estate at Shawnee, on the Delaware river, near the Water Gap, to learn farming. Soon after he came of age the French and Indian war began, and he enlisted for five years with the English army. Three of his brothers entered the Provincial army, Samuel being the only one who did not become a soldier. The brothers made a practice of meeting after each battle, and Jacob often spoke of the sad evening when but two met him at the rendezvous, and of the mourn- ful search in the clear moonlight for the dead body of the missing one. In August, 1757, Jacob was among the garrison at Fort William Henry, and he took part in the attack upon Quebec, September 13, 1759, being one of the three who carried the wounded Gen. Wolfe behind the rocks and heard his last words. At the end of his term he returned to his native place, where he was married on April 6, 1761, to Miss Elizabeth MacDowell, who was born June 9, 1743, a daughter of John and Hannah (Depni) Mac- Dowell. On the paternal side she was of Scotch- Irish descent, while her maternal grandfather, Nicholas Depni, was a French Huguenot who fled to Holland in 1685, and twenty years later came to America, accompanied by his wife, Winifred (Rose), and several children. Soon after his mar- riage Jacob Stroud engaged in transporting supplies to Fort Pitt, near Pittsburg, for the general gov- ernment, and later he was employed by Abel James, of Philadelphia, in carrying provisions to the sparse-

ly settled regions north of the present site of Stroudsburg. This led to his settlement in that vi- cinity, and as the locality became more thickly in- habited he became one of the chief citizens of the growing colony. According to one writer he owned 4,000 acres of land at the time of his death, but this probably referred only to his estates in the im- mediate vicinity of Stroudsburg. During the Revo- lutionary war he held the rank of colonel in the local militia, and on July 8, 1776, he was elected a member of the convention to form the first constitution of Pennsylvania. In 1781 he was elected a representa- tive from his county to the lower house of the legis- lature where he served three years. He died on July 14, 1806, and his estimable wife passed away May 5, 18II. Their children were Hannah, Jane, John, Sarah, Daniel, Rachel and Rebecca, Ann, Jemima, Deborah, Elizabeth and Jacob MacDowell, the mem- bers of this generation being distinguished in this account by Roman numerals.

(I) Hannah, born October II, 1763, was mar- ried in 1782, to John Starburd, born March 25, 1754. They had seven children, their names and dates of birth being as follows : Jacob, August 11, 1784; John, July 31, 1786; Elizabeth, December 15, 1788; Will- iam, May 27, 1798; Daniel, May 2, 1800, died Oc- tober 14, 1800; Peter, November 15, 1803, died March 1, 1823; and Franklin, March 28, 1807.

(II) Jane, born November 15, 1765, married John Bush, and removed to New York State. It is not known whether or not she left descendants.

(III) John, born July 12, 1768, married Eliza- beth De Puy, and had three children: (I) Ellen De Puy married Joseph Kerr, of Stroudsburg. (2) Rachel De Puy married Dr. Charles Vale, who died January 19, 1836; they had four children: Davis; Harriet C., born in 1830, died January 3, 1831 ; Ellen D., died August, 1834; and Ann Eliza, born August 3, 1835, died August 15, 1835. (3) Eliza- beth Depuy married Henry Dills, and had five chil- dren : Alfred, Rachel, Ellen, WilliamH. and Jacob.

(IV) Sarah, born June 6, 1770, was married in 1794, to Dr. James Hollinshead, born December 31, 1769, in Philadelphia. They had twelve chil- dren : (1) Sallie, born March 27, 1795; (2) James W., born July 3, 1790, died September 30, 1799; (3) Edwin A., born January 6, 1798; (4) Stroud J., born September 9, 1800, who is mentioned below ; (5) Elizabeth, born October 1, 1801, died August 7, 1802. (6) Daniel, born April 8, 1803, was mar- ried July 9, 1830, to Rachel Sherredan, born Sep- tember 22, 1807, and had three children: Daniel, born in 1832, John H., born September 29, 1834, and -, born November 18, 1836; (7) Elizabeth, born in March, 1805; (8) William, born September 6, 1806; (9) Ann L., born December 27, 1809, died July 25, 1825 ; (10) Harriet, born October 13, 1813, died December 21, 1815; (II) James, born May, 1814, died March 5, 1831 ; and ( 12) Henry. Stroud J. Hollingshead, born September 9, 1800, was mar- ried February 2, 1821, to Jeannett La Bar, born May 8, 1803. They had five children : (1) Harriet, born

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

November 19, 1821; (2) Sallie born January 26, 1822; (3) Dr. Frank, born June 6, 1826, married John Malvin, born February 21, 1826, and had two children, Elizabeth, now Mrs. Edwin A. Bell, and Edward P., both of Stroudsburg; (4) William, a druggist, born November 6, 1835; and (5) Caro- line, deceased in infancy.

(V) Daniel Stroud, born May 22, 1772, was married first August 7,1792,to Elizabeth Shoemaker, by whom he had the following children : ( 1) Charles, born April 9, 1793, was married June 10, 1819, to Susan Burson, born November 24, 1795, and had eight children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows : Eliza, March 7, 1820; Lydia B., Septem- ber 9, 1821; Mary P., May 1, 1823; Sallie Ann, April 22, 1825; George M., March 10, 1827; Eve- lina, November 26, 1829; Caroline, October 2, 1831 ; and Edwin, March 29, 1835. (2) Eliza died in childhood. (3) George M. was born October 12, 1795. (4) William (born August 19, 1797, died August 4, 1826) was married October 1, 1823, to Mary P. Robeson, born December 26, 1800, and had two children, Morris R., born July 31, 1824; and William D., born October 5, 1825. (5) Jacob ( March 28, 1799-February 13, 1832) married Mar- garet Richardson, and had four children: Rebecca; Joseph, born December 20, 1827; Elsie, born Oc- tober 2, 1829 ; and Emma, born in 1831. (6) James H., born November 22, 1800, died April 25, 1878, never married. (7) Samuel H., born August 10, 1802, died in 1804. (8) Susan. (9) Simpson, July 31, 1806-January 30, 1833) was married November 15, 1827, to Tacy Ann Robeson (October 25, 1808- July 10, 1871), and had three children: Ann N., born September 14, 1826, died December 16, 1876; Simpson R., born April 22, 1830, died November 4, 1861 ; and Ruth A., born January 26, 1832, died November 19, 1869. (10) Elizabeth, born January 5, 1808. The mother of this family died October 29, 1809. Daniel Stroud was married, July II, 18II, to Mary Paul, by whom he had one child, Mar- tha, born June 1I, 1816.

(VI) Rachel Stroud, born May 1, 1774, mar- ried Samuel Rees, and their children were as fol- lows: (I) Hannah, born August 31, 1793; (2) Stroud, born March 6, 1795, married Christine Bar- ton, and had ten children, William, Caroline, Charles, Rachel, Samuel, Albert, Elsie, George, Daniel and Morris ; (3) Elizabeth, born December 22, 1796; (4) Julia A., born February 4, 1799; (5) Sallie, born September 16, 1803; (6) Daniel, born January 5, 1806, died February 22, 1833; (7) Evan, born February 24, 1808, died November 1I, 1835; (8) Edwin, born October 29, 1810; (9) James, born April 24, 1813; (10) Samuel, died October 6, 1817; and (II) Ann S., born July 29, 1818. Hannah Rees was married December 20,1813, to Daniel La Bar,and had ten children: Elizabeth, born April 18, 1806; Harriet, born July 24, 1817, was married in May, 1836, to Charles Barton ; Samuel R., born January 17, 1820 ; Emeline, born September 15, 1821 ; Edwin R .; Horace ; Gilbert L. ; Ann M .; Eigene ; and Helen.

(VII) Rebecca Stroud, born April 26, 1776, died June 24, 1776.

(VIII) Ann Stroud, born June 28, 1777, was married March 15, 1798, to Peter Hollinshead, born February 13, 1777, and they had four children : Ann E., born August 24, 1802, died June 7, 1832 ; Sophia C., born February 3, 1804, died January 26, 1805; Emily, the mother of our subject; and Hetty H., born April 19, 1809, died December 14, 1832.

(IX) Jemima Stroud, born November 5, 1779, was married in September, 1811, to Edward Burson, born May 7, 1780. They removed to Indiana where their descendants probably reside. They had six children : Samuel, born October 10, 1812; Ann, born January 4, 1814, died April 10, 1823 ; David S., born April 18, 1816; Elizabeth, born September 4, 1818, . died March 23, 1819; John W., born August 21, 1820; and Lydia, born May 17, 1822.

(X) Deborah Stroud, born January 25, 1782, was married April 6, 1801, to James Burson, born March 29, 1777. They had nine children: Daniel, born February 5, 1802; Caroline, born November 15, 1803 ; Jacob, born April 1, 1806, died December 12, 1828; Elizabeth, born May 28, 1808; Isaac, born February 20, 1810; Emily, born December II, 1812; Stroud, born July 28, 1816, now resides ir. Stroudsburg ; Lewis, born November 7, 1819, died September 20, 1821 ; and Lewis M., born July 28, 1822, is now a resident of Stroudsburg.

(XI) Elizabeth Stroud, born April 20, 1784, was married, November 1, 1804, to William Colbert, born April 20, 1764, died June 16, 1833. They had twelve children: Elizabeth S., born December 4, 1805, died December 5, 1805; Sarah, born October 21, 1806, died January 12, 1807; James A., born November 15, 1807, died the same day; Miriam A., born August 4, 1809, is deceased, and her only child is deceased; Elizabeth M., born October 30, 1811; Cyrus, born October 30, 1813, died leaving no chil- dren ; Mary A., born September 1, 1816, married Peter Cox, and her two children live in Massachu- setts and New York State respectively; Ella, born July 26, 1819, died April 23, 1820; Harriet, born March 7, 1821, died April 23, 1821; William S., born February 23, 1822, died July 15, 1824 ; William (2), born August 10, 1824, died in 1896; and Charles, born March 12, 1827.

(XII) Jacob MacDowell Stroud, born April 26, 1788, died May 17, 1810.

JOHN W. DECKER (deceased) was for many years identified with the agricultural and lum- ber interests of Preston township, Wayne county, and was numbered among the representative citizens of the community. He was born July 17, 1842, in Luzerne county, Penn., and in 1850 was brought to Wayne county by his parents, Samuel and Margaret (Shafer) Decker, natives of New York State. They located in Preston township, near Lake Como, where the father purchased a farm, and upon that place they spent their remaining days. Of their children, John W. is the subject of this sketch; and

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Samuel Lewis has never been heard from since leav- ing Pennsylvania ; Andrew J. and Jacob Harvey died in October, 1862, of typhoid fever ; the three daugh- ters, Caroline, Susan and Fidelia, died in childhood.

Reared upon the home farm, John W. Decker early became familiar with every department of farm work. In the local schools he acquired his early education, which was supplemented by a course in higher institutions of learning. After his mar- riage he located on a part of the old homestead, but after the death of the parents his step-brother, Claw- son Hawks, had the home.

Mr. Decker was married, in 1861, to Miss Elizabeth H. Barrows, of Preston township, a daughter of Albert and Christiana Barrows, the for- mer born in Connecticut, in 1812, the latter in New York City, in 1819. At an early day her parents located on a farm in Wayne county, where they con- tinted to make their home until called from this life, the father dying in October, 1863, the mother in 1892. In their family were eight children, of whom Margaret E. married Eugene Chadden, of Starrucca, and died January 10, 1886; Frank H. died in March, 1894; Caroline is the wife of Charles Lautenschla- ger, of Waymart, Wayne county; Alberta J. is the wife of Albert Wilson, of Audubon county, Iowa; Jesse, who was born in Wayne county, resides with Mrs. Decker ; Benson B., who married Matilda Ball, is engaged in farming in Preston township; and Wilton I. married Mary Kline, of Potter township, where he now follows lumbering.

Children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Decker as follows : (I) Elmer E., born in 1862, received a common-school education and was reared on the home farm. In 1893 he married Sarah M. Conklin, of Damascus, Wayne county, by whom he has two children, Clayton and Hazel, and the family live on a farm near the old homestead in Preston township. (2) Libbie M., born in March, 1863, was married in June, 1880, to George W. Blanchard, of Hart- wick, N. Y., and to them were born five children, Freddie E., Howard, Charles, Rose M., and Roy (who died in childhood). They now live in Otsego county, N. Y. (3) Samuel H., born March 12, 1865, died in June, 1877. (4) John C. F., born May 29, 1867, married Lena Barriger, of Wayne county, and died a short time after his marriage, leaving one daughter, Florence C. (5) Carrie M., born February 14, 1870, is the wife of Joseph Simp- son, of Equinunk, Wayne county, and has three children, Willie D., Glen A. and Dencie Inez. (6) Andrew M., born in January, 1872, is now living in Deposit, N. Y. (7) Perry A., born in 1874, died March 4, 1875. (8) Harris Perry, born March I, 1876, was educated in the public schools of Wayne county, and he and his brother Warner H. now operate the home farm for their mother. (9) War- ner H., born October 4, 1878, was married May 28, 1898, to Katie M. Damond, of Buckingham.

Mr. Decker departed this life in January, 1897. He took a prominent part in promoting the cause of Temperance, was an earnest member of the Good

Templars Society, and gave his support to the men and measures of the Prohibition party. Being one of the leading and influential citizens of his com- munity, he was often called upon to serve in official positions of honor and trust, serving as constable of Preston township four years, supervisor two terms, assessor three years, town clerk several terms, and was collector at the time of his death. In religious connection he was a faithful member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church, of Lake Como, to which his wife also belongs. She is a most estimable lady, loved and respected by all who know her.

SEARLE. For upward of seventy years the generations of the Searle family who have lived in Susquehanna county have born well their part in their several walks of life. Among the number, and of whom it is the purpose of this article es- pecially to notice in connection with their ancestry, were such men as the late Daniel, Leonard and Rasselas Searle, of the older generation, Rogers S. and Judge Daniel W. Searle, of the second genera- tion, and Barry Searle, of the third. These gentle- men were descended from Robert Searle (I), who was admitted an inhabitant by the selectmen of Dorchester, Mass., June 9, 1662, and for sixteen years was the town clerk, which evidences his posi- tion and education. It has not been ascertained that he was related to the settlers of the name who came earlier to New England. By his wife, Deborah, he had :

Nathan Searle (2), born June 9, 1660, died February 15, 1749, lived in that part of Dorchester called Milton. He married, in 1694, Sarah, daugh- ter of John Rogers, Jr., of Duxburrow, Mass., and removed to Little Compton, R. I., of which locality he was the first schoolmaster. A tablet, inserted in the stone wall, which can be seen from the road- way, has inscribed on it that "this is the Site on which stood the first school house-Nathaniel Searle, first schoolmaster." He and his wife, Sarah, are buried in the old cemetery on "The Common," in Little Compton.

John Rogers, Jr., the father of Sarah, was an important man in the Colony. In 1664, '76, '82, he was appointed surveyor of highways for Duxbur- row; was constable in 1670, '81, '83; in 1681 he took oath to serve as constable in "Mount Hope," and in 1685, '86, '89, '90, he appears as deputy to the Court from Bristol, and selectman in 1686, '89, '90. In 1697 he removed to Boston, where he lived for ten years, but claimed Bristol for his home, and in a deed described himself as "Planter." He was in Taunton, 1706; in Swansea, 1710; in Barrington, 1726, where he died June 28, 1732, aged ninety-two. He owned large tracts of land in these localities, as shown by the deeds. He married Elizabeth Pabodie, of Duxburrow, daughter of William, who also was "an influential and wealthy man in the Colony."

Nathaniel Searle (3), son of Nathaniel (2) and Sarah Searle, was born in Little Compton, R. I., April 26, 1703, and died December 8, 1781. He

Era ?by AH Patchis

Dank Searle

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

married, December 25, 1725, Elizabeth Kinnicut, who was born in 1701. He was also "an important man in the Colony," represented Little Compton in the General Court in 1749, '68, '70, and was as- sistant Governor of Rhode Island 1757-1762. The following epitaphs are inscribed upon their tomb- stone, in the "Old Cemetery," Little Compton, which consists of a large stone resting on four pillars, and is one of the finest of its kind in this country :

Sacred to the Memory of the Hon. Nathaniel Searle, who departed this life on the 8th day of Dec. 1781, in the 79th yr. of his age.

In life he was amiable and discreet, and with strict integ- rity he discharged the several duties of a Christian, a Magis- trate and Friend.

At death his steady confidence and hope in the Mercy of God our Savior supported him with that manly fortitude which ever becomes a sincere and faithful servant of the Redeemer.

Here resteth the precious remains of Mrs. Elizabeth Searle, the amiable consort of the Hon. Nathaniel Searle, Esq., who departed this life on the 11th day of December, 1781, in the 80th yr. of her age.

In life her universal benevolence endeared her to all her virtues as a Wife, a Parent, a Friend shone with becon- ing lustre, and her hope steadfastly fixed on God our Savior whose benign influence supported her through a train of complicated diseases for many years, with that patience and rectitude of Soul becoming her profession, and enabled her to meet death divested of all its terrors.

An extract from the will of Hon. Nathaniel Searle shows the relationship to Constant Searle : "I give and bequeath to my beloved son, Constant Searle, over and above what I have done for him and given him, one-half of my silver buttons for a Coat, I also give him a Continental Note of two hun- dred dollars, and one State Note of Sixty dollars, and one of eight dollars, and all my Continental Bills and what silver money I have by me, my two links of gold buttons, my riding horse and best saddle and bridle and my best beaver hat," etc.

[ Signed ] "Nathaniel Searle."

Constant Searle (4), son of the Hon. Nathaniel Searle, was born July 27, 1728, removed to Ston- ington, Conn., and in 1751 was married to Hannah Miner, of whom the record says, "She was a woman of great eminence and distinction." She was the daughter of Simeon Miner and Hannah Wheeler. The marriage took place in North Stonington, Conn., at the home of her grandfather, William Wheeler. Their children were all born in Con- necticut. About 1773 Constant Searle came to Pennsylvania, and settled on the bank of the Sus- quehanna river, at a point known as Kingston, in the "Valley of Wyoming. ' John Gordon, who knew him, described him as "a man of great energy and perseverance, and bitterly hostile to King George; 2

his denunciations of the tyrant would hardly do to repeat in Church among pious people. His patriot- ism was undoubted." On July 3, 1778, he marched with that gallant band who went to meet the British and savage foe in defense of the settlement, and seeing his grandson, Miner Searle, following him as he was about to enter the struggle, he gave him his silver knee-buckles, saying, "They might im- pede my movements ; if I fall I shall not need them ; if I return, I can get them." Having been cap- tured by the Indians, he was known to "have per- ished by fire and torture, almost in sight of his own home.'

Rogers Searle (5) (named from his father's grandmother, Sarah Rogers) was born in Preston, Conn., August 13, 1762, and died in Pittston, Lu- zerne Co., Penn., June 19, 1813. He was married, January 12, 1791, to Catherine Scott, daughter of John Scott, a gunsmith, who is said "to have come from Scotland," and Mehitable Carey. She died February 4, 1849, at her home in Pittston. At the time of the battle of Wyoming, Rogers Searle was sixteen years of age, and was a member of the militia company commanded by his brother-in-law, Capt. Dethick Hewitt, "raised by order of Con- gress" a very short time before the invasion of the settlement by the British. Capt. Hewitt led his- forces at the battle, and fell while refusing to sur- render. Rogers Searle escaped with Anning Owen, who afterward became a Methodist minister of note, by concealing himself at the mouth of Shoemaker's creek (just below where the battle was fought, and near his home and Forty-fort), in the branches of a willow tree, covered by a grape-vine, which extended into the river. The tree is still standing. He used to describe the efforts of the Indians to discover him by probing the water in various ways, hitting him many times as they pressed upon the branches, but he swam under water, and when darkness came made his escape in a most forlorn condition to the Fort, where his mother and sisters, with their chil- dren, were awaiting succor, and they, with the other' widowed and fatherless remnant, fled the follow- ing day over the mountains, finally reaching their. old home in Stonington, Conn. When safety was assured, Mr. Searle returned to the valley with his family, expecting to locate on the land paid for by his father, in gold which he had brought hither on horseback in two bags, causing much discomfort to his poor horse by its weight. But alas ! all land- marks had been destroyed, records burned, and others had settled upon their land, and they went farther up the river, locating in Pittston, upon the property now leased by the "Ravine Coal Company." There Rogers Searle died in 1812, when just fifty years of age, leaving his wife with a large family of children, the youngest thirteen months old. That his widow was a woman of no ordinary character is evidenced by the manner in which she kept her family together, and her Scotch blood served to instill into her sons the lessons of frugality and industry.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 4

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