Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 401

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 401
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 401
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 401
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 401

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ALFRED CHAPMAN, an ex-soldier of the Civil war, who saw active service in the Union army, and representative citizen and farmer of Lake town- ship, Wayne county, was born on his father's farm in Salem township, April 3, 1838.

Daniel Chapman ( son of Ebenezer), his father, was a native of the State of Connecticut, and in 1823 settled in Salem township, Wayne Co., Penn. He married Hannah Carey, a native of Luzerne county, Penn. They were plain, good people, who lived useful lives, though in a quiet manner, in their coun- try home community. He died in 1864, when aged sixty-six years, and she in 1894, at the age of sev- enty-two years : both are buried in Salem township on land set aside for that purpose by Daniel Chap- man himself. Their children were: Malinda mar- ried Joseph Frisby, a carpenter at Hawley, and she is now deceased; Alfred is our subject; Lucinda married David Edwards, a farmer in Salem town- ship ; Emily is the widow of George Frisby, of Lake township; Leverite married Emma Hawk, and is a farmer of Salem township; Orinda married David Mann, an engineer on the Gravity railroad; and Abbie married George Peet, a farmer in Salem township; and Leander.

Alfred Chapman was reared on the farm, and did the usual work customary to farmers' sons, and

through the winter seasons he attended the district schools of his locality. At the age of twenty-one he came to the site of what is now Chapmantown, which place derived its name from the location of two of the Chapman brothers at that point, Lean- der and Alfred. For three years after becoming of age our subject worked on farms for others. The Civil war being then well started, his patriotism was aroused, and like thousands of other brave boys he laid aside his hopes and ambitions in civil life for the more stirring and thrilling scenes of- fered in the camp and on the field. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted in Company D, 179th P. V. I., un- der the command of Capt. H. L. Stevens. His regiment served in the Army of the Potomac, and he was in the Peninsular campaign. He performed creditable service, and was honorably discharged on the expiration of his term of enlistment, at Har- risburg, Penn., July 27, 1863. He returned to Chap- mantown, and there purchased sixty-three acres of land, for which he paid in cash $900. This land was in its wild state, and he built thereon a small wooden house, in size about 16 x 24 feet, which was his home for some fifteen years, when it was replaced by a much more commodious and comfortable one. Mr. Chapman cleared off and made a nice farm, and here he has since remained. By being indus- trious and frugal, and assisted by his good wife, he has become comfortably fixed in life. They are respected and esteemed citizens, and are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Chapman belongs to the I. O. O. F. ; and to the post of the G. A. R. at Grav- ity. In his political views he is a Republican.

On May 16, 1863, our subject was married, at Cherry Ridge, to Miss Julia Miller, the ceremony being performed by Squire John Hoadley. She was born November 16, 1842, in Salem township, Wayne county, a daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Dobell) Miller, natives of Salem and Sterling townships, Wayne county, respectively. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Chapman are: Harry, born April 16, 1864, and married to Matilda Murphy, is a farmer of Paupack township; Vitallis, born April 12, 1866, is engaged in the lumber business at Hawley ; Dan- iel, born March 1, 1869, married Mellie Swingle; Berton, born April 1, 1873, and married to Emma Minery, is a farmer of Lake township; Elijah and Elisha (twins), born November 16, 1877, are at home; and Olan, born September 14, 1884.

WILLIAM F. KELZ, foreman of the J. S. O'Connor glass plant at Hawley, Wayne county, and one of the leading young business men of the place, was born near Narrowsburg, N. Y., January 30, 1869. His parents, George and Pauline (Con- rad) Kelz, were natives of Germany, and became acquainted and were married in New York State, where the mother died in 1873, at the age of forty- three years. In 1884 the father removed to Hones- dale, Wayne Co., Penn., where he still makes his home, being now sixty-seven years of age. In New York he engaged in farming, but is now living re-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

tired. In the German Lutheran Church he holds membership.

Our subject is next to the youngest in the fam- ily of nine children, the others being as follows: Louis, a farmer of New York; Gus, a sailor on the sea ; Charles, a machinist, who is now employed in the car shops at Baltimore, Md .; Bertha, a resident of Honesdale; Otto, a blacksmith of that place; Leonard, a butcher of Forest City, Penn .; Julius, who is engaged in bottling mineral water at Hones- dale; and Edward, who is with his brother in the bottling works. Since the mother's death the fa- ther has been three times married, but has no chil- dren by these unions.

William F. Kelz was only four years old when his mother died, and for the following four years he lived with a paternal aunt. He then returned to the home of his father in Narrowsburg, N. Y., and with him came to Honesdale at the age of thirteen, re- maining under the parental roof until he attained his twenty-first year. At the age of fourteen he began learning glass cutting with J. S. O'Connor at White Mills, and at the end of six years he went to Brook- lyn, N. Y., where he worked for the Al Strauss & Son Glass Manufacturing Co. for two years. He then came to Hawley, and after working as a jour- neyman for J. S. O'Connor for one year he was appointed to his present responsible position, that of foreman of the shop. He is acknowledged to be one of the finest glass cutters in the country, and is therefore well fitted for the position which he now so ably fills.

At Long Ridge, Wayne county, Mr. Kelz was married, November 16, 1890, to Miss Jennie Comp- ton, and to them have been born two children: Lucy Ethel and William Frederick, Jr. Mrs. Kelz is a native of Wayne county, and a daughter of David E. and Anna (Tilden) Compton, the former a native of Wayne county, born November 28, 1844, the latter of Trenton, N. J., born in 1854. They still reside on the old Compton homestead in Pal- myra township. Their children are Jennie, wife of our subject; Lucy, who lives with them; and William, who is still at home with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Kelz have a pleasant home in Hawley, tastefully furnished, and there they delight to en- tertain their many friends. In his political affilia- tions he is a Republican.

GEORGE STEWART. Active growing races have ever been migratory in their instincts and habits and in newly-possessed lands have given char- acter to the people for many future generations. The vigor of the United States has been acquired from its restless, energetic foreigners, to whom dif- ficulties and dangers were life and breath, and in whom the conquering spirit ran high.

The great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was John Stewart, the first settler at Del- aware Water Gap, who braved Indian hatred and hostility in planting the primitive cabin of cultiva- tion upon the western banks of the Delaware river.

George Stewart, his son, grandfather of our sub- ject, was reared amid privations and hardship, and his superabundant energies found ample combat in overcoming the obstacles to fruitful farms which nature had implanted in this favored region. George Stewart became one of the most prominent lumbermen of his day. He settled on the Delaware river in Pike county, where he made many improve- ments and at his death left a family of eight chil- dren in comparative affluence. The children were: Saul, Charles, William, Joseph, Henry, Louisa (wife of Jacob Smith, of Wallpack, N. J.), Susan (wife of Martin Van Vliet, of Winfield, Iowa), and Catherine (wife of Ebenezer Ludley, formerly of Bushkill, Penn., but now of St. Paul, Minn.).

Charles Stewart, the father of our subject, was born in Pike county, Penn., in 1827. He married Rachel Posten, who was born in Price township, Monroe county, in 1833, daughter of Elijah and Eleanor Posten. He settled in Lehman township, Pike county, where he cleared up a farm and where he engaged extensively for many years in farm- ing and lumbering. In 1871 he sold his farm and purchased the home of his father-in-law in Price township, which he operated and tilled until his death, in 1878. His worthy wife survived until 1893, when she died leaving seven children, five sons and two daughters.

Of these children, our subject, George Stewart, was the eldest. The other children were: (2) Kenner, born in 1861, possessed the migratory spirit of his ancestors, moved to Montana, thence to New Mexico and Arizona, and when last heard from, in 1896, was at Dawson City, Alaska. (3) Cush- ing, born in 1863, is now a farmer in Price township. (4) Frances, born in 1866, is the wife of Charles Braman, a farmer of Price township. (5) Vail, born in 1868, is a resident of Price township. (6) Emma, born in 1870, married Eugene Heller, of Stroudsburg, a machinist in the Delaware, Lack- awanna & Western railroad shops. They have one son-Kenner. (7) Samuel, born in 1873, is a ma- chinist in the car shops at Stroudsburg.

George Stewart was born in Lehman town- ship, Pike county, in September, 1857. He was educated in the schools of Pike and Monroe coun- ties, and grew to manhood on the farm of his father. For several years he followed farming in New Jer- sey. In 1892 he married Miss Amena Deubler, daughter of Edward and Hannah Deubler, repre- sentatives of an old and prominent family of Bar- rett township. After his marriage our subject pur- chased a farm in Barrett township, near Canadensis, known as the Rockafeller homestead. Here he has since resided, making general improvements and suc- cessfully engaging in farming. To himself and wife three children have been born, namely: Lorena, born in September, 1893; Nettie, born in May, 1896; and Edward, born in January, 1898. In politics our subject is a Republican. He was reared in the faith of the Presbyterian Church. His wife is a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Stewart is

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

one of the active and prosperous farmers of Bar- rett township, and the well-improved farm he now occupies is a testimonial of his thoroughness, judg- ment, energy and good taste.

A. B. TRANSUE is an enterprising and en- ergetic young business man of Georgetown, Wayne county, where he is serving as telegraph operator, ticket and freight agent for the Erie & Wyoming Valley Railroad Co., agent for the Wells-Fargo Ex- press Co., and weighmaster for the Pennsylvania Coal Co. As a public-spirited, progressive citizen, he takes an active part in promoting the welfare of his town and county.

Mr. Transue was born in Tannersville, Mon- roe Co., Penn., February 12, 1871, and is the only child of Rev. John A. and Rachel H. ( Bisbing) Transue, who were born, reared and married in that county, the birth of the former occurring on March 27, 1851, the birth of the latter June 20, 1851. They remained residents of Monroe county until after Mr. Transue began preaching, in 1877, but now make their home in Wanamie, Luzerne Co., Penn. At the age of sixteen years the father of our sub- ject began teaching school, and continued to follow that profession for one term after accepting his first charge as pastor of a Methodist Episcopal Church, having prepared himself for the ministry during the year 1878. For two years he was a local preacher, but since that time has had charge of various con- gregations and has been an untiring worker for the cause of Christ. His father was George Transue, a native of Monroe county, residing at Tannersville. He and his wife are farming people and members of the German Lutheran Church. Rev. Transue is the third in order of birth in their family of thir- teen children, of whom ten are still living. Our subject's maternal grandparents are Henry and Sarah (Heller) Bisbing, also agriculturists and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their family numbered twelve children, of whom ten are living, and Mrs. Transue and her twin sister, Eliza- beth, are the third in order of birth.

A. B. Transue remained with his parents until he had attained the age of eighteen years, when he came to Georgetown and in 1887 began work in his present office under Earl W. Bishop, remaining here one year. The following year he attended school and then returned to Georgetown, but a year later accepted a position with the Ontario & West- ern railroad at Como, Wayne county, where he re- mained for a year and a half. For six months he was employed by the Erie & Western railroad as an extra operator and ticket agent at Carbondale, Penn., and for the following two years was operator and ticket agent at Maplewood. In October, 1895, he accepted his present position, which he has since most creditably and acceptably filled.

At Carley Brook, Wayne county, on June 21, 1893, Mr. Transue was married to Miss Anna B. Riefler, his father performing the ceremony. Two children bless this union: Charles E., born August

12, 1894; and Ralph J., born February 26, 1896. Mrs. Transue was born in Oregon township, Wayne county, December 27, 1872, and is a daughter of John Riefler, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. She and her husband hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in social cir- cles occupy an enviable position. In political sen- timent Mr. Transue is a stanch Republican.

REUBEN T. AMES, who has for many years been prominently identified with the business inter- ests of Hawley, Wayne county, is a native of that county, born on the old Ames homestead in Canaan township, August II, 1835, and is a son of Jo- seph Ames, brother of Henry Ames, of Waymart. Our subject was married in Canaan township, Au- gust II, 1860, to Miss Ellen Thorpe, and to them were born six children, namely: Howard, Ann E. and Frank, who all died in childhood; Sarah, now the wife of Charles J. Schlager, a merchant of Haw- ley ; James D., who married Lucy Millham, and is engaged in merchandising in Hawley; and Lucy, who is at home with her parents.

Mrs. Ames was born in Wayne county, October II, 1835, a daughter of Jesse W. and Sarah ( Miller ) Thorpe, who were born, reared and married in New Jersey, whence they came to Wayne county, Penn., in 1834. In Canaan township the father died in July, 1858, aged fifty-nine years, but the mother, who was born October 28, 1808, is still living. He was a prominent farmer and highly-respected cit- izen of his community. In the family were the fol- lowing children: Sarah, who died in childhood; Ellen M., wife of our subject; Frank and Lewis H., who died in middle life; Mary, wife of William McMullen, who is serving as superintendent of gravity for the D. & H. railroad, at Carbondale, Penn. ; and Moses M. and Amanda J., who are still with their mother. Mrs. Thorpe is still bright and active, her eyesight being good and her phys- ical qualities well preserved. She is an active worker in and a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church. Her father was a soldier in the war of 1812.

At the age of thirteen years Reuben T. Ames left the home farm and entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Coal Co., assisting in the construction of the road. After its completion he was employed as engineer until. 1864, when he enlisted in Company M, 15th N. Y. Engineer Corps, and was in active service until the close of the war, being stationed at Petersburg the last six months. He went on a raid to South Carolina, and was at Roanoke at the time of Johnston's surrender. On receiving his dis- charge he returned home, but has never fully re- covered from the effects of exposure while in the service. He was compelled to give up his position as engineer on account of ill health.

Coming to Hawley in October, 1865, Mr. Ames embarked in merchandising with his brother Jacob, and two years later his brother John H. was ad- mitted to partnership, the firm name becoming J.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

S. Ames & Bros. The firm did an extensive and profitable business in lumbering, milling, merchan- dising, stock raising and farming, and as agricult- urists were among the foremost in Wayne county. In 1882 John H. withdrew from the firm, but busi- ness was still carried on by J. S., R. T. and G. W. Ames, under the firm style of J. S. Ames & Co., and in addition to their other enterprises they started the first bank ever opened in Hawley. They con- tinued operations together until the spring of 1886, when the property was divided and a part thereof sold. The building in which the bank was con- ducted fell to our subject, who now rents it to his brother Jacob S., and the stock of merchandise, which also became his, he sold to his son. He then gave his attention to his lumber and farming in- terests, and is still the owner of a valuable farm in Canaan township, though he has always made his home in Hawley since coming here in 1865. Num- bered among the influential and prominent citizens of the place, he has been called upon to serve in official positions of honor and trust, being a mem- ber of the city council, commissioner of Wayne county for three years, and supervisor for three terms. Politically he is identified with the Repub- lican party, and religiously is an earnest and faith- ful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is now serving as trustee. Throughout his entire business career he has been looked upon as a model of integrity and honor, and is therefore respected by the community at large and honored by his business associates.

WILLIAM CHARLES CADDOO, an ener- getic and self-reliant agriculturist of Stroud town- ship, Monroe county, is one of the promising young men of that locality. Having been active in other lines of business elsewhere, he brings to his work an originality of method which produces excellent results, and his farm shows in every department the effects of skilled management.

Mr. Caddoo was born in February, 1875, in New York City, and comes of excellent ancestry. William Caddoo, his grandfather. for some time resided in Newark, N. J. Later he purchased the William Chapman farm in Stroud township, Mon- roe county, one mile north of Stroudsburg, where he spent about eight years. He then went to Yonk- ers, N. Y., to reside and later he bought a cottage in Stroudsburg, where he made his home until Oc- tober, 1896, but he is now living in retirement in Brooklyn, N. Y. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, and the family has always been prominent in social life. He and his wife have six children, of whom four are living, viz .: Thomas is our subject's father ; Mary is the wife of William H. Cross, of Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Henry is married and resides at Yonkers, N. Y .; and William H. is mar- ried and resides in Brooklyn.

Thomas Caddoo, our subject's father, was born in 1846, in Newark, N. J., and during his youth he learned the hatter's trade, which he has followed

thus far through life. He is self-educated, and as a business man has shown marked ability and enter- prise. For twenty-five years he has carried on his business in New York City, but in 1880 he removed to Yonkers, where he and his family resided thirteen years. In 1882 he purchased his father's farm near Stroudsburg, and his family resided there for some years, while he himself still continued business at Yonkers, but on the burning of his plant he started a new factory at Peekskill, N. Y., where he has since remained. In March, 1873, he was married, in New York City, to Miss Anna Van Wagner, who was born in Englewood, N. J., and they have had five children, of whom our subject is the eldest. The others are: (2) Miss Eleata, born in 1877, in New York City, completed a course in the public school and now resides with her parents. (3)

Miss May F., born in Yonkers, is now a student in the high school at Peekskill. (4) Thomas H. and (5) Anna are both attending school at Peekskill.

Our subject's education was begun in the schools of New York City and later he pursued his studies at Yonkers, graduating from the high school. At the age of eighteen he took charge of one of the departments of his father's factory, but in 1893 he decided to try agricultural work, and removed to his father's farm near Stroudsburg. In 1895 he re- turned to Peekskill to assist his father, and in July, 1896, he married Miss Cora, daughter of Capt. George and Eliza Morton, prominent residents of Peekskill. In July, 1897, he brought his wife to the farm, hoping that the change of air would benefit her health, and they have since resided there. One daughter brightens their home, Mary K., born in September, 1897. Mrs. Caddoo is a member of the Episcopal Church, but our subject was reared in. the Methodist Church, to which his father and mother belong. Politically he is a Republican of old time Whig antecedents, but he is not an office- seeker.

HARRISON DARROW, the well known pro- prietor of the Fairview farm, is one of the promi- nent and influential citizens of Bridgewater town- ship; and a representative of one of the old and honored families of Susquehanna county. His ma- ternal grandfather, James Osborn, was the first to locate here, and was present at the Wyoming massa- cre, and was noted for his gallantry as a soldier of the Revolutionary war. He married Polly Ayres, and to them were born eight children namely : Lu- cinda, Enoos, William, Hannah, Mary, Hilia, Eliza- beth and Harrison.

Orphinus Darrow, the father of our subject, was born in Susquehanna county, and was reared on the old homestead to habits of industry and hon- esty, his literary education being obtained in the public schools of the neighborhood. He wedded Mary Osborn, a native of Orange county, N. Y., and they made their home on a farm in Bridgewater township, where their four children-Myra (de- ceased), Harrison, Fayette, and Wrighter-were

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born. The wife and mother, who was a most esti- mable woman, loved by all who knew her, died January 27, 1891, and the father died November 18, 1898. He was one of the faithful defenders of the Union during the dark days of the Civil war, and has ever been one of the honored and valued citizens of his community.

Harrison Darrow was born January 4, 1856, and on the old home farm in Bridgewater township he grew to manhood, acquiring an excellent knowl- edge of agricultural pursuits and a good practical education in the local schools. He was married June I, 1878, at Great Bend, Penn., to Miss Emma Cosier, a daughter of Samuel and Mary ( Belarby) Cosier. Her father was a native of Connecticut and died in Binghamton, N. Y., while her mother was born of English parentage and died in Silver Lake town- ship, Susquehanna Co., Penn., in October, 1866. Mrs. Darrow is the older of their two children, the other being Mrs. Ina Webb, of Franklin township, Susquehanna county. To Mr. and Mrs. Darrow have been born five children, namely : Mary Meeker, Charity, Fannie, Bruce and Elsie.

Mr. Darrow now owns and operates the old Osborn farm-one of the best in Bridgewater town- ship. It comprises 100 acres of rich and arable land, is pleasantly located two miles from Montrose and the improvements consist of a new and com- fortable residence, a good barn and substantial out- buildings. Being a thorough and skillful farmer, he has met with success in his life work, and is now one of the well-to-do, as well as one of the highly respected citizens of the community. Politically he is a pronounced Democrat.

MOSES K. ROHRBACKER, a well-to-do and prominent general farmer of Dreher township, Wayne county, was born there on April 19, 1842, a son of George and Elizabeth (Fribley) Rohr- backer, natives of Baden, Germany. In 1826, when a child of thirteen years, the father was brought to America by his parents, Christopher and Caroline Rohrbacker, who located in Sterling township, Wayne county, where the stone house which they erected is still standing. In their family were seven children: Jacob; William; George; Francis ; Jul- iann, wife of Robert Cross; Margaret, wife of Rob- ert Kellium; and Catherine, wife of Charles Wolf and a resident of Greene township, Pike Co., Penn. Our subject's mother was only eight years old when she came to the New World with her parents, who took up their residence in Sterling township, Wayne county, in 1834. Her father, John Fribley, was a shoemaker by trade, but after coming to this country turned his attention to farming. His children were Philip, Charles, Christian, Elizabeth, Magdeline, wife of Lavine Mixch, and John.

Our subject's father, who was one of the leading and prominent citizens of his community, followed farming as a life work, and was called upon to serve in several township offices. He died in 1855, aged forty-two years, his wife in 1888, aged sixty-two.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 401

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