Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 403

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 403
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 403
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 403
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 403

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).

ALLEN PRICE, proprietor of the "Bucks Hill House," Barrett township, Monroe county, and a prominent and successful business man, is the son

1729

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

of Jacob and Betsey (Nye) Price. He was born August I, 1842, in his father's old homestead at Spruce Cabin.

Jacob Price, our subject's father, was one of the most noted lumbermen of Monroe county, widely known not only for his extensive lumber trans- actions, but for his strong and popular traits of character. (For details of his early life see sketch of his son Wesley J. and Milton D. Price else- where.) Jacob Price was married ( first) to Betsey Nye, and after her death to her sister, Susannah Nye. By the first marriage he had five sons and one daughter, namely. ( 1) Martin died at the age of seventeen years. (2) David, born in 1839, married Sarah Boyer, and now resides on a good farm near Canadensis. He had six children, of whom Wel- lington and Willard F. died when young, the others being: Sarah, Fannie (now Mrs. Stricker), Emily (died in 1898 )and Allen. (3) Allen is the subject of this sketch. (4) Sarah is the widow of Charles Geiger, who died in Kansas City leaving a family of children. (5) Ambrose married Bell Yonker, of Monroe county, resides at East Stroudsburg and has two sons-Jesse and Harry. (6) Andrew mar- ried Miss Louisa Conklin, of Smithfield, follows stone-cutting at East Stroudsburg, and has chil- dren-Bert, Floyd, Paul, Wilbur, Carrie and Millie.

At the age of seventeen our subject, who had then acquired a good education, left the parental roof and began life on his own account. He be- came teamster for the Canadensis Tannery Co., and for seven years served steadily in that position. He then engaged for several years in peeling bark for the company under contract. He married Miss Sophia Evans, of Barrett township. She was born in 1843, daughter of Charles and Emily Evans, formerly of Northampton county. After his mar- riage, in April, 1871, Mr. Price moved to Grant county, Wis. He purchased a large farm near Woodman and began what he then believed would be a work of many years developing his property to a high degree of efficiency. But three months after his arrival at his western home his wife died, leaving four children. Mr. Price disposed of the property, and in July of that year returned to Mon- roe county, Penn. He then went into the woods as foreman for John S. Snow, of Canadensis. After a year of lumbering he engaged in the meat market business at Cresco, which he followed for a number of years.

While thus engaged he married for his second wife Miss Sarah Bailey, daughter of George and Mary Bailey, of Paradise township. The four chil- dren of the first marriage of our subject were: (I) Oscar, who was born in September, 1864, is married, and now lives at Scranton, an employe of the D. L. & W. R. R. Co. He has one daughter- Edna. (2) Laura, born in November, 1866, mar- ried Frank Freeland, of Pocono, and died at Ban- gor leaving two daughters-Bertha and Clara. (3). Charles E., born in November, 1868, now resides in New Jersey. (4) Clara, born in August, 1870, is 109

also a resident of New Jersey. By his second mar- riage our subject has had six children, namely : Edith May, who was born in February, 1875, mar- ried Jared Sees, of Canadensis, and has one daugh- ter-Gertrude; Iva B., born in November, 1879, is at home; Jennie M., born in May, 1881 ; Allen S., born in February, 1885; Roland M., born in July, 1891; and Porter R., born in March, 1895.

In 1878 our subject purchased a tract of wild land two miles from Cresco, on the road leading to Canadensis, and here he erected a large hotel. He also cleared up the land, and now has one of the best and one of the finest farms in Barrett town- ship. Mr. Price is a natural landlord, possessing the genial disposition and the care for the comfort and pleasure of his guests which combine to make his home most attractive. Besides the mention of the above farm and hotel Mr. Price has also other large interests under his immediate supervision and direction. He purchased a four-hundred-acre tract of land in Monroe county, joining on Pike county, and is there engaged extensively in lumbering. He also conducts a meat market business at home.

In politics Mr. Price is a Democrat. He has been made the recipient of various local offices at the hands of his fellow citizens. For seven years he served as constable in Barrett township, and. was for a number of years tax collector of the town. He is one of the charter members of Mountain Home Lodge No. 684. At the present home of Mr. Price a generous hospitality reigns, the influence of which radiates far and wide. He is one of the popular men of the county, for whom good wishes are mingled with the highest esteem and respect on account of the rich and abundant success which his energies and judgment have won.

ALBERT MAYER is an energetic and suc- cessful business man of Hawley, Wayne county, where for some years he has carried on operations as a plumber and tinsmith. Like many of the lead- ing citizens of the place, he comes from across the sea, his birth occurring in Wittenberg, Germany, January 24, 1859. His parents, John and Constan- tina ( Simmerman) Mayer, are still residents of that country, where the father, who is a tinsmith by trade, was born in January, 1813, the mother in April, 1827. Their children were Jacob and Rick- hart, both now deceased; Mary, widow of August Wittman, and a resident of New York; Josephina, wife of Moritz Fromlap, a whip manufacturer in Germany; Fanny, wife of August Smith, a tin- smith in Germany; Frank, who died in that coun- try ; Henry, who died in New York; Albert, the subject of this sketch; and John, who is engaged in the manufacture of fine terra cotta ware for house trimmings, at Guttenburg, New York.

On reaching a sufficient age Albert Mayer en- tered the public schools of his native land, where he pursued his studies until he was fourteen, when he commenced learning the tinner's trade with his father, serving a four-years' apprenticeship. The

e :

he 91

1730

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

following year he worked at Stutgart, Germany, and as a journeyman afterward traveled quite ex- tensively over the Fatherland. On attaining his majority he bade good-by to kindred and friends and sailed for America, locating first in New York City, where he worked at his trade for about a year. He then came to Hawley, Penn., but after working for Jacob Seidler for a year he returned to New York. In the year following, however, he again entered Mr. Seidler's employ at Hawley, remaining with him five years, after which he spent three years at his trade in Scranton, Penn. On his return to Hawley he worked for August Leiber one summer, and then embarked in business on his own account, soon building up a large and profitable trade, which he still enjoys.

Mr. Mayer was married in Hawley, April 20, 1887, to Miss Hannah Beafler, who was born at Cherry Ridge, Wayne county, October 12, 1860, a daughter of John and Agnes (Clatt) Reafler. The parents were natives of Germany, but became acquainted and were married in Honesdale, Wayne county, where they continued to make their home for two years. From there they removed to Smick Hill, and later to Cherry Ridge, where the mother died in 1892, aged sixty-six years, and where the father is still living at the age of seventy-one. By occupation he is a farmer.

The Reafler family numbered the following children : Henry died at the age of eight years. Mary is the wife of Verner Fogle, a blacksmith, of Hawley. John died at the age of five years. Han- nah is the wife of our subject. Barbara is the wife of Henry Hagedy, a farmer of Cherry Ridge. Elizabeth is the wife of John Switzer, foreman of the glass factory at Hawley. George is working for our subject. Maggie is the wife of Jacob Seid- ler, a bricklayer of Scranton, Penn. The father is a Democrat in politics, and in religious faith is a member of the German Lutheran Church, to which the mother also belonged.

Mr. and Mrs. Mayer are also prominent members of the German Lutheran Church of Hawley, while politically he is identified with the Republican party. He is an upright, honorable business man, and an expert mechanic, and the suc- cess that he has achieved in life is due entirely to his own unaided efforts.

C. M. LEONARD. The subject of this sketch was one of the popular citizens of Forest City, Sus- quehanna county, and by his active talents and in- dustry built up a business and a financial success which is noteworthy. For a time he was engaged in the livery business, and had property interests of considerable value.

Mr. Leonard was born in Preston township, Wayne county, Penn., October 29, 1861, a son of Edward and Anna (Case) Leonard. Edward Leonard, the father, was a native of Gilbertsville, Otsego Co., N. Y., where he was born October 29, 1830. When a boy he came with his father to

Wayne county. The latter subsequently located in Susquehanna county, and died at Thompson at about the age of seventy years. He married a Miss Clark, a member of an old New England family. Edward Leonard, the father of our sub- ject, learned the trade of a blacksmith in Wayne county, and later settled at Jackson, Susquehanna county, where he passed the remainder of his life. He died April 6, 1887. The four children of Ed- ward and Anna Leonard are Ida May, Jerome, C. M. (our subject), and Benjamin R.

C. M. Leonard received his education in the public schools of Preston, and in an academy at Mt. Pleasant. He learned the blacksmith's trade and followed it until he attained his majority. Wishing for a more active life, he became for a time raftsman on the Delaware river, making trips to tide-water. Abandoning that occupation, he was engaged by Judge Hand of Scranton to care for his horses and stables and to drive his private team. Returning to Jackson, Susquehanna county, our subject remained with his father until the latter's death. Then for a year he conducted his father's hotel at Jackson. Mr. Leonard removed to Forest City, where he purchased some vacant lots. These he improved, and he operated a blacksmith shop in connection with the livery business which he had established.

Mr. Leonard was married April 4, 1887, to Miss Gladys Carden, of Gibson township, Susque- hanna county, and two children have been born to them, Harvey and Hazel. In politics our subject is a Republican, and in religious faith he is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Freemason, also a member of the Order of Red Men, and was connected with the Enterprise Hose Company.

THOMAS POTTER, who has lived retired for a number of years, is a well-known citizen of Auburn township, Susquehanna county, owning a farm of sixty acres near the county line. He is a native of New York State, born May 1, 1839, son of Riley and Lorena ( Palmer) Potter, who came from New York State to Pennsylvania in about 1849, settling in Auburn township, Susquehanna county. In 1873 they removed to another farm in the same township, near the present home of our subject, and there they passed the remainder of their days, the father, a lifelong farmer, dying in April, 1885, at the age of eighty-three years, the mother one week later, aged seventy years. They were buried on Clapper Hill. He and his wife were the parents of six children: Isaac, who was killed at the battle of Gettysburg; Mary, deceased, who was the wife of Henry Hall; Thomas; Abra- ham, who was also killed while serving in the army ; Alice, Mrs. James Bunnell, deceased; and Esther, who died unmarried. The parents were members of the Baptist Church.

Thomas Potter lived at home until his mar- riage, and received his education in the public

-- --

1731

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

schools. He was reared to farm life. In 1864 he enlisted, at Towanda, Penn., in the Union service, becoming a member of Co. I, 51st P. V. I., under Capt. Thomas Parker, and remained at the front until the close of the war, receiving his discharge in Washington, D. C. Mr. Potter was at Peters- burg for six months, under fire the greater part of that time, and the hardships of army life so under- mined his constitution that he never fully recovered his health. After his return home he worked among farmers whenever his strength permitted, and he occupied the old Clapper Hill farm, on which his father had resided, until 1885, when it was sold, and he settled on his present place. Mr. Potter has a comfortable income from his land, which is oper- ated by his son, our subject taking little active part in the arduous work of cultivation.

In May, 1867, at Laceyville, Penn,, Mr. Potter was married to Mrs. Sally A. (Sharrer) Williams, daughter of William and Elizabeth Sharrer and widow of Francis Williams. To this union were born two children: Frank, who now carries on his father's farm (he is married to Nellie Wilbur) ; and Albertie, who is the wife of Fred Hillis, a farmer of Rush township. The mother passed away in March, 1893, at the age of sixty-one years, and was buried at Stevensville, Penn. Mr. Potter is a stanch Republican in political affiliation.

CHARLES LOTT, a well-to-do general farmer and dairyman of Auburn township, Susquehanna county, was born there March 6, 1819, on the old Lott homestead at Auburn Center. He had little advantages for schooling, as educational facilities in that way were matters of secondary importance to the necessarily hard-working pioneers, but he had unlimited opportunities for gaining a complete knowledge of the duties of a pioneer farm, an ex- perience which proved of inestimable value to him later on, when he undertook to clear and improve a farm for himself.

Mr. Lott remained at home up to the age of twenty-five years, when he was married, in Auburn township, to Miss Caroline Shannon, daughter of John Shannon, of Warren county, N. J. He then bought fifty-four acres of new land in Auburn township, built a home, and commenced the work of clearing the place for cultivation, a long and weary process, especially before the days of im- proved machinery. However, he accomplished this in time, and added thirty-five acres to the original tract, clearing and improving this too. Later he purchased another farm of eighty-one acres, at a cost of $2,000, which has also been greatly improved under his management, and Mr. Lott now ranks among the extensive landowners of the township. He has been constantly improving his property with substantial buildings, fences, etc., and it is systematically and carefully tilled, yielding him a handsome income. Recently he has taken up dairy- ing in addition to general farming, at present keeping fifteen cows, mostly young stock, and this

branch of his business promises to be as profitable as his other undertakings. For about twenty years during his earlier life Mr. Lott was engaged in lumbering during the winter season, following that vocation at Scranton when that now thriving city contained but one mill and a couple of houses, and also in Monroe, Lackawanna and Wayne coun- ties. He has been thoroughly progressive in his work, keeping abreast of the times in the adoption of improved methods and ideas, and he is now en- joying the fruits of a long and useful life, con- tented in the possession of a fine home and property and highly esteemed by all who know him.

Mr. Lott's first wife died in 1870, at the age of fifty years, and he subsequently wedded Miss Alice Sterling, a native of Meshoppen, Penn., daughter of Lewis and Emily (Donnell) Sterling, who were of Scotch descent. The father was born in Wyoming county, where he followed the carpenter's trade. To this union has come one child, Lewis, who lives with his parents. By his first wife Mr. Lott had children as follows: Elizabeth, wife of Delos Depew, of Wyoming county; Jane, wife of Benjamin Jacoby, of Montrose, Penn .; Judson, a farmer, residing at Hopbottom, Susquehanna coun- ty ; Euphemia, deceased, who married G. Washing- ton Hinkle, of Glenwood, Penn .; and Joseph, a farmer of Auburn township. Mrs. Lott is a mem- ber of the M. E. Church, which our subject also at- tends. Politically, he is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party.

WILLIAM C. HELLER, one of the most prominent and successful business men of Mt. Po- cono, belongs to a family which has been actively identified with the interests of Monroe county since pioneer days, and its members have won for the name an enviable distinction by their intelligence and worth. This high reputation is in no way diminished in the present generation, and our sub- ject displays in a marked degree the admirable characteristics which the name suggests.

A native of Monroe county, Mr. Heller was born in Chestnut Hill township, in 1836, and is a son of James and Rachel ( Keller) Heller, the latter a daughter of C. D. Keller, of Monroe county. The father of our subject was a native of Hamil- ton township and a son of David and Elizabeth Heller, who were among the earliest settlers of the county. David Heller followed agricultural pur- suits throughout life and died on the old homestead in Hamilton township. In his family were eight children, namely: Charles; David; James; Eliza- beth, wife of Henry Bush, of Paradise township, Monroe county ; Lena, wife of George Shoemaker, of Luzerne county, Penn., where she died ; Hannah, wife of John Felinger, of Hamilton township, where she died; Mrs. Kate Laurice, a widow of Hamil- ton township; and Sallie A., wife of John Work- heiser, of Hamilton township.

James Heller spent his early life in Hamilton and Chestnut Hill townships, and being a cooper

-----

1732

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

by trade, he engaged in the manufacture of barrels in the former township. He also engaged in mill- ing for some years and was prominently identified with public affairs in Hamilton township, serving in a number of local offices, such as assessor, col- lector and supervisor. In 1852 he purchased a large farm in Paradise township, Monroe county, near Swiftwater, and cleared a large part of his land, making his home thereon until his death. His worthy wife, who had shared with him the hard- ships of his early life, died in 1896, at the home of her daughter Sarah in Chestnut Hill township. Our subject is the eldest in their family, the others being as follows: (2) Sarah is the wife of An- drew Hardy, a farmer of Chestnut Hill township, and they have five children: Emery, a resident of Ashley, Penn .; Stewart, of Scranton; Emma, who married and lives in Dakota; and Joseph and Stephen, both of Luzerne county, Penn. (3) John, born in Hamilton township, is now a resident of Clearfield county, Penn. (4) George, who resides near Wiscassot, in Paradise township, married Lizzie Dunlap, of that township, and has five chil- dren : Minnie, Flora, Hattie, Edward and Charles. (5) Mary is the wife of Joseph Learn, of Paradise township. (6) Katie A. married Samuel Schwab, of Easton, Penn., where she died leaving one son, Millard. (7) Isaiah married Nettie Freeland, of Pocono township, Monroe county, and resided in Paradise township, where his wife and child both died, while he later died at the home of our subject in Mt. Pocono. (8) Emma, born in Paradise township, married Washington Shiffer, of Pocono township, where he died. Of the two children born to them, Nettie died at the age of three years, and William is an upright, reliable young man who was educated in the public schools of Pocono township. For her second husband the mother married Hiram Cramer, of Osceola Mills, Clearfield Co., Penn., and she died in Mt. Pocono. (9) Milton, born in Hamilton township, married Edna Smith, of Para- dise township, where they now reside on his farm, and they have four children: Annie, wife of Frank Warner, of that township; Robert; Daisy; and William. (10) Frank, born in Paradise township, died when a young man. (II) Levi J. died in childhood.

During his boyhood and youth William C. Heller pursued his studies in the public schools of Monroe county, and in 1855 and 1856 served an apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade with Fred Crowder, of Pocono township. The following year he commenced contracting and building on his own account and successfully followed that vocation until 1890, erecting almost all of the fine summer homes in his section of the county, the noted Wiscasset Po- cono Mountain House and many other leading hotels. In 1873 he also commenced the undertak- ing business upon his farm in Paradise township. In 1858 Mr. Heller was united in marriage with Miss Julia A. Learn, a daughter of John and Susan Learn, who belonged to one of the prominent

old families of Paradise township. After his mar- riage our subject bought property in that town- ship, erected a good home thereon, and in 1864 bought the farm on which his son now resides and where he lived until 1882. Since then he has been a resident of Mt. Pocono, and has continued to carry on the undertaking business in connection with contracting and building. He erected the Bel- mont House at that place and conducted the same for two years. He has met with a well-deserved success in life, is the owner of a large amount of real estate in Mt. Pocono, and has a beautiful home, which is known far and wide for its hospitality. Mr. and Mrs. Heller have the following chil- dren: (1) Joseph J., born in Paradise township, in 1859, was educated in the home schools and now lives on his father's farm in that township. He married Miss M. J. Setzer, of Paradise township, and has two children: Willie and Harry. (2) Mahlon, born in 1861, married Miss Blanch Jones. of Monroe county, and moved to Binghamton, N. Y., where he was ready to engage in the undertak- ing business when taken ill and died in 1888. (3) Emma, born in 1866, is now the wife of William J. Hamlin, of Pocono township, and they have four children: Earl, Anita, Esther and Clinton. (4) Alta, born in 1874, married George Dowling, of Mt. Pocono, by whom she has one daughter, Madaline, and they live with their father in Mt. Pocono.

Politically Mr. Heller is a Democrat, and he has most acceptably served his fellow citizens as school director, assessor and town clerk for fifteen years. For many years he has been an earnest member of the German Reformed Church, and socially belongs to Mt. Pocono Lodge No. 354, I. O. R. M. In the prosecution of his business there has been manifest one of the most sterling traits of his character-his desire to carry forward to the highest perfection at- tainable everything that he undertakes. This has marked his social and business career and has been one of the most important factors in his business.

S. T. SMITH. The subject of this sketch stands second to none among the well-to-do, in- dustrious and enterprising farmers of Scott town- ship, Wayne county. As a judicious tiller of the soil he has met with success, and as a man and citi- zen holds a high position among his neighbors. In connection with general farming he is also in- terested in lumbering and dairying, and these branches of his business have also proved quite profitable.

On the farm where he still resides Mr. Smith was born in 1856, a son of J. H. and Sarah ( Travis) Smith. His father was born in Scott township in 1830, a son of John and Catherine Smith, who at an early day came to Wayne county, having traded their farm on Long Island for 600 acres of wild land in Scott township, where they developed a farm. In the family were seven children, as follows: Mrs. Charity Alexander, a resident of Nebraska; Mrs. Elizabeth Parker, who was born in New York, and

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

1733

spent her last years in Iowa; Mrs. Mary Seymore, a native of New York, where she again took up her residence after her marriage; Anna, who died in childhood; Ezra, who married Hannah Wheeler, and throughout life engaged in farming in Scott township, Wayne county; Adaline, who was born in Wayne county, and is now the wife of Wesley Smith, of Illinois; and John H., our subject's father.

John H. Smith, after completing his education in the common schools of Wayne county, followed lumbering on the Delaware river for some years, while he continued to live upon the old homestead, having inherited a portion of the original 600 acres. In 1877 he purchased property in Sherman, Scott township, two miles from the Delaware river, where he is now living retired, enjoying the fruits of his former toil. Politically he is a Jacksonian Demo- crat, and among other offices he filled that of tax collector of Scott township for the long period of twenty years. He is a consistent member of the Baptist Church, to which his wife, Sarah (Travis), who died in 1857, also belonged. After the death of his wife Mr. Smith wedded Samantha Monroe. She died, and he then married his present wife, Ada (Curtis).

Our subject is the elder of the two children of the family, the other being Charles E., who was born in Wayne county, in 1857, and is a graduate of Deposit Academy, N. Y. He married Della Greenman, of Sherman, Penn., and they now reside in Binghamton, N. Y., where he is serving as super- intendent for the lumber firm of C. D. Middlebrook & Co. He is the present alderman from the first ward of that city. His children are May, Fred- erick and Ora, all at home.

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 403

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