Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 416

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 416
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 416
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 416
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 416

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On January 21, 1882, at Thompson, Mr. Miller was united in marriage with Miss Jennie M. Blan- din, who was born in that place in February, 1858, a daughter of George P. and Catherine (Lewis) Blandin. Her father was born in 1824 in Vermont, and when two years old was brought to Thompson, Penn., by his parents. Here he followed farming and mercantile business throughout his active business life, now living retired with our subject in Thompson. For fifteen years he filled the office of justice of the peace. Mrs. Blandin, who was a native of Sus- quehanna county, and a daughter of Giles Lewis, died in February, 1889, at the age of sixty-three years. Mrs. Miller is an only child. Our subject and his wife have had four children, as follows: Harry G. (now deceased) ; Allan D., born August 13, 1884; Myron B., born October 14, 1887; and Walter L., born December 29, 1896.

Mr. Miller is a prominent member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and socially is a member of Thompson Lodge No. 866, I. O. O. F .; Mt. Hermon Lodge No. 472, F. & A. M .; Susquehanna Chapter

for the

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No. 276, R. A. M .; and St. Andrew's Commandery No. 76, K. T. Politically he is a stanch Democrat. He served as postmaster at Thompson from 1885 to 1889, and in 1898 was the Democratic nominee for State senator from his district; and while at the former senatorial election the Republican candi- date was elected by about 3,000 majority, Mr. Miller was defeated by less than 400. He is a pleasant and affable gentleman, and makes many friends. He is thoroughly versed in the law, is a man of deep re- search and careful investigation, and his skill and ability have won him a liberal patronage and a prominent place at the Bar of Susquehanna County.

CHARLES W. ECKHART, one of the lead- ing young business men of Shohola, has spent al- most his entire life in Pike county, his birth occurr- ing in Shohola township, June 25, 1876. His boy- hood and youth were spent upon the old homestead with his mother, and to agricultural pursuits he de- voted his entire time and attention. In 1894 he went to Congers, N. Y., where he learned the ma- son's trade, at which he is now employed by the Erie Railroad Company. He is part owner of the old home farm which is now operated by his older brother. Enterprising and progressive, he has al- ready met with success in his undertakings and no doubt a bright future awaits him in his business ca- reer. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat, and in religious connection both he and his wife are members of the German Lutheran Church, while in the social life of the community they occupy an en- viable position.

On May 21, 1898, Mr. Eckhart was married to Miss Annie L.Beyer, who was born in Shohola town- ship, Pike county, November 1, 1872. John W. Beyer, her father, was born in Germany, August 8, 1835, and is to-day one of the prominent and successful farmers of Shohola township. His grandfather, Cas- per Beyer, spent his entire life in Germany, engaged in carting freight. His father, Adam Ernest Beyer, was a native of Saxony, and also engaged in freight- ing in early life but later followed farming. He mar- ried Barbara Smyth, a native of Hessen, Ger- many, and in 1866 they came to America, locating in Shohola township, Pike Co., Penn., where their sons had previously settled. He died a few years later, and his wife survived him only two years, the remains of both being interred in the old Sho- hola cemetery. Their children were Adam E., Gustav, Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Knealing, John W., Mrs. Eve Elizabeth Engelhart, and Anna Christina Smith.

In his native land John W. Beyer learned the trade of wagonmaker and wheelwright, which he followed there for three years, but at the age of twen- ty-two came to America and located in Shohola township, Pike county. After working for others for some time, he purchased property in that town- ship, in 1865, and is now successfully engaged in general farming and dairying. Politically he is a stanch Democrat, and religiously his views coincide

with the doctrines of Martin Luther. At Shohola he wedded Miss Mary Hess, a daughter of George and Anna Marie Hess, and to them have been born the following children: George, who married Annie Bartlemas, is working in Scranton, Penn .; Katherine, wife of Robert Freeland, of Hackensack, Dutchess Co., N. Y .; John, who married Anna Focht, is en- gaged in blacksmithing in Buffalo, N. Y .; Annie L., wife of our subject ; Peter, who is living at home and assists his father on the farm and in the stone quarries ; and three who died in infancy.

PROF. IRA W. SWINGLE, a military vet- eran, and one of the most highly-esteemed residents of South Canaan township, Wayne county, has for many years been connected with educational work in this section, and his efficient labors will be long remembered gratefully by those who have profited by his instructions.

Our subject belongs to an old pioneer family of this section, of whom a more complete account ap- pears elsewhere, Hans Ulrich Swingle, the head of the American line, being his great-grandfather. Conrad Swingle, a son of Hans, married Lucy Bun- ton, and had thirteen children, among whom was a son Joseph, our subject's father. Joseph Swin- gle was born April 16, 1800, in South Canaan township, Wayne county, and passed his life in that locality, following farming as an occupation. He died in 1886, and for about sixteen years previous he was blind. He was married three times, first to Hannah Quick, none of whose children lived to maturity ; second to Orilla Parish, a native of Con- necticut, who died in 1844, at the age of forty-two, and third to Elizabeth Chumard, who had been mar- ried twice before. There were six children by the second union, viz .: Mary A. (now deceased) mar- ried Hiram Everett, a contractor in California ; Angeline, who resides in Kansas, married (first) Newton Varney, and (second) E. C. Swingle (both are now deceased) ; Jane ( deceased) married Simp- son Chumard, a resident of Hollisterville, Penn .; Ira W., our subject, is mentioned more fully below ; Helen married (first) Charles Searles (now de- ceased), and (second) Andrew Cook, a banker in Nebraska; Sophronius is also deceased. By the third marriage there was one son, John F., who is married, and resides in Kansas,

Prof. Swingle was born December 1, 1839, on the old Swingle homestead in South Canaan town- ship, originally purchased by his great-grandfa- ther, and he still resides upon a portion of this tract. He was reared to farm work, but his inclina- tions were inclined to intellectual pursuits, and he took such advantage of the educational opportunities afforded by the local schools that he was prepared to teach by the time he reached the age of sixteen. For two terms he had charge of a school at Dau- phinville, Penn., and then desiring to fit himself for higher work, he spent three seasons in study at Kingston, Penn., teaching during vacations in order to gain funds for further study. He was thus em-

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ployed at Huntingdon, Luzerne Co., Penn., for some time, but in 1861 he returned to his native town- ship, where he continued to teach until his enlist- ment, on March 29, 1864, in the 3rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Artillery (152nd Regiment), under Capt. Fred Kortes. His service lasted until Novem- ber 9, 1865, but he was not engaged in any serious battles. On receiving his discharge he returned home and resumed teaching, being employed for about ten terms in the public schools of Wayne county, with one term at Mill Creek Academy. In the intervals of teaching he gave his attention to gen- eral farming at the homestead, and at present he is engaged solely in agricultural work, his health making an outdoor life desirable. Politically he is a stanch Republican, but his allegiance does not depend upon official rewards, as he has uniformly refused to permit his name to appear on the ticket as a candidate. He takes an intelligent interest in all progressive movements, and he and his wife are prominent in the social life of their locality.

On March 22, 1858, Prof. Swingle was mar- ried, at Huntingdon, Penn., by Rev. Mr. Rutan, a minister of the Christian Church, to Miss Charlotte J. Davenport, and the following children have blessed the union: (I) Adelaide married F. M. Wagner, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere, and they have three children. (2) Elsa married T. K. Swingle, a merchant of Carbondale, Penn. (3) Orilla married Charles Benjamin, a contractor at Carbondale, and they have one child. (4) Miss Helen is a trained nurse, and resides at Carbondale. (5) Ira W., Jr., a leading business man of South Canaan Corners, left home at the age of sixteen to make his way in the world, and for some time was employed as a clerk by Thomas K. Swingle, a mer- chant at Carbondale. In 1895 he removed to South Canaan Corners and engaged in mercantile business, in which he has been successful, having built up a large trade through his judicious management.

Mrs. Swingle is a member of a well-known family of Luzerne county, and was born at Hunt- ingdon, April 11, 1841. Her father, the late Stephen Davenport, a native of Plymouth, Penn., owned more than three hundred acres of land in that coun- ty, and was extensively engaged in farming. He was a man of high moral character, although not a member of any Church, and was held in great esteem by his associates. In politics he was a Dem- ocrat, and at one time he served as commissioner of Luzerne county. He married Miss Elizabeth Tubbs, who was born in 1803, at Huntingdon, and was for many years a devout and consistent member of the Baptist Church. She died in April 1864, and he in August, 1886, at the age of eighty-five. They had the following children: Handford, deceased ; Will- iam, a prominent and wealthy merchant of forty years' standing, who died in November, 1895, at the age of sixty-nine ; Thomas, Newton and Samuel, all deceased; Adelia, who married Charles Good, a farmer of near Waterton, Penn .; Charlotte J., wife of our subject; Elizabeth, widow of Wells Wag-

ner, of California; and Ira, who was killed in 1893 by a kick from a colt while watering his stock. Mrs. Swingle's grandparents, Thomas and Charity Dav- enport, were natives of Connecticut, who settled at Plymouth, Penn., at an early day. Of their five children, Robert and John are still living, and Ste- phen, Phœbe (Mrs. John Prindle) and Hannah (Mrs. Jacob Gould) are deceased.

GEORGE A. KNEALING, one of the repre- sentative and prominent agriculturists of Shohola township, Pike county, was born there, March IO, 1862. Henry C. Knealing, our subject's father, was for many years one of the most influentia and public-spirited citizens of the community. He was a native of Saxony, Germany, born April 8, 1832, and at the age of eighteen came to the United States, first locating at Orange county, N. Y., where he secured employment at farm work. He married Annie Elizabeth Byer, and they became the parents of two children, the younger of whom is our subject. Mary Augusta, born October 25, 1858, has been twice married, first to Charles Palmer, and second to Frank Keller, whose sketch appears elsewhere. After some years stay in Orange county, N. Y., Henry C. Knealing came to Shohola township, Pike county, and in 1858 purchased 213 acres of wood- land, and at once turned his attention to clearing the land and lumbering. With the assistance of his son he succeeded in placing sixty acres under the plow, and he erected thereon a fine farm house. At the time of his death, which occurred August 1, 1896, he had one of the finest farms in the township. He was one of the most highly respected citizens of the entire county, was an ardent Democrat in political sentiment, and besides filling all the township of- fices he most capably served as coroner, and county commissioner for three years. For the long period of thirty-five years he was a justice of the peace, and at the time of his death had just entered upon another five-years' term. His public and private life were alike above reproach, and his duties were always most faithfully and conscientiously per- formed.

George A. Knealing was reared upon the old homestead, in fact has always remained there. He learned the art of farming under the able direction of his father, and is to-day recognized as one of the most thorough and skillful agriculturists of the community. At the death of his father he came into possession of the entire property, and now has 107 acres of valuable land, most of which is under a high state of cultivation. He is engaged in general farming and also in bee culture.

On October 25, 1885, Mr. Knealing was uni- ted in marriage with Miss Lizzie Vogt, daughter of John Vogt, Sr., who is mentioned more fully else- where .. They now have three interesting children : Mary Augusta, born April 26, 1887 ; Linda Christi- ana, October 25, 1888; and Henry C., April 21, 1891. The parents both hold membership in the German Lutheran Church. Mr. Knealing is also identified

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with the Democracy, and takes quite an active and prominent part in local politics. He has been a member of the school board since attaining his ma- jority, has several times served on the election board, has been township assessor for the past seven years, and also town clerk.

CHARLES H. CROWE, Insurance, East Stroudsburg, Monroe county, Pennsylvania.

ABRAM V. HUFF is a member of the well- known firm of Allen & Huff, who are now conduct- ing a livery and sale stable at Matamoras, Pike county, and are meeting with excellent success. Throughout his varied business career his affairs have been so managed as to win him the confidence of the public and the esteem of all with whom he has come in contact.

Mr. Huff was born June 5, 1844, at Stillwater, Sussex Co., N. J., his parents, Henry and Cather- ine (Van Horn) Huif, having always made their home in that county, where the father carried on op- erations as a farmer. He was a stanch Democrat in politics but never would accept office. He died in 1874, aged sixty-two years, his wife in 1881, aged sixty-three, and both were buried in the New Har- mony cemetery. In the family were the following children : Jemima C., wife of James Martin, a phy- sician of Illinois ; Abram V., our subject ; Elizabeth, wife of Silas C. Osburn, a blacksmith of Newark, N. J .; William R., who married a Huff, and is desk sergeant at Orange, N. J .; Mary, wife of George Keene, a miller of Sussex county, N. J .; Adeline, widow of Harry Lucy ; George, who is married and is a police officer of Newark; Hester; and Mahala, wife of George Rolling, a bookkeeper, of Newark, New Jersey.

Our subject's paternal grandparents, William and Dorcas (Jones) Huff, were farming people of Sussex county, N. J., where they spent their entire lives. Their children were Henry, father of our subject; Clarissa, wife of Philip Mackey; Eliza, wife of Jonas Howell; Emma, wife of Casper Lucy ; and Margaret, wife of Abram Shuster. Sussex county, N. J., was also the home of the maternal grandparents, Abram and Esther (-) Van Horn, and there the grandfather also engaged in agricult- ural pursuits. Their children were : George ; Henry ; William ; Rhoda, wife of John Hill ; Catherine, moth- er of our subject ; Margaret, wife of Cornelius Hill; and Charlotte, wife of Jacob Hill, who was a broth- er of the two Mr. Hills previously mentioned.

Upon the home farm Abram V. Huff was reared to manhood, and he was married in January, 1869, at the "Yellow Frame Parsonage," in Sussex coun- ty, N. J., to Miss Lydia M. Ryman. Three children were born to them, namely: Floyd, Seeley and Car- rie, but all are now deceased. Mrs. Huff was born in 1851, in Stillwater, N. J., a daughter of David and Matilda ( Snover) Ryman, also natives of Sus- sex county, where both died and their remains were interred in Harmony cemetery, that county. In

their family were the following children: Mary, who married (first) William Van Camp, and ( sec- ond) Green Roye; Mahala, who died young; Ly- dia M., wife of our subject; John, who married Elizabeth Frazier; George; Thompson; Charles ; and Richard.

On leaving the parental roof, at the age of twen- ty-one, Mr. Huff worked as a farm hand for nine months, and then returned home and operated the place on shares for one year. During the follow- ing seven years he was engaged in the manufacture of harness at Stillwater, N. J., and subsequently rented a thirty-acre farm, which he operated for one year, while he was engaged in the huckstering business. For the same length of time he conducted a grocery store at Stillwater, the following year he was engaged in the butcher business, and for two years he was again interested in the harness busi- ness. Owing to ill health he retired from active la- bor for one year, and spent the following two years in the butcher business at Dingman's Ferry, Pike county. He conducted the old "Halfway House" between Port Jervis and Milford for eight years, and after another year's rest had charge of the "Fowler House," at Port Jervis, for two years. He ran a billiard hall at that place for five years, and in 1898 embarked in his present business, having re- moved to Matamoras in 1885. He attends the Evan- gelical Church at that place, and is a Democrat in politics, but cares nothing for political honors, pre- ferring to give his undivided attention to his busi- ness interests, in which he has been quite successful.

ORVA C. HILGERT, a reliable and intelli- gent young agriculturist of Paradise township, Mon- roe county, was born there in August, 1873, and belongs to one of the most prominent and honored families, whose identification with her history dates from an early period in the development of the county.

Our subject's great-grandparents, George and Margaret Hilgert, are supposed to have been the first settlers of the county, and in Paradise Valley they made their home until called from this life. Their first home here was a bark cabin, which shel- tered the family until a more substantial residence of logs could be erected. The land was all wild and unimproved, and they experienced all the hardships and privations which fall to the lot of the pioneer. George Hilgert was born in Northampton county, in 1766, and died in 1851, while his wife was born in 1768, and died in 1855. They reared a family of three sons and two daughters.

Charles Hilgert, the grandfather of our subject, remained upon the old homestead, where his fa- ther had begun the development of a farm, and to its further improvement and cultivation he devoted his time and attention until called from this life. He was born in 1809, and died in 1888, and his wife, who bore the maiden name of Nancy Coffman, was born in October, 1812, and died in 1892. In their family were three children, two sons and one daugh-

it e

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ter, namely : Uriah, Samuel and Matilda. Of these, Uriah entered the service of his country during the Civil war and died when still a young man, from fever contracted at that time. Matilda is now the widow of John W. Price, of Pocono township, and resides with her son on the old homestead in Price township, Monroe county.

Samuel Hilgert, our subject's father, was born in January, 1833, on the old homestead in Paradise Valley, and was there reared to manhood, receiving his education in the public schools of the locality. In December. 1855, he married Miss Emily Henry, a daughter of Charles Henry, one of the leading cit- izens of Monroe county. For some years after his marriage Mr. Hilgert engaged in lumbering at Henryville and then returned to the old homestead, which he purchased, and on which he continued to reside until his death, in 1897. His first wife died in December, 1877, leaving four children, of whom our subject is the youngest. The others are: Frances, born in 1857, is now the wife of Theodore Lake, of Newbury, Penn., and has one son Theodore ; Will- iam is mentioned more fully below ; and Minnie, born in 1871, resides on the old homestead with our sub- ject. For his second wife the father married Mrs. Elizabeth Brand, of Portland, Northampton Co., Penn., who since her husband's death has made her home in Slateford. There were no children by this union.

Appreciating the benefits of a good education, Orva C. Hilgert made the best use of the advantages afforded by the public schools, and by subsequent reading and observation he has become a well-in- formed man. He also obtained an excellent knowl- edge of farm work, and since his father's death has most successfully managed the home farm. In 1897 he was united in marriage with Miss Lizzie Nauman, daughter of Christian and Rosanna Nau- man, prominent residents of Paradise township, and he brought his bride to the Hilgert homestead, where four generations of the family have been born and have prospered. They now have a little son, Earl, born November 3, 1897. Politically Mr. Hil- gert affiliates with the Democratic party, and is now serving as judge of election. His father was also a lifelong supporter of that party, and took quite an active and prominent part in local politics, filling a number of township offices, such as constable, school director, nine years, overseer of the poor, su- pervisor and inspector of elections. Both parents united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, took an active part in its work and contributed liberally to its support, but at the time of his death the father was holding membership in the Evangelical Church. Socially our subject is a member of the American Protective Association. He is one of the progres- sive and skillful farmers of the community, and the neatness and thrift which pervades his place tes- tifies to his careful supervision. He looks after his brother's as well as his own interest in the farm.

William Hilgert, brother of our subject, de- serves more than a passing notice in the history of

his family. He was born on the old homestead, and during his boyhood and youth assisted his father in its operation, only attending school during the win- ter months, when the farm work was light. Being ambitious to succeed in life, he left home, and first worked as a common laborer on the railroad. With the money thus earned he bought books, which he eagerly pursued at night, often studying until two or three o'clock in the morning .. Thus he improved every spare moment of his time. He married Miss Ida Seter, who died leaving one son, Clement. Sub- sequently he married Miss Alice Decker, of Paradise township, by whom he has three children: Charles, Francis and Russell. For the success that he has achieved in life he deserves great credit, for it is all due to his own industry, enterprise and persever- ance. He is a man of fine moral character, and possesses more than ordinary business ability.

ANDREW J. ANDREWS. Among the hon- ored pioneers who still remain with us this venerable resident of Hamlinton, Wayne county, holds a lead- ing place. His long and useful career has rightly won for him the affectionate regard of the community in which his seventy-six years have been spent, and although he is now in feeble health his high char- acter and mental endowment convey to the rising generation a strong feeling of respect for the man of the earlier time.

The Andrews family is of excellent New Eng- land stock, and our subject's grandparents, John and Andrews, natives of Connecticut, came to the section and located in Salem township, Wayne county, one mile east of Canaan Corners. The jour- ney was made in an old wagon, the facilities for transportation being then of the most primitive sort. These worthy pioneers spent their remain- ing years in their new home, and at death were laid to their final rest in a cemetery in Salem township. John Andrews, the father of our subject, was born in Connecticut, and was about fourteen years old when the removal to this section took place. He grew to manhood in Wayne county, and there en- gaged in business as a carpenter and farmer. He died at the age of fifty-five, and his wife, whose maiden name was Betsey Hollister, died at the age of sixty-three, the remains of both being interred in a cemetery at Salem Corners. Of their children, the eldest, A-, married Miss Orander A. Peet ; Andrew J., our subject, is mentioned more fully far- ther on; Maria died at the age of twenty-seven ; Clement (deceased) married Miss Eliza McLean, who survives him and resides at Hollisterville ; Mary married Thomas Engle, of Dunmore, Penn., a veteran of the Civil war ; and Martha married H. A. Engle, a farmer of Salem township, Wayne county.

The Hollister family, to which our subject's mother belonged, is of English descent, and their coat of arms shows them to be of ancient and hon- orable lineage. The first of the name of whom we have a definite record was Lieut. John Hollis-

ter

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 416

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