Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 418

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 418
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 418
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 418
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 418

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In May, 1879, in Ararat township, Mr. Shaver was married to Miss Della Adams, a na- tive of Harford township, Susquehanna coun- ty, and a daughter of Alva and Susan (Wag- ner) Adams. Her father was also born in that township, and died in his native county, but the mother is still living and now makes her home in Oregon. Our subject and his wife have an inter- esting family of six children, namely: Edith L., Minnie E., Ida, John, Della and Laura. The Re- publican party finds in Mr. Shaver a stanch supporter of its principles, and, being one of the most popular and influential citizens of his community, he has been called upon to fill local offices of honor and trust. He was township supervisor six years, and a member of the school board three years.

WILLIAM H. IVES, a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family of Susquehanna county, was born June 14, 1813, in Liberty township, on the farm at Lawsville, where he still resides, and 113

throughout life he has been prominently identified with the agricultural interests of that section.

His parents, Caswell and Kesiah (Thrall) Ives, were born in the town of Kent, Litchfield Co., Conn., and the grandfather, Aaron Ives, was also a native of Connecticut. In his family were four sons, Na- thaniel, Reuben, Ana and Caswell, who came to Susquehanna county, Penn., in 1810, and here reared their families, but all are now deceased.

Caswell Ives, our subject's father, purchased a tract of land in the village of Lawsville, Liberty township, which he transformed into a good farm, and in connection with agricultural pursuits he en- gaged in the manufacture of lumber, erecting on his land the first sawmill in that section of the coun- ty. There both he and his wife continued to make their home throughout life, the former dying about 1875, the latter in 1850, when past the age of eighty. In their family were six children, five sons and one daughter, of whom our subject is the eldest. (2) Reuben married Ann Scotten, of Susquehanna county, where they resided for some years, and then removed to Fairfax county, Va., where his death occurred. Later she returned to Susquehanna county where she passed away. A part of their fam- ily live in Virginia, the remainder in this State. (3) John married a Miss Trusdall, and located in Lib- erty township. During the Civil war he was a member of an engineering corps and remained in the service until hostilities ceased. He is now a resident of Montrose, where he has followed his trade as a carpenter for some years. He has a son and daughter-Drett, wife of Walter Townsend, of Franklin township, Susquehanna county; and Anson, a resident of Montrose. (4) Anstell in early life was superintendent for a large lumber firm in Michigan, and from there went to Oshkosh, Wis., where he has since successfully engaged in the lum- ber business. He has reared a large family who are still residents of that State. (5) George married a Miss Moody, and moved to Fairfax county, Va., where he still lives. His children all died when young. (6) Louisa married Albert Temple, and lived in Virginia until the close of the Civil war, when they moved to Massachusetts, where she died, leaving two daughters who are now married and re- side in that State. Nathaniel Ives, brother of Cas- well, was a soldier in the war of 1812.

Upon the old homestead at Lawsville, William H. Ives was reared to manhood. In 1843 he was united in marriage with Miss Jane Ross, a daugh- ter of Alfred and Betsy Ross, one of the old families of Liberty township, and after his marriage he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the old homestead of 150 acres, where he has since lived. He continued to occupy the old log house standing thereon until 1871, when he erected a large two-story frame residence, thirty-two feet square, with all modern improvements. The barn built by his father in 1812, is still in a good state of preservation, and is now used as a granary. In early life our subject followed lumbering for many years on the east

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branch of the Susquehanna river, and as a pilot rafted sawed lumber down to the markets of Mariet- ta and Port Deposit, but for the past forty years he has given his attention almost wholly to agricultural pursuits, and has met with most excellent success.

Our subject has been called upon to mourn the loss of his estimable wife, who passed away in 1873. To them were born five children, three sons and two daughters, of whom one son and both daughters died in childhood. Those still living are: Henry and Erastus, who were educated in the village schools of Lawsville, and now operates the home farm for their father. Erastus, born in 1852, is unmarried, but Henry married Emmaroy Wining, of Broome county, N. Y., a daughter of Cornelius and Mary S. Wining, and they have three daughters, who were also born on the old homestead, and attended the village schools. (I) Jennie R., born in 1874, mar- ried Arthur B. Smith, of Franklin township, Sus- quehanna county, and they now reside in New York City, where he is engaged in the butter and grocery business. They have one son, Raymond. (2) Retta M., born in 1879, is now the wife of Clarence Knapp, of Susquehanna county, and they have one daughter, Clare, born in August, 1895, on the same farm where her great-grandfather, our subject, was born. (3) Georgia I., born in 1880, is an accom- plished young lady, who completed her education in the high school of Montrose. The mother of these children was also well educated and prior to her mar- riage successfully engaged in teaching school in Broome county, N. Y., and Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania.

Since the organization of the Republican party, our subject has been a stanch supporter of its prin- ciples, and he has held a number of local offices in Liberty township, including those of poormaster, su- pervisor, and constable for eight years, the duties of which he most capably and satisfactorily per- formed. Religiously he is a member of the Pres- byterian Church, to which his parents and wife also belonged. The family has always been one of the most prominent, influential and highly respected families of the community, and our subject occu- pies an enviable position in the esteem of his fellow citizens.

SAMUEL J. PHILLIPS, barber, P. O. Toby- hanna Mills, Coolbaugh township, Monroe county, Pennsylvania.

MATHIAS F. BUSH, a highly respected resi- dent of Spragueville, Monroe county, has held for more than twenty years a responsible position with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R., and no better evidence of his personal worth could be de- sired than the confidence which his faithful service has inspired in his employers.

Mr. Bush was born on Christmas Day, 1849, in Smithfield township, Monroe county, and is a mem- ber of a well-known pioneer family of this State. His grandparents, John and Catherine (Detrick)

Bush, were both natives of Lancaster county but made their home in Monroe county after their mar- riage.

George Bush, the father of our subject, was born in 1820, in Monroe county, and in early man- hood he settled in Hamilton township where he bought and improved a farm. This he sold two years later, when he removed to the Leonard Le Bar farm in Stroud township, on which he made general improvements. His death occurred there in February, 1879, and his wife, Sarah (Caven), who was born in 1820, in Northampton county, survives him and resides with our subject. This worthy couple had three children, of whom our sub- ject was the youngest, the others being: (I) La- vina J., born in 1845, in Stroud township, received a public-school education, and married Jacob Pos- ten, of the same township, and now a resident of East Stroudsburg. They have five children: Lin- coln married Miss Mattie Lesh, and resides in East Stroudsburg; Ida is the wife of John Price, of Dover, N. J .; Stroud is unmarried and resides in Kansas ; Miss Allie is a resident of Park Side, Mon- roe county, and Annie is the wife of a Mr. Smith, of Brooklyn, N. Y. (2) David D. Bush, born at the old homestead in Stroud township, resides in East Stroudsburg, where he is employed as car inspector. He married Miss Ella Van Vliet, of Stroud town- ship.

Our subject received a practical education in the schools of Stroud township, and remained at home until he reached the age of eighteen. He then en- tered the employ of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R., as a track layer and two years later, in 1858, he was appointed section foreman. This position he has held up to the present time, taking charge of work at various places along the line. In 1873, he married Miss Lavina Price, and soon afterwards he purchased property near East Strouds- burg, where they resided for several years. In 1880 he removed to York Station, where he had charge of the company's interests for three years, and for sev- enteen years he resided at Hoyt's Place, in Stroud township. In 1897 he bought a lot in the village of Spragueville and in the same year he built his pres- ent commodious and tasteful residence, which is fitted up with all modern improvements and is re- garded as one of the finest dwelling houses in the vicinity. Mr. Bush is remarkably successful in his management of the workmen under his charge, his genial manner being quite compatible with efficient discipline. He is a man of exemplary habits and like all of his family he is public spirited and pro- gressive. Politically he is a Republican of old Whig stock, and in his religious views he inclines toward the German Reformed Church of which his parents were members. He belongs to the lodge of I. O. O. F. at East Stroudsburg, and he and his family are prominent in social life. His wife is a member of one of the old pioneer families of Monroe county, and her parents, Jacob H. and Mary A. Price, were leading residents of the town of Barrett. The fol-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

lowing children brighten our subject's home: J. P., born in September, 1874, completed a public-school course and is now engaged in railroad work; and Lulu May was born in April, 1894.

WALLACE BENSLEY, a thrifty and enter- prising citizen of Lehman township, Pike county, is the owner of a farm near Delaware P. O., which has been brought by him to an excellent state of culti- vation and upon which his skill as a carpenter has been shown in the erection of tasteful and substan- tial buildings.

Mr. Bensley was born October 13, 1859, in Lehman township, son of Oliver Bensley, a native of the same township, and his wife, Elizabeth Utt, who was born in Smithfield township, Pike county. A history of the family, which is of good pioneer stock, appears elsewhere. Our subject remained under the parental roof until he attained the age of twenty-one when he began working by the month on neighbor- ing farms. In 1886 he entered upon an apprentice- ship to the carpenter's trade with an uncle, Joseph Bensley, and has since followed that business in connection with farming. In the spring of 1892 he settled upon his present farm which is one of the best of its size in that locality. Politically he is a Republican, but he has never sought official honors although he is always ready to join in any progres- sive movement in his community.

Mr. Bensley married (first) Miss Anna Titman, daughter of John C. Titman, a well-known resident of Delaware township, Pike county ; she died leav- ing one daughter, Cora, who is now at home. On August 15, 1889, Mr. Bensley married (second), at Port Jervis, N. Y., Miss Jennie Jaggers, by whom he has had four children: Mercer, born April 2, 1891 ; Eva, April 1I, 1892; Chancey, July 25, 1894. and Roy, August 25, 1896. Mrs. Jennie Bensley was born in Delaware township, September 7, 1868, and is a member of one of Pike county's pioneer families, her great-grandparents, Cooper and Elizabeth (Lat- timore) Jaggers, having settled upon a farm there at an early day. Jacob Jaggers, her paternal grand- father, was born October 29, 1809, and he became a farmer in Pike county where his death occurred in June, 1877. His wife, Sarah (Bensley), who was born November 30, 1811, daughter of Adam Bens- ley, died in 1875. They had the following children : William is a resident of Michigan; Daniel resides at Dingman's Ferry; James and Catherine are now deceased; Aaron B. is Mrs. Bensley's father ; Al- bert; Joseph met a soldier's death at the battle of Gettysburg; Mary is deceased; Susan (now de- ceased), married David Crone; Jacob; and Henry.

Aaron B. Jaggers, father of Mrs. Bensley, was born August 16, 1838, in Pike county, and after fol- lowing agricultural pursuits successfully for many years, is now living in retirement at Dingman's Fer- ry. On February 6, 1864, he was married in Pike county to Miss Cornelia Carhuff, by whom he had ten children, namely: William is now deceased ; Jennie (Mrs. Bensley) ; Mercer married Elizabeth

Litz, and resides at Chatham, N. J .; Jacob, a farmer near Chatham, married May Van Auken; Stoll is a farmer near Centerville, N. J .; Bartol is a farmer in Pike county; Samuel is a resident of Lehman township, Pike county ; Miss Emily, Frederick ; and Levi. Mrs. Cornelia (Carhuff) Jaggers was born January 4, 1848, at Dingman's Ferry, daughter of William Carhuff, a native of Warren, who died at Binghamton, N. Y., in 1871, aged seventy years. Her mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Decker, died in 1864, aged fifty-eight. This wor- thy couple had eight children : Samuel, who settled in Michigan; Margaret, who died in childhood; Isaac, a resident of Lackawanna; Maria (now de- ceased), who married Royal Decker; Nathan (de- ceased) ; Christiana, who married Henry Bartol, of New York; Margaret, wife of Samuel Whaley, of New York; and Cornelia ( Mrs. Bensley's mother).

JOHN DOERR is one of the representative German-American citizens, who, through their own individual efforts, have achieved success in their life work, and to-day he is the owner of much valuable property in and around Lackawaxen, Pike county, where he also conducts a hotel and summer boarding house.

Mr. Doerr was born May 4, 1823, in Trier, Germany, and traces his ancestry back for several generations. His great-grandfather, John Doerr, was a native of Mainz, Germany, where he was pro- prietor of a hotel for many years. The grandfa- ther also spent his entire life at Mainz, where he was engaged in business as a butcher and cattle dealer. Casper Doerr, the father, was born June 24, 1791, in Mainz, there grew to manhood, and was a soldier in the French army during the Napoleonic wars. In Trier, Germany, he married Miss Anna, daughter of Max and Catherine (Hain). Clearen. She was born in 1797, and died January 15, 1856, being long survived by her husband, who passed away July 16, 1891. In their family were five chil- dren, one son and four daughters, namely: Ger- trude, wife of Frederick Flitsch, of Sydney, Austra- lia ; Sadie and Pauline, who are engaged in the hotel business in Mainz, Germany; Katie, wife of John Lenovar, an extensive farmer of Algiers, Africa ; and John.

During his boyhood and youth John Doerr received a fair education in the German and French languages, and assisted his father until he reached the age of thirty years when he began for himself in the butcher business at Mainz. He was married, in Trier, Germany, May 15, 1860, to Miss Anna Doerr (of another family), who was born in 1843, and died in America April 7, 1873. The only child of this union, Louis, was born March 26, 1861, and is a butcher of Newark, N. J .; he married Annie Commings, by whom he has four children. Mr. Doerr was again married, at Jersey City Heights, December 2, 1897, his second union being with Meta, Wehrmann.

Our subject sailed for the New World with

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

his little family, arriving in New York in August, 1866, and in that city he embarked in the butcher and restaurant business, continuing in one locality for twelve years. In 1888 he came to Lackawaxen, Pike Co., Penn., and purchased a hotel and sum- mer boarding-house, also 400 acres of land and sev- eral tenement houses. Upon his land are valuable stone quarries, which he operates, and also some splendid timber, but he pays particular attention to his hotel business. His house, which has become a great favorite with summer boarders, can easily accommodate sixty guests, is conveniently arranged, and is first-class in all its appointments. His pleas- ant, courteous manner makes him a popular land- lord, and as everything is done for the convenience and comfort of his guests he receives a liberal pat- ronage. Politically he is a stanch Democrat, and re- ligiously is a communicant of the Catholic Church.

C. A. MAIN, agent for Electric Wheels, Elec- tric Feed Cookers, South Montrose, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania.

JOSEPH BENSLEY, a prominent resident of Lehman township, Pike county, has been identified with the agricultural and building interests of that locality for many years, and his sterling qualities of character have won the esteem of his fellow-citizens in a marked degree.

Mr. Bensley was born April 20, 1849, in the township in which he now resides and is a member of a well-known pioneer family, his parents, Jacob and Sally A. (Clifford) Bensley, being mentioned more fully elsewhere. His youth was spent at the old homestead but at the age of seventeen he began working among neighboring farms. At nineteen he became an apprentice to the carpenter's trade and after working three years with his brother, James M. Bensley, and one year with William Garis, he en- gaged in that business on his own account. He has continued successfully and in connection with this work he has carried on farming at his pleasant homestead near Egypt Mills. In politics he is a Republican and he has frequently been chosen to offices of trust and responsibility, having served as supervisor two terms, school director twelve years, tax collector seven years, and for some time he held the office of assessor.

On October 9, 1873, Mr. Bensley was married, in Smithfield township, Monroe county, to Miss Be- linda Decker, and two children brighten their home, Edgar B. and Chester G. Mrs. Belinda Bensley was born January 15, 1844, in Lehman township, Pike county, and is of pioneer stock, her great-grand- father, Daniel Decker, having conducted the old Decker ferry which crossed the Delaware river be- low Bushkill. John Decker, Mrs. Bensley's grand- father, was born in 1780, and followed farming near Wallpack, N. J., where his death occurred in 1827. His wife, Maria ( Brokaw) Decker, was born in 1787, and died in 1823. Peter Decker, the father of Mrs. Bensley, was born in Wallpack, September

18, 1806, and in 1838 removed to Pike county, Penn., locating on a farm in Lehman township, where he. also conducted a hotel for fourteen years. In 1867 he settled upon a farm in Middle Smithfield town- ship, Monroe county, dying in that locality, Decem- ber 26, 1887. His wife, Margaret (Smith), was born July 8, 1810, the daughter of William and Mary (Decker) Smith, of Wallpack, and her death occurred September 15, 1890. They had nine chil- dren, namely : Mary, wife of Shay Dephew; Miss Salache, who resides in Smithfield township; Ange- line, widow of Oliver Place; William S. (now de- ceased) ; John (now deceased) married Margaret Piffer ; Hannah L .; Belinda ( Mrs. Bensley) ; Mal- vene, wife of John Overfield, a farmer in Middle. Smithfield township; and George, who married Mary Shoemaker and resides in East Stroudsburg.

NATHAN SKINNER, a worthy representa- tive of the agricultural interests of Oakland town- ship, Susquehanna county, was born there, March 16, 1826, a son of Jacob and Rhoda ( McDowell) Skinner, natives of Orange county, N. Y., the form- er born in 1778, the latter in 1781.

Jacob Skinner with his twin brother, Dr. Israel Skinner, came to Susquehanna county, in 1804, and. they located on adjoining farms on the Susquehanna. river, near Hickory Grove, in what is now Oakland township, but then formed a part of Harmony town- ship. The Doctor engaged in the practice of medi- cine, and here reared a large family, all of whom are now deceased. In the midst of the wilderness Jacob. Skinner cleared and improved a good farm, and in the log cabin he erected thereon, he spent his last years. In his family were thirteen children who- reached years of maturity, namely: Amos, born in Orange county, N. Y., in March, 1801, married Julia. A. Brush, of Oakland, and for some years lived on a farm in Great Bend township, but finally purchased. a large tract of land on the Belmont pike near Lanes- boro, where the greater part of his life was passed. By his first wife he had four children, all now de- ceased, and by the second, a Miss Mayo, he had one daughter, Etta, now deceased. (2) John, born in Orange county, N. Y., in May, 1802, married a. Miss Salisbury, of Susquehanna county, and moved to Lee county, Ill., where both died. (3) Rhoda M., born in Orange county, in March, 1804, married David Hall, and after living for some years in Oak- land, went to Illinois and settled near Amboy, where both died, leaving one daughter, who is still a resi- dent of that place. (4) Abraham, born on the home farm in Oakland township, Susquehanna coun- ty, in 1806, married Mary Brush, a representative- of one of Oakland township's old families, and also moved to Illinois, locating on the Fox river, where he spent the remainder of his life. He left two. children-Charles and Sarah J. (5) B-, born in May, 1808, married Deborah Tarkey, of Orange county, N. Y., and located on the Susquehanna river in Oakland township, near where the poor farm now stands. There he followed lumbering and milling:

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

for some years and then removed to Illinois, where he died leaving a family. (6) Phœbe, born in Sep- tember, 1810, married Timothy Cannon, and also went to Illinois, where both died leaving a family. (7) Betsy, born in October, 1812, married William R. Wells, of Orange county, N. Y., and on going west first located in Illinois, but later in Seneca, Kan., where before their deaths they celebrated their golden wedding. One of their sons was a promi- nent lawyer of Seneca, and he was elected presiding judge, and later supreme judge of that State. (8) Jacob I., born in 1815, was a carpenter by trade but also followed farming, having purchased a farm in Oakland township, where he died leaving a widow, who was, in her maidenhood, Jane Penny, of Sus- quehanna county, and they had ten children-Theo- dore; Ophelia, deceased wife of Ham Canfield, of Susquehanna; Ollie, wife of George Pooler, of Lanesboro; Jenton; Elmira, wife of Charles Vin- cent, of Oakland; Ida, a resident of Oakland; Fre- mont, who is married and lives in Philadelphia ; Cora, wife of Martin O'Donald, of Towanda, Penn .; Al- ice, widow of George Drake, of Susquehanna ; and Charles, a resident of Oakland, who married Cora Mayo, and has one daughter, Hazel. (9) Alpheus, born in January, 1817, married Olive Lewis, of Sus- quehanna county, and became a resident of Illinois, where he died leaving a family. (10) William, born in October, 1819, is a blacksmith by trade and a resi- dent of Oakland township. He married Nancy Sut- liff, of New York State, and has two children- Lydia Dell, wife of Joseph Whittington, of Buffalo, N. Y. ; and Marcellus, of Oakland. ( II) Isaac, born in August, 1821, married Cordelia Roberts, and is now living at Syracuse, N. Y. Two of his four chil- dren are living-Isaac and George, of New York City. (12) Josiah, born in June, 1824, married and moved to Chicago, Ill., where he engaged in hotel- keeping until his death, and in that city his family still live. (13) Nathan, our subject, is the youngest of the family.

During his boyhood and youth Nathan Skinner assisted in the work of the home farm during the summer season and attended school through the winter months. In 1847 he was united in marriage with Miss Harriet Baker, a daughter of William Baker, a representative of one of the old families of Great Bend township, Susquehanna county. They located on a tract of wild land in Oakland township, which Mr. Skinner converted into a good farm, erecting thereon good and substantial build- ings. Here the wife died in December, 1860, and the two daughters, Helena and Helen, born to them, died in childhood. Mrs. Skinner was a well educat- ed woman and prior to her marriage successfully engaged in teaching in the district schools for a number of years. For his second wife our subject married Margaret A. Blessing, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Blessing, prominent citizens, of Great Bend township. After this marriage he sold his first farm and moved to Great Bend township, and later lived in the Borough of Oakland, where

he served as street commissioner for a number of years, and also looked after his farming in- terests. In 1896 he located upon his present farm in Oakland township, where his wife died in March, 1898, leaving one daughter, Blanche, a lady of culture and refinement, who is a great com- fort to her father in his declining years. She re- ceived a good education in the graded schools of Susquehanna and Oakland, and was for several years one of the successful teachers of Susquehanna county. In 1886 she married Jasper Hawes, who was born in Forest Lake, Susquehanna county, in 1855. He attended school in Montrose, and gradu- ated from the Kingston Academy, after which he studied law under M. J. Larrabee, of Susquehanna, and was admitted to the Bar at Montrose. He then engaged in practice in Susquehanna until failing health caused his retirement. For a time he served as foreman in the felting factory at Newburg, Or- ange Co., N. Y., and in early life taught for some years in the district schools. He died in January, 1899, leaving his young wife with three children- Rex Bentley (who is now attending the Oakland schools) ; Margaret Louise; and Helena Blanche.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 418

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