Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 424

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 424
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 424
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 424
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 424

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Charles David Mackey, M. D., son of the late Deacon David Mackey, of New Milford, was born in 1854, on his father's farm in the vicinity of the village of New Milford, Susquehanna county. He was reared to agricultural pursuits and in boyhood attended the district schools of the neighborhood, and also for a time the public schools at the village and at Scranton. In 1879 he began the study of

medicine in the office of his brother, Dr. Nathan C. Mackey, then a successful physician at Springville, Penn., and then furthered his studies under the di- rection of Dr. G. W. Weaver, of Wilkes Barre, Penn. In 1880-81 he attended a course of lectures at the University of New York, and the following year he was in attendance at the Baltimore (Md.) Medi- cal College. After his graduation from the latter institution in 1882, he located in the practice at Lynn in Susquehanna county, and there remained until in 1885 when he removed to Montrose. For fifteen years Dr. Mackey has diligently given his at- tention to his professional duties with the people of Montrose and in various parts of Susquehanna county, and has won his way into popular favor. A man of good attainments, studious habits, he has kept pace with the advancement in medical science and is in command of an extensive practice. He is a man of enterprise and public spirit in the commun- ity. Recently he established a hospital at Mont- rose. In his political views he is a Republican and as such was elected to the office of county coroner. Dr. Mackey is a man of energy and ambition, always occupied, and his future is promising. He has built one of the most modern and finest residences in Montrose.

On June 7, 1884, Mr. Mackey was married to Mary R. Lyman, of Springville.

W. J. PENTECOST. One of the possibilities afforded in America is that whereby a stranger from a foreign land, seeking here a new home and equal opportunities, rises to a position of prominence and influence by his own unaided efforts. There is al- ways merit in success of this kind, for the new comer is handicapped to some degree by unfamiliarity with his new environment. William Pentecost, the father of our subject, when a young man, emigrated from England to America a half century ago, and in the partially developed region of northeastern Pennsyl- vania he attained a marked success in life. His chil- dren have inherited his sterling traits of character and have also reached, through their well directed and persistent efforts, that return which is both com- mensurate and encouraging.

Our subject, now a prominent lumberman and stone merchant of Forest City, was born in Dy- berry township, Wayne county, January 31, 1850, the son of William and Elizabeth (Paul) Pente- cost, natives of Cornwall, England, where the father was born in 1826, and the mother in 1833. They were married in the spring of 1849, in England, and soon after resolved to seek their fortunes in Amer- ica. They crossed the ocean in the summer of 1849 and settled in Dyberry township, Wayne county. For two years William Pentecost worked on the neighboring farms at $10 per month. He then pur- chased a farm and steadily accumulated a property. In 1865 he settled in Forest City. The region was then a wilderness and for a time he was engaged in lumbering for the D. & H. Co. He removed to Clin- ton township, Wayne county, where he remained

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four years, then came to Prompton, continuing to lumber all the while. While at Prompton he erected the first stone building in Forest City. He operated it for a short time, then sold to James Johns. He also operated saw mills for the Erie and the D. & H. R. R. Companies at Forest City. The first post office at Forest City was named Pentecost, after the father of our subject. William Pentecost now re- sides at Prompton, Wayne county, an extensive farm- er and lumberman, the operator of acid factories, etc., and a business man of wealth and prominence. His wife died in 1878, at the age of forty-five years, and was buried at Bethany, Penn. Their children were as follows: W. J., the subject of this sketch; Marianna, wife of James Johns, a retired lumber- man of Honesdale, Penn .; Thomas J., a merchant of Forest City ; Harriet, wife of Rev. Burgess, a M. E. minister of Kirkwood, N. Y .; Elizabeth, who married H. W. Higgins, a carpenter of Forest City, and is now deceased; Maria, wife of John Maxey, an engineer of Forest City ; Lincoln W., a merchant of Forest City; Edward, who resides on the old homestead at Prompton; and one who is deceased. The surviving children are all prominent and useful citizens, having attained a goodly success in life.

W. J. Pentecost, our subject, remained with his parents, assisting his father in the latter's nu- merous and extensive lumbering and farming enter- prises until his marriage, October 7, 1874, to Miss Anna E. Ames, who was born in Canaan town- ship, Wayne county, daughter of Henry Ames, After his marriage our subject became a lum- ber contractor, a business which he continued suc- cessfully for five years. He then purchased and occupied at Waymart a farm which he continued to operate for eight years. He then began to contract lumber for the Erie railroad which he has since continued. In 1887 he removed from his farm to Forest City, where he now resides, one of its most prosperous and prominent citizens. To our subject and his wife have been born the following children : Rena N., wife of Edward Horton, a car- penter at Forest City ; Archie H., with the Hillside Iron & Coal Co .; Earl T., also with the Hillside Iron & Coal Co .; Edna M., who died aged three and a half years; Inez and Hazel.

For the past fifteen years Mr. Pentecost has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He served as street commissioner at Waymart, Wayne county, and is now a member of the Board of Health Commissioners. He has erected his own tasty and commodious home, and engages in general contracting. He is a self-made man, modern in his ideas and methods, and is one of the most influential men in Clifford township.

R. NORTHRUP, a well-known agriculturist of Liberty township, Susquehanna county, was born in February, 1824, in Windsor, N. Y., a son of Will- iam and Abigail (Atwell) Northrup. The father, who was left an orphan at an early age, grew to man- hood in New York State, and after his marriage

made his home in Windsor until his death, which occurred in 1834. The mother afterward married Philo Luce, of Susquehanna county, and lived in Liberty township until she, too, was called to her final rest.

Our subject is one of the family of five sons, all born in Windsor, N. Y. (I) Joel, the eldest, married a lady of Stroudsburg, Monroe Co., Penn., where he lived and died. All of their five children are still living in that county. (2) Harry, born in 1822, came to Susquehanna county when a young man and mar- ried Louisa Stanford, of Liberty township. He cleared and improved a farm in that township, near Lawsville, where he died, leaving three children- Ruth A., deceased wife of Eugene Worden; Char- lotte, deceased wife of Lewis Fish, of New York ; and William H., who still lives on his father's old homestead. (3) Alvin married a Miss Hance and first located in Kirkwood, N. Y., where he followed the shoe trade, but spent his last days in Bingham- ton. He was four times married, but left only one daughter, who was born of the third union, her mother being a Miss Lewis, of Kirkwood. (4) Elias came to Susquehanna county with his brothers and purchased a tract of land adjoining that of our sub- ject. Here he cleared and developed a farm, on which he spent his last years. He married Ruth Wil- bur, who belonged to an old family of Liberty town- ship, and to them were born three children-Levi; Ida, who first married Asa Spalding, of Liberty township, and after his death Frederick Teal, with whom she removed to the State of Washington, where she died, leaving children by both husbands ; and Edward, who also went to Washington.

The subject of this sketch was only ten years old when his father died, but he remained in Wind- sor, N. Y., attending school until eighteen years of age. In 1842 he came to Susquehanna county, Penn., and worked for his brother Harry for a time. In 1849, he married Miss Cordelia Stanford, a daughter of Dr. Stanford, of Liberty township, and they began housekeeping in the midst of the forest, where he purchased a tract of wild land, to the cultivation and improvement of which he has since devoted his time and attention. His first home was a small frame building which is still standing, but he later erected a large and more modern resi- dence which he now occupies. He has also built two barns and made many other improvements.

Mr. Northrup's first wife died in April, 1857. By that union he had two daughters-Ella and Abi- gail, but the latter died when young. Ella mar- ried Israel Luce, and they now reside in Pasadena, Cal. They have one son, Wesley, who is married and lives in that State. In November, 1857, Mr. Northrup married Miss Annie Drake, who was born and reared in Morris county, N. J., and died in Sep- tember, 1886. Five children were born to them namely : (1) Anna, born in 1859, married John Madison, who died leaving two children-Cyn- thia and Alva, who now reside with our sub- ject. For her second husband Anna married

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Henry Miles, of Liberty township, by whom she has three children-Daisy, Louis and Anna. (2) Fannie, born in October, 1860, died in 1886. (3) John W., born in April, 1862, resides at home. (4) William, born in November, 1864, in Roxbury, N. J., was reared in Liberty township, and now has charge of his father's farm. (5) Martha, born in April, 1869, is the wife of Andrew Tennant, of Binghamton, N. Y., and they have one son, Delbert. Mr. Northrup was again married, in February, 1888, his third union being with Mrs. Jemima Piggery, who was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1841, and when only two years old was brought to Amer- ica by her parents, Thomas and Maria (Moore) Davis, who located in Scranton, Penn. There the father was superintendent for a number of years of the rolling stock of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad and died in that city. He left a widow and four children, namely : John, who is now superintendent of the Crown Point Iron Ore rail- road, of New York; Sarah, wife of David Major, of Harrisburg, Penn .; Jemima, wife of our subject ; and George, who died in Scranton when young. Mrs. Davis, the mother of these children, later mar- ried Tobias Philpot and moved to Springfield, Ill. For her first husband, Mrs. Northrup married John Wilbur, of Scranton, by whom she had three chil- dren: William, who died in Binghamton, N. Y .; May, now the wife of William McLeod, of Waverly, N. Y .; and Blanch, wife of Seymour Detrick, of Conklin, N. Y. Our subject has no children by his last wife.

In his political affiliations, Mr. Northrup has always been a stalwart Republican. Religiously he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Lawsville, and his life has ever been such as to commend him to the confidence and esteem of all with whom he has come in contact.

J. F. UTLEY. Susquehanna has many well- to-do and successful farmers who have been the architects of their own fortunes, and have builded wisely and well. Among these is the subject of this personal history, who through his own unaided ef- forts has gained a comfortable competence which now enables him to lay aside all business cares and live retired at his pleasant home in Clifford town- ship.

Mr. Utley was born in Lenox township, Sus- quehanna county, November 16, 1830, and is a son of Lucius and Catherine (Kennedy) Utley, who were natives of Harford, Conn., and Wilkes Barre, Penn., respectively, and were married in the latter city. At the age of seventeen years the father com- menced work in the lumber woods of Mauch Chunk, Penn., and remained there until later in life, when he came to Lenox township, Susquehanna county, where he followed farming until 1884, becoming one of the best and most extensive agriculturists of the township. He attended the Baptist Church, and as one of the prominent citizens of his community he was called upon to fill several township offices.

His last days were spent with his children and he died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Eliza Os- terhous, in Dunmore, Penn., June II, 1887, at the age of eighty-eight years and one day. His wife was born in 1807, and died in Lenox township, October 4, 1879. Both were laid to rest in Clifford cemetery. Their children were as follows: Sarah is the wife of George Burdick, tollgate keeper at Chinchilla, Penn .; James K. is a farmer of Lenox township; J. F. is the subject of this sketch; Cath- erine, deceased, was the wife of Andrew Halstead ; Eliza A. is the widow of William Osterhous, of Dunmore; Steven L. is a farmer of Wyoming county, Penn .; Lydia is the wife of Marshall Finn, a merchant of Dalton, Penn .; Charles is a farmer of Lenoxville; Mary is the wife of Andrew Hal- stead, of South Dakota; John L. is a farmer of Clifford township; H. Linda is the wife of N. E. Gardner, of Clifford; and Adelia D. is the wife of Charles Waderman, an extensive farmer of South Dakota.

Until he attained his majority J. F. Utley re- mained at home with his parents, and was then em- ployed for one year as brakeman on the Pennsyl- vania railroad, running from Pittston to Hawiey. The following two years were spent at home, and for the same length of time he worked for other farmers. In 1855 he located upon his present farm in Clifford township, where he owns eighty acres of excellent land which he has placed under a high state of cultivation and improved with good build- ings. His straightforward method of doing busi- ness and his value as a member of the community have gained him a wide circle of friends and ac- quaintances, who have watched his career with in- terest and are not slow to acknowledge that he is deserving of all the good that has fallen to him. He is a Democrat in politics, and has served as pathmaster, but has never been an office-seeker.

At Clifford, August 30, 1854, Mr. Utley mar- ried Miss Anna J. Tripp. The only child born to them died in infancy. Mrs. Utley was born in Clif- ford township, May 25, 1834, a daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Hodson) Tripp. The father, who was a lifelong resident of Clifford township and an office holder, was born in 1813, and died in February, 1887, while the mother was born Sep- tember 14, 1816, and died in February, 1897. They were faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and their remains were interred in the old Clifford cemetery. Their children were Anna J., wife of our subject; Sarah, wife of Charles Utley, of Lenoxville, Penn .; Lydia A., who died young ; and Judson, who lives on the old homestead in Clifford township. Mrs. Utley's paternal grandfa- ther, Benjamin Tripp, a carpenter by trade, came when a young man to Clifford township from New York State. Later in life he returned to his native State to do some work and died there. He had a family of children as follows : Isaac; Milo; Benjamin; William; John; James; Eleanora, wife of Pardon Stone; and Lydia, who died when a

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

young lady. Mrs. Utley's maternal grandparents were Stephen and Ann (Forge) Hodson, natives of England, who came to America in 1821, and first located near Wilkes Barre, Penn. A few years later the grandfather purchased a farm in Clifford town- ship, Susquehanna county, upon which he and his wife spent their remaining days. Their children were Jemima, wife of Dennis Kelly; Jane, wife of Stephen Diver; Elizabeth, mother of Mrs. Utley; and James.

G. N. BENNETT. As a farmer, merchant and mill-owner the subject of this sketch, a prominent business man of Glenwood, Susquehanna county, has rapidly developed ability and won success. He is yet a comparatively young man, whose mind is directed to future achievements rather than to the past or present.

Mr. Bennett's father is a well-known farmer, his grandfather was a noted pioneer, and his great- grandfather, James Bennett, was one of the first comers in Gibson township, Susquehanna county. He was born about 1765, it is thought in Connecti- cut, but had lived in Newburg, N. Y. He married Margaret Bush and in 1802 came to Gibson town- ship, purchasing a tract of 300 acres at what is now Union Hill, upon which John Belcher had made a small improvement. Here he lived until his death, in 1847, when aged eighty-two years. His wife died at the age of seventy-eight years. Their children were: Charles; Luke, the grandfather of our subject; Rachel, who married Stephen Righter, of Thomp- son township, Susquehanna county; John; Loren G .; and Julia, who married William Roper, of Gib- son township.

Luke Bennett, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Gibson township. He married Calista Tingley, who was born in 1807, daughter of Darius and Sabra ( Yeomans) Tingley, pioneers of Harford township, and soon after his marriage he purchased 100 acres of wild land in Lenox township, cleared a site for a cabin and diligently began the arduous labors of clearing the land. He cut the timber from sixty acres and lived on the farm thus created until his death, when aged seventy-nine years. His wife died at the age of eighty-two years. Their children were: Sabra, who died young ; Julia A., who mar- ried S. M. Harding, of Shell Rock, Butler county, Iowa; Joseph T., father of our subject; Jane, wife of Alonzo Payne, of Lenox township; Calistra, wife of P. R. Phillips, of Lenox township; Luke, who died at Tunkhannock ; Huldah, wife of David Bon- ner, of Eaton township, Wyoming county, Penn .; and Adelaide, who died young.

Joseph T. Bennett, the father of our subject, was born March II, 1831, in Gibson township, and at the age of three years was brought by his parents to Lenox township. He engaged in lumbering in his youth and married Angeline Marcy, a native of Lenox township, daughter of Simon and Esther ( Phillips) Marcy, granddaughter of John and Jane (Hartley) Marcy and of Noah and Rachel (Dick-

son) Phillips, and the great-granddaughter of Will- iam Hartley. Simon Marcy was a native of Nichol- son, Wyoming county. To Joseph T. and Angeline Bennett were born the following children: Eugene, who died at the age of fourteen years; C. D., who married E. Benjamin, of Lenox township; Mary, who died young; G. N., the subject of this sketch; Derusha, who married Meretta Voke, of Monsey, N. Y .; Josephine and Samuel, at home; and William, who married Dora Bell, of Lenox township. Joseph T. Bennett has been a lifelong and prosperous farmer of Lenox township. He is a Republican in politics, casting his first vote in 1856 for John C. Fremont. He has held many local offices and is a prominent Mason, active in Grange work, and one of the most representative farmers of the township.

G. N. Bennett, our subject, was born in Lenox township, June 10, 1859. Hereceived a good common- school education, and remained at home until he attained his majority. He began life for himself on a farm, first renting a place and buying a little later. He was married, in Lenox township, to Sarah M. Bell, daughter of Galusha and Zitsa (Smith) Bell, of Lenox township. Mr. Bennett first purchased 54 acres of land in Lenox township. Four years later he sold it and in 1893 purchased the tan- nery farm of 174 acres, one-half of which is improved. For five years Mr. Bennett operated this farm, also conducting for three years of the time a grocery and engaging in general da'ry farming. His farm he then leased to his brother, William G. Bennett, and the same year, 1898, he purchased the gristmill and sawmill at Glenwood and forty-five acres of land. He also purchased the store building and its contents from Galusha A. Grow, and is now en- gaged in general merchandising. He is an active Republican in politics, and has served as township treasurer. In 1898 he was appointed postmaster at Glenwood. He is a prominent Granger, and at one time was active in Odd Fellow work at Nicholson. He is a young man of unusual business energy and ability, and is meeting with deserved success.

JOHN J. COURSEN, who for over a half century has been actively identified with the lum- ber and agricultural interests of Pike county, and is numbered among her useful and valuable citizens, was born in Sussex county, N. J., September 13, I822.

Allen Coursen, father of our subject, was a na- tive of the same county, born July 23, 1792, and there spent his entire life engaged in the occupation of farming. On June 6, 1816, he married Miss Lucy Ayres, who was also born in Sussex county, N. J., May 18, 1794, and they became the parents of four children, namely : Harriet Amelia, born May 6, 1817, died October 25, 1821; Joseph Linn, born July 29, 1818, resided in Sussex county but is now deceased ; John J. is the next in order of birth ; and Allen Nixon, born March 12, 1824, married Caroline Buck and is engaged in farming in Sussex county. After the death of his first wife the father was again

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

married, May 31, 1826, his second union being with Phobe Roy, by whom he had one child, Phoebe Elizabeth, born April 8, 1827, died November 23, 1830.

As soon as old enough to be of any assistance John J. Coursen commenced to help his father in the labors of the home farm, and during his youth he also learned the carpenter's trade, at which, on attaining his majority, he secured employment, con- tinuing to follow the same in connection with other work for thirty years. In 1845 he came with his father to Shohola township, Pike county, where they purchased 1300 acres of wood land near the Brink Ponds and engaged in lumbering, erecting the first sawmill in the locality, the ruins of which are still to be seen. Our subject still owns 300 acres of land, much of which is covered with a fine growth of timber, and in the winter still continues to engage in lumbering and in the operation of a sawmill. He has about sixty acres of land under cultivation and to agricultural pursuits he devotes his energies dur- ing the summer months. Politically he is a stanch supporter of the Democracy, and he has held the offices of justice of the peace fifteen years and town- ship auditor, and also been a member of the elec- tion board for a number of years. In all the relations of life he has been found true and faithful to every trust reposed in him, and has the confidence and esteem of all who know him.

On December 12, 1846, in Shohola township, Mr. Coursen was united in marriage with Miss Margaret E. Middaugh, who was born February 14, 1827, a daughter of Levi and Margaret ( Van Akin) Middaugh, and the following children blessed this union : Levi, born June 28, 1847, is deceased ; Mary J., born November 4, 1848; Harriette P., born Oc- tober 28, 1850; Georgiana A., born November 13, 1852, Edward H., born December 4, 1854, and Brad- ner W., born November 6, 1856, are all deceased ; Almyra A., born July 4, 1859, is the widow of Wal- ter Jacobus and resides with her parents; Allen J., born November 23, 1861, is somewhat of a rover ; he married in the West, and is now one of the gold seek- ers in Alaska; Ida M., born April 13, 1864, is the wife of Michael Ryan, of Lackawaxen township, Pike county ; Phoebe E., born September 8, 1866, is employed in New York City ; Ellen M., born No- vember 22, 1869, is the wife of Fred Le Bay, of New York City ; and Lotta A., born May II, 1872, is the wife of Alfred Hoar, of the same place.

THEODORE CORRELL, a valued and highly esteemed agriculturist of Greene township, Pike county, owns two good farms aggregating eighty- four acres, which are under excellent culture and well improved. The buildings are of a neat and sub- stantial character, and betoken thrift and prosperity.

Mr. Correll was born December 3, 1840, in Sterling township, Wayne Co., Penn., a son of Ben- jamin and Dorothy M. (Deitrick) Correll, the former born in New York State, of American par- entage, the latter born in New Jersey, of Pennsyl- vania German ancestry. At an early day they be-

came residents of Wayne county, where the father followed farming throughout the remainder of his life. He died in 1886, aged fifty-four years, his wife in June, 1885, aged fifty-three, and their re- mains were interred in Howetown cemetery, Ster- ling township. In religious faith they were Pres- byterians, and in political sentiment, he was a stal- wart Republican, being elected on that ticket to sev- eral local offices of honor and trust. Their children were Hannah, deceased wife of John Kipp; Will- iam, deceased, who married Caroline Bartlow ; George, deceased, who married Catherine Spellins ; Benjamin, deceased, who married Matilda Hays; Irvin, section superintendent of a railroad in Iowa, who married for his first wife Ann Hays, and for his second Mary -; Mary, deceased wife of John Smalley; Alexander, who married Rosilla Enslin and is baggage master at Hawley, Penn .; Emaline, deceased wife of Joseph M. Carlton; Elias, who married Mary - , and is a railroad conductor re- siding in Chicago, Ill .; and Theodore, of this sketch.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 424

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