Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 61

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 61
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 61
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 61
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 61

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Mr. Ridgway belongs to one of the old and highly respected families of the county, his grand- father, Charles B. Ridgway, being one of its pio- neer settlers. His father, Thomas J. Ridgway, was born in Pike county, in 1811, and here grew to man- hood. For many years he engaged in rafting on the Delaware river, and after giving up that work he embarked in mercantile business in Lackawaxen township, carrying it on quite successfully for about thirty years or until death claimed him. At the time he was also serving as local superintendent on the Delaware & Hudson canal. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, and he most creditably served as county treasurer for one term and as associate judge for ten years, being one of the most promi- nent and influential citizens of his community. In early manhood he married Miss Lucy Ann Kim- ble, also a representative of an honored pioneer family of Pike county, and both died in Lackawaxen township, where their remains were interred.

Ephraim Kimble, our subject's maternal great- grandfather, a native of New England, for some time made his home in Pike county, following lumber- ing. His children were as follows : William mar- ried Irene Rice, whose parents were natives of Ver- mont; Asa married Abigail Pellett; Washington died young ; John married Phobe Rockwell; Jacob was the grandfather of our subject; Elizabeth mar-

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ried John Killam; Lucy married Moses Killam, Esq .; Annie married Joseph Atkinson; Lucinda married Dr. C. Mahoney ; Maria married David Rice; Sarah married L. Kelley; and Eunice mar- ried Calvin Pellett. Jacob Kimble, the grand- father of our subject, was also born in New Eng- land, and lived for a time in Orange county, N. Y. From there he removed to what is now Palmyra township, Pike Co., Penn., and later took up his residence in Northampton county, where he en- gaged in farming and lumbering. He had chil- dren: Abel, Walter, Daniel, Ephraim, Jacob, Benjamin, Laura (wife of Aaron Brown), Emily ( wife of William Woodruff), Olive ( wife of Mar- cus N. B. Killam), Roxana ( wife of C. B. Seaman), and Lucy Ann (mother of our subject ).

Warren K. Ridgway is the eldest in a family of six children, the others being Elizabeth R., widow of John C. Mott, and a resident of Milford, Penn .; Henrietta, who died in infancy; George K., an electrical engineer in the employ of the street-car company at Binghamton, N. Y .; Anna K., deceased wife of C. P. Milligan, of Ellenville, N. Y .; and Maria K., wife of George Brown, train dispatcher for the Erie railroad at Binghamton, New York.

A native of Pike county, Warren K. Ridgway was born in Shohola township, September 8, 1835, received a common-school education, and grew to manhood under the parental roof, assisting his father in his different enterprises, chiefly in farming and merchandising. He was married in Lacka- waxen township, Pike county, October 21, 1858, to Miss Louisa J. Griswold, a daughter of Al- manzor Griswold, division superintendent of the Delaware & Hudson canal until his death. Four children were born of this union: Lucian B., who was drowned in the Delaware & Hudson canal at the age of three years; Thomas J., who married Leanna Kirkham, has four children, and lives in Lackawaxen township, Pike county; Louisa, wife of A. G. Rowland, manufacturer of temperance beverages at Milford, Penn .; and Louis F., who died in infancy.

Being of a speculative disposition, Mr. Ridg- way has engaged in several different undertakings. He followed lumbering some years, furnishing spe- cial timber to New York parties, and also for use on the Delaware & Hudson canal. He bought land throughout Pike county, and after removing the timber sold it for farming purposes. In 1880 he embarked in the blue-stone business, in which he is still interested, operating quarries all along the Erie and Monticello roads, and now has a contract to furnish material for piers and abutments for the new railroad bridge being constructed by the Milford, Matamoras & New York Railroad Co., in which railroad he is a director. Socially Mr. Ridgway has been a Freemason since 1871, and politically he has always been identified with the Democratic party. His fellow citizens, recognizing his worth and abil- ity, have called upon him to fill a number of impor- tant positions of trust, the duties of which he has

always most capably and satisfactorily discharged. He was county sheriff three years, prothonotary six years, mayor of Milford, and foreman of the first fire company organized there.

REV. HENRY A. RILEY, for twenty-five years the beloved and faithful pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Montrose, Susquehanna county, was born November 21, 1801, in the City of New York.

At fourteen years of age our subject was placed in a Roman Catholic college at Georgetown, D. C., and there remained two years. He was graduated in the collegiate department from the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, in 1820, and for a brief period read law under Horace Birney, of Philadelphia, and then began the study of medi- cine, graduating in 1825 from the Medical Depart- ment of the University of Pennsylvania. He began the practice of medicine in New York, following the same until 1829, in which year he entered the Theo -. logical Seminary at Princeton to prepare for the ministry, and was graduated in 1832. Three years later he was installed pastor over the then Eighth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York. He commenced his ministry at Montrose in January, 1839. Greatly beloved by his people, Mr. Riley resigned his charge after a pastorate of twenty-five years, and preached his farewell sermon December 27, 1863. The remainder of his days were spent among the people whom he had served so long and so faithfully, and he passed away March 17, 1878; he is buried at Montrose. In 1866 Mr. Riley wrote and published "The Restoration, or the Hope of the Early Church Realized," a 12mo volume of nearly three hundred pages. In 1868 a second edition was issued by J. B. Lippincott & Co., Phila- delphia, the title of which gives a clearer idea of the work, "The Restoration at the Second Coming of Christ, A Summary of Millenarian Doctrines." The "Western Episcopalian," in a review of its merits, stated that : "It ably deals with the great questions of the course of future Providence, and the consummation for which our religion teaches us to hope. It makes no pretentions, but is full of important truth, fairly deduced, popularly presented and suitably enforced. It is 'meat in due season' from a faithful steward, and a workman who need not be ashamed." Mr. Riley was a strong temper- ance worker, each member that came into his con- gregation pledging himself to temperance.

Mr. Riley married for his first wife Miss Emma Vaughan Smith, who died in 1843, and for his sec- ond Miss Blenda Miller, a lady of refinement and culture, who is still living at Montrose. His chil- dren by his first marriage were as follows: James P. W. was a merchant at Montrose, and died in 1888; he married Miss Kate Crawford. Rev. Isaac, who died in October, 1878, at Buffalo, N. Y., was a Presbyterian minister, serving as pastor at Wilmington, Del., the Thirty-fourth Street Church, New York City, and Westminster Church, Buffalo,

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N. Y. ; he married Kate Parker, daughter of Dr. Joel Parker, of New York, a Presbyterian minister. Julia married Rev. Benjamin J. Douglas, an Epis- copal minister of West Philadelphia, Penn. Eliza- beth is the widow of Daniel D. Law, who was a prominent attorney of New York. To the second marriage were born three children: Louis A. is a resident of Philadelphia, Penn., and is president of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co .; he married Margaret Drinker. Henry A., who died in June, 1892, was an attorney in New York; he married Mary A. Littlefield. Samuel M. is a mining en- gineer at Pottsville, Penn .; he married Anna Pol- lock.

JACOB L. WYCKOFF, deceased. The Wyck- off family is of good Holland-Dutch stock, and, although traditions vary as to the particulars of the emigration of the ancestors, the most authentic ac- count states that five brothers, three of whom were Jacob, John and Isaac ( the names of the others are not known), came to America from Holland, lo- cating first on Long Island. One remained there, another went West, and the other settled in Morris county, N. J., near the present village of Mendham. From the last named the Pennsylvania Wycoffs trace their descent, yet here is the tradition vague and conflicting, as by some accounts it was Jacob who settled in New Jersey, and by others John, though the preponderance of evidence would give to Jacob the honor of so worthy a posterity. This ancestor married, and became the father of six children, Jacob, John, Isaac, Phoebe, Sarah and Elizabeth.

Isaac V. Wyckoff was born October 2, 1787, at the old homestead near Mendham, and died June 19, 1872. On May 16, 1811, he married Miss Abi- gail Thompson, who was born January 21, 1790. and died April 19, 1875. Their children were: Jonathan T., born June 3, 1813, died October 15, 1845; Jacob L. is mentioned below; Sarah, born September 17, 1817, was married March 21, 1849, to William Lott, and died December 11, 1860; Han- nah Maria (Mrs. John Nutt), born June 5, 1819, died October 2, 1884; Martha, born September 12, 1821, married William Laslier, and died in 1895; Daniel H., born October 14, 1823, died in 1875; Robert M., born July 23, 1826, died April 14, 1853; Nehemiah, born September 15, 1828, resides in Newark, N. J., and is still active and vigorous ; Nancy Elizabeth, born September 3, 1830, died Jan- uary 14, 1832.

Jacob L. Wyckoff was born September 14, 1815, and died August 16, 1887. In his youth he learned the shoemaker's trade, but he soon deter- mined to find a more congenial and remunerative business. As he had but limited capital he began in a humble way as a huckster in the vicinity of Mendham, and gradually he built up a trade which justified him in extending his operations. After a time he kept a number of six-horse teams on the road, making regular trips to and from New York

City to supply individuals and the merchants of the country stores around Mendham, and to and from Stroudsburg, this method of transportation and distribution taking the place of the railroads of the present day. While in Stroudsburg at one time he became acquainted with William Wallace, in whom he recognized a kindred spirit, and forming a partnership, they engaged in various enterprises which they carried on successfully through a num- ber of years. They kept teams on the road be- tween New York and other cities; they leased and ran an iron furnace; they engaged in lumbering, rafting and mercantile business; and in fact it would be impossible to enumerate the different branches which their extensive and complicated operations included. They met with remarkable success in all lines ; but at last the business became so involved and intricate that they decided, in 1858, to divide it, Mr. Wyckoff retaining the mercantile interests with their ramifications. Later he built a business block which was then the largest and most pretentious in the city. For many years he ranked among the wealthy men of the State, and although some unfortunate ventures in his later years swept away the greater part of his accumula- tions, his name is still associated in the minds of the public with the remarkable successes and generous benefactions of his prosperous period.

On June 9. 1847, Mr. Wyckoff married Miss Emeline Eagles, who survives him with five chil- dren: (I) Miss Adelaide, who was born in Mend- ham, resides with her mother in Stroudsburg. (2) A. B., a sketch of whom follows. (3) Miss Helen B. resides in Newark, N. J. (4) Edgar, born April 20, 1855, at Stroudsburg, is clerking for his brother, A. B. Wyckoff ; he married Miss May Schoonover, and has had the following children, Earle E., Ja- cob B., and Loraine. (5) Miss Anna M. resides in Newark, New Jersey.

Mr. Wyckoff was not only the sole workman in carving out his own fortune but he was also largely self-educated. His school training was limited, but he was a great reader and became well informed on a wide range of subjects, his re- markable memory enabling him to retain the best out of much. A tendency to ever see the brightest side, and a natural love for his fellowmen, made him a genial companion to young and old. Out of his abundance he gave liberally to the unfort- unate, and was an eager advocate of every enter- prise that would benefit either his town or the peo- ple. Politically he supported the Republican party, and during the Civil war, being unable to go him- self, sent a substitute without being himself drafted. In early life he was a member of the I. O. O. F., but later withdrew. At the time of his death he was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he was laid to rest with all the rites and ceremonies of that order. Though a member of no denomina- tion, he contributed to and attended the Presby- terian Church, and by his upright life and gentle

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charity for all men he builded stronger than he knew.

Mrs. Emeline (Eagles) Wyckoff is of Eng- lish descent. Her father, Alexander Eagles, was a native of Newark, N. J., and in an early life learned the trade of saddler which he followed for some time, having an establishment of his own in Easton, Penn. In the winter of 1838, known as "the winter of deep snow," he removed to Stroudsburg, where he took charge of the "American House," a well-known hotel; but he died in February, 1840. His wife, Margaret (Sears), was born November 27, 1794, and died December 2, 1878. They had two children: Mrs. Wyckoff ; and Sarah, who mar- ried Theodore Taylor.

A. B. WYCKOFF, a leading merchant of Stroudsurg, is a business man of unusual enter- prise and acumen, and as proprietor of the "New York Store" he has built up an extensive and valua- ble trade. A less energetic man would find his time fully absorbed in the details of his growing business, but Mr. Wyckoff has been the chief pro- moter of numerous other important ventures, his sound judgment and knowledge of men and affairs causing his advice and co-operation to be sought in financial circles.

Mr. Wyckoff was born September 12, 1850, a son of Jacob L. and Emeline (Eagles) Wyckoff. After acquiring a common-school education he be- gan to learn the trade of car building in a shop at Troy, N. Y., in accordance with the wishes of his parents. As the business was foreign to his tastes he did not complete his term, and for a time he tested different occupations, finally securing an opening in a congenial line of effort as a clerk in a store at Stroudsburg. Six years as an employe gave him insight to all the details of the business, and he then engaged in mercantile life on his own account, forming the firm of Wyckoff, Cook & Bell. Two years later Mr. Bell died, and his in- terest was purchased by the other partners, the busi- ness being continued under the name of Wyckoff & Cook. In April, 1892, Mr. Wyckoff bought Mr. Cook's interest, and since that time he has been sole proprietor of the establishment, which is known as the "New York Store." It is the only store in Stroudsburg devoted exclusively to fancy goods and dry goods, and some idea of the extent of the trade may be gleaned from the fact that twelve people, including Mr. Wyckoff, himself, are kept busy in meeting its demands .. Among the other enterprises in which he is engaged we must mention the Com- monwealth Building & Loan Association of Strouds- burg, an institution of which the community is justly proud, its record of $200,000 invested with- out a penny of loss, in the twenty-one years of its existence, being most commendable. For some time he was its president, and he is now serving as treasurer. He has also been a director of the First National Bank ever since its organization.

In 1885 Mr. Wyckoff married Miss Alice Holt, 17

who was born in Paterson, N. J., in 1859. Three children brighten their home: Lulu E., Ernest and Marion. In his political affiliations Mr. Wyckoff is a strong Republican; in religious faith he is a Presbyterian. He and his family hold an enviable social position, and he is an active member of the Masonic fraternity.

ALBA E. JOHNSON, a prominent agricult- urist, and the present supervisor of Rush township, has spent his entire life in Susquehanna county, hav- ing been born in Springville township, April 12, 1856.

His adopted parents, Benjamin and Louisa (Roberts) Johnson, were also natives of Susque- hanna county, where the father engaged in farming throughout life. He died in Dimock township, in January, 1899, at the age of sixty-eight years, and was laid to rest in Jersey Hill cemetery, Auburn township. He was an ardent supporter of the Re- publican party, and one of the highly respected men of his community. The mother still lives on the old home farm in Dimock township, at the age of sixty-eight. Our subject is the eldest of three children, the others being Almeda, wife of George Horton, a farmer of Bridgewater township, Sus- quehanna county ; and Lillie, deceased wife of Jud- son E. Brugler. Our subject's paternal grandpar- ents, Benjamin A. and Luna Johnson, were natives of New Jersey and early settlers of Susquehanna county, where the former followed the occupation of farming until called from this life. The maternal grandparents, Horatio and Calista ( Wells) Roberts, were natives of Pennsylvania and also pioneers of Susquehanna county.

On attaining his majority Alba E. Johnson left the parental roof, and for seven years worked as a farm hand. He was married in Rush township, December 25, 1883, to Miss Mary Cole, a daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth (De Pue) Cole, and of this union one child has been born, Olin C. For one" year after his marriage our subject operated the farm of Mrs. Johnson's step-father, Aaron A. Wood, who is mentioned below. He then located upon his present farm of eighty acres in Rush township, to the improvement and cultivation of which he has since devoted his energies, meeting with marked success in his labors. The Republican party has al- ways found in him a stanch supporter of its prin- ciples, and in the spring of 1896 he was elected su- pervisor of Rush township, which position he has since so creditably and acceptably filled. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, and she is one of the popular and suc- cessful school teachers of the county.

Aaron A. Wood (deceased) was born in Pike township, Bradford Co., Penn., April 5, 1824, a son of. Aaron and Cornelia (Carpenter) Wood, na- tives of New York State and early settlers of Brad- ford county. At the age of eighteen years Mr. Wood came to Susquehanna county, and success- fully engaged in teaching school for forty terms in

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this and adjoining counties. For many years he made his home upon the farm where his widow now resides, and there engaged in agricultural pursuits. During the war of the Rebellion he served for one year as a member of Company H, 51st P. V. I., later was an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and drew a pension of $24 per month. He was an active and prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which he was always officially connected, serving as deacon, elder or class leader. He died January 14, 1899, honored and respected by all who knew him, and was laid to rest in Keech Hill cemetery, Susque- hanna county.

On November 1, 1870, in Le Raysville, Penn., Mr. Wood married Mrs. Elizabeth Cole, and to them were born three children, namely: Bertha, deceased wife of John Mathews, a carpenter of Friendsville, Susquehanna county; Martha, at home; and Dayton, who married Lena Clark, and now successfully conducts the home farm for his mother. Mrs. Wood was born in Warren county, N. J., March 14, 1831, and is a daughter of Nicho- las H. and Margaret (Buss) De Pue, farming peo- ple, who spent their entire lives in that county, and the former dying in 1847, aged forty years, the lat- ter in 1895, aged eighty-six. They were buried in different cemeteries in Warren county. Their chil- dren were: Elizabeth, now Mrs. Wood; John, de- ceased; David, a farmer of Minnesota; Hannah, deceased wife of Jonas S. Decker; Jane, widow of George C. Hartley and a resident of Mehoopany, Penn .; Maria, wife of John Cole, a farmer of Wall- pack, N. J .; Jacob, who died at the age of twenty- one; and Sarah, who died at the age of three years. For her second husband Mrs. De Pue married Cal- vin Decker, who died in 1891, aged eighty years, and by that union she had one daughter, Amanda, now a resident of Newton, Penn. Mrs. Wood's paternal grandparents, John and Hannah (Decker) De Pue, were lifelong residents of New Jersey, and their remains were interred in a private burying- ground upon their farm at Pahaquary, that State. The maternal grandparents, Jacob and Elizabeth (Miller) Buss, spent their entire lives as farming people in Pike county, Penn. For her first husband Mrs. Wood married Simon Shaffer, a native of New Jersey, and a carpenter by trade, who died in Wall- pack, that State, in 1853, at the age of forty years, and was buried there. By that union she has two children : Levina, who died at the age of ten years ; and Katie J., now the widow of Malcolm Cooper, and a resident of Fairdale, Susquehanna county. In Sus- sex county, N. J., March 6, 1864, Mrs. Wood was again married, her second union being with Andrew Cole, a native of that county, who died in Lehman township, Pike Co., Penn., November 8, 1866, at the age of forty-nine years, and was laid to rest in the cemetery at Dingman's Ferry, that county. He was a farmer and speculator by occupation, and was a man of prominence in his community. The only child born of that marriage was Mary, wife of

A. E. Johnson, whose name introduces this article. Mr. Cole was twice married, his first wife being Mary Courtright, by whom he had six children : Samuel, Janson, and Louisa (wife of Charles Engle) are now residents of Dunmore, Lackawanna Co., Penn .; Dr. George Cole (deceased), Charles (of Moscow, Penn.), and Martha (wife of John Hoffman), now deceased.

DANIEL YOUNKER is successfully engaged in general farming in West Auburn township, Sus- quehanna county, where he has resided for over forty years, and is well and favorably known in that locality. He was born February 18, 1841, in Cherry Valley, Monroe Co., Penn., a son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Fable) Younker, and a grandson of Frederick Younker.

Jonathan Younker lived in Wyoming county, Penn., until 1856, when he came with his family to Susquehanna county, settling at West Auburn on April 12, of that year, and here he passed the rest of his life. He was a farmer and millwright by oc- cupation. His death occurred March 15, 1873, when he was seventy-three years of age, the mother following him to the grave August 29, 1875, at the age of seventy. Their remains lie in the cemetery at West Auburn. They were earnest members of the M. E. Church. Of their family, Caroline is the widow of Jacob L. Kemmerer, of Butler county, Iowa; Rebecca J. died young ; William F. is a re- tired carpenter, living in Butler county, Iowa; Jeremiah is engaged in farming in Lyons county, lowa; Maria Louise is the widow of Jacob Shupp, of Lake Cary, Penn .; Joseph H. became a member of Company F, 5th Kansas Cavalry, and died while in the service; George, a farmer, is living retired in Cedar Falls, Iowa; Mary Elizabeth (deceased) was twice married, first to Davis Lathrop, who died while serving in the Civil war, and later to John B. Gay; Daniel is the subject proper of this sketch; Ellen (unmarried) lives with her sister at Lake Cary ; James B. is engaged in farming in West Au- burn. The parents always resided with their son Daniel.

Daniel Younker received his education in the public schools of West Auburn, and was reared to agricultural pursuits on the home place. On Au- gust 30, 1864, he enlisted, at Scranton, Penn., in Company C, 203rd P. V. I., Capt. Jacob T. Small- wood, and served until June 22, 1865, when he was mustered out at Raleigh, N. C. He received his dis- charge on July 3, at Philadelphia. Mr. Younker was in the battle of Fort Fisher and various other engagements and skirmishes, but although he had many close calls he escaped without injury. On February 23, 1867, he was married, at Herrick, Bradford Co., Penn., to Miss Myra M. Taylor, and they had two children, James H., who died at the age of ten years, and Levia, who died at the age of eighteen. Mr. Younker has carried on general farming with continued success, by industry and good management winning a comfortable income

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from his place, and he ranks among the progressive and intelligent citizens of the community in which he makes his home. His political support is given to the Republican party. In religious connection he is a member of the M. E. Church.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 61

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