Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 81

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 81
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 81
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 81
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 81

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Loren N. Wilcox received a good education in the public schools of Auburn township, which he attended during his bovhood and youth, and he was inducted into the mysteries of agriculture on the home farm, where he remained until the spring of 1879. At that time he went West, and for over two years engaged in lumbering. on ranches, and in mining, in different counties in that region. On his return home he spent the summer with his father on the farm, in the fall going on the West Branch and continuing at lumbering all winter. He then purchased the old Crane farm, on Jersey Hill, which he carried on for eight years, at the end of that time buying the homestead, where he has ever since re- mained. The place comprises 1211/2 acres of excell- ent, land, in the highest state of cultivation, with all improvements known to the modern farmer, for Mr. Wilcox ranks second to none in the township as an intelligent and progressive agriculturist. His farm gives every evidence of the skill and system which are used in its operation, and is one of the.

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best in the section. Our subject gives his entire attention to his agricultural interests, taking no act- ive part in public affairs, but he is nevertheless a well-known and influential citizen of his community, and he is public-spirited and enterprising in every respect. His political support is given to the Re- publican party.

Mr. Wilcox was married, at Silvara, Penn., on April 7, 1887, to Miss Libbie Warner, and they have had three children, born as follows: Maud E., Feb- ruary 27, 1888; Martin, July 20, 1893; Glenn, De- cember 28, 1895. Mrs. Wilcox was born January 8, 1868, at West Auburn, Susquehanna county, daughter of George and Sarah ( Scribner) Warner, the former of whom was born May 9, 1835, in Bridgewater township, Susquehanna county, son of Samuel Warner, a native of Connecticut, who set- tled in Susquehanna county in 1816; the mother was born December 25, 1846, in Wyoming county, Penn., daughter of Zedick and Cynthia Scribner. Mrs. Wilcox is one of ten children-Ada, wife of Albert Low, a farmer of Hart Lake, Penn .; Lib- bie ; Burton, a farmer of Hart Lake; Benton, living with his father, who is now a resident of West Au- burn ; Paul, a machinist, living at Silvara ; Maggie, wife of James Biles, a painter, of Camptown, Penn .; Charles, living at home ; Katie, wife of William Mc- Dermott, a farmer of Spring Hill, Penn .; Harrie, who lives at home ; and Blanch, who died in infancy. Mr. Warner is a wheelwright by occupation. He and his wife are members of the M. E. Church.

JAMES WARD BOLLES. General farm- ing, with seed growing as a specialty, is the occu- pation in which the subject of this sketch is profita- bly engaged in Harford township, Susquehanna county. He is a young farmer of more than ordi- nary enterprise and industry. In his early man- hood he taught school for several years, and since then has successfully engaged in agriculture.

Our subject was born in Dimock township, Susquehanna county, November 18, 1855, a son of John and Eve ( Ward) Bolles. His father was born in Dimock township, February 8, 1821, a son of Avery and Eunice (Witter) Bolles, and a grand- son of John Bolles, who settled in Dimock township in 1813. Eve Ward, the mother of our subject, was born in Crawford township, Orange Co., N. Y., September 21, 1820. John Bolles, the father of our subject, followed the trades of carpenter and cabi- net-maker in his earlier years, and later removed to Brooklyn township, where he is now engaged in farming. He and his wife are active members of the Presbyterian Church. Their family consisted of James W., the subject of this sketch ; Charles F., who lives on the old homestead; William J., who died in infancy ; and Jennie E., wife of Fred Bun- nell, of Dimock township.

James W. Bolles remained with his parents until he was twenty-four years of age, and during that time he was engaged four winters in teaching school in Bridgewater, Brooklyn and Lathrop town-

ships, Susquehanna county. He married, March 8, 1881, in Harford township, Mary J. Manson, who was born in New Milford township, February 6, 1857, a daughter of James O. and Margaret C. (Alexander) Manson. Her father, now a success- ful grower of seeds, and a general farmer of Har- ford township, was born in Bangor, County Down, Ireland, April 25, 1827, a son of David and Mar- garet (Oram) Manson, and grandson of David Manson, who lived in the North of Ireland and was of Scotch extraction. David Manson, the father of James O., died in Ireland in 1847, aged forty- eight years. His widow, Margaret, married James Porter, who died in Canada while on his way to the United States with his wife and four of her children. She died in Texas in 1887, aged eighty- seven years. The six children of David and Mar- garet Manson were John, who died in Dane county, Wis .; James O .; Thomas, who died in Dane coun- ty, Wis .; Mary, wife of John Straine, of Rockwell, lowa; David, a farmer of Smithland, Iowa; and Maggie, wife of Nick Anderson, of McCune, Kans. James O. Manson married, in Ireland, April 12, 1852, Margaret C. Alexander, who was born March 23. 1832, daughter of Robert and Mary ( McCon- nell) Alexander ( who in 1860 migrated to America and settled in Harford township), and grand- daughter of Robert and Margaret (Campbell) Al- exander, natives of Scotland, who died in Ireland ; her maternal grandparents were John and Sarah McConnell. The children of Robert and Mary Alexander were Margaret C .; Robert, a grocer of Binghamton, N. Y .; Mary, who married Robert Hill, of Harford, and is now deceased; James, who died in California; William, a physician, who died in Colorado; Sarah, wife of David Andrews; Jane, who died at the age of thirteen years; and Ellen, who married Thomas Hill, and is now deceased.

In 1852, the year of his marriage, James O. Manson came to America with his young wife. For two years he lived in Harford township, then spent one year in New Milford township, and in 1855 moved to his present farm in Harford, where he has ever since resided. He is a prominent mem- ber of the M. E. Church, and in politics is a Repub- lican. He learned the art of seed-raising in Scot- land, and has followed it successfully in Harford township since 1869. The children born to James O. and Margaret C. Manson are Robert A., a farm- er of Harford township, who married Nancy Gow; Mary, wife of our subject; and Maggie, who mar- ried Eugene Whitney, and is now dead.

Soon after his marriage our subject moved to his present farm in Harford township, where he has ever since resided, and where he is actively en- gaged in seed-growing, a branch of farming which he learned from his father-in-law, and in which he has been quite successful. He is a member of the M. E. Church, and in politics is independent. To Mr. and Mrs. Bolles have been born three children : Lee MI. (who died at the age of eleven years), Lil- lie M. and Ray J.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

JAMES J. WALKER, the burgess of Forest City, is one of the prominent citizens of Susque- hanna county who impress the people they meet in a favorable manner. In addition to the public office he has been called upon to fill, Mr. Walker has for many years been connected with the coal interests of the community, being now chief book- keeper of the Hillsdale Coal & Iron Co. The con- scientious performance of the duties of a responsi- ble position not only requires that the official shall be a man of high integrity, but gives to the char- acter a clearness and directness of manner and con- duct, which leaves no doubt as to the mental and moral make-up of the individual.

Our subject was born September 29, 1866, in Carbondale, Penn., son of John J. and Mary ( Law- ler ) Walker. Both parents were natives of Ire- land. John J. Walker was a machinist by trade, and was employed for many years by the Hillsdale Coal & Iron Co., of Mayfield. His family con- sisted of five children: Emmett J., engineer for the Electric Light Co., of Carbondale; Mary, at home, in Mayfield ;. Agnes, now attending the Stroudsburg Normal School; James J., the subject of this sketch ; and Madaline.

James J. Walker in his boyhood attended the public schools of Carbondale, and St. Rose Acad- emy. He secured employment with the Hillsdale Coal & Iron Co. soon after he left school, and in 1883, at the age of seventeen, he was sent by that company to Forest City as its bookkeeper. Later he was transferred for a time to Moosic. Return- ing to Forest City he became weighmaster and coal inspector for the same company, and from that position rose to chief bookkeeper.

On August 17, 1892, Mr. Walker was married to Miss Winifred F. Fleming, daughter of Martin and Mary ( Murray) Fleming, and their family consists of three children, as follows: Harold J., Mary I. and Winifred M. In religious affiliation he is a member of the Roman Catholic Church. Politically Mr. Walker is a stanch Democrat. He has served the city as auditor, and was elected city burgess in 1897, attaining the honor when yet young in years. The young mayor fills his public offices with a due sense of their importance, and with in- telligent and painstaking attention, but in a man- ner so unassuming that it commends him to the esteem and best wishes of his fellow citizens.

WILLIAM F. GREEN, one of the most active, enterprising and successful farmers of Rush township, Susquehanna county, was born July 31, 1859, on a farm near the one on which he now re- sides, and is a worthy representative of one of the most honored and highly esteemed families of the county.

Mr. Green's parents were George B. and Sid- ney M. (Kirkkuff) Green, the former a native of Bradford county, Penn., the latter of Warren coun- ty, N. J. They were married in Auburn township, 'Susquehanna county, in 1855, and the following

year took up their residence in Rush township, where the mother is still living with our subject. Throughout his active business life the father en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, and as one of the prominent citizens of his township he was several times elected to local offices, including those of supervisor and school director, the duties of which he most capably and satisfactorily performed. He died September 15, 1891, at the age of fifty-seven years and six months, and was laid to rest in Rush Center cemetery. In his death the community lost one of its most valued and useful citizens. Our subject is third in the order of birth in the family of four children, the others being: Mary E., wife of Cyrus Roberts, a farmer of Rush township; Emma C., at home; and Edwin F., who married Ella Bertholf, and is engaged in farming in Jessup township, Susquehanna county, being also an en- ergetic, practical and successful carpenter.

Our subject's paternal grandparents, Amos and Dolly ( Prince ) Green, were natives of Rhode Island and Bradford county, Penn., respectively, and in the latter place spent their married life. The grand- father, who was a farmer and carpenter by occupa- tion, died there at the age of seventy-five years. By a former marriage he had four children, namely : William, Zimri, Amos and Flavo, and by his sec- ond union had the following children: Mary, wife of A. P. Robinson, of Bradford county ; Ellen, de- ceased wife of Henry Birchard ; Francis ; George B., father of our subject; Harriet, deceased wife of Abram French; Charlotte, wife of W. H. Marshall, of New York State; Catherine, deceased wife of Chester Wells; Eliza, deceased wife of Jerome Nor- ton; and Henry, a resident of Lock Haven, Penn- sylvania.

Mrs. Green, mother of our subject, was born January 12, 1833, a daughter of William B. and Mary A. (Hagerman) Kirkkuff, natives of War- ren county, N. J., who came to Susquehanna coun- ty, Penn., in 1853, and located in Rush township, where her father followed farming throughout the remainder of his life. He was born in 1810, and died in September, 1889. His wife survived him for some years, dying June 18, 1898, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years and six months, and was laid to rest by his side in Auburn township. Their children were as follows: Sidney M., the mother of our subject; Amelia A., who died in infancy ; Sarah M., wife of Bronson Shoemaker, a farmer of Rush township; John M., who died in Susque- hanna county ; Caroline, wife of George Gardner, a farmer of Rush township; Amy, wife of Samuel Williams, of Broome county, N. Y .; Charlotte, wife of Tracy Youngs, a farmer of Forest Lake township, Susquehanna county ; Mary, wife of Daniel Everitts, a farmer of Auburn township; and Ella, wife of Jackson Patterson, a farmer of Rush township. Mrs. Green's paternal grandparents, Christopher and Margaret ( Barnes) Kirkkuff, were both born in New Jersey, where the latter died, while the former died in Monroe county, Pennsylvania.

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Until eighteen years of age William F. Green assisted in the labors of the home farm and attended the district schools of the neighborhood. He then worked as a farm hand for four years, and in the meantime commenced teaching school in Rush town- ship, at the age of twenty, successfully following that vocation for ten terms. Since 1891, however, he has given his entire time and attention to the cultivation of the home farm. He has met with ex- cellent success in its management, being one of the most systematic agriculturists of the locality. Po- litically he was first a Republican, but being a strong temperance man, he now supports the men and meas- ures of the Prohibition party. In 1897 he was elect- ed township clerk, and his official .duties were most ably and satisfactorily discharged.

CHARLES STEIGER, a well-known general farmer of Jessup township, Susquehanna county, and the present secretary of the Fairdale Creamery Co., was born in that township, January II, 1863, a son of Joseph and Lydia ( McKeeby ) Steiger, the former a native of New Jersey, the latter of Sus- quehanna county. The paternal grandparents, Lu- cas and Barbara (Allen) Steiger, were both born in Germany, came to America on the same vessel, and are supposed to have been married in this country. They located in Wayne county, Penn., where the grandmother died, and in 1838 the grandfather came to Jessup township, Susquehanna county, where he remained until 1868, in which year he returned to Germany. Mr. Steiger's maternal grandparents were Gilbert and Leah (Kater) Mc- Keeby, natives of Sussex county, N. J., who also became residents of Jessup township, Susquehanna Co., Penn., at an early day, and ever afterward made their home there.

Joseph Steiger, our subject's father, came with his father to Jessup township in 1838, and, with the exception of the year 1872, which was spent in Binghamton, N. Y., he has continued to make his home there, devoting his time and attention to agri- cultural pursuits. He is a Democrat in politics, and has for the past twenty years most accepta- bly served as assessor of his township. He is now seventy-two years of age, while his wife is sixty- eight. Both are consistent members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and are held in high es- teem by all who know them. They had children as follows: Augustus D., who is engaged in the milk business in Wilkes Barre, Penn. ; Gilbert, who died in infancy; M. Elizabeth, deceased wife of Smith Lathrop ; and Charles, our subject.

Charles Steiger was reared on the home farm and was educated in the public schools of the neigh- borhood. He continued to assist his father until 1895, when he removed to his present farm, whose neat and thrifty appearance plainly indicates the supervision of a careful and painstaking owner, and one who thoroughly understands his chosen calling. He is an enterprising and progressive business man, and in political sentiment is a strong Democrat.

On April 2, 1896, in Forest Lake township, Susquehanna county, Mr. Steiger was united in marriage with Miss Ida Shelp, a native of Fairdale, and a daughter of Rev. William and Patience ( Rob- ertson ) Shelp, of. Susquehanna county. The moth- er died at Fairdale in 1869, at the age of forty-four years, the father in Wyoming county, Penn., in 1882, at the age of fifty-five, and both were buried at Fairdale. He was connected with the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church for more than thirty years, and had given up preaching and gone to Wyoming county for his health before his death. The children of the family were: Anna, wife of J. N. Andre, a miller of Jessup township; Matilda, widow of Joseph Plummer, a soldier of the Civil war; Laura, wife of Freeman Shelp, a farmer of Bridgewater township, Susquehanna county ; Maria, wife of George Green, a farmer of Elk Lake, Susquehanna county; Elizabeth, wife of Alvin Judd, of Broome county, N. Y .; Nettie, wife of Henry Dymond, a farmer of Wyoming county ; Lucy, deceased ; Ida, wife of our subject ; William, a railroad man of Clark's Summit, Penn. ; and Ed- ward, a farmer and speculator of Wyoming county. Mrs. Steiger's paternal grandparents, John and Abi- gail Shelp, farming people, were born in Connecti- cut, and came to Susquehanna county in pioneer days.

FRED W. DUTCHER, a leading farmer and dairyman of Oakland township, Susquehanna coun- ty, enjoys the well-earned distinction of being what the public calls a "self-made man," and an analy- zation of his character reveals the fact that enter- prise, well-directed effort and honorable dealing have been the essential features in his prosperity.

A native of Susquehanna county, Mr. Dutcher was born in Gibson township in March, 1860, and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth ( Piper) Dutcher, also natives of Gibson township, the former born in 1828, the latter in 1830. His paternal grandfather, John Dutcher, was from New England, and was descend- ed from an old Puritan family of Scotch origin. The parents of our subject were reared in the town- ship of their nativity and were educated in its pub- lic schools. The father, who was a wheelwright, carpenter and undertaker, was one of the leading business men of Gibson township, and as a Repub- lican he was prominently identified with its politi- cal interests, filling a number of local offices dur- ing his lifetime. He invented a number of farm implements. In religious faith he was a strong Uni- versalist, and an earnest advocate of the doctrines of that denomination. He was three times married, his second wife, the mother of our subject, dying in 1863. By that union he had three children: ( I) Ella L., born in November, 1851, died in June, 1859. (2) Oscar, born in Gibson township, in April, 1854, was educated in the district schools, and when a young man learned bricklaying. He married Miss Georgie Baldwin, of New Haven, Conn., where he owns a fine home, and their children are Fred, Ber-

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tha and George. (3) Fred W., our subject, is the youngest. For his third wife the father wedded Mary E. Stearns, of Harford, Susquehanna county, by whom he had one daughter, Florence M., now the wife of Gordon Lawrence, of West Haven, Conn. Mr. Dutcher died in Gibson township, in 1872, and his last wife passed away in February, 1888.

The subject of this sketch is indebted to the public schools of Gibson township for his educa- tional privileges. He was twelve years old when he lost his father, and at that tender age was thrown upon his own resources to fight the battle of life unaided. For one year he worked for Wallace Barnes, for his board and clothes, and the greater part of his younger days was devoted to farm work. In September, 1882, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Lamb, a daughter of Wesson and Cor- delia ( French) Lamb, representatives of prominent pioneer families of Susquehanna county. She was reared in Oakland township and educated in its dis- trict schools. Our subject and his wife have two children : Agnes J., who was born in Oakland town- ship, February 5, 1889, and is now a student in the home schools; and Ethel C., who was born Janu- ary 20, 1896, and is the pet of the household.

After his marriage Mr. Dutcher located in Lanesboro, where he first worked in a tannery, and later followed the carpenter's trade in Susquehanna for some time. In November, 1889, he purchased a part of the Phelps farm in Oakland township and also a part of the Walker farm adjoining, making a valuable place of 180 acres, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. He has also built a residence and barn in modern style of architecture, and has made many other improvements upon the place, which add greatly to its value and attractive appearance. He enlarged his farm by the purchase of fifty acres in 1894, and in connection with gen- eral farming is interested in the dairy business. He commenced with six cows, but has increased the number to twenty, and has built up an excellent trade as a dealer in milk in Susquehanna. Mr. Dutcher is one of the most enterprising, progress- ive and reliable business men of his community, and by his upright and honorable methods has gained the confidence and esteem of all with whom he has come in contact. Politically he is an ardent Repub- lican, has been called upon to serve as supervisor of his township one term, and is at present one of the school directors of Oakland.

JAMES P. TAYLOR was born in West Ches- ter, Chester Co., Penn., July 8, 1843, and comes of good old Quaker stock, his ancestors for generations having been natives of Chester county, and of the Quaker faith. His father, William W. Taylor, born in 1818, and died in 1893, was the son of Will- iam H. Taylor, born in 1781, and died in 1825. Will- iam W. Taylor, in 1841, married Hannah P. Pyle, the daughter of James and Elizabeth Pyle. She was born at Kennett Square, Chester county, September

24, 1820, and is a cousin of Bayard Taylor, the fa- mous author, poet and traveler.

James P. Taylor is the eldest of eight children, five sons and three daughters, those still living be- ing James P., Charles W., Phoebe E., Bentley W., and Fred E., all of whom excepting James P. are residents of McDonough county, Ill., where the mother also resides, the family having moved West in 1867.

Nearly forty years ago James P. Taylor adopted the newspaper business as his life profession, and has been continuously connected with that business to the present time in the various capacities incident thereto : first in the mechanical departments and sub- sequently as manager, publisher and editor. That he did not "mistake his calling" is best evidenced by his successful editorial career and the enviable posi- tion he occupies among the "brethren of the frater- nity" throughout Pennsylvania and adjoining States. During his boyhood he had the advantages of the superior public schools of his native town, and later completed his education at the West Ches- ter Academy, and the State Normal School at Mil- lersville, Pennsylvania.

On his seventeenth birthday anniversary he en- tered the office of the West Chester Village Record, as an apprentice to acquire the mysteries of the "Art preservative." Here he served the full term of a four- years' apprenticeship, but before the expiration of that time a great crisis occurred which induced the young printer to abandon, at least temporarily, the peaceful pursuits of his chosen calling and take up arms in defense of his State and Country. In the summer of 1863 came Lee's invasion of Pennsylva- nia, and a call for troops to defend the Common- wealth. The young printer together with nearly the entire available force of the office, sought permission to enlist; but the publisher positively refused their request, declaring that the force had already been so depleted of men by enlistments that the boys un- der his control must remain and keep the paper run- ning. The next morning, however, found nearly all the "boys" missing from the office and on their way to the rendezvous, determined to enlist for the emergency.

Mr. Taylor joined an independent battery of light artillery, commanded by Capt. George R. Guss. Reaching Chambersburg the command was supplied with the necessary guns and horses, and remained in the field until after the battle of Gettysburg, when, the emergency being ended and the State relieved of the invading Confederates, the battery proceeded to Harrisburg and was mustered out. Mr. Taylor at once returned to his "case" in the Village Record office, and resumed his occupation early in Septem- ber.

In 1866, soon after severing his connection with the Village Record office, Mr. Taylor went West, locating in Bloomington, Ill., where he be- came associate editor and part proprietor of the Daily Pantagraph. In this position he continued until November, 1870, when he severed his connec-

James P. Taylor

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tion with that paper, and returned to Pennsylvania. After his return to his native State, at the solicitation of Hon. William P. Miner, editor of the Record of the Times, he went to Wilkesbarre, and connected himself with that paper. Soon thereafter he and Robert Morton leased the Record of the Times plant for a term of two years, and successfully conducted that paper until the expiration of their lease, when Mr. Miner again assumed control, with Mr. Tay- lor as general manager and associate editor. În 1873 the Daily Record of the Times was established with Mr. Taylor as managing editor, this being the first daily newspaper in that city.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 81

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