Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 89

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 89
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 89
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 89
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 89

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

near Tannersville, Monroe county; Elizabeth, wife of William Halstead; Magdelane, deceased, who was the first wife of William Halstead; and Julia Ann, widow of Jacob Bishing, of Battle Creek, Michigan.

Jacob Smith, father of our subject, was born in 1812, in what is now Pocono township, where he grew to manhood and married Miss Lydia Henry, who was born in Monroe county, daughter of Ar- thur Henry. Mr. Smith passed away in 1888. He made his home in his native township, and followed farming as a life work. He was always a strong Democrat in politics, and both he and his wife were worthy members of the Reformed Church. The children born to them were James, a retired lum- berman of Paradise township; Amos, a farmer of that township; Jane, wife of David Hull, of Phil- lipsburg, N. J .; Charles, proprietor of the "Clair- mont House," at Mt. Pocono, Monroe county ; Joseph H., the subject of this review ; and Jacob and Simon, both farmers of Pocono township.

Joseph H. Smith was born in Pocono town- ship, June II, 1850, and there passed his boyhood and youth, his early education being acquired in the common schools and in an academy. He began life for himself as a school teacher, and success- fully followed that profession for twenty-eight terms (two terms per year), in Pike, Monroe and Carbon counties, Penn. He then embarked in the hotel business in the northern part of Monroe coun- ty, where he also operated a farm and engaged in lumbering for several years. Later he conducted another hotel, in connection with his lumber in- terests, for four years, and in 1897 came to Jackson township, where he purchased property, including a commodious hotel, on which he has made improve -. ments to the amount of $1,000. This he is now carrying on with marked success, but still devotes the greater part of his attention to the lumber busi- ness, shipping several hundred carloads of lumber annually.

At Stroudsburg, Monroe county, Mr .. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Frances Roberts, a daughter of Robert and Caroline (Hallet ) Rob- erts, and they have seven children, namely: May, Florence, Warren L., Earl, Chester Arthur, William and Clair, all at home. Politically Mr. Smith is rather independent, but he usually supports the men and measures of the Democratic party, and for fif- teen years most creditably and satisfactorilv served as justice of the peace in Tunkhannock township, Monroe county. He has also been school director, has filled about all of the minor township offices, and in 1880 was appointed census enumerator for the western part of Monroe county.

PATRICK McHALE, one of the most ener- getic, enterprising and successful farmers of Rush township, Susquehanna county, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, May 15, 1851, and is a son of Pat- rick and Mary (Cryan) McHale, also natives of that county, where they continued to make their

home until their emigration to America in 1875. They took up their residence in Rush township, Susquehanna county, where the father engaged in agricultural pursuits until called from this life, January 16, 1886, at the age of sixty-five years. He affiliated with the Democratic party, and was a mem- ber of the Catholic Church, with which the mother is also connected. She was born in 1824, and now finds a pleasant home with our subject, who is the eldest of her children. The others are as follows : Bridget, wife of ,Michael Comboy, a farmer of Middletown township, Susquehanna county; John, who died in Ireland; Maggie, wife of Patrick Mc- Nicholas, a blacksmith of Ireland ; and Anna, a res- ident of Philadelphia. Our subject's grandparents, Patrick and Bridget (Roach) McHale, and Owen and Margaret (Murphy) Cryan, were all farming people, and lifelong residents of the Emerald Isle.

The subject of this review was reared and edu- cated in his native land, and on leaving home, at the age of eighteen years, sailed for the United States, where he landed September 10, 1870. Coming at once to Susquehanna county, Penn., he worked on the farm of Alonzo Coleman, in Mid- dletown township, for ten years, and then purchased his present farm, consisting of 136 acres of valu- able land, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation and improved with good and substan- tial buildings. He is one of the most popular and influential citizens of his community, is a stalwart Democrat in politics, and in religious' faith is a Catholic. In Friendsville, Susquehanna county, he was married, November 17, 1885, to Miss Lucy Kelly, who was born in Owego, N. Y., September 30, 1858, and they have become the parents of a family of five children: Mary, William, James, Lucy and Patrick.

Nicholas T. Kelly, Mrs. McHale's father, was born September 3, 1833, in Boyle parish, Province of Connaught, County Roscommon, Ireland, a son of Terrence and Bridget (McGrath) Kelly, also natives of County Roscommon, where the father died in 1842, aged fifty-six years. Two years later the mother, with six children, came to Amer- ica, and first located at New Brunswick, where she spent five years. The following three years she passed in Bangor, Maine, and thence removed to Owego, N. Y., dying there in 1888, at the age of eighty-eight years. Her children were as follows: Bartholomew, who died in infancy ; Bridget, wife of Timothy Colorin, of Owego, N. Y .; William, who died in Ireland; Mathew, who died in Owego; Mary, who wedded John Hickey, and died in Owego: Michael, who is now living in Australia ; Hugh J., who died in Owego; Ann, wife of Dan- iel McCormick, of Pittston, Penn .; Nicholas T., father of Mrs. McHale; and Lucy, who married Cornelius Cain, a locomotive engineer, and died in Binghamton, N. Y. Mr. Kelly's paternal grand- parents were Bryan and Mary (Lyons) Kelly, life- long residents of Ireland, where the family at one time owned a large estate in County Galway, but

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it was confiscated in the time of Queen Elizabeth. The maternal grandfather, Hugh McGrath, was also a farmer, and remained in Ireland.

At the age of eleven years Nicholas T. Kelly came to America with his mother, and during his five years' residence in New Brunswick he lived with a farmer and attended school. He next spent three years in Maine, where he worked on the farm of Josiah Fields, and also helped him build a turn- pike. At the end of that time he went to Owego, N. Y., where during the winter season he worked1 in tanneries for thirty years, and engaged in farm- ing through the summer months. On August 10, 1866, he located upon his present farm in Susque- hanna county, a tract of seventy acres which he purchased from Caleb Carmart, and has since en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. He is a devout member of the Catholic Church, and an ardent sup- porter of the Democratic party. At Owego, N. Y., Mr. Kelly was married, July 1, 1857. to Miss Jo- hanna Condon, who was born at County Wexford, Ireland, February 4, 1838. Her parents, David and Catherine ( Maddick) Condon, also natives of Ire- land, emigrated to the United States in 1851, and took up their residence in Middletown township, Susquehanna Co., Penn., where her father died in 1874, aged eighty years, her mother in 1888, aged eighty-four, the remains of both being interred at Friendsville. She is the eldest of their children, the others being John, a farmer of Middletown township; Margaret, who died in infancy: Mar- garet, deceased wife of George Youngs; Richard, a resident of Emporia, Penn. ; and Mary, widow of Michael Hart, and a resident of Meadville, Penn. Mrs. Kelly's grandfathers, John Condon and John Maddick, were both farmers in Ireland, where they spent their entire lives. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Kelly are Lucy, wife of our subject : John M., an attorney of Montrose, Penn., who married Ellen Quailey ; Hugh A., a clerk of Binghamton, N. Y., who married Maggie McCormick ; David V., at home ; Mary T., wife of Eugene Cadden, a farm- er of Springville, Penn .; Martha A., wife of James McGovern, of Montrose; Terence N., a policeman of Chicago, Ill., who married Grace Stuck ; Johanna, who is engaged in clerking in Susquehanna ; Will- iam J., a cigarmaker of Elmira, N. Y. ; and Charles, who died at the age of eleven years.

HENRY B. WELLS, the genial and popular proprietor of the "Bluff House," at Milford, is a lineal descendant of one of the earliest settlers in Pike county, and was born at Milford, April 1, 1827, a son of Nathan and Ann (Rockwell) Wells, and a grandson of Israel Wells.

Before the town of Milford was laid out the present site was known as Wells Ferry, taking its name from the three Wells brothers-Jesse, James and Israel-who came to this region from Connect- icut before the Revolutionary war, and undoubt- edly operated a ferry. Jesse Wells built a gristmill on the Sawkill, the people from across the river

fording the creek below the mill, hence the present name of the town-Millford or Milford. James Wells lived at Panther Brook. Israel Wells, the grandfather of our subject, lived on the hill south of the Sawkill, and in his family were the following children : Benjamin, Abram, Jesse, Lydia, Nathan, David, Peter, Harriet and Sally. The father was drowned in the Delaware river in 1803.

Nathan Wells was born at Milford, in 1796, and learned the trade of a cabinet maker. His me- chanical ability was out of the ordinary, and he in- vented the Wells fanning mill. He married Ann Rockwell, who was born in Orange county, N. Y., a daughter of Jabez Rockwell, a patriotic soldier in the Revolutionary army. Mr. Rockwell was a shoe- maker by trade. He came to Milford about 1797, and for many years was prominently identified with local politics, serving one term as sheriff of Wayne county. Of his children, Lewis was sheriff of Pike county one term ; Polly married James Watson, one of Pike county's most popular sheriffs; Ann mar- ried Nathan Wells; and John B. was a merchant at Milford.

The following children came to bless the union of Nathan and Ann (Rockwell) Wells: Peter, who married Charlotte Burrel, and died in 1894 ; Belinda (deceased), who married Cellar Sears; John, who died at the age of forty, unmarried ; Henry B., men- tioned below ; Edgar, who married Emma Granell, and resides at Port Jervis, N. Y., where he is con- nected with the Erie Railroad Co .; Mary, who re- sides at Milford; William, who married Octave Burleigh, and is deceased; and Celliard, who died young. The father of this family was a prominent adherent of the principles of the Democratic party, and his death, in 1854, when he was aged fifty-eight years, was regarded as a public loss. Ann (Rock- well) Wells was a faithful and consistent member of the Presbyterian Church; this noble pioneer mother was laid to rest in 1884, after a life of nine- ty-two years spent in thoughtful, loving deeds for others.

Henry B. Wells spent his early years at home, but as his father was not overburdened with worldly goods he began, when quite young, to work among the neighboring farmers, and also to assist his father in the shop at painting, carpentering, or anything else that he could get to do. When but twenty years old he was considered a good carpenter and cab- inet maker, and began to do business on his own account in his father's shop, devoting most of his time, however, to the manufacture of fanning mills, which he has continued to manufacture in his leis- ure moments ever since, having constructed alto- gether about 3,500. During the Civil war, when land was cheap, he would buy lots and erect houses there- on, for rent or sale as occasion offered. As soon as the money from the sale of one lot was received he immediately reinvested it, and has continued to do so ever since. He has built about fifty houses at Milford and Port Jervis, N. Y., in both of which places he owns considerable property at present.

HBWles

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

In his political affiliations Mr. Wells has ever been a Democrat, and he has taken an active and prominent part in the work of the party, though al- ways avoiding, where possible, all public offices. His friends, however, have so urged him at times that he has given a reluctant consent, and for three terms he served in the town council, for three terms as school director, and for two terms as chief bur- gess. As might be expected from so energetic and thorough a business man, the duties pertaining to these offices were performed with his characteristic conscientiousness, and the citizens of the town, re- gardless of party, would gladly have retained him as an official.

In 1873 Mr. Wells erected the "Bluff House," which now has 214 rooms, is well-equipped with water, acetylene gas, and all modern improvements, overlooking the picturesque banks of the Delaware river, seven hundred feet above the level of the sea. When this lot was first purchased, it was an un- broken wilderness, and the first building contained only ninety rooms ; but as trade increased the orig- inal structure was from time to time enlarged, first by the addition of twenty-one rooms, then by thir- teen, and in 1896 by another building of ninety rooms, the entire building costing something over fifty thousand dollars. This hotel is open in the summer only, and is conducted on strictly temper- ance lines. The careful attention bestowed on the guests has won for the establishment an enviable reputation, and each guest is made to feel that the proprietor has a personal interest in his comfort and welfare.

On June 6, 1853, Henry B. Wells was married to Miss Phoebe Dewitt, a native of Sussex county, N. J., and daughter of Silas and Johanna ( Hibler) Dewitt, of that county, who for eight years resided in Milford, thence returning to their old home; they are farming people. To Mr. and Mrs. Wells have been born the following children: Mary, wife of Rev. C. S. Ryman, a Methodist clergyman at Sum- mit, N. J .; Nathan, who was drowned at the age of eight in the old mill pond at Milford ; Joann, wife of F. P. Sawyer, a manufacturer of oatmeal at Mus- catine, Iowa; Harry, deceased at the age of five years : Jennie, wife of William Shearer, an attorney at Chicago, Ill. ; and Kittie, wife of Paul Boernique, who now manages the "Bluff House." The mother of this family was called to her final rest in 1894. at the age of sixty.

Mr. Wells has been a member of the Methodist Church for half a century, and is still serving as trustee and steward. He is one of that class of American citizens to whom we can point with pride -a self-made man, who by honest industry has won wealth, and with it an untarnished reputation. Prom- inent in the affairs of his town, he advocates all movements that tend to the moral and material ad- vancement of the town, county or country, and is a liberal contributor to all charities, public and pri- vate. Though he has turned the active management of the hotel to his son-in-law, he still remains a silent

force that helps to steer over the rough places, and Mr. Boernique has, as have all others who have known Mr. Wells, found his counsel safe, his judg- ment strong-a tower of strength and wisdom yet, at seventy-three.

JOHN C. TITMAN is one of the active busi- ness men and well-to-do land owners of Delaware township, Pike county, where he owns a fine farm of II0 acres, and in addition to its cultivation he is engaged extensively as contractor, carpenter and builder, in this connection being widely known throughout this section of the county. He was born in Delaware township, October 10, 1843, son of Jacob F. and Barbara (Reaser) Titman, who for a number of years resided on the farm he now occupies, and grandson of John and Elizabeth (Teeal) Titman, who were the first of the family to settle in Pike county. His great-grandparents were Baldus and Marie ( Force) Titman.

Jacob F. Titman was born June 4, 1817, in Warren county, N. J., and in about 1819 came with his parents to Pike county, where he passed the greater part of his life, engaged in farming. After his marriage he lived for a number of years in Sus- sex county, N. J., but in 1855 he returned to his early home, and settling on a farm in Delaware township continued to reside there for the remainder of his life. By industry and thrift he acquired a comfortable property, becoming one of the prosper- ous men of the township, and he was also active in its public affairs, holding several township of- fices. On April 20, 1840, Mr. Titman married Miss Barbara Reaser, the wedding taking place in San- dyston township, Sussex Co., N. J., and two children were born to this union-John C. and Sarah S., who is the widow of Morris H. Layton. The fa- ther passed away July 18, 1881. Mrs. Titman now makes her home in Dingman's Ferry, residing with her daughter, Mrs. Layton. She was born in Del- aware township, January 17, 1819, daughter of Peter and Mary (Amy) Reaser, who were natives of Mt. Bethel and Philadelphia, Penn., respectively, and granddaughter of Philip and Margaret Rea- ser, who came from Mt. Bethel to Pike county in an early day.

John C. Titman was given the advantages af- forded by the district schools for education, and remained with his parents until he reached his ma- jority, gaining a thorough knowledge of farming under his father. After commencing life for him- self he worked for farmers and carpenters in vari- outs places, and he has continued to follow these vocations, meeting with more than ordinary suc- cess in all his undertakings. Mr. Titman has made a place for himself among the most substantial and progressive citizens of this locality, by good man- agement, strict attention to business and perfect integrity in his dealings with all gaining the re- spect and good-will of those whom he has come in contact with, and prospering deservedly from year to year. His fellow citizens have honored him

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with election to the offices of school director and overseer of the poor, which latter incumbency he has filled for three years, and he is one of the rep- resentative men of his community, taking a warm interest in every movement for the general wel- fare and advancement. Mr. Titman is a Demo- crat politically.

In October, 1864, in Delaware township, Mr. Titman married, for his first wife, Miss Mary A. Jagger, daughter of Jacob H. and Sarah ( Bensley ) Jagger, residents of Pike county. One child was born to this union : Estella, who is the wife of John D. Whittaker, a farmer of Delaware township. Mrs. Titman died February 7, 1872, and her re- mains rest in the Delaware cemetery. On May 20, 1875, Mr. Titman wedded Miss Hannah E. Brod- head, the ceremony taking place in Delaware town- ship, and they have become the parents of seven children, viz .: Savilla (wife of William Retalic, a farmer of Delaware township), Harry, Amy M., Fanny, Kate, Clara and Esmerelda. From the time of his marriage until 1882 Mr. Titman lived on the farm adjoining his present home, which he purchased in the year named, and which comprises IIO acres of valuable land, carefully and systemat- ically cultivated.

Mrs. Hannah E. (Brodhead) Titman is the daughter of David O. and Maria (Van Etten) Brodhead, farming people of Delaware township, and her ancestors were numbered among the early pioneers of this region.

JOHN FREDENSTINE, flagman on a pas- senger train on the Erie railroad, has been a faith- ful employe of the company for some years, and has made his home in Matamoras, Pike Co., Penn., since July 7, 1897. He was born in Jeffersonville, Sullivan Co., N. Y., February 6, 1847, a son of Adam and Margaret (Grunn) Fredenstine, natives of Germany, who came to America when young and first located in New York City, later becoming res- idents of Jeffersonville, The father, who was a farmer by occupation, died in 1859, at the age of fifty-six years, and the mother passed away in 1857, at the age of forty-six. In their family were four children, namely: Elizabeth M., wife of Peter May, a farmer of Fremont Center, N. Y. ; John, our subject; Philip, also an agriculturist of Fremont Center ; and Katie, deceased wife of Frank Gardner.

After the death of his parents John Freden- stine started out to make his own way in the world, working for his board and clothes for dif- ferent farmers for a few years. One summer he carried water for a gravel train belonging to the Erie Co. and then resumed farming, which he fol- lowed until eighteen years of age. When nineteen and a half years old he began braking on the rail- road, but subsequently engaged in farming for three years, and in teaming in the lumber woods for the same length of time. Returning to Port Jervis he worked on the Erie railroad for six years, and then went to Long Island, where he held the

position of baggage master and brakeman on the Long Island railroad for a time. In January, 1883, however, he returned to Port Jervis, and has since been uninterruptedly with the Erie Co., as one of their most trusted employes. Wherever known he is held in high regard, and he has already made many new friends since coming to Matamoras. In politics he is a Republican, and in his social rela- tions a Knight of Pythias.

On June 29, 1897, at Port Jervis, N. Y., Mr. Fredenstine wedded Miss Sarah L. Quick, who was born in the house which is still her home, a daugh- ter of James W. and Sarah J. (Westfall) Quick, also natives of Pike county, where they spent their entire lives. They were married and died in the old homestead at Matamoras now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Fredenstine, the death of the father occur- ring in April, 1895, when he was sixty-seven years of age, while the mother died in June, 1895, at the age of sixty-four. The remains of both were buried in Laurel Grove cemetery, Port Jervis. In their family were only two children, the elder being Abram J., who married Sarah E. Bell, and is a con- tractor and builder of Port Jervis. James W. Quick, the father, was also a carpenter by trade, and became one of the leading contractors and builders in this section. For one year he also ran a ferry-boat between Port Jervis and Matamoras. He was one of the most prominent and influential citizens of his community, was a noted Democratic politician, and took a very active part in public af- fairs. His worth and ability were widely recognized, and he was honored with a number of official posi- tions, including those of treasurer of Pike county, which he held for three successive terms, and jus- tice of the peace for many years. He was an hon- orable and straightforward business man, and due success was not denied him, as he became quite wealthy, owning at one time the greater part of the present site of Matamoras. He and his wife were faithful members of the Reformed Church, and gave liberally to the support of all enterprises which they believed calculated to advance the moral or ma- terial interests of the communitv. .

Mrs. Fredenstine's paternal grandparents were Roger and Louise ( Aerts) Quick, the former a na- tive of Milford, Penn., the latter of Belgium, and he died in Pike county ; her death occurred in Brus- sels, Belgium, she having returned to her native land. Their children were Victor, who married Amanda Cortright; George, who was drowned; Francis, who married Emily Emaline; James W., the father of Mrs. Fredenstine ; and Benjamin, who died in infancy. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Fredenstine were Simeon C. and Sarah (Cud- deback) Westfall, natives of Pike county, Penn., and Orange county, N. Y., respectively. In their family were five children, namely: Abram, who married Hannah Winfield ; Eleanor, who died when young ; Peter, who was killed on the railroad; Sarah J., mother of Mrs. Fredenstine ; and Simeon, who married Jemima Van Etten.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

BION W. BURDICK, a worthy citizen of Buckingham township, Wayne county, was born in Susquehanna county, Penn., August 4, 1857. His father, Caleb Burdick, was a native of the same county, where he grew to manhood, and was mar- ried in Rhode Island to Miss Harriet Edwards, a native of that State, and a daughter of Thomas Edwards, who belonged to an old pioneer family of Rhode Island. Mr. and Mrs. Burdick spent their entire married life in Susquehanna county, the fa- ther owning and operating a farm at Uniondale, where he died in 1873. The mother now makes her home with her son Daniel, in Susquehanna county. The children were born in that county, and in order of birth are as follows: Daniel B., a farmer, born in 1849, married Catharine Rezeau, by whom he has five children; Butler W., born in 1851, was killed July 4, 1867, by lightning, while attending a picnic ; Johnnie died in childhood ; Bion W. is next in the family; Nathan J., born in 1861, married Kate Mayo, of Des Moines, Iowa, where he follows engineering.

After finishing his education in the public schools of his native county, Bion W. Burdick fol- lowed railroading and other lines of work for some time. In 1874 he went to Rhode Island, where for three years he was employed in a fish-line fac- tory, and then returning to Susquehanna county gave his attention to railroading and lumbering. After his marriage he located on a farm in Pres- ton township, Wayne county, and in 1887 removed to his mother-in-law's farm, in Buckingham town- ship, which he has since successfully operated, mak- ing a specialty of dairy farming, and keeping on hand for that purpose a fine herd of Jersey and other good milch cows.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 89

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