Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 96

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 96
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 96
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 96
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1 > Part 96

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On November 13, 1851, at Mt. Pleasant, Penn., Mr. Carpenter was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth E. Campbell, and to them were born five children, namely: Gertrude E., deceased wife of Judson Cole, was at one time a school teacher, and was the first in this section of the State to graduate from a training school for nurses; Theodore A. married Olive Norton, and is a mason of Carbon- dale, Penn. ; Blanche I. is a trained nurse, residing at home; Bernard A. married Lizzie Brown, and was killed while holding the position of locomotive engineer ; and Grace is the wife of Dr. Ray Lyons, of Muncy, Penn. Mrs. Carpenter was born in Her- rick township, November 13, 1834, a daughter of Sylvanus H. and Mary (Eggleston) Campbell, the former a native of Herrick, the latter of Delaware county, N. Y. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, died in Ararat township. Susquehanna county, in November, 1875, aged sixty-six years, being killed by an engine while walking on the rail-

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road track, and he was buried in that township. The mother died November 23, 1834, aged twenty- one years, and was laid to rest in the Lyons Street cemetery. Mrs. Carpenter was their only child; she has two half-sisters, Mrs. R. Warren and Mrs. Henry Butler, both of Clifford township.

In March, 1867, Mr. Carpenter removed to Scranton, Penn., where for one year he engaged in the grocery business, making the sale of butter and eggs a specialty. He finally embarked in the wholesale produce business, which he carried on at that place for three years, at the end of that time returning to Uniondale, as the railroad had been built to this place, and here engaging in the same trade for a time. But after being injured by a fall, while erecting his present residence, he gave up the business, and has since been interested in the insurance and nursery business. He is now living practically retired, but still owns the old Kendall Burdick farm, in Clifford township, which belonged to his maternal grandfather, and on which the Sev- enth-Day Baptist church now stands. He also owns three nice dwellings in the village of Union- clale.

While a resident of Clifford, Mr. Carpenter en- listed, for one year, on March 6, 1865, as a mem- ber of Company B, 143rd P. V. I., and was in active service until the close of the war, a term of between three and four months. He is now a member of the Grand Army Post at Uniondale, and the Order of Junior Mechanics at the same place. His po- litical support is always given to the Republican party, and he has been honored with a number of offices, having been justice of the peace five years, notary public seven years and burgess four terms, and at the last borough election he was again chosen, at the age of seventy-three, to serve as justice of the peace another term of five years, and burgess of the town for a term of three years. In 1838 he united with the Presbyterian Church, was ordained an elder in 1862, and served as trustee many years and as Sunday-school superintendent about fifteen years, resigning at the end of that time in favor of Freeman Carpenter, who was younger. In 1894 our subject was also sent as a commissioner to the general assembly at Saratoga, N. Y., representing the Lackawanna Presbytery. He commands the respect and esteem of all with whom he comes in contact, on account of his ster- ling worth and nobility of character.

NOAH BALDWIN, an old and highly-re- spected resident of Auburn township, Susquehanna county, was born December 29, 1816, in Bridgewa- ter township, that county, and comes of New Eng- land stock, his father and grandfather having been born in the State of Connecticut. The latter, Noah Baldwin, married and reared his family in his na- tive State.

Scott Baldwin, father of Noah, was born June 16, 1788, and grew to manhood in Connecticut, in 1806 or 1807 coming with his brother Samuel to

Susquehanna county, Penn., from the Mohawk, twenty-eight miles below Utica. The journey through the woods which then covered this region was made with oxen and ox-sleds. Scott Baldwin took up 100 acres of land one mile from Montrose, which cost him $1.50 per acre, and here he passed the greater part of his life, clearing and improving his tract, and engaging in farming. He was mar- ried, in Connecticut, to Miss Louisa Cook, who was born May 5, 1788, and they had a large family, viz. : David, Alfred, Sally, Chapman, John, Noah. Edmund, Myron, Hannah ( who married Henry Robinson, of New Milford, Penn.), Almira ( Mrs. James Youngs), Louisa ( Mrs. W. P. Snedaker ), and Isaac ( who was killed in Missouri while serv- ing as a soldier during the Civil war). All are now deceased but Noah and Hannah. Scott Baldwin passed away in April, 1874, in Montrose, Penn., at the advanced age of eighty-five years; his wife preceded him to the grave January 16, 1869.

Noah Baldwin attended the district schools of Bridgewater township, where he was reared, and as soon as he was able began to assist his parents, re- maining under the parental roof up to the age of twen- ty-two years. He was married, in Auburn township, to Miss Laura Gregory, daughter of Daniel and Hody (Miller) Gregory, of Bridgewater township, and they made their home on a tract of land owned by Mrs. Baldwin, in Auburn township. Mr. Bald- win was successfully engaged in general farming throughout his active career, and he still retains seventy acres of good land, at one time owning a much larger tract. By industry and thrifty man- agement he acquired a comfortable competence, which he richly deserved, and he is now enjoying in retirement the fruits of his early toil, respected by all who know him as a man of high principle and sound integrity. He has been deeply interested in the welfare of his community, though he has been no aspirant to public honors, refusing the office of justice of the peace, as he preferred to give his en- tire attention to his private affairs. He has, how- ever, served as a member of the election board, and in political affiliation he is a stanch Republican. He belonged to the Know-Nothing party in its flourishing days.

To Noah and Laura (Gregory) Baldwin were born children as follows: Fidelia, who died young ; Adoniram, living in Auburn township; Lewis, de- ceased : Adelaide, deceased, who was married to Q. Sturdevant : Priscilla, deceased : Louise Ophelia, deceased ; Daniel Scott, deceased ; Francis, a farmer and dairyman of Auburn township; Alfred Cook, Mary, Hulda and Flora E., all deceased : Elsie, wife of Allen Welch, of Montrose : and Willis, living near Montrose. The mother of these was called to her long home January 29, 1888, and Mr. Baldwin sub- sequently married, in Auburn township, Mrs. Caro- line (McLeand) LaFrance, who was born July 13, 1824, daughter of John and Hannah (Gregory) McLeand. Her father, born in Buffalo, N. Y., died in 1872, in Waukesha county, Wis., at the ad --

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vanced age of eighty-five; her mother, who was a native of Bridgewater township, passed away in 1858, at the age of fifty-six years. Caroline Mc- Leand was first married to Z. LaFrance, who was born April 4, 1818, and to this union were born ten children-Dana, Peter, Levi, Riach, Byron (de- ceased), Frederick, Freeman, Solomon, Maria (married), and Josephine (wife of John Grace).

Mr. Baldwin became a member of the Baptist Church when eighteen years of age, uniting with the Society at Montrose, and he has ever since been a zealous Church worker, being one of the most active in the establishment of the Church at South Auburn, of which he has been deacon over forty years. Socially he holds membership with the Patrons of Industry.

HON. JAMES EDINGER, associate judge of Monroe county, is one of Stroudsburg's leading citizens, and is not only prominent in public life, but has won an enviable place in business circles .. He possesses in a marked degree the qualities of character which constitute good citizenship, and few men in his locality enjoy as fully as he the confidence of the community.

According to tradition the Edinger family in this country is descended from two brothers of that name, Melchoir and William, who came from Ger- many at an early date. The descendants of Will- iam are now numerous in Northampton county, but our subject's branch of the family traces descent from Melchoir.

Henry Edinger, our subject's grandfather, was born in Northampton county, but became a farmer near Tannersville, Monroe county, where he died in 1836. His wife, Eve Schlect, died in Stroudsburg in 1867, at the age of eighty-seven.

John Edinger, the father of our subject, was born in Plainfield township, Northampton county, November 18, 1806, came during boyhood to this section, and was reared at the old homestead in Tannersville. In 1853 he was elected county treas- urer and removed to Stroudsburg, and he afterward served two terms as prothonotary. On retiring from office he continued to reside in Stroudsburg, and his death occurred there July 14, 1881. He was one of the leading Democrats of his county in his day, and for many years he was active in religious work as a member of the Lutheran Church. He married Miss Julia Metzgar, who was born Octo- ber 30, 1808, in Hamilton township, Monroe county, and died January 15, 1892. Her family was also of German origin, and her father, George Metzgar, was a prominent resident of Hamilton township. Eleven children were born to John and Julia Ed- inger: (I) George H., born January 22, 1831, died August 6, 1832. (2) Catherine J., born No- vember 21, 1832, married (first) Rudolph Troch, and after his decease S. P. Stillwell. By the first marriage she had two children-Emma, who mar- ried Walter E. Seeley, and had one child, now de- ceased ; and John, a locomotive engineer, who mar-

ried a Miss Overbaugh, and resides in Scranton, Penn. By the second marriage there were also two children, one of whom died in childhood, and the other, Mamie, married Andrew Warman, and has one son, Saron. (3) Anna Maria, born May 23, 1834, married Charles Shafer, now deceased, son of Philip Shafer, a venerable and highly-esteemed resident of Scranton. Of the two children of this union, Orrin died in childhood ; and John, a locomo- tive engineer, married Miss Lizzie Vinegar, and resides in Scranton. (4) Eve, born June 28, 1836, died August 30, 1840. (5) Elmira E., born Sep- tember 18, 1838, married James Boys (now de- ceased), of New York City, and had two sons- George, who married Miss Sally Walton, and is now deceased; and Robert, in business in New York. (6) John M., born June 3, 1840, died May 4, 1841. (7) Adam, born March 5, 1842, died March 26, 1843. (8) James, our subject, is men- tioned more fully below. (9) One child, born March 6, 1848, died unnamed. (10) Miss Almea, born January 16, 1849, resides in Stroudsburg. (II) Milton, born May 31, 1853, was educated in the schools of Stroudsburg, and learned the trade of harness maker, which he followed about six years. He then engaged in the drug business, later conducted a grocery, and at present he has a gro- cery store in Stroudsburg. He is a Democrat, and socially is connected with the Royal Arcanum, while he and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church. On January 10, 1874, he married Miss Mary Alice McCarty, who was born May 13, 1855, in Milford, Pike county, and they have had five children-Olive, who died at the age of two years ; John, who died in the late war ; Augustus, who died when about two years old; and James F. and Dell, who are attending school.

Judge Edinger was born August 30, 1845, at Bartonsville, Monroe county, and received his lit- erary education in the Stroudsburg schools. At the age of nineteen he became a clerk in a store, and at twenty-four he engaged in general mercantile business on his own account, later disposing of the store; for some time he was one of the managers of the Monroe County Mutual Fire Association. He was also a director in the Stroudsburg National Bank at one time, and is now in the mercantile business. He has always been an ardent Demo- crat, and has held numerous offices, serving three years as a member of the borough council of Stroudsburg, one year as burgess, and three terms as county auditor. In 1895 he was elected to his present office, of associate county judge, for a term of five years. He is a man of powerful build and rare courage, and on more than one occasion these endowments have been put to test. In 1868, when the Brodhead murder occurred, a reward of $500 was offered for the capture of either of the mur- derers (there being two), who had escaped from jail after the death sentence had been imposed. The search was vigilant. Judge Edinger was suc- cessful in catching one of them, Charles Orme, and

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for thirty-nine nights, and until the day of execu- tion, he watched at the jail to see that the prisoner did not again escape. The other was never caught. While our subject was acting as burgess of Strouds- burg the Ehler murder occurred, and when the negro murderer was awaiting trial a mob of about 200 attacked the jail, intending to lynch the prisoner. Under the brave and judicious leadership of Judge Edinger, however, the better element of the town restored order before any damage was done. Also, during the year he was burgess, and while they were building the New York, Susquehanna & West- ern railroad, a riot almost occurred, but, through the efforts of Judge Edinger, one policeman and a few citizens, five of the leaders were quickly housed in the lockup, and the mob dispersed.

In 1873 the Judge married Miss Sarah A. Sing- master, a niece of Jacob Singmaster, the millionaire tanner. She was born at St. Francisville, Mo., in 1853, and died in 1876. In 1880 the Judge formed a second union, with Miss Catherine Smith, of Logansport, Ind. The only child of the first mar- riage, Florence, is now the wife of Rev. Henry Hibshman, of Newburg, Cumberland Co., Penn. By the second marriage there was one daughter, Ruth, now deceased. The family is prominent in the best social circles of Stroudsburg, and the Judge is connected with the Royal Arcanum and with the Lutheran Church, of which he is a leading member.

GERSHAM BUNNELL, now living retired, is one of the worthy citizens of Lehman township, Pike county, who, by developing a good farm from the wilderness, have materially aided in the growth and prosperity of this region. He has met with a well-deserved success in his calling.

Mr. Bunnell was born in Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county, January 6, 1821, and is a representative of one of the honored pioneer fam- ilies of that county, his great-grandfather, Isaac Bunnell, with two brothers, Solomon and Benja- min, having located in Middle Smithfield township at a very early day, and there continued to reside throughout the remainder of their lives. His grand- parents, Isaac and Lanah Bunnell, were natives of Monroe county, the former born July 13, 1738, the latter June 17, 1741. Their children were: James, born February 16, 1767; Mary, wife of William Bensley, born October 7, 1769; Gersham, our sub- ject's father, born in 1770; John, born August II, 1772; William, born October 2, 1780; David, born April 23, 1783 ; Henry, born July 3, 1786; and Bar- nett, born February 16, 1789, who married Charity Dickerson.

Gersham Bunnell, father of our subject, was born in Monroe county, when it formed a part of Pike county, and died in Middle Smithfield town- ship, December 2, 1828. He was married, in Octo- ber, 1794, to Lanah Tock, by whom he had six chil- dren, namely: Benjamin; John; Mary, wife of Elijah Quigley; Pattie, wife of Daniel Bensley ; Lanah, wife of Isaac Quigley ; and Hannah, wife of

William Pennell. The father was again married, June 27, 1814, his second union being with Mrs. Leanora (Smith) Brink, a native of Lehman town- ship, Pike county, who subsequently married Jacob Morey. She died at Mt. Bethlehem, Penn., at the age of seventy-two years. By the second union three children were born: James, who married Julia Walter, and died April 21, 1879, at the age of sixty-one years, one month and twenty-six days ; Gersham, who is residing with his nephew on the old homestead; and Henry, who is mentioned more fully below.

Mr. Bunnell, whose name introduces this sketch, remained on the home farm with his half- sister and her husband in Middle Smithfield town- ship, Monroe county, until he reached the age of eighteen, when he went to Bushkill, Pike county, working in a tannery there for fifteen years. At the end of that time he located upon the present farm, which had been purchased in 1854 by his brother Henry, who had located thereon six months before. In 1861 our subject bought a half interest in the place, which comprised 176 acres, mostly un- improved, and which they operated together until the brother Henry bought him out, in 1880. Upon the place they built a seven-foot stone fence, the highest in Pike county, and the farm is one of the neatest and most attractive within its borders. Mr. Bunnell has met with success financially, and is to- day one of the most prosperous and substantial cit- izens of Lehman township. Although an ardent Democrat, he has never cared for the honors or emoluments of public office, and has never been prevailed upon to accept a political position of any kind. He is, however, a public-spirited citizen.

Gersham H. Bunnell, our subject's nephew, was born on his present farm February II, 1855, a son of Henry and Lydia (Smith) Bunnell, the former a native of Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county, born July 18, 1823, the latter of Pike county, born April 23, 1834. They were mar- ried March 12, 1854, settling on the Bunnell farm, and two children were born to them-Gersham H. and James. In connection with farming the father carried on blacksmithing, until advanced age com- pelled his retirement from such arduous labor. In political sentiment he, too, was a Democrat, and in religious connection he was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. He died May 9, 1895, aged seventy-one years, nine months and twenty-one days; his wife, who is still living, now makes her home with her sons. James, the younger, who mar- ried Ida Howell, resides in Lehman township.

Gersham H. Bunnell is now successfully operat- ing the farm which his father and uncle purchased, and which he has owned since his father's death. He is a hard worker, and an enterprising and pro- gressive man. Politically he is a supporter of the Democratic party, and in 1896 was elected for a three years' term as school director. He holds membership in the Dutch Reformed Church, and is now serving as deacon. On November 7, 1882, he

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was married, in Monroe county, to Miss Anna K. Cortright, who died April 10, 1888, at the age of twenty-nine years, seven months and twenty-eight days. She was a native of Pike county, and a daughter of Jacob P. and Sarah (Gonzalus) Cort- right, prominent farming people of Lehman town- ship. By this union Mr. Bunnell had one daugh- ter, Nellie M., who is at home. He was again mar- ried, at Port Jervis, N. Y., September 4, 1889, his second union being with Amanda H. Litts, who was born in Lehman township, Pike county. Her par- ents, John and Lucretia (Hineline) Litts, were natives of Monroe and Pike counties, respectively, and are now residents of Lehman township, where the father is engaged in farming. In their family are six children. as follows: Eliza, now the wife of John Bradshaw, of Branchville, N. J .; Amanda, wife of our subject; Jason H., a resident of Pike county : and Blanche, Harry and George, all at home. Mrs. Bunnell's paternal grandparents, Will- iam and Sarah (Litts) Litts, were natives of New Jersey ; they were cousins.

JAMES GILBERT HOTCHKISS (deceased) was one of the leading citizens of Susquehanna county, where for many years he was a prosperous farmer. He was a respected member of the Con- gregational Church, served for three years as su- pervisor, and for a like period as poormaster, hav- ing been elected to office on the Republican ticket. He was eminently loyal to the Federal Government during the war of the Rebellion, and, finding it im- possible to tender his own services as a soldier, en- gaged a substitute to represent him at the front. He was born at Prospect, New Haven Co., Conn., July 14, 1822, and died in Harford township, July 24, 1879.

The parents of our subject were Joel Hotchkiss and Esther Beecher, both natives of New Haven county, Conn., where they were married June 16, 1803. In 1823 they removed to New Milford town- ship, Susquehanna Co., Penn., and after remaining there a few years exchanged their farm for one in Harford township, where they lived until their death. Joel Hotchkiss died June 16, 1856, and his wife Esther, who was born May I, 1783, on June 16, 1853. They were the parents of eight children, as follows: Calvin, born July 19, 1804 (now deceased) ; Horace, born June 14, 1806; Lu- cretia, born September 20, 1808 (deceased) ; Abra- ham B., born April 22, 1810 (deceased) ; Richard, born June 19, 1813 (deceased) : Maria, born No- vember 3. 1816, widow of Merritt Seely (living on a part of the old homestead) ; James Gilbert, our subject : and Harriet S., born October 20, 1827, who married Alfred Payne, and is now deceased. On February 12, 1858, James G. Hotchkiss was married to Miss Maria Potter, who bore him two sons and four daughters: Joel B., who died in January, 1886, at the age of twenty-six years, un- married ; Zilpha, who died when an infant of sev- enteen months; Zada M., wife of Willis B. Ham-

mond, a carpenter and builder of Harford; Nora B., who married George W. Madison, of Forest City (also a builder) ; Lola, wife of Edwin Miller, of Harford, a farmer; and James G., a farmer in New Milford township.

Mrs. Hotchkiss survives her husband, and owns the old homestead and farm, which she rents. She was born at Abington, Penn., October 24, 1834, a daughter of Charles C. and Roxy Celia (Gorton) Potter, who early removed to Abington from Rhode Island, but in the year of Mrs. Hotchkiss' birth took up their residence in Lenox township, Sus- quehanna county. Mr. Potter, who was a farmer, died in 1863, aged sixty-six years ; his wife was born September 1, 1813, and passed away in May, 1890, and their remains rest in Harford cemetery. Mrs. Hotchkiss was the first-born of their family ; Cerina, who is unmarried, makes her home with her elder sister ; Eleanora, now deceased, was twice married, her first husband having been William Hotchkiss, and her second Richard Barton; Esther died in carly youth; George W. is a farmer of Harford; Celestia, who lives in New Milford township, has been twice married, first to Jason Fargo, and after his death to Richard Halstead, who is also deceased ; Sarah became the wife of Washington Tennant, a farmer at Shaw, Ill. ; Charles resides in California ; and Alsina married Youngs Lewis, and is now de- ceased.

Mrs. Hotchkiss has passed the sixty-fifth mile- stone in her journey through life, yet her faculties and physical health show no impairment. Beloved by her children and honored by those who have known her since her youth, her old age is to her truly a "crown of glory."

CAPT. GEORGE A. SMITH is at this writ- ing serving his second term as prothonotary of Wayne county, Penn., where he occupies a fore- most place in the ranks of the rising young citizens who by their spirit of enterprise and progress are doing much to advance the public and material in- terests of this section. He is a native of this State, born June 1, 1865, in Stoddardsville, Luzerne coun- ty, son of Lewis R. and Christina ( Bailey) Smith.

The branch of the Smith family to which Capt. Smith belongs comes of good old New England stock. His paternal grandfather, George Smith, was born in New Jersey, and when a young man . came to Pennsylvania, locating in Pike county, where he lived for a number of years. Here he was married to Maria Rockwell, a native of Pau- pac, Pike county, and some time afterward removed to Wayne county, Penn., where he ended his days, dying at the age of of seventy-seven years. He was the father of twelve children, namely: Lewis R., George G., Emeline, Tunis, Levi, James R., John. Jane, Rebecca, Mary, Frank and Samuel.

Lewis R. Smith, the eldest in this family, and the father of our subject, was born in 1831. Early in life he became connected with the lumber busi- ness, following its fortunes through the different

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districts in Pennsylvania, and engaged in contract work for a number of years, finally settling in New- foundland, Wayne Co., Penn., where he still re- sides. He carried on the hotel business there for many years, but he is now living retired from act- ive life. During his career as a lumberman he was located for a time in Pike county, Penn., where he married Miss Christina Bailey, who was born in 1833 in England, and died at Newfoundland, Penn., November 30, 1899. Seven children were born to them, as follows: Charles E., who is in the insur- ance business ; Horace A., a minister of the M. E. Church, at present located at South Canaan, Wayne county : Lewis Benton, a carpenter, living at Scran- ton, Penn .; Earnest E., who died at the age of twenty-seven years; Capt. George A .; H. B., who; is a traveling salesman ; and David B., who carries on a hotel.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 1, Part 96

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