Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2, Part 104

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1098

USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2 > Part 104
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2 > Part 104
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2 > Part 104
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2 > Part 104

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Of the children. Paul is now a retired farmer and nurseryman of Olivia, Minn. ; Henry, who was for many years a farmer of Bird Island. Minn., is now deceased; Julius A. is also a farmer of that State; Richard is the subject of this review ; Gus- tavus is a farmer of Redwood Falls, Minn .: Ed- ward, who married Julia Groner, a native of Monroe county, Penn., is engaged in farming and black- smithing in Snydersville, that county: Louis is a farmer and blacksmith of Chaska, Minn .; Ferdi- mand is an agriculturist of Bird Island. that State; and Bernard is a merchant of Redwood Falls, Min- nesota.

Richard Wolff was born in Saxony, Germany, December 9, 1830, and was seven years old when brought by his parents to the United States. He completed his education in the schools of Wayne county, and after his father's death assisted his mother in the operation of the home farm until he _ attained the age of twenty-two years, when he started out to make his own way in the world. Soon afterward. however. he returned to the okl homestead. and he has since devoted liis energies to its cultivation and improvement with most gratify- ing results. He has eighty-five acres of valuable land, upon which he has erected a substantial dwell- ing and good outbuildings. In connection with gen- eral farming he has engaged in lumbering. and having a grove of over 200 maple trees upon his place, he manufactures, in a good season, 400 pounds of sugar, besides sufficient syrup for home use.

In Drehier township. Mr. Wolff was married, in 1854. to Miss Ernestina Ehrhardt, a daughter of

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Gotlieb Ehrhardt, and they have had children as follows: (1) Agnes, born July 27, 1855, died February 2, 1858. (2) Frank E., born March II, 1857, wedded Mary Schroeder, and is now living in Alameda, Cal. He was educated at Bethlehem, Penn., for the Moravian ministry, and first preached at Whitewater, Wis., later at Green Bay, that State, and at Casselton, N. Dak., and was for seven years a missionary in Alaska. (3) John R., born No- vember 9, 1858, is married and engaged in merchan- dising in St. Paul, Minn. (4) Charles, born March I, 1860, married Mary Burrus, and is carrying on farming and lumbering in Greene township, Pike county, Penn. (5) Richard F., born December 31. 1861, married Mary Racliffe, and is a machinist of Auburn, N. Y. (6) William E., born August 22, 1863, married Katie Kipp, and is a farmer and lum- berman of Greene township, Pike county. (7) Edward A., born March 12, 1865, married Frances Ruth, and resides in Mont Clair, N. J .; he is a car- penter by trade. (8) Samuel H., born September 10, 1869, married Frances Brink, and makes his home in Stroudsburg; he also is engaged in car- pentering. (9) Mary E., born November 23, 1871, is the wife of Frank Sebring. The mother of this family passed away October 11, 1878. Mr. Wolff has twenty-three grandchildren.

As a Republican, Mr. Wolff takes an active in- terest in political affairs, and has most acceptably filled the office of supervisor of his township. He is an earnest member of the Moravian Church, and is widely and favorably known throughout his adopted county.

IRWIN R. BENJAMIN, an enterprising and thorough-going farmer of Simon, South Canaan township, Wayne county, is a native son of that county, born August 9, 1843, in what was then Saleni (now Lake) township.

Henry H. Benjamin, father of our subject, was a native of New York State, and in Lackawanna county, Penn., about two miles from Dunmore, be- came acquainted with Miss Sarah Krotzer, a native of Easton, Penn., who afterward became his wife. In 1835 they came to Wayne county, living in Salem township until 1867, when they returned to Dun- more, and she died there in 1872, aged sixty-six years. He died June 21, 1887, while on a visit to our subject in Wayne county, at the age of eighty- three years and three months, and both were laid to rest at Dunmore. They were active and faithful members of the Christian Church. The father was a carpenter by trade and was a Republican in politics. The children born to Henry HI. and Saralı ( Krot- zer ) Benjamin were as follows: Mary wedded Will- iam Beisecker, and both are now deceased. Sidney is a carpenter Dv trade. Wells and Charles are both deccased. Sarah A. is the wife of P. H. Moan, who is with the Pennsylvania Coal Co., in Pittston, Penn. Harriet is the deceased wife of Amos Washer, who is with the Pennsylvania Coal Co., in Dunmore. Henry lived on the old homestead in Lake township, in 1898

removing to Hollisterville, where he died October 2, 1899. Irwin R. is the next of the family. Cath- erine is the wife of William H. Sharp, a farmer of Lake township. Hettie is the wife of Henry Moon, a farmer of Salem township.

Irwin R. Benjamin remained under the paren- tal roof until after the outbreak of the Civil war. Responding to his country's call for aid, hie enlisted, August 6, 1862, in Company A, 137th P. V. I., under Capt. J. M. Buckingham. He was under fire at Chancellorsville, but was never wounded, and when his term of service had expired was honorably dis- charged, in June, 1863. After a short time spent at liome, he began working for the railroad, with which he was connected until March, 1864, when he went to Tennessee as a carpenter in the employ of the gov- ernment for five months. On returning to Wayne county he again entered the service of the Pennsyl- vania Coal Co., as a railroad employe between Dun- more and Hawley, remaining with them four and.a half years. He tlien purchased a farm in South Canaan township which he operated for one year, but for the following year and a half was again with the railroad, at the end of that time returning to the farm, and continuing its cultivation from 1871 until 1856, when he removed to his present place of 160 acres. Here he has since successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits.

On December 25, 1864. Mr. Benjamin was uni- ted in marriage to Miss Orrilla R. Swingle, and to them were born four children: The eldest. born September 11, 1865, died in infancy. Jennie M., born April 17, 1867, is now the wife of Hayton Merithew, a hardware merchant of Wilkes Barre. Penn., and they have one son. Lyle Leroy, born July 8. 1890. Simon L., born March 4. 1873, died in infancy. Delbert, born March 21, 1877, died in childhood. The wife and mother was born in South Canaan township. April 4. 1846, and died March II, 1895, being buried in the Protestant Church cem- etery, in South Canaan township. Her father, Simon Swingle, died March 6, 1896. but her mother is still living, now making her home with her son- in-law, Charles Mckinney, at Simon, South Canaan township.

At Wilkes Barre, Penn .. Mr. Benjamin was married, March 3. 1897, to Miss Clara A. Brown, Rev. George Eakens, assisted by Rev. J. T. Logan, of the Free Methodist Church, performing the cere- mony. Mrs. Benjamin was born near Pittston, Penn., a daugliter of William and Abigail ( Will- iams) Brown, the former a native of Scotland, the latter of Luzerne county, Penn. At the age of six- teen the father came to America, locating first in New York, whence he removed to Luzerne county, Penn., and where both he and his wife died, the former in April, 1862, aged fifty years. the latter in 1876, aged fifty-tour, and their remains were in- terred at Wilkes Barre. Their children were Will- iam, who died in 1874; Bradley, deceased; Clara A., wife of our subject ; Harry A., a printer of New York ; and Milton C., a baker, of Wilkes Barre. The

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mother was twice married, her first husband being. Charles Mckinney, by whom she had five children, namely: Thomas, deceased ; Lovia. deceased wife of William Mitchelltree ; Lucy, who died when young; Charles, who conducts a poultry farm in California ; and Frances, deceased wife of L. C. Gomer. a jew- eler of Wilkes Barre. Mrs. Benjamin's maternal grandfather, Thomas Williams, was descended from Connecticut ancestry who were early settlers of Plains. Luzerne county, being there at the time of the Wyoming massacre. Her grandmother, Hannah (Bennet ) Williams, was a native of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Benjamin is a prominent and active member of the Free Methodist Church, of which he is at present serving as trustee and steward. Being a strong Temperance man, his support is always given the men and measures of the Prohibition party, and his influence and support is never withheld from any object which he believes calculated to prove of pub- lic good. In many respects his life is well worthy of emulation.

GABRIEL D. W. LAYTON. On June '18, 1880, there passed away, at his home in Delaware township, Pike county, this well-known educator and prominent farmer, whose many years of faithful toil in his profession made his name a household word in that community. In all the varied activities of our common life he had taken a helpful part as a loyal citizen, devoting his abilities to the cause of progress. His death was felt as a loss among all classes, and the following brief account of one so esteemed will be read with unusual interest.

Mr. Layton was born in Sussex county, N. J., July 17, 1818, a son of Henry D. and Julia ( Drake ) Layton, the former born in New England, of En- glish ancestry, the latter in Sullivan county, N. Y., of Holland extraction. The father, who was also a teacher by profession. perished in the woods în 1836, darkness overtaking him while returning home, and he was lost in the snow. He was buried where his body was found. Our subject was the eldest of his children. John became a man of prominence in his community, having served nine years as county su- perintendent and many years as county surveyor, filling the latter office at the time of his death; lie wedded Mary Whittaker, a native of Burnley, Eng- land. Henry D. married Susan Johnson. Anna is the widow of George Silvey, and a resident of Chi- cago, Ill. Henrietta is the widow of Christopher H. Garrison.

Gabriel D. W. Layton came to Pike county dur- ing boyhood. and here continued to make his home until called to the world beyond. During the greater part of his life hie engaged in school teach- ing, and being one of the leading and influential cit- , izens of his township he was called upon to fill many local offices, serving as justice of the peace at the time of his death. In his political views he was a Democrat.

In 1840, in Delaware township. Mr. Layton married Miss Belinda Steele, who died March 23,

1895, at the age of eighty-one years, one month and eleven days. Her parents, Gilbert and Hannah (Decker ) Steele, well-known agriculturists, spent their entire lives in Pike county, the father dying in 1840, aged sixty years, the mother in 1860, aged eighty-one. Their children were Daniel, who mar- ried Barbara Miller ; Sarah, wife of William Mor- ris; Gilbert J., who married Elizabeth L'Homedieu ; Eleanor, wife of Abram Van Auken; Belinda, wife of our subject : Leah, who died unmarried at the age of thirty-five ; Jane and Hannah, who both died when young ; and Catherine, wife of Thomas Cortright. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Layton were Maurice H., who died in Delaware township ; Sarah E., who lives on the old homestead ; John, who died at the age of two and a half years; Hannah S., who lives with her sister on the home farm; Jennie L., widow of George MI. Bosler, of Milford, Penn. ; and Kate, who is now serving as secretary to the super- intendent of a hospital in Warren county, Pennsyl- vania.

Miss Sarah E. Layton began her professional career as a teacher at the age of seventeen years, tor nineteen years successfully taught in Pike county, and for one term in Sussex county, N. J. She was also in the Harrisburg State Hospital for three years,' as ladies' companion, and as supervisor of female wards in hospitals at Warren. Penn .. for nine and a half years, but since 1891 she has lived retired on the old home farm. She is a lady of more than ordinary business ability, is cultured and refined in manner. and has a host of warm friends who esteem her highly for her sterling worth. Religiously she is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. .

SYLVESTER SHAFFER, a prominent resi- dent of Lake township, Wayne county. has been for many years identified with agricultural interests in that locality, but is now living in retirement, enjoy- ing the rewards of his past labors. He comes of a family which is noted for its, industry and thrift. and his successful career shows that he possesses in abundant measure these admirable qualities.

Among the first settlers in Wayne county was John Shaffer. the grandfather of our subject, a German by birth. This pioneer came to America previous to the Revolutionary war. in which he took an active part on the side of freedom, and after residing for some years in New York State, where he married a Miss Forbes, removed. in 1783. to what is now South Canaan township. Wayne coun- ty. locating in the wiklerness and clearing a tarm. His surroundings and conveniences were of the most primitive type. In about 1800 he built a grist- mill at Shaffer's Hollow, the first in the neighbor- hood. He and his wife had the following children : John, a native of New York State : Moses, our sub- ject's father : Samuel ; Catherine. Mrs. James Mc- Lane: Susan, Mrs. Joshua Borleigh: Effe, Mrs. Jacob Swingle: Betsey, Mrs. Edward Doyle; and Polly, Mrs. Sammel Chumard.

Moses Shaffer, the father of our subject, was

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the first white child born in South Canaan town- ship, Wayne county. He married Mary Swingle, a member of another pioneer family, and their chil- dren were: Jacob, who married Susan Enslin, both now. deceased; Susan, who married (first) Jacob Swingle and ( second) Moses Springer, all deceased ; Sarah, who married John Cobb, both deceased ; Fanny, deceased, who married Aaron Curtis, of South Canaan; Samuel, who married (first) Re- becca Jaggers, deceased, and (second) Mary A. Curtis; Charles, who married Alice Bennett, both deceased; Permelia, who married Adam Wagoner, of South Canaan; John, who married Mary A. Hoosier, both now deceased; Catherine, who mar- ried James Glenn, both deceased; Mary, widow of Abraham Jaggers, of South Canaan township; Sylvester, our subject; and Hannah J., wife of Rev. George W. Swingle, of South Canaan town- ship.

Our. subject was born November 30, 1826, at the old homestead in South Canaan township, and remained with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-four. For about four years he was em- ployed as a farm hand and at lumbering, working in the woods as well as in sawmills. He then set- tled at his present farm in Lake township, and until his retirement from active work his time was chiefly given to its management. He has always taken an interest in local affairs, his influence being exerted on the side of progress, and he has for years been a leading worker in the Democratic organization of the township, having served in various official posi- tions, including that of supervisor, which he held for three years.

On November 8, 1850, Mr. Shaffer was mar- ried, in Jefferson township, Luzerne county, Penn., to Miss Hannah Swingle, and eight children have blessed the union. ( 1) Frances married William Black, a railroad man residing in South Canaan township, and they have had three children: Cath- erine, who married Emory Chapman, and has two children, Samuel and Buel; Minnie, who married Silas Bellows, and has five children: Leslie, Leo. Frances, Pearl and Luella : and Alice, who married Byron Van Sickles, and has one child. William D. (2) Benjamin, a farmer of South Canaan town- ship, married Miss Ida Wagner, and they have five children : Jeanette (who married Charles Cobb. and has one child, Charles B.) ; Anna ( who married Albert Minry, and has one child. Grace), Sylvester J., Mary and Susan. (3) Alvin, who is engaged in farming in South Canaan township,married Miss Eretta Hawk. and they have four children. Clara (who married John Bell). Elmer. Leroy M. and Harlan. (4) Sylvia, widow of Spencer Black, re- sides in South Canaan township. She has five chil- dren: Emmet, Elida. Martha, Mattie and Bertha. (5) Mary, widow of Clinton Black, resides in Sontli Canaan township. She has two children, Samuel and Carl I. (6) Charles, a carpenter in South Can- aan township, married Miss Almina Swingle. and they have seven children, Vincent, Gaston, Woody .A.,

Herman, Floyd. Calvin and Nancy A. (7) Al- mina married Paolo Testa, a farmer in South Canaan township. and they have five children, Alson B., Pearl, Effie, Raymond and Mcad. (8) Estella married George Mandeville, and resides in South Canaan township. She has one child, Hannah L. With the exception of Mrs. Mandeville, all of this family reside in Lake township.

. Mrs. Shaffer was born October 16. 1832, in South Canaan township. and is of the fourth genera- tion in descent from Hans Ulrich Swingle, the noted pioneer. who is mentioned more tully else- where. Frederick Swingle, her grandfather. and the fifth child of the pioncer, married Susan Enslin. a native of South Canaan township. and a member of another well-known family. Charles Swingle, the father of Mrs. Shaffer. was a prominent resi- dent of the township in his day, and he died there in 1869 at an advanced age. His wife, Elmina Quick, who died in 1894 in her eightieth year. was born in Luzerne county, Penn .. the daughter of Cornelius and Elizabeth Quick. who settled later in Wayne county. Charles and Elmina Swingle had the following children: Anna, who married Ira Reed. both now deceased ; Oliver, a resident of Canaan township. Wayne county ; Hannah, wife of our subject : Leonard. a resident of Canaan town- ship: Sarah, wife of James Mandeville. of Canaan township: Nancy. deceased, who married Samuel Swingle. of South Canaan township: Rachel. who married Michael Cobb, both deccased : Julietta. who married James Ashley, of Canaan township: Cath- erine, deccased, who married Delavan Swingle. of Scranton, Penn .; and Elijah, a resident of Scranton.

ARTHUR HENRY AYRES, of Dundaff, Susquehanna county, is proprietor of one of the largest and finest farms in northeastern Pennsylva- nia. supplied with all the conveniences and acces- sories found upon a model nineteenth-century farm. As a tiller of the soil he is thorough and skillful. and has been uniformly fortunate in his invest- ments. .

Mr. Avres was born in the old "Dundaff Hotel." May 3, 1835. and is a worthy representative of one of the most prominent families of Susquehanna county, being a son of Benjamin and Margaret (Lepper) Avres. the former a native of Bergen county. N. J .. the latter of Dublin, Ireland. But little is known of his maternal grandparents ex- cept that they were lifelong residents of Dunmore. Treland, and were Protestants in religious faitlı. His paternal grandparents were Elihu and Susan (Terhune) Avres. the grandfather a native of Southampton. England, whence. in 1780. he came to America with a brother. After a year spent in New Bedford they separated. the former going to. Bergen county, N. J., the latter to Pennsylvania. where he died shortly afterward. For many years Mr. Avres' grandfather operated the first cable ferry between Manhattan Island and Jersey City. N. J. He died in 1825. at the age of sixty-eight

·att Synes

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

wears, his wife in 1836, at the age of seventy- aight, and both were buried at Stapleton, L. L. Their children were Susan, wife of Witham Stagg. of New York City; Eliza, wife of 1. B. Smith, of the same place; Benjamin, father of our subject; Am, wife of Jacob Lake, of New York City; Al- bert, who married Eliza C. Snyder; and Maria, wife of James Clark.

In 1824 Benjamin Ayres, father of our subject, came from Wilkes Barre, Penn., to Dundaff, and purchased the "Dundaff Hotel, ' which he conducted for twenty years. His first hotel was a log house. at which four stages stopped daily. He was in- strumental in securing the construction of the Mil- iord & Owego turnpike, in which he owned an in- terest tintil 1855, and he drove the first "coach and six" over that road. On leaving the Dundaff House" he rented the "Lake Hotel," in Clifford township, which he carried on for sixteen years. In 1855 he purchased from James Shott. of Phila- delphia, 450 acres of land in that townhsip and lo- cated thereon, and at the same time he also bought the "Dundaff Hotel" and three and one-half acres. He devoted the remainder of his life to agricultural pursuits. He had previously purchased 550 acres, making a tract of 1,000 acres, owned a-farm of 250 acres at Clifford borough, and at the time of his death had 1,770 acres of fine farming land. He was an excellent business man, of keen discrimina- tion and sound judgment, and the success he achieved in life was due entirely to his own well- directed efforts and good management. He died August 7, 1868, at the age of sixty-eight years and eight months, and his wife passed away November 16, 1879, at the age of seventy-four years and six months, both being laid to rest in a private ceme- tery on a part of the old homestead. The chil- dren born to this worthy couple were William, who died young ; Thomas S., who died in 1853: Phin -. ney, a broker and real-estate dcaler of New York City ; Magaret J., widow of B. J. Edwards, of Dun- daff, mentioned below; Arthur H., our subject; Susannah, a resident of New York City; Eliza, wife of Dr. E. W. Wells, of Eureka, Cal. ; Benja- inin, a physician of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Mary R., wife of R. P. Olmstead, a salesman of Buffalo, N. Y .; and Albert, who died June 13, 1892.

Arthur H. Ayres received his education in the common schools and at Kingston ( Penn. ) Acad- emy, and on Icaving home, at the age of twenty-one. went to New York City, where he was engaged in the grocery business for three years. Ile then re- turned to Dundaff, bought, rebuilt, and conducted the "Dundaff llonse" for twenty-eight years as a summer resort, after which he sold the place and removed to the old homestead, which he has since carried on with marked success. Mr. Ayres was the first to introduce guests from the cities of New York and Philadelphia, his venture proving a con- plete success. In his political views our subject is a Demcerat, and he has over taken'an active and promi- nent part in public affairs, having served as school

director fifteen years, as a member of the town council for the past thirty years, and as overseer of the poor at the present time. The family is one of prommence in the various communities where its nienabers reside.

In 1860, at Clifford, Penn., Mr. Ayres was united in marriage with Miss Angeline Coil, and they have one son, William H., who married Emma Smiith, and is now a bookkeeper in New York City. He is a graduate of Eastman's Business College, Pouglikeepsie, N. Y. Mrs. Ayres is a prominent member of the Episcopal Church at Dundaff, in the work of which Society she takes an active part. She was born in Clifford, February 14, 1829, daughter of James and Amy ( Stevens) Coil, the former a native of Clifford township, Susquchanna county, the latter of Wyoming county, Penn. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, and a man of prominence in his community, died in his native township in 1849, at the age of sixty years, and the mother died while on a visit to her son in Spring Brook, Penn., in 1851, at the age of hity-two: both were buried in Dundaff cemetery. Mr. Coil served as captain of a company in the State militia of Pennsylvania. In their family were the following children: Polly, who died young; Charles, a re- tired farmer of Grenola, Kans .; James, deceased ; Angeline, wife of our subject ; Woodbury, a retired citizen of Forest City, Penn .; Emaline, wife of Warren Warner, a wagon maker of Scranton ; Ebenezer, who died young: Rachel, deceased wite of Harvey Stevenson; Edwin, who has never been heard from since going to California ; and Martha, deceased wife of Adelbert Reynolds. Mrs. Avres: paternal grandparents, James and Margaret Coil. were natives of Ireland and Philadelphia. respect- ively, and were married in the "Quaker City." The grandfather was the son of a wealthy gentleman of Ireland, but was compelled to leave home on ac- count of an article he had written about the sover- eign. Emigrating to America, he took up his resi- dence in Clifford township. Susquehanna county. at an early day, became quite wealthy and prominent. and at one time owned Crystal Lake and most of Dundaff. Mrs. Avres' maternal grandparents were Ebenezer and Rachel (Squirrel) Stevens. of Wy oming county, Penn., the former of whom was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and afterwant drew a pension front the government.

BENJAMIN J. EDWARDS, a brother-in-law of Arthur H. Ayres, was born in Binghamton. N. Y .. and was engaged in the paint and glass business in New York City for fifteen years. Later hie con .. (Incted a grocery store at Wilkes Barre, Penn .. icr two years, but on account of failing health was obliged to give up business, and in 1865 came to Dundaff. where he died August 19, 1867. at the age of forty-two years and five months, honored and re- spected by all who knew him. His remains were in- terred in the Ayres family burial plot at Dundaff. On August 11, 1853, at Crystal Lake, Clifford town- sliip, he married Miss Margaret J. Ayres, and to

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2, Part 104

Author: Publication date: 1900 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1098

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1098