Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2, Part 70

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 70
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2 > Part 70
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2 > Part 70
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2 > Part 70

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JOIIN S. OLIVER, one of the most enterpris- ing, energetic nnd successful young business men of Pike county, is now carrying on operations along various lines of endeavor at Glen Evre, where he owns much valuable property. Ifis ability, enter-

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prise and upright methods have already gained for him an enviable reputation in business circles, and his popularity is established on a firm basis-that of his own well-tested merit.

Mr. Oliver was born in Atlanta, Ga., July 12, 1874, and is a son of Charles J. Oliver, whose birth occurred in the same city in 1834. The father is still engaged in business at that place as a contractor. In Rome, Ga., he married Miss Frances, daughter of Jacob Shopshire, and they became the parents of three children : Beatrice F., who was born in 1873, and is at home; Jolin S .; and Susan S., who was born in 1877, and is also at home.

After completing a high-school education in Atlanta, John Shopshire Oliver went to New York City at the age of eighteen years, and there secured a position in a bank, which at the end of a year was consolidated with the Standard National Bank, and Mr. Oliver was appointed assistant cashier in the new concern. He remained with the bank for three years, and as he adhered strictly to business, he re- ceived several promotions. In 1897 he speculated quite extensively in sugar and gas stocks with marked success, and these gains he invested in Pike county real estate, purchasing 976 acres of valuable timber land, including the village of Glen Eyre, tenement houses, store, etc., also a farm of fifty-five acres, all under cultivation. Upon this land are very valuable quarries of Pennsylvania blue stone. Under the firm name of the Blooming Grove Lum- ber Company, of which Mr. Oliver is president, an extensive lumber business is carried on, the com- pany owning and operating a steam sawmill at Glen Eyre, and in the quarries and mill employment is given to from twenty to forty men the year round. Besides the above mentioned enterprises, Mr. Oliver is also engaged in the sale of general merchandise at Glen Eyre. In politics he is a Democrat, though not radical in his views, and on May 15, 1898, he was commissioned postmaster at Glen Eyre.

ANDREW J. KIMBLE, a highly esteemed citizen of Palmyra township. Pike county; belongs to a family which was early founded in this section of the State. His grandfather, Abel Kimble, was probably a native of Connecticut, whence when a young man he came to Pike county, locating on the Wallenpaupack stream, in what is now com- monly called the Paupac settlement. There he erected the first gristmill bitilt in northeastern Pennsylvania. He married Sibel Chapman, who was born April 22, 1757, and died in 1847. She was a daughter of Uriah and Sibel Chapman, the former of whom died April 23, 1816, aged eighty- two years, the latter on September 17, 1807. aged seventy-one. The children born to AAbel Kimble and his wife were as follows : Uriah. who spent part of his life in Michigan, but died in Pike county, Penn. : Erastus, who died in Michigan: Philip, who died in the Mexican war ; Burnum, the father of our subject; Otto, who died in Milford, Penn .;

Clara, who first married Robert Drake, and for her second husband wedded Henry Bartleson; Mary, who married a Mr. Pwack; Betsy, who ntarried John Connet ; Sarah, who married Rudolphus Bing- ham; and Mahala, who married Jacob Atherton.

Burnum Kimble was born in Palmyra town- ship, Pike county, in 1795, and died in 1866. He was engaged in the milling business throughout life, and the ruins of his old mill can still be seen near the Marcus Killam place. He also followed farming. and in later years took up lumbering. Politically he was a stanch Democrat, up till the Fremont campaign, since when he has voted the Republican ticket. He was honored by an election to all of the township offices, which he has most ably filled. He married Miss Annie Brown, a native of Lackawanna county, Penn., and they became the parents of nine children : Caroline (deceased), who married Henry Edward. a farmer of Palmyra town- ship, Pike county; Sibel (deceased), married to G. Pellett, of the same township; Susan, who died young; Philip (deceased), who married Lucy Kimble (of a different family), and was employed for years on the Delaware & Hudson canal at Haw- ley, Penn .; Arthur, who married Millie Killam (now deceased), and resides in Hawley; Ada J., widow of Rush Killam, and living in Rock county, WVis. ; Andrew J. is the next of the family ; Erastus, who died young; and Sarah A. (deceased), who married A. J. Nice, of Palmyra township.

Andrew J. Kimble was born in Palmyra town- ship, Pike county, December 1, 1828, and his early life was spent in attending the common schools and assisting in the farm work. On attaining his ma- jority he went to Van Buren county, Mich., where he was employed in a sawmill for three years, and then returned to his native county and engaged in lumbering there. At the end of twelve years he again went west, this time traveling with his first wife, for the benefit of her health, through. Illinois and Wisconsin, and in Rock county, latter State, she died. Returning to Pennsylvania, he engaged in lumbering and also in the manufacture of spokes and hubs at Hawley for some years, and when he sold his property there he bought his present farm in Palmyra township, Pike county, comprising twenty acres, all under excellent cultivation. Here he successfully engaged in general farming, and he also keeps summer boarders.

On December 25. 1859, in Carbondale, Penn., Mr. Kimble was united in marriage with Miss Helen M. Pellett, who was born March 13. 1835. and died September 30, 1866. Of the three children born to this union, Hattie and Howard both died in in- fancy, and Addie was married in Rock county, Wis., to Atley Bingham, but is now deceased. Mr. Kimble was again married. December 10. 1867. to Miss Nancy G. Pellett, a sister of his first wife. and a daughter of Calvin and Eunice ( Kimble ) P'ellett. Her paternal grandparents were Jolin and Nancy ( Bingham) Pellett. the former of whom was born in Canterbury, Conn., February 2, 1748, and died

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in Palmyra township, Pike Co., Penn., September 18, 1837, while his wife was born about 1788, a daughter of Hezekiah Bingham, and died February 15, 1815. Mrs. Kimble's maternal grandparents were Ephraim and Eunice ( Ainsley ) Kimble, the former a farmer and extensive lumberman of Pike county. Calvin Pellett was born in Palmyra town- ship, August 13, 1804. passed his entire life on the old homestead engaged in farming and lumbering, and died August 3, 1805 ; his wife, who was born in the same township, December 10, 1810, passed away May 14, 1871. Their eldest child was Helen Marr, the first wife of our subject, the others being as follows : William Wallace, born May 26. 1837, died December 13, 1866 (he married Anna Edwards) ; Ezra B., born June 7, 1839, wedded Mary Ann Lord, and lives in Jackson county, Ill .; Nancy G., born June 8, 1841, is the present wife of our sub- ject ; Ephraim K., born March 24, 1843, married Josie Prichet, and died May 5, 1881 : Theodore F., born December 27, 1844, married Esther Bennett, and resides in Murphysboro, Ill .: Millie M., born December 12, 1846, is the wife of Fred P. Grant, of Knoxville, Iowa; Obediah, born March 20, 1849, died May 12, 1849 : Calvin O .. born January 3, 1853, married Emma Tippett, and resides in Murphys- boro, Ill .: and Eunice, born May 31, 1856, died May 9, 1857. Mr. and Mrs. Kimble have a family of five children, namely : Helen M., born May 15, 1869, is the wife of Artemus Simons, a carpenter of Dunmore, Penn. ; Eunice, born August 21, 1871, and Cora, born October 11, 1873, both reside in Scranton, Penn. : and Annie B., born October 21, 1875, and Clara Belle, born June 21, 1878, are both at home.

The Republican party finds in Mr. Kimble a stanch supporter of its principles, and he has ever taken quite an active and prominent part in local political affairs. His fellow citizens have often called him to public office, and he has most efficiently served as jury commissioner, township assessor, super- visor, school director nine years, and overseer of the poor nine years. He was also postmaster at Paupac for many years, and since 1894 his wife has filled that office to the entire satisfaction of all con- cerned.

JOHN PETERS, who now, after a long and active career in the commercial world. is living re- tired in his old home. Middlesmithfield. Monroe county, has won the esteem and respect of his fellow citizens to an enviable degree. and may be truly looked upon as a representative type of the Chris- tian element in citizenship. He has occupied his beautiful residence since iSSt. when he relinquished active business cares, and he is now passing his davs in peaceful enjoyment of the ample competence which he accumulated by years of close attention to his life occupation, merchandising.

Mr. Peters was born August 18. 1822, in Mid- dlesmithfield township, son of George Peters and grandson of Peter Peters, the latter a native of

Germany who came to this country in early life and located in Philadelphia, where he remained for some years. He married a native of Alsace, France, and in the early part of the present century they removed with their family to Stroud township, at that time included in Northampton county, now Monroe county, Penn., where they spent the remainder of their days. Peter Peters was a miller by calling. Of the children born to this worthy couple, four sons and two daughters, John, born in Philadelphia, settled in Deposit, Broome county, N. Y., along the Delaware river, and there followed lumbering for a number of years, dying in that place ; he married a Miss Smith, of Wallpack, N. J. Henry, born in Philadelphia, married Miss Sarah Gunsaulus, of Monroe county, and settled at Bushkill, Pike county, where he carried on a general mercantile business for many years, becoming one of the prominent men of his town; he died at his home in Pike county about twenty-five years ago, leaving two sons, William and Samuel, who still reside there. Michael passed his entire life in Philadelphia ; his family are all deccased. Elizabeth became the wife of Samuel Meredith, of Philadelphia.

George Peters was born in 1793 at Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, came with his parents to Monroe county, and was here reared to manhood, after his marriage settling on a large tract of land in Middle- smithfield which he purchased. He was engaged in clearing and cultivating this farm during the re- mainder of his life, and he succeeded by untiring in- dustry in converting the place into a valuable prop- erty. Mr. Peters wedded Miss Margaret Miller, who was born in 1799 and grew to womanhood in Warren county, N. J., and both passed away on the homestead, Mrs. Peters in 1877, Mr. Peters in July, 1880: their remains rest in the cemetery at Cool- baugh. They were consistent members of the Presbyterian Church and instrumental in the build- ing of the First Presbyterian Church of Middle- smithfield, of which they were liberal supporters, and in which Mr. Peters served as elder for a number of years. Twelve children were born to this couple, of whom six are now living; ( 1) Sarah died when eleven years of age. (2) Henry, born in January, 1821. was one of the leading business men of Mar- shall's Creek and Bushkill for many years, during his later years removing to Somerville, N. J .. where he died: he married Miss Lydia Coolbaugh, by whom he had two daughters. Delinda and Mary. ( 3) John is the third in order of birth. (4) Daniel. born in 1823. now deceased. lived retired in Camden. N. J. : he married Miss Susan Coolbaugh, of Strouds- burg. and they had four children, Mary, George. John and Nellie. (5) Dalinda, born in October. 1827, became the wife of Jacob Nice. of Pike county. where they resided until his death, since which time Mrs. Nice has lived in Strou Isburg : they had six children. Ella ( Mrs. Jacob P. Gillott, of Strouds- burg, Margaret ( living with her mother ), Mary ( wife of Judge Clair, of Pike county ), James E .. Harry, and Eva ( wife of Christopher Bull, of Mil-

JOHN PETERS

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ford, Pike county). (6) Philip MI., born in Novem- ber, 1829, married Miss Sarah A .. Shoemaker, of Monroe county, who died in 1897 leaving one son, Edgar, now residing with his father on the farm in Middlesmithfield. (7) Margaret, born in 1831, keeps house for her brother Philip. (8) Jacob, born April 11, 1834, married Miss Eliza Dreher, of Stroudsburg, sister of Judge Samuel Dreher, one of the leading lawyers of that town, and they settled in Middlesmithfield, where he died in August, 1865 ; they had no family. (9) George W., born in Octo- ber, 1836, occupies the old homestead in Middlesmith- field ; he married Miss Eliza Dreher, who died in February, 1893. leaving three children, Frederick, William F., and Helen. ( 10) William S., born in May, 1839. received his education in the college at Fort Edward, N. Y., and became a missionary under the American Sunday-school Union, of Philadelphia, of which he became secretary ; he was sent to Illinois and Wisconsin and later to California, where he died in 1872, in San Diego; he was a man of fine educa- tion, and possessed remarkable ability for the noble work in which he was engaged. Mr. and Mrs. John Peters made a trip to the coast and brought the re- mains to Smithfield, where they were buried. (II) Jane, born in November. 1841, married Case F. Smith, of Middlesmithfield. and they made their home in Smithfield township. where they died; they had two children, Carl Verne and Margaret. ( 12) Susan, born in March, 1844, is unmarried and re- sides in Monroe county.

John Peters attended the public schools in the vicinity of his early home in Middlesmithfield, where he grew to manhood. After commencing life on his own account he carried on a mercantile business in Easton, Penn., for five years, thence removing to New York City, where he engaged in merchandising for himself for one year. In 1854 he entered the wholesale dry-goods house of James, Kent. Sauter & Co., of Philadelphia, in whose employ he continued for thirty-four years as salesman. Mr. Peters was married. in 1858, to Miss Clara Magee, the accon- plished daughter of Hugh S. and Margaret Magee. of Philadelphia, where she was born and educated, and they resided in their home at No. 1826 Green street. until their removal to Middlesmithfield, Monroe county. in 1881. Mr. Peters owns the place upon which his dwelling stands, and since he has made his home here numerous changes have been made in the property, which is now one of the most highly improved in the township : he originally had a large farm, but now retains only eleven acres. The barns and outbuildings are all new and very sub- stantial, and the residence, beautifully located on high ground. and surrounded with well-kept lawns. is one of the finest between Stroudsburg and Bush- kill and is generally admired. It is commodious and conveniently fitted with all modern improvements. having water all over the house, and is tastein'ly finished in hardwood, and here Mr. and Mrs. Peters dispense a bounteous hospitality, for their friends in this neighborhood are numbered by the score. They

have no children of their own, but they have all their lives endeavored to help the young in their carly struggles, and they are now devoting the greater part of their time to the Master's cause as home mis- stonaries. In 1883 he erected the Highland Grove Mission building, where they established a inission Sabbath-school. and they have labored zealously in this work and in enterprises of a similar nature, tak- ing an active interest in Church work as members of the Presbyterian denomination, with which they have been identified for over fifty years. They are worthy an honored place among the most intelligent citizens of the community, and the love and esteem in which they are held by all who know. them is sufficient proof that their services in the good work they have undertaken are highly appreciated. Mr. Peters was originally a Democrat in political senti- ment, but ot late years he has been identified with the Independent party.

GEORGE HENRY COOK. a well-known brakeman on the Erie railroad, residing in Hawley, Wayne county, was born February 3, 1852, in Phil- adelphia, Penn., a son of Patrick and Mary ( Irwin) Cook, who were born, reared and married in County Mayo, Ireland, and on coming to America located in Philadelphia.

Mr. Cook's paternal grandparents, Anthony and Mary Cook, spent their entire lives in County Mayo, where they reared their family of seven chil- dren, namely : Patrick was the father of our subject ; Henry died in Philadelphia : Bridget married An- thony Cook (no relation ), and died in Philadelphia ; Mary wedded Nale Fallan, and both died in Car- bondale, Penn. ; Ann married Owen Smith, and both died in Cincinnati. Ohio; Katharine married John Manley, and both died in New York: Ellen mar- ried William Monghin, and both died in Phila- delphia. The maternal grandparents of our subject, Patrick and Mary ( Heffran) Irwin, left their old home in County Mayo, Ireland, and came to Amer- ica, with the Cook family, spending their remaining clays in Philadelphia. Their children were Mary, the mother of our subject; George, who was drowned at Philadelphia: Michael, who died in Havre de Grace, Md .: and Thomas, who died in Philadelphia. Mrs. Mary Cook was a first cousin of Rev. Patrick Irwin.

After spending a few years in Philadelphia the parents of cur subject returned to their native land, but three years later again came to Philadelphia, where the mother died in 1854. aged thirty-eight years, and was there laid to rest. In 1857 the father came to Hawley, where he lived for six years. andthen moved to Scranton. Penn .. dying there in July, 1877, at the age of seventy-six years; his remains were brought back to Hawley for burial. In Philadel- phia he was employed as a ship gauger. Both parents were devout members of the Catholic Church. Their children were Bridget, who was drowned at Philadelphia at the age of fourteen years; John, who died at the age of nine; Michael, who died at

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the age of seven; Mary, who wedded Thomas Cavanaugh, and both died in Hawley; Sarah E., widow of Patrick Gallagher, and a resident of Haw- ley ; Patrick, who died at the age of nineteen years ; Thomas, a laborer living in Hawley; Henry, who died at the age of nine; and George H., the subject of this sketch. After the death of his first wife the father married Catherine Hine, who is now liv- ing in Scranton1.

During his boyhood George H. Cook began driving a horse on a canal and was thus employed for fourteen years. Later he worked for six months on the construction of the M. O. & W. railroad, and for one summer was captain on the Morris Canal, between Jersey City and Philipsburg. The following two years he was a street-car driver on the Tenth Avenue Line in New York City, after which he worked in a distillery at that place for the same length of time, and for four months drove a wagon for the Knickerbocker Ice Co. Subsequently he was employed for a few months in a sawmill at Wilsonville, Wayne Co., Penn., and from April un- til September, 1873, worked at widening the tracks of the Erie railroad at Parker's Glen. He was then employed as brakeman until April, 1875, when he accepted a position in the coal mines at Scranton, remaining there until 1877. The following year he was similarly employed by E. A. Corey & Co., and from April. 1881, until November 16, 1882, he operated his wife's farin. Removing to Hawley, he worked for the firm of Lambert & Co., silk manufacturers, remaining with them until June, 1883, digging wells, etc. During the construction of the Erie & Wyoming Valley railroad he was em- ployed in grading until 1885, and next worked in a stone quarry until March 12, 1888, since which time he has been brakeman on the Erie railroad.

On March 3, 1874, at St. Michael's Church, New York City, Mr. Cook was married, by Father Donnelly, to Mrs. Mary T. ( Roach) Farley, and to them were born three children: Hannorah, who died at the age of sixteen years, four months and ten days ; and Sarah A. and George H., both at home. Mrs. Cook is a native of Lackawaxen, Penn., and a daughter of Patrick and Hannorah (Colbert) Roach, who were born, reared and mar- ried in County Cork, Ireland, and on coming to the New World located at Lackawaxen, the father en- gaging in farming until the fall of 1875, when he went to Scranton to make his home with our sub- ject, dying there in February, 1876, at the age of sixty-eight years ; he was brought to Hawley for in- terment. The mother died at Pond Eddy, Pike Co .. Penn., while residing with her son, in April, 1888, aged sixyt-eight years, and was also interred in Hawley. Both were members of. the Catholic Church, and the father was a Democrat in politics. Their children were Jelin, deceased : Mary, who died when young; Mary T., wife of our subject ; and Bridget, who died in childhood. The paternal grandfather, Edward Roach, spent his entire life in County Cork, Ireland.

Mrs. Cook has been twice married, her first husband being Lawrence Farley, who died Decem- ber 9, 1868, aged twenty-seven years. The chil- dren born to them were John, who married Jane Dougherty, and lives in Dunmore, Penn .; Josepli, now deceased, who wedded Mary E. Laughney, now a resident of Dunmore; Lawrence E., who was killed by an overhead bridge while engaged in rail- roading in New Britain, Conn. ; and Peter, who is a brakeman on the Erie railroad with our subject. The father of these children was a native of Ireland, and a son of Patrick and Kate (McConna ) Farley, of County Meath, where the former died. The mother afterward came to America with five of her children, but later returned to Ireland with them. They were related to Bishop Farley, and the family, which was one of prominence, numbered three cler- gymen.

Politically, Mr. Cook is independent ; religious- ly he is a Catholic; and fraternally he is a member of the B. R. T., of Port Jervis, N. Y .; the C. M. B. A., of Hawley, and the N. P. L., also of Hawley, Throughout his varied and useful career he has made many friends, and has the confidence and re- spect of all who know him.

EDSON D. KNAPP, postmaster and mer- chant of Damascus, Wayne county, and one of the rising young business men of this region, is a native of Sullivan county, N. Y., born January 17, 1875, in Cochecton, son of De\Vitt and Susan C. Knapp,

DeWitt Knapp was born September 15, 1839, in the town of Crawford, Orange Co., N. Y., where his father, Nelson Knapp, was engaged in farming, near Callaber Hill. The mother died when De Witt was a small boy, and the father subsequently re- moved to Hamptonburg, in which place he spent the remainder of his days. When sixteen years of age DeWitt Knapp met with an accident which in all probability changed the entire course of his life. The injury caused a white swelling in one of his limbs, and it was found necessary to amputate the member, thus crippling him for lite. This nat- urally shut him out from the more active and vigorous life led by most young men, and he turned his attention to books, becoming a close student. lfe graduated at the Hudson River Institute, and later attended Eastman's Business College, at l' ughkeepsie, N. Y., of which he was one of the first graduates, after which he took up the teacher's profession, following same for a number of years in Orange county and at Bloomingburg. Sullivan county. At the latter place he embarked in the hotel business, and after a couple of years' experi- ence there became proprietor of the "Cochecton House," in Cochecton, Sullivan Co., N. Y., to which town he removed in 1860, making a permanent resi- dence there. He retired from business a few years before he died, ou September 22. 1895, after a few days' illness. He became one of the most popular landlords in the Delaware Valley, his genial good na- ture, accommodating disposition and hearty hospitable

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manner making him a favorite with the traveling public, who showed their appreciation in a substan- tial way. He took an active part in the public af- fairs of the cummunity in which hesettled, and wasas well liked in political as in business circles, his pop- ularity being limited only by the extent of his ac- quaintance. He was elected supervisor of the town of Cochecton fifteen times, and for five consecutive years served as chairman of the board; in 1881 and 1884 he was the Republican candidate for the office of county treasurer; in 1884 he was chairman of the Republican County Committee; and he re- ceived numerous other honors within the gift of the people, who always gave him their enthusiastic sup- port. In 1879 he was nominated for member of the General Assembly by the Greenback party, then powerful in Sullivan county, but he was too loyal a Republican to accept nomination at any other hands, and he was always a zealous and influential worker in the interests of his chosen party. No man who knew Mr. Knapp, in any relation of life. could speak aught but good of him. He was regarded with the highest respect by his fellow citizens and business associates, and his long career was unsullied with the mark of one mean or underhanded transaction. His generosity to the unfortunate and afflicted was proverbial wherever he was known, and he was loyal and true to his friends under all circumstances, just in all his dealings and possessed of a degree of judgment and foresight only acquired in a wide business experience.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 2, Part 70

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