Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3, Part 32

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1000

USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3 > Part 32
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3 > Part 32
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3 > Part 32
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3 > Part 32

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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children, namely: Asa K., born April 25, 1871, is now engaged in business in Sullivan county, Penn. ; Lena M., born June 10, 1873, is the wife of War- ren Brown, of Tanner's Falls. Wayne county ; and Ada A., born September 19, 1879, and Harry L., born April 6, 1883, live with their mother in Dy- berry township. Mrs. Borchers is a lady of re- finement, who presides with gracious dignity over her home, extending a warm-hearted hospitality to her many friends.

GEORGE M. BIDWELL, a representative farmer and dairyman of Salem township, Wayne county, belongs to one of the prominent pioneer families of the county, and is also descended from good old Revolutionary stock.

Mr. Bidwell's grandfather, Ephraim Bidwell, who valiantly fought for the independence of the Colonies, canie to Wayne county in 1800 and lo- cated in the central part of Salem township, but later purchased land on what is now known as Bid- well Hill, on which place his death occurred. From the virgin forest he developed a farm, and there built his cabin home. His burial place, though not exactly located, is on the John Watson farm, near Hamiinton, Penn. He married Dora Andrews, and to them were born the following children: Luther, who made his home in Salem township; Jabez, who died in Wayne county, where he made his home after the age of sixteen years: Orin, an extensive lumberman of Salem township, now deceased ; and Ashbel, our subject's father.

Ashbel Bidwell, the only one of the family born in Wayne county, was born in Salem town- ship December 7, 1802, and there grew to man- hood, with no opportunities of gaining an education, as there were no district schools in eastern Pennsyl- vania at that time. For many years he engaged in farming on the old homestead, but in 1858 sold the place and removed to Nebraska. Subsequently he returned to Wayne county and bought a farm in the eastern part of Salem township. He married Polly Griffin, a native of Connecticut and a daugh- ter of William M. Griffin, and they became the par- ents of the following named children: Julia, wife of T. W. Conklin, of Nebraska: John W., of Sa- lem township; S. L., deceased ; Orlando, who died in infancy ; and George M.

George M. Bidwell, whose name introduces this sketch, was born in Salemi township, August 21, 1838, and was reared in much the same manner as other farmer boys. attending school in winter and assisting in the farm work during the summer season. At the age of twenty-one years he began farming for himself on a part of the old homestead. and now. owns one of the finest antl best improved farms in the township. He is engaged in dairying quite extensively and keeps on hand for this purpose eleven head of cattle.

On November 3, 1860, Mr. Bidwell wedded Miss Mary Ammerman, who was born in Wayne county, April 18, 1841, a daughter of Joseph and

Sally ( La Bar ) Ammerman, of Dutch descent. Ser- en children bless this union: Marvin Sylvester, born October 1, 1861, is a farmer of Salem township; Amy M., born August 4, 1864, is the wife of Frank Walker, of the same township; Dora M., born Janu- ary 26, 1868, began teaching in 1888, and is now employed in Lake township, Wayne county; Hel- en L., born July 1, 1874, is the wife of James L. Noble, of Lake Ariel, l'enn. ; Floyd L., born March 18, 1876, is attending business college at Scran- ton, Penn. ; Lulu B., born August 20, 1878, is attend- ing school at Lake Ariel; and George E., born De- cember 23, 1880, is at home.

During the Civil war Mr. Bidwell manifested . his patriotism by enlisting in Battery L, Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, was under fire at the battle of the Wilderness, and from that time until the close of the war was in all of the engagements in which the Army of the Potomac took part. While fighting in front of Petersburg he was wounded. June 17, 1864, and was sent to the hospital and later to his home. On his recovery he rejoined his regi- ment and served in Virginia for some time after the war closed, being finally discharged February 7, . 1866. He has always been a stanch .Republican in politics, and has most creditably and satisfactorily. filled the offices of tax collector ( for five years), member of the election board, school director and supervisor of his township. Fraternally he is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and at one time belonged to the Grange. In religious connection he and his wife are active and prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he is serving as trustee and steward.

WILLIAM BUSHWALLER, who since 1895 has made his home in Clyde, N. Y., is well and fay- orably known in Hawley, Wayne Co., Penn., where he resided for a number of years, and also at Hones- dale, where his youth and early manhood were passed.

Mr. Bushwaller's parents, William and Han- nah (Linkey) Bushwaller, were both born in Ger- many, but came to America in early life, the father when fifteen years old the mother, who was born in 1848, at the age of seven years. They met and were married in Sparrow Bush. N. Y., where they resided until 1875, in which year they removed to Honesdale, Penn., and made a permanent home there. Mr. Bushwaller was employed by the Erie Company as foreman for a number of years. re- tiring from the railroad in 1886, just six months before his death, which occurred September 5. 1886, when he was forty-six years old. He was laid to rest at Sparrow Bush, N. Y. In religious connection Mr. Bushwaller was a member of the German Lu- theran Church. Mrs. Bushwaller now makes her home in Honesdale. They were the parents of sev- en children, of whom William, the eldest. is the subject of this sketch. Wilhelmina lives with her mother. Hacket married Miss Hattie Bishop, and has two children, Harold and Ruth; he is a glass-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

cutter and lives at Philadelphia. Florence lives with her mother. Charles is employed in the shoe fac- tory at Honesdale; he lives with his mother: Em- ma and Hannah are also at home.

William Bushwaller was born June 12, 1867, at Sparrow Bush, N. Y., and was reared in his na- inve place and in Honesdale, living with his parents up to the age of sixteen years, when he came to llawley to work in the factory of the Hawley Glass Co. Here he served three years as gatherer and five years more as apprentice to the trade. after which he went to Atlanta, Ga., with the intention of following the business there. As the work there was not to his liking, however, he returned to Penn- >ylvania, and for six months worked in Honesdale at glass blowing, subsequently working two years at Newark, Ohio, one year at Scranton, Penn., and one year at Rochester, N. Y., at the trade. In 1895 lie located at Clyde, N. Y., where he has since re- mained, employed at his trade. Mr. Bushwaller is a member of the G. G. B. B. A. (the glass blow- ers association) of the United States and Canada, and fraternally he unites with the Heptasophs, hold- ing membership in Conclave No. 117, at Scranton.

On December 24, 1891, Mr. Bushwaller was united in marriage, at Hawley; by Rev. Father James Shandley, with Miss Mary E. Kearney, who was born at Hawley February 1, 1867, and is the daughter of John F. Kearney, a prominent citizen of that place. This union has been blessed with two children: William, born September 27, 1892, and Christina, born April 7, 1894. Our subject in political preference is a loyal Republican.

CHARLES A. MASTERS. After a varied but successful career the subject of this sketch finds rest and contentment in looking after his general merchandise business at Gravity, Wayne county, He was born at Dundaff, Susquehanna Co., Penn., September 22. 1835, a son of Steven and Cornelia ( Snyder) Masters, both natives of New York State, where they were married.

About 1830 Steven Masters migrated westward, and settled in Susquehanna county, where, as . a la- borer, he made a home for his family. In politics he was a determined Democrat, and during the war of 1812 served his country as a private for six months, at the end of which time he re-enlisted in the regular army and served five years. He died December IS, 1865, at the advanced age of seventy- seven years, two months, and sixteen days, and his good wife passed away at the age of seventy, and was buried in Jefferson township, Lackawanna Co., Penn. In their family were the following children : Henry, who was a farmer and lumber- man in Salem township, married Mary Borun, and died August 10, 1897; Charles A. is our subject ; Joseph Bloomfield, a liveryman at Elmhurst, Lacka- wanna Co., Penn., has been twice married, first to Sarah Forest, and second to Lydia Compton : Maria is the widow of Joseph Lafrance, a farmer of Lacka- wanna county ; James O., who married Sarah Ilinds,

is superintendent of breakers for the Pennsylvania Coal Co. Both the father and mother of this tam- ily were twice married. By his first wife Mr. Mas- ters had children as follows : Oren, deceased ; Elias, a. farmer of Connecticut; Steven, a watchman at Carbondale, for the Delaware & Hudson Lo. : Lv- dia Ann, now Mrs. Stiles, of Carbondale, Penn. Mrs. Masters first married a Mr. Madison, and by this marriage had children as follows: George, last heard of in the army; Mary, who married Martin Houghtaling, both are now deceased; Matilda, who married Elisha D. Wightman, both are now de- ceased. Our subject's grandfathers both served in the Revolutionary war, his paternal grandfather be- ing a native of France, his maternal grandfather of Germany.

Charles A. Masters lived for a time at Hollis- terville, Salem township, Wayne county, and then for a year worked on a farin for Elder Ferguson, while the latter was engaged in preaching. Return- ing home for a few months, he found employment on the farm of Amasa Jones, near the present site of Gravity, where for a year and a half he toiled at regular farm work. After a rest of a few weeks he went to New York State, where he worked with a brother-in-law on a schooner on the Hudson river, being thus occupied one year, and the next thirteen years he worked on the old Gravity railroad, run- ning cars. In1864 he enlisted at Scranton, and was assigned to the construction corps, Company B, First Division, going to Nashville, Tenn., whence the corps was sent to Chattanooga and other places, finally being assigned to the army under Gen. Sherman, where he remained until the close of the war. When peace had ben declared he returned to Wayne county, and locating in Lake township purchased a sawmill and farm which he operated for five years. He then came to Gravity and purchased the "Hotel Fair- view," which he conducted with no little success for five years, at the end of which time he built his present place and rented it. A few years later he purchased the stock of Midland & Kipp, renting to George Patterson, to whom he sold the stock. Besides his store Mr. Masters owns a hotel, which he rents, two fine farms, and several pieces of city property. He has dealt heavily in real estate. and at present is agent of the Wayne County Farmers' Fire Insurance Co., and for twenty-six years was agent for the Monroe County Mutual Fire Insur- ance Co. He is also a stockholder, president and chairman of the board of trustees of the Gravity Creamery Association (of which Mrs. Masters is the secretary ), and he is vice president and appraiser of a Building and Loan Co., called the Pennsylvania Germania of Philadelphia, with a branch at Ariel.

On July 26, 1856, Mr. Masters married Miss Plicbe Lafrance, a daughter of John Lafrance, a farmer of Luzerne county, Penn. She died October II, 1875, at the age of forty-six years, and was buried at Salem. To this union came the following children : Joseph E., of Scranton, a conductor on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad, mar-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ried Belle Chapman ; Frank died at the age of fif- teen years; Arthur H., conductor on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad at Binghamton, N. Y., married Abby Swingle; Ida B. died at the age of twenty-one; Fannie J. is the widow of Will- iam Medland, of Scranton, Penn. ; and Allen B. is a brakeman on the Delaware, Lackawanna & West- ern railroad at Binghamton, N. Y. Mr. Masters was married August 6, 1882, to Mrs. Melissa D. (Enslin ) Buckland, a native of South Canaan town- ship. Politically our subjeet is a strong Republican, and has aceptably served his fellow townsmen as assessor. He is well informed on all the political questions of the day and his advice has great weight with the party leaders ; for one year he served on the county committee. In his fraternal relations he is a member of the P. O. S. of A. and is P. H. C. at large. Both he and his wife are active members of the Methodist Church, and in their bountiful char- ity have aided many an unfortunate brother or sis- ter. Mrs. Masters is a P. H. C. at large, also an ardent worker in the cause of Prohibition and wo- man's suffrage, and has done much to aid these causes. She believes that with the suppression of the sale of intoxicants and the ballot in the hands of women the home influence will be stronger, and the grand motto of the W. C. T. U., "For God and Home and Native Land," a practical reality to every living 'creature.

Mrs. Melissa D. ( Enslin) Masters was born in South Canaan township, Wayne county, Novem- ber 30, 1842, a daughter of Simon and Lydia (Shaffer) Enslin, natives of Wayne county, where the father carried on farming until his death, which occurred in 1891, when he was aged seventy years. The mother died in 1880, aged sixty years, and the remains of both are buried in the East cemetery, Canaan township. Their children were: Elmer, a farmer of South Canaan township: Levert, who died young; G. Porter, who was killed in the army ; Melissa D. (Mrs. Masters) ; Kate, who married A. J. Robinson, a farmer of South Canaan ; Simon. L., a farmer, residing in South Canaan : Leah L., wife of Charles E. Webster, who is engaged in the millinery business in South Canaan : Orpha C., wife of Steven Sutliff, a farmer near Shickshinny. Penn. ; John, a farmer ; and Frank, of Carbondale, Penn. Simon Enslin. the father, was a son of George and Kate (Swingle) Enslin. Mrs. Lydia ( Shafier) Enslin was a daughter of Samuel and Rachel (Wagner ) Shaffer.

Melissa D. Enslin was first married in 1865, when she became Mrs. Dan C. Buckland, and by this union she became the mother of one child, Daisy, who married E. G. Jacques, a dealer in bonds for the firm of Kleybolte & Co., of New York. Mr. Buck- land died May 2, 1873, and was buried in the Keens burying ground, Wayne county.

WARD DEUEL, the efficient and popular sheriff of Susquehanna county, is a man whose ability and personal worth are widely recognized,

and few men enjoy to such a degree the esteem and confidence of their fellow citizens. His stand- ing in commercial circles is of the best, as he is one of the most widely and favorably known business men of Susquehanna county, while his ability and public spirit have brought him into prominence as one of the trusted leaders of the Republican organi - zation.

Mr. Deuel comes of excellent ancestry, and on the paternal side is of German descent, while his mother's family was of New England stock. Na- thaniel Denel, his grandfather, was born in Germany, and on coming to America located at Owego, Tioga Co., N. Y., where he engaged in lumbering. He married a Miss Catlin, of Tioga county, N. Y., and their children were Charles, Nathaniel and Henry. Nathaniel Deuel died at Owego in 1826, at the comparatively early age of forty years. and the widow married again, her second husband being a Mr. White, by whom she had several children. She lived to quite a good old age.

Nathaniel Dettel. the father of our subject. was born in 1813 at Owego, N. Y., and during his youth learned all the details of the lumber business About 1840 he came to this section, locating at Little Meadows, Susquehanna county, where he followed lumbering for many years. He was noted for his excellent ability and sound business judgment, and for his unswerving integrity. his character winning universal respect. Po- litically he was a Republican, but did not aspire to office, his business interests occupying all his time. He died in 1889, and his wife. Louise ( Bart- on), who was born in 1819 at Little Meadows, died in 1887. She was a daughter of William and Almyra ( Fuller ) Barton, natives of Connecticut who came to Susquehanna at an early day to make their permanent home: her father lived to the age of seventy, and her mother was eighty years old at the time of her death.

Ward Deuel was born May 6, 1857, at the old homestead at Little . Meadows, Susquehanna coun- ty, the only child of Nathaniel and Louise ( Barton) Deuel. His childhood was passed amid the pictur- esque hills of the region of his birth. He attended the neighborhood schools until fourteen years of age, when he began wrestling with the practical side of life, and was soon in the midst of the busy scenes around the lumber districts in which his ta- ther was interested. As the years passed he gradu- ally drifted into the business of lumbering, which in main has been the occupation of his life. He is a capable business man, as is evidenced by the success with which he has met. is an ardent Republican, and for years has been an active and influential worker in the party in Susquehanna. He has held several local offices, and in the summer of 1896 he was made the nominee of the Republican party for the office of sheriff, being elected in November following by a handsome majority. During the canvass prior to the election one of the county papers thus referred to his candidacy :

Nard Davel

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"Ward Deuel is proving an exceedingly popu- lar candidate, and he will poll a very large vote. He is an earnest Republican, an active party worker, and is well deserving of the united support of his party, which he will receive. Mr. Deuel is an en- terprising and successful business man, and he will enter the sheriff's office superbly equipped for the proper administration of affairs pertaining to the

position." Mr. Deuel is now nearing the close of the term of office for which he was elected. He has performed the duties of the position most efficiently and to the satisfaction of all, is obliging and ac- commodating, and has made one of the best sheriffs the county has ever had. Like most large men he is vi jovial disposition, genial and whole-souled.

In 1880 Mr. Denel was married to Miss Jane Stevens, daughter of William Stevens, a farmer of Bradford county, Penn., and to this marriage have been born children as follows: Lena and Arthur. Mrs. Denel is a most estimable lady ; she is a mem- ber of the Baptist Church. William Stevens, her father, was born in 1815 in Rhode Island. He mar- ned Sabra Whittaker, who was born in Warren, Bradford Co., Penn., and died there in 1864.

JOSHUA PINE. In time to come this vol- umie will acquire added value as a repository of records whose historical significance will then be fully appreciated, but readers will doubtless peruse with special interest the stories of gallant service in that great struggle which settled once for all that this nation is, in truth, "one and indivisible." One of the most interesting of these war records is that of MIr. Pine, who was the first volunteer to enlist from Wayne county.

Mr. Pine was born at Walton, Delaware Co., N. Y., October 23, 1840, when four years old was taken by his parents to Hancock, that State, and in 1853 came to Equinunk, Wayne county, where he las since made his home. His paternal ancestor in America, James Pine, was one of the patentees of llempstead. Long Island, under the Duke of York, in 1645; John Pine was captain of guides in charge of the secret service in the Federal army during the British occupancy of New York. Luke Rem- w1. our subject's maternal grandfather, was a cap- tin under Knox during the Revolution.

After the firing on Fort Sumter President Lin- coln called for 75.000 volunteers for three months to put down the Rebellion. Joshua Pine bade his parents and sister farewell and started down the Delaware on a raft of lumber, having determined to enlist in the United States navy. Arriving in New York, April 17, 1861, he offered his services the next day as a common seaman, but having no previous training he was not accepted. The next day, while trying to find a cavalry company, he saw an old banner, presented by the ladies of New York to a regiment after its return from the Mexican war, which read, "Second Scott Life Guard. Able- bodied men wanted for this efficient corps, officered by men who have seen service in Mexico, Gen. J. 11.

H. Ward and others in charge; Lieut. C. J. Mur- phy, quartermaster and acting adjutant." After some explanation he signed the roll, but was not exam- ined and made a full-fledged soldier until April 22, 1861, becoming a member of the 38th N. Y. V. I. The regiment went into camp May 14, at East New York, and on June 19, was ordered to Wash- ington by Gen. Dix, on the 4th of July was reviewed by Gen. Scott and President Lincoln, and on the 5th proceeded to Alexandria, where they were brigaded with the 11th New York Zouaves and the First Michigan Regiment, Col. O. B. Wilcox, acting brigadier and commander. On July 17, they cap- tured Fairfax Station, and later they participated in the battle of Bull Run, capturing the only fag taken in the Bull Run campaign. With five others MIr. Pine was captured, August 27, 1861, near Bail- ey's Cross Roads, but he ran away and finally suc- ceeded in reaching the Union lines, with one bullet hole in his blouse. On March 17, 1862, the regi- ment was transported to Fortress Monroe, and was engaged with Magruder at Yorktown, May 4, being the first to place the stars and stripes on the evacu- ated works of Fort Magruder. Later the 38th N. Y. V. I. made a successful charge at Williamsburg, where MIr. Pine received one of the most remarka- ble wounds of the war while trying to carry a wound- ed comrade to a place of safety. The ball entered just under the right car and came out one inch to the left of the seam of the neck, cutting away the whole of the third cervical vertebra and a part of the second, causing total paralysis at the time. A friend, seeing him fall, ran back and straightened him out, which undoubtedly enabled him to recover consciousness, as his head had been doubled under him. When consciousness returned the Rebels were retreating, and a Rebel officer kindly stopped and gave him a drink from his canteen, then laying him back in a more comfortable position. A Rebel sol- dier also halted long enough to pick up his gun and inquire in Irish brogue, "To what regiment does yees belong." On being answered, he exclaimed, "Ar- rah! the bloody 38th New York." For some time the battle raged while he lay between the two fires, but knowing that his only chance of escape was to get nearer the Union lines he at length decided to crawl, and with his head resting on his left hand, his elbows on the ground, he started. At length he drew near enough to see the right flank of a regi- ment, and by shouting, finally attracted the attention of some of the men, five or six of whom ran to his assistance. Having pursuaded them that only two were necessary, the others returned. and le was taken to the field hospital of his regiment and there examined by Dr. Gesner, who then left him and did not return. Two of the regiment, who had been detailed to assist the doctor. then procured a stretcher and carried him to a farm house three miles distant, which had been converted into a hos- pital, but as it was full they were ordered to leave him outside. Several unpleasant hours elapsed be- fore he was discovered by some men, and when

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again carried into the hospital the doctor remarked, "Ah, I had forgotten about him." He was finally discharged, and returned home September 13, 1862.

For twenty-seven years Mr. Pine was a suc- cessful steersman on the Delaware river, having on one occasion run a large five-handed raft from a point above Belvidere bridge to Trenton, sixty-sev- en miles, without using the forward oars. At pres- ent he is suffering from paralysis caused by his wound, which incapacitates him for any work. He was married, April 16, 1864. to Miss Anna A. Sherwood, daughter of Nathan Sherwood, and step- daughter of Thomas Tyner. Since 1872 he has been a faithful member of the Protestant Episco-' pal Church, and his life has been in harmony with its teachings. Politically he was a Democrat until 1876, when he joined the Prohibition party, and has since been one of its most active and prominent workers, being chairman of the organization in Wayne county. A man of strong individuality and indubitable probity, whose influence is always found on the side of right. this honored veteran of our Civil war assuredly demands representation in this volume.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3, Part 32

Author: Publication date: 1900 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1000

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1000