Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3, Part 6

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 6
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3 > Part 6
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3 > Part 6
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3 > Part 6

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).

Reurning home, Mr. Kellam accepted the po- sition as manager of Thomas Barnes' sawmill busi- ness at Hawley, where he remained for several years. He then came back to the old home at Little Equinunk, and has since given his attention to the operation of the farm when not discharging the duties of some official position. He has several times been elected to offices of honor and trust, and for some years was the efficient and popular post- master at Braham. Fraternally he is a prominent member of Scudder Post, G. A. R., and politically is identified with the Democratic party.

WILLIAM DUSENBERRY, the present postmaster of Dingmans Ferry, Pike county, is the junior member of the well known firm of Smith & Dusenberry, the leading merchants of the village, and as a public-spirited citizen he is thoroughily interested in whatever tends to promote the material welfare of the community.

A native of Pike county, Mr. Dusenberry was born in Delaware township, April 17. 1859, and is a son of Abram and Mary J. ( Stoll ) Dusenberry, who were born, reared and married in Sussex county, N. J., where they continued to make their home until the spring of 1856, when they became residents of Delaware township, Pike Co., Penn., but in 1861 they returned to their native county. There the father, who was a farmer by occupation, died in 1867, at the age of forty-two years, and was buried in Bevans cemetery, N. J. His children were Mar- garetta, deceased; William; Susie, wife of John P. Van Etten, who is engaged in the telephone business at. Conashaugh, Pike county ; and Edmond, who died when young. After the death of her first hus- band the mother married John S. De Pne, who died in 1887, and she now makes her home in Milford, Pike county. The children born of this union were Mary E., who is with her mother; and Roy, de- ceased.

Upon the home farm William Dusenberry grew to manhood, and at the age of twenty-one accepted a position as clerk with James M. Stoll, at Haines- ville. N. J., where he remained for six months. re- turning home at the end of that time. In the follow- ing fall he entered Coleman's Business College, Newark, N. J., where he was graduated in Febru- ary, 1884, and until the spring of 1885 he remained on the home farm. He was partner in the mercan- tile establishment of Smith & Dusenberry, at Layton, N. J .. until October. 1891, when they opened a branch store at Dingmans Ferry. He had previously served as postmaster at Layton, and in October, 1897, was appointed postmaster at Dingman's Ferry, a position lie is now filling to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. He is a first-class business man, and as a citizen he is enterprising and progressive. The Republican party finds in him a stanch sup- porter of its principles, and he is now ably serving as a member of the county committee. Religiously he holds membership in the Reformed Church.

On September 23, 1896, at Layton, N. J .. Mr.

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Dusenberry was united in marriage with Miss Es- tella MI. Bevans, a native of that place, where her parents, Dayton and Elizabeth (Schooley) Bevans, still reside. Her father was born in 1844, a son of John and Margaret ( Bell) Bevans, and is success- fully engaged in farming in Sandyston township, Sussex Co., N. J. In 1866 he married Elizabeth Schooley, who was born in New Jersey, in 1846, a daughter of John and Martha ( Huff ) Schooley, and two children graced their union: Floyd E., who married Elizabeth Van Gordon, and is engaged in mercantile business at Egypt Mills, Penn., and Estella M., wife of our subject.

WILLIAM C. COURTRIGHT, the well known station agent and postmaster at Lackawaxen, Pike county, needs no special introduction to the readers of this volume; but the work would be in- complete without the record of his life, as he has been identified with the interests of the county for almost thirty years.

Frederick Courtright, the father of our sub- ject, was a native of Greenville, Orange Co., N. Y., where he grew to manhood, and at Coleville. Sussex Co., N. J., he married Miss Didamia Davenport, a daughter of Richard Davenport and Sarah ( Win- field) Davenport. Her mother was one of four who came to America from Holland in early life. After his marriage Frederick Courtright made his home in Coleville, N. J., where he worked as a blacksmith for many years. He died in 1859, at the age of sixty-seven years, after which the mother lived with our subject and other sons until she, too, was called to her final rest in 1875, at the age of sev - enty-one years. The children of the family were as follows : Micha, who lived at Coleville, and died at the age of fifty years; Adam, who lived for some years in Illinois, but died at Matamoras, Pike Co., Penn., at the age of forty-nine; Lydrana (de- ceased), who married Decker Dennis and lived in Coleville, N. J. : Alva, who followed the blacksmith's trade at Branchville, N. J., for many years ; George N., who wedded Mary Austin, and lives in Cook county, Minn. (he was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war for three years, and is a black- smith by trade) : Jennie, wife of Lewis Richardson of Milwaukee, Wis., who was a railroad employe for some years, and is now a police officer at Schlitz Park, that place: and Nellie C. (deceased). who married James K. Osterhout, who was a railroad man living at Matamoras, Pike Co., Penn .. and died in 1898.

William C. Courtright, who completes the fam- ily, was born in Coleville, N. J., September 28, 1845. and as he was a mere boy when his father died he was carly forced to provide for his own mainten- nance. For two years he worked in a smithy with his older brothers, and then learned telegraphy, serving as operator at Shohola, Pike Co .. Pen .. for one year, and at several other stations on the Erie line. He was next in the dispatcher's office at Port Jervis, N. Y., one year, and then went to Shohola

as station agent, and remained at that place fourteen years ; for the past sixteen years he has been sta- tion agent at Lackawaxen.

At Shohola, in December, 1870, Mr. Court- right was united in marriage with Miss Jerusha Wood, who was born July 7, 1844, a daughter of Bradner and Elizabeth ( Middaugh) Wood. Her paternal grandparents were Charles and Phoebe Wood, who were natives of Orange county, N. Y., and there spent the greater part of their lives. The father, Bradner Wood, was born in Orange county, February 2, 1816, and when a young man came to Pike county, Penn. By continual reading he has always kept abreast of the times, was an Abolitionist before the Civil war, and during the early part of that struggle was in some danger, due to his ad- vanced ideas. When young he traveled by water to New Orleans, La., where he was employed on pub- lic works for a time, but finally returned to the North by way of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, and then overland to Pike county, Penn. In early life he was an extensive lumberman, but later turned his attention to farming in Shohola town- ship, Pike county, where he and his wife still live, honored and respected by all who know them. They were married in Pike county, she being a native of that county, born May 8, 1818. and a daughter of Levi and Margaret (Van Aukin) Middaugh. Mrs. Courtright is the eldest of their seven children, the others being James, who died at the age of eighteen years : Phoebe ( deceased ), who married George Mc- Carthy and lived in Pike county : Rebecca J., wife of Thomas Bradford, of Shohola township; John F., who married Rebecca Stephens, and is now on his way to the gold fields of Klondike, having reached Dawson City, November 15. 1898; Hattie E. ( de- ceased ), who married John Stark, and lived in Ding- man township, Pike county ; and Levi B., who went to Kansas City, Kans., and whose whereabouts are now unknown. Mr. and Mrs. Courtright have five children : Charles G., born December 5. 1873, has been baggage master at Lackawaxen for the past six years : Ada, who was graduated at the Port Jer- vis Academy in 1897, and has successfully taught three terms of school in Sullivan county. N. Y .; William B., who also attended Port Jervis Academy and has taught in Shohola, Pike Co., Penn. : Eliza- beth L .. who attended the same institution for three vears, and is now attending Jamaica State Normal School : and John W., who is preparing himself for teaching. and is now at home.

Politically Mr. Courtright's views coincide with the principles of the Republican party, but at local elections he votes for the best man regardless of party affiliations, and he has most acceptably served as township and county committeeman. and as town- ship auditor at Shohola. In July, 1897. he was ap- pointed postmaster at Lackawaxen, and. as the du- ties of that office have never been more capably or satisfactorily performed. he is proving a most popular official. Since attaining his majority he has been identified with the Masonic fraternity, and re-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ligiously he is a member of the Congregational Church, while his estimable wife holds member- ship in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JOHN IRWIN, a highly respected citizen of Wayne county, now living retired upon his farm in Oregon township, was born in Ireland, March 26, 1819. The first of this family, of whom we have any authentic account, was his grandfather, John Irwin, who was born, reared and married in Scotland, whence he removed to County Fer- managh, Ireland, spending his last years there. In his family were three sons: James, who emigrated to Canada, where he died; John, the father of our subject ; and Edward, who resided in Ireland.

Our subject's father was born in Scotland, but was married in Ireland. In 1831 he crossed the Atlantic, and first located at Montreal, Canada, where he remained three years. The family then moved to the Province of Ontario. where they bought 600 acres of land in Northumberland coun- ty, and on selling that farm went farther west. each male member of the family taking up a tract of land in Huron and Bruce counties. The children were as follows: Francis William ( now deceased ) was a prominent man in the Dominion, holding the offices of commissioner in the court of the Queen's bench, notary public, officer in the militia, justice of the peace, provincial land surveyor and post- master, and he also had the authority to issue marriage permits; John is second in the order of birth ; James took up land in Canada, but afterward removed to Kalamazoo. Mich., where his death of- curred ; Thomas makes his home in Wingham, Huron Co., Canada : William is a farmer of Bel- more, the same county: Mary Jane is the deceased wife of Archibald Huston : Margaret is the widow of John Abraham; Elizabeth died in 1896.

The public schools of Ireland afforded our sub- ject his educational privileges. At the age o. twelve years he accompanied his parents on their emigration to the New World, arriving at Mont- real, Canada, at about the time the Asiatic cholera first made its appearance in America, and he can well remember seeing the dead bodies piled into carts and hurried away through the almost desert- ed streets. In Wellington, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Irwin was married, December 28, 1846, to Miss Helen Afflack. native of Scotland, and a daugher of William and Janette ( Miller ) Afflack. Four children blessed this union, namely: Mary Jane. born November 8. 1847, is now deceased : William, born January 16. 1849, died at the age of twenty- two years ; William Afflack, born May 20. 1850. is deceased ; and Helen, born April 1, 1852. is the wife of Alex. Orr. The wife and mother departed this life April 11, 1852. Mr. Irwin was again mar- ried. December 28, 1857, in Belmore, Iluron Co .. Canada. his second union being with Miss Mary MeEwen, a daughter of David and Margaret ( Mc- Gregor ) MeEwen, natives of Scotland. Mrs. Irwin was born in Stirlingshire. Scotland, September 30.

1829, and at the age of twenty-six years crossed the Atlantic to Canada. By her marriage to our subject she became the mother of the following children: Francis William, born December 11. 1858, died June 13. 1850; John David, born July 15. 1860. makes his home in Lebanon township. Wayne county: Margaret. born February 27, 1862. is the wife of A. T. Searle, a lawyer of Honesdale: Elizabeth, born May 9. 1864. died in 1886: Charles H .. born in Honesdale, July 1. 1866, is living in Honesdale: James Hamilton. born February 10. 1800, is a resident of Lebanon township; and Bis- marck, born April 19, 1871. now has the farm and is caring for his parents.

On the Canadian frontier Mr. Irwin grew to manhood, and during his youth assisted his father in the arduous task of clearing and developing a new farm in the midst of an almost unbroken for- est. In 1865 he came to the United States. and located near Honesdale. Wayne Co., Penn .. where he successfully engaged in farming and in the meat business for several years. In 1886 he purchased an improved farm of thirty acres in Oregon town- ship, upon which himself. wife and son are now liv- ing. the last named having charge of the farm duties, while our subject practically lives retired.

While in Canada Mr. Irwin was appointed first captain in the militia, and as such was re- quired to take an oath adhering forever to the government of his birth. Accordingly, since com- ing to the United States, he has remained an alien. not because of any unfriendly feeling toward our government. but because he has always felt that in taking the cath of citizenship he would be break- ing his former oath. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while his wife and children all belong to the Presbyterian Church.

GEORGE W. TISDEL, well known as the pro- prietor of the Maplegrove Stock Farm, of 115 acres, marufacturer of cider, cider vinegar and shingles. also dealer in bicycles, sewing machines and other machinery, was born October 24. 1840. a son of Lawrence and Hannah C. ( Jones ) Tisdel, natives of East Windsor and Colchester, Conn., respect- ively.

Five brothers of the An Tisdel (as the name formerly was spelled ) were noted swordsmen of Scotland. from which land they were driven during religious persecution. They settled in Connecticut. and the name remained An Tisdel. until Lawrence Tisdel was born in Connecticut and followed the hatter's trade there. On April 5. 1822. he came West. settling in Salem (now Lake) township. Wayne county, and erected a building for a hat fac- tory, but altered his plans and devoted the balance of his life to agricultural pursuits. He was a man of quiet disposition. prominent in his community be- cause of his sterling worth and wisdom. and faith- ful in his attendance in the Methodist Church. lu politics he was a Democrat, but took no part outside of casting his ballot. Ile married Hannah C. Jones,

: G. W. Pisatel

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. COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

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and to them were born children as follows: Fred- erick L., born August 21, 1819, is a gardener near Pittston, Penn. ; Betsey H., born December 18, 1820, married Hamlin Bonaham, a farmer of Mt. Pleasant township; Gilbert, born October 30, 1822, died De- cember 10, 1822 ; Oliver, born October 22, 1824, died June 29, 1828; Mary, born March 6, 1826, married Robert Glossinger, of Hemlock Hollow, Wayne county, and died September 9, 1881; Esther, born December 1, 1827, was twice married, her first hus- band being James Thornton, and she is now the widow of Newton Kimble, of Hawley, Penn. ; Lu- ther W., born July 25, 1829, is a gunsmith and sporting-goods merchant at Scranton, Penn. ; Abner G., born December 13, 1830, an inventor and electri- cian of Brooklyn, made in 1853 the first car run by electricity ( this car ran on a circle track, taking the electric current from a center post with wire from car to post, so arranged as to not wind up on the post, similar to the trolley ) : Julia, born April 30, 1833, died September 1, 1833: Amanda and Arine- nia ( twins ). born July 30, 1834, the former the wife of Heth Bonhan, a farmer of Herrick Center, Penn., and the latter the deceased wife of Almond Carpen- ter, of Abington, Penn., having been called to her final rest March 10, 1861 : Cyrus, born July 17, 1836, dicd May 11, 1838: Bethnel I., born December 1I, 1838, is now of the firm of Ithaca Calendar Clock Works, at Ithaca, N. Y .; George W., our subject, is next in the order of birth : Samuel R., born January 16, 1844, is a gunsmith and dealer in sporting goods at Ithaca, N. Y. Lawrence Tisdel, the father of this family, died January 8, 1888; his widow passed away October 24. 1893, and the remains of both now lie in the private burying grounds on the old home farm.

Until George W. Tisdel was nineteen years of age he remained on the home farm, and then went to Scranton, where he entered the machine shops of the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Co. After two years spent in learning the mysteries of the machinist's trade he secured employment at Binghamton, N. Y., in the Starr Arms Co., manufacturers.of firearms, etc. His work there gave great satisfaction to those in charge, his fidelity to duty winning the attention of the proprietors themselves, and he was given a more responsible position in the works of the same company at Yonkers, N. Y. In August, 1862, he enlisted in the United States navy, serving on the "W. G. Anderson" and the bark "Arthur," on the blockade between the Rio Grande river and Galves- ton, fourteen months as landsman on these two ves- sels, and on October 16, 1863. he was honorably dis- charged at the Boston navy yards, Boston, Mass. Ile at once returned to the work's of the Starr Aris Co .. at Yonkers, and there remained until the oil ex- citement in 1865. when he went to Titusville, Penn .. and began dressing tools and running an engine at Prather Will. near Pit Hole: then taking charge of Col. Keys Oil Works. His parents were becom- ing aged, and he saw his duty to them pointed to a return to the old farm, which he purchased Novem-

ber 20, 1867, and cared for them the remainder of their lives.

On November 18, 1867, at Owego, N. Y., Mr. Tisdel was united in marriage with Miss Martha E. Coover, by the Rev. W. B. Westlake. of the Methodist Church. She was a daughter of Andrew and Almira ( Cutler ) Coover, both of whom were natives of Vermont, becoming residents of Titusville, where Mr. Coover followed farming. Besides Mrs. Tisdel, they had children as follows: Har- rison, manufacturer of brick at Titusville; Oscar, an engineer ; Joanna, wife of Robert Dunn. an en- gineer at Bradford, Penn .; Hannah, of Warren. Penn. : Mary, wife of Samuel Knoel, an engineer in the oil fields: Lida, wife of David Coleman. con- tractor at Bradford, Penn .: Sarah, of Titusville; David, an engineer at Bradford; and Ellen, now Mrs. Charles Kirchie, of Titusville. Andrew Coover was a son of George and Martha Coover, of German extraction, who died in Crawford county, Penn. He died in October, 1868, when he was fifty-nine years of age : his wife Almira. daughter of David Cutler, of Vermont, died in July, 1887, at the age of sixty-two years, and her remains now rest by the side of her husband in Titusville. She was a faithful member of the Baptist Church.

George W: Tisdel is a man whose word carries great weight in the community in which he dwells. His political ideas have made him a pronounced Re- publican. and he has served as school director for three years. He is a member of the Lincoln Club. of the Masonic fraternity, and a charter member of George Davenport Post No. 534, G. A. R., of which he has been three times commander. In religious belief he is a member of the Methodist Church. Pro- gressive, wealthy and the possessors of a happy. beautiful home, together with the charming indi- vidual personality, combine to make him and his wife important factors in the social world. Mr. Tisdel is a good financier. and in the world of finance plays a prominent part as an advisor. His influence in this world is one for good, sound advancement on con- servative principles.

HENRY R. BIESECKER, an ex-county commissioner of Monroe county, is one of the prom- inent residents of Stroud township, and his long and useful life has endeared him to all classes of people in the community.

Our subject was born January 2. 1827, in Madi- son. Lackawanna county, a son of John and Susan ( Riegal) Biesecker, the former of whom was born September 6. 1787. and reared in Bucks county. Penn. For some years he followed the blacksmith's trade near Scranton ; but soon after his marriage he located upon a farm near Moscow, Lackawanna county, where his wife died in 1849. He died May 6. 1872. at Mondovi, Wisconsin.

Our subject was one in a family of eleven chil- dren. (1) Katie, who was born in Northampton county, married Peter Alt. and now resides in Bui- falo county, Wis. They have children, Jolin, Henry,

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. COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Mary and Adam. (2) Jacob, a resident of Madi- son, Penn., married Matilda Swartz, and lias chil- dren, David, Andrew, William H., Hiram, Ira, and Margaret. (3) John, a resident of Buffalo county, Wis., died in 1864. (4) Susan married William Yeager, of Lackawanna county. (5) Sallie mar- ried Hiram Knapp, of. Mondovi, Wis. (6) Charles resides in Sterling, Wayne county. (7) Rcuben en- listed as a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war, and died from the effects of a wound received at the battle of Cold Harbor. (8) Henry R., our subject, is mentioned morc fully below. (9) Lucinda married Henry Rowe, of Eau Claire, Wis. (10) Maria married John Pace, now a resident of Buffalo county, Wis. ( II) Polly married Peter Yeager, of Lackawanna county, and died leaving five children, Spencer, Charles, Ella (who married Bowen Swarts), Mary (wife of Jacob Krotzer, of Madison, Penn.), and John (a lumberman in Bing- hamton, N. Y.).

Our subject was educated in Moscow, Penn., and on leaving school he learned the carpenter's trade. In December, 1849, he married Miss Julia A. Edinger, daughter of David and Eva Edinger, well known residents of Cherry Valley, Hamil- ton township, Monroe county. For some timc Mr. Biesecker followed his trade in Moscow, where his first wife soon died leaving one son, Elwood, who passed away at the age of six years. On December 26, 1852, Mr. Biesecker married Miss Catherine J. Edinger, sister of the first wife, and soon after he purchased the old Edinger homestcad in Cherry Valley, and for some years he followed farming there in connection with his trade. In 1867 he sold out and bought his present homestead of 96 acres, situated three miles west of Stroudsburg. and for- merly known as the Jacob Walter farm. Politically he has always been a Democrat, and in the fall of 1869 he was elected county commissioner for the term of three years, his able and faithful service proving him to be entirely worthy of the confidence of his constituents. In religious faith he is a Meth- odist, and he and his family are active members of the Church at Wesley Chapel, in Stroud. Of his nine children, three, Abram. Frank and William. died in childhood. (2) Alice M., born August 9. 1856, wife of Chester H. Swarts, is mentioned more fully below. (4) John S., born November 22, 1860, is a dealer in dairy supplies in New York City. He married Miss Ella Ransbury, of Stroud township. and has one son living, Royal K. (6) Edgar, born April 13, 1866, in Hamilton, Monroe county. mar- ried Miss Lizzie Riesdorf. of New York, and now resides in llasbrock Heights, N. J. (7) Charles . N., born June 26. 1868. in Stroud township, and now in the employ of his brother John in New York City, married Miss Annie Gregory, of Long Island, and has one son, William Henry. (8) Lizzie E., born July 28, 1871, on the present homestead. mar- ridd Wilin Merring. of East Stroudsburg, and had two children, Frederick and Alice. (9) Bur-

not married, and is in the employ of his brother John in New York City.

CHESTER H. SWARTS, our subject's son-in-law, was born November 3, 1853, a son of Isaac and Elizabeth Swarts, prominent residents of Moscow, Penn. He was educated chiefly in Moscow,and after his marriage, in 1879, to Miss Alice M. Bicsccker, he followed the butcher's trade for about three years. He then removed to Scranton, where he was engaged in different linesof business until 1893, when he went to Pottsville, Schuylkill Co., Penn., to engage in dairying. In 1895 he purchased the Biesecker homestead, where he has since resided. From time to time he has made improvements, and the entire tract is kept in a fine state of cultivation under his skillful management. He is an enter- prising and successful business man, and in addi- tion to his other lincs of effort he has, at times, dealt extensively in horses. In politics he is a Democrat, and he and his wife arc devout Meth- odists, attending Wesley Chapel, in Stroud town- ship. Mrs. Swarts was born August 9, 1856, in Hamilton township, Monroe county, received a good public-school education, and is a leader in a cultured social circle, she and her husband making their home the center of a refined hospitality. They have one daughter, Miss Leahna K. Swarts, born October 30, 1881, who has supplemented her course in the local schools of Pottsville and Scranton. She is cspecially proficient in music, and is also fond of outdoor life, being unusually skilled in horseman- ship, and at any time she may be seen driving through the picturesque region around her home with a spirited pair of ponies.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3, Part 6

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