Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3, Part 99

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 99
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3 > Part 99
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3 > Part 99
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3 > Part 99

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As a citizen the Judge was a person of great public spirit, liberal in his views, and generous in his gifts, both of time and money, for the public wel- fare. He was affable and courteous in his bearing to the humblest of his acquaintances. His life and character had a great influence on the community in which he lived. "Much that is noble in the de- velopment, achievements, and position of many per- sons is directly attributable to him: He did much to advance the school interests of Montrose, and was greatly interested in agricultural affairs. He believed in the true dignity of labor. He delivered an address before the New York State Agricultural Society in 1856. in which he said : 'I can never con- sent that the non-producing class shall claim in any respect a superiority over those who rise in the morning of every day to daily toil, who work labor- ing with their own hands.'"

Politically Judge Jessup was a Democrat in his earlier years, and as such in 1836 made the race for Congress. In the Clay and Jackson contest he espoused the cause of the former and was a Whig up to the time of the organization of the Republi- can party, which he joined, and strongly advocated its principles. He entered into the prosecution of the Civil war with great zeal. and being a friend of Gen. Scott he went to Washington at the break- ing out of the war to consult with him. In January. 1861, in a letter to the Secretary of State, Judge Jessup said that the people "demanded bold, strong and decided measures in sustaining the Constitution, the laws and the Union against all aggression." He, along with Judge Swan. and Col. Swain, of Ohio, visited Washington by appointment in May, 1861; to present the views of the nine war governors who held a meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, and sent assur- ance to the President of their support and co-opera- tion. The temperance movement and the interests

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

of the oppressed always received the co-operation of Judge Jessup. He united with the Presbyterian Church of Montrose, September 3, 1826, and was ordained a ruling elder of the same August 2, 1829. He was widely known and highly honored through- out the New School branch of the Church, with which he was identified. His death occurred Sep- tember II, 1868, and at a meeting of the Bar hield at Montrose on the following day appropriate reso- lutions were adopted, the preamble to which set forth that "a long, useful and active life is just closed; Hon. William Jessup has fallen out of our presence into the mystery of death. He brought into the legal profession such learning, eloquence and energy as for many years placed him at its head, the Nestor of the Bar ; added to these qualities was an impartial integrity, and an open, generous and manly bearing that won universal esteem and respect. From the Bench, as from the Bar, these all shone forth; and for many years he took rank with the first judicial minds of the State. In private life he was without spot, and the brightest descrip- tion of this remarkable character is, 'he was the highest type of a Christian gentleman.' "

On July 4, 1820, Judge Jessup was married to Miss Amanda, second daughter of Capt. Henry Harris, of Long Island, and there were born to the union eleven children, ten of whom attained man- hood and womanhood, a's follows:

(1) Jane R. Jessup married Col. J. B. Salis- bury, of New York.

(2) Mary S. Jessup married F. B. Chandler, of Montrose, Pennsylvania.

(3) Harriet A. Jessup married Isaac L. Post, of Scranton.

(4) Hon. William H. Jessup is mentioned farther cn.

(5) Rev. Henry H. Jessup, D. D., was born April 19, 1832, at Montrose, Penn. He was gradu- ated from Yale College, in the class of '51, and from the Union Theological Seminary. He had been identified with the Prebyterian Church at Montrose since 1843. In 1856 he went to Syria as a mission- ary, in connection with American Missions in that country, in which work he has since, with little exception, been actively engaged. He has been for many years a resident of Beirut, as a professor in the Theological Seminary, and is still active in the missionary service.

sailed for Syria, engaging in the work at Tripoli. From 1885 to 1896 he resided at Beirut, was in charge of the Mission press there, and is the editor of an Arabic newspaper. Since that time he has resided at Sidon, Syria.

(7) Fannie M. Jessup is unmarried.

(8) George A. Jessup, born February 5, 1838, at Montrose, died in June, 1898, at Scranton, Penn., where for many years he had been vice-president of the Scranton City Bank.

(9) Phoebe A. Jessup married Judge Alfred Hand, of Scranton, Penn. She is deceased.

(10) LIEUT. HUNTTING C. JESSUP was born February 18, 1843, at Montrose, Penn., and died December 6, 1897. He attended the home academy and also Cortland Academy, at Homer, N. Y., and was graduated from Yale College in the class of '64. For a period after his graduation he was a law student in his father's office, but, prompted by patriotic impulses, he laid aside his work and entered the United States Colored Troops. He remained in the service until January, 1866, when he returned to Montrose, resumed his law studies, and was ad- mitted to the Bar at the November term of Court, 1868. He became associated in the practice of law at Montrose with his brother, Hon. William H. Jess- up and continued with his brother in the pursuit of his profession from that time until his death. He served for a time as judge advocate of the State militia. He was a well-read lawyer, in all that he did was earnest, careful and thorough, and was associated with other counsel in a number of im- portant cases that came before the Susquehanna County Court. His legal work was largely con- fined to Orphans Court practice and office work. He was a great student, and probably no member of the Bar read more law than he had. His rela- tions with the Court, with his brother lawyers, and with his clients, were always of the most pleasant nature. In social life Mir. Jessup made a friend of every one, and incurred the enmity of none. He was prominent in all good work, and every move- ment for public improvement that would benefit Montrose and its people found in him an enthusias- tic advocate. In politics he was a loyal and un- compromising Republican, who uphe'd the organi- zation of his party because of his undving faith in its principles. He had been chosen by his fellow citizens to many positions of honor and trust, was burgess of Montrose for several terms, and as such was an honest, faithful and capable official. Mr. Jessup was one of the oldest and most enthusiastic volunteer fireman in Montrose and an efficient fire- fighter, who did not know the meaning of fear ; lie had filled nearly all positions in the village fire de- partment, serving. many years as chief engineer. Ile was a charter member of Four Brothers Post No. 453. G. A. R., of Montrose, being active in its affairs all through its existence up to the time of his death, and having filled all the important offices in

(6) Rev. Samuel Jessup, D. D., was born De- cember 21, 1834. in Montrose, Penn., and became identified with the Presbyterian Church there in 1849. He entered Yale College with the class of '60, and left at the end of the Sophomore year to enter Union Theological Seminary, the former conferring upon him in 1863 the honorary degree of A. M. On the breaking out of the Civil war he was mustered into the United States service, on June 22. 1861, as chaplain of the 6th Penn. Reserves, and as such served until July 30, 1862. That year he became identified with the work of Foreign Missions and i same. Early in life Mr. Jessup gave his heart to his

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Master and united with the First Presbyterian Church, of Montrose, of which he was ever after- ward a faithful and consistent member ; he was a leader and teacher in the Sabbath-school, and had served as its superinendent.

On December 27, 1865, at Clarksville, Tenn., while in the United States service, the then gallant young Lieut. Jessup was married to Miss Nina M., daughter of Dr. Joshua Cobb, of that place, and the marriage was blessed with children as follows : Huntting C., born in Jannary, 1867, who died in in- fancy; Nina B .; Mary G., born July 3, 1871, who died April 28, 1880; Robert H., born August 29, 1872; and Samuel MI., born August 12, 1879. The mother of these was born March 12, 1846, and died November 12, 1898. She was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, having united with the Church in Montrose in 1871.

HON. WILLIAM HUNTTING JESSUP, a distin- guished member of the Scranton Bar, though a resident of Montrose, Susquehanna county, was born January 29, 1830, in the Jessup homestead at Montrose, Penn. He attended Cortland Academy, at Homer, N. Y., then in charge of Dr. Samuel B. Woolworth, LL. D., and at the age of sixteen years, in 1846, entered the Sophomore class of Yale College, from which institution he was graduated in 1849, when only nineteen years of age. Among his classmates in college were such men as Presi- dent Timothy Dwight, D. D., LL. D., formerly of Yale College ; Judge Francis M. Finch, of the New York Court of Appeals; Dr. F .: W. Fisk, D. D., of Chicago Theological Seminary: Rev. Dr. E. D. Morris, D. D., of Lane Theological Seminary ; and the late William F. Pool, LL. D., of the Chicago Library. On completing his college course young Jessup returned to his home town, and for one year was instructor and assistant principal of the Mont- rose Academy. He studied law under the direction of his father, and was admitted to the Bar in No- vember, 1851, at the last term of Court held by his father, the elder Judge Jessup. Father and son became associated together in practice, and the latter was at once introduced to an extensive clientage in all the northern part of Pennsylvania, beginning his professional career with great zeal and carnest- ness, and soon becoming one of the most prominent and successful lawyers in his section of the State. His practice was extended throughout the State in the State Courts and those of the United States, and he rapidly rose in the profession. becoming widely known as a careful. accurate, thorough and able lawyer. A Whig by education, he cast his lot, his influence, and threw his very soul into the work of organizing the new party that was shaping itself in the middle 'fifties, and was thus one of the or- ganizers of the Republican party in his native town in November. 1854; and from that time to the pres- ent he has been ardent and earnest in furthering that party's interest, hardly a campaign having passed that his voice has not been heard on the stump for the maintenance of its principles. Long ago he es-

tablished the reputation of being an eloquent and popular public speaker and orator. He partially represented his district in the convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln for his second term; was a delegate to the convention which nominated Gen. Grant for the Presidency in 1868; and was one of the delegates-at-large from Pennsylvania to the convention which named James G. Blaine in 1884.

Father and son were strong supporters of the Union during the Civil war, at the outbreak of which the elder Jessup was called into the councils of the nation. The feeble health of his father, and the large business responsibilities resting on the son, prevented the latter's entering the field of active military operations, yet from start to finish he was active in the support of the government in both time and money. During the invasion of Pennsyl- vania by the Confederate army in 1862 and 1863 he was active as major of the 28th Regiment Volun- teer Militia. In 1863 our subject was appointed, by President Lincoln, assessor of Internal Revenue for the Twelfth Collection District of Pennsylvania. which included the counties of Luzerne and Sus- quehanna. During the three years that he held the office there was collected from the two counties more than one million dollars annually. On May 11, 1871, Major Jessup was commissioned by Gov. Geary as major-general of the Tenth Division of the National Guard of Pennsylvania. From August, 1877, to January, 1879, he was President Judge of the Thirty-fourth Judicial District, filling the office by ap- pointment, a vacancy created by the death of Judge Streeter .- As a Judge, he was remarkable for his ready comprehension of the different points in a case, and his thorough knowledge of the .law re- lating to the same, but not more so than for the strict and unswerving impartiality of his decisions. The following notice, taken from the Bradford Re- forter at the close of Judge Jessup's term on the Bench, shows the esteem in which he was held as a Judge :

'The entire Bar of this county unite in pro- nouncing Judge Jessup one of the best judges who has ever occupied the Bench in this place. His manner of dispatching business is not only dignified and courteous, but is attended with unusual rapidity ; while his decisions are able and given in language which carries conviction that he has given the ques- tion careful study and has arrived at logical con- clusions.'

Judge Jessup retired from the Bench to a full and lucrative practice at the Bar. which he still continues. In January. 1885, he established an office in Scranton, in partnership with the late Isaac J. Post, which partnership, however. was of short duration. owing to the death of Mr. Post in July of that year. Previously and subsequently he was associated in the practice at Montrose with his brother. the late Hintting C. Jessup, who maintained an office in that village. Since the death of Mr. Post the Judge has had associated with him in the

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office at Scranton liis son, William H. Jessup, Jr., who was graduated from Yale College in 1884, and became a full-fledged lawyer in 1886. The Judge also associated with him at that time his nephew, Horace E. Hand. The varied business of the great corporations of Scranton engrosses the greater part of Judge Jessup's time and legal ability. In the passing years, however, he has found time and taken pleasure in giving attention to the various duties of citizenship. He has given much time to agriculture, and for many years was president and an active promoter of the Susquehanna County Agricultural Society-one of the oldest organizations of its kind in the State. He has been active in the introduction of valuable livestock and all labor-saving machinery and methods in farming. Judge Jessup has been connected with all benevolent and educational move- ments in his community, and is especially active in the temperance cause. A writer in the home press once spoke of the Judge in the following manner :

"The eminent ability and extended practice of Gen. Jessup throughout the State render him one of the best qualified lawyers for the honorable position he now holds. His interest in the cause of education and the thorough endorsement of our common-school system is known to all, and long before the Murphy movement was started his po- sition in the cause of temperance in our county was well established as that of one of its ablest champ- ions. He is fond of agriculture, and held the presi- dency of our County Agricultural Society for some years, and has done much to advance the farming interests of our county. He lends his aid and in- fluence to every good cause."

As a man, Judge Jessup's character is spotless. At the early age of thirteen he connected himself with the Presbyterian Church at Montrose, was for thirty-six years superintendent of the Sabbath- school, and for the last thirty years has been one of the ruling elders. Personally he is tall, of command- ing presence, and has a fine, clear and melodious voice, which attracts and holds the attention of his auditors. He is always courteous in his address, and seeks to win by the soundness of his legal proposi- tions and the justice of his case, without descend- ing to the use of any forensic tricks to arouse passion or inflame prejudice. His integrity has brought to him the care and management of large estates, which have been administered with fidelity. He is referred to in the history of Susquehanna county as a "man of restless energy and force ; one of those nervous organizations whose mind can never re- main idle.

"In manner brusque and business-like, he im- presses as one who has no time to waste on the com- mon foibles of life. He is a good corporation lawyer and special pleader. He prepares his cases with care, using great diligence in legal research. During the trial of a cause he is alert and ready with objections to his opponents' questions, still he is straightforward in presenting a case, trying it upon its merits, with-

out recourse to politic allusions to matters outside of the main issue for the purpose of prejudicing the jury. He does not beconie all things to all men in order to win the jury, but relies wholly upon the soundness of his legal positions, fortified by an extensive array of precedents and the justness of his cause, which he presents with frankness and candor. These qualities of Judge Jessup impell his cotemporaries to admit that he is one of the fairest mien at the Bar to try a case against, as there is 110 danger of any side issue that does not pertain to the case or jury-fixing at his hands."

On October 5, 1853, Judge Jessup was mar- ried to Miss Sarah WV., daughter of Nelson Jay, of Belvidere, N. J., and to them have been born children as follows: Lillian, Mrs. Albert Leisen- ring; William H .; Mary C., who died in 1893; George S., who died in 1897; Sarah Louise; and Annie, Mrs. W. H. Woodin.

CLARENCE E. TITSWORTH, a prominent young business man of Susquehanna. who represents a number of the leading fire and life insurance com- panies, is a native of Susquehanna county, born in Brooklyn township, April 4, 1872, a son of Dewitt A. and Alice C. (Quick) Titsworth, who were also born in that township, the former in 1840, the latter in 1849. There they continued to make their home until 1882, when they moved to Montrose, where they now reside. In early life the father followed farming, but for fifteen years prior to his removal to Montrose was engaged in mercantile business. There he served as deputy prothonotary for six years, after which he was elected prothonotary for two succeed- ing terms of three years each, and in 1891, forming a partnership with D. R. Lathrop, he embarked in the fire and life insurance business, which he has since carried on with marked success. He is a stanch sup- porter of the Republican party, and both he and his wife are devoted members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church of Montrose, of which he is now one of the trustees. They have four children : William A., who married Bell Boyd, and is now serving as county commissioner clerk at Montrose ; Clarence E .: Leonard R., who is clerking for his father ; and Lillian N., at home.

William and Catherine ( Elston ) Titsworth. our subject's paternal grandparents, were born, reared and married in Sussex county, N. J .. and from there came to Susquehanna county. Penn., locating in Brooklyn township, near Macks Corners, where the former was killed by an accident in 1840. at the age of thirty-seven years. The grandmother then lived with her son, D. A. Titsworth, and died in Montrose, in October, 1804, at the age of ciglity- two years. Both were buried in Brooklyn cemetery. In religious belief they were Methodists. Their children were Dewitt A., father of our subject : Al- ford, a resident of Montrose : and Emily, who died in infancy. The maternal grandparents of our sub- ject, Johnson and Harriet E. ( Esstile) Quick, were also natives of Sussex county, N. J., and carly set-

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tlers of Brooklyn township, Susquehanna Co., Penn., where the grandfather followed farming throughout the remainder of his life. His wife is still living at the age of eighty-six years and con- tinues to make her home in that township. Both were prominent members of the Presbyterian Church.

Clarence E. Titsworth passed his boyhood and youth in Brooklyn, and in 1891 took a business course at Wood's College, in Scranton, Penn. He tlien entered the fire insurance office of Lathrop & Titsworth, and during the time he was in the em- ploy of that firm he became thoroughly familiar with every department of the insurance busi- ness. Coming to Susquehanna, in 1897, he opened an office of his own and has already succeeded in building up a good fire and life insurance business. On October 9, 1895, in Montrose, Mr. Titsworth married Miss Harriet B. Burns, a native of that city and a daughter of A. B. Burns, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. Their only child, Ray B., died when seven days old. Politically Mr. Titsworth is a stanch Republican; socially is a member of Starrucca Lodge No. 423, I. O. O. F., of Susquehanna, and Atlantic Lodge No. 452, Knights of Pythias, of Susquehanna, and religiously is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JOHN W. CLAPPER, a prosperous agri- culturist and highly esteemed citizen of Thompson township, Susquehanna county, was born in Otsego county, N. Y., in August, 1831, and is a son of Samuel and Mary (McFall) Clapper, both natives of Massachusetts, the former born in 1793, the latter in 1799. The paternal grandfather, Jacob Clapper, was a native of Holland. From Massachusetts the father removed to Otsego county, N. Y., where his first wife, Nancy Greene, died, leaving one daugh- ter, Mary, deceased wife of Nathan Crandell, of Otsego county. By his second wife, Mary McFall, he had the following children. ( 1) Samuel was born in Otsego county, but after reaching manhood made his home in Herrick township, Susquehanna county. (2) Joseph wedded Mary Stockwell, of Otsego county, and later located in Susquehanna, where he died leaving a wife and five children : Jennet, wife of John Martin, of Thompson; John, Samuel and Edwin, all of Susquehanna; and Matilda, wife of Joel Lee, of Susquehanna. (3) Catherine married the late Lucius Curtis, a farmer of Herrick township, Susquehanna county, and they had two children : Edwin, a resident of Herrick ; and Carrie, deceased wife of William Prentice, by whom she had one daughter-June. (4) Cooley married Clarissa Tru- ax, of New York, and located near Binghamton, where she died leaving five children: George; Hi- ram ; Christopher ; Stanford; and Mary, wife of William Boyce, of Chenango county, N. Y. After the death of the mother Cooley Clapper again mar- ried, but of this union there is no record. (5) Ma- rinda married Andrew Stockwell, of Otsego county, and removed to Thompson, Susquehanna county,

where she died. Her children were: George; Will- iam, who died young; Andrew, a restlent of Car- bondale, Penn .; Lucius, of Port Jervis, N. Y. ; Nan- cy, wife of Edwin Prentice, of Susquehanna ; John, of Thompson ; and Edwin, who enlisted in the Spon- ishi war and is now with our soldiers at Manda. (6) Nancy married Jerome White, of Otsego coun. ty, where he died leaving two children, Jennie, and Addie. Nancy is now the wife of James Wheat, of Chenango county, N. Y. (7) John W. completes the family.

Jolin W. Clapper secured his education in the district schools of Otsego county. After reaching man's estate he came to Susquehanna county, Penn., where for three or four years he followed lumbering. In 1853 he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Aldrich, of Thompson, a daughter of Aaron and Mary ( Harkness) Aldrich, representatives of old New Hampshire families. Mrs. Clapper was born in Cheshire, N. H., in 1833, and when a child came to Thompson with her parents, who died here. After his marriage our subject purchased a tract of wild land in Thompson township and at once turned his attention to clearing and improving the land. His first home was a small frame house, which in 1884 was replaced by a more commodious and modern residence. He has also built three barns and other outbuildings and made many other improvements upon the place, which is now numbered among the best farms of the locality, 150 acres being under excellent cultivation.

Mr. and Mrs. Clapper have become thie par- ents of eight children, namely: (1) Alvina, born on the home farm in Thompson township, in 1854. is now the wife of George Curtis, a farmer of Herrick township, and to them were born seven children: Edith, wife of Albert M. Churchill, of Elk county, Penn. ; Charles, who died when a young man; Harry, who graduated at Pleasant Mount Academy in 1896; Bessie; John, who died young : Myrtle ; and Ray. (2) Emma, born in Jackson, in 1855, is the wife of Hezekiah Robins. a blacksmith. of Harford, and has had eight children: Maud S., who was born in 1879 and graduated from the Har- ford schools in 1896 : Florence ; Jessie ; Carl ; Howard : Jacob and John, twins, who died young ; and Beat- rice. (3) Charles, born in Thompson, in 1857. was educated at Pleasant Mount Academy, and married Mertie Tinglev. of Harford, and now resides on a part of the old homestead. He has two children- Ruth and Rex. (4) Eudora, born in 1860. is the wife of Harney Brown, a farmer of Thompson. (5) Julia A .. born in August. 1863, was educated in the schools of Thompson and Harford, and was one of the successful teachers of Susquehanna county for several terms. She married Lewis Banks, of Lanes- boro, who is now employed in the shops at Sus- quehanna, and they have one daughter-Lena. (6) Alice, born in October, 1867. was educated in the Harford schools and is now the wife of Verna Slocum, a farmer of Jackson, by whom she has one child-Celia. (7) Lena, born in 1869, obtained a

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 3, Part 99

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