Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 111

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 111
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 111
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 111
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 111

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WALLACE B. STEVENS. The thriving town of Stevens Point, Susquehanna county, owcs much of its prosperity to the foresight and enterprise of the Stevens family, and the subject of this sketch is now a leading merchant and agriculturist of that locality.

AIr. Stevens was born November 3, 1847, at Smith Hill, Wayne county, and is of English de- scent in the paternal line. Dr. Francis Stevens, the grandfather of our subject, was born and reared in England, receiving an excellent education. For a time he was ship carpenter on board of ocean ves- sels, and later he practiced medicine among the crews. On leaving the sea he located on a farm near Honesdale, his remaining years being spent in farni- ing and the practice of medicine. He died in 1828. and his wife, Ann Orsborn, dicd March 11, 1865. They had ten children, of whom the eldest. Fran- cis, was a minister of a Methodist Church in Wayne county. Two other sons, Mark and William. served as soldiers during the Civil war, and were held cap- tive for some time in Libby prison. Mrs. Ann ( Ors- born) Stevens married again after the death of Mr. Stevens, her second husband being Richard Brown. by whom she had one child, Eliza J .. now the wife of Sylvester Thomas, of Starrucca, Wayne county.

John B. Stevens, our subject's father, was born

1805

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

January 16, 1820, in England, and came to this country when nine years old. In 1846 he married Miss Koxy Cargill, who was born January 4, 1825, in Jackson township, Susquehanna county, a daugi- ter of Thomas J. and Sallie ( Couk) Cargill, natives of New Hampshire, and pioneer settlers in Susque- hanna county. Soon after his marriage John B. Stevens settled at Smith Hill, Wayne county, where he spent three years in farming, and he then pur- chased a large tract of land at the present site of Stevens Point, and cleared and improved a farm. He was engaged in lumbering on the Delaware and Lackawanna rivers for some time, and in 1858 he removed to Sullivan county, N. Y., where he con- ducted a grocery for three years. Finding mercan- tile business congenial he returned to Stevens Point, opened a store, and about the time the Jefferson rail- road was built through his land he erected a large dwelling house and store room combined. This formed a good nucleus for the growing town which was named in his honor, and for many years he con- ducted a constantly increasing trade there. He died July 18, 1895, and liis estimable wife, who ably sec- onded his_ efforts in all lines, is still living at Ste- vens Point, on the homestead willed by luim to her during her life. They had three children, of whom our subject was the eldest; (2) Elvina, born Octo- ber 14, 1849, in Wayne county, married Charles H. McDevitt, of New York State, and after residing for some time in Stevens Point they removed to Bing- hamton, N. Y., where Mr. McDevitt was employed in a lumber yard, but after an illness of about two years he died, September 6, 1899. They had five children-Judson, Maggie, JohnB., May and Chania. (3) Henry B., born in Harmony township, Susque- hanna county, March 10, 1852, and resides at the homestead.

Our subject was educated in the district schools of Harmony township, and for some years followed the carpenter's trade. As the father's health failed with advancing years the management of the busi- ness devolved upon him, and he had full charge of the estate for a number of years and is still manag- ing the same for his mother. Politically he was a Democrat, and for four years he held the office of assistant postmaster under President Cleveland's ad- ministration, and at this writing he is assistant post- master. He takes an active share in partisan work, and for eighteen years has been a member of the lo- cal election board, serving as clerk, inspector or judge. Socially he and his family are popular, and he belongs to Camp No. 20, Patriotic Order Sons of America, of which his son William is also a mem- ber, and to Starrucca Valley Castle No. 271, Knights of the Golden Eagle, at Stevens Point. In 1897 lie was a delegate to the State and national meetings of the former order of Reading, Pennsylvania.

On July 3, 1873, Mr. Stevens married Miss Frances P'. Tickner, daugliter of William Tickner, a well known resident of Harmony township, Sus- quehanna county. They have two sons : George H., born August 26, 1874, who is now in business as a

barber at Binghamton, N. Y., and William A., born October 14, 1080, who follows the sanie occupation at Stevens Point, living in the same house with his father and grandmother.

CHARLES BRUSH (deceased) was one of the prominent agriculturists of Great Bend township, Susquehanna county-a man whose energy and ex- ecutive ability would have given promise of success in any line of life, and the result of his effort show that farming can be made both profitable and pleas- ant as an occupation.

He came of good pioneer stock, and was born December 29, 1826, in Oakland township, Susque- hanna county. His father, Jonathan Brush, was born and reared in Greenfield, Conn., and was married there to Miss Laura Mead, who was born in 1790, the daughter of Edinond Mead, a farmer in Con- necticut. For some years after his marriage Jona- than Brush remained in Connecticut, where he fol- lowed the shoemaker's trade; but in 1822, he re- moved to Susquehanna county, locating upon a farm in Oakland township. Later he spent a few years in Great Bend, and New Milford townships, but his last days were spent at his farm, where he died in 1842, at the age of fifty-six years. His widow after- ward married General Root, and her death occurred in 1866, her remains being interred in AcCune's Cemetery. Jonathan Brush was a devout member of the Methodist Church, and an excellent citizen, his influence being always given toward the mainten- ance of law and order in the community. Of his eight children two were born in Connecticut; Ly- dia A. ( deceased) married Mortimer Lindsay ; Re- becca (deceased) married Philander Finney ; Amy (deceased) married John Van Volkenburgh; Ed- mond died in Susquehanna, Penn .; Charles is men- tioned more fully below ; Irwin, a carpenter by trade, resides in La Platte, Neb. ; Rachel, widow of MI. Mc- Clelland, resides in Sheldon, Iowa; and Eunice mar- ried Ely Conklin, of Brownell, Ncss Co., Kansas.

Charles Brush always engaged in agricultural pursuits with the exception of one year ( 1883) spent in Binghamton, N. Y., in the carpenter's trade. From 1848 he had his home at his present farm which con- tains eighty-five acres, the greater portion being un- der cultivation. After his father's death he worked one scason among farmers in Connecticut in order to pay off a mortgage on the place. The first dwell- ing house was a small shanty, but Mr. Brush re- placed it with a comfortable residence. while other improvements were made from time to time. He was a man who thoughit for himself on all matters. including politics, and his vote was cast for the men and measures of which he approved, without regard to party tics. For three years he served as school director, and he was prominent in religious work as a member of the Methodist Church at New Milford.

On July 4, 1851, Mr. Brush was married. in Oakland township, to Miss Catherine Van Volken- burgh, who was born March 21, 1834. at Windsor. Broome county, N. Y., daughter of Jonathan and

1806

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Jemima Van Volkenburgh. The following children were born of this marriage : Willis E. and Edna P. died in childhood; Orville J., who married Miss Hattie Sackett, is a farmer in New Milford town- ship, and also a licentiate of the Baptist Church ; Laura J. is deceased ; Rachel married Rev. John W. Chidester, a minister at Great Bend ; Lydia M. mar- ried (first) Thomas Cortright (now deceased) and (second ) liis brother, James Cortright, of New Mil- ford township; Amy J. married Albert Rush, of Binghamton, N. Y .; John C., a resident of Winton, Penn., married Maggie Richards; Ulysses G., a farmer in Harford township, Susquehanna county, married Miss Jessie Savage; Noble married Bertha Porter, and resides in Pringbar, Ia. The mother of this family died December 17, 1873, and her re- mains rest in the Highland burying ground in Great Bend township. On April 26, 1877, Mr. Brush mar- ried Miss Lizzie Taylor, a lady of fine mental ability and culture, who taught school successfully for thir- ty years in Georgia, Kansas, New York, and Penn- sylvania. She was born May 11, 1831, at Cairo, Greene county, N. Y., the daughter of Richard B. Taylor, and granddaughter of Thomas and Elia- beth (Barker ) Taylor, of England. Her father was born and reared at Cairo, and was a well known farmer and school teacher of that locality. He died in 1851, aged sixty years. His wife, Adelaide P. (Krotz), who died in December, 1879, at the age of seventy-five, was a native of Ulster county, N. Y., and a daughter of Frederick and Prudence ( Howell) Krotz. They had eight children, as follows: Miss MariaM., a resident of Ulster county, N. Y .; Thomas H., who is employed in the Custom House at Brook- lyn, N. Y .; Catherine A., who died in 1851 ; James B. and Charles H., who are engaged in mining at Col- orado; Merilla C., widow of Philip Lasher, of Ul- ter county, N. Y .; and Jennie, widow of Edwin S. Cook, of Greene county, N. Y. On February 21, 1900, after an illness of four weeks, Charles Brush passed to his last rest, and his remains were laid away in the Highland Burying Ground.

P. J. BRUGLER, general farmer and dairy- man, has occupied his present farm in Auburn town- ship, Susquehanna county, since 1888, and ranks among the substantial citizens of his neighborhood. He is a native of Warren county, N. J., where his ancestors have lived for several generations, and whence he was brought to Pennsylvania by his par- ents, Samuel and Latitia (Linaberry) Brugler, in the year 1856.

Henry Brugler, great-grandfather of our sub- ject, passed all his life on his farm in Warren coun- ty, N. J., engaging in agricultural pursuits. His son, Peter, who was also a lifelong farmer of War- ren county, married Nancy Strainer, and they be- came the parents of the following named children : Henry, a farmer of Warren county, N. J .; Samuel ; James, who died in New Jersey ; Manor, who died in New Jersey ; Lovell, deceased, who first married Al- ford Ribble and subsequently Joseph Thomas; Peter,

deceased ; and Sarah, wife of John Harter, a farmier of Warren county. The father of this family passed away in 1878, the mother in 1883, and they were buried on their farm.

Samuel Brugler was born August 7, 1821, in Warren county, N. J., where he grew to manhood, receiving his education in the common schools. Ile was reared to farming, which has been his life voca- tion, and he remained with his parents up to the age of twenty-five years. On February 14, 1840, he was married, in Warren county, to Miss Latitia Lina- berry, and in 1859 they came with their family to Susquehanna county, Penn., settling on the farm in Auburn township, where they have since made their home. The place comprises 118 acres of what is now valuable farming land, but at the time of their ar- rival it was little more than a wilderness, and all the improvements on the place are the result of Mr. Brugler's enterprise and industry. He has carried on general farming and by incessant hard work has succeeded in gaining a comfortable competence, which he richly deserves. He is a Democrat in politics, but he has never been particularly active in public affairs, giving close attention to his agri- cultural interests. He is highly respected by all who know him. Samuel and Latitia Brugler have had children as follows : P. J., the subject proper of these lines; Joseph K., residing in Rush township; Jer- ris, a farmer of Jessup township ( he married Anna Hibbard) ; Judson, a merchant of Olyphant, Penn. (he has been twice married, first to Lillie Johnson, and second to Lillie Brown) ; Libby, Mrs. Henry Young, deceased ; and Katie, wife of William Stev- ens, of Peckville, Penn. Mrs. Brugler was born January 24, 1825, in Warren county, N. J., daugh- ter of John and Elizabeth ( Kishbaugh) Linaberry, who were farming people of Connecticut. Their family consisted of eight children, viz .: Anna, Joseph, Nelson, Carson, Achelius, Betsey M., Latitia and Kate M. (who was twice married, first to Will- iam Lake and afterward to John W. Smith).

P. J. Brugler was born April 28, 1848, in War- ren county, N. J., and coming to Susquehanna coun- ty in boyhood, has passed the greater part of his life in the locality where he still resides, obtaining his education in the common schools and his agricult- ural training on the home farm, where he remained with his parents until he reached his majority. From that time until his marriage he worked among dif- ferent farmers, after which he commenced on his own account, renting land in Auburn township and other parts of the county until he settled on his pres- ent place, in 1888. He has 107 acres of fine land. systematically and carefully cultivated. and in ad- dition to general farming, he has engaged quite ex- tensively in dairying, at present keeping about fif- teen cows. Mr. Brugler is progressive and up-to- date in his calling, and he has met with gratifying success in his farming operations, having a comfort- able home and well-equipped property, which may well be a source of pride to their owner. Mr. Brug- ler is a Democrat in political faith.

1807

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

On December 7, 1872, Mr. Brugler was united in marriage, in Rush township, with Miss Mary Crisman, and they have had six children, namely: Bertha, who married Daniel Penworth, a farmer of Auburn township; Lavergne, who died March 28, 1896, at the age of twenty-one years, and was bur- ied in Jersey Hill cemetery ; Samuel W., Oscar, Ho- mer and Tussie P., all at home. Mrs. Mary (Cris- man) Brugler was born in Warren county, N. J., a daughter of Nelson and Charlotte Matilda (Wild- rick) Crisman, who came to Susquehanna county and settled on the farm in Auburn township where they passed the remainder of their lives. The fa- ther was a farmer and harness maker by occupa- tion. He died in 1878, at the age of seventy years, the mother in 1888, and their remains rest in the Jersey Hill cemetery in Auburn township. Their children were Marshall H., a farmer of Auburn township; Albert, a farmer of Dimock township; Mary, Mrs. Brugler; Adella, wife of Charles Vos- burg, a farmer of Kansas; Sarah V., wife of Philip Conrad, a carpenter of Newark, N. J .; Angeline, wife of J. K. Brugler, of Rush township; and Rose A., wife of John Arnts, a shoemaker of Meshoppen, Pennsylvania.

MARSHALL H. CRISMAN, who owns a fine farm of 200 acres in Auburn township, Susquehanna county, was born July 16, 1842, in Warren county, N. J., son of Nelson and Charlotte M. (Wildrick) Crisman, and grandson of Isaac Crisman, who was a lifelong farmer of Warren county.

Mr. Crisman's parents came to Susquehanna county, Penn., and settled in Auburn township, where they made a permanent home. Nelson Cris- man was a farmer and harness maker by occupation. He passed away in September, 1881, aged seventy- one years, his wife. on July 9, 1891, at the age of seventy-four, and they were laid to rest in Jersey Hill cemetery. Of their children Marshall H. is the eldest ; Albert is a farmer in Dimock township; Mary is the wife of P. J. Brugler, a farmer of Au- burn township; Adella married Charles Vosburg, a farmer of Kansas; Sarah V. is the wife of Philip Conrad, a carpenter of Newark, N. J .; Angeline is the wife of J. K. Brugler, a farmer of Rush town- ship; Rose A. married John Arnts, a shoemaker, of Meshoppen, Pennsylvania.

Marshall H. Crisman was given a public-school education, and he remained at home up to the age of twenty-nine years, gaining a thorough knowledge of agriculture on his father's farm. He has since made his home on the farm of 200 acres in Auburn town- ship which he owns, and which has, through his in- dustry, become a valuable property. But forty acres were cleared when he removed to the place, but there are now 160 acres under cultivation, and Mr. Cris- man derives a comfortable income from his property, which he is constantly improving and beautifying in various ways. On December 10. 1872, he married Miss Huldah I. Kennedy, the wedding taking place at her home in Auburn township, and they have had four children : Charles M., a farmer of Auburn town-

ship, who married Mary Beninger; Clark D. and Rosie M., living at home; and Olivera, who died young. The family attend the M. P. Church, of which Mr. Crisman is an active member, holding the office of trustee at the present time. In political sen- timent he is a Republican.

Mrs. Hulda I. (Kennedy) Crisman was born September 21, 1851, in Auburn township, where her parents, Ezra and Sarah ( Benscoter ) Kennedy, set- tled in 1840, coming from New Jersey, their native State, where they were reared and married. They purchased fifty-seven acres of land here, erected a log cabin on the tract, and here they spent the remainder of their long and busy lives, the father dying in 1870, at the age of sixty-one years, the mother on March 14, 1887, at the advanced age of eighty; they were laid to rest in Jersey Hill cemetery. MIr. Kennedy took an active part in the affairs of his adopted place, and held various local offices, dis- charging his duties as a public servant with credit to himself and satisfaction to all concerned. He and his wife were members of the M. P. Church. Their family consisted of ten children, viz .: Charles V., who is a farmer of Leraysville, Penn. ; Ann, Mrs. Steven Millard, deceased; Andrew B., of Elmira, N. Y. (he was a soldier in the Civil war) ; Richard, of Tunkhannock, Penn. (he was also a soldier) ; Benjamin, a brickmason and farmer of South Mont- rose, Penn .; Nellie, who died at the age of seven years; Elizabeth, who died at the age of one year ; William, living in the West; Martha, who died young, and Huldah I .. Mrs, Crisman. Mrs. Cris- man's paternal grandfather, Daniel Kennedy, who was a native of Ireland, passed his latter days in Sus- quehanna county, and both he and his wife died at the home of their son Ezra. Her maternal grand -. parents, Richard and Ann (Van Gorden) Benscoter, were natives of Sussex county. N. J., coming thence to Susquehanna county and settling in Auburn town- ship, where they died. He was a farmer by occupa- tion.

H. B. TIFFANY, in his lifetime a worthy rep- resentative of one of the old and honored families of Susquehanna county, at the time of his death lived retired upon a farm in Brooklyn township, where he was born September 4, 1844.

Mr. Tiffany was a son of Nelson and Permelia E. Whitney Tiffany, who were also natives of that township. The father died upon this farm, August 17, 1855, at the age of forty-three years and eleven months, and the mother passed away at Hop Bot- tom, in Susquehanna county, in 1897. at the age of eighty years, both being laid to rest in the Univer- salist cemetery. in Brooklyn township. They were members of the Universalist Church, and the fa- ther was also connected with the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows. He held several township offices and was quite a prominent citizen of his com- munity. In his family were four children, namely: Harvey N., born October 4. 1839, is a merchant and postmaster of Tiffany, Bridgewater township,

1808

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Susquehanna county ; H. B., our subject, is men- tioned farther on; Cynthia A., born July 9, 1845, died December 28, 1853 ; and Emily E., born Febru- ary 17, 1851, married Myron J. Titus, a veteran of the Civil war, and a carpenter of Hop Bottom. Our subject's paternal grandparents were Alfred and Lucy ( Miller ) Tiffany, the former a native of Attlc- boro, Mass., the latter of Glastonbury, Conn. His maternal grandparents were Roswald and Sally (Squares) Whitney. The grandfather came from New York State to Susquehanna county in 1810, and located in Brooklyn township, where he spent the remainder of his life.

With the exception of one year H. B. Tiffany spent his entire life on the old homestead. In 1863 he went to Tioga county, this State, where he worked at farming for a year, and then returned home. At one time he was in the employ of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Co., as fireman, and was promoted to engineer, but left the road in 1865 during a strike. He owned the old home farm, which is comprised of 140 acres, which he successfully operated until August 18, 1893, but from that time until his death, December 6, 1899,' ill health prevented him from engaging in the ardu- our labors of the farmi and he practically lived re- tired. He succeeded in acquiring a comfortable com- petence and was well prepared to lay aside all busi- ness cares and spend the evening of life in ease and quiet. He affiliated with the Democratic party, and held membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church from 1896.

On April 5, 1870, Mr. Tiffany was married, in Harford township, Susquehanna county, to Miss Lizzie E. McConnell, and by this union four chil- dren were born, namely: Harry H., born May 29, 1871, died February 10, 1873; Elmer E., born Jan- uary 5, 1874, died February 23, 1874; Frank, born July 17, 1876, and Augustus, born July 23, 1879, are both at home. Mrs. Tiffany, who is a most estimable woman and who has been a faithful help- meet to her husband, was born in Bangor, County Down, Ireland, August 8, 1848, and in 1853 came to the United States with her parents, David and Catherine ( McGee) McConnell, also natives of County Down. The family located in Harford town- ship, Susquehanna Co., Penn., where the father followed farming until called from this life, in 1889, at the age of eighty-three years. The mother is also deceased.

H. F. WILMOT, of Varden. Wayne county, is one of the leading citizens of that thriving little town. The following history will be read with in- terest, as the family of which he is a worthy rep- resentative is noted for ability and public spirit. Mr .. Wilmot's mother has been for many years an honored preacher of the Gospel, and various other members of his family have won a high standing in the community in their chosen lines of work. He comes of good old Connecticut stock, his grandpar- ents, Thomas and Clarissa ( Hawthornc) Wilmot,

being born, reared and marricd in the "Nutmeg State," but came to Pennsylvania at an carly day, locating upon a farm in Susquehanna county. The grandfather, who died in 1844, aged forty years, was much respected as a man of honorable and up- right principles.

Philo A. Wilmot, our subject's father, was one of ten children born to Thomas and Clarissa Wil- mot. He was born July 28, 1831, in Susquehanna county, and at the age of sixteen began to learn the blacksmith's trade at Windsor, Penn. On com- pleting his apprenticeship he conducted a shop at Hop Bottom, Susquchanna county, for some time, and then after spending five years at Montrose, Penn., he removed to Wayne county, in 1860, and settled in Waymart, purchasing a small farm. For about a year after his removal lie was employed in the shop of Harvey Stevenson, but on September 1, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company G, 17th P. V. I., for a term of three years, under Capt. Samuel T. Davis. As he was a skilled workman his services were called for in the line of his trade and he was placed in charge of fifty men employed in blacksmithing. This important post he held throughout his term of service without taking part in any fighting, and on October 27, 1864, he re- ceived an honorable discharge. During his absence his wife had moved with her two children to South Canaan township, Wayne county, and located about one and a half miles from their present home, but on his return home he settled at that town. where he rented a shop for two years and a half. He then purchased the place which is now occupied by our subject, and there he built a large two-story shop, where he carried on an extensive business until his death, which occurred at Varden, Sep- tember 9, 1890. In 1894 our subject built a new shop and in the following year the old building was town down. Mr. Philo Wilmot was an exemplary citizen, prominent in progressive movements in his locality, and for many years he was a trustee in the Methodist Church. In politics he was a Republican. and socially he was identified with the G. A. R. at Gravity, in which organization he held the office of chaplain for some timc. On May 3. 1855. he was married, at Great Bend, Susquehanna county. by Peter Decker, Esq., to Miss Almira C. Rock- well, by whom he had the following children : Laura R. died in childhood; twins, unnamed. died in infancy ; Mary L. married Dwight Collins, freight agent for the E. & W. railroad, at Scranton. where both are active in religious work as members of the Methodist Church; H. F., our subject, is mentioned more fully farther on ; Arthur A. is studying for the Methodist ministry; Thomas C., a contractor and builder, married Miss May Roberts, and resides at Priccville, Penn .; Homer T. is preparing for the ministry; Mary K. is teaching school: and Miss Pearl A. is at home.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 111

Author: Publication date: 1900 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1058

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1058