Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 113

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 113
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 113
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 113
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 113

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JACOB D. YOUMANS, of Spragueville, Monroe county, is the proprietor of the only hos- telry in that promising village, and by his able and judicious management he has won a high reputa- tion as a landlord. Genial and affable, his manner assures a new guest of good cheer, and the expecta- tion is well met by the comfortable arrangements of the hotel and the choice, abundant food, much of which comes fresh from Mr. Youmans' farm near by. In addition to these interests he has charge of the gristmill belonging to G. B. Decker, and he ranks among the most enterprising and successful citizens of his locality.

Mr. Youmans was born in 1847, in Sussex county, N. J., a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Swarzeldier ) Youmans, both natives of Warren county, N. J. His father, who followed farming and surveying during his active life, died at his homestead in New Jersey in 1880: the mother sur- vived him only four years. They reared a large family of children, among whom were: (1) Mar- tin (now deceased) was a lifelong resident of New Jersey. He married ( first ) Miss Mary Bird, who died a few years later, and their only daughter died in childhood. He married ( second) Miss Selma Fleming, who now resides in New York, and by this union he had six children, among whom were Myrtle, Frank (a physician of New York), May and Fred. (2) Samuel, a resident of Sussex coun-

ty, N. J., married Miss Jane Newbaker, and has five children. (3) George, a prominent contractor and builder in Kansas City, where he now owns a large amount of real estate, married Miss Louie Kirk, of Zanesville, Ohio, and has four children- Jesse, May, Frank and one whose name is not given. (4) Christiana married Jonah Reed, a farmer near Columbus, Ohio, and has two sons. (5) Lemuel is a resident of Licking county, Ohio. He married in Ohio a lady and has two children- Leslie and Thomas. (6) Mary is the widow of George Keen, of Newton, N. J., and has one daugh- ter, Laura, now Mrs. Frank Samson, of New Jer- sey. (7) Lottie married William Losey, of New- ton. N. J., and has three sons -- John, George and Harvey.

Our subject's early life was spent in the man- ner common to country lads of his day, farm work on the homestead alternating with study in the dis- trict school. As a young. man he became familiar with carpentering and gristmilling, and at the age of twenty-four he was employed by the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. Co. in building bridges, depots and other structures along the line of their road. After his marriage he engaged in business as a carpenter at Pataskala, Ohio. Subsequently he returned, with his family, to New Jersey, and for several years he conducted the old homestead for his mother, and for nearly eight years he followed milling in that State. Later he removed to Kansas, where he worked at his trade a year, but he afterward re- turned to New Jersey. In 1892 he came to Monroe county and took charge of the Pace Milling Co. for two years, while for three he rented the Kestler gristmill at Tannersville. In 1897 he removed to Spragueville, purchasing a farm from G. B. Decker and a house which he has since fitted up as a hotel. His bar is a notable feature of the place, being sup- plied with fine brands of wines and liquors. He married Miss Mary Crymbee, daughter of John and Mary Crymbee, of Licking county, Ohio, where her father is still living at an advanced age. Six chil- dren have blessed this union, namely: Carl, born in Ohio, is now employed in a box factory at New- ton, N. J. ; Miss Blanche, a native of New Jersey, is now residing with her parents ; John, Emmett and Ann are also at home: and Olive died at the age of nine years. Our subject and his wife were reared in the Presbyterian faith, and socially he is identified with several orders, having united. in Ohio, with the I. O. O. F., and the F. & A. M. Lodge. No. 404, at Castle, Ohio. Politically he is a Democrat of the Jacksonian type.

ERNEST RIGNY. farmer of Milford, P. O. Milford, Pike county, Pennsylvania.

WILLIAM WEAVER (deceased ) will be re- membered by the older residents of Honesdale as the leading contractor of the city in his day, and the former proprietor of the "National" hotel. He was one of the respected self-made mien of the

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

place, a thrifty German who, coming to America in the hope of making a better living, made the most of his opportunities in the New World, and by ex- ercising those habits of industry and economy char- acteristic of his race became one of the most pros- perous and valuable citizens of the community in which he settled.

Mr. Weaver was born March 15, 1823, in the Grand Duchy of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, son of Leonard Weaver, who lived in his native country until he reached an advanced age, and passed his declining years in America. William Weaver grew to manhood in his birthplace, and in early life com- menced to learn the trade of mason, which he fol- lowed until his death. In 1846 he set sail for the United States, and during the nine weeks' voyage met his future wife, Miss Mary Dag, who, like him- self, was a native of Germany, born October 2.4, 1824, in Wurtemberg. She was coming to America with her parents, John and Mary Margaret Dag. who not long after their arrival settled in Seelyville, Wayne Co., Penn., where they passed the remainder of their lives, the father dying at the age of seventy years, the mother at seventy-six. Mr. Weaver lo- cated in New York City, after a short residence there going to Boston, and thence coming to Hones- dale, Wayne Co .. Penn., making the journey via New York. He followed his trade at these places, and finally took up contracting putting up a number of the business buildings of Honesdale which stand to this day as monuments to his skill. Among others we mention the Keystone block, the German Catholic school house, the postoffice, the "National" hotel, in Honesdale, all of which were decided im- provements to the city. Besides attending to the details of his contracting business he conducted the "National" hotel, which he owned for several years, being its proprietor at the time of his death, which came somewhat suddenly, in the midst of a rush of business. As will be seen, Mr. Weaver soon after his removal to Honesdale became iden- tified thoroughly with her interests, established a good business, and, as a large property owner and the employer of a good force of men, was recog- nized as one of the substantial men of the town. When he commenced his career in this country he had nothing to build his fortune .on but confidence in his own skill as the master of a good trade, and the persevering energy which marks the Tcutonic race wherever found, but he progressed steadily in a financial way, and enjoyed a snug competence for many years before his decease, on December 9, 1873.

Mr. and Mrs. Wcaver were married in New York City, in July, 1847, and they reared a family of eight children, a brief record of whom is as follows : George Peter, born November 26, 1848, lives in Philadelphia. Penn. : he is married and has five chil- dren-Frank ( who is married and had one child, now deceascd), Harry George. Charles and Etta. John is engaged in the hotel business in Honesdale. William, born August 18, 1854, is a miason and build-

er; he is married and has four children-Barbara, Lottie, Mamie and Florence. Elizabeth, born March 30, 1857, is the wife of Frederick Schelling, of New York, and has three children-Frederick, Willie and Emily. Otto, born August 5. 1859, married and had two children-Willie and Otto; he is deceased. Charles Jacob, born September 28, 1861, is the pro- prietor of a restaurant in Honesdale. Emma. born February 5, 1865, is the wife of John P. Mackert, and has one child. Grace. Barbara, the youngest, is unmarried and devotes herself to the care of her aged mother. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver trained their children to the habits of industry and sobriety which played so important a part in their own success and made them esteemed by their neighbors and friends everywhere, and the family is one of which any par- ents might feel proud, for they are all respected an.1 useful members of society, filling their respective stations in life in a most creditable manner. The father was a member of the German Lutheran Church, to which the mother also belongs. Mrs. Weaver is a remarkably well-preserved woman. She lives in a beautiful residence in the north part of Honesdale, and it is the wish of all that she may be spared many years to enjoy the wealth which she did her share toward accumulating.

LOUIS SCHWEIGHOFER. There is no element which has entered into our composite na- tional fabric which has been of more practical strength, value and utility than that furnished by the sturdy, persevering and honorable sons of Ger- many. Among the prominent citizens of Wayne county who claim the Fatherland as their birth- place is Mr. Schweighofer, one of the leading dairy- men and farmers of Lebanon township.

Mr. Schweighöfer was born in Nassau. Ger- many, in October, 1834, and in 1848 accompanied his parents, Christian and Mary ( Stinemaker ) Schweighöfer, on their emigration to America. Locating in Honesdale, Wayne Co., Penn .. the fa- ther worked on the railroad for one year, and then moved to Lebanon township. where he purchased from D. B. Smith forty-eight acres of woodland. He devoted his energies to clearing and improving the farm, on which he built a comfortable dwelling and good barn, making his home there until called to his final rest in 1889. His estimable wife had died two years previously. Their children were as follows: (1) August. born in Germany. in 1831. grew to manhood in Wayne county, and married Elizabeth Brill, of that county, by whom he has fourteen children. They now reside on his farm in Lebanon township. (2) Louis is next in order of birth. (3) Fred. born in Germany. in 1835. and (4) Charles, born in 1837. both died in childhood. (5) Christopher. born in Germany, in 1839. was a member of a Pennsylvania regiment in the Union army during the Civil war, and was wounded in the seven days' fight at Richmond. He married Katic Brown, of Lebanon. and located in Dunmore. Lu- zerne Co., Penn., where hic died in 1877, leaving a

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wife but no children. (6) Louisa, born in Lebanon township, Wayne county, in 1850, was educated in the schools of that locality, and is now the wife of Peter Alfes, a farmer of Damascus township, Wayne county, by whom she has had eleven chil- dren, among whom were Lizzie, Katie, Mary, Nel- " son, Charles, Naomi, and Stacy (who died in child- hood).

Louis Schweighöfer began his education in the schools of his native land, and after coming to the United States, at the age of fourteen years, pursued his studies for a time in the schools of Wayne coun- ty. In 1859 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Gilland, of Halifax county, Va., who has proved a true helpmeet to him, patiently sharing all the trials and vicissitudes that have come to them in their efforts to secure a home and competence. Her father, Johnson Gilland, belonged to one of the C. E. WOODMANSEE, a prominent general merchant of Starlight, Wayne county, is one of that county's native sons and a. representative of one of her most distinguished and honored families, whose identification with her history dates from an early period in the development of the county. His fa- elsewhere), is one of the leading citizens of the coun- ty, has served as county treasurer and member of the State Legislature, and was a soldier of the Civil war, while his mother, who bore the maiden name of Miss Lavina Underwood, is a representative of a prominent family, being a sister of Hon. N. F. Un- derwood, of Lake Como. old and distinguished families of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Schweighöfer have become the parents of eight children, namely: Joseph, born in Virginia, in 1861, still resides with his parents on the old ho:ne- stead. Emmet. born in Wayne county, in 1867, is also at home. Alice, born in 1870, is now the wife . . ther, Hon. J. E. Woodmansee ( whose sketch appears of Edward Goodenough, of Lebanon township, and has one child, Merle. Frederick, born in 1872, mar- ried Lulu Holgate, of Damascus, by whom he has one son, and they reside on his farm in Damaseus township, Wayne county. Richard, born in 1874, died at the age of nineteen years. Burton, born in 1877, Calvin, born in 1879, and Edna, born in 1882, are all at home, and the last named is still attending school.

Prior to his marriage Mr. Schweighöfer was engaged in canal and railroad building in Virginia, and there met and married Miss Mary Gilland. From 1861 until 1863 he was employed as seetion foreman on the Richmond & Danville railroad, but in March of the latter year ne was made a con- script in the Confederate army under Gen. Lee, being a member of Company E, 23rd V. V. I. His first engagement was the battle of Gettysburg, which was followed by that of Brandy Station. and in the spring of 1865 he took part in the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania. In June of that year he was transferred to Early's command. which was engaged in battle with Hunter, near Lynch- burg, and later at Port Republic. Crossing the Potomac at Harper's Ferry they met the Union army in battle, and then marched to Silver Springs, later retreating into Virginia. After the engagement with Sheridan at Winchester they fell back to Fisher's Hill and surprised the Northern army, capturing all the aecoutrements. Subsequently Gen. Slieri- dan captured Early's entire army, and our subject with fifty companies retreated to Waynesboro, Va., where they reorganized. Marching to Richmond, they joined Lee's command, with which they served until that General surrendercd. On April 5, 1865, Mr. Schweighofer was paroled at Appomattox Court House, receiving no pay for his four years' service.

For two years after the war Mr. Schweighofer remained in Virginia, and then returned to his old home in Lebanon township, Wayne county, where he has since continued to reside, his parents living with him until their deaths. In 1882 he purchased 120 acres of timber land, which he has cleared, int- proved and placed under a high state of cultiva- tion, and now gives his entire time and attention to his agricultural pursuits. As a Democrat he takes an active interest in political affairs, and is now creditably filling the office of supervisor of his town- ship, being elected for a three-years' term. With the Methodist Episcopal Church he and his wife hold membership, and in the esteem and confidence of their fellow citizens they occupy an enviable posi- tion.

The subject of this sketch was born May 27, 1863, in Buckingham township, Wayne county, where he obtained a good common-school education, which was supplemented by a course in Pleasant Mount Academy. In 1885, he went to Lawrence, Kans., where he was engaged in business for one year, and then traveled extensively through the South and West, visiting Salt Lake City, Denver, San Francisco, old Mexico, Texas, Indian Terri- tory and other places. On his return to Wayne coun- ty, he embarked in business at Equinunk. where he successfully carried on operations until coming to Starlight in 1893. Here he has a good store build- ing. 24x80 feet, the lower floor of which is used for his business, while the upper story makes a con- venient and comfortable home for his family. He carries a fine line of dry goods, boots. shoes, groceries-in fact everything found in a first-class general store-and enjoys an excellent trade, which is certainly well deserved. Honorable in all his deal- ings, he has not only gained the confidence of his patrons, but has the respect of all who know him.

On October 12. 1887. Mr. Woodmansee was united in marriage with Miss Rose R. Holbert. a well educated young lady, who was for some time a popular and successful teacher in Wayne and Sus- quehanna counties, for one year being principal of the Forest City high school. She was born and reared in Wayne county, and is a daughter of Jet- ferson Holbert ( deceased), who for many years was superintendent of a tannery. Mr. and Mrs. Wood-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

mansee have one son, Lou E., and have lost two, Ralph Emerson, who died in infancy; and Harold E., who died at the age of two years. Mrs. Wood- mansee is a worthy member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and is now serving as superintendant of the Union Sunday-school at Starlight. Fratern- ally, Mr. Woodmansee affiliates with the Odd Fel- lows Lodge at Lake Como.

WILLIAM F. SHERWOOD was in his life- time a leading representative of the agricultural in- terests of Manchester township, Wayne county, where from 1875 until the time of his death he owned and operated a fine farm of 180 acres, pleas- antly located one and a half miles from Equinunk. For some years he successfully ran the sawmill standing upon the place, and converted much of his- timber into sawed lumber. Upon the farm are a comfortable residence, good barns and other out- buildings, surrounded by well tilled fields and rich meadows.

Mr. Sherwood was born September 7, 1843, in Mt. Pleasant township, Wayne county. Amos O. Sherwood, his paternal grandfather, was born .in Connecticut, of English ancestry, and married Betsy Burr, a relative of Aaron Burr. They became the parents of ten children-six sons and four daughters. The father of our subject, Eben Sher- wood, was also a native of Connecticut, born near Bridgeport, and was a schoolmate and friend of P. T. Barnum, the great showman. He was reared in Bridgeport, receiving a fair education, and for a number of years conducted a hotel on the Bowery, in New York City, it being a very popular resort with theatrical people. At that time he knew most of the prominent men of the metropolis. Subse- quently he engaged in business in Elmira. N. Y., and afterward was a coal dealer and merchant of Scran- ton, Penn. He married Miss Emeline Maria Van Meter, daughter of Charles Van Meter, of Holland descent, and they became the parents of five children, namely: Augusta, Mrs. Spencer : William F., the subject of this sketch; Eben Burr, a resident of Scranton, Penn .; Emeline, deceased ; and Charles E., who died in Des Moines, Iowa. The motlier of these children died in Elmira, N. Y., at the age of thirty years, after which the father married Kate Gerard, a lady of French extraction, who is still a resident of Scranton. Two children were born of this union, John and Kate. The father departed this life at the age of fifty-nine. He was a man of broad and liberal views, was well informed on topics of general interest, and was a Democrat in politics. His friends were many. and he had the con- fidence and esteem of all who knew him.

William F. Sherwood spent the greater part of his boyhood and youth in Hampdeir county, Mass., and there received a good common-school educa- tion, to which he added valuable knowledge ob- tained through travel and experience. During the Civil war ne was in the government railroad em- ploy, with headquarters at Alexandria, Va., and in

1866 he went to Canada, where for one year he bought wheat for a grain firm. From 1868 until his death he was a resident of Wayne county, Penn., and in 1875 he purchased the property known as the Arthur Lloyd farm and sawmill.

On March 26, 1871, Mr. Sherwood was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Teeple, who was born, reared and educated in Wayne county, and is a daughter of Robert Teeple, also a native of the county, and a representative of one of its prominent old families. He died in 1865, while in the govern- ment employ at Washington, D. C. Throughout the greater part of his life lie followed the occupa- tion of lunibering and farming. In politics he was a Republican. His mother, Mrs. Eliza ( Depew) Teeple, was descended from a French Huguenot family, and was a relative of Hon. Chauncy Depew. Robert Teeple married Miss Sallie MI. Snyder, and to them were born seven children, namely: Levi, who was a Union soldier during the Civil war, and is now a resident of Manchester township, Wayne county ; Harriette, wife of Charles Layton; Mary Ann, wife of Charles Graham, of Phillips, Wis .: Peter E., who died in Binghamton, N. Y .: Eliza- beth, wife of our subject ; Eveline, wife of J. Bishop, of Binghamton ; and Dora, who married C. A. Sher- wood, and after his death became the wife of Ira Travis.

Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood had two children : Grace, who was for a time a popular and successful teacher of Manchester township, Wayne county, and is now the wife of M. D. Hall ; and Eben Frank, who was born June 13, 1889. Mr. Sherwood, as a business man, won success by his well-directed. energetic efforts, and the prosperity that came to him is certainly well deserved. He was well versed on the leading questions and issues of the day, and gave his unwavering support to the principles of the Republican party

GEORGE BEEHN, a resident of Dreher town- ship, Wayne county, was born on his present home- stead, March 16, 1843, and is a son of Charles M. and Elizabeth (Reitz) Beehn, natives of Baden, Germany, who came to the New World in Septen- ber, 1828. His paternal grandparents were Charles and Magdelina ( Fisher ) Beehn, of Baden. The grandfather started for the United States in 1818 and is supposed to have been shipwrecked and lost near New Orleans. In 1828, his wife, with her three sons, crossed the Atlantic and first located at East- on, Penn., but two years later came to what is now Dreher township. Wayne county, with a colony, which purchased a tract of 2.000 acres of land. When the property was divided our subject's grand- mother received 100 acres. Her children were John. Charles M. and Adam, of whom all died in Dreher township.

Charles M. Beehn was a farmer by occupation. In 1841 he married Elizabeth Reitz, who was born December 12, 1814. and now makes her home with our subject, who was the only child born to them.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Her parents, Charles F. and Christiann H. (Keene) Reitz, were also natives of Baden, Germany, and on coming to America in 1828 located on the farm where she now resides, spending the remainder of their lives here. Their children were George; Eliz- abeth ; Charles F., a resident of Wilkes Barre, Penn. ; Louisa, of Mansfield, Penn. The father of these children died October 21, 1891, at the age of sev- enty-seven years and eleven months, and was buried in the Moravian cemetery.

Reared on his present farm, George Beehn re- mained there until 1868, when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Winchester, Va., but not liking the place, which had suffered severely during the Civil war, he returned to Pennsylvania and spent two years in Tioga county. He then returned to the old homestead, where his land is now under a high state of cultivation and well improved.

On December 20, 1887, in New York, Mr. Beehn was married to Miss Caroline .W. Pasold, by whom she has had three children, Charles H., Em- ma L. and Mary E., all at home. Mrs. Beehn was born in Greene township, Pike Co., Penn., January 31, 1861, a daughter of Henry and Hannah (Grimm) Pasold, natives of Germany, who now re- side on a farm in Barrett township, Monroe county. In their family were the following children : Emma, wife of Peter Mash, of Greene township, Pike coun- ty; Caroline W., wife of our subject; Louisa, who died unmarried; Esther, wife of George Ould, a farmer of Greene township, Pike county ; Ella, wife of William Monroe, of Philadelphia ; Edith, wife of Herbert Stiff, a farmer of Monroe county ; Henry, deceased ; and Christian, a farmer of Monroe county.

During the Civil war, Mr. Beehn was drafted and it cost him $700 to secure a substitute. In po- litical sentiment he is a pronounced Democrat, and for the long period of twenty years he has most effi- ciently filled the office of poormaster in his town- ship. Religiously he is a consistent member of the Moravian Church.

MRS. IDA VON AUER, now residing in New York State, was born in Marseilles, France, June 12, 1842, a daugliter of Jacob Charles and Caroline (Shirmageher ) Flegge, and was one of a family of six children, all daughters, of whom the eldest died in infancy. The others are: Johanna Antonio, who is married to a Mr. Tarch and lives in Germany; Bertha, the widow of Louis Size, a railroad inspec- tor of Germany, by whom she had two sons and one daughter ; Ida Henriette, the subject of this sketch; Augusta, wife of William Wilkey, of Washington, D. C .; and Caroline, who is unmarried and makes her home in Berlin, Germany.

When ten years old Ida Henrietta Flegge ac- companied her parents on their removal to Germany. where, July 6, 1858, she was married to William Er- nest Emil von Auer, whose family well deserves hon- orable mention in history. Their coat of arms is still preserved as a token of the nobility of this old time family. They owned a magnificent place in Straus-

burg, where for generations they took a leading part in public affairs, but owing to the reckless extrava- gance of the father-in-law of Mrs. von Auer, the place was sold and converted into a seminary. Soon after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. von Auer locat- ed in Elbing, where he operated an iron and steel factory until his plant was destroyed by fire, which proved a total loss as there was no insurance upon it. After remaining for some time in Germany, the young couple decided to try their fortunes in Amer- ica. They landed here in 1861, and the following year Mr. von Auer enlisted as corporal of an en- gineer corps, but after serving ten months was dis- charged on account of heart trouble.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 113

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