Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 35

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 35
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 35
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 35
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 35

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).

On December 24, 1864, Mr. Little was mar- ried to Miss Mary A., daughter of Nelson C. War- ner (now deceased) of Montrose, and to the union were born: Ralph B. (mentioned below), George P., Jr., (born in 1869 and died in 1884), and Phila Ann.

RALPH B. LITTLE, son of George P. Little, and junior member of the law firm of G. P. & R. B. Little, Montrose, is a native of the latter village, born November 8, 1865. He was reared in the village, attended its school, including the Montrose Academy. He furthered his studies in Keystone Academy, a preparatory school at Factoryville, Penn., remaining one year, then in 1885 entered the freshman class of Bucknell University, Lewis- burg, Penn., where he passed two years, withdraw- ing from the College Course at the close of his Sophomore year. Having descended from a family of lawyers, young Little, as it were, was born, cradled and reared a lawyer. On leaving college he entered his father's office for the study of law, and was admitted to the Susquehanna County Bar at Montrose, in January, 1889, being the first attor- ney admitted after Judge Searle's elevation to the bench. In partnership with his father he has since been in active practice, and has won his way to the front rank of the younger attorneys by close appli- cation, tireless energy, and natural legal talent. Mr. Little, though an ardent and unswerving Re- publican since attaining his majority, never sought political preferment until in 1898. He had always worked early and late for the success of his party ; he had been sent a number of times as delegate to County and State conventions, and in the na- tional campaign of 1896, he took the stump for McKinley, and his voice was heard in many towns of Susquehanna county in able and eloquent appeals for the triumph of Republican principles. In 1898 he became the nominee of his party in Susque- hanna county for the office of district attorney. The home press of Mr. Little at the time of his nomination and at times before his election often re- ferred in very complimentary terms to his high character and standing as a man as well as to his fitness for the office which he is now so ably and efficiently filling; extracts from some of them fol- low :

"The nomination of Ralph B. Little, Esq .. of Montrose, as the Republican candidate for District Attorney is an especially fitting one and will add a tower of strength to the ticket."

"The Republicans of this county made a happy selection of a candidate when they named Ralph B. Little. Esq .. of Montrose. Though still in the full vigor of young manhood, he has had a long and successful experience at the Bar, is a born lawyer of splendid ability-honest. courageous and forceful-and is of the highest character. Such is the man whom the Republican party of Susque- hanna county presents for the office of District At- torney, and lie will receive, as he deserves, a rousing majority at the polls."

1478

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

"The nomination of Mr. Little will command a hearty and united support from his party, which will result in his election by a rousing majority, and the people of the county may rest assured that under liis administration the duties of the office will be performed with fidelity, ability and absolute justice."

In the election that followed Mr. Little led in the vote. He received practically every Republican vote, and added to this votes from the Prohibition- ists and Democrats. In January, 1899, Mr. Little was chosen to the office of chairman of the Repub- lican County Committee. The press at this time observed : "The election of Ralph B. Little, Esq., to the chairmanship will meet with the general and hearty approval of the Republican voters, and we desire to extend to Chairman Little our congratula- tions, and wish him unlimited success in marshaling the Republican host for victory."

On March 13, 1889, Mr. Little was married to Miss Agnes J., daughter of E. P. and Sarah (Hill) Pope, of Montrose, and to them have come children as follows : Ralph B., Jr., Edward P. and George P., Jr. Mr. Little is identified with the Baptist Church of Montrose, and is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and Masonic Fra- ternity.

ZENAS SMITH, one of the most esteemed and influential citizens of Jessup township, Susque- hanna county, was for many years prominently identified with the agricultural interests of his locality, but at present is not actively engaged in any business, having accumulated a handsome com- petence, which enables him to spend his declining years in ease and quiet.

Mr. Smith was born on his present homestead, February 3, 1822, a son of Mathias and Polly (Doo- little) Smith, who were natives of Hudson, N. Y., and Connecticut respectively, the latter being a daughter of Samuel Doolittle, a Revolutionary sol- dier, who came to Susquehanna county about 1808, and located in Bridgewater (now Jessup) township. The father was three times married. first to Anna Whipple, who died, leaving four children, all now deceased, namely: Samantha, wife of Stephen Rogers; Lois, wife of Jeremiah Baldwin ; Jeniima, wife of Amos Smith, also deceased ; and Susan, who was drowned at Whitney's Point, Broome Co., N. Y. The second wife, who was the mother of our subject, died in 1824, at the age of thirty-seven years, and was buried in Fairdale cemetery. By this union there were four children: Hannah. who died at Carbondale, Penn .: Lucius, who died Jan- uary 18, 1899, aged seventy-eight years, in Fairdale : Zenas, our subject ; and Norman, deceased in youth. For his third wife, the father married Hephzibah Snow, by whom he had no children. In political sentiment he was a Democrat. In the midst of the wilderness he cleared and developed a farm adjoin- ing that of our subject, and died upon his place in Jessup township, July 21, 1860, at the age of

eighty years; his remains were also laid to rest in the Fairdale cemetery.

Zenas Smith was reared and educated in much the usual manner of farmer boys of his day, and on leaving home hie purchased his present farm, on which he has lived continuously since, with the ex- ception of one year, 1889, which he spent at Mont- rose. When he located thereon the land was all wild, but soon acre after acre was placed under cultivation ; he planted trees, so that he now has a fine orchard ; and has erected good and substantial buildings, which stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise. Being one of the leading and prom- inent citizens of his community, he has been called upon to serve in most of the township offices, in- cluding that of justice of the peace, which he filled for five years. Politically he was originally a Dem- ocrat, but he now supports the men and measures of the Prohibition party, which embodies his views on the temperance question. Socially he is a mem- ber of the Odd Fellows lodge at Montrose.

At Union, N. Y., Mr. Smith was married, Oc- tober 13, 1848, to Miss Louisa M. Cornwell, and two children blessed their union: Halsey, born in 1856, lives with our subject; he married Carrie Birchard, who was born in 1856 in Jessup township, and this union was blessed with two children-Min- nie, born in 1879, and Jennie, born in 1880. Ida M. married Warren W. Strange, of Montrose, and died October 27, 1888. Mrs. Smith was born in Warren, Bradford Co., Penn., April 23, 1826, a daughter of Dr. Nathaniel and Amanda (Reynolds) Cornwell, of Long Island, who in 1833 came to Fairdale, Susquehanna Co., Penn., where the father successfully engaged in the practice of medicine. Though he never followed agricultural pursuits, he owned several farms, and he was quite a wealthy and prominent man. His parents, Alva and Catura Cornwell, removed from Newburgh, N. Y .. to Montrose at an early day, and here spent the re- mainder of their lives. Mrs. Smith's maternal grandparents, John and Eunice Halsey Reynolds, of Long Island, were also pioneers of Susquehanna county, where Mr. Reynolds purchased several hundred acres of land between Fairdale and Mont- rose. He built the first gristmill and the first woolen-mill in this section, of which he was one of the most successful and honored citizens, living to the advanced age of ninety-four years; he was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. His daughter. Mrs. Cornwell, died in 1874, at the age of seventy years, and was buried on a part of the old home- stead at Fairdale, after which the Doctor married Henrietta Southwell; he had no children by the second union. He passed away in August, 1888, at the age of seventy-eight years, and was also laid to rest in the family burying-ground. His children were: Louisa M., wife of our subject ; Elmira and Alva, who both died young; Angeline. deceased wife of Carlisle Stevens ; Marthia, who died when eighteen years of age; L'hommedieu, deceased at the age of twenty-eight; Eugenia, now deceased,

1479

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

who was twiee married, first to John Cobb (by whom she had a son, John H. Cobb, a physician at Binghamton, N. Y.), and second to Thomas C. Chandler ; and Franees, wife of Frederick Rose, of Port Jervis, N. Y. Mrs. Smith owns land that has been in the family over one hundred years.

J. G. ANGLE, one of the leading agrieulturists and highly esteemed citizens of Middle Smithfield township. Monroe county, is a native of Warren county, N. J., born in 1830, and is a son of Samuel and Mary (Cool) Angle.

The family is of Seottish origin, but our sub- jeet's original American aneestor was one of three brothers who came to this country from Holland. He settled in New Jersey, the other two going West, where it is probable some of their posterity still reside, for a number of years ago John Angle received a letter from a man of the same name in the West, inquiring as to his ancestry. The writer elaimed that one of his forefathers eame from Hol- land, being one of three brothers, and claimed to have the identical iron-bound trunk brought by them on their emigration. Jacob Angle, grand- father of our subjeet, was a native of New Jersey, and married a lady named Belles, also born in that State, where they always made their home, owning a large tract of land, on which both he and his wife died many years ago. Their family eon- sisted of three sons and two daughters : John, who was born in 1798; Samuel, father of our subjeet ; Charles ; Mrs. Philip Butts, who died in New Jer- sey ; and Mrs. Abram Cool, who died in New York State. Of these John Angle came to Middle Smith- field township, Monroe Co., Penn., settling there April 1, 1845, and purchased a farm on which he made his home during the remainder of his life. He left two sons-Jacob, who died in Stroudsburg; and Charles, who is still a resident of that place. Charles Angle, the youngest son of Jacob, settled in Warren county, N. J., after his marriage, and there died.

Samuel Angle, our subjeet's father, was born in 1802 in Warren county, N. J., and grew to manhood upon his father's farin, receiving a limited eduea- tion. He married Miss Mary Cool. a daughter of Peter Cool, of Warren county, N. J .. and for some years thereafter he operated the old home farm, where his wife died, leaving one son, our subjeet, and four daughters: (1) Elizabeth is now the widow of William Finger, of Smithfield township, Monroe county, and is a resident of Pike county, Penn. (2) Jerusha eame with the family to Pennsylvania. and married E. Workheiser, now a resident of Bradford county, and they have one son living. (3) Sarah is the wife of Jeremiah Anderson, who lives near Towanda, Bradford county. (4) Emaline is the wife of John Deitriek. of Milford. Pike county, and they have one son, Samuel. The father was again married in 1810, his second union being with Miss Elizabeth Angle, of New Jersey, by whom he had two children : Samuel, who died when a young

man ; and William, who died in childhood. In 1845 the family removed from the old home in Warren county, N. J., to Middle Smithfield township, Mon- roc Co., Penn., loeating there April 1, and making a permanent home on the farm where our subject still resides. After his marriage in 1859 the parents removed to a place on the Milford road, where the father died in 1885, and the mother in 1891.

J. G. Angle was thirteen years of age when he eame with his father to Monroe county, and upon his present farm he has since made his home. Dur- ing his youth he attended the common schools to a limited extent, but is mainly self-educated. Being a man of scholarly tastes he has made the most of his opportunities, and is well informed on topies of general interest, as well as the leading questions and issues of the day. He taught in the publie schools for a number of years during the winter season, while the summer months he devoted to farm work. In 1863 he left the old homestead and purchased his father-in-law's farin in Stroud town- ship, near East Stroudsburg, where he remained for twenty-five years, but in 1888 returned to the old home in Smithfield township, where the greater part of his life has been passed. However, he still owns his farm in Stroud township.

In 1859 Mr. Angle was united in marriage with Miss Anna Posten, of Stroud township, a daugh- ter of James and Mary Posten, but she died in 1868 on the farm where she was born. Four ehil- dren blessed this union: (1) Samuel James, born in Middle Smithfield township, in 1860, died in boy- hood. (2) Mary E., born in 1861, is now the wife of Jacob Kaul, of East Stroudsburg, and they have two children, J. P. and Edna. (3) Porter, born in 1863, married Agnes Deitrick, and resides on his father's farm in Stroud township. They have two children: Pearl and Carl. (4) Jabez G., born in April, 1866, married Emma Deitrick, resides in East Stroudsburg, and has two children, Laura and Anna. In 1874. Mr. Angle was again married, his second wife being Miss Sarah Jane Van Vliet, of Stroud township, a daughter of Chariek and Han- nah Van Vliet, pioneers of that township, their home being near Stroudsburg. By this marriage Mr. Angle has one son and one daughter: (1) Lydia L., born in 1876, married Eugene Kinney, of Smithfield township, Monroe county, by whom she has one child, Verne, and they now reside at Bush- kill, Pike Co., Penn. (2) M. G. L., born in 1878, in Stroud township, received a common-seliool edu- cation, and is with his parents on the home farm. The mother of these children was called to her final rest in 1880.

Politieally Mr. Angle is an ardent Demoerat, belonging to the Free Silver faction, and though he has never aspired to office he has taken an active part in the political work of his township, rendering his party efficient service. He has filled a number of local positions of trust and has been township auditor for three years. For a number of years he was president of the East Stroudsburg Creamery,

1480

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

which he helped to organize, and has always taken an active interest in any enterprise calculated to prove of public benefit. For many years he has been a consistent member of the Baptist Church, to which his wife also belonged. and his life has ever been in harmony with his professions, being such as to win for him the confidence and respect of all with whom he has come in contact.

JAMES MOORE, a leading agriculturist of Stroud township, Monroe county, is a citizen whose upright life has won the respect of the community in which he resides, and the following history out- lines briefly a career which is worthy of emulation.

Mr. Moore was born April 26, 1827, in County Derry, Ireland, a son of William and Mary A. (McSparran) Moore. His father, who was a ship carpenter by trade, removed in later life to Glasgow, Scotland, and his death occurred there. Our sub- ject was one of the three brothers who came to America, the other members of the family remain- ing in Glasgow. John Moore on coming to this country located first in Philadelphia. In 1849, hav- ing caught the "gold fever," he went to California, and in 1868 was married in San Francisco to Miss Rachael Hunter, at present residing in that city. He has three children: Archibald, William and Mary. George Moore married a Miss Hamilton, of Glasgow, and after coming to the United States settled in Boston, where he is employed as foreman in a last and boot factory. Of his five children, Margaret, Mary and William are living ; Archie and Jeanne died in Scotland.

Mr. Moore's ancestors on both sides were originally Scottish, his mother having been a descendant of the Macdonalds, of the Clan Mac- donald. Ian Macdonald was treasurer for the clan, and, to distinguish his branch of the family from the numerous other branches, his sons were called "Macsporron," which means, in the Gaelic lan- guage, "son of the purse bearer" (Mac signifying son, and sporron purse). Hence the name Mac- sporron, which has since been corrupted into Mc- Sparran. The crest or coat of arms adopted by the family was a purse, a sheaf of wheat and a bloody hand and dagger. The purse signified their office of treasurer for the clan, the sheaf of wheat that their general pursuit was that of agriculture. The bloody hand and dagger were on the crest because of a well-founded tradition that at one time a clear title to the island of Iona was offered by one of the old chiefs as a prize for skill and endurance in rowing. They were to start at a given signal, the prize to be given to the man who would first touch with his hand a certain rock on the headland of the island. Among the many competitors was one of the Mac- sporrons. Within a short distance of the goal his oar broke. Failure seemed inevitable, when, quickly drawing his dagger from its sheatlı, he severed his hand from the arm at the wrist. and throwing it struck the rock before any of the others could touch it. This coat of arms, together with

the old family motto, "Stand Firm," can be found to this day on some of the old tombstones in the Highlands of Scotland, and in Dungiven old churchyard, where most of the Macsporrons who have died in Ireland, lie buried.

The Macsporrons were distantly related to John Balfour, of Kinloch, called Burley, and took up arms against the government with the Cove- nanters, some, both of men and women, giving their lives for the religion they held dearer than life itseli. In 1690, after the massacre of Glencoe, where the Clan Macdonald was so nearly annihilated, Ian and Archibald Macsporron, two brothers, escaped and fled to the North of Ireland for safety, one settling at Feeny, the other at Flanders, in County Derry. In two or three years they returned to Scotland, remaining only a short time, however, and return- ing with other relatives to their Irish homes, where they lived in comparative peace and quiet until the rebellion of 1798. John McSparran, of Feeny, hav- ing become deeply implicated in the rebellion, being organizer and captain of a company of the United Irishmen, at the close of the rebellion, was a fugi- tive for three months before he was betrayed by a false friend into the hands of the soldiers. He was promised his life if he would give information con- cerning those in league with him, but this he firmly refused to do, and was sentenced to be flogged to death with the cat-o-nine-tails. He had received 150 lashes when a King's messenger galloped up with a pardon for all "United Men," and he barely escaped with his life, his property, which was con- fiscated by the government, never being restored. In 1847 his youngest daughter, Mary, came to America and settled in Philadelphia, where a few years later she was married to the subject of this sketch, a distant relative as related farther on.

During his boyhood our subject accompanied his father to Scotland, but in 1852 he came to the New World to seek his fortune. For eight years he was employed as a foreman in the Point Breeze Gas Works, Philadelphia, and in 1860 he removed to New Vernon, Mercer Co., Penn., where he bought a farm. In 1863 he sold his property and returned to Philadelphia, purchasing real estate there, on disposing of which, in 1868, he located in Stroud township, Monroe county, on his present homestead, four miles northwest of Stroudsburg. It was then known as the Valentine Kautz farm. and since purchasing it he has made many improve- ments, including a stone residence and a good frame barn. The farm contains 126 acres of fertile land, and is now under fine cultivation.

In 1853 Mr. Moore was married, in Philadel- phia. to Miss Mary McSparran, who was born in 1830, in County Derry, Ireland. a daughter of John and Anne McSparran, both lifelong residents of the Emerald Isle. She passed to the unseen life in June, 1897, leaving four children: (1) WILL- IAM J. MOORE, born February 22, 1855, in Phil- adelphia, was edticated in the public schools of that city. Much of his early life was spent at the present

1491

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

homestead, but in 1878 he returned to Philadelphia, where he was employed in a foundry. At the pres- ent time he is in charge of the homestead, and his ability as a manager has won for him a high reputa- tion among the agriculturists of the locality, while as a citizen he is equally esteemed. In 1878 he mar- ried Miss Isabella Graham, of Philadelphia, who died in 1890, leaving one son, James, now residing at the homestead. (2) Miss Mary A. Moore, born in June, 1863, in Mercer county, was educated in the schools of Philadelphia and in Stroud township, and is now prominent in the social and religious life of her locality, her excellent qualities of mind and heart making her a general favorite. She is secre- tary of the Christian Endeavor Union of Monroe county, and chairman of the Union Correspondence Committee for Pike and Monroe counties, and in both offices has manifested marked ability, while she also presides over the home with womanly skill. (3) Rev. James Moore, born March 1, 1866, in Philadelphia, completed a common-school course in Stroud township, and later attended Lafayette College and Princeton Seminary, where he pre- pared for the Presbyterian ministry. In May, 1896, he was ordained at Weatherly, Carbon Co., Penn., and he now has charge of the church there. On November 10, 1897, he married Miss Anna G. Webster, of the same town. (4) Miss Martha J. Moore, born September 12, 1874, at the present homestead, has been an invalid since childhood. The family are identified with the Presbyterian Church of Stroudsburg, and the now sainted mother was a devout adherent of that faith, having united with that church at an early age. Politically Mr. Moore and his sons affiliate with the Republican party, and previous to its organization he was a stanch Whig.

RICHMOND M. HALL, a prominent agri- culturist of New Milford township, Susquehanna county, is a veteran of the Civil war, and by his gallant service he maintained the reputation for patriotism and courage to which each generation of his family in this country has contributed. His grandfather, Richmond Hall, fought in the Revo- lutionary war, his old gun being now treasured by our subject as a sacred relic, while Curtis Hall, the father of our subject, served as a teamster in the war of 1812, although but eleven years old, and unable to take a place in the ranks. Mr. Hall en- listed at Scranton in February. 1865. in Company F. 53rd P. V. I., under Capt. Nathaniel Montague, for "three years or the war." He was mustered into service at Camp Cadwallader, Philadelphia, and served as long as there was any fighting to be done, being discharged June 30, 1865, at Harrisburg. The most important engagentent in which he took part was the battle of Five Points, but he was in many skirmishies, and at one time fought twelve days in succession. He witnessed thie surrender of Lee, and soon after the close of hostilities his eyes becanic inflamed so seriously that he was ad-

vised to go to a hospital for treatment, but lie re- fused. and that disability lias troubled him permanently.

Mr. Hall is of Scotch ancestry in the paternal line, and his grandfather was born and reared in Scotland, but came to America soon after his mar- riage, locating on a farm near New Haven, Conn., where he died in 1825. He was a man of fine ability and culture, and our subject now has in his possession a book on mathematics published in Germantown, 1774. His wife, whose maiden name was Lucy Dudley, survived him about seventeen years. Curtis Hall, our subject's father, was born and reared in Cheshire, Conn., and was married in 1833 at Stamford, Vermont, to Miss Mary Ann Coleman, who was born in Vermont not far front the Green Mountains. Her parents, William and Hannah (Corse) Coleman, resided for some years on a farm near Brattleboro, Vt., but removed to Lakeside, New Milford township, Susquehanna county, where the father died in 1846, aged fifty- eight years. In 1847 our subject's parents came to Susquehanna county, and after spending two years with Mrs. Coleman, they purchased a farm at Lake- side, a mile and a half from the Coleman homestead, but their last days were spent upon another farm in the same vicinity. The father died November 13. 1870, aged sixty-nine years, and the mother Feb- ruary 8, 1849, at the age of thirty-four years, the remains of both being interred in Lakeview ceme- tery in Jackson township, Susquehanna county. This worthy couple had the following children : Elizabeth M., widow of John Doud, now residing with our subject ; Luther C., who died in Susque- hanna county in November, 1891 ; Jane R., widow of George Halstead, now conducting a millinery store in New Milford ; R. M., our subject ; William H., an ex-soldier, residing in Michigan, where he follows the painter's trade; Lucas D., a farmer in Jackson township; Lucy A., who married William Bradley, an ex-soldier, both deceased; and Hannah J., deceased.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 35

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