Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 42

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 42
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 42
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 42
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 42

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His parents, James B. and Sarah E. (Shay) McKeeby, are both natives of Sussex county, N. J., the former born April 8, 1824, the latter April 19, 1834, and there they were united in marriage in November, 1850. The father is now one of the leading and representative farmers of Jessup town- ship, Susquehanna county, owning and operating a farm adjoining that on which our subject now lives. He is an ardent supporter of the Democratic party, and has most ereditably and efficiently served as poormaster and supervisor in his township. The children born to him and his wife are George T., our subject ; Margaret J., who died at the age of six years ; and Benjamin, who died in infancy. The paternal grandparents of our subject. William and Margaret MeKeeby, were also natives of Sussex county, N. J., whence they removed to Susque- hanna county, Penn., in 1833, locating in Dimoek township. The grandfather, who was a farmer by occupation, died in 1851, at the age of sixty-nine years, and his wife departed this life in November, 1868, at the age of eighty-seven years and six months, the remains of both being interred in Fair- dale cemetery. Their children were as follows:

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Mathew, Dennis, Richard and John, all deceased : James B., father of our subject : Benjamin. a farmer of Carbondale, Penn .; Catura, deceased wife of Jacob Smith; Betsy, wife of Adam .\ce, of Tunk- hannock, Penn .; Jane, deceased wife of Dira Shay; Catherine, who married Levi Cooper, and both are now deceased; Elcanor, who first married James Faurot and second Nathan Burdick; Mary, de- ceased ; and Arminda, wife of James Shay, of Di- mock, Susquehanna county. Our subject's maternal grandparents, Benjamin and Jane (Writer) Shay, were born in New Jersey, and came to Susquehanna county in January, 1835, spending the remainder of their lives in Jessup township. The grandfather was quite a prominent farmer, and held a number of township offices. He died February 13, 1877, aged seventy-five years, his wife in ISSS, aged eighty. To them were born the following children : Dennis, John, Elizabeth, David, Sarah (mother of our subject), Aaron Writer, Mary, and Evaline.

Although born on his present farm, George T. McKeeby was only a year old when the family re- moved to Rush township, Susquehanna county, and sold their farm. A year later the father purchased another farm in Jessup township, near Fairdale, on which he made his home for six years ; then owned and operated a farm at New Milford for eight years ; and at the end of that time bought his present farm, adjoining that of our subject. George T. accom- panied his parents on their various removals, re- maining with them until he attained the age of twenty years, when he started out in life for him- self as a farmer and located upon his present place.

On January 24. 1872, at New Milford, Mr. McKeeby was united in marriage with Miss Elmira F. Bennett, and to them have been born the follow- ing children : Margaret M., now the wife of William J. Cronk, a farmer of Rush township, Susquehanna county ; Brittan, who married Mary McKeeby and resides in Forest Lake township. Susquehanna county ; Frank and Harry, at home; Ella, wife of Ernest Emmons, a farmer of Dimock township, Susquehanna county ; Edith, at home; and Ethel. who died in infancy. Mrs. McKeeby was born in Sussex county, N. J., September 6. 1851, a daugh- ter of Enos O. and Orpha (De Pue) Bennett, also natives of New Jersey, who came to Susquehanna county in 1868, and spent five years in Jessup township. They then removed to Scranton, Penn .. and later to Jasper county, Iowa, where they now reside. The father, who is a retired wagonmaker, was born in September, 1827. a son of Jolin and Christiana (Davenport) Bennett, who were born in New Jersey and spent their last days in the West. The mother was born in May, 1832. a daughter of Timothy and Fanetta (Rutan) De Pue, farming pepple, who were also natives of New Jersey, and passed their last days in Susquehanna county, Penn. Mrs. McKeeby is the younger in a family of two children, the other being Josephine, wife of I. A. Reichardt, a clerk for the Delaware & Hudson Coal Company at Scranton, Penn. The Demo-

cratie party has always found in Mr. McKeeby a staunch supporter of its principles, and he has ever taken quite an active and prominent part in local politics. In November, 1890, he was elected commissioner of Susquehanna county. a position he most capably filled for six years, having been re- elected in 1893 ; and he has also served as constable thirteen years ; collector fourteen years, and school director five years. Socially, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and at one time was also connected with the Improved Order of Red Men.

L. G. SIMMONS, the able and popular bur- gess of Hallstead, Susquehanna county, is a man whose sterling qualities of character have been strict- ly shown both in private and public life. For more than twenty-eight years he has been in the employ of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western R. R., in a responsible position, and at present he is serv- ing as engineer. As a citizen he has always been active in the progressive movements of his locality, and nine years of service as councilman was fol- lowed, in 1897, by his election as presiding officer of his borough. He was born October 3. 1852, in Montrose, Susquehanna county, and is of pioneer stock, his grandfather, C. M. Simmons, having been one of the first settlers in Bridgewater township, in the same county.

Charles MI. Simmons, our subject's father. was born in Bridgewater township, and was educated in the schools of that locality; but in early inan- hood he removed to Montrose, and in 1859 he located at Great Bend, where he followed the shoe- maker's trade, and also conducted the "National Hotel," later the "Edwards House." In 1862 he removed to Hallstead, but soon afterwards he was sent to Alexandria, Va., as an employe of the U. S. Government, and on his return in 1865 he be- came a traveling salesman. He was a man of fine abilities, was prominent in local politics as a Demo- crat, and while residing in Hallstead served three years as burgess. He died in 1888, and his widow, whose maiden name was Laura A. Winklin. now resides with our subject. They had two children : C. C., agent for the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R. at Hallstead, and L. G.

L. G. Simmons was reared chiefly in Susque- hanna county. but in 1864-65 he spent some time in Alexandria, Va. His education was obtained in the schools of the various places in which the family resided during his youth. In 1855 he began work in a sawmill : worked three years at S. Hartford, N. Y., and was similarly employed for a time in Broome county, N. Y. In 1869 he entered the em- ploy of the Delaware. Lackawanna & Western R. R. as fireman. remaining seven years, and in 1878 he took a position on the railroad. with which he has since been connected. having been promoted to the post of engineer in 1870. For several years he has been engineer of the Hallstead Fire Depart- ment. Politically he is a Democrat. and like his

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father he belongs to the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Great Bend Lodge No. 338, F. & A. M., Chapter 210, R. A. M., of Great Bend ; and No. 27, Commandery, K. T., at Binghamton, N. Y.

In 1879 lie was married in Hallstead, to Miss Carrie Ives, and threc children brighten their home : Claude, Milton, and May. Mrs. Simmons was born in Great Bend, daughter of Rev. R. N. Ives, a Presbyterian minister, and his wife, Mary A. Rev. R. N. Ives is a native of Prince Edward county, Va., and came to this section early in life. He is now in charge of the church at New Milford, and resides in the Eighth ward of Binghamton.

WILLIAM K. LA BAR, proprietor of the "Fair View House," Mt. Pocono. Monroe county, was born April 10, 1868, at what is now called Dun- field, Warren county N. J., and is a descendant of Peter La Bar, a French Huguenot, who came to this country in 1730, accompanied by his two broth- ers, Charles and Abraham.

They landed at Philadelphia and then walked along the river to a point about half way between Portland and Slatford, and about one-half of a mile from the river, where they built their cabin. They found at what is now Easton, a large Indian village, and white settlements at Martin's Creek, Richmond and Williamsburg. There was no set- tler between the last named place and Shawnee, of which, however, they knew nothing. They soon married German women, and while Charles re- mained in the cabin, Abraham moved to Delaware Water Gap, where he farmed the islands and flats, and Peter bought of the Indians a tract southwest of Stroudsburg, and when the Indian troubles com- menced, Fort Hamilton was built around his house. Peter had a large family, and one of his sons, George, married and moved to MIt. Bethel, near the original cabin. He also had a large family, and among his sons we have record of George (who died at Spragueville in 1876, aged 113 years) ; Peter, Jolin, Andrew, Jerry and Isaac. The elder George sold his farm to his son Isaac about 1808, and emigrated to Ohio, locating near Toledo. His wife died when he was nincty-eight years old, and at one hundred he married again, and died at one hundred and five, being buried in Ohio.

Isaac La Bar, son of George, the elder, married Nancy Miller, of Hamilton, and they became the parents of nine children: Samuel, Charles and Amos being the sons. Amos La Bar married Sallie Fctherman. of Hamilton, and their union was blessed with five children : Abraham, Mannasseh, Lewis, Elmyra and Nancy.

Abraham married Anna E .. daughter of Wil- liam K. and Elizabeth Snyder, of Delaware Water Gap, and to this union came three children : Mary, William K. and Charles M. Mary is the wife of Frank B. Staples, an engineer on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R. and lives at East Stroudsburg; they have no children. Charles mar- ried Jennie Lewis, of Hyde Park, and they have one

daughter; lie is employed by the Delaware, Lacka- wanna & Western R. R. Co., as a machinist, hav- ing been with them for fifteen years.

William K. LaBar received a good common school education at the Stroudsburg schools, and when nineteen years of age went to Lake George, N. Y., as clerk at "The Sagamore" Hotel. For four years he was employed in the summer and winter seasons at several of the leading hotels in New York, New Jersey, Florida and Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1887 his father gave him an in- terest in "The Glenwood," Delaware Water Gap, where he remained until the fall of 1891. when he went to Tazewell county, Va., to manage the hotels of Clinch Valley Coal and Iron Co. and the South- west Virginia Improvement Co. He remained there for three and one-half years, serving on coun- cils two years.

In the spring of 1894 he built the Crystal Spring Steam Laundry, East Stroudsburg, operat- ing it until January 1, 1898, when he disposed of it to the Monroe Laundry Co., of which he is now president. In April, 1897, he leased The Fair View House, which he now conducts.

William K. La Bar married Eva J. Piper, of Gilmanton Iron Works, N. H., in the spring of 1884, and they have two children : Nellie. fifteen years, and Frank, six years of age. Politically Mr. La Bar is a liberal Republican, and religiously was reared in the Presbyterian faith. He is a member of Masonic Lodge of Stroudsburg, the Improved Order of Red Men, MIt. Pocono, and the B. P. O. E. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

JOSEPH L. HALLET, of Stroud township, Monroe county, is a veteran of the Civil war, and a representative of the best type of American manhood. While his service as a soldier demon- strated his courage and patriotism, his quiet yet useful life as an agriculturist has shown other qual- ities as admirable, his sound judgment and kindly, generous disposition gaining for him the confidence and respect of a wide circle of friends and acquaint- ances. He belongs to a well-known family, and his parents, William and Sarah Lee Hallet. were both natives of Monroe county. After their mar- riage they made their home in Pocono township, purchasing a tract of wild land which was cleared and improved as a homestead. The father died in 1891. and the mother is still living at the old home- stead. Of their nine children our subject is the eldest. (2) Mary Jane married the late Evan Williams, of Northampton county. Penn .. and has several children. (3) Caroline married John Staples. of Strond township. and has a family of children. (4) Rachel married William Row. of Stroud town- ship. (5) John. (6) Amos, and (7) Charles all re- side in Pocono township. (8) Mary married Frank Cram, of Pocono township. (9) Emma is at home.

Joseph L. Hallet was born in 1843. in Stroud township. and during his youth received a common- school education while assisting in the work of the

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honicstead. In 1865 he enlisted in Company G, 215th P. V. I., and at the close of the war he was given an lionorable discharge. On his return to Monroe county he engaged in agriculture, and in 1874 he married Miss Mary D. Fanseen, of Stroud township. Soon after this happy event he pur- chased the Philip Lee farm in Stroud township, near Spragueville, where lie has since resided, and from time to time he has made substantial im- provements, his residence being a commodious building equipped with modern conveniences. In 1884 his beloved wife passed to the unscen world, leaving three children ; Gertrude, who was born on the present homestead, was educated in the local schools, and, since the death of the mother, has taken charge of the hoine. Her refinement and womanliness have endeared her to all who have known her, and her thoughtful care is a com- fort to her father. (2) Miss Rosie M. assists in the labors of the house, and is prominent in social life of the neighborhood. (3) George, the only son, also resides at the homestead. The family is identified with the Methodist Church at Sprague- ville, and our subject also belongs to various fra- ternal orders, including the I. O. O. F., Mountain Home Lodge, No. 684, and the A. P. A. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party, of whose principles he is a devout adherent.

FRANK REDDING, a prominent repre- sentative of the agricultural interests of Rush town- ship, Susquehanna county, was born on his present farm, August 11, 1853, a son of Patrick and Anna (O'Rourke) Redding, who were born, reared and married in County Cavan, Ireland, and on their emigration to America in 1835 came to Susque- hanna county. The paternal grandparents, Law- rence and Anna (Gaffney) Redding, were life-long residents and farming people of County Cavan. Their children were Hugh, who died in Susque- hanna county, Penn .; John, who died in Ireland ; Lawrence, who died in Rush township, Susque- hanna county; Patrick, father of our subject; James, who died in Ireland ; and Mrs. Ellen Ban- non, who died in Ireland. The maternal grand- parents, John and Mary (Smith) O'Rourke, werc also agriculturists of the Emerald Isle, where they spent their entire lives. In their family were five children: Anna, mother of our subject ; John and Frank, who both died in Ireland ; and Michael and Bridget, who are still residents of that country.

On first coming to the New World, Patrick Redding, our subject's father, was employed on public works, and later purchased the farm in Rush township, where his son now resides. There lie made his home until called from this life December '5, 1890, at the age of eighty years, and his wife dicd upon the same place in 1868, at the age of forty-six ycars, their remains being interred in the Catholic cemetery of Middletown. They were life-long members of the Catholic Church, and were held in high cstcemi by all who knew them. Politically

the father was a Democrat. Our subject is one of a family of five children, the others being John, now a resident of Binghamton, N. Y .; Michael who was killed in British Columbia, in 1882, by 2 log rolling upon him ; Sarah, wife of Owen McDon- ough, of Indianapolis, Ind .; and Mary, wife of Michael McDermont, of Bluefield, W. Va.

Frank Redding has always made his home upon his present farm, though when twenty-two years of age he worked for six months on a grave! train on the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and the fol- lowing year was spent in the lumber woods. With that exception he has always been engaged in ag- ricultural pursuits, and he is acknowledged to be one of the most skillful farmers of his community. He is a member of the Catholic Church and the Ancient Order of Hibernians, of Friendsville, and in politics is identified with the Democratic party. He is pleasant, genial and entertaining, and has a host of warm friends through the county.

On April 15, 1888, in Towanda, Penn., Mr. Redding married Miss Rose McKenna. by whom he had four children : Anna, Jane, Michael and Charles, all at home. Mrs. Redding was born in Herrick, Bradford county, Penn., in February, 1854, and died May 13, 1896, being laid to rest in Middletown cemetery. Her parents, John and Jane (Laggon) McKenna, were natives of Ireland and early settlers of Bradford county, where the former died in April, 1895, at the age of eighty years ; the latter in November, 1890, at the age of seventy-five, and both were buried there. Their children were James, a resident of Binghamton, N. Y .; John and Henry, both of Bradford county, Penn .; William. of Lopez, Penn .; Charles, of Wilkesbarre; Mary, wife of John Laggon, of Binghamton, N. Y .; Jane, wife of Patrick Costello, of Towanda, Penn .; Ann, wife of Daniel Sullivan, of Bradford county, and Rose, deceased wife of our subject.

E. R. WATERMAN, the well-known black- smith of Hickory Grove, Susquehanna county. was born in Decatur. Otsego Co., N. Y., in 1834, and is a representative of an old New England family.

The family is of English origin, and the first representative in this country was Robert Water- man, of Marshfield, Mass., who died in 1652. He married Elizabeth Bourne, daughter of Thomas Bourne. who came over from England in the May- flower. They became the parents of Joseph, John, Robert and Thomas (II).

(II) Thomas Waterman was born in 1644, and died in 1708. In 1668 he wedded Miriam Tracy, who was born in 1649 or '50. They had a son Thomas, who was born in 1670.

(III) Thomas Waterman, son of Thomas (II) and Miriam, his wife, was given the title of "En- sign" in the records, due probably to his army or navy service-(The title at that time was extant in military circles, corresponding to the present office of "color sergeant"). Ensign Thomas Waterman

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married and became the father of a large family of children, as follows : Thomas, born, 1692 ; John, born, 1694; Elizabeth, born 1696, died 1773; Ebe- nezer, born, 1699; Daniel. born, 1701, died 1773; Elisha (IV) born 1704; Asa, born 1706; Sarah, born, 1708; and Nehemiah, born 1710, died 1796.

(IV) Elisha Waterman married and became the father of six children, of whom the following is the record : John ; Samuel; Elizabeth, who mar- ried Silas Grippen; Lucy, who married Anson Kinney; Huldy, who married Henry Stever; and Elisha (V).

(V) Elisha Waterman was born in 1735, and died April 10, 1813, aged seventy-seven years. He was twiee married; his first wife was an English woman, and by this union he became the father of the following six children: Elisha; Daniel (VI), born July 18, 1780, and died May 15, 1858; Peter ; Anna, who married Peter Cady, of Schenectady, N. Y .; Tryphena, who married - Winslow ; and Sarah (or Sally), who married Nicholas Berdine, of Cattaraugus, N. Y. For his second wife Elisha Waterman wedded Tryphena Ellsworth, but by this marriage there were no children. He served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war under Gen. Wash- ington.

(VI) Daniel Waterman, the second son of Eli- sha (V), was born near Woreester, Otsego Co., N. Y., July 18, 1780, and died May 15, 1858, when lie was aged seventy-seven years. In his early man- hood he married Miss Mary (or Polly) Young, who was born July 18, 1780, and died May 25, 1858. After his marriage he located in Decatur, N. Y., the home of his bride, and there they spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of eight children, namely : Amanda, born December 13, 1803, died April 8, 1839, aged 35 years, 3 months and 25 days, became the wife of Hiram French and lived near Binghamton, N. Y .; Russell (VII) men- tioned below; Laura, born September 9, 1807, and died in 1890, became the wife of John Handy and lived in Seward, Sehoharie Co., N. Y .; Hamilton, born October 20, 1809, died January 26, 1887, aged seventy seven years, 3 months and 6 days. (He mar- ried and first located in Decatur, but in 1866 he removed to Worcester, where his death occurred; he left three sons and three daughters: Col- lins ; Charlotte, wife of John Fern, of Otsego county ; Julia, deceased wife of John Weseott, of Illinois : John, a resident of Rockford. Ill., where he served as postmaster for a number of years; Flora, wife of Isaac Atkins, of Oneonta, N. Y .: and James, who married a Miss Chamberlain, of Worcester, N. Y .. and is now a telegraph operator in Chicago, Ill.) ; Peter, born December 15, 1811, died October 15, 1893. aged eighty-one years and. ten months, lived in Deeatur, N. Y., where his death occurred. leav- ing two sons-Albert and Charles-both now de- ceased : Elisha, born February 25, 1814. died Feb- riary 7, 1841. married and located in Decatur, N. Y., where he died leaving three sons-Louis E .. a resident of Broadway, New York City, and the,

inventor of the Waterman fountain pen-Daniel, who was killed in the Civil war-and Elisha, who died in the West; Polly, born February 14, 1816. married Peter Holenbeek, of Worcester, and at her death left one son, Aaron, still a resident of Worcester; and Caroline, born October 5. 1818, married Zilam Pieatt, of Decatur, N. Y., and both are now deceased (they left three children-Edson, Lorenzo and Marilla, all now residents of Michi- gan).

(VII) Russell Waterman was born Deeem- ber 5, 1805, in Otsego county, N. Y., where he grew to manhood, receiving a very limited educa- · tion. When a young man he learned the cabinet maker's trade, and also the painter's trade, both of which he followed for a number of years, and then purchased a farm in Decatur, remaining there until his death, which occurred in March, 1883. He was twice married." For his first wife he mar- ried Laura Crawford, who was born in 1804, and died in February, 1862. They were the parents of four children, three sons and one daughter, name- ly : (1) Melvina is the wife of Charles Smith, and resides in Washington, D. C., where he holds a government position. He was a member of the 76th N. Y. V. I. during the Civil war, and was .

seriously wounded at the battle of Gettysburg, three minie balls and a piece of shell entering his body. (2) John M., born in Decatur, N. Y., in 1829, served three years in the same regiment and was in the battles of Bull Run, Antietam, South Moun- tain, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. He had com- mand of his company at the battle of the Wilder- ness, holding a captain's commission. During the war he married Franees Butler. of Otsego county, N. Y., where they lived until she died, in 1871, leav- ing a daughter, L. E. Later he moved to Cass county, Neb., where he married Bell Ramsey, a native of Pennsylvania, and they afterward located in Sheridan county, that State, where he died leav- ing by his second marriage two children-Ruth and Ethel. His oldest daughter, L. E., is now Mrs. J. J. Shaw, of New Jersey. (3) Perrin, born in Decatur, in August, 1826, enlisted in 1862 in the 121st N. Y. V. I., and served until the close of the war, taking part in a number of battles. He was wounded in the hand at the battle of the Wilder- ness. After his return home he married Alvira Wilsey, of Otsego county. and is now engaged in painting in Worcester, where he owns a home. They have two children-Lillie and Charles W.

E. R. Waterman, whose name introduces this sketch, completes this family. In the county of his nativity he grew to manhood and after receiving a good distriet school education he successfully engaged in teaching for three terms. During his youth he learned the painter's trade, which he also followed at odd times. Laving aside all personal interests he enlisted in October. 1861. in Company M. 3rd New York Heavy Artillery, which was as- signed to the Ninth Army Corps, under Gen. Burn- side in North Carolina. The battery went to

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Newborn in April, 1862, in June of that ycar to Roanoke Island, in September to Hatteras, and in March of the following year back to Newbern, and thence, in October, going to Newport News, Va. They went into winter quarters at Gettys station, where Mr. Waterman re-enlisted, receiving at that time a thirty days' furlough and $400 bounty. After visiting home, he rejoined his regi- ment at Portsmouth, Va., and from there they were transported to City Point and on to Petersburg. After driving the rebels from that stronghold, they moved on to Wilson's Landing on the James river, and were in camp on the Appomattox river until December. Hostilities having ccased, the bat- tery was mustered out at Richmond, Va., and hon- orably discharged in June, I865.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 42

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