Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 59

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 59
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 59
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 59
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 59

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).

Moses Detrick was born April 15, 1840, in Middle Smithfield township, Monroe county, and from boyhood assisted his father in agricultural work. At the death of his parents he became the owner of his present farm, a valuable estate on the Delaware river bottoms, near Milford village. He is a successful farmer, but a large portion of the re- turns from his work has been lost through his over- confidence in people for whom he has signed bonds and other securities, for generosity is one of his leading traits. Of late years he has resided in Mil- ford and for some time he has been engaged in selling agricultural implements, having the agency

for several firms. Politically, he is a Republican, but he has never been an office seeker.

On November 15, 1863, he was married, at Mil- ford, to Miss Adelle Burleigh, and four children have blessed the union: (1) Harry D. and one other died in infancy. (3) Mary married William K. Peters, a hardware merchant in New York City. (4) Nathaniel C., who is not married, is employed as mail clerk at the Waldorf Hotel .in New York. Mrs. Detrick died May 31, 1891, at the age of forty-seven years. She was a native of Boston, Mass., and her father, Captain David Bur- leigh, was the captain of an ocean vessel for many years, but in 1840 came to Milford to reside, in order to restore his failing health. After his re- moval he became interested in land speculations in that locality. He died at Milford in 1850, and his wife, Mary Hill, a native of Boston, passed away in 1883, at the age of sixty-five. They had five chil- dren : Sarah, Adelle, Octave, Elizabeth, and Mary.

FRANK G. FARNHAM, who is engaged in a manufacturing business at White Mills, Wayne county, is a resident of Honesdale, where he was born May 28, 1848. He is a son of Frederick W. Farnham, who in his day was one of the most ac- tive and well-known residents of this section of Wayne county, where he had large lumber inter- ests.

Mr. Farnham is descended from good old Rev- olutionary stock. He is a great-great-grandson of Zebediah Farnham, who during the Revolution served as first lieutenant of the 8th Connecticut regiment from July until December, 1775, when he was transferred to a similar position in the 17th Connecticut regiment, in which he remained until wounded. Through the remainder of the war he was lieutenant. of marines in the Continental ship "Providence." His son Levi (the great-grand- father of Frank G. Farnham) also belonged to the 17th Connecticut regiment, in which he was corporal, was taken prisoner at the battle of Long Island, and died of starvation on Christmas Day. 1776, on board a British prison ship. Samuel Farn- ham, son of Levi, lived in Oxford, N. Y., removing thence from New London, Conn. He was a captain of artillery in the war of 1812, stationed at Fort Niagara.

When fifteen years of age Frederick W. Farn- ham came from Oxford, N. Y., to Honesdale, Penn., with a load of goods for Alexander Farn- ham. At that time Honesdale was only a scattered village, containing two or three stores and few important interests of any kind. In 1830 the firm of Russell & Wilcox had a mercantile business in a store which stood on the present site of the Dela- ware & Hudson depot. Mr. Wilcox dying, his interest in the concern was purchased by A. H. Farnham, and the firm was Farnham & Russell, until Mr. Russell withdrew to give his attention to another branch of business, and his place in the partnership was taken by Charles Farnham. when it

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became known as Farnham Bros. Frederick W. Farnham, above mentioned, was clerk and really general manager of the business, and in addition to general merchandising, they ran a line of freight boats on the canal. Here he acquired considerable experience, and it was not long before he com- menced on his own account, at first conducting a store on the south side of Park street, east of tlie Honesdale mill. This store was subsequently moved across the road by Dart & Dickson, and still later to East street by John Brown, who used it as a furniture factory, and finally sold it to the Hones- dale Shoe Company; a few years afterward it was destroyed by fire.

About the time of his marriage, which occurred in 1840, Mr. Farnham entered the employ of the Honesdale Mill Company, with which he remained until his removal to Cherry Ridge, where he lo- cated on a partly cleared farm. Here he gave his time to improving the place, and he also erected a sawmill and did a general lumbering business, in 1853 selling this property at a substantial ad- vance to the Pennsylvania Coal Company, and investing in the Hornbeck sawmill property at White Mills, whither he removed his family in 1857. He continued operations on this property for twelve years, during which time he put in the second cir- cular saw in the county. In 1869 he purchased 3,000 acres of Marcus Kellam, and some 3,000 acres more of Mr. Shouse, which included the Wilson- ville sawmills and water privileges, and he made numerous improvements in the mills and did an immense lumber business, cutting from 6,000,000 to 7,000,000 feet of hemlock and pine a year. Mr. Farnham not only had control of the large prop- erty he owned, but owing to the falls at Wilson- ville, of large tracts of timberland at the head- waters of the north and south forks of the Wallen- paupack, and millions of feet of hemlock were floated down the stream to the mills every year. His operations were conducted on an enormous scale; but the great panic of 1873, which did such injury to interests everywhere, did not spare him, and the prosperity of his mills was destroyed be- yond reparation. He retired to his White Mills property, and a few years before his death re- turned to the scenes of his carly manhood taking up his residence. again in Honesdale, where he ended his days. Mr. Farnham had decided theories of his own on the currency question, which were strengthened by his experience in 1873, and caused him to change his party allegiance to the Green- backs, and later to the silver advocates. In 1876 he was a Presidential elector on the Greenback ticket, and he served as associate judge for a short time, having been appointed to that. office. During the years of his greatest activity he took an im- portant part in the advancement of Wayne county's interests, and ranked foremost among her prominent and wealthy citizens.

On December 25, 1840. Mr. Farnham was mar- ried to Miss Eunice A. Gunn, and they commenced

housekeeping in the "Slab Castle." They reared two children-Fred C., in the insurance business at Honesdale, and Frank G. The former married Charlotte Oram, and has one child, Norman, wlio is attending school at Honesdale. Frederick W. Farnham was, in his earlier years. a prominent worker in the Episcopal Church at Honesdale, and being a good singer he was for a long time leader of the choir. On March 10, 1899, he passed away at the age of eighty-one years and ten months. in the full possession of all his faculties except sight, which was impaired by a cataract. Eunice A. (Gunn) Farnham was born near Rome, N. Y., September 26, 1819, a daughter of Simeon and Rhodann ( Burton) Gunn, the former of whom was born at Milford, Conn., and the latter at Woodbury, that State. Her father was Major Bur- ton, one of the officers on Gen. Washington's staff. To Mr. and Mrs. Gunn were born two sons and two daughters -- Jeremiah C .: George C .; Mrs. Farnham ; and Mrs. Blake. The father was a man of quiet disposition, in politics a Whig, in religion a Presbyterian. He spent most of his life in New York State, but died at Cherry Run, Penn.

Frank G. Farnham makes his home with his mother, who still enjoys good health at a ripe old age. He received a liberal education in early life, and later was in the lumber business with his father for some years. In 1870 he went to. Hawley. this county, where he remained for six years, and he is at present engaged in manufacturing at White Mills, making polishing brushes for cut glass. He possesses mechanical skill and ingenuity above the average, and is an inventor of considerable note. The firm name is The F. G. Farnham Brush Co., and the works are some five miles from Honesdale, and give employment to about ten hands. They manufacture not only polishing brushes for cut glass and metal polishing brushes, patented by himself, but rotary shoe and other brushes. He also holds patents on a feeding-up machine used in putting the polishing putty to the rotary polish- ing bench used in polishing glass (this machine is used on a royalty all over the country) ; an im- proved tumbler and chimney glass blank which is also out on a royalty. Politically he is a bimetallist He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and pres- ident of the Exchange Club of Honesdale, the leading social club of the city.

E. J. SANFORD, who for the past nine years has been the efficient and popular postmaster of Island Pond, Wayne county, is an active, enterpris- ing business man, whose energies have not been confined to one line of operation, for he successfully conducts a general store in Island Pond, and also carries on farming and dairying in Preston town- ship. He was born in that township, in 1848. and throughout life has been prominently identified with its interests.

Joseph B. Sanford was born in 1821, in Mon- roc, Conn., and when a young man came to Wayne

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

county, where he married Miss Jane Woodmansee, of Preston township, a representative of a promi- nent pioneer family from Massachusetts. They be- gan their domestic life at Winwood, Penn., where the father purchased a farm, but in 1864 removed to Preston township, purchasing a tract of timberland at Island Pond, upon which he engaged in lumber- ing during the remainder of his life. His deatlı occurred in September, 1897, and his wife passed away in 1883. Their children were as follows : (1) Lucretia, born in Preston township, in 1844, is the wife of C. W. Allen, a lumberman and farmer of Buckingham township, Wayne county, and has a family. (2) Daniel L., born in 1845, married Lucy Stanton, and with his family lives on his farm in Preston township. (3) Frank B., born on the old homestead in 1847, wedded Mary Melns, of Wayne county, by whom he has children, and they make their home in Deposit, N. Y., where he follows the carpenter's trade. (4) E. J. is the next of the family. (5) James C., born in 1850, married Asby Haynes, of Wayne county, and with his family re- sides in Preston township. (6) William H., born in 1852, married Viola Dix, of Wayne county, and they live on a part of the old homestead in Pres- ton township. (7) Hattie, born in 1854, died in 1860. (8) Annie, born in 1861, married Clark Kilpatrick, who is engaged in railroading in Car- bondale, Lackawanna Co., Penn. (9) Luman E., born in 1863, is a graduate of the Drew Theological Seminary, and is now the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Ariel, Penn .; he married Lizzie Dix and has two children.

During his boyhood and youth E. J. Sanford pursued his studies in the district schools of Pres- ton township, and he remained upon the home farm until he attained to man's estate. He was married, in . 1876, to Miss Georgiana Kilpatrick, of Wayne county, who died in 1883, leaving three children, who were all born on the old homestead. Robert G., born in 1878, is a student in Hotches high school of Connecticut ; and Lottie, born in 1880, and Eliza- beth. born in 1882, are attending the home school. In 1886 Mr. Sanford was again married. his sec- ond union being with Miss Mary Dow, of Wayne county, who was educated in the public schools, and successfully followed teaching for about ten years in Wayne and Susquehanna counties. Her parents, George and Mary L. Dow, were natives of Connecticut, and were pioneer settlers of Wayne county, which was their home for the long period of seventy years. By his second marriage, Mr. Sanford had two children: Lynn Edgar, who was born in January. 1894, and died March 24, 1895; and Greta Marie, born August 17, 1807.

Mr. Sanford remained on the old home farm caring for his parents until they were called to the world beyond, after which hie purchased the place, making it his home until 1887, when lie re- moved to an adjoining farm. Here he has erected a comfortable residence and store building, and now gives considerable attention to mercantile pursuits.

His patronage comes from a territory many miles in extent. The establishment would do credit to a much larger village than Island Pond, as it is com- plete in all of its departments, and up to the times in every particular. In 1888, during President Cleveland's administration, he was appointed post- master, and is still acceptably filling that position. He has also efficiently served as school director for four years. His political support is always given the Prohibition party, as he is an earnest tem- perance worker and a pronounced enemy of the liquor traffic.

JOSIAH WHITTAKER is a prominent citi- zen of Barrett township, Monroe county. He is a native of England, but when a small child came with his parents to America, and in this country developed the traits which have made him one of the successful and influential men of the community in which he lives.

He was born at Manchester, England, in De- cember 1846, son of Josiah and Sarah (Tenant) Whittaker, both natives of that city. Josiah Whit- taker, Sr., was born January 18, 1820; his wife in May, 1819. Left an orphan when but nine years of age, and being the oldest in a family of four, he carly took up the responsibilities of life, and main- tained the others until each one in turn became old enough to assist. When a boy he learned the ma- chinist's trade and followed it for some years. In 1850 he migrated with his wife to America. Arriv- ing at Philadelphia he decided to locate in Mont- gomery county, Penn., and there in partnership with his brother-in-law, Thomas Wolden, he en- gaged in the manufacture of shoelaces and skirt braid, also covering the hoops for the first hoop- skirts made in America. Business was conducted for a number of years under the name of Whittaker & Wolden, but after the death of the latter it was sold, and is now known as the Star Braid Manu- facturing Co., and prospered beyond their expecta- tion. Owing to the ill health of Mr. Whittaker he was, in 1858, compelled to dispose of his profitable enterprise. Selling his interest to Mr. Wolden, he removed with his family to South Sterling, Wayne county, Penn., where he engaged in mer- cantile pursuits ; conducting a general store until his death in December, 1888. Early in that year he had been appointed by President Cleveland post- master at Sterling, and held the office at the time of his death. His widow survived him until March, 1898. To Josiah and Sarah Whittaker were born ciglit children, four of whom survived him, name- ly: Josiali, John, Eliza, Jane and Mary. Josiah, subject of this sketch, was the eldest. John, born in Manchester, England. in December 1849: mar- ried Maggie Pearson, of Prompton. Wayne county, and now resides on the farm purchased by his father, some time prior to the latter's death : he has six children. as follows-Jennie: Robert. who married Miss Barnes, has one child and resides at South Stering: Thomas: Annie; Maggie and

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Francis. Eliza Jane Whittaker was born at Phila- delphia July 10, 1855, married John Shall, a farmer and lumberman of Greene township, Pike county, and has five children-Mary, Esther, Elsie, Florence and Ada.

Josiah Whittaker was three years old when he crossed the ocean with his parents. He attended the public schools, receiving a fair education. Com- ing to Wayne county with his father he managed the latter's farm for a number of years. In 1868 Mr. Whittaker married Miss Sarah Williams, daughter of Jeremiah and Rachel Williams, well- known pioneers of South Sterling, Wayne county, and sister of Hon. J. B. Williams, a leading attor- ney of Stroudsburg. To Josiah and Sarah Whit- taker was born one child, Fannie, now Mrs. Kimble, of Honesdale, Penn. For his second wife our sub- ject in 1874 married Mrs. Augusta Roberts, daugh- ter of Christian F. and Teresa (Winters) Blitz, who was born in Germany January 11, 1849, and in May of the same year was brought to America by her parents, who settled in Philadelphia, re- maining in that city three years. Christian Blitz then moved to Newfoundland, Wayne Co., Penn., where he conducted a meat market for some years, and later bought a farm in Pike county, where both parents died. By her first marriage, to Mr. Roberts, Mrs. Whittaker had two children: Fred- erick G., born in Paterson, N. J., in 1871, and now a member of Troop M, 8th Cavalry, stationed at Puerto Principe, Cuba, and Elizabeth M., born in Wyoming, Penn., in 1873, now the wife of Allen Hudson, in the sanitary and plumbing business of his own, in New York city, and the mother of one child-Augusta L. Hudson. The marriage of our subject to Mrs. Roberts has been blessed with two children-Lillie May, and Sarah T. Lillie May was born in Pike county in 1878, was well edu- cated in the home schools and now holds a lucrative position as saleslady in the large wholesale store of Siegel & Cooper, on Sixth Avenue, New York. Sarah Teressa was born in Pike county in 1880, married Samuel R. Barr, of Virginia, now sales- man for Runkle Bros. Cocoa and Chocolate Co., New York, in which city they reside ; they have one daughter, Edith L. Barr.

In 1889 our subject purchased what is known as the Henry Shauler farm at Mountain Home. He made extensive improvements, building a large ad- dition to the dwelling house, erecting a bank barn 32x42 feet, and has so developed the property that it is now one of the well improved farms of Barrett township. He also owns a farm in Greene township, Pike county. His home in Barrett township is widely known as Pleasant View farm. For four years it has been thrown open during the summer months to visitors from the cities and many guests have found here the rest and recuperation which their busy urban life required. The home is one mile distant from the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western road and a carriage meets all trains com- ing from Philadelphia and New York.

Mr. and Mrs. Whittaker are Protestant in re- ligious faith, and during his busy life he has found! time to devote to active Christian work. He ha done noble work in the Sunday schools, knowing the lasting effects of early teaching upon the huma :. mind, and has been instrumental in starting ille Sunday schools at German Valley and other points in Greene township. In politics he is a Democrat, and has held various local offices within the gift of his fellow-citizens. He is now serving as presi- dent of the school board. Mr. Whittaker has for thirty years been connected with the I. O. O. F .. and is a member of the Mountain Home Lodge, No. 684.

JOHN MANLEY (deceased), who was for many years one of the highly respected and promi- nent citizens of Hawley, Wayne county, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, March 22, 1825, a son of Patrick and Catherine ( Lynn) Manley, of that county, where the father engaged in farming until his death. In 1849 the mother, with three children, came to the United States, and in Hawley, Penn .. made her home until 1871, when she returned to her native land to spend her remaining days. Her children were Francis, who died in Tafton, Penn .: Barbara, who married Thomas Brown, and both died in Ireland; John; and Nellie, who married James Lynn, and died in Chicago, where her hus- band was employed on public works.

Upon the home farm in his native land, John Manley was reared, and came to America with his mother, locating in Hawley, where for thirteen years he was emploved as night watchman by the Pennsylvania Coal Company. After the company removed their machine shops to Dunmore, he was engaged in coal mining for ten years, and in 1879 embarked in farming in Palmyra township, though he still continued to make his home in Hawley. As a farmer he met with excellent success and became quite well-to-do.

In Hawley, October 25, 1852, Mr. Manley married Miss Anna Bowland. Rev. Father Malone officiating. She was also a native of County Mayo. Ireland, born May 10, 1833, a daughter of William and Dora ( Bowland) Bowland, who previous to their marriage were not related. Her father was a farmer in County Mayo, where he died, and in 1851, her mother, with two children, crossed the Atlantic, becoming residents of Hawley, where she died May 6, 1871, aged seventy-four years. Her children were Patrick, who died in Hawley ; Mary, who wedded Patrick Lynn and died in Pittston. Penn .; Robert, who died in Hawley ; William, who went to California in 1854. and has never been heard from since; Anna, wife of our subject; and Christopher, who died in Hawley.

The record of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Manley is as follows: Catherine died at the age of one year and seven months : Anna P .: Prof. Patrick J. first married Dora Boland, of Hawley. and after her death wedded Mary C. Rutlidge, of

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Pittston (he is an attorney by profession, but is now serving as principal of the schools of Pitts- ton) ; Frances E. is thic wife of Joseph Kenny, a railroad engineer living in Dunmore; William O. died at the age of eleven years; John C. married Elizabeth McCander, and is now employed as motorman on a car at Stapleton, N. Y .; James J. died at the age of fifteen years ; Joseph J. died at the age of nine months; Thomas J. died at the age of twenty-three years; Ella and Dora. The mother of these children was called to her final rest Sep- tember 10, 1893, and the father died February 19, 1895.

As an ardent Democrat, Mr. Manlcy took an active and prominent part in political affairs, and was a recognized leader of the party in his com- munity. He was honored with a number of local offices, serving in some official position most of the time, including the offices of supervisor, school director, tax collector and judge of elcctions. Like the other members of his family he was a communi- cant of the Catholic Church.

E. R. FOSTER, a highly esteemed citizen of Ararat township, Susquehanna county, is one of the honored veterans of the Civil war, whose devotion to his country was tested not only by service on the field of battle, but in the still more deadly dan- gers of southern prisons. This gallant soldier en- listed in September, 1862, at Scranton, but was accredited to Honesdale, and assigned to Company C, 67th P. V. I. He enlisted for three years or during the war, and was mustered in at Harrisburg, Penn. He participated in the battles of Spottsyl- vania and Winchester, and in the latter engage- ment was taken prisoner. He was confined in Libby prison and Belle Isle for five months before being exchanged. Later he took part in the battles of Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Mine Run, and various other engagements, and was honorably discharged at Harrisburg in 1865.

Mr. Foster was born in Tioga county, Penn., in 1840, and is a son of George M. and Helen (Soper) Foster, natives of Delaware county, N. Y., who came to Pennsylvania at an early day. The father is now deceased, but the mother is still living and makes her home in Wisconsin. In their family were eight children; E. R., our subject; Mrs. Phcbe Carpenter, a resident of Uniondale, Penn .; Archibald, of Ararat township, Susquehanna coun- ty; Elizabeth, who died in Kansas; Mrs. Laura Cheesebrough ; Louisa : Carrie ; and Nelson, a resi- dent of Wisconsin.

E. R. Foster was twelve years of age when he left his native county and came to Ararat town- ship, Susquchanna county, where he has since madc his home. He has always engaged in farming and now owns a good place of forty-seven acres, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. In 1865. in Ararat township, he was united in marriage with Miss Jerusha Cottrell, a native of Bradford county, I'cnn., and a daughter of John and Mary

(Slocum) Cottrell, early settlers of Ararat town- ship, where they continued to reside until called from this life. Mr. Foster is an honored member of the Grand Army Post at Starrucca, and is a stalwart supporter of the Republican party and its principles.

OREON STAPLES RHODES, M. D., an able and successful physician of East Stroudsburg, is a member of a family which has been prominent in Monroe county from an early period. The first of the name came from Germany prior to the Revo- lutionary war, and, according to good authority, settled in Pennsylvania. The records of the early generations are unfortunately very meager, and although the great-great-great-grandfather of our subject was killed in the battle of Brandywine, his name is not now known.

Jacob Rhodes, son of this worthy patriot, was born and reared near Bethlehem, Penn., where he made his permanent home. He married and had several children.

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 59

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