Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 77

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 77
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 77
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 77
USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4 > Part 77

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On May 16, 1808, Jesse Mckean married Miss Azabeth Travis, who was born August 19, 1794, and died September 27, 1868. Her parents, Robert and Roumania (Sherid) Travis, were both natives of England, and three of her paternal uncles served for seven years in the Continental army during the Revolutionary war, as Washington's Life Guards. Jesse and Azabeth Mckean became the parents of seventeen children, namely: . (1) Lucretia, born July 23, 1810, died October 21, 1826. (2) George WV., born February 14, 1812, died February 19, 1880. (3) Amanda, born March 25, 1813, married S. L. Hasen, of Blooming Grove township, Pike county, and died June 2, 1885. (4) Lucinda, born December 25, 1814, married Howard Hulse, and they were residents of southeastern Iowa, where she died March 3, 1866. (5) Lexeuction, born Feb- ruary 2, 1816, married and settled in Paupack town- ship, Wayne county, and his descendants now live in that and Susquehanna counties. He died April 5, 1886. (6) Thomas, born April 14, 1817, never married and located in Easton, Penn., where hic carried on a general banking business. He died March 17, 1894. (7) Hiram, born June 11, 1818, was married in Canada and lived for many years in Sheboygan, Wis., where he died March 9, 1863. (8) Gibson, born August 5, 1822, died April 25, 1894. (9) Ruamy, born August 14, 1825, marricd Hiram Reed and lived in Plymouth, Penn., where she died in 1897. (10) David, our subject, is the next in order of birth. (II) Charlotte, born Junc I, 1829, is now the widow of Louis Croen, of Steu- ben county, N. Y. (12) Hugh, born March 8, 1831, is married and lives ncar Sacramento, Cal. (13) Batemon, twin brother of Hugh, marricd Lydia Davis, now deceased. (14) Augusta, born June 2, 1832, is the widow of IIcnry Smith, who was killed in the battle of Gettysburg during the Civil war. (15) Azabeth, born June 2, 1834,

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is the wife of Silas Rowley. (16) Jesse, born Feb- ruary 7, 1836, was drowned March 2, 1838. (17) Josiah, born May 3, 1839, married Jane Decker and lived at Long Eddy, Sullivan Co., N. Y., where she died. December 7, 1897.

David McKean was born in Dingman town- ship, Pike county, January 12, 1827, and when a boy came with his parents to Shohola township, where he grew to manhood, assisting in the ardu- ous task of clearing and developing the home farm. After his marriage he took charge of the Taylor property at Greeley, Pike county, including a farm, grist and saw mill, which he operated for thirteen years. At the end of that time, in 1874, he bought a farm of eighty-four acres in Shohola township, to which he has since added a 102-acre tract adjoining, a part of which is underlaid with a fine grade of blue stone, silver and lead. Besides this property he has seventy-five acres of very valuable timber land in Blooming Grove township, Pike county, and is successfully engaged in general farming, lumbering and quarrying. He has recently en- larged his home with the expectation of taking summer boarders. In all his undertakings he has met with marked success, and is recognized as one of the most reliable, substantial and prominent busi- ness men of his community, as well as one of its leading and influential citizens. In politics he is a Democrat, and he has been called upon to serve in the offices of supervisor, school director and over- seer of the poor. Religiously both he and his wife are earnest members of the Baptist Church.

On March 25, 1857, in Middletown, N. Y., Mr. McKean was married to Miss Ann Jane Tra- vis, a daughter of Jesse and Eliza (Cleaves) Travis. Her father was a native of Long Island and a ship carpenter by trade. He died December 31, 1894, when he was aged eighty-six years and seven months. The mother, who was born in Orange County, N. Y., November 14, 1814, died March 29, 1899. Their children were as follows: Wil- liam, born April 9, 1834, married Catharine Feely on April 9, 1859, and lived in Steuben county, N. Y., until his death June 5, 1888. Ann Jane, born in Pike county, January 19, 1836, is the wife of our subject; Ira M., born August 14, 1842, is a farmer of that county; Emeline, born June 22, 1845, is the wife of Silas Witter, of Steuben county, N. Y .: Phobe, born August 5, 1847, is deceased; David C., born November 24, 1849, lives in Steuben county, N. Y .; John B., born September 30, 1854, married Ida Smith and is a farmer of Blooming Grove township, Pike county; Mehitable B., de- ceased, born July 23. 1852, made her home in New York: Mary Ellen, born January 11, 1857, is the deceased wife of Norman Cook; and Andrew E., born June 24, 1860, died in infancy. .

Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mckean: Lafayette, born November 19, 1857, died May 5. 1862. Alice, born June 1, 1860, died May 10. 1862. David, born May 21, 1863, married Mary Emma Wainright, by whom he has three

children, Edgar W., Benton J. and Murlin, and they live in Wantage township, Sussex Co., N. J., where he is engaged in agricultural pursuits. Jesse, born March 9, 1866, married Lena M. Wallack, by whom he has three children, Jennie May, Ralph and Ernest, and they live at Peckville, Penn. War- ren, born February 15, 1869, lives at home and is engaged in farming and quarrying. In political sentiment he is a Democrat.

ROBERT M. BORNE is a farmer of Liberty township, Susquehanna county, who through his own industry and perseverance has worked his way upward from a humble position in life to one of affluence.

Mr. Borne was born in Devonshire, England, a son of Robert and Mary Borne, also natives of Devonshire.

As Robert M. Borne was quite young when his parents died, he was reared by relatives, making his home on a farm with an uncle until thirteen years of age, when he was apprenticed to another uncle, to learn the machinist's and carpenter's trades, remaining with him until twenty. At the age of fourteen he received three months' school- ing, paid for by himself with pennies saved from gifts of friends. For some time he followed the carpenter's trade. In 1867 he went to London, where he worked at his trade for three months, and then went to Staffordshire, where through the in- fluence of an uncle, he was placed on the police force, with which he was connected until his emni- gration to America. In 1869 lie took passage on a sailing vessel bound for New York, and was six weeks making the voyage, during which time they encountered a terrible storm, a number of sailors being washed overboard and our subject lashed to the rigging to save his life. He finally, in April of that year, arrived safely in New York, and the same month went to Owego, where he worked for a short time, after which he drifted to Ithaca, N. Y., where he was employed at his trade on one of the universities in that city. While a member of the police force in Staffordshire, England, he was pro- moted to the rank of sergeant, and at the same time attended night school.

On leaving Ithaca, N. Y., Mr. Borne com- menced working for the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, at Pittston, Penn., where he remained three years. While there he became acquainted with Miss Isabella Low, a daughter of John J. and Jane A. Low, of New Jersey, and in 1872 they were united in marriage.

Our subject and his wife have three children, namely: (1) Robert O., born in Pittston, January 6, 1873, was educated in the district schools, and in May. 1897, married Ada Blowers, of Franklin Forks, a daughter of Ralph and Nettie Blowers, one of the old and well-to-do families of that place. They now have one son. (2) Cora E., born in Auburn, Penn., October 15. 1874. received a dis- trict school education. and is now the wife of E.

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J. Stockholm, a farmer of Franklin township, Sus- quehanna county, by whom she has two daughters, Leah G. and Mildred I. (3) Grace E., born in June, 1884, is a very bright young lady.

For one year after his marriage, Mr. Borne remained in Pittston, and then came to Auburn, Susquehanna county, where he worked at his trade for three years. In 1878 he purchased a farm in Wyoming county, Penn., but at the end of two years he traded it for a portion of his present farm in Liberty township, Susquehanna county, to which he has since added by subsequent purchase until he now has 163 acres of rich and arable land, which he has improved with good buildings after clearing a large part of the tract.

Mr. Borne received his naturalization papers in 1877, and has since been an ardent supporter of the Republican party. He takes quite an active interest in public affairs, and has served as a member of the election board and as auditor of Liberty township. He united with the Episcopal Church in England, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Socially he is a member of Lodge No. 905, I. O. O. F., of Auburn Center, and of the Tribe (No. 296) I. O. R. M., at Franklin Forks, in which he has filled all the offices.

JOHN W. BENSON. Success in life has been attained by the subject of this sketch through his own endeavors. Ranking to-day as one of the foremost and prosperous farmers of Jackson town- ship, Susquehanna county, his large property accumulations have been the result of his whole- souled endeavors, and his keen business sagacity and unwavering integrity also has been one of the foundation stones of his success.

Mr. Benson was born June 27, 1847, in Jack- son township, son of James and Mary A. (Durkee) Benson, and grandson of John and Margaret (Ballou) Benson. John Benson, the grandfather, was reared in New England and was a soldier in the war of 1812. His wife. Margaret (Ballou), was a native of Connecticut. The grand- father of our subject migrated to Susquehanna county, locating in Jackson township.

James Benson, the father of our subject, was reared in Jackson township, attending school during the winter months and engaged in the toil of pioneer life during the other seasons of the year. He remained on the farm of his parents in their old age and by his labor paid for the property which they had purchased. He married Mary A. Durkee, who cheerfully shared with him the priva- tions of their early life. She was a devout Christian woman, a member of the Baptist Church, and a worthy helpmeet to her husband through life. James Benson erected good substantial buildings on the old home and there died, aged fifty years. His worthy wife remained on the home, keeping the family together until they became of age, her eld- est child, Eunice, being only thirteen years of age at the death of her husband. The entire responsi-

bility of raising the family rested with her. The children of James and Mary A. Benson were as follows: Eunice, who married S. E. Moore, of Jackson, and they have two sons, Jesse and Jolin- nie; Margaret, who married E. C. Chandler, oi Jackson township, where he died, leaving her with two sons-Charles, now a resident of New Milford, and Seth, who married and settled on his mother's homestead; Otwell, who married Miss Ida Moss, of Jackson, and resided on a part of his father's old homestead until his death, in 18-, leaving two children, Edson, a well-known teacher, now princi- pal of the New Milford schools, who married Miss Louisa Moss, of New Milford, and Nina, who died in childhood; Amy, who died in childhood; Ann Eliza, who married Henry Barnard, of New Milford, and died, leaving two children-Mary, wife of James Burdeck, of Jackson, and the mother of two children, Gleason and Newell, and Nettie, wife of Edward Hendrick, of Hallstead; John W., our subject; James D., who married Miss Emma Sumner, daughter of Henry and Rosalia Sumner of New Milford, who farms part of the old home- stead and who has three sons-Ernest, Jason and Newton.

John W. Benson, our subject, grew to man- hood on the old homestead, where he remained with his mother until he obtained his majority, in 1868. In that year he married Miss Jane Perry, who was born in Jackson township, May 20, 1852, daughter of Alonzo and Phebe (Williams) Perry, pioneers of that township, and in Gibson and Jack- son townships she attended the district schools. Prior to his marriage our subject purchased 82 acres of land on the north side of his parents' old homestead for $1,515. His share of his father's estate was $500. Mr. Benson began his married life on a moderate scale of expenses, facing the necessity of obtaining his own start in life. He erected a good one-and-a-half-story house with all modern improvements, and later built a large bank barn 120 feet long, 42 feet wide, with casement under the entire structure. He has also added two large silos. He keeps 47 cows and operates an extensive dairy business at Hallstead and Susque- hanna. He has cleared up a large portion of his original farm. In 1891 he purchased the Levi Barrett farm in Jackson township, and later in partnership with his son Frank, bought the old Henry Perry farm in Jackson, joining his present home. These farms all possess good improvements and are under a high state of cultivation.

To our subject and his wife have been born three children: Frank, Fred S., and Julia. Frank was born in January, 1870. He is unmarried and for the past eight years has been in partnership with his father in their extensive dairy and general farming. Fred S., born October 1I, 1875. mar- ried Miss Iona Carpenter, of Preston, resides on one of his father's farms in Jackson township. and has one son, Edward, born in May. 1800. Julia, born in September, 1877, is a popular young

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lady of education and culture, and is at home with her parents.

In politics our subject is an Independent. He has recently completed a three years' term as town- ship auditor. Mrs. Benson and children are members of the Baptist Church. For sixteen years Mr. Benson was an active member of the Jackson Grange. The family is one of the recognized so- cial factors of the township and is most highly respected. Aided by his faithful and devoted wife, our subject has impressed upon the character of his children the same sterling principles of integ- rity, industry and foresight which have lighted his pathway to the ample competence of his later years.

EUGENE C. BIDWELL, a farmer of Salem township, Wayne county, traces his ancestry back to Ephraim and Dorcas Bidwell, natives of Con- necticut, who reared a large family of children, all now deceased. They were: Mrs. Prudence Pease, who made her home in what is now Lake township, Wayne Co., Penn .; Lucy, wife of Knoar Rogers, of Waymart, Penn .; Jabez, the grandfather of our sub- ject; and Luther, Louis, Orin, Elisha, William, Rachel and Sally, who all died in Salem township, Wayne county.

Jabez Bidwell was a native of Salem township, where he grew to manhood and followed farming throughout life. He married Sarah Daniels, of Hawley, Wayne county, and to them were born seven children, all now deceased, namely: Maria, who never married; Anson, a resident of Salem township; Isaac, of Hawley; Ephraim, the father of our subject; Reuben and Chauncey, both of Salem township; and Esther, who remained single.

Ephraim Bidwell was born March 4, 1823, in Salem township, Wayne county, and was there reared upon a farm. On June 3, 1847, at Canaan, Wayne county, he was married by Rev. William Griffin, a Methodist Episcopal minister, to Miss Elizabeth Davis, a daughter of Philip and Deliah (Sutton) Davis, and granddaughter of Gabriel and Polly (Acres) Davis. Ephraim Bidwell responded to his country's call for aid during the Rebellion and died July 29, 1864, at City Point, Va., soon after reaching the South. Our subject is the sec- ond in order of birth in his family of four children, the others being as follows: Wilber, born April 5, 1849, is a resident of Salem township; Ella E., born December 11, 1854, is the wife of William Walker, of Salem township; and Thomas M., born July 15, 1859, lives with his mother on the old homestead.

Eugene C. Bidwell was born July 29, 1851, in Salem township, and was reared in much the usual manner of farmer boys on the old homcstcad. On starting out in life for himself at the age of twenty- one years he turned his attention to lumbering and farming, but later was employed as a carpenter at Scranton and in Pike county, Penn. Since then he has engaged in lumbering, but at the present

time he is principally interested in general farming and dairying. About fifteen years ago he purchased the farm of thirty-six acres on which he now resides, has cleared a portion of the same, and in 1891 he erected thereon a comfortable home, and has niadc many other improvements upon the place.

On December 18, 1889, at Honesdale, Wayne county, Mr. Bidwell was united in marriage with Miss Marilla Bartleson, Rev. H. C. McDermot, a Methodist Episcopal minister, performing the cere- mony. She was born June 29, 1870, a daughter of Charles H. and Emma Adeline (Kimble) Bartle- son, and as her parents died when she was a child, she was reared in the family of MI. D. Rollison, of Salcm township. There were two other children in the family, both older than herself-Agnes and Stephen. Mr. and Mrs. Bidwell have two children: Orphia L., born October 4, 1890; and Boyd Merritt, born March 25, 1893. Politically Mr. Bidwell is identified with the Republican party, and religiously his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JAMES A. SHEERER was born March 1, 1827, in Salem township, Wayne county, a son of John and Matilda (Nichols) Sheerer, who were born, reared and married in Dutchess county, N. Y. His grandfather, John Sheerer, a native of Scot- land, came to America at an early day, settling in Dutchess county, N. Y., where he was employed as manager of a woolen factory. Abel Nichols, our subject's maternal grandfather, was born in Ger- many, and also became a resident of Dutchess county.

In the county of their nativity the parents of our subject continued to remain until 1820, when they took up their residence in Salem township, Wayne county, Penn., but in 1853 they moved across the line into Jefferson township, Luzerne county, where they made their home until called from this life. By occupation the father was a farmer and lumberman. He died in 1886, aged eighty-seven years, the mother in 1832, aged fifty years, and the remains of both were interred in Sterling township, Wayne county. The children born to them were: Sally A., deceased wife of Abram Bellis; Benjamin, a Methodist Episcopal minister of Luzerne county; George, who died from injuries received in the Civil war; James A., the subject of this review: Emeline, deceased wifc of George Riter, of Susquehanna. Penn .; Mary, de- ccascd wife of Amos Foster: Elizabeth, who mar- ricd Nathan Lang, and both are now deccased; Emily, deceased wife of Jacob Snyder, of Luzcrne county ; and John, Jr., who is in the employ of the E. & W. V. railroad, in Lackawanna county, Penn. For his second wife the father married Elizabeth Akers, who died in 1887, aged eighty-eight years. By this union there were no children.

Until he attained his majority, James A. Sheerer remained with his parents, and then took charge of a crew of men for the Pennsylvania Coal

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Company, clearing timber for their roadbed for two years. He then purchased a tract of 100 acres of land, and for two years engaged in lumbering on his own account, after which he run a coal train for his former employers for seven years. He next .. estimated lumber for that company for a time and

afterward purchased 225 acres of timber land, on which he engaged in lumbering for two years, sell- ing the place at the end of that time. He continued to buy tracts of land, from which he would cut the timber, following lumbering in this way until 1888, when he was forced to lay aside active labor on ac- count of rheumatism. Mr. Sheerer has cleared more land than any man in Wayne county, having cleared seven 100-acre-tracts for himself; 3.200 on contract; 1,600 acres for the Maplewood Company, and 1,600 for the Pennsylvania Coal Company. In this way he has done much toward the improvement and de- velopment of the county, and has materially aided in its advancement and prosperity. In 1882 he re- moved from Jefferson township, Lackawanna coun- ty, to his present home in Salem township, Wayne county, and now has a good farm of sixty acres under a high state of cultivation.

On July 4, 1854. in Jefferson township, Lacka- wanna county, Mr. Sheerer was united in marriage with Miss Almira Spangenberg, who was born March 11, 1830, in that township, when it formed a part of Luzerne county. Her parents, Jacob and Fidelia (Bartlow) Spangenberg, were natives of New Jersey, where they were married and con- tinued to make their home until their removal in 1820 to Jefferson township, Luzerne county. There the father, who was a farmer by occupation, died in 1888, aged eighty-seven years, his wife in 1873, aged sixty-five, and both were buried in Kizer's ceme- tery, Lackawanna county. Their children were: Andrew, now a retired farmer of Hollisterville, Wayne county; George, a farmer of Jefferson town- ship, Lackawanna county; Henry, a shoemaker of the same township; Almira, wife of our subject; Eleanor, a resident of Jefferson township, and the widow of Daniel Schoonover, who was a soldier of the Civil war; Fidelia, widow of Henry Owens, and a resident of Jefferson township: and Lucinda, wife of William View, a retired citizen of Moscow, Penn- sylvania.

The following children constitute the family of Mr. and Mrs. James A. Sheerer: Samuel, born December 8, 1855, married Ann Sarres, and is a farmer of Salem township, Wayne county; Vic- torine, born October 20, 185-, is the widow of L. E. Merring, of Salem township, and lives with her father; Malinda A. is the widow of John Ferris, who died from fever contracted while in the marine service; Ward, born March 1. 1857, married Carrie Biesecker, now deceased, and is a farmer of Salem township; Jeremiah, born April 26. 1859, married Hattie Long, and is a farmer of the same township; Mary, born April 15, 1861, is the wife of George F. Osgood. a farmer and blacksmith of Salem town- ship; Ellen E., born November 21, 1863, is the wife

of Marcus Van Camp, a farmer of Hollisterville; and Caroline, born July 23, 1866, is the wife of Randson Swingle, of Jefferson township, Lacka- wanna county.

Hardly had the echoes from Fort Sumter's guns died away when Mr. Sheerer offered his ser- vice to the government, in May, 1861, and as a member ot Capt. W. L. Curtis' company went to Washington, D. C., but he could not stand the physical examination, and was sent home. At that time he weighed 265 pounds, has always been a man of robust health, having never worn an over- coat in his life, and he now weighs 275 pounds, and is very active for one of his years. In politics he is a Democrat, and he has acceptably filled the of- fices of constable, school director and supervisor of his township. For the past fifty years he has been an earnest and consistent member of the Bap- tist Church.

JAMES CODDINGTON, a leading repre- sentative of the agricultural interests of Manchester township, Wayne county, has spent his entire life in this section of the State, his birth occurring here September 22, 1839.

Joseph Coddington, father of our subject, was a native of Susquehanna county, Penn., and a son of Thomas Coddington, one of the early settlers along the Susquehanna river, who was a noted hun- ter of wolves and panthers. Joseph Coddington was reared in this State, and throughout the greater part of his life was engaged in lumbering along the Delaware. In religious belief he was a Methodist. He married Miss Emily Lord, a daughter of James Lord, and to them were born children as follows: Sarah J .; James; Elizabeth, now the widow of Will- iam Barriger. of Manchester township, Wayne county ; Nancy, deceased; and Louise Ann Cylo, a resident of Equinunk, Pennsylvania.

The subject of this sketch was reared in much the usual manner of farmer boys of his day, and his education was wholly of the practical kind, as he was early inured to the arduous labors of the farm and lumber camp. Since attaining man's estate he has continued to devote his energies to those oc- cupations, and is to-day the owner of a fine farm in Manchester township, which he is successfully operating. It comprises 112 acres of rich and arable land, under a high state of cultivation, and improved with a good residence, substantial barns and outbuildings.

On September 22, 1859, Mr. Coddington was united in marriage with Miss Miranda Tegeler, a native of Manchester township, and a daughter of Anson Tegeler, who was descended from good old Revolutionary stock, and was one of the early set- tlers of Equinunk. In the Tegeler family were nine children, of whom five are still living: Esther, wife of Jolin Ellsworthi, of Little Equinunk; Minnie. widow of Charles Mogridge; Miranda, wife of our subject: Prudence, wife of Edward Houck: and Deliah, wife of Everall Reeves, of Sullivan county,

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Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania, including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, Pt. 4, Part 77

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