USA > Pennsylvania > Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania biography : illustrated, Vol. VII > Part 20
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Mr. Howe married, September 26, 1888, M. Alice Koehler, daughter of Franklin and Susan (Newhard) Koehler, of Allen- town, Pennsylvania. Both Mr. and Mrs. Howe are members of the First Church of Christ (Scientist). Their only child is an adopted son, Lyman Harold, born May 23, 1901.
BIXBY, Charles W., Prominent Citizen.
The paternal ancestry of Mr. Bixby traces to Joseph Bixby, an Englishman,
and maternally to Thomas Welles, both of whom came from England in the year 1637, the former settling in Massachu- setts, the latter in Connecticut. Thomas Welles, whose English ancestry dated to the tenth century, came as secretary to Lord Saye and Seal and later became very prominent in the public life of the colony of Connecticut, serving in many high positions, and for a period of five years, 1655-1659, inclusive, was deputy- governor and governor. The Welles line of descent from Governor Thomas Welles to Charles Fisher Welles is given in full elsewhere in this work.
Joseph Bixby, the founder of his line in America, was born in Little Walden- field, Suffolk, England, about 1620, and in 1637 came to New England, settling at Ipswich, Massachusetts, where he lived until 1660. He then moved to Rowley, a village that later was incorporated as Boxford. He was a large landowner, selectman, sergeant of Rowley "train band" and in 1675 fought with his com- pany in King Philip's war. He died April 19, 1700, leaving a widow, Sarah (Wyatt- Heard) Bixby, who died June 3, 1704. The records of that period refer to the Bixbys, Joseph and Sarah, as "noted peo- ple for the day," and that Bixbys were remarkable for great energy, force and moral purity. The name Bixby is given as of Danish origin.
Benjamin Bixby, son of Joseph and Sarah Bixby, lived with his wife, Mary, at Topsfield, Massachusetts, where he died about 1725, leaving among other children a son, Samuel, who was bap- tized June 12, 1689, and died in 1741. He settled, about 1716, in what is now Mill- bury, Massachusetts, then Sutton, and is named as one of the eighteen original heads of families that settled in that town and as a landowner. He married, May 14, 1718, Martha, granddaughter of Joseph
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Underwood, and daughter of Thomas Underwood.
Samuel (2) Bixby, son of Samuel (I) and Martha (Underwood) Bixby, was born September 9, 1721, and is said to have been the first white child born in Sutton. He married (first) Lydia, daugh- ter of Josiah and Elizabeth (Fuller) Bond; (second) Mrs. Rebecca Bartlett ; (third) Mrs. Huldah Towne, who died February 4, 1843, aged one hundred and four years. He died in 1809.
Sampson Bixby, son of Samuel (2) and Lydia (Bond) Bixby, was born in 1759, died February II, 1847. He was a soldier of the Revolution as shown by the records of the War Department, at Wash- ington, and according to family tradition attained the rank of lieutenant. In his application for a Revolutionary pension -which was granted-made on October 16, 1832, he stated that he was born at Sutton, Massachusetts, May 3, 1759, and that he was living in Sutton when he first entered the army and until 1785. He then moved to Stratton, Vermont, where he lived about thirty years, then moved to Painted Post, New York. He enlisted in the latter part of August, 1776, serving until November. In December of that same year he volunteered. serving six weeks. In August, 1777, he was drafted for service in the militia and during his four and a half months spent with the army under this enlistment saw hard service in the field, being at Saratoga when Burgoyne surrendered. In July, 1778, he again volunteered for a term of six months. At the time of making his application for a pension he was seventy- three years of age, and with the applica- tion presented affidavits signed by men who had served in the army with him. Sampson Bixby was a farmer. In Strat- ton he aided in organizing the first con- gregational church, serving as one of the deacons, and at Painted Post, New York,
he also served the church as deacon. His first settlement at Campbell, New York, was in 1812, and there he and his sons began several new settlements. In 1816 he located in Painted Post, where he probably was living at the time of his death. He married, April 27, 1786, Sarah Richardson, born in Sutton, Massachu- setts, November 16, 1762, died Septem- ber 15, 1819, daughter of Ralph and Sarah (Bartlett) Richardson.
Salmon Bixby, son of Sampson and ¿Sarah (Richardson) Bixby, was born in Stratton, Vermont, in 1792, died in Steu- ben county, New York, in 1843. He came to Steuben county in 1812 with his father and was one of the pioneer settlers of that section. He married Lucy French.
George M. Bixby, son of Salmon and Lucy (French) Bixby, was born in Steu- ben county, New York, October 30, 1820, died at Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, July 26, 1880. At an early age he went to Rochester, New York, there was edu- cated and lived until his marriage, being engaged for several years in operating a hardware store which he owned. After his marriage, in 1852, he moved to Wya- lusing, where for many years he con- ducted a lumber manufacturing and gen- eral store business. He then became in- terested in banking and for several years prior to his death was engaged in that business. He married, May 3, 1852, Jane Mary Welles, born December 8, 1820, died May 3, 1869, daughter of Charles Fisher and Ellen J. (Hollenback) Welles, of Wyalusing. Children: Maynard, now residing in Salt Lake City, Utah ; Charles W., of further mention; George H., de- ceased; and Ellen W., deceased. These children are descendants in the eighth generation of Joseph Bixby, Governor Thomas Welles, William Pynchon, the founder of Springfield, Massachusetts, and in the third generation of Colonel Matthias Hollenback, an early settler of
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the Wyoming Valley and a survivor of Wyoming battle and massacre.
Charles W. Bixby, son of George M. and Jane Mary (Welles) Bixby, was born in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, December 15, 1854. His early education was ob- tained in public and private schools but his preparation for college was under the instruction of Rev. David Craft, pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church, of Wyalusing. In September, 1872, he en- tered Lafayette College, where he was graduated analytical chemist, class of 1876. For one year after graduation Mr. Bixby traveled in the far west, then re- turned to Pennsylvania, located in Wilkes-Barre and began his business ca- reer that has continued without interrup- tion in that city until the present time. He entered the employ of the Second Na- tional Bank of Wilkes-Barre in January, 1879, as deposit bookkeeper, later became general bookkeeper, holding those posi- tions until October, 1882. In January, 1884, he accepted the position of general bookkeeper with the People's Bank, of Wilkes-Barre, continuing with that insti- tution until March, 1896, having then been for a few months assistant cashier. In March, 1896, he resigned his bank position, becoming treasurer of the Hol- lenback Cemetery Association, forming a connection with his uncle, Edward Welles, as secretary and agent. For twenty years this association continued and was only dissolved by the death of Edward Welles, March 8, 1914. Since that date Mr. Bixby has been trustee of the Edward Welles estate. During these years of active business life he has held positions of trust other than those named. He was treasurer of the Glen Summit Hotel and Land Company, 1887 and 1888, and was also treasurer of Glen Summit Association and Glen Summit Company, and for six years was treasurer of the Wyoming Historical and Geological So-
ciety. He has been a member of Phi Delta Theta college fraternity for the past forty-two years, member of Wyo- ming Valley Country Club, deacon of the First Presbyterian Church, Wilkes-Barre, an independent Republican.
Mr. Bixby married, June 25, 1883, Anne B. Davis. Children: Ellen Welles, born December 4, 1884, married Robert F. Car- penter, of Cleveland, Ohio; Edward Welles, born August 3, 1886, now a prac- ticing physician of Wilkes-Barre. Ed- ward Welles Bixby was educated at Hill- man Academy, Wilkes-Barre, and Prince- ton University, being a graduate of the latter, Bachelor of Arts, class of 1907. He then pursued a course of study in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, whence he was graduated Doctor of Medicine, class of 1911, stand- ing second in a class of one hundred and fifty students and winning the F. A. Pack- ard prize of one hundred dollars for ex- cellence in clinical medicine. He then spent nearly three years in professional work at Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadel- phia, then located for the practice of his profession in Wilkes-Barre, where he is laying a firm foundation for a career of future usefulness. He is one of the pub- lic school medical inspectors, and for one year has been regimental surgeon of the Ninth Regiment Pennsylvania National Guard, ranking as lieutenant. At the United States examination during the last drill season his rating was the highest attained by any regimental surgeon in the National Guard.
McLEAN, William Swan,
Lawyer, Financier, Man of Enterprise.
For half a century McLean and the First National Bank, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, have been names closely associated, three members of the family serving on the board of directors and two
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of them as president, the first president being James McLean ; the present execu- tive, William S. McLean, having served since 1889. The idea of a national bank in Wilkes-Barre was first practically put into operation by Alexander McLean, James McLean, his son, Thomas Long, his son-in-law, and Joseph Brown. On June 1, 1863, the directors of the First National Bank, of Wilkes-Barre, Alex- ander McLean, James McLean, Joseph Brown, Alexander Gray, and Thomas Long were elected, the institution being the thirtieth national bank organized in the United States. On the same day James McLean, then about thirty-eight years of age and extensively engaged in the coal business at Summit Hill, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, was elected presi- dent of the board. James McLean died January 29, 1864, as the result of a rail- road accident. Alexander Gray was the second president, elected February 10, 1864, and resigned September 22, 1864, Alexander Gray at that time was largely interested in the coal business, and had been superintendent of the old Baltimore Coal Company for many years. Charles Parrish, for many years and up to his death one of the foremost men of the Wyoming Valley, succeeded Alexander Gray as president, having been elected September 22, 1864, and resigned July 27, 1885. Mr. Parrish was succeeded by Hon. E. C. Wadhams, a business man and ex-State Senator, who had the confidence of the whole community. Mr. Wadhams was elected president July 27, 1885, and served until his death, January 19, 1889. He was succeeded by William S. McLean, a member of the Luzerne county bar, son of Alexander McLean.
This record is one of great interest, and one that reflects deepest honor upon the two sons of Alexander McLean, James and William S., the former having the distinction of launching a successful in-
stitution, the latter of successfully navi- gating the troubled seas of finance for twenty-five years, gaining national repu- tation as a financial captain. This would in itself constitute an honorable record worthy of any man, but it is only a part of William S. McLean's life work, yet to be completed. The law was his choice, and for nearly half a century he has prac- ticed his profession in Wilkes-Barre, for twenty-four years, was solicitor for the city in addition to a large private prac- tice, official duties of various nature, prominence in Democratic politics, and the presidency of a sound financial insti- tution. Honors have come to him from his party, from his business associates, and from his fellow citizens, honors cul- minating in his election in 1910 and re- election each succeeding year to the presi- dency of the Wilkes-Barre Clearing House Association by the heads of the member banks. It is a key to the endur- ing qualities of Mr. McLean's character and personality that in his native city, where best known, he is most highly hon- ored and best appreciated.
William S. McLean is a son of Alexan- der McLean, a Scotch-Irishman, born at Fernlaestra, on the river Bann, in Lon- donderry, Ireland. Alexander McLean came to the United States in 1820, locat- ing at Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in coal mining opera- tions. He possessed one hundred pounds sterling as capital, and shortly after his arrival entered into a contract with the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company to transport their coal, mined at Summit Hill, to Mauch Chunk, using teams and wagons, delivering the coal to the boats that then floated it down the rivers to Philadelphia. When the competition of the "gravity road" made his services un- necessary in the transportation of the coal, he entered into another contract with the same company to mine its coal,
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being the first man to contract in such a manner with that company. He con- tinued his mining contracts until 1848, then moved with his family to the farm on the old Careytown road, a property he had purchased in 1839. There he built a fine mansion in the colonial style, and there resided until his death in 1868, at the age of sixty-eight years. This farm is now included within the corporate limits of the city of Wilkes-Barre. He became one of the important men of his day and took active part in public as well as busi- ness affairs. For many years he was president of the Central Poor District of Luzerne county. He was largely respon- sible for the organization of the First National Bank, of Wilkes-Barre, of which his son, James McLean, was the first president, and served on its first board of directors. He was a man of strong, determined character, and the father of sons who worthily upheld the honor of the family name. He married Elizabeth Swan, who bore him ten children who arrived at years of maturity : James, Sam- uel, Martha, Leslie, Mary, Elizabeth, George; William Swan, of further men- tion ; John M., and Margaret A.
William Swan McLean was born at Summit Hill, Carbon county, Pennsyl- vania, May 27, 1842. He prepared for college at Dana's Academy, Wilkes-Barre, then entered Lafayette College, whence he was graduated with honors as vale- dictorian, class of '65, and on receiving his Master's degree, three years after his graduation, he was selected by the faculty to deliver the Master's oration. He chose the profession of law, studied under the preceptorship of B. G. Nicholson, of Wilkes-Barre, and in 1867 was admitted to the Luzerne county bar. He at once began practice, and has attained unusual prominence as a lawyer of learning, abil- ity and probity. He has been admitted to all State and Federal courts of his dis-
trict, has a large private practice, and has been connected with much of the most important litigation tried in Luzerne courts. He is a member of the various legal associations, and has not allowed business interests to interfere with his usefulness as a lawyer.
Mr. McLean was elected president of the First National Bank, of Wilkes-Barre, January 20, 1889, and still is the honored head of that solid financial institution. His trained legal mind and inherited busi- ness instinct have united in forming the wise, conservative financier, and he is recognized as a tower of strength to the bank whose destinies he guides. He is a member of the associations of financiers, and in their deliberations has frequently taken part, speaking authoritatively from years of experience. In 1910, after the death of George S. Bennett, Mr. McLean was elected president of the Wilkes-Barre Clearing House Association, an honor that has been repeated each succeeding year. This evidence of the confidence reposed in him by the bankers of the asso- ciation is most gratifying to him person- ally, and testifies to the strength of his position among financiers. He is the trusted legal and financial adviser of hun- dreds who look to him to guide them safely past all danger points and to im- prove their opportunities for investment.
A Democrat in politics, Mr. McLean has been the nominee for judge of Lu- zerne county, but in 1879 and 1895, years in which he was the candidate, factional disturbances within the party caused his defeat, although he led his party by two thousand votes. During the Civil War he served with Pennsylvania troops, rank- ing as corporal. He is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to Landmark Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ; She Kinah Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; and Dieu Le Veut Commandery, Knights Templar. He belongs to the Westmore-
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land Club, of Wilkes-Barre, and is an at- tendant of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. McLean married, November 21, 1871, Annie S. (now deceased), daughter of George H. and Margaret B. Roberts, of Philadelphia. Children: George R., William S. (2), Margaret, and Percy C.
SPRAGUE, Levi L., Clergyman, Educator, Author.
As student, principal of the College of Business and president of Wyoming Sem- inary, the Rev. Levi L. Sprague, D. D., has been connected with that institution since 1866. To estimate the value that his energy, moral power, leadership and fine understanding of the needs and aspir- ations of young people has been to the seminary is impossible, but the lives of the students who have gone from his wise Christian teaching testify to the depth of his interest and his devotion to the im- portant work of training young people for their parts in the life of the nation. An ordained minister of the Gospel and a member of the Wyoming Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, he has ministered to the spiritual as well as to the intellectual needs of the students, and insofar as has lain in his power has fos- tered in the hearts of his graduates a love and respect for the teachings of the Great Master while imparting the lesser learn- ing of mortal minds. That the institution to which he has devoted his life has pros- pered and has been an important factor in shaping the lives of thousands, is due in a large measure to the single-minded devo- tion, wisdom and ability of Dr. Sprague, who since 1882 has been its president. Neither the ministry nor pedagogy formed any part of Dr. Sprague's early life plans, for his aim was the law, and he spent considerable time in prepara- tion, but, becoming convinced that his duty was to preach the gospel, he aban-
doned the law and prepared for the min- istry. His appointment by his conference to tlie seminary as its minister allowed him to continue as principal of the Col- lege of Business connected with the semi- nary, therefore his entire ministerial work as well as his work as a teacher has been with Wyoming Seminary, that, with its splendid equipment, stands as a monu- ment to the builders thereof, chief of whom is its honored president. Dr. Sprague's fame is not confined to the seminary, for as the author of standard text books, as a contributor to leading periodicals, and as a lecturer he is known throughout the nation. As a preacher he has filled many pulpits with great accept- ability, and holds the unlimited esteem of his brethren of the ministry, of his fel- low workers in the cause of education, of the laity, and of the great student body who have attended Wyoming Seminary during his long term as principal and chief executive.
Levi L. Sprague was born in Beekman, Dutchess county, New York, December 23, 1844, son of Nelson L. and Laura (Spencer) Sprague. He is a descendant of Jonathan Sprague, who settled in Prov- idence, Rhode Island, in 1675, son of Wil- liam Sprague, of Hingham, Massachu- setts, in 1652, and with forty-six others settled on a land grant of five thousand acres in East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
Nelson Sprague moved from New York to Archbald, Pennsylvania, in 1847, later moved to Gibson, Pennsylvania, then to New Milford, Susquehanna county, in each town engaged in work at his trade of carriage making. In 1858 impaired health caused his retirement to a farm at Le Raysville, Bradford county, Pennsyl- vania, and later to Otsego, Michigan, where he died in 1881. During these years of changing residence, Levi L., the son, was educated under private teachers, and most fortunately they were men who
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were eminently qualified for so important a task as the training of the mind of youth. He was fourteen years of age when the family located on the Le Rays- ville farm, and there he came under the instruction of Chester P. Hodge, a for- mer student of Wyoming Seminary and a graduate of Union College, who was conducting a private school. For three years he studied under Mr. Hodge, a superior teacher, who guided the develop- ment of his mental and moral nature, while the out-of-door work on the farm built up the physical man. At the age of seventeen years he began teaching in the public schools nearby, but each year attended Le Raysville Academy for one term, also devoting one term to a busi- ness course at Eastman's College at Poughkeepsie, New York. He thus add- ed yearly to his own mental equipment and gained teaching experience that at the age of twenty years brought him the appointment as principal of the Le Rays- ville Academy, Professor Hodge having been admitted to the bar and having located in the west. Mr. Sprague con- tinued as principal for two years, then in the spring of 1866 resigned and enrolled as a student at Wyoming Seminary, then under the presidency of Dr. Reuben Nel- son, from whom he gained an inspiration that exerted a powerful influence on his after life. After completing his student course, Mr. Sprague was elected principal of the College of Business, a department of the seminary. At this time he began the execution of a long formed plan, and, registering as a law student in the office of W. W. Ketcham, he pursued a course of legal study. For eighteen months he performed this double duty as principal and law student, developing an almost passionate love for legal study. But, be- coming convinced that he was called to preach the gospel, he abandoned the law,
substituting a course in theology. He pursued his studies in divinity in connec- tion with his teaching until 1874, then passed the required tests, and was or- dained a minister of the Methodist Epis- copal church. He became a member of the Wyoming Conference, and since 1874 has each year been appointed by the pre- siding bishop to Wyoming Seminary, forty-one years of uninterrupted pastor- ate. He continued as principal of the College of Business until 1882, then was elected president of the seminary, which position he yet most capably fills. Of his influence upon the thousands of students no estimate can be made, as that is barred from human eye, but of the material pros- perity that has followed his executive management there is ample evidence. The enrollment of the students has in- creased each year, the yearly number at- tending being more than double that of his early management. Nelson Memorial Hall, Nesbitt Science Hall and the Caro- line M. Pettibone Gymnasium have been added to the seminary buildings; "Wyo- ming Field," a splendid athletic ground, to the acreage; and over three hundred thousand dollars to the permanent en- dowment fund. Truly, as the good doctor reviews the material result of his labors, the retrospect can bring him nothing but satisfaction and thankfulness that his work has been so blessed.
Personal honors have come to him from institutions of learning that have noted his usefulness as teacher and preacher. Allegheny College, in 1879, conferred the degree of Master of Arts upon him, and Wesleyan University that of Doctor of Divinity, in 1886. He has been a member of the board of trustees of Wyoming Sem- inary since 1882, and of Syracuse Univer- sity since 1884. Since 1874 he has been a member of the Wyoming Annual Con- ference of the Methodist Episcopal
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church, is now a trustee of the conference and for many years has been a member of the Wyoming Historical and Geolog- ical Society. He is the author of stand- ard text books in general use, including "Practical Bookkeeping" (1872), "The Practical Speller," and "The Practical Grammar," the last named in collabora- tion with Professor E. I. Wolff, of the English department of Wyoming Semi- nary. He is a member of many societies, religious, educational and scientific, and is a frequent lecturer before learned bodies. He is a most pleasing speaker, earnest and convincing, striving not for oratorical effect but to make his message clear, whether delivered from pulpit or platform. He contributes largely to church and educational periodicals, and is as interesting and as helpful as a writer as he is as lecturer or preacher. His genial, social nature delights in the soci- ety of his fellows and he has entered heartily into the fraternal life of his com- munity, belonging to lodge, chapter and commandery of the Masonic order, and to the purely social body, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. His is a well rounded character, the weight of his responsibil- ities as teacher, preacher and executive not obscuring the social side of his nature but on the contrary bringing it into stronger relief. His friends are legion and with their love goes the deepest re- spect and admiration for his qualities both of heart and mind.
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