USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Families of the Wyoming Valley: biographical, genealogical and historical. Sketches of the bench and bar of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, vol. II > Part 26
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of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and, although a member of a different religious denomination, was continued in the board of management by successive elections for thirteen years. At the time of his death he was a director of the Wyoming National Bank.
Judge Reynolds was a man of correct business habits, far- seeing judgment, industry, and economy. His taste for literature led him to devote to its study much of the time he spared from business cares, and his kindly temperament and cultured mind, united with a fine conversational gift, rendered him a most agree- able companion and friend. He married, June 19, 1832, Jane Holberton Smith. Their children were G. Murray Reynolds, Charles Denison Reynolds, Elizabeth, wife of Col. R. Bruce Ricketts, Sheldon Reynolds, and Benjamin Reynolds. Judge Reynolds died in Wilkes-Barre, January 25, 1869, aged 68 years. Mrs. Reynolds died March 6, 1874.
The father of Mrs. Reynolds, the wife of William C. Reynolds, was John Smith, a resident of Derby, Conn., where he was born April 22, 1781. In 1806 he removed with his family to Ply- mouth, Pa., having prior to his setting out formed a partner- ship with his brother Abijah for the purpose of mining and ship- ping coal. They were the first in point of time who engaged in the continuing industry of the mining of anthracite coal. There were others who had made the attempt on the Lehigh, but the obstacles and discouragements which stood in the way proved too great, and the work had to be given up. It was not resumed until about the year 1820. The Smith brothers shipped their first ark of coal in the fall of 1807 to Columbia, and followed it the next year with several others. Prior to 1807 the use of an- thracite coal as a fuel was confined almost exclusively to furnaces and forges using an air blast, notwithstanding the fact that Oliver Evans had in 1802, and even before that time, demonstrated on several occasions that the blast was unnecessary for the domestic use of coal, and had successfully burned the fuel in an open grate, and also in a stove, without an artificial draft. In order to create a market for this fuel, it became necessary to show that it could be used for domestic purposes as well as in furnaces and forges ; that it was a better and more convenient fuel than wood, and that its use was attended with no difficulties. To accomplish
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this the Smiths went with their coal arks sent to market in 1808, and took with them a stone mason and several grates, with the purpose of setting the grates in the public houses, where they might make known the utility of their fuel. In several houses in Columbia and in other towns the fire-places for burning wood were changed by them and fitted for the uses of coal, and coal fires were lighted, careful instructions being given meanwhile in the mysteries of a stone coal fire. After much perseverance and expense in providing coal and grates to demonstrate the valuable qualities of the new fuel, they disposed of a small part of their cargo and left the rest to be sold on commission. Notwithstand- ing the thorough manner in which they had set about the intro- duction of coal as a fuel for domestic uses, it was several years before all obstacles to its use were overcome and they were able to gain a profit from the enterprise. It seems to be the common belief that the anthracite coal trade had its rise on the Lehigh in the year 1820, when three hundred and sixty-five tons of coal were carried to market; yet, as a matter of fact, the industry was begun at Plymouth thirteen years before ; and as early as 1812 the Smiths had sent coal to New York city, where in that year they delivered and sold two hundred tons, and for eight years prior to the beginning of the coal business on the Lehigh their annual shipments were considerably in excess of the first year's product of the Lehigh region.
The old and tedious method of mining coal by means of the wedge and pick was in the year 1818 done away with by the Messrs. Smith, who first made use of the powder blast, which greatly facilitated the work of mining and moreover added to the productiveness of the mines. Before this time it was believed that the powder blast was impracticable, for the reason that the cohesion of the mineral was thought not to be great enough to make this means effective. However, the success of the experi- ment was unquestioned and the general use of powder in the mining of coal soon followed. Abijah Smith retired in 1825. John continued the business until 1845, when he also withdrew, having been actively and continuously engaged in the industry since 1807. In connection with the mining operations he had established a grist mill, and in the year 1834 he placed in this
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mill a steam engine to supply the power, which until then had been furnished by water. This engine was the first one in use in the county. He died May 7, 1852, aged seventy-one years. Hon. John B. Smith, of Kingston, is the son of Abijah Smith.
Sheldon Reynolds, the third son of Hon. William C. Reynolds, was born in Kingston, Pa., February 22, 1845. His early edu- cation was acquired at the Luzerne Presbyterian Institute, at Wyoming, Pa., and the Wyoming Seminary, Kingston, Pa. He was prepared for college at the Hopkins Grammar School, at New Haven, Conn., and entered Yale College in 1863, was grad- uated B. A. from that institution in 1867, and in due course received the degree of M. A. In 1868-69 he studied at the Columbia College Law School, and afterwards read law in the office of Andrew T. McClintock, LL. D., and was admitted to the bar of Luzerne county October 16, 1871, having passed a creditable examination before the committee, consisting of Henry M. Hoyt, H. W. Palmer, and E. S. Osborne. Mr. Reynolds married, November 23, 1876, Annie Buckingham Dorrance, only daughter of Colonel Charles Dorrance, a descendant of Rev. Samuel Dorrance. (See page 360.) Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds have one son, Dorrance Reynolds, born September 9, 1877.
Something more than a mere passing acquaintance is necessary to an understanding and appreciation of the legal, professional, and general capacity of Mr. Reynolds. His unobtrusiveness is not only unusual to the calling, but is misleading as to his qualifications. He has been an earnest and conscientious student, has possessed himself of a thorough understanding of the principles of the law, is well read up in the decisions and the statutes, and adds to these qualifications for practice an intuitive understanding of men and affairs equal to the best. Despite, however, this admirable equip- ment for distinguished success in the practice of the law, Mr. Reynolds has discouraged rather than invited clients, being for- tunately well enough off in this world's goods to afford that course, and devotes a good portion of his time and attention to general business and scientific pursuits. He is a director of the Wyoming National Bank, the Wilkes-Barre Electric Light Com- pany, the Wilkes-Barre District Telegraph and Messenger Com- pany, and other corporations. He has business interests in other
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directions in Wilkes-Barre and at Plymouth. In all these under- takings he is looked up to by his fellow investors as an unusually intelligent and safe counselor and guide. Like nearly all of the family and name in this vicinity, he is a democrat in politics, and for years he has taken a deep and at times a very active interest in his party's behalf. He was chairman of the county committee in 1881, and no man who ever held the position labored more earnestly or with better appreciation of its requirements. He in- troduced a number of reforms into the management of the party, reducing it to regular business methods, and in that way secured and maintained during his incumbency an admirable organization. He tried the efficacy of honest methods in the management of the campaign-the use of the funds placed in his hands by the candidates and others for the expenses of the canvass, for such purposes only as were strictly within the statutes and the rule of fair dealing as between man and man. The venture was success- ful, for, notwithstanding there was a third ticket in the field, the Labor-Greenback, deriving its main strength from the democratic party, the democratic ticket was elected, and the chairman of the committee submitted an account in detail, together with the vouchers of all expenditures connected with the campaign, by whom they were audited and approved. This is believed to have been the first instance of accounting and auditing under like cir- cumstances. Mr. Reynolds was chairman of the city committee in 1880, and his administration was equally clean and effective. At the expiration of his term he was solicited to continue in these positions, but his other engagements prevented his doing so. The thoughts of many in the party naturally turned to Mr. Reynolds, in 1884, as a proper candidate for state senator for the 21st dis- trict, to succeed Hon. Eckley B. Coxe. It was universally con- ceded that he would fill the position admirably-that he possessed just the qualifications needed in the representative of one of the most important industrial districts in the state, in the higher branch of the state legislature. He was repeatedly urged to permit the use of his name as a candidate, but the conditions of the contest were such as, much to the regret of a very large and influential section of the party, to impel him to decline. Those who know Mr. Reynolds well universally admit that he would
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grace any public position to which he might consent to be called. Much of his time and energies are, and for years have been, given gratuitously to the maintenance and advancement of the Wyom- ing Historical and Geological Society. For years the most intimate friend and associate of the late Harrison Wright, who was admittedly the most useful and indispensable member of the society named, Mr. Reynolds shared all the other's love for and enthusiasm in the prosecution of the researches incident to its purposes. They were close partners in almost every under -. taking ventured in its behalf, and two men never worked together more harmoniously or, combining their opportunities, more suc- cessfully, for a given end. He is one of the trustees of the society, has long served in other official capacities and on its most impor- tant committees, and has for a number of years been its correspond- ing secretary. A paper from his pen on the shell beds of the Wy- oming Valley, contained in a recent publication of the society, ex- hibits at once the skill and industry of the enthusiastic geologist and antiquarian and his creditable literary ability. He has also contributed a number of other papers, published in the collections of the society and also in pamphlet form, among others, an article on " City of Wilkes-Barre," in Tenth Census United States, " His- tory of the First Presbyterian Church of Wilkes-Barre," in His- tory of the Lackawanna Presbytery. Mr. Reynolds is one of a small coterie of men the Historical Society could ill afford to lose. He is a trustee, also, of the Osterhout Free Library, and is one of the most energetic and useful of its guardians: He is also a life member of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, Franklin Institute, and the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society ; member of the Virginia Historical Society, Bangor Historical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is at present president of the Yale Alumni Association of North-Eastern Pennsylvania. In 1875-76 he was a school director in the Third school district of this city. With all the duties we have mentioned, and others, to tax his time and capacity, Mr. Reynolds' life is one of active, hard work, performed not from necessity but in response to the promptings of a natural ambition to be active and useful. He is withal a genial gentleman, whom it is a genuine pleasure to know socially.
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PHILIP VELASCO WEAVER.
PHILIP VELASCO WEAVER.
Philip Velasco Weaver, who was admitted to the bar of Lu- zerne county, Pa., September 23, 1878, is a son of Peter Weaver, of Butler Valley, in this county. His mother, the wife of Peter Weaver, is Loretto O., daughter of Jacob Kline, of Orangeville, Pa. P. V. Weaver was born in Black Creek township, Luzerne county, March II, 1855, and was educated at the Bloomsburg Normal School, graduating in the class of 1874. He subsequently entered the law office of James Parsons, in Philadelphia, and graduated from the law school of the University of Pennsylvania in 1878. In 1886 he was the democratic candidate for the legisla- ture from the fourth legislative district of this county. He was defeated. The vote stood-D. M. Evans, republican, 2966: Weaver, 2226. He married, July 29, 1884, Louisa E., daughter of the Rev. E. A. Bauer, a Lutheran minister at Hazleton. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have no children.
It should be explained, in connection with Mr. Weaver's defeat for the legislature, that it was compassed under peculiar circum- stances. His own nomination was preceded by more or less acrimonious contention among several aspirants, and his opponent had the advantage of being a prominent official in the Knights of Labor, a fact which loosened the political allegiance of many of its theretofore democratic members. Mr. Weaver, as chairman and committeeman has done good service for his party in every campaign for a number of years past. He is not a demonstrative man, but makes friends rapidly and holds them firmly. As an attorney he is patient, persistent, and energetic. As a citizen he is respected by all who know him.
WILLIAM LA FAYETTE RAEDER.
William LaFayette Raeder, who was admitted to the bar of Luzerne county, Pa., June 6, 1881, is the grandson of John Raeder,
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who was born in Heppenheim, Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, February 2, 1794, and died in Wilkes-Barre January 14, 1866. He married, in 1817, Anna Katrina Seilheimer, of Fromesheimer Greiss Alzey, Hesse Darmstadt. They had nine children. Of these John Raeder, the father of W. L. Raeder, was the second son. He left Havre in July, 1841, on the sailing vessel Oneida, landing in New York after an exceedingly short voyage of twenty- eight days, at a time when crossing the ocean usually occupied from sixty to one hundred days. He made his way at once to Luzerne county, working at White Haven, Wilkes-Barre, and Ransom, at whatever his hands found to do. In the fall of 1841 he was employed on the Lehigh Canal at White Haven, under - Charles Gilbert, contractor. In 1842 he returned to Ransom, where he remained until 1846, when he removed to Wilkes-Barre and took charge of the old Wyoming House for Jacob Bertels. This house was located where the Christel block now stands, on Main street. In 1849 he again returned to Ransom, and was employed on the farm of Amos Barnum. In 1850 he began work as a mason on the North Branch Canal, under John and William Hall, who had the contract to build the lock at the head of the Narrows, and the lock and aqueduct at Gardner's Ferry. He was subsequently under W. R. Maffit, who had charge of the canal from Pittston to the New York state line. He remained at Gardner's Ferry until 1857, when he removed to Pittston and took charge of the vaults erected by the late Judge Reichard. In 1862 he purchased the old Union hotel property, where he remained until 1873, when he bought the Washington Hotel, in this city, since which time he has resided there. Mr. Raeder was commissioned second lieutenant of the Pittston Yaegers, in the Second Brigade of the Ninth Division of the uniformed militia of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, from the counties of Columbia, Luzerne, and Wyoming. He was, at the time of its organization, a director of the Pittston Street Railway. He was for several years a director of the People's Bank of Pittston. In 1868 he was elected a member of the Pittston borough council, and, like all the old citizens of Pittston, served as a member of the Eagle Hose Company. He has three children living-W. L. Raeder, Mrs. Colonel F. M. Rust, and Mrs. F. M. Heitzman.
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Mr. Raeder, since his residence in this city, has not been active in public affairs. He married, November 1, 1847, Melinda Wen- dell, a descendant of Evert Jansen Wendell, one of the early settlers of Albany, N. Y., who was the ancestor of many distin- guished citizens of that state, in the history of which the name of Wendell has always maintained its prominence.
Evert Jansen Wendell, who was born at Emden, a town of twelve thousand inhabitants, located at the mouth of the Ems, in Hanover (now Prussia), came to New Amsterdam (now New York City) about 1642. He married, July 31, 1644, Susanna Du Trieux (now changed to Truax), daughter of M. Du Trieux, and doubtless the sister of Philip Du Trieux, court messenger in New Amsterdam at an early day. He had, by his two marriages, twelve children. His second son, and the first to leave issue, was Captain Johannes Wendell, born February 2, 1649, baptized, N. A., February 2, 1649, and died November 20, 1691. His will was probated February 20, 1692. He married (1) Maritie Meyer, daughter of Jellis Pieterse Myer, of N. A., and his wife, Elsie Hendricks, of Amsterdam, Holland. She was baptized January 21, 1652. He married (2) Elizabeth Staats, daughter of Major Abraham Staats, surgeon (who came to Rensaelearwyck with Dominie Megapolensis, in 1642), and his wife, Catrina Jochemse, daughter of Jacob Wessels. Elsie Wendell, the older sister of Johannes, married Abraham Staats, the brother of her father's second wife. Elizabeth Staats married (2) Johannes Schuyler, and had, among others, Margarita, " The American Lady," who married her cousin, Colonel Philip Van Rensselaer, of " The Flats," at Port Schuyler, near W. Troy, N. Y.
Captain Johannes Wendell was agent, in 1682, for Maryland, to receive the indemnity from the Five Nations of Indians for depreda- tions they had committed in that province. He was justice of the peace 1684-5 ; ruling elder of the Dutch Reformed church 1686; commissioner of Indian affairs 1684 to 1690. In 1685 he was commissioned captain of the Albany Company, and in 1690 was mayor of Albany. He left one hundred and forty beavers (the currency of the country at that time) to each of his daughters, Elsie and Maritie, with movables from their mother's estate; to Abraham, part of his land, called "Saratoga;" to Johannes, his
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land of "Lansengburg," and " Whale Island ; " to Ephraim, his land of " Klinkenberg ; " to his wife, his dwelling in Albany ; his other lands to his other children. His children were married into the families of DeKay, Wyngaart, TenBroeck, Oliver, and others. He had thirteen children, of whom (I). Abraham Wen- dell, born December 27, 1678, married Katrina DeKay, of N. Y., May 15, 1702, and had (1) Johannes, who married, 1724, Elizabeth Quincy, daughter of Judge Edmund and Dorothy (Flynt) Quin- cy, of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, a family long dis- tinguished in the history of that commonwealth; (2) Elizabeth, who married, April 15, 1725, Edmund Quincy, and had, among others, Esther, who married Jonathan Sewell, chief justice of Lower Canada; and Dorothy, who married, as her first husband, John Hancock, the governor of Massachusetts and the president of the Continental Congress. (II) Hon. Jacobus Wendell, born August 11, 1691, married, August 12, 1714, Sarah Oliver, daughter of Dr. James Oliver, of Boston, Mass., and his wife, Mercy Bradstreet. He was a son of Peter Oliver, an eminent merchant of Boston, and grandson of Thomas Oliver, of Boston, 1632. Two of Dr. Oliver's nephews were Andrew Oliver, lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, and Peter Oliver, chief justice of Massachusetts. Colonel Jacob Wendell was a merchant of Boston, Mass., where he located early in life. In 1733 he was director of the First Bank of Massachusetts ; 1742 colonel of the Boston Regiment; 1737- 1750 a member of the Governor's Council ; and 1744-1745 and 1750 one of the commissioners of Indian affairs from Massachu- setts at Albany.
Sir Jonah Barrington says : " Dress has a moral effect on man- kind. Let any gentleman find himself with dirty boots, old sur- tout, soiled neck-cloth, and a general negligence of dress, he will in all probability find a corresponding disposition by negligence of address. We should feel the force of this could we but see one of the ' solid men of Boston ' of olden times as he came down State street at the hour of high change, then twelve o'clock. His appearance would cause as much or more excitement than that of the Turkish ambassador who recently made us a visit. Colo- nel Jacob Wendell, who died in 1761, is thus described : ‘His dress was rich, being a scarlet-embroidered coat, gold-laced
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cocked hat, embroidered long waistcoat, small clothes with gold knee buckles, silk stockings with gold clocks, shoes and large gold or silver buckles, as the importance of the business or occa- sion demanded, full ruffles at the bosom and mists, and walking with a gold-headed cane.' Now we have a portrait of one of the old school gentlemen of a century ago." (Talcott's Gen. Notes.)
Among the descendants of Colonel Jacob Wendell were Sarah, wife of Rev. Abiel Holmes, D. D., the historian, author of " The Annals of America;" Mary Jackson Holmes, the wife of Dr. Usher Parsons, of Rhode Island, also an historian ; and Ann S. Holmes, the wife of Rev. Charles W. Upham, of Salem, also an historical writer of repute. Margaret Wendell, the daughter of Colonel Jacob, married William Phillips, of Boston, and had Mrs. Judge Samuel Cooper, and John Phillips, the father of that eminent philanthropist, Wendell Phillips.
(III) Isaac Wendell, born November 5, 1688, the 6th son of Captain Johannes Wendell, and the immediate ancestor of Mrs. Raeder, married, November 28, 1717, Catalyna VanDyck, daugh- ter of Dr. Hendrick and Maria (Schuyler) VanDyck. This Dr. VanDyck was a physician of Albany and son of Hendrick Van Dyck, Schout-Fiscaal of Governor Stuyvesant, and a member of the Governor's Council. He came to New Amsterdam 1639-40. He was a prominent figure in the early history of New Amster- dam. Dr. VanDyke married, February, 3, 1689, Maria Schuyler, daughter of Arent Schuyler, freeman of New York City, 1695, and son of Colonel Philip Pieterse Schuyler, the ancestor of all the Schuylers of Albany and vicinity, and the grandfather of General Philip Schuyler, of the revolutionary army, whose daughter Eliz- abeth married General Alexander Hamilton, secretary of the treas- ury under Washington. (See sketch of General S. in Lossing's Field Book of the Revolution, 1, 38.) Maria (Schuyler) VanDyck was the grand-aunt of General Schuyler. Colonel Philip Pieterse Schuyler also married a Wendell. Isaac Wendell had nine chil- dren, of whom three married, viz .: Elizabeth, born June 29, 1723, married Peter (5) Lansing, son of Johannes (4) and Geertruy (Schuyler) Lansing, of Johannes (3), Gerrit F. (2), Frederick (1), of Hassell, province of Overyssell, Prussia, who came to New Amsterdam in 1650. This Geertruy Schuyler, born Feb-
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ruary II, 1694, was the niece of Arent Schuyler and the daughter of Colonel Peter Schuyler, first mayor of Albany, 1686-1694. Sarah, born November 27, 1726, married, July 15, 1758, Dirck Matthys Vanderheyder, of Matthys Dirk, of Jacob Tyssen Vanderheyder, New Amsterdam, 1654. The sixth son was (IV) Hendrick Wendell, baptized March 16, 1729, who died at Watervliet, N. Y., 1809, will dated October 10, 1796, pro- bated May 1, 1809. He married, June 17, 1750, Catalina Van Schaick, daughter of Sybrant and Jannetie (Bogaart) VanSchaick, son of Anthony VanSchaick, who was son of Captain Gosen Gerritse VanSchaick, brewer, of New Amsterdam, 1649, and his second wife, Annatie Lievens, of Lievense. In 1657 Captain Gosen VanSchaick owned a large property in Albany. When he married his second wife he settled six thousand guilders on the child of his first marriage. His descendants have been among the most eminent citizens of New York state. Rev. R. W. Van Schoick, D. D., of Kingston, is one. Hendrick Wendell had four children, of whom Susanna, the eldest, married Joost Boskirk, of Albany, and left issue, recorded in " Pearson's Genealogy of the First Settlers of Albany." Sarah, the second daughter, married John Bratt, of Jan, of Albany, a descendant of Albert Andriese Bratt, of that city, 1662, whose issue is also recorded in Pearson. (V) Gerrit Wendell, the eldest son and the second child of Hen- drick, married, 1780, Machtelt Heemstreet, born October 15, 1758, daughter of Hannes Heemstraat, or Hemstreet, of Niskay- una, and his wife, Elizabeth Bovie, of Dirk Takelse VanHeem- straat and his wife, Catharina Quackenbos. They had (1) Cathalyntie, baptized November 2, 1780; (2) Elizabeth, baptized July 13, 1783 ; (3) Abraham, baptized February 2, 1786 ; (4) Jo- hannes, baptized November 16, 1788.
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