Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 46

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1090

USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1 > Part 46

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received at Harrisburg, where the family were lo- entered Princeton, graduating therefrom in 1812. cated during the many sessions his father served in He read law with the late Judge Jordan, and was admitted to the bar in 1874. He received the degree

the State Legislature, and he took his preparatory collegiate course at Dickinson Preparatory School, of Master of Arts from his alma mater. In 1875 Carlisle, Pa., after graduating from which iusti- Mr. Dewart was elected borough clerk, which office tution he entered Princeton as a sophomore, in he held one term, and in 1877 was elected district attorney. Like others of the name he was an energetic worker in the Democratie party, having been a member of the central committee, and del- egate to county, district, State and national con- ventions, among them the convention at which Pattison was nominated for governor and the con- vention in 1892 when Cleveland received the non- ination. He was a member of Sunbury Lodge, No. 22, F. & A. M. He died Aug. 27, 1901, un- 1836. He was graduated from that university in 1839, read law with Hon. Charles G. Donnel, of Sunbury, and was admitted to the bar Jan. 3. 1843. The law was his chosen vocation, and he practiced for many years in partnership with the famous Capt. Charles J. Bruner, of Sunbury, but his force- ful nature and the circumstances of his father's failing health and consequent retirement drew him into business and public affairs, for which he proved to be eminently fitted. In 1845-46 he married. served as chief burgess of Sunbury, and at that William L. Dewart, son of William Lewis and Rosetta (Van Horn) Dewart, was born March 24, 1858, in Washington, D. C., while his father was a member of Congress. After receiving his el- ementary training he was a student for two years at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, at Chester, tlience going to the Shoemaker Academy, at Cham- bersburg, from which he was graduated in 1877. time he was already regarded as the local party leader, a supremacy which was accorded him until 1870, for a quarter of a century. During that period he was regarded as the foremost man in Northumberland county. In 1850 his father's health failed, forcing him to assume business cares which were too important to be intrusted elsewhere. His private interests were very extensive, and he Returning to Sunbury he commenced to learn the was long a director of the Northumberland Na- printing and newspaper business, reporting for tional Bank (now known as the First National the Daily and the Northumberland County Dem- Bank of Sunbury). In 1852 he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Baltimore, in 1856 to the Cincinnati Convention and in 1860 to the "Douglas" Convention, the same year being a Pennsylvania clector on the Douglas ticket. In 1884 he was a delegate to the Chicago Convention which nominated Cleveland for President. In same ownership and management throughout that

1856 he was elected a member of the Thirty-fifth Congress. A portly gentleman, of fine appearance and genial disposition, he was an attractive as well as prominent figure in society, and held a notable place in all the activities of his day. He was a Mason in fraternal connection and a Presbyterian in religion. His death occurred in Sunbury April 19, 1888.

On June 21, 1848, Mr. Dewart married Rosetta Van Horn, daughter of Espy Van Horn, of Wil- liainsport, and they reared two sons. Mrs. Dewart survived her husband. In 1853 Mr. Dewart took his family to Europe, spending about a year trar- eling over England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy. Switzerland and other places of interest and attraction.

It is a coincidence worthy of note that Espy Van Horn, of Williamsport, father of Mrs. Dewart, was the direct predecessor in Congress of Mr. Dewart's father; and that William Wilson, her stepfather, was her father's predecessor in that leg- islative body.

Lewis Dewart, son of Hon. William Lewis Dew- art, was born May 6, 1849, in Sunbury. After at- tending the common schools he took a preparatory course at Columbia, Pa., and Edge Hill, and then

ocrat, and in time becoming city editor of the Daily, in which he purchased an interest Jan. 1, 1880. He has been associated with that paper as editor and proprietor ever since, and in the same capacity with the Northumberland County Dem- ocrat, both of which papers have been under the period.

Though he has never had any personal official aspirations, and has never been a candidate for any political office, Mr. Dewart has upheld the rep- utation of his family as a bulwark of the Demo- cratic party, and has served as delegate to many conventions. In 1884 he was alternate at the na- tional convention held at Chicago which gave Grover Cleveland his first nomination for the Pres- idency; in 1892, when Cleveland was nominated for the third time, he was a delegate to the national convention : and he was again a delegate in 1904, at St. Louis, when Alton B. Parker received the nomination.

Mr. Dewart is a member of Lodge No. 22, F. & A. M., Northumberland Chapter, No. 114. R. A. M .. and Calvary Commandery. No. 74, K. T., all of Sunbury ; has been a vestryman of the Episcopal Church at Sunbury for a number of years; and maintains considerable activity in the social life of the city, being noted for his hospitable and companionable nature.

In 1897 Mr. Dewart married Edith Grant, daughter of the late William T. Grant, of Sun- bury, and to them have been born three sons, Wil- liam Lewis, Lewis and Gilbert F.

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WILLIAM Z. RAKER has been identified with son, Frederick W., a graduate of Bucknell College, mercantile business at Trevorton for over fifty class of 1910, now a teacher at State College : Katie years, having first come to this place in 1858. With the exception of a few years spent in the South he has lived there ever since. He became interested in his present establishment in 1899. is the wife of D. W. Reitz, of Trevorton, and has sons W. Stanley and Robert; J. Wilson lives at Trevorton; Eva A. married Fred Walt, of Trev- orton, and they have children, Charlotte S. and Roger William.

Mr. Raker was born Nov. 2, 1834, in Little Mahanoy township, this county, son of Jacob Rak- er. The latter. was born in that township in 1808 and there spent all his life. By occupation he was a farmer and tanner, tanning being his main occupation. He was a man of considerable prom- inence in the locality in his day, served as justice of the peace, school director, and in other offices, and was one time a candidate for county sheriff, but was defeated by a very small majority. Po- litically he was quite an active member of the Dem- ocratie party. He died Dec. 28, 1859, aged fifty- one years, eight months, two days, and is bnried in Little Mahanoy township. He married Bar- bara Zartman, and they became the parents of fourteen children, namely: Harry, Lucinda, Wil- liam Z., Daniel, Abbie, Cornelius, Samuel, Enoch, Rebecca, Conrad, Alice, Joseph, and two that died in infancy.

William Z. Raker attended pay schools con- ducted in the home territory in his youth and later had the advantages of two terms at Freeburg Acad- emy and one term at Berrysburg. For two terms he was engaged in teaching, one in Lower Augusta township and one in Little Mahanoy township, aft- er which he found employment as clerk for Wil- liam Deppen, in Jackson township, and also at Trevorton, whither he came in 1858. After three years in his employ he became a clerk for Mowton & Co., with whom he remained two years, in 1861 engaging in a general mercantile business on his own account. He carried on this store until 1874, when he gave up the business to go South, being in South Carolina for some time. After a lapse of eight years he became assistant to the . postmaster at Trevorton, continuing as such for three years, when he reentered business life as member of the associate being Isaac Kostetter. They continued to do business together until May, 1903, when Mr.

firm of Raker & Kostetter, on Feb. 17, 1899, his liamstown ; and Mamie, who married Albert Skel- ton, an engineer at Williamstown.

Raker became sole proprietor of the store, which kill county, March 25, 1866. He attended the he still conduets.

Mr. Raker has long been associated with the pub- lic affairs of the community, having served ten years as tax collector, one term as assessor, and also In 1887 he went to Kansas, and two years later to as auditor, giving faithful service in all. these trusts. He is a Democrat in politieal connection. In religion he is a Lutheran, one of the workers in his church, which he has served in an official

Colorado, following mining in the latter State. On his return East he located at Williamstown. Dauphin county, and was there engaged in mining until 1894, when he came to Shamokin. Here he capacity : for twelve years he was superintendent of learned the butcher's trade with his nnele, Elias the Sunday school.

Mr. Raker married Charlotte Malich, daughter of Jacob Malich, and they have had four children : Emma, the widow of Philip C. Breimeier, has one

JAMES II. STRAUB, president and general manager of the Croninger Packing Company, is an active and successful business man of Sham- okin, where he has made his home since 1894.

The Straub family originally came from Ger- many. George Straub, grandfather of James H., lived in Schuylkill county, Pa., where he was en- gaged in farming in the Mahantango Valley, own- ing a farm of 260 acres of good land. He died in Deep Creek Valley, in that county, in 1858, aged fifty-three years, and was buried there. His wife, Bevvie Zerbe, daughter of John Zerbe, died aged ninety-six years, and was buried at Williamstown, Dauphin county. They were the parents of ten children, as follows: John, who died in Schuylkill county : George, who died in Schuylkill connty; Elias, who died at Shamokin : Joseph, who died at Girardville, Pa .: Daniel, living at Williamstown ; Moses, who died young : Henry, who served in the Civil war and died one week after his release from Andersonville prison : Emanuel, born in the Mahan- tango Valley Nov. 5, 1843, who served as a private in Company D, 48th" Pa. V. I., in the Civil war, and now lives in Shamokin; Harriet, who married David Crone, and died in Schuylkill county : and Tobias, living at Wiconisco, Pennsylvania.

Daniel Straub, son of George, was born in the Mahantango Valley, and followed farming in his youth. He now resides in Dauphin county, at Wil- liamstown, where in connection with farming he has a fine teaming business. He married Lucy Derr, of Schuylkill county, and their children are: John, who is in the real estate business in Los Angeles, Cal. : James H. : Lena, who married J. N. Weidel, of Altoona, Pa. ; Charles, a miner at Wil-

James H. Straub was born near Hegins, Schinyl- schools of Danphin county, and on starting ont to earn his own way began as a miner, a line of work he followed until he was twenty-six years of age.

Straub, and after a short time he and his uncle formed a partnership under the name of Stranb & Co., which continued for three years. The uncle retiring Mr. Stranh carried the business ou alone,

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and made a great success of it. He was located at boyhood, and received but forty days' schooling. No. 104 South Market street, and in April, 1907, But his was a strong nature, and he triumphed sold his business to Paul & Pensyl. In October, over obstacles by perseverance and application, 1906, he had become president of the Croninger educating himself by devotion to study at every opportunity so that in early manhood he was able to teach, beginning in Upper Angusta township. He followed that calling some years. He was suc- cessful in everything he undertook. A natural- born carpenter, he built many houses in Sunbury, making the plans as well as doing the work, and he was long engaged as a railroad and bridge contractor, in which line he was associated with different parties. He built the Port Carbon rail- road, and in partnership with Adam Lenker he built several large bridges. For some time he con- ducted a general store at Snydertown, Pa. Po- litically he was a Democrat and influential in the party, and he served from 1859 to 1862 as com- missioner of Northumberland county. He was an Packing Company, and in order to give his whole attention to the development of this business he was obliged to give up his private establishment. He is also general manager for the company, which is doing one of the largest businesses of the kind in this part of the State. The business is estab- lished in a large brick building at No. 429 West Walnut street. Shamokin, affording about forty thousand square feet of floor space. Mr. Straub is a man of fine executive ability, and through this and his sound business judgment has been able to bring about the best results for the company of which he is the head. His business integrity has given the company a high standing in the commer- cial world. He was one of the organizers and original directors of the new Dime Trust & Sate Episcopalian in religious connection. Deposit Company, of Shamokin.

Mr. Straub married Amelia Mace, daughter of Michael Mace, and they have two children, Howard and Charles. Mr. Straub is a member of Shan- okin Lodge, No. 255, F. & A. M. : Shamokin Chap- ter, No. 264, R. A. M .; Shamokin Commandery, where he received his early education in public No. 77, K. T .; Bloomsburg Consistory, thirty- second degree : and the Temple Club at Shamokin. The family attend the Evangelical Church.

ALFRED C. CLARK, M. D., of Sunbury, has been engaged in the practice of medicine in that borough for a period of forty years, and has long been one of the prominent physicians of his sec- tion. He has served in a number of public posi- tions, in his professional capacity, and in every relation of life has been found a valuable citizen, conscientious in the performance of duty and in his endeavors to uphold high standards of living among the many with whom his work has brought him into association.

Dr. Clark is a grandson of Jonathan Clark, who married Elizabeth Stroh, daughter of Philip Stroh, who was from Lancaster county, Pa. Mrs. Clark was born Jan. 14. 1802, and died Aug. 22, . 1884. She was the mother of : David, of North- umberland county ; John, of Lower Augusta town- ship, this county; Mary, who married a Mr. De- Witt, and is now a widow, living in Lower Au- gusta township ; and Philip.

Philip Clark, son of Jonathan, was born in O. Elks and the Odd Fellows. at Sunbury. He is Upper Augusta township, this county, and died a Democrat in political opinion and has been ae- at Sunbury at the age of sixty-five years. He mar- tive in the party. In short. he is interested in all ing channels of usefulness opening in every direc- tion in which his work or sympathies lead him. ried Eliza Fry, of Upper Angusta township, and the life of the community, his energetie nature find- both are buried in Pomfret Manor cemetery, at Sunbury. Owing to his father's untimely death Philip Clark was early thrown upon his own re- In 1861 Dr. Clark married Elizabeth Reess. of Philadelphia, daughter of C. Bard and Julia Reess, and they have had one daughter. Louisa Rebecca, who is the wife of Dr. William L. Shindel. sources, and he began life in such humble circum- stances that he was obliged to go barefooted until grown. He worked as a farm laborer from young

Alfred Craven Clark was the only son of Philip and Eliza Clark. He was named Craven after the. civil engineer who laid out the Port Carbon rail- road. Born Ang. 3, 1845, in Sunbury, he has passed the greater part of his lite in that borough.

and private schools. He obtained his professional preparation in Jefferson Medical College. Phila- delphia, from which he was graduated in 1869, after which he was located at Dalmatia, this coun- ty, for a year. He has since been settled at Sun- bury, having his office on Market square, and there are few men in that place better known. Dr. Clark has not only been energetic in responding to the demands of private practice, but he has taken the larger view of responsibility which brings added duties to so many of his profession. Seeing the needs of the community in their constant daily contact with its many phases, they cannot evade the call of public spirit and intelligent interest in the general welfare, and their opportunities for remedial work result in unselfish though often un- appreciated efforts to help their fellow citizens. He served seven years as prison physician, was county medical inspector for the department of health of the State of Pennsylvania for the long period of twenty-three years ( resigning this office in 1908), and for two years was surgeon for the Northern Central and Philadelphia & Erie rail- roads. Socially he holds membership in the B. P.

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of Sunbury, and has one son, Daniel W. Mirs. old. He then went to Shamokin, in which borough Clark belongs to an old family of Philadelphia, he clerked in stores for twelve years, four years and is of Revolutionary stoek, being a member of Fort Augusta Chapter, D. A. R. for J. P. Haas & Co., two years for W. H. Malick & Co., and six years for the Shamokin Hardware Company. In January, 1898, he returned to JOHN N. BUFFINGTON. proprietor of the Uniontown Marble & Granite Works, was born Feb. 1, 1867, at Pillow, Pa., son of Cyrus F. Buffing- ton. The family to which he belongs has been identified with that community for several genera- tions. Uniontown and formed a partnership with Ed. D. Bingaman, Bingaman & Buffington taking the business of P. Sauser and continuing it for ten years. Mr. Buffington then purchased the inter- est of his partner and he is now sole proprietor. He employs four skilled mechanics and does a large business, mostly local. He has erected many monuments in Tower City, and in fact all over lower Northumberland county. His prosperity is well deserved, for it has been won by hard work. and he is respected for his ability and high stand- was a member of the borough council three years.

Solomon Buffington, his great-grandfather, lived and died in the Lykens, Valley, and is buried at St. John's Church there. His wife was Eliza- beth Romberger and after her first husband's death she married a Sheaffer, of Snyder county, Pa. Solomon Buffington and his wife had children : : ards by all with whom he has had dealings. He Josiah, Benjamin, Solomon, Jonathan. John, Mary (who was twice married, her first husband being named Mark, the second Netzel), Susan ( Mrs. S. Hepler, daughter of William H. and Mary Shoop) and Mrs. Burtner.

John Buffington, son of Solomon, was a native of Lykens Valley and in his earlier years moved to Uniontown ( Pillow), where he followed the wheel- wright business. He is buried at Uniontown, at the United Brethren Church, in the welfare of which he had long been active. To him and his wife, Catharine ( France), was born a large family : Cyrus F., Sarah ( married John Clinger), William, Hannah (married Solomon Leitzel), Elizabeth (married Isaac Hand), Christiana (married Isaac Graeff), Harriet (married William Drumm), Solomon (of Shamokin, expressman at the depot), Mary, and three who died young.

Cyrus F. Buffington, son of John, is the father of John N. Buffington. He was born Sept. 24, 1839, and has lived at Pillow all his life, following his trade, that of wheelwright. He was a success- ful man, prospering by dint of industry, and for fifty years he and his brother William were as- sociated in business, making many wagons. They employed three or four hands and had a thriving trade. Both now lead a semi-retired life. Cyrus F. Buffington has been a justice of the peace for thirty years and has held a number of other local offiees, having been an active and highly esteemed member of his community. He is identified with the United Brethren Church and one of its fore- most members, having held all the church offices.

On Dec. 25, 1899, Mr. Buffington married Lizzie (Dunkelberger) Hepler, of Eldred township, Schuylkill county, the latter a daughter of Jacob Dunkelberger. Mr. and Mrs. Buffington have had two children, Leon Earl and Albert Franklin. The family occupy a large brick residence in Uniontown equipped with all modern conveniences. They are members of the United Brethren Church at Union- town, and Mr. Buffington has been a regular attend- ant at services and an active helper in the church work ; he has filled all the official positions.

George Buffington, a venerable resident of Pauls Valley. in Dauphin county. Pa., has a sixty-acre farm there which he cultivates, his son William now doing the. active work. His wife. Amelia Sponsell, is well along in the seventies, but they are nevertheless active in church life. Mr. Buffington as a member of the United Brethren Church and Mrs. Buffington of the M. E. Church. They have had ten children : George W .; Sarah J .. married to Elias Duncan : Laurance, who was killed in the lumber woods in Center eounty; Alice, who died young : Ellen, married to Gabriel Zimmerman : Adaline ; Charles, who died after he was married. aged about twenty-five years, leaving one child : Annie, who married Mr. Anders, and lives in Pauls Valley: John. of Fisher's Ferry. Pa. : and William. who is at home.

George W. Buffington, son of George, is a farmer in which he gave most conscientious and efficient. in Lower Angusta township. Northumberland serviee. Mr. Buffington married Caroline Binga- county. He was born in Pauls Valley. Dauphin man, daughter of Nicholas Bingaman, and they have had the following children: Rev. Henry, of Coalport, Pa., a prominent minister of the United Brethren Church : Irwin, deceased : John N .; Flora, married to Charles Shettelsworth. of Williamstown ; Lloyd, a blacksmith of Uniontown: . one year he did laboring work some years, at and Emma, married to Isaac Bover. Co., Pa., in September, 1856, and was reared to farm life. After he grew up he hired ont among farmers in Dauphin and Northumberland con- ties and began farming for himself in Little Mahanoy township in 1884. After farming there Paxinos, and in 1801 eame to Lower Angusta township, where he ran the D. H. Snyder & Co.

John N. Buffington spent his youth in Pillow (Uniontown), where he lived until eighteen years farm for fourteen years on shares. In 1905 he

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purchased his present farm, which was the William press agent at Sterling, Ill. ; W. T. is a resident of Spies place, in Lower Augusta. It comprises ser- Riverside ; Edward was a contractor and worked in Danville, Pa., until 1878, when he went out to Denver, Colo., where he died. enty-six acres of fertile land, and is improved with nice buildings, all substantial and in good repair. He attends markets at Sunbury. Mr. Buffington is a Republican and is a school director of his township at present. He and his family are Luth- erans, and he served as deacon while living at Paxinos.

In October, 1878, Mr. Buffington was married, in Little Mahanoy township, to Hannah Reed. daughter of William Reed, of Little Mahanoy. and their family consists of two sons and three daughters : William, of Gratz, Pa .: Frances, of Rockefeller township; Lydia, unmarried, at home ; Froena, married to Howard Klock, who lives with his father-in-law ; and Mary Ada, at home.

W. T. SHEPPERSON, a business man of the borough of Riverside. Northumberland county, and long a leading figure in the public life of that place, where he is now serving his tenth year as burgess, is a native of England, born in 1859 in Nottinghamshire. He has lived in this country since childhood.

Thomas Shepperson, his grandfather. lived and died in Nottinghamshire, England, where he farmed and kept a tavern. He reached the ad- vanced age of ninety-one years, while his wife lived to be ninety. They were the parents of the follow- ing children : , William, who came to America about 1848, was a contractor. and as such built a part of the Catawissa railroad, now part of the Reading road : he died in Danville, Pa., some years ago. Thomas came to this country with his broth- er William and later located in Denver. Colo .. Nottinghamshire, England, his death occurring in .1908; he possessed considerable . property. James also lived in England, where he engaged in farming and kept a tavern. Alfred, who came to America with his brother William, was killed in a landslide which occurred during the construc- tion of the Catawissa railroad. Edward was the father of W. T. Shepperson. There were also.two daughters, Anna, who married a Mr. Walker and lived in England : and Mary, who married John Newham, an engineer, and came to America.

W. T. Shepperson caine to America with his par- ents in 1865, and passed his boyhood in Danville, Pa., being about fifteen years old when the family removed thence to Riverside. His education was received in the public schools, principally at Dan- ville. Going South he located at Middleburg. Ky., where he was general manager for the S. Bailey Lumber Company until his return to Riverside. He has since made his home in that borough. where he has been prominently identified with business and public affairs, having long been en- gaged as an extensive dealer in lumber, and for- some years he also dealt in coal in large quantities, though at present he handles that commodity only- as a side line. He handles railroad ties, mine timber, prop timber and bark, and has a wide pat- ronage, having built up a profitable trade in those lines by the exercise of his business acumen and ability, which are recognized by all who have been associated with him. The respect which he com- mands in his home town could be no better shown than by the fact that he has been called upon to serve so many years continuously as burgess, the present (1910) being his tenth year of service in that capacity. He is a member of the Improved Order of Heptasophs, and for many years has be- longed to the Methodist church.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 46

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co. Number of Pages: 1090

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1090