Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 64

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 64

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retained his interests in the coal business until his retirement, some years before his death. During the Civil war period the firm shipped consider- able coal to Baltimore and Philadelphia. While Daniel Haas and his wife Eve (Reed) were in partnership with Mr. Fagely Mr. Haas pur- natives of Northumberland county, and lived in chased four thousand acres of woodland in Ly- Shamokin (now Ralpho) township. He was a coming county, Pa., and they had large quantities of lumber cut and manufactured from that tract, farmer there for some years, but selling his farm removed in 1854 out to Indiana, settling in New- selling it at a comparatively small profit.

town, Fountain county, where they passed the re-

In 1883, when the Sunbury Nail, Bar and mainder of their lives. They had a family of Guide Iron Manufacturing Company was organ- eleven children, seven sons and four daughters, ized, Mr. Haas became president, remaining as only three of whom now survive: William, of the exccutive head of that concern until he re- Indianapolis, Ind .; Julia A., who married Nich- tired from the active management in April, 1890: olas Y. Fisher and lives in Indiana ; and Maria he continued to serve as president until 1894. To .A., widow of Charles Leisenring, living at Blooms- burg, Pa. The deceased were: Peter: David, Jacob and Daniel R., all of whom lived in Indiana ; John and Jonas, of Northumberland county, Pa. ; Caroline, who married George Wicks, and Betsy, who inarried Charles. Martz. The parents origi- nally joined the Lutheran. Church, but after re- inoving to. Indiana united with the Methodist de- nomination, there being no Lutheran Church in the town where they located.

the upbuilding of this, one of the most important industrial establishments of the borough, he gave his principal attention and best energies for a number of years, and much of its success was due to his efforts. Numerous other local concerns of considerable magnitude also counted him among their most effective promoters. He was one of the first directors of the Sunbury, Shamokin & Lewisburg railroad, now the Philadelphia & Read- ing road; a director of the First National Bank of Sunbury; and president of the Sunbury Water

John Haas attended at a log cabin schoolhouse, and among his early teachers were Albe C. Barrett, Company.

Jehu John and William H. Muench. He worked Mr. Haas was a member of the Lutheran Church for about sixty years, being associated with the church at Sunbury, which he served as elder for thirty-five years, being an important member of the church council, and as Sunday school super- intendent for thirty years. The Sunday school of this church is a large one, numbering several hundred members, and Mr. Haas was able to do some of his most worthy work in that connection. He was treasurer of the Pennsylvania State Sun- day School Association for one year: served as president of the board of directors of the Mission- ary Institute at Selinsgrove, now known as Sus- quehanna University ; and was for a time a di- rector of the Loysville Orphans School. In poli- tics lie was a Democrat until the formation of the Republican party, which he ever afterward sup- ported, voting for Jolin C. Fremont for President. During the Civil war he was an ardent Unionist. He died March 10, 1899, in his seventy-seventh on a farm until he reached the age of eighteen, when his father apprenticed him to learn the trade of fuller and carder, with David Martz, at the 'mill located on a small stream near the present site of Paxinos. Thinking there were no pros- pects in that line for him he became discontented, and his father apprenticed him to Danicl Roads, to learn blacksmithing. But after one winter he found that equally uncongenial, and his father allowed hini to choose his own way. He soon began clerking for his cousin, Jonas Haas, a mer- chant at Lineville, Lehigh Co., Pa., beginning at the modest wages of five dollars a month. At the end of one year there he returned home, and soon found employment at railroad repair work near Pottsville, being thus engaged for one year. After a visit home he again went to work for the same employer, at Pottsville, but within a short time came to Sunbury. Ira T. Clement having offered him work as a clerk in his general store. year, after a life of all-around usefulness such He was with him from 1845 nntil 1857. The as falls to the lot of few men.

latter year he became a clerk for Fagely, Seas- In 1846 Mr. Haas married Mary A. Gheen, of Jersey Shore, Pa., who died in 1855. To this union were born four children: Jennie Clemen- tine, who married L. T. Rohrbach, of Sunbury, both being now deceased ; John Packer, born Sept. 30, 1849, now deccased, who married Saralı Schef- holtz & Co., coal merchants at Sunbury, and in the fall of 1857 became a member of the firm, being associated for a time with William and Ren- ben Fagely under the firm name of Fagely & Haas, the name of the firm later changing to John Haas & Co. They were most successful, conduct- flev. of Lewisburg; Mary Alice, widow of Dr. ing extensive coal operations until 1862, in which C. M. Martin : and Louisa, who died in infancy. year they sold their personal property to the Min- On Oct. 2, 1856, Mr. Haas married (second) eral Mining Company, continuing to deal in coal, Mercy Ann Martin. danghter of Jacob and Hen-

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rietta ( Becker) Martin. Though now past eighty, Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia. He enlisted Mrs. Haas is a remarkably well preserved woman, Sept. 12, 1862, and was honorably discharged has an excellent memory, and is a pleasing eon- Sept. 25th. versationalist. . The large residence at the corner Mr. Martin is a Democrat, and in his active of Chestnut street and River avenue, where she years wielded considerable influence in the local

makes her home, was built by Mr. Haas in 1868.

Mr. Haas was a Mason, holding membership in Lodge No. 22, F. & A. M., of Sunbury, North- sade Commandery, K. T., the latter organization of Bloomsburg: he also belonged to the I. O. O. F. lodge at Sunbury.

Isaac Martin, grandfather of Mrs. Merey Ann (Martin) Haas, was a native of Warren county, N. J. He came to Northumberland county in

On Feb. 20, 1866, Mr. Martin married Susanna Reinhart, daughter of Charles and Mary (Cress- inger) Reinhart, of Sunbury, and to their union were born two children : John H. married Minnie Withington and has two children, Sarah L. and Elizabeth (they live at Hazleton, Pa., where he is an early day, living two miles south of Sunbury, freight agent for the Pennsylvania Railway Com- in what is now Upper Augusta township, on a pany) ; Sarah L. died unmarried at the age of twenty-two years. large traet which he owned-about four hundred acres. There he died, and he and his wife, Rachel (Bacon), who long survived him, are buried in unmarked graves in the old South cemetery of Sunbury, donated by William Penn as a place of burial. They were Presbyterians in religious faith. Two children were born to this pioneer couple: Jaeob and Margaret. The daughter married Ed- ward Harrison, and they lived at the "old dam" below Sunbury, in Upper Augusta township, where Mrs. Harrison owned much land. Their children were: Sarah Jane, who married Jacob Slough ; Harrison, who died leaving a family ; and Rachel, who married John Young.

HENRY HOOVER, business manager of the News Publishing Company, of Shamokin, pub- lishers of the Shamokin Daily News, has been a resident of that borough for over twenty years and in the latter part of 1893 founded the Daily News, with which he has continued his association to the present.

Mr. Hoover was born in 1834 in Shamokin township, Northumberland county, where his par- ents, John and Mary Hoover, were pioneer settlers, moving thither from Bucks county, Pa., in 1811. He was one of a family of sixteen children.

Jacob Martin, son of Isaae, was born Jan. 30, Working on a farm until he reached the age of 1802, on his father's homestead, and died July seventeen, Mr. Hoover subsequently learned the trade of eoachmaking at Catawissa and followed it until his enlistment in the Union army in 1862. He became a private in the 5th Pennsyl- 29, 1849, aged forty-seven years. He was prin- cipally engaged assisting his father in the work of the home farm, which was located below. Sun- bury .. His wife, Henrietta (Becker), born Aug. vania Cavalry, with which he served until the 30, 1800, died March 24, 1891, in her ninety-first close of the war, the regiment being attached to

year, and they are buried at Sunbury. They

the Army of the James until March, 1865, when

were Presbyterians in religion. Their family eon- it joined Sheridan's Cavalry Division, Army of

sisted of five children: Isaac, born Feb. 4, 1824, the Potomae. Mr. Hoover was wounded in the engagement near the Albemarle Sound, N. C., in October, 1863. After the war he located at Ash- land, Schuylkill Co., Pa., where he was engaged in business until 1888, the year of his removal died April 6, 1891, at Port Carbon, Pa. ; William B., born March 31, 1826, lived at Sunbury, and died March 6, 1893: Merev Ann, widow of John Haas, was born May 31, 1828: Charles Follmer, born July 15, 1831, is a resident of Sunbury; to Shamokin, where he has become recognized as Louisa B., born June 7, 1834, died April 18, 1908.

a substantial and valuable citizen.

CHARLES FOLLMER MARTIN, son of Jacob, was On Dec. 11, 1893, in association with his son. born July 15, 1831, in Sunbury, on the site of J. F. Hoover, he founded the Shamokin Daily his present home. He attended public school News, of which J. F. Hoover is managing editor. there, and was engaged at boating and various In 1902 C. C. Hoover, another son of Henry work on the Pennsylvania canal until 1864, after Hoover, became a partner of his father and brother, the war following different vocations until his re- acting as circulation manager of the News. Thev tirement from active pursuits. After the flood of do business as the News Publishing Company. A 1865 he had a contract from the borough for printing plant, for book, commereial and job work, $2,500 worth of work, "filling in" the streets is successfully maintained. The location is at the which had been washed out. In 1862 he was in corner of Lincoln and Liberty streets, Shamokin. the Emergeney troops called out to defend the On Dee. 30, 1866, Mr. Henry Hoover married State, serving as a member of Company D, 3d Mary E. Bindley, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

ranks of his party, being a leading member of the organization in Northumberland county. He served as county coroner, was an overseer of the

umberland Chapter, No. 174, R. A. M., and Cru- poor. for some time, and served as couneilman of

the borough.

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NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

283

JOHN M. BRIGHT is engaged in the lumber John M. Bright was born Dce. 27, 18:3, at business at Seventh and Oak streets, Mount Car- Ashland, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and there received his education, attending high school. He was

mel, to which place he came in September, 1900, having bought ont his brother, Hunter F. Bright. thoroughly trained to practical lumbering by his

This Bright family has long been established in Pennsylvania, and is of old standing in Berks county, where. Michael Brecht, as the name was formerly spelled, was married in 1428 to Mar- gareta Simone. He was born in 1706 and died

father, and has been principally engaged in that business since he commenced his active career. In September, 1900, Mr. Bright located at Mount Carmel, having bought the interests of his brother, Hunter F. Bright, at this point. His vard is in 1794; she was born in 1:08 and died in 1778. located at Seventh and Oak streets and is the They had the following children: Jacob, born April 13, 1729; George, Feb. 9, 1231; Michael, March 24, 1732: Katherine, April 6, 1134: John, Feb. 20, 1:36: Peter, May 13, 1738: David, Aug.

center of a large trade, which is being steadily built up under Mr. Bright's excellent inanage- ment. He is also agent for the Rubberoid roofing. With an extensive knowledge of his business 9, 1740; Maria, Aug. 1, 1742: Sarah. Jan. 19, gained by actual experience, and an enterprising spirit that is equal to the demands of modern suc- cessful operations, Mr. Bright has made a good start on a prosperous business life.

1745; and Christina, Aug. 12. 1147. A genealogi- cal sketch of this Bright family, in pamphlet form, prepared by the late A. G. Green, Esq., may be found among the archives of the Berks County Historical Society.

Mr. Bright married Bertha E. Slanker. daugh- ter of David Slanker, of Gordon, Schuylkill Co ..

Mr. Bright is a member of the Elks lodge at Mount Carmel, and of the American Fire Com- pany of Ashland, Pennsylvania.

JOHN H. VINCENT was for forty years be- mable citizens of the borough of Northumberland, commanding a large and creditable legal practice, serving about twenty years as justice of the peace, and filling various other local positions of trust.

the welfare of the community and a degree of public spirit which insured the best care of the

William H. Bright, son of Hunter F. and Cath- arine (Dreher) Bright, was born at Minersville, interests of his fellow citizens. His son and name- Schuylkill Co., Pa., Nov. 27, 1831. He learned the saddler's trade, but did not follow it long, as

sake, John H. Vincent, is now engaged in gen- eral law work at that borough, making a specialty he embarked in the hotel business and later en- of civil law, and has been highly successful. gaged in the lumber business at Ashland, cut- The Vincent family is of French descent. From a pamphlet containing a life sketch of the ting most of the timber in that district. He died Jan. 11, 1896, at Reading. Pa .. while on a visit. late John Himrod Vincent, father of Bishop John and was buried at Ashland. Mr. Bright married H. Vincent, born April 20, 1798, at Milton, Pa., Anna Barbara Seitzinger, who was born Feb. 18, died Aug. 13, 1873, we take the following regard- 1839, daughter of Peter Seitzinger, at one time ing the origin and early history of the Vincents. a large landowner in Schuylkill county, who sold The Vincents are from an old French family. his property to the Reading Company. Mrs. The name is Latin, and tradition carries it back Bright died July 26. 1902. She was the mother to the fourth century. The Bibliotheque Nation- of a large family, namely: Kate, born Nov. 7, ale, in Paris, contains a long list of Vincents of 1855; Adelaide L., born June 20, 1857 (wife of various provinces and lines. Roman Catholic and Rev. A. Stewart. a Presbyterian minister now lo- Huguenot. On account of religious dissensions eated at Marietta, Pa.) : Hunter F., born Jan. many Huguenots emigrated to England. Germany, 18, 1859, who resides at Ashland. following the the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa and lumber business there and at Hazleton, Pa., and the North American colonies. There are many in the South (he married Laura Orth) ; Winfield Vincent families in England. Several large fami- P., born Oct. 16, 1860, who died young: Martin lies of the same name in America came directly D., born Nov. 26, 1861 : Eveline E., born May. 11, from France, some from England and some from 1865 (wife of H. A. Acker, of Reading. Pa.) : France via England and Holland. William E., born May 26, 1820: John M .; and David J., born Nov. 19, 1877.

John Himrod Vincent belonged to the family of Levi Vincent, who was born in Charente-In-

Michael Bright, evidently the son of Michael Pa. They have had two children, William and recorded above as born March 24, 1732, was the Marshall. great-grandfather of John M. Bright. He was born in Berks county, and was an early pioneer in central Pennsylvania.

Hunter F. Bright, son of Michael, was born in Lewisburg, Union Co., Pa., and passed many years in Schuylkill county, living at Minersville and fore his death one of the leading and most esti-

later settling at Ashland. He died in Philadelphia at the age of ninety-nine years. He was engaged in the lumber business. To his marriage with Catharine Dreher were born four children: Wil- liam H., Daniel, Harrison and Carrie (who mar- in all of which he displayed intelligent zeal for ried James Lawrence).

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ferieur, on the west coast of France, and prob- ably in the Canton of Rochelle, during the reign of King Charles II., April 10, 1676. IIe settled in New Rochelle, N. Y., and afterward moved to New Jersey, living in Newark township, where he died in 1763, aged eiglity-seven years. His wife was Esther Debne, and they had one son, John. John H. Vincent, son of Isaac, was born Dec. 2, 1826, in Delaware township, Northumber- land county, and received his early education in the public schools and at MeEwensville Academy. He then tanght school for some time, and saving his earnings was enabled to enter Lafayette Col- lege, at Easton, Pa., where he remained until he had passed the junior year. He then, with ex- John Vincent, son of Levi, was born Jan. 26, Governor Hoyt of Pennsylvania and ex-Judge 1709, on the farm where his father died, and on Dec. 1, 1733, married Elizabeth Doremns, born Schuyler of Northampton county, enrolled as a student at Williams College, in Massachusetts, July 13, 1711. She died Feb. 11, 1288, and he from which institution he was graduated in 1849, died Feb. 24, 1801. She descended from Anneke Jans Webber, whose father was Wolpfert Webber, her family records reaching back to 1600. The children of John and Elizabeth (Doremus) Vin- cent were: Esther, Cornelius, Rachel, Elizabeth, Elizabetlı (?), Jane, Mary, Benjamin and Peter.

Cornelius Vincent, son of John, was born April 15, 1737, on his father's farm near Bloomfield, N. J., and died July 16, 1812, in Milton, Pa., at the home of his daughter Mary ("Aunt Polly Derickson"). In November, 1756, he married

Phoeba Ward, and their children were Isaac, partner, remaining there until 1857. That vear Daniel, Bethuel, Sarah, Benjamin, John, Eliza- betlı, Rebekah and Mary. (Further information in the pamphlet concerns only the posterity of Bethuel Vincent.)

Daniel Vincent, son of Cornelius, became the owner of about four hundred acres of land near Fort Freeland, lying along Warrior Run creek, and in the year 1790 built the first mill in the skirmishes, receiving his discharge in 1863.

was . at Fort Freeland when it' was attacked by the Indians and he and his wife were taken pris- oners, but she was sent back to her friends on horseback, while he was taken into Canada and held four years, during which time he acted as butcher for his captors. During one of his fights with the Indians he sustained an injury in the side which gradually grew worse and finally caused his death. He and many other members of his family are buried in the Warrior Run ceme- tery. He married Anglechy Huff, and they had ehildren as follows : Phoebe, Isaac, Jolin and Eliza-

Isaac Vincent was born Oct. 21, 1783, on the old homestead in Northumberland county. and early. in life took to agricultural pursuits. He inherited one half of his father's estate, and there lived throughout his life. His wife, Rebecca (Comly), was a native of Philadelphia. Pa., and they had children as follows: Ezra C .. one that died in in- fancy, Nancy, Daniel, Charles. Caroline. Isaac, John H., Rebecca, Hannah M., Elizabeth, Con- ly and Henry Clay.

after which he went to Charleston, S. C., and en- gaged as a school teacher. Later he removed to Alabama, where he also followed teaching, being private tutor for the children of a wealthy plant- er's family. After a few years he returned home and began his preparation for the legal profession, entering the law office of Gov. James Pollock, at Milton, and after a year taking up study in the McCarty Law School, at Easton. There he was admitted to the bar in 1854. and immediately be- gan practice at Easton with Judge Schuyler as

he located at Milford, Pike Co., Pa., where he re- sided until the Civil war. In 1862 he enlisted in Company B. 151st Regiment, Pennsylvania . Vol- unteer Infantry, was made second lieutenant be- fore the company saw service, was later promoted to first lieutenant. and served as such at the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg and in many

vicinity ; it was remodeled in 1818 and is still standing. He did the work for the residents with- Returning to Milford, Mr. Vincent resumed the practice of law, which he continued at that point in a large radius and was very well known. He until 1867, meantime serving two terms as district attorney of Pike county. From that time until his death he was located at Northumberland, where he not only built up a large practice as a lawyer, among the most influential class of citizens in the locality, but also became a leading business man, being secretary of the Bird Coal & Iron Company. With the exception of one year, he was justice of the peace continnously from 1889 until his death ; was solicitor of the borough: school director a number of terms; and filled minor local offices for several years. In politics he was a Democrat. In 1877 lie built a large and handsome brick resi- betli. The old family property was divided equal- dence and office on Queen street, where he re- ly between the two sons. mained until his death, which occurred in 1909, when he was in his eighty-third year. He is buried at McEwensville.

Mr. Vincent's first marriage was to Mary C. Da- vis. danghter of John Davis, of Easton, Pa., and they had two children : Julia, who died at an early age ; and May, who married J. W. Elliott, of Reno- va. Pa., now deceased. Mrs. Elliott now residing at Barnesboro. Pa. The mother died young, and on Oct. 9. 1867. Mr. Vincent married (second) Car- oline Montgomery, who survives him. To this

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NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

union were born four children, John H., Caroline, most of the pioncers. But after getting his affairs William M. and Ella, of whom John H. is the only in prosperous shape his home was attacked by a band of Indians and he was obliged to flee with

one now living.

JOHN H. VINCENT, son of the late John H. Vin- his family to Fort Frecland for safety. There, on cent, was born March 7, 1876, in the borough of July 28, 1779, they were attacked by a party of

Northumberland, and there received his prepar- over three hundred British and Indians. After atory education in the public schools, graduating that John Montgomery sought temporary refuge from the high school in 1894. He next attended

with his family at his old home in Dauphin conn- Bucknell University, at Lewisburg, and for one ty, near Harrisburg. When peace had finally been year was a student at the Dickinson School of declared, in 1783, he went back to the home in Law, at Carlisle, Pa., after which he registered in Northumberland county, restored the buildings the office of Hon. Simon P. Wolverton, of Sun- which had been destroyed, and erected a limestone bury. On Dec. 18, 1899, he was admitted to the house which is still standing. He continued his work on this place until Nov. 8, 1782, when he was killed by a falling tree while engaged on the build- ing of the Derry road. At the time of his death he was fifty-eight years old. He had married Chris- tianna Foster, who died March 2, 1821, at the ad- vanced age of cighty years, and both are interred in the Chillisquaque burying ground. They were members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and

Northumberland county bar, and has since devoted all his time to legal practice, making a specialty of civil law. His office is on Queen street, North- umberland. Mr. Vincent enjoys the highest stand- ing personally and professionally. His inherent aptitnde for the law has been developed in prac- · tical work, and like his father lie commands a cli- entele whose patronage itself is a recommendation of his ability. He is a Democrat in politics, a Mrs. John Montgomery had the following chil- member of the Presbyterian Church of his town, dren: Robert, John, William, David, Jane and and was formerly a member of the National Guard Sarah. of Pennsylvania, which he joined in 1895. In William Montgomery, son of John, was born at April, 1898, he was mustered for service in the what is now Paradise, in Turbut township. North- Spanish American war with Company E, 12th Reg- umberland county, and succeeded to the ownership iment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and he of the old homestead, where he followed farming was mustered out with that command in October, all his life. He died Aug. 22, 1853, aged seventy- 1898; he was a corporal.

On Jan. 26, 1899, Mr. Vincent married Mar- garet Starick, adopted daughter of William A. and Mary (Dunham) Starick, the former of whom, now deceased, was in his time a prominent hard- married Hannah Hower ; and William.

ware merchant of Northumberland, and active in civic affairs in the borough. Mr. and Mrs. Vin- cent have one child, Elizabeth.

Mr. Vincent. recently found a register of the a fine property at McEwensville, where he engaged genealogy of the Vincents written by one of his in farming. He was very successful, and owned a relations Aug. 22, 1822.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 64

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