Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 92

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 92

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Hugh H. Barr was born April 14, 1845. in Ohio, he has gained high standing in local circles, where where his parents were then living, and was reared in Logan county, that state. He was only sixteen when the Civil war broke out, and at that age en- He is a Republican in political matters.

devotes himself almost exclusively to business, and the prosperity of his establishment is regarded as an important factor in the industrial situation.

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NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA .

Mr. Barr married Virginia M. Cover, daughter Mahlon Augustus Nicely was born Oct. 7, 1831. of William Cover, of Frederick county, Md., and on the old homestead. He married Susan, daugh- they have had two children, Virginia H. and ter of Valentine and Blanche (Scheaffer ) Beeber, John S.

of Lycoming county, and moved to Lycoming coun- ty, where he followed farming. Later he pur- chased the old homestead and was a prominent

NICELY. There are in the county of Northum- berland, Pa., two representatives of this name, Wil- dealer in grain at Dewart, Northumberland Co., Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Nicely were the parents of the following children : William Augustus; Ida, wife of Reuben Neyhard, of Elmsport, Pa .; Sara E., wife of J. H. Baily, of Muncy, Pa. ; Edward V .; Carrie M., Mrs. Samuel A. Lowry; Eva, wife of Ambrose Hering, of Williamsport; Luther B., a

liam A. Nicely, cashier of the Watsontown Nation- al Bank, and Edward V. Nicely, register and re- corder of the county, worthy and valued citizens .of their communities. The Nicelys are an old Lancaster county family. Originally the name was spelled Knisely. One of the ancestors, probably the great-great-great-grandfather of William A. dentist at Montgomery, who died in 1909; and two and Edward V., settled near the Dorry station in sons who died young. Mr. Nicely died in Septem- Lancaster county, Pa., in 1725. He was one of the ber, 1907, and is buried at Muncy, Pa .; his wife founders of the Hanover church in Dauphin coun- died in June, 1907. ty, this State.

WILLIAM AUGUSTUS NICELY was born Dec. Prior to the Revolutionary war two brothers, 29, 1857, in Delaware township, Northumber- John and Stephen Nicely, left the old home, going laud Co., Pa. IIe attended the public schools of together as far as Sunbury, where they separated, John going up the north branch of the Susquehan- na river and settling near Shickshinny, Pa., where he reared a family. Lycoming county, the Muncy normal and Williams- port Commercial College, from which latter he was graduated in 1876. He then engaged in the grain business with his father, after which he went west,

Stephen Nicely went up the west branch of the and on his return accepted a position in the Wat- Susquehanna river and settled at Dewart, Pa., sontown National Bank, at its organization, Aug. where he took up 200 acres of land, which is still 9, 1880. He held this position until 1900, when owned by his descendants, and remains in the he was promoted to the position of cashier, which Nicely name. Here he spent his entire life, fol- lie still retains. He was one of the founders of the lowing the occupation of farming, and here his Watsontown Brick, Clay & Produce Company, and death occurred. He is buried at the River Church is treasurer of the company.

near Dewart. Among his children were: Joseph,

Mr. Nicely married Rebecca J., daughter of John, Mrs. John Staver, Mrs. Freimyer and Mrs. Charles and Rebecca (Corson) Mosley, of Muncy, Oyster.

Pa., and their union has been blessed with three children : Ainey R., married to Davis L. Bly; Charles A. ; and Mable A. Mr. Nicely is a member of the Watsontown Lodge, No. 401, F. & A. M .;

Joseph Nicely, grandfather of William A. and Edward V., was born on the old homestead, Jan. 12, 1807, and upon the death of his father received 100 acres, half of his father's farm, it having been Warrior Run Chapter, No. 246; Mount Hermon divided between him and his brother John, they in Commandery, No. 84, Irem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. turn paying their sisters their share. Mr. Nicely was a prominent Republican and served his com- munity as associate judge from Aug. 4, 1869, to Nov. 30, 1875. On March 15, 1827, he married Rebecca Fox, born Oct. 13, 1808, and they reared a large family, born as follows: George W., Feb.

S., Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and to I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 619, and Encampment No. 294, both of which for many years he has served as treasurer. Mr. Nicely is a member of the Lutheran church at Watson- town, Pa. He assisted in the erection of the pres- ent edifice, and has been a member of the church 22, 1828; Margaret E., Oct. 19, 1829; Mahlon council for twenty-six years, much of which time Augustus, Oet. ? , 1831; Joseph and Rebecca he served as treasurer of the church and for sev- eral years as president of the council.

(twins), Sept. 30, 1833 ( Rebecca married William Taylor) ; Mary, April 13, 1836 (married William EDWARD V. NICELY, son of Mahlon A., and brother of William A., was born upon the Bryson ) ; William, March 24, 1838: Sarah, July 8, 1840 (married J. Herbert Nye) ; Charles Ste- homestead May 17, 1865. He was employed with his father for several years and farmed in Delaware township for fifteen years. In 1906 he was elected register and recorder of Northumberland county, phen, March 31, 1842 (lives in Kansas) ; Jolin F., Feb. 2, 1845 (lived in Montoursville, Pa. ) ; Alfred S., Feb. 13, 1847 (lives in Ohio) ; and Oliver P., Dec. 27, 1851 (lives in Williamsport, Pa.). Of which offices he now holds. He is a Democrat in these, all grew to maturity but Margaret and Wil- politics and has served as clerk of the Orphans liam, who died young. Only three now survive: court. He is a very popular and well liked man Charles Stephen, Alfred S. and Oliver P. The fa- in the county, is a member of Maclay Lodge, No. ther died Dec. 11, 1877, and the mother Feb. 22, . 632, F. & A. M., of Sunbury; of Bloomsburg Con- 1888, and they are buried at the River Church.

sistory. 32° : Irem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at

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Wilkes-Barre; I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 619, of Wat- sontown; Artisans Order of Mutual Protection, Watsontown; the B. P. O. E., and the F. O. E. at Milton. Mr. Nicely was married in August, 1890, to I. J. Mentz, and they have one child, Wood M. The family attend the Lutheran church.

WILLIAM H. ECKMAN, a farmer of West Chillisquaque township, is a member of the fourth generation of his family to reside in Northumber- land county, where this branch of the Eckmans has been represented since the time of his great- grandfather, Charles Eekman.

Charles Eckman was born in 1779 near Blooms- bury, N. J., married Margaret DeWitt in 1800 and spent the following few years in the home district. In 1807 they came to Pennsylvania, settling in Northumberland county, where Mr. Eckman pur- chased a farm near Snydertown. In 1813 he ex- changed this traet for another near by, which be- came the family homestead .. There he lived and died, and he and his wife are buried in the old Presbyterian graveyard near Reed's station. They had a family of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, and we have record of the follow- ing: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, James, John, Charles (who married Elizabeth J. Kline), Catha- rine and Naomi; four of this family died young.

Jacob Eckman, son of Charles, was born Sept. 22, 1805, in New Jersey, and was only two years old when his parents removed thence to Northum- berland county and settled near Snydertown. He followed farming and became a well known citizen of his section, and at his death, which occurred April 19, 1876, in Sunbury, was widely mourned. In July, 1826, he married Emma Gulick, who was born Dec. 6, 1802, and died April S, 1882. We have the following record of their family: Wil- liam, born Nov. 27, 1826, married Didama Sloan May 10, 1849 (he died Ang. 30, 1850) ; Matilda. born July 28, 1828, married Lorenzo Mettler May 21, 1861 ; Peter, born May 10, 1831, married Ange- line Shipe ; James K., born Dec. 16, 1833, married Mary Ann Kline Jan. 12, 1856; John G., born Oct. 7, 1836, married Margaret Louisa Hile Sept. 25, 1856; Philip H., born March 19, 1839, was fatally wounded at the battle of Fair Oaks, near Richmond, Va., May 31, 1862; Charles W., born Dec. 3, 1841, married Alice Clark Aug. 21, 1862; Sarah E., born Sept. 12, 1844, married Emanuel Z. Shipe, Jan. 14, 1869. James and Charles are now residents of Kansas.

The following letter was sent to Jacob Eckman announcing the death of his son Philip:

Headquarters, Company H, 93d Pa. Reg't Camp Seven Pines, Near Richmond, Va., June 3d, 1862.

Dear Friends :- It is a painful task for me to write you the death of your son Philip H. Eckman, who fell on the battlefield on last Saturday, inortally wounded, and died before he was carried from the field. He was

shot through both legs near the groin, by the enemy. He was standing at his post in the front rank when he was shot. He was carried part way from the field by Corporal Weaver and myself, and the other part by Orderly Goodrich and D. R. Eckman, in whose hands he died. He appeared to have no pain, and died without saying a word but "God save me!" It was a long and hard battle; it lasted from 2 o'clock p. m. until dark when we were outnumbered and outflanked by the enemy. We were compelled to leave our dead, among whom were our poor brothers in arms, Philip, Samuel Kertz, A. Reynolds and J. Bear, all of our company. Early on Sunday morning we received reinforcements, and drove the enemy from the field, but poor Philip was robbed of everything he had in his pockets by the Rebels. You can console yourselves by knowing that he was very nicely buried on Monday by Charles Weaver, A. B. Patton, D. R. Eckman, myself, and several others, under a beautiful cedar tree near the road. We made as good a coffin as possible under the circumstances, and buried him with his clothes and blanket around him. He died with a smile on liis countenance. The loss in our company is four killed, two missing and seven wounded; the loss of the regi- ment is about one hundred and thirty killed, wounded and missing. It is impossible for me to give the de- tails of the battle; you will doubtless have the full par - ticulars of it in the papers before you get this. I will have to close for the present. While you in the hour of your bereavement have the sympathy of the entire company, we deeply feel the loss of a friend and a faithful soldier, and one beloved by the whole coin- pany. With my kindest regards to all inquiring friends, I close. Yours truly, Charles W. Eckman, 2d Lieutenant, Co. H., . 93d Pa. Reg't.

Peter Eckman, son of Jacob, was born May 10, 1831, near Klinesgrove, in Upper Augusta town- ship, Northumberland county, and there resided until he was about twenty-one years old. He fol- lowed farming near Sunbury for a number of years, and moving to the borough about 1883 com- menced work in the machine shops of the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company, where he was employed for a period of eighteen years, being placed on the retired list May 31, 1901, having reached the age limit. He died July 31, 1906, at his home at the corner of Catawissa avenue and Reagan street. The end came suddenly, without warning, shortly after he arose in the morning, and with the excep- tion of a slight feeling of illness the evening before he had been in his usual health. He was buried in Pomfret Manor cemetery. The funeral was held from the Catawissa Avenue M. E. church, of which he had been a faithful member. At the time of his death he was steward of the church, and had previously served as trustee. A lifelong Metho- dist, he was sincere in his profession, and tried to live so closely to his faith that a friend once told him he was too honest to get rich. He was a good citizen, a good neighbor, a good Christian, beloved throughout a wide circle of friends and acquaint- ances.

On Nov. 23, 1852, Mr. Eckinan married Ange- line Shipe, who was born in 1832 in Shamokin township, Northumberland county, and survives

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him, continuing to make her home in Sunbury. 1866, on a farm near Sunbury, where Pomfret Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Peter Manor cemetery is now located. He was educated Eckman: William H., Elizabeth (who died in in- in the local public schools, and lived on the farm fancy), a son that died in infancy, and Joseph with his parents until eighteen years of age, when Warren. the family moved to Sunbury and he there studied stenography and typewriting when not otherwise engaged, continuing thus until he was twenty-one

Johan Heinrich (or John Henry) Shipe, grand- father of Mrs. Peter Eckman, lived in Berks coun- ty, Pa., in his earlier life, later settling in Shamo- years old. He then accepted the position of ste- kin township, Northumberland county, where he nographer at the Milton Car Works (Murray, owned about two hundred acres of land and fol- Dougal & Co. Limited), Milton, Pa., Feb. 7, lowed farming. He died upon his farm and is 1887, continuing to hold that position for al- buried at the Blue Church in Shamokin township. most seventeen and a half years, until July His wife was Elizabeth Sherry and they had chil- 1, 1904. dren as follows: John, Polly (married Valentine engaged in the

Since that date he has been Hummel), Henry, Abraham, Jacob, Michael and Milton. He became private sccretary to Hon. C. H. Elizabeth (married Jacob Persing).

First National Bank of Dickerinan, president of the bank, and on Jan.

Michael Shipe (son of John Henry) and his 1, 1907, was also made a clerk in the bank. On wife Judith H. had a large family, namely: Wil- Dec. 5, 1889, Mr. Eckman was married at Sunbury liam married Elizabeth Keefer, and their children to Lillie Dale Hile, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. are Charles A., Martin L., Jonathan R., Arthur B. Ira Hile, and they made their home at Milton, and Bessie E .; Isaac married Elizabeth Berger and where Mrs. Eckman died of typhoid fever March their children are Mary A., Clara, Angeline and 5, 1900. She was the mother of two children: Ira Tressa ; Henry H. (deceased) married Louisa Reeder, and they had four children, James A.,

Walter, born Sept. 6, 1892 ; and Roy Eugene, born Dec. 12, 1897, who died Jan. 8, 1899. On Feb. Michael W., Emma and Anna : Ira (deceased ) mar- 7, 1901, Mr. Eckman married Maggic Belle Moyer, ried Louisa Clark, and they had Edward, Swartz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Phaon Moyer, of Unity- Harry M., Thomas and Jane; Moses married Re- ville, Pa. They have one child, Alice Hanna, born becca Clark and had children, Isaac, George and Nov. 1, 1910.

Herbert ; Michael married Kate Barnhart and had .Walter and Laura; Emanuel Z. married Sarah E. Eckman : Rev. Jonathan R., a Methodist minister, June 13, 1844, near Shamokin, this county, and in 1866 began working in the Sunbury shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, where he was cm-

Emanuel Z. Shipe, late of Sunbury, was born

now stationed at Hazleton, Pa., married Mollie Besser ; Angeline is the widow of Peter Eckman.

William H. Eckman was born Aug. 7, 1855, in ployed until obliged to give up active labor because of ill health, about twelve years before his death. At

Upper Augusta township, and there attended school, also going to school at Sunbury. He has the shops he was held in the highest esteem by his successfully followed farming, and is now located fellow workers, for his sturdy Christian character in West .Chillisquaque township. He purchased a and manly life. For eighteen ycars before his piece of property in the borough of Sunbury where death, which occurred early in 1908, he was a suf- ferer from locomotor ataxia, and during the last six years of his life was unable to walk. In De- pany. In June, 1891, he bought the Bieber farm, cember, 1862, Mr. Shipe joined the Mount Pleas- ant Methodist church, and after moving to Sun-

he lived for some years, during which time he was connected with the Pomfret Manor Cemetery Com- a beautiful tract of land lying near Pottsgrove, to this has since been their home. Mr. Eckman has built a handsome and comfortable residence on this property since it came into his possession and has made a model farm of the tract, which is a credit to thic community.

which he removed with his family in 1893, and bury became a member of St. John's church, with which he was identified until the organization of the Catawissa Avenue M. E. church. He was a trus- tee of the latter for many years, and for thirty- eight consecutive years served as class lead- er. His funeral was held from the Cata- Avenue church, and he was interred

On March 1, 1888, Mr. Eckman married Sarah wissa A. Montgomery, daughter of Hugh R. and Saralı in Pomfret Manor cemetery. On Jan. 14, S. ( Moll) Montgomery, and they have had two 1869, Mr. Shipe married Sarah E. Eckman, and children : Clara A., born in Sunbury Aug. 14, to them were born five children, three of whom. 1891, and Mae Montgomery, born at Pottsgrove with Mrs. Eckman, survived him, namely: Mrs. Feb. 9, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Eckman are members J. I. Creasy and John E., both of Sunbury; and of the Presbyterian church. Politically lie is a Prohibitionist. Eugene A., of Pittsburg. One child died in in- fancy, and the daughter Minnie died several years JOSEPH WARREN ECKMAN, the other surviving before her father. Mrs. Shipe makes her home son of Peter Eckman, was born Feb. 7, on Catawissa avenue, Sunbury.

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OBERDORF. The Oberdorf family has been a native of Upper Augusta township and is buried identified with that part of Northumberland county at the M. E. Church at Klinesgrove. He was a now known as Upper Augusta township since the prosperous farmer, owning three valuable tracts, early days, and there was born Peter C. Oberdorf, one of 247 acres, his homestead farm of 165 acres, who now carries on an extensive real estate and and what was known as the Bakeoven Hill farm, insurance business in Sunbury, and is a director of adjoining Pomfret Manor cemetery, which con- the Sunbury Trust & Safe Deposit Company.

sisted of about two hundred acres, now owned by Among the prosperous farmers of that township at William H. Druckenmiller. Mr. Oberdorf was not the present day is George Forrest Oberdorf, and El- only enterprising and farsighted in business but mer E. Oberdorf, now living retired in Sunbury, was also engaged in farming until recently.

The founder of the Oberdorf family in America after emigrating settled in Longswamp township, Berks Co., Pa., where apparently he died compar- atively young, or in middle life. One Catharine Oberdorf, probably his widow, was married (sec- ond) to Martin Warfel, of Augusta township, Northumberland Co., Pa. On April 26, 1796, Martin Warfel and Catharine, his wife, of Augusta township, sold to Peter Oberdorf, Sr., the pioneer of the Northumberland county family, a tract of and has a monument on the Oberdorf family burial 306 acres and 72 perches.of land then in Augusta (now Upper Augusta) township. Most of this land is still in the family name.

also intelligent and public-spirited in matters af- fecting the welfare of the community-a trait none too common in those days. He was one of eight voters in his township to advocate by ballot the establishment of the free school system at a time when free cducation was a most unpopular and misunderstood cause, his fellow voters on that ques- tion being Elijah Klinc, Jacob Clark, Col. John Snyder, Samuel.Bloom, Samuel Awl and two oth- ers whose names have been forgotten. He was a Lutheran member of the Zion Church at Sunbury,

plot, where several generations of the family are interred. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He married Mary Hauser, who bore him children as follows: Samuel is mentioned below ; Martin, where he died ; Jeremiah, who was a school teacher,

Peter Oberdorf, Jr. (son of the pioneer), made his last will and testament Sept. 17, 1842; sons mentioned below, settled near the homestead, Peter (3) and George were appointed executors. George Oberdorf willed his estate divided in six died in young manhood; David, who never mar- equal shares, legatees as follows : Brother Peter, of ried, lived and died on the homestead; Mary, born Augusta township, Northumberland Co., Pa .; Ja- Jan. 1, 1820, died Jan. 31, 1908, unmarried ; Eliza, cob, of Northumberland county; John, of Berks born June 25, 1825, died Feb. 6, 1883, unmarried ; county ; Magdalena, who married Jacob Carl; also Susanna died unmarried.

of Longswamp township, Berks county ; Catharine, who married John Hoffman, and lived in Rus- mother, Catharine, intermarried with Martin War- fel, in Augusta township. Peter Oberdorf; broth- er, and George Bright, a trusted friend of Sun- bury borough, were the executors. This will was made Jan. 3, 1800, and he died soon afterward. Samuel Oberdorf was born April 27, 1815, in Upper Augusta township, and died June 10, 1884. combmanor township, Berks county: and my He is buried at the M. E. Church at Klinesgrove. He was a lifelong farmer, owning one of his fa- ther's three farms, a tract of over 240 acres. A Presbyterian in religious connection, he joined the church at Rushtown in his earlier years, later unit- ing with the church at Sunbury. He married

Peter Oberdorf (evidently the son of the pioneer Rhoda C. Campbell, who was born Jan. 22, 1818, daughter of Christopher Campbell, and died Sept. 12, 1900, in her eighty-third year. Twelve chil- Augusta township, on the farm now owned by his dren blessed this union, namely: Oliver P., born June 9, 1839, died while serving in the army ; farmer, and was known in the locality as "Little Isaac C., born May 9, 1841, died May 20, 1865, in Peter," to distinguish him from his son, who was known as "Big Peter." He died April 22, 1853, 29, 1843, has never married; Peter C., born Dec. and is buried in the old South cemetery at Sun-

referred to as Peter, Jr.), the great-grandfather of Peter C., born April 20, 1772, lived in Upper grandson, George Forrest Oberdorf. He was a 7, 1844, is mentioned below; Victoria Isabelle, bury. His wife, Elizabeth, born April 3, 1766, born March 13, 1847, died July 21, 1862; Omar, born Jan. 29, 1846, died March 29, 1846; Joseph Upper Augusta township; Mary E., born March died Dec. 31, 1811. They had children as fol- lows: John settled on the north branch of the C., born March 1, 1849, died Jan. 28, 1882, of Susquehanna river; JJoseph lived in New York typhoid fever; Marcy Hamilton, born April 19, State; Peter is mentioned below : George lived and 1850, died March 19, 1856; Prof. Charles D. is mentioned below ; William R., born April 29, 1853, a merchant of Sunbury, married Olive Wol- died on the old homestead; Elizabeth married Jonathan Stroll; Catharine married Abraham Moore; Margaret married Gilbert Deats; Mrs. verton and has two sons, Calvin (who graduated Brewer moved with her husband to New York from the Sunbury high school and from Bucknell State (they had sons Peter and George W.).

Peter Oberdorf, son of Peter and Elizabeth, was

College, at. Lewisburg, and is now a civil engineer : he is a member of Lodge No. 22, F. & A. M.) and

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Robert (who graduated from the Sunbury high inclusive, he has been principal of the Mount Car- school with the class of 1911) ; Susanna E., born mel high school. On July 15, 1905, Professor Sept. 1, 1854, married E. M. Eckman, of Rush Oberdorf married Olive A. Ruch, of Northum- township ; Samuel M., born Dec. 25, 1856, is a re- tired farmer of Riverside, Pennsylvania.

PETER C. OBERDORF was born Dec. 7, 1844, and was reared to farm life, meantime obtaining his early education in the local public schools. Later

George Oberdorf, son of Peter, Jr., was born he attended Dickinson Seminary, at Williamsport, on the homestead in Lower Augusta township,

Pa., and then locating at Klinesgrove engaged in the general merchandise business, which he con- tinucd for a period of six years. Thence he came to Sunbury, where he formed a partnership with P. H. Moore and D. H. Snyder, under the firm name of D. H. Snyder & Co. They successfully conducted a general store on Market street for nine years, the business being carried on under the original style until clerks bought out the founders and formed a new association, S. H. Snyder & Co. Mr. Oberdorf then entered the brick manufactur- ing business, which he continued until the silk mill was erected, when he sold his ground to the company. He was in the brick business about eight years in all. He has since been engaged in the real estate and insurance line, in which he has made a notable success. As agent of the Sunbury Mutual Fire Insurance Company he has built up its business from insignificance to profitable pro- portions, having taken hold of its business when it had less than two hundred thousand dollars worth of insurance in force: it has now consider- ably over a million. His real estate and insurance transactions have attained large proportions, and he is interested in local finance as a director of the Sunbury Trust & Safe Deposit Company.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 92

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