Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 29

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1024

USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2 > Part 29

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Lorenzo D. Robins, M. D., began practice with his father at Elysburg. During the Civil war he served as a surgeon in the Union army, and at the close of that struggle returned to Elysburg, where he continued in practice until his death, in 1875 ..

Harvey Shindel Robins, third son of Dr. Joseph Craven Robins, was born July 5, 1836, at Elys- burg, and obtained his schooling in that locality. For a time after he began to make his own way he was employed at fann work, was later engaged as clerk by Jonas Stine, when only a boy of four- teen, and then began farming, in 1859. Later he engaged in merchandising on his own account. He

Socially Mr. Robins holds membership in the Elks and in Elysburg Lodge. No. 414, F. & A. M., having been made a Mason in 1870. He is a Republican in political sentiment and a Presbyter- ian in religious connection.

CLAYTON S. SCOTT, managing editor of the Shamokin Dispatch, was born Dec. 1, 1858, in Wilson. Niagara Co., N. Y., ahnost within the sound of the roar of Niagara's world-famous cat- aract. Rev. Milo Scott, his father, at that time one of the prominent Methodist clergymen of western New York, came from Pennsylvania stock, being a son of Cephas and Polly ( Winslow ) Scott, of Smethport, Mckean Co., Pa. His moth- er. An Eliza Barrett, was a native of New York State but came from the stanch old New England Barrett family, which settled in Vermont, and who

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were in direct line of descent from the Barretts He was born in 1856 in Schuylkill county. Pa .. of England. Rev. Milo Scott died in 1864, when and is of Scottish descent, his grandfather, David his son was but five years of age, and his mother Muir, having lived and died in Scotland. He had three sons who came to America, William, Michael and David. a few years later located at Brockport, N. Y., where is located one of New York State's inost prominent normal schools, from which Mr. Scott was graduated in 1879, after which for several years he engaged in public school work in his native State, filling high school principalships at . Byron, Churchville and Cohoeton. While located at Colocton he was united in marriage with Etta M. Haynes, of Binghamton, N. Y., who was also a graduate of the State normal school at Brock- port and was the preceptress of the Cohocton high school, of which Mr. Scott at the same time was principal. Their marriage occurred June 24, 1884, at Binghamton.

The following year Mr. Scott embarked in news- paper work, locating at Owego, N. Y., the county seat of Tioga county, where he purchased the Tioga County Record, a well established weekly paper. A year later he sold a half interest in the business and a daily edition, called the Owego Daily Record, was started, which from the first was a marked success and so continued for twenty years under the same firm of publishers, Scott & Watros, until their sale of the business on Oct. 1, 1906. Mr. Scott remained with the new owner as managing editor of the paper until May 1, 1907, when he resigned, and after a few months' rest came to Shamokin and began his duties as man- aging editor of the Shamokin Dispatch. the oldest daily newspaper in the borough. It is issued daily except Sundays. In 1910 Mr. Scott became one of the stockholders of the Leader Publishing Com -. children are Helen, Andrew. John and Jean. (9) pany, which corporation publishes the Dispatch, Jean married Harry Minnier and their children are Allen, Russell and Grace. (10) Dal. died when two years old. and at the company's annual meeting that year he was elected its secretary.

While a resident of New York State Mr. Scott was one of its most prominent members of the Masonic fraternity, filling the Master's chair five years. For nearly twenty years he was almost con- tinuously a member of the Grand Lodge of that State, serving on the staff of eight of its Grand Masters, filling the offices of District Deputy Mas- ter, Grand Standard Bearer, and other important positions. He is also a Royal Arch Mason, with the rank of Past High Priest, and a member of Malta Commandery, No. 21, Knights Templar, of Binghamton, New York.

Michael Muir. father of Robert . Muir, was born in Scotland, and came to America in 1851 with his wife and family, which then consisted of three children. Locating at Branchdale, in Schuylkill county, Pa., he followed his trade, that of engineer. Before the Civil war, however, he moved to Mount Carmel, where he was among the early residents, and there he followed mining as well as engineer- ing. He also lived in the borough of Shamokin for a number of years. His death occurred in March, 1885, at Mount Carmel, and he is buried in the Shamokin cemetery. During the Civil war he served as a private in Company E, 48th Regi- ment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church. Michael Muir married Elizabeth Muir, daughter of Robert Muir, also of Scotland, and they had a large family, namely: (1) Elizabeth married Thomas War- drop, and their children are Thomas, Mary E., David, John, Robert, Elizabeth, Walter, Andrew, Agnes, Isabella and Jean. (?) Mary died young. (3) David married Annie Fulton, daughter of David Fulton, and they reside in Shamokin. Their children are David, Gilbert, Robert, John, Anna, Donald, Elizabeth, Marion, Laura and Mary. (+) Margaret died young. (5) Robert is mentioned later. (6) William died at Scranton, Pa. (?) Andrew is living in Colorado. (8) John, of Shamokin, married Jennie Anderson and their

Robert Muir attended school at Mount Carmel. In early boyhood he began picking slate at the breaker, and was employed about the mines for several years. In the spring of 1877 he went West, prospecting for a time in the Black Hills and in Colorado, and then proceeding to California. He remained in the West about seven years. and upon . . his return to Mount Carmel engaged in mining at the Green Ridge colliery, near the borough. He continued mining until 1891. since which year he has given much of his time to the real estate business, in which line he has interests at Mount Carmel, in Hazleton, Inzerne Co .. Pa., and at Brooklyn, N. Y. The greater part of his attention is given to a large tract of land which he owns at Hazleton. known as Hazleton Heights, the develop- ment of which property is in a most promising condition. Various local enterprises have had his influence and support. He was one of the organ- izers of the Mount Carmel Iron Works, of which

ROBERT MUIR, of Mount Carmel, is a leading business man of that place and also has important interests elsewhere. His connection with the financial affairs of the borough has extended over a long period, and he has been prominent in the establishment of a number of local institutions which have not only afforded opportunities for the profitable investment of local capital, but have he is now president : was one of the organizers of proved highly beneficial to the general welfare. the Mount Carmel Gas Works, of which he is

Robert Mil -

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now vice-president; and is a director of the Guar- substantial citizens of Rockefeller township. He antee Trust & Safe Deposit Company, of Mount died in October, 1862, at the age of seventy years, Carmel, of which he was the first secretary, Mr. five months, sixteen days, and is buried in Plun Muir has taken considerable interest in the admin- Creek at the Eden Church, of which he was a istration of borough affairs, for thirteen years foremost member, serving as elder for many years. Ile married Catharine Raker, who died Dec. 20, 1870, aged sixty-nine years, eleven months, seven Henry; William, who died aged eighteen years ; Dr. Aaron, who lived in Chester county, Pa .; served as tax collector of Mount Carmel and is now borough treasurer. His fellow citizens have the fullest confidence in his judgment and integrity, days, and to them were born children as follows : and his services have in every way justified their high opinion of him.

On April 25, 1883, Mr. Muir married Mary S. Hiram, born Nov. 27, 1832, who was a farmer Jeffrey, daugliter of Andrew Jeffrey, who eame of Rockefeller township and died Aug. 30, 1909 from Scotland. Mrs. Muir was born in California. (his wife, Mary A., born July 30, 1842, died Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Muir, namely: Helen; Elizabeth, who died at the age of seven years ; Anna; Roy, who died in in- fancy ; and Robert, Jr. Mr. Muir and his family unite with the Presbyterian Churel. He is a Re- · publiean on political questions.

SIMON P. SAVIDGE, of Sunbury, at present serving the borough as tax eollector, is one of the respected residents of his community, a faithful official and a useful citizen. He was born Nov. 22, 1847, in Lower Augusta township, this eounty, son of Henry Savidge, and is a great-grandson of George Savidge, the founder of the family in Northumberland county.

George Savidge probably came from . New Jer- sey, and settled in this county in pioneer times, living in what was then Lower Angusta (now Rockefeller) township, in the vicinity of the Plum Creek Church. He was a farmer and stonemason, and built the present stone church at Augusta- ville, receiving the sum of one hundred dollars for liis work. The excellent condition in which the walls of this church are still found is the best testimony as to the honesty and thoroughness of his work and mechanical skill. He was a Lutheran. and is probably buried at that church. He had the following children : George, grandfather of Si- mon P. Savidge: Zinn, who was drowned while building the Sunbury dam in the Susquehanna river ; Valentine. an able penman and school teach- er, who moved into Lancaster or one of the other lower counties of Pennsylvania; Joseph, who. be- came a farmer in Upper Augusta township: Sam- uel, a farmer, who lived in Upper Augusta town- ship ; Lydia, Mrs. McGee (she and her husband were Catholics and lived on the priest's farm in Chillisquaque township) : and Jolin, lived in Low- er Augusta township and was a farmer (he died upon liis farm and was buried at Eden Church). ' George Savidge, son of George, was born in Lower Augusta township, was a blacksmith by trade, and a prosperous farmer, owning a farm of almost three hundred acres, located near the Plum Creek Church. He was a leading man in his dis- triet, and managed his business affairs so well that in his time he ranked third among the most

June 30, 1875; four of their children were Irene, 1864-1887: Johnson; Minnie, 1868-1890 ; and Ol- iver. 1871-1895) ; Lafayette, a farmer of Rockefel- ler township, who lived retired some years and died April 23, 1900, aged sixty-five years, two months, ten days (his wife, Margaret, died Dee. 16, 1888, aged' fifty years, nine months, three days; they have a large monument in the Eden Church ceme- tery) ; Barbara, Mrs. Samuel L. Keeter, who died early in the sixties ; and Mary, Mrs. Reuben Sholl.

Henry Savidge, son of George and father of Si- mon P. Savidge, was born Dec. 14, 1822, on the homestead farm, and died Oct. 21. 1878. He was a potter by trade, and carried on a pottery for many years, turning out all kinds of earthenware, eolored as well as white, and earthen ornaments of various kinds. He owned a farm which he cultivated, and was an energetic and successful man, prosperous in his business and useful in all the associations of life. A prominent member of the Democratic party, he and Judge Abraham Shipman were the leading political factors of that faith in this distriet in their day, deciding its policies for many years and wielding a wide intlu- ence in this region. Mr. Savidge was also promi- nent in church work as a member of the Eden Church at Plum Creek, where he filled all the offices, serving many years in the church council. He is buried at that church. His wife, Gertrude (Heilman), born Nov. 28, 1823. died Jan. 26. 1901, was a daughter of Daniel Heilman, and they were the parents of ten children, namely : Maria married Andrew Burns and (second) Dr. David Shipe; Catharine married William Clark ; Simon P. is mentioned below : George W. died in Rush township; Isaac lived on the original Sav- idge homestead : Elizabeth married Ira Reed and they lived out West (she died 1883) : Morris A. is of Mount Carmel : Daniel H. lives at Shamokin. Pa. ; Russia married Harry Harbold, of Mount ('armel ; Wilson A. is a resident of Dorusite. Northumberland county.

Simon P. Savidge received a common school education and was reared to farming. which he fol- lowed until he went to learn the trade of stone- mason, at the age of eighteen years. He also learned stone-cutting. and with the exception of

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twelve years during which he was employed as ampton county in 1802. In early life he learned clerk in a store at Sunbury he has followed lis the stonemason's trade, and for many years held trade, in which he has made a high reputation as the office of justice of the peace in Moore township, a skillful and reliable workman. In August, 1906, Northampton county. He died in 1870. He mar- Mr. Savidge was appointed tax collector of Sun- ried Sarah Michael, of Northampton county, and they are both buried at Moorestown. Their chil- dren were: Jacob; Sarah ; John D .; Mary; Ste- phen, a soldier of the Civil war who suffered in Libby . prison and died of weakness shortly after his release: and Francis, living at Kreidersville, Pennsylvania. bury by the court, served three years under that appointment, and was then elected to the office, the present (1910) being the second year of his term. He had had considerable previous experi- ence in this line, having held that office in Rush township for two years, and served as tax collector in East Sunbury during 1893-94-95-96. . He is a member of Augustaville Lodge, I. O. O. F .. and in religious connection belongs to Zion's Lutheran Church, with which his family are also identified.

Mr. Savidge married Jane Isabella Evert, daugh- ter of Jolm C. and Sarah ( Weiser) Evert, farm- ing people, who lived near the Plum Creek Church. Mr. and Mrs. Savidge have had two children : (1) Eugene M. served eight and a half years as clerk in the register's and recorder's office at the court- house, Sunbury, and is now money order clerk in the Sunbury post office. He is a member of Mac- lay Lodge, No. 632, F. & A. M., the Conclave, and the Temple Club. He married Mary E. De- Haven. (?) Mary M. married O. N. Conrad and they reside at Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

PROF. NORMAN W. H. SCHAFER. teacher of piano, organ and theory at Shamokin, Pa., and a man well known to the musical profession as a thorough nursician and conscientious instructor, is one of Pennsylvania's own sons. He was born at Petersville Church, Petersville, Northampton Co., Pa., son of John D. Schafer, organist and teacher.

Professor Schafer is of French and German ex- traction. Valentine Schafer. his great-great- grandfather. came to America from Germany early in the eighteenth century, and settled in Lehigh county. Pa .. his home being near Macungie, along the Little Lehigh. He became a very prominent mian in his district, and in 1750 assisted in the building of the Little Lehigh church at Macungie, of which he was one of the organizers. He is

John Schafer, son of Valentine, was born in from Europe he accepted the position of director November. 1723, near Kleeknersville, and became of ninsie at Pennington Seminary, Pennington, N. a large landowner. He was quite prominent aud held the office of justice of the peace. During the war of 1812 he held a captain's commission. He died in November, 1831. His wife. Saralı Billheimer, born July 4, 1779, died in November, 1832, and both are buried at Moorestown. Their children were: Catharine, horn May 14, 1803, who died May 14, 1898; Elizabeth; Jacob; Dewalt; Peter, and Solomon.

Jacob Schafer, son of John, was born in North-

John D. Sehafer, son of Jacob, was born May 13, 1834, at Klecknersville. He taught school in early life, and served as organist at Petersville and Indianland, and Cherryville, in Northampton county. He was the organizer of the Heimback Slate Company (which is still in existence), and also of a slate mine at Walnutport, of which he was president and superintendent. He opened six quarries. He is very well informed in this work, and is now often consulted, though he has been retired from active business since 1900. He re- sides on the homestead at Danielsville, Northamp- ton county. In politics he is a Democrat, and he has served as trustee of schools in the Walnut- port and Danielsville distriets. He is'a member of the Reformed Church. Mr. Sehafer married Mary L. Henry, who was born Jan. 5, 1839, daugh- ter of David Henry: her mother's maiden name was Brown. Mrs. Schafer died Jan. 2, 1896, and is buried at Slatington. Mr. and Mrs. Schafer had children as follows: Norman W. H. : Laura J .. deceased wife of Nathan Haas: Augusta L .. who married Frank Fenner : Charles Osborne. who died in infancy; and David H., a merchant at Danielsville, Pennsylvania.

Prof. Norman W. II. Schafer was reared in an atmosphere of music, his first teacher having been his father. Later he studied with the Rev. Dr. Ohl and Professor Benkhardt, an old Leipsic grad- uate. In 1877 he went abroad, and entered the Roval Conservatory at Stuttgart, Germany, where under Professors Schuler, Krueger and Speidel he studied the piano: under Professor Fink, the or- gan : and under Professor Severlen, theory. He buried there. He married Margaret De Schotte, also for several years studied harinony, counter- who came from Franec. They had nine children, point, fugue, canon and composition under Dr. S. among whom were George, Peter and John.

N. Penfield, of New York City. After his return

J., where he remained four years. He then ac- cepted a similar position at the Danville (Va.) College for Young Ladies, also acting as organist for the Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church of that town. At the end of six years he was obliged to resign on account of ill health and re- turn North. He came to Shamokin in 1823. and since 1895 has been organist of Trinity Lutheran Church, besides coudneting a large private class. He has given a large number of high-elass organ

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recitals, and was the organizer of the Shamokin vania Cavalry. He was captured at the battle of Choral Society, which under his direction has giv- the Wilderness and was held at all the noted Rebel prisons. When he went into the service lie weighed

en a number of oratorios. As the former presi- dent of Danville (Va.) College, Prof. R. H. Sharp, over two hundred pounds, but his weight when M. A., wrote of him : "Scrupulously conscientious, discharged was only seventy-one pounds. His sis- ter Leah's husband. Nelson Day, was a soldier of the Mexican war, in which service he died. he will work beyond his strength rather than neg- lect any known duty. With such a spirit to ani- mate him, it is not surprising that he achieved a sueeess with us beyond anything known before in our musie department." Professor Schafer has also made his mark as a composer.

Jacob Sipe, son of Martin, was born in 1819 in Adam's county, Pa., and lived near York Springs. He was a laborer, and owned a small home in Latimore township. During the Civil In 1881 . Professor Schafer married Emma C. Gable, daughter of Capt. William Gable, and the following children have been born to them : Myr- tle, who married William Albert Moore, in busi- ness in Philadelphia : Norman W. H., Jr., a grad- uate of Shamokin high school, 1903, Lehigh Uni- versity, 1907, now a civil engineer stationed at Reading, Pa., as supervisor of the W. & N. branch of the Reading railroad (he is a member of the University fraternity) ; Clara, who died in infan- cy; Pauline : Carolyn G., and John R. Prof. Schafer was made a Mason in Cyrus Lodge, No. 148, at Pennington. N. J., and transferred his membership to Roman Eagle Lodge, No. 121, at Danville, Va. He belongs to the Temple Club at war he was drafted for the Union service, but he said he would never go to the front as a drafted man and accordingly enlisted. He was drafted one Thursday, and was to report at Gettysburg the following Monday. On Sunday night he bade his family good-bye and walked to Harrisburg, where he enlisted in Company B, 13th Pennsyl- vania Cavalry, asking to be credited to his native township as a volunteer. He had been in the serv -- ice only three weeks when captured at Sulphur Springs, Va., and thrown into Libby Prison, where he died in 1864, after fourteen months' eonfine- inent. He is buried among the other unfortunate soldiers who perished there. His wife, Ruth, was a daughter of Nelson Day, a native of Laneaster Shamokin. He is a man of strong personality, county, Pa., who lived to be ninety-six years old. enthusiastic in his profession, and thorough in all By her first marriage Mrs. Sipe had a son, Wil- that he undertakes. Thomas Hanlon, D. D., LL. liam Ickes, who served in the Civil war as a mem- D., president of Pennington Seminary, said of him : "He is very competent, very trustworthy, faithful, a Christian gentleman," and it is safe to say that such high praise is fully approved by those who have long known him in Shamokin.

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ber of the 96th Pennsylvania Volunteers. To Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Sipe were born children as fol- lows: Jacob H., who served during the Civil war in Company I, 165th Pennsylvania Regiment (he was corporal) : John A .; Jennie, who married Monroe Chronster and lived at Hampton, Adams county (he was a veteran of the 93d Pennsylvania Volunteers) ; Adaline, who married Hiram Jacobs and lives at York Springs (he was a soldier in the Civil war, serving with the 90th Pennsylvania Regiment) : Annie, who married Emmerson Fickel and lived at Lattimer, Pa. (he is now deceased) : and three who died in infancy. Mrs. Ruth ( Day) Sipe died in 1881, aged fifty-cight years, six months, four days.

JOHN A. SIPE, of Herndon, is a resident and i business man of long standing there, being the. senior member of the firm of Sipe & Son, tailors, who have the only tailoring establishment in the borough and do an extensive business, having a large patronage in the territory from Sunbury to Millersburg. He is a veteran of the Civil war, in which his father also served, dying of starva- tion in Libby Prison in 1864. Mr. Sipe is a native of York Springs, Adams Co., Pa., born John A. Sipe was reared to farm life in the vicinity of York Springs, working thus until he was thirteen years old, when he began to learn the tailor's trade. He served his apprenticeship in the old-fashioned way, doing anything around his employer's house that was to be done. for the first six months of his term, cutting wood, looking after the children, or attending to any other work given to him. Then another new apprentice came, and he commenced work at the bench, after his three ons places in this State, Pittsburg, Altoona, Hol- lidaysburg, Newport, Harrisburg. Baltimore, Car- lisle, Shippensburg, and Church (Cumberland May 5, 1847. The family is of German extraetion, his grandfather, Martin Sipe, having been born in Germany, whence he came to America before his marriage, locating at Clear Springs, in Adams county. Pa. He was a laborer and owned a small home in a glen. His wife, Sarah, was front White Hill. Cumberland Co .. Pa., and lived to the age of eighty-six years. She was the mother of twenty children, Martin Sipe being her second husband. Her children by him were: Jacob, Peter, Sallie, years of service doing journeyman work at vari- LeahyJeremiah, Hettie, Maria, William and Lena. Jeremiah, now (1910) seventy-six years old; lives at Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Co., Pa. He served in the Civil war under two enlistments, in the county), where he remained seventeen months 43d Pennsylvania Infantry and the 17th Pennsyl- with a German named Cooney Draker. From

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there he came to Georgetown ( Dalmatia), North- A. Glace, who is a weaver in the silk mills at numberland county, and thenee after a seven Sunbury, where they reside, and they have one child, Geraldine. months' stay to Herndon, which has since been his home. He arrived in Northumberland county on Whitsunday, 1867. and he was one of the earliest settlers at Herndon. which was then all wood- land. He is one of the four oldest residents of

During the Civil war, though only a boy, Mr. Sipe was very patriotie, and he ran away from home to Chambersburg three times trying to eu- list, when only sixteen. He was refused because the town. Mr. Sipe has seen many changes in he was under size and too light, but later, when domestie as well as eivil life in his day. When troops were needed and the conditions were not so rigid, he managed to get into the service, join- ing Company I, 205th Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry, Aug. 2, 1864, at Harrisburg, where Camp Curtin was established. He was discharged June ^, 1865, after the close of the war. Mr. Sipe saw considerable active service, participating in the op- and was with his regiment when it led the charge of he learned his trade the sewing machine was un- known, and he purchased the first sewing machine brought to Herndon. His business underwent the various changes of custom work and merchant tail- oring, and he has always kept abreast of the times in his line, being a first-class tradesman. In 1902 he admitted his son Harry to a partnership in the erations at Fort Steadman, Va., March 25, 1865; business, and Sipe & Son enjoy the best trade between Sunbury and Millersburg. They are the the 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 9th Army Corps, on only tailors at Herndon. By industry and good Fort Mahone, April ?, 1865, in front of Peters- management of his affairs, honorable dealing and burg. On Dec. 10, 1864, the 3d Division of the intelligent use of his opportunities, Mr. Sipe has 9th Corps made a raid, ealled the Weldon raid, become a substantial man, and his prosperity has on Hatcher's Run, having several skirmishes with been wholly the result of his own efforts. He the enemy. He served under Capt. J. C. Maehan, of Hollidaysburg, Pa., and Lieutenant Colonel Walters, of Lancaster county. He is a member of John J. Arnold Post, No. 407, G. A. R., and of the Sons of Veterans at Herndon ( Sickles Camp, No. 57), and he is also associated fraternally with Lodge No. 551, I. O. O. F.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 29

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co. Number of Pages: 1024

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1024