Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 48

Author: Hayden, Horace Edwin, 1837-1917; Hand, Alfred, 1835-; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1026

USA > Pennsylvania > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 48
USA > Wyoming > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 48

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Phillip Rinsland 7

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England, and of the seven children born to them three are now living : Emma J., Ehrick W., and another daughter who is the wife of J. R. John- son, of Old Forge.

PHILLIP RINSLAND, city assessor of Scranton, and largely identified with real estate interests as well as manufacturing and other cor- porate enterprises, is a conspicuous example of a noble character selfmade and an honorable and useful career selfwrought. No man among the younger generation of the residents of Scranton has done more for the upbuilding of Scranton and its general growth and development than Mr. Rinsland, who has proved a valuable acquisition to the citizenship of this locality. He was born at Calicoon, Sullivan county, New York, Jan- uary 20, 1873, a son of John and Victoria (Eng- lish) Rinsland, and a descendant of an honorable German ancestry.

John Rinsland (father) was a native of Op- penheim, Germany, from whence he came to the United States, locating in the city of New York. He was a tanner by trade and this business he followed for a number of years in New York, later at Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, where he resided up to his death, 1883, which was the re- sult of an accident, he having been run over by a train at Carbondale while in the employ of the Delaware & Hudson Railroad. He was then fif- ty-two years of age. Politically he was a Repub- lican, and fraternally a member of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Rinsland mar- ried Victoria English, born January 13, 1843, who bore him the following children: Lewis, Henry, Josephine, Phillip, and Christine Rins- land.

Victoria (English) Rinsland was a daughter of John English, of German birth, who came to New York, was a tobacco manufacturer at 62 Bleecker street, New York city, and finally dis- posed of his business to the Lorillard Tobacco Company. He then removed to Liberty, Sulli- van county, New York, and there resided up to the time of his demise, September 14, 1852. At the time of his removal from the city of New York there was a small balance to his account in the Bleecker Street Bank which was over- ·looked by him. This account was advertised reg- ularly by the bank for fifty-two years in the effort to find the rightful heirs, but it was not until 1904 that the fact was discovered by the heirs, the proper title proven, and the account settled. John English married (first) Barbara Speizer, October 16, 1833, and their children were : Mary,

born June 19, 1835: John, born September 9, 1837: Elizabeth, born July 30, 1840; Victoria, born January 13, 1843, aforementioned as the wife of John Rinsland. Mrs. English died July 15, 1846. Mr. English had two children by his sec- ond marriage: Josephine, born November 19, 1848, and Louis, born September 10, 1851.

Phillip 'Rinsland pursued his studies in the public schools of Scranton, and after his gradu- ation therefrom learned the trade of barber in. the shop of John Wahl. After attaining profi- ciency in this particular branch of trade, he es- tablished a shop of his own and for several years enjoyed the largest trade in the city, winning the confidence of his customers and patrons by his industry, energy and willingness to work and please. He is now ( 1905) a member of the firni of Rinsland & Jones, who are interested in the development of the Rinsland & Jones addition in Hyde Park to the city of Scranton, one of the most desirable suburban districts for residential purposes in this locaity. Mr. Rinsland is a close student of real estate values all over the city, and consequently his judgment is rarely in error. He purchased the old Nettleton property at 920. Green Ridge street, and made it an ideal home for several fraternal organizations of the Green Ridge section. The building is three stories in height, has modern fire escapes and sanitary ad- juncts, and is known as "Rinsland's Hall." The third floor has been transformed into one of the best equipped fraternal society halls in this part of the state, having windows on front, rear and sides, and it is now the home of the Green Ridge societies of the Royal Arcanum, the Junior Me- chanics of America, the Knights of Malta and the Ladies' Branch of Modern Woodmen.

The esteem in which Mr. Rinsland is held by his fellow townsmen is evidenced by the fact that he was chosen as a candidate for the very respon- sible position of assessor against a field of seven- teen candidates and duly elected. He was re- elected in 1902, which is an eloquent testimonial to his sterling integrity, and during his incum- bency of office has proven himself an able, con- scientious, industrious and courteous official. He is president of the Moscow Sand & Gravel Com- pany, a director of the Clark Summit Land Com- pany, a member of the Mogaone Investment Company, owning gold and silver interests in New Mexico, also interested in the "Edward F." gold mine in Montana, and was one of the promi- nent factors in the organization of the Youngs- town Hard Wall Cement Company, which prom- ises to be an important industry for Scranton, and

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whose extensive plant is now ( 1905) being erected. For a period of five years Mr. Rinsland was a member of Company B, Thirteenth Regi- ment. He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Scranton, and a Republican in politics, exercising a potent influence in behalf of the party whose principles lie advocates. He be- longs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Woodmen of America, and Modern Pro- tective Society, Order of the Unity. He pos- sesses good personal qualities, and enjoys the friendship of the best people of the city of Scranton.

WILLIAM McCLAVE, senior member of the firm of McClave-Brooks Company, of Scran- ton, is not only known as one of the principal manufacturers of that city, but is also recognized in the mechanical world as an inventor of real . genius, the patents issued in his name from the United States and foreign offices now numbering upwards of fifty, all covering devices of approved practicability and worth.

Mr. McClave is a native of Scotland, born February 7, 1844, and was but two years old when he was brought to this country, and his first four years here were passed in Boonton, New Jersey. In 1850, when he was six years old, he ·came to Scranton, where he received his education in the public schools. At the age of fourteen he entered the service of the firm of W. G. Doud & Company, at Hyde Park, in order to learn the tinsmith's trade, and was thus engaged when the Civil war broke out. His loyalty to his adopted country moved him to enlist in defense of the Union, under President Lincoln's first call for - troops, as a member of Company K, Fifteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. In 1862 he re-enlisted, this time in Company K, Fifty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, being chosen to the grade of first (orderly) sergeant. H served efficiently under General McClellan in the Peninsular campaign, but the excessive duties and continual exposures incident to those opera- tions, in a region of swamp, and during the rainy season of the year, so impaired his health as to bring upon him a severe attack of typhoid fever, and he was honorably discharged upon surgeon's certificate of disability. Returning home, he was long invalided. but by careful nursing finally re- covered his health and returned to his trade. He worked for several years as a journeyman, and subsequently opened a business of his own in Pittston, carrying a full line of stoves and hard- ware, and it was this venture which afforded him

a substantial foundation for his subsequent suc- cess. In the autumn of 1877 he invented a stove- grate, known as the Dockash grate, which was placed in the stoves manufactured by the Scran- ton Stove Works, and proved of such practical value as to at once attract the favorable attention of dealers. As a result, Mr. McClave disposed of his store, and for three years traveled in the in- terest of the manufacturers of the stoves fitted with his device, and made a large market for their product. His discontinuance of travel followed the sale of his patent to Colonel J. A. Price, of the Scranton Stove Works, and he gave his at- tention to the invention of means for more effect- ually consuming the waste products of the an- thracite coal fields, culm and buckwheat as they were known. Various attempts had already been made in this direction, but with only partial suc- cess. Undeterred by the disappointments of his predecessors in the attempt, Mr. McClave per- sisted in his experiments, and finally perfected the excellent device known as the McClave grate and argand steam blower. His success abundantly demonstrated, he associated with himself Reese G. Brooks, and for a number of years they had the grates and blowers manufactured in the ma- chine shops of I. A. Finch & Company. There was a large field for it, and their trade increased to such an extent that it was found advisable to carry on the work of manufacturing upon a larger scale, and to this end was organized the firm of McClave, Brooks & Company, which rented the old foundry of the Scranton Stove Works, in West Lackawanna avenue. Subse- quently the firm purchased a site on Seventh street, near the Delaware, Lackawanna & West- ern railroad bridge, with a six-story building upon it, and a commodious foundry and suitable office buildings were erected, affording ample ac- commodations for that time. In 1902 the partner- ship firm of McClave, Brooks & Company was in- corporated as the McClave-Brooks Company, and a site was purchased comprising about thirteen acres on Diamond Flats. Upon this was at once commenced the erection of an immense modern plant, which now covers nearly eight acres of the area, increasing the capacity of the works five- fold. These additional facilities permit, in addi- tion to the work previously carried on, of the manufacture of mechanical stokers, and other devices in the same line, and of employing four hundred men when running to full capacity. The McClave appliances have from that time to the present been in general use, and well-nigh with- out a rival. They are adapted to every descrip-

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tion of fuel, and can be placed under boilers and in furnaces of nearly every description. Their trade extends throughout the United States, maintaining branch offices in nearly all the prin- cipal cities.

Mr. McClave is recognized as one of the sub- stantial citizens of Scranton, and is an active member of the Board of Trade, and of the Engi- neers' Club. He is an earnest member of the Penn Avenue Baptist Church, in which he serves as a trustee. His political affiliations are with the Republican party. He is an active member of Lieutenant Ezra S. Griffin Post, No. 139, Grand Army of the Republic; president of the Ffty-second Regiment Association of Pennsyl- vania Volunteers; and is a member of Peter Wil- liamson Lodge, No. 325, Free and Accepted Ma- sons. He is a man of broad intelligence, and has added much to his generous fund of information through discerning observation in much travel, which has extended to the far west and south.

Mr. McClave was married April 11, 1864, to Miss Mary Rowland, who was born in Wales. To them was born one child, a son, William R. McClave, who was formerly connected with the Scranton Steel Works in the capacity of assist- ant paymaster, and is now associated with his father in business, being manager and treasurer of McClave-Brooks Company. He was married to Miss Margaret Brooks, daughter of Reese G. and Mary H. ( Morgan) Brooks. To them were born three children: Robert Brooks, Mary Brooks and Arthur Brooks McClave.

WILLIAM MACDONALD. One of the lead- ing florists of the county is William MacDonald, of Moosic. Mr. MacDonald is the son of Allen P. MacDonald, who was born in Scotland, and in 1848 emigrated to the United States. He settled in Schuylkill county, near Pottsville. His occu- pation was that of a stationary engineer, a call- ing which he followed all his life. He married Jessie Engleton, also a native of Scotland, and they were the parents of the following children : John H., William, mentioned at length herein- after ; Margaret, who married Oscar E. Johnson ; Allen ; and another daughter, who is the wife of A. J. Wisley, a Presbyterian minister. The death of Mr. MacDonald, the father of the family, oc- curred in 1901. He was in all respects an upright and worthy man.

William MacDonald, son of Allen P. and Jes- sie (Engleton) MacDonald, was born in 1862, in Schuylkill county, and received his education in the schools of Luzerne county, whither his par-

ents moved in 1872. He passed through the vari- ous stages of coal production until he reached the position of contract miner, which he filled suc- cessfully until 1892, when he turned his attention to the business of a florist. He began with but fifty square feet of glass, his facilities in all re- spects being very meagre. His success may be estimated, at least in part, by the fact that he now has twenty thousand square feet of glass and that his establishment is supplied with all the modern improvements. His specialty is the cul- tivation of geraniums for spring trade. He owns three acres of land on which he has erected a com- fortable and attractive residence. He is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., the Royal Arcanum and the Ridgley Protective Association. Politically he is a Republican. He and his family are mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. MacDon- ald married, in 1885, Mary, daughter of John Nicol, of Pittston, and they are the parents of four children: Jessie, Ray and Archie (twins), and Anna.

JOHN SURBER. One of the most re- spected residents of Old Forge is John Surber, who has been identified with the interests of that community for many years. Mr. Surber is a native of Switzerland, where he was born in 1844, and where he received a common school edu- cation.

In 1863 he emigrated to the United States and settled in Ransom, Lackawanna county. There he purchased a farm of seventy-five acres, which he cultivated successfully for fifteen years. During this time, in connection with his agricult- utral labors, he engaged in various other pursuits. In 1882 he purchased the Ransom Valley Hotel, which he fitted up in modern style and of which he became the proprietor, and after conducting it successfully for five years sold it at a profit. His prosperity while in Ransom appeared in the fact that he there erected two houses. In 1887 he moved to Old Forge, where he became the pos- sessor of the old Babylon Hotel, one of the prin- cipal stopping places between Pittston and Tay- lor. The hotel is one of the oldest in the valley, having been built in 1788. During the proprie- torship of Mr. Surber it was acknowledged to be one of the best regulated hotels in the borough of Old Forge. In 1904 he sold the property, and is now living retired from active business. Mr. Surber's undaunted spirit in the face of difficulties was shown when in 1897 his hotel was destroyed by fire, but in a short time, owing chiefly to his exertions, it was rebuilt in modern style. Since

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he became a resident of Old Forge Mr. Surber has erected twelve tenement houses, which have proved an extremely profitable investment. His fellow citizens have done him the honor of elect- ing him to the office of borough treasurer. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., affiliating with Pitts- ton Lodge. During his residence in the United States Mr. Surber has made no fewer than four trips to his native country. While he is a good and loyal American citizen he yet cherishes for the land of his birth a love which is commend- able in the highest degree, and in which respect it is to be wished that all other foreign-born citi- zens would follow his example. While he loves America more he loves his native mountains none the less. Mr. Surber married, in 1877, Sal- lie Hazzard. They are without children. Mrs. Surber belongs to a family of Spanish origin. Joseph Hazzard, a full-blooded Spaniard, was a soldier in the Revolutionary army. He married Comfort Pritchard, and their son, also named Joseph, was born in Pittston. He married Polly Schneider, a native of Easton, and their children were five in number. Of these three are now liv- ing, one of them being Sallie, who became the wife of John Surber, as mentioned above. One of those who are now deceased was Christopher. who inherited the martial spirit of his grand- father, enlisted in the Union army at the time of the Civil war, and laid down his life on the bat- tlefield.

EDWARD J. LYNETT, who has made for himself a brilliant career in the field of journalism as editor, publisher and proprietor of The Scran- ton Times, one of the most influential newspapers of the Wyoming Valley, is of Irish lineage and American birth. His paternal grandfather, Ed- ward Lynett, was a native of county Sligo, Ire- land, where he passed his life, following the oc- cupation of a farmer.

William Lynett, father of Edward J. Lynett, was also born in county Sligo, in 1820. He emi- grated to the United States in 1836, at the age of sixteen years, his mother having preceded him some few years. For a time he resided in New York, whence he removed to the Dunmore set- tlement, near Scranton, where he lived for more than fifty years ending with his death. He was a mining contractor by occupation, and was known as a most faithful and capable man in that line. With a good practical education and excellent business ability, he made himself felt in the com- munity, and was called to various important pub- lic positions, among them those of school director,

treasurer of the borough and treasurer of the school district. In politics he was a Democrat, and exercised a potent influence in the borough and neighborhood in the maintenance of the princi- ples of his party and in behalf of its candidates. He married Catherine Dowd, and to them were born the following children: 1. Ann, of Scran- ton, married Thomas F. Cawley, of Dunmore. 2. Margaret, who died in infancy. 3. Mary, who married D. T. Boland, of Scranton, and died. 4. Edward J. 5. Catherine, who became the wife of Thomas N. Cullen, of Scranton. 6. Margaret, unmarried. 7. Ellen, died in 1889, single, and who was a teacher in the Scranton public schools. 8. William, who died in child- hood. The father of this family died in 1891, at the age of seventy-one years, the mother sur- viving him and dying November 20, 1896, at the age of seventy years.

Edward J. Lynett, fourth child of William and Catherine (Dowd) Lynett, was born July 15. 1857, in Dunmore, Lackawanna county, Pennsylvania. He was educated in the borough schools and the Millersville State Normal School. He came from the last named institution amply equipped for a business career, and became dep- uty clerk of the mayor's court for the city of Scranton, a position which he occupied most ca- pably for a period of three years. He subsequent- ly studied law under the preceptorship of D. W. and J. F. Connolly, at Scranton, for one year- His predilection was, however, for journalistic work, and he entered upon an engagement with the Scranton Free Press, a Sunday paper pub- lished in Scranton. He developed marked apti- tude for his new calling, and soon became man- ager and editor of the paper, and remained with it in that twofold capacity until October 10, 1895. At that time he purchased the Scranton Times, of which he has since continuously been the owner and responsible editor. The history of this jour- nal is an interesting narrative of itself. It was established January 1, 1869, by J. H. Burtch, a practical printer, but was soon transferred to Hon. John Handley, Joseph H. Campbell and Hon. Peter Walsh. The late Hon. W. H. Stan- ton became editor, but was soon succeeded by Mr. Aaron A. Chase, who subsequently became sole owner and active publisher and editor, and the paper remained under this proprietorship until the early eighties, when it passed into the control of Patrick A. Barrett, who two years afterward sold it to the Scranton Publishing Company, of. which Dr. William Haggerty, P. H. Coyne, T. C. Snover, and D. J. Campbell were

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the principal stockholders. Some time in the late eighties Charles Robinson acquired a controlling interest, but after one and a half years he trans- ferred his interest to Daniel J. Campbell, who conducted the paper until 1894, when he leased the plant and good will to William J. Bell and Samuel Hudson. Mr. Bell soon retired, and his interest was taken by Charles J. Watkins, the property during this time belonging to Mr. Campbell. In October, 1895, Mr. Lynett bought the property, plant and paper of Mr. Campbell.

On becoming owner of the Times, Mr. Lynett devoted all his energies to the development of the business, and steadily advanced the character, cir- culation and prestige of the paper. He prospered to such a degree that five years later, in 1901, he erected the present Times building, the first which it was privileged to occupy as a home of its own. When Mr. Lynett purchased the paper nine years ago, it had a circulation of only three thousand copies-the smallest circulation of any newspaper in the city. It now enjoys a circulation of about twenty-five thousand, more than all the other three city dailies combined, truly a very remarka- ble record for so short a time. This great success, entirely his own achievement, while it speaks well for the literary quality of his journal, more strongly testifies to Mr. Lynett's integrity of pur- pose and business ability. Honest, fearless, ag- gressive when need be, he has at all times chan- pioned the interests of the people at large, de- fending them in their rights, and earnestly con- tending for the remedying of their wrongs. His public spirit has been reflected in his columns in the initiation and furtherance of various salu- tary measures and enterprises, and he has unsel- fishly seconded every laudable effort to similar ends, no matter by whom conceived or urged. While the material rewards of his labors have not been meagre, with the true spirit of the conscien- tious journalist he takes pride in his reputation as the maker of a clean, honest and well appre- ciated newspaper, the most popular and most lib- erally supported in the city. His establishment provides for a large jobbing trade, well provided for by a completely equipped plant which was in- stalled in 1891. The business conducted by Mr. Lynett has reached such dimensions that he is now laying plans for greater mechanical facilities. and a new building. The Times is Democratic in politics.

While his newspaper is his first care, Mr. Lynett has other important interests which claim his attention. He is a director in the Dime De-

posit and Discount Bank, of which he is also sec- retary; a director and the secretary of the Para- gon Plaster Company; and a director of the Schuylkill Coal Royalty Company. He was for three years ( 1878-81) auditor for Lackawanna county ; for thirteen years secretary of the Scran- ton poor district ; for three years a member of the school board of the borough of Dunmore; for two years the burgess ; and was for several years a director of the Associated Charities of Scran- ton. He is a communicant of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, and was a delegate to the Na- tional Catholic Congress held in Chicago in 1893. He is a member of the Scranton Press Club and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Kansas City in 1900, and to va- rious state Democratic conventions.

Mr. Lynett married, September 30, 1896, Miss Nellie A. Ruddy, a daughter of Thomas Ruddy, a merchant of Scranton. Of this marriage were born two children-William and Elizabeth.

JOHN GUY, deceased, was held in honor through a long and active life for those traits of character which mark the model man and the be- loved neighbor. Modest and unassuming, he was entirely unconscious of the salutary influence which he exerted in the community, having no thought of being regarded as an exemplar, but only of so acting his part in life as to merit the approval of his own conscience. He came of an excellent English family, of which he was the only member to emigrate to the United States. It was understood that he was one of the heirs to a valuable estate in England, descended from his ancestors, and it had been his purpose to re- visit his native land to again join hands with his kinsmen, and to ascertain the truth with refer- ence to the inheritance, but he was not destined to carry out his wishes.

He was born in Lincolnshire, England, April 4, 1829, son of William Guy. He was self-edu- cated through experiences of life. He was reared as a farmer, and labored at home until he came of age, when, with a bride, he came to the United States, locating in Wayne county, Pennsylvania. There, through his industry and economy, he ac- quired a productive farm property, which he cul- tivated with marked success for a period of twen- ty-six years. In 1876 he removed to the city of Scranton, where he followed teaming until about five years before his death, when, having arrived at the age of sixty-five years, he retired from ac-

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Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 48

Author: Hayden, Horace Edwin, 1837-1917; Hand, Alfred, 1835-; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921; Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1906 Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1026

Author: Hayden, Horace Edwin, 1837-1917; Hand, Alfred, 1835-; Jordan, John W. (John Woolf), 1840-1921; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1026