USA > Pennsylvania > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 53
USA > Wyoming > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 53
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Dan. Powell, son of John and Elizabeth. (Williams) Powell, was born January 10, 1853, in Blaina, Monmouthshire, South Wales, and re- ceived his education in the common schools. At. the age of twelve years he was apprenticed to the grocery business with William Michael, Garn Fach, Nantyglo. In 1867 he accompanied his. mother and his brothers and sisters mentioned above to the United States, landing in New York on July 30. After his arrival in his new home. he attended school for two years, making rapid progress in his studies. At the end of that time he was for a short period employed by the Penn- sylvania Coal Company, and then became a clerk in the store of Bryden & Company, merchants, at Dunmore. In 1872 he accepted a similar po- sition with Johnson, Baxter & Company, gen- eral merchants of Dunmore. This firm subse- quently changed to Baxter & Company, but Mr. Powell still retained his position as clerk, and at a later period, on the retirement of Mr. Bax- ter, became a member of the firm, which was. known thenceforth as Allen & Powell. This connection was continued for three years with successful results, and in 1880 Mr. Powell pur- chased the establishment of McMillen & Com- pany, which he conducted for three years more,. after which he became general manager for O. S. Johnson, one of the most highly respected coal operators in the Lackawanna valley. This position Mr. Powell still retains, possessing the. fullest confidence and esteem of his employer. He is also manager of the Bernice Stove Com- pany at Bernice, Sullivan county, Pennsylvania. He was formerly president of the Cambria Silk Company of Dunmore, which he named in mem- ory of his native land. Through the efforts of Mr. Powell and E. D. Jenkins the mills gave their first turn on St. David's Day, 1900. He- was one of the organizers and has ever since been
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a director of the Fidelity Deposit and Discount Bank of Dunmore.
Mr. Powell is a stanch Republican and though far from being a politician, is an active worker in the ranks of his chosen party. He served re- peatedly as delegate to county conventions, and in 1897 was signally honored by his fellow-citi- zens in being chosen to fill the office of chief burgess of Dunmore. His election, however, was contested, and the opposite party held sway for ten months, during which time there was a hot litigation. On July 5, 1898, the case was de- cided in favor of the Republican nominees and Mr. Powell and his colleagues were sworn into office. In the sphere of politics Mr. Powell gives evidence that he is animated by the same strong judgment and high principle which have ever been the controlling forces in his career as a business man. He is a charter member of King Solomon Lodge, F. and A. M., and since 1874 has belonged to Dunmore Lodge, No. 816, I. O. O. F. He has twice represented that or- der in the grand lodge of Pennsylvania. At the time the organization erected its new building he was a member of the building committee, and for many years has served as trustee. Since 1870 he has been a member of the Dunmore Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been a trustee for more than twenty years and is now president of the board. For twenty years he was superintendent of the Sunday school, which during that time increased both in num- bers and in spiritual strength.
Mr. Powell married, December 24, 1874, in Newton, New Jersey, Sarah E., daughter of Jackson Space, a wealthy farmer of that town and a member of an old and highly respected family. Mr. and Mrs. Powell are the parents of the following children: Grace E., who is the wife of Alexander R. Mackay ; Annie B., Elsie C., Bessie M. and Helen L.
HENRY W. MACKENDER. A list of the progressive business men of Lackawanna county would be incomplete without the name of Henry WV. Mackender, of Old Forge. Mr. Mackender is the son of Henry and Sarah ( Wright) Mack- ender, both natives of England. The former was a farmer and a man of most estimable char- acter. He and his wife were the parents of thirteen children, of whom the following grew to maturity: George, who emigrated to the United States ; Henry W., mentioned at length hereinafter ; Smith, Francis, Mary, Keziah, Eliza and Emma.
Henry W. Mackender, son of Henry and Sa- rah (Wright) Mackender, was born February 4, 1858, in England, and was educated in his native land. In 1885 he emigrated to the United States and settled at Old Forge, where he en- tered the service of the Jermyn Coal Company as a miner. This was no new occupation for him in view of the fact that he had been a miner in his native country. He remained for nine years in the service of the Jermyn Company, and during that time met with two accidents, both of which were serious. On one occasion his leg was injured by the falling of the roof and an- other time it was broken by the same incans. Resolving to be warned in time, he abandoned mining in 1894 and engaged in the produce busi- ness, to which he has since continuously devoted himself. In 1891 he built his present commo- dious and comfortable residence. He is a mem- ber of the Knights of the Golden Eagle. Polit- ically he is an Independent. He is a man of lib- eral sentiments in matters of religion.
Mr. Mackender married, August 3, 1882, Mary E. Garbutt, also a native of England, and eleven children were born to them, eight of whom are living : Harry, born May 9, 1885 ; James, born June 16, 1887; Eleanor, born July I, 1889; John W., born November 15, 1891; Frederick, born February 9, 1894; Frank, born March 2, 1896; Hazel, born March 14, 1898: Marvin, born January 22, 1900, and Frank (2), born March 2, 1901. Mrs. Mack- ender, the mother of these children, was born October 6, 1864.
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JOHN PRESSMANN. As a result of a prof- itable and active life, John Pressman is now en- joying the fruits of his labor in independence and affluence in his peaceful and comfortable home in Dickson City, Lackawanna county, Penn- sylvania, where he spent many years in active buisness pursuits. He was born near Zwei- brucken, Germany, August 25, 1834.
His parents were John and Emmaline (Bin- gard) Pressmann, natives of Bavaria, Germany. the former named having been a prosperous lum- ber dealer. Their family consisted of seven chil- dren, six sons and one daughter. John was the only one that emigrated to this country. His sister Lizzie is the only one residing in their na- tive land, which was visited by John Pressmann in 1892.
John Pressmann was left an orphan at the age of nine years. He acquired his education in the schools of Germany, and in 1854, having
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attained the age of twenty years, emigrated to the United States and located in Dutchess county, New York, making his home with the celebrated Livingstone and De Puyster families for sev- eral years. He followed various pursuits up to 1876, in which year he migrated to the Lack- awanna valley, locating at Priceburg (Dickson City). He spent four years in the employ of William H. Richmond as gardener, and at the expiration of this period of time purchased the old Ely estate, consisting of the Boulevard Ho- tel and other property, and began business on his own account. This hotel became known as the Overland Hotel under his proprietorship, and for twenty-two years Mr. Pressmann was the well known and popular proprietor, care- fully catering to the wants and necessities of the traveling public. He was the oldest established man in that line of business between Carbondale and Scranton. During these years he kept con- stantly adding to his real estate, the value of which was enhanced as the population increased, and the proceeds from this added to the income he derived from his hotel enabled him to ac- cumulate a competence which he is now enjoy- ing. His political affiliations are with the Re- publican party, whose principles he admires and upholds.
Mr. Pressman was twice married. His first wife, whose maiden name was Katie Burns, daughter of Patrick Burns, Dutchess county, New York, whom he married in 1864, bore him five children, all of whom died in early child- hood. Among these children was Clermont, who died at the age of seven years. Her death oc- curred February 11, 1874. In March, 1875. Mr. Pressmann married Mrs. Margaret Fortune, of West Chester, New York, and the issue of this union was three sons: Clermont, a resident of Priceburg, who was married in 1904 to Miss Nan Fallen, of Olyphant, Pennsylvania, and they are the parents of one child ; John, who resides with his father and assists in the management of his estate; Joseph, died 1878, aged sixteen months.
THEODORE H. WEILAND. There is no more lasting or permanent monument which man can crect to the memory of his fellow-men than the plain, simple and ungarnished truths evolving from a life of simplicity and usefulness. In recording the events in the life of Theodore H. Weiland, who is serving in the capacity of tax collector in the borough of Dickson City,
Pennsylvania, the purpose is to show to coming generations what a man may accomplish even while stemming the current of opposing circum- stances. He is one of the self-made men of the borough, and by his integrity and geniality has ingratiated himself into the good will of its citi- zens. He is a native of the borough in which he resides, born June 28, 1869, a son of George and Margaret Weiland, natives of Germany, who emigrated to this country at an early day, locat- ing in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, where they re- mained for several years, subsequently changing their place of residence to Dickson City, same state. Their family consisted of six children, five of whom are living, all residents of Dick- son City. The death of George Weiland oc- curred in May, 1884; his wife died in February, 1903.
Theodore H. Weiland attended the public schools of his native borough, but very early in life he saw the necessity of becoming a bread- winner and bearing his share of the home bur- dens. Unlike many other boys of his native town. he realized that if he would achieve suc- cess in any calling or profession a liberal edu- cation was requisite. He therefore applied him- self to those studies which would best equip him for general business, this knowledge having been acquired at the night school after the labor and toil of the day had ceased. His first experience in an active career was as a breaker boy, and subsequently he learned the trade of carpenter and became a prominent contractor and builder .. This business brought him in touch with real estate men, and in conjunction with other par- ties he formed a real estate company, their prop- erty now comprising a large share of the most desirable lots in the borough of Dickson City. In politics Mr. Weiland upholds Republican principles, but is liberal in his views, casting his vote for the candidate best suited for office, ir .- respective of party affiliations. He has friends in both great factions, as was demonstrated in 1897, when he was unanimously elected to the office of tax collector, being now the incumbent for the third term.
On June 28, 1892, Mr. Weiland was united in marriage to Jennie Llewellyn, of Scranton, Penn- sylvania, who passed away in February, 1897. One child was the issue of this union, Cordelia. October 17. 1900, Mr. Weiland was married to Miss Lillian R. Warner, only daughter of Will- iam and Kate ( Fox) Warner, of Scranton. Their children are: Jessie and Lillian Thelma.
theotherland
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CYRUS OSCAR SUTTON. A type of man essential to the welfare of every community is the farsighted, conscientious business man, ac- curate in observation and strict in attention to details. Such a man is Cyrus Oscar Sutton, of Olyphant, who belongs to an old Pennsylvania family. His grandfather, Silas Sutton, was a native of that state. He was a farmer and re- sided in Newton township. His wife was Har- riet Gardner, and they were the parents of the following children: Peter, mentioned at length hereinafter; Ira G., Anna G., Lydia and Eliza. Mrs. Sutton, the mother of these children, lived to the great age of ninety years.
Peter Sutton, son of Silas and Harriet (Gard- ner) Sutton, was born in Luzerne county, Penn- sylvania, and has led the happily uneventful life of a prosperous farmer. He stands high in the esteem of his neighbors, who have elected him to various township offices, among them those of school director and poor director. He mar- ried Caroline, also a native of Luzerne county, daughter of John and Catherine (Goodman) Bumgardner, both natives of Bavaria. They em- igrated to the United States and settled in Penn- sylvania, first making their home on German Hill, but finally taking up their abode in the Lackawanna valley. Mr. Bumgardner, who was a stone mason and a master mechanic, assisted in the construction of the old canal. He and his wife were the parents of fourteen children, of whom the following reached maturity: Michael, a veteran of the Civil war; Amos, William F., David, Margaret, Caroline, mentioned above as the wife of Peter Sutton ; Mary, Christine, Bar- bara, Rose and Jennie. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Sutton consists of three children: Harry J., who is a paymaster in the arsenal at Phila- delphia : Ida M. and Cyrus Oscar, mentioned at length hereinafter.
Cyrus Oscar Sutton, son of Peter and Caro- line (Bumgardner) Sutton, was born in 1858, in Newton township, and educated in his na- tive county, then Luzerne, now Lackawanna. He fitted himself for teaching, and at the time of his graduation was called to Utica, New York, where he taught two years. He next went to Newark, New Jersey, where he taught three years and then moved to Johnstown, Pennsylva- nia. There he was engaged in teaching until the great flood of 1889. The house in which Mr. Sutton then lived was one of those well-built structures which were able to resist the force of the current. Nevertheless, the water rose twenty feet above the first floor, driving the oc-
cupants to the highest story. They were obliged to remain there twenty-four hours, but were finally removed on a raft without loss of life. The same year, two months after the flood, he moved to Scranton, where he went into mercan- tile business in partnership with A. M. Ather- ton, of Providence. The firm conducted two stores, one in Providence and the other in Oly- phant. This partnership continued until 1903, when it was dissolved by mutual consent. The same year Mr. Sutton was offered and accepted his present position of chief clerk and paymaster for the Connell Anthracite Mining Company. He is a member of the Order of Heptasophs.
Mr. Sutton married, in 1886, Ida May Hughes and four children were born to them, all of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Sutton is the daughter of Thomas L. and Mary J. Hughes, natives of Wales, who emigrated to the United States in 1839 and settled in Carbondale. Mr. Hughes was an experienced miner and an extensive con- tractor. He and his brother were contractors in the construction of the road laid for the Le- high Valley Railroad, when that road was cut through the mountains by the way of Mauch Chunk.
JOSEPH M. ALEXANDER. There is no man better known, more universally respected, or who stands higher in the confidence of the people of Carbondale, Pennsylvania, than Joseph M. Alexander. He is a man of pleasing person- ality, and possesses many sterling qualities, among which are integrity of character, self-sac- rifice and loyalty to country and principle, and therefore it is with pleasure that we record some of the events of his life.
Joseph M. Alexander was born in Scotland, September 29, 1840, and he sailed to this coun- try March 16, 1853, at the age of twelve years and six months, arriving in New York City, May 17, after a stormy passage of sixty days. He was a young emigrant, being entirely alone. He located in Thompsonville, Connecticut, where his uncle, Joseph Alexander, a merchant tailor, resided, and having taken up the trade of tailor prior to his emigration from Scotland, he was able to assist his uncle in the management of his business. In September, 1853, he moved to Carbondale, Pennsylvania, in company with his uncle, who established himself in business in that town. In the summer of 1861 he paid a visit to his native land to see his father, and' re- turned in July, 1862, to enlist in defense of the integrity of his adopted country, enrolling him-
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self in Schooley's Independent Battery. This command was transferred to Company M, Sec- ond Pennsylvania Regiment, Heavy Artillery. Being himself a lover of liberty and possessing the bravery and daring which all Scotchmen in- herit from their mother country, he proved him- self a true soldier and won distinction. During the early period of his service his regiment gar- risoned Fort Delaware, also Forts Lincoln and Marcy in the defense of the national capitol. He participated through the siege of Petersburg and was before Richmond, where the hottest fight- ing and the greatest bravery was exercised, and he was also actively engaged in the battle of Cold Harbor. During these various engage- ments he had several narrow escapes. He was honorably discharged from the service of the United States government June 20, 1865. Mr. Alexander has conducted a merchant tailoring establishment in Carbondale from 1865 to the present time (1905), a period of forty years.
Mr. Alexander has taken a conspicuous part in municipal affairs. He was for twelve years a member of the board of education, of which body he was president and treasurer at certain intervals, and during his term of office he ar- ranged and participated with the aid of the Grand Army Post and other societies in the various patriotic exercises, never forgetting to unfurl and fling to the breeze "Old Glory," for which he suffered and fought, ever exhorting the people to bé loyal to their flag. His voice has been fre- quently heard on the platform, and he delivered the first memorial address in Carbondale in 1881, which was listened to with great attention and profit. He has been instrumental, more than any other man, in the development of the enter- prise which resulted in the laying out of Memo- rial Park and in beautifying the grounds around the monument, which was erected in memory of the veterans. There is a beautiful and artistic fountain in the park and two mounted guns which were in active service during the Civil war. Five thousand dollars was raised by contributions through his personal efforts. He never grew weary of solicitating for this work, and now the park is a thing of beauty and a joy to the eye of the beholder, and it will serve as a monument to his memory long after he has departed this life. He has been a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church since 1857. He has been a teacher in the Sunday school since 1861, and he served in the capacity of superintendent at three differ- ent times. During his last term he raised in the Sabbath school nearly sixteen hundred dollars
for the new church lately destroyed by fire. It was he who first introduced the blackboard into this school, thus making a practical illustration of the lesson. On September 29, 1895, the men- bers of the Sunday school presented him with a gold watch as a token of esteem for efficient services rendered. In 1904 his class of young men presented him with a beautiful gold-headed ebony cane, which act expressed their apprecia- tion of his 'labor of love for their good. He is a charter member of the Grand Army of the Republic, affiliating with W. H. Davies Post, No. 187, of which he was made chaplain. He was elected commander of said post a short time subsequent, which office he held for four years, and re-elected in 1904 and 1905. At the close of his first term of office he was presented by his comrades with a gold badge which cost twenty-five dollars, as a token of their high es- teem for his worth. He was twice commissioned aid-de-camp on the department of staff, and sub- sequently was twice commissioned aide-de-camp. on the national staff, which office he held under each incumbency. During his office of com- mander he served as district inspector, and he endeared himself to the widows and orphans of the veterans by the many services voluntarily rendered them in writing letters, making out pa- pers and in giving counsel. He is a worthy member of Carbondale Lodge, No. 249, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he was master in 1883. For twenty years he was a member of the Columbia Fire Company.
February 22, 1867, Mr. Alexander married Hattie A. Thompson, daughter of Alderman Jesse G. Thompson, and the issue of this union was four children : Mrs. H. B. Hiller, who was born in 1869, and died in 1901; Josephine M., born in November, 1871, now the wife of Howard P. Johns and resides at Forest City, Pennsyl- vania : Charles S., born in 1873, who married Maude Taylor, and Morris H., who died in child- hood. . Mr. Alexander is the grandfather of eight fine children. Mr. Alexander attended the schools of Scotland about three years, and along the line of education may be classed among the self-made men, having acquired almost all his knowledge by good companionship and reading. and a self reliance which is the result of contend- ing against the adverse circumstances of life.
CRANDALL W. THOMPSON. Perhaps no family in the Lackawanna valley is more wide- ly known or more uniformly respected than that of which the subject of this sketch is a repre-
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sentative. The genealogy traces back to sturdy Scotch derivation, the original ancestors in America having left the hills of their native land and braved the perils of a long and tedious ocean voyage in order that they might establish in the new world a home for themselves and their pos- terity. While the exact date of this immigration cannot be determined, it is practically certain that it occurred fully two centuries ago, and the progenitor to whom our subject traces his lineage settled in or near the present city of Philadel- phia.
One of his sons, at that time a mere babe, was James Thompson, the great-grandfather of him whose name initiates this sketch. He was reared and educated in Philadelphia, and in 1776 removed to Pittston, Luzerne county, where he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, with which he continued to be identified until his death, in his eighty-sixth year. Of his children his son Isaac is to be more particularly mentioned in this con- nection, since the latter figures as the grand- father of our subject. Isaac Thompson was born at Pittston, November 18, 1796, and was there reared to maturity, while he continued his alle- giance to the vocation to which he had been reared, becoming one of the substantial farm- ers and influential citizens of Jenkins township, Luzerne county. He married Maria, daughter of Isaac Wilcox, of Dutchess county, New York, and they became the parents of a large family of children. The eldest son, Alva, was a valiant soldier in the Mexican war, and William H. served as a captain in a Pennsylvania regiment during the war of the Rebellion. Isaac Thomp- son eventually removed to Illinois, where lie passed the remainder of his life, attaining to the patriarchal age of one hundred and four years and dying in the year 1901.
Crandall W. Thompson, father of our subject, was born in Pittston, May 2, 1824, and in his native county was reared to maturity, duly avail- ing himself of the advantages afforded in the common schools of the locality and period, while he there continued his residence until the year 1860, when he removed to Scranton, Lackawanna county, where he engaged in the real estate busi- ness, devoting special attention to the handling of coal and timber lands. He built up a flour- ishing enterprise and became one of the leading business men of the locality, while his course was such that he ever commanded the unequiv- ocal confidence of all who knew him. His death here occurred in the year 1902, his cherished and devoted wife having preceded him into eternal
rest, since her demise occurred in 1885. Her maiden name was Mary Carkhuff, and she was. born and reared in Pittston, being a daughter of Thomas and Julia Carkhuff, well known resi- dents of Luzerne county, of which her father was sheriff at one time. To Crandall W. and Mary Thompson were born five children, of whom only two are living-C. W., the imme- diate subject of this sketch. and William C., a clerk in a store, residing in Green Ridge, a su- burb of Scranton.
Crandall W. Thompson was born in the city of Scranton, November 20, 1860, soon after his parents' removal to this place. He completed. the curriculum of the public schools and then took a proper course of training for his chosen. profession, that of civil and mining engineer, to which he successfully devoted his attention for a quarter of a century, within which time he was concerned in much important work and in the- developing of valuable properties. In 1894 Mr. Thompson purchased a farm in the borough of Moosic, this county, where he has since main -- tained his residence and where he is giving his. attention to diversified agriculture, having one. of the fine farmsteads of this section of the state and taking much pride and satisfaction in the- improvement and operation of his landed estate. In politics he is an independent Republican, and was elected to the office of justice of the peace- in 1899.
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