USA > Pennsylvania > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 56
USA > Wyoming > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 56
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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.
ident of Jermyn, Pennsylvania, who is serving in the capacity of superintendent of the Dupont Powder Company.
As the name indicates, the Gebhardt family originated in Germany. Frederick Gebhardt, father of Augustus F. Gebhardt, was born in Bavaria, and at the age of twenty-two emigrated to the United States. Prior to his coming he learned the trade of cooper, and he followed this line of work in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; New- burg and Poughkeepsie, New York. While a resident of Newburg he was united in marriage to Catharine John, also a native of Bavaria, and their family consisted of three children, namely : George C., an employee of the Dupont Powder Company ; Augustus F., mentioned at length hereinafter, and Louisa M., who became the wife of Charles F. Olcott. While residing in Pough- keepsie, New York, Mr. Gebhardt took a trip to his native country, where he died, and in 1872 his widow and her two sons-George C. and Augustus F .- removed to Moosic, Pennsylva- nia, in which town her daughter had taken up her residence after marriage.
Augustus F. Gebhardt was born in Mil- waukee, Wisconsin, February 25, 1855. When he was two years of age his parents removed to Newburg, New York, and from thence to Poughkeepsie, same state, where for five years he attended the common schools, thereby acquir- ing a knowledge of the rudimentary branches of education. In early life he served an apprentice- ship at the trade of cooper with his father, and when only fourteen years of age started out to earn a livelihood for himself. After locating in the town of Moosic, Pennsylvania, he secured employment at his trade and in addition to this he worked at house painting in that place and Scranton. In 1872 he entered the employ of the Powder Company, with which enterprise he has been actively connected for thirty-three years, eight in Moosic and twenty-five in Jermyn. The plant over which he is superintendent is located at Jermyn, and is now controlled by the Dupont Powder Company. It covers about forty acres of ground, gives constant employment to about thirty trusty workmen, and is thoroughly equipped with all the facilities for making the best blasting powder on the market. It is sit- nated on the west side of the Lackawanna river, but is connected with the east side by a cable- way by which their material is conveved from the cars to the mill. Their power is a fifty-horse steam engine. The mill has been blown up at six different times since its erection, with four
fatalities. Mr. Gebhard has been very fortunate- in escaping unharmed, but several times hi's life- has been in imminent peril. The officers of this company are : Henry Beland, president; W. S. Hutchings, general manager, and Augustus F. Gebhardt, superintendent.
Mr. Gebhardt has always shown a decided interest in modern improvements and the ad- vancement of the age, and has furthered every scheme that is honest and upright and that has for its object the advancement of his town and borough. He was one of the organizers, later a director and subsequently superintendent of the Jermyn Electric Light Company. He was pro- moter and organizer and subsequently director- of the Jermyn Water Company, and he was an active factor in the organization of the German Cut Glass Company of Jermyn, which was es- tablished in 1903, and of which he is now treas- urer. He is a firm believer in the platform of the Republican party, and to the best of his abil- ity uses his influence in the carrying out of its principles. The family are communicants of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Jermyn, of which Mr. Gebhardt was once a trustee.
In 1884 Mr. Gebhardt was married to Han- nah C. Patten, of Olyphant, Pennsylvania, and the following named children were the issue of this marriage: Walter, deceased; George A., Florence H., and Walter P. Gebhardt.
A. D. WILLIAMS, one of the enterprising manufacturers of Scranton, whose industry is not of great magnitude but of a useful and unique- character, is a man of marked skill and ability, and throughout his business career his energetic character and practical sagacity has found am- ple scope for exercise. He is a native of New- ton township, Lackawanna county, Pennsylvania, born March 7, 1853.
His paternal grandfather was Abraham Will- iams, a native of Newton, Sussex county, New Jersey. He gained a lucrative livelihood by fol- lowing the occupation of farming, conducting his extensive operations in his native town and also in Newton township, Lackawanna county, Pennsylvania. Of his family of four children, but one is living, Norman, a resident of Chin- chilla. His maternal grandfather was George Nafus, who at an early date located at Pitts- ton, Pennsyvania, where he took up some val- uable coal lands. He was a prominent resident of that section of the state for many years, a Methodist in religion and a Democrat in poli- tics.
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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.
John Williams, father of A. D. Williams, was born in Newton township, Lackawanna county, where he was reared and educated. Dur- ing the early years of his life he was a mer- chant, but subsequently became a farmer, and his practical and progressive methods was the means of his achieving a large degree of suc- cess. By his marriage to Jane Nafus, who was born in Pittston township, Pennsylvania, two sons were born-George and A. D. Mr. Will- iams died in early life.
A. D. Williams was reared in his native town- ship, and the common schools thereof afforded him the means of obtaining a practical education. In early life he served an apprenticeship at the trade of carpenter, becoming an expert mechanic, and this line of work he followed for ten years. In 1890 he engaged in the business of manufac- turing hames, making a specialty of mine hames, and without doubt these are the best for the pur- pose manufactured in the United States. On ac- count of the superiority of the goods, he com- mands the highest market price, and his trade extends to all mines in this country, Canada and South Africa. Mr. Williams is the sole propri- etor of the plant, which occupies a space sixty by eighty feet, and by giving his undivided at- tention to the enterprise has achieved phenom- enal success. He is one of the progressive men of Scranton, living up to the belief that success comes to the man who meets her more than half way. He has been a resident of the Lackawanna valley since 1870, and during this long period has stood high in the community in which he resided. Mr. Williams was a member of Com- pany A, Thirteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Na- tional Guard, in which he served five years.
MIr. Williams married, in 1883, Miss Villette Webb, of Lanesboro, Susquehanna county, Penn- sylvania, and they are the parents of one son, Leslie G., born April 6, 1890.
SAMUEL W. ARNOLD, one of the sub- stantial and enterprising business men of Peck- ville, Lackawanna county, Pennsylvania, has been the incumbent of the office of justice of the peace for the past quarter of a century, and by reason of his thorough knowledge of law, his good common sense and his keen and sound judgment few decisions are returned. He was born in Uniondale. Susquehanna county, Penn- sylvania, in 1851, a descendant on the paternal side of a long line of sturdy and honorable Irish ancestors.
Reuben Arnold, grandfather of Samuel W.
Arnold, was the father of fourteen children, all of whom were born in Rhode Island. Accom- panied by his numerous children in the year 1824, he removed from Rhode Island and settled in Pennsylvania. He was an honest and honorable man, performed all the duties of good citizen- ship, and reared his family to become useful members of society. Among these children was a son, George W. Arnold, father of Samuel W. Arnold, whose business career was devoted to the manufacture of bedsteads and many other useful household articles out of lumber. He was a resident of Uniondale, Pennsylvania, and was accorded a place among the successful business men of that section of the state, but his business career was short-lived, as his death occurred dur- ing the early year of his manhood. His wife, Mary S. (Peck) Arnold, daughter of Samuel Peck, of Peckville, bore him three children, Sam- uel W. being the only survivor.
During his boyhood and early youth Samuel W. Arnold resided in his native town of Union- dale, attending, in due course of time, Kingston Academy and Wyoming Seminary, where he ac- quired a thorough English education which qual- ified him for a life of usefulness and activity. He gained his first practical knowledge of business life in the employ of the D. & H. Company, serving them in various capacities for a period of six consecutive years. He later spent one year at Oil City, Pennsylvania, whence he re- turned in 1874 to Peckville, where he has since continued to reside, and in which borough he owns and operates a hardware store, which he has successfully conducted since 1894. He is interested in all matters that conduce to the prog- ress and welfare of his township, county and state. He holds membership in the Improved Order of Red Men.
In 1874 Mr. Arnold was united in marriage to Miss Emma E. Arnold, daughter of Thomas Arnold, and they are the parents of one daugh- ter, Estelle, now the wife of Arthur W. Thomp- son.
REESE HUGHES, one of the pioneers of the Lackawanna Valley, is a man of wide and varied experience, whose ability in his chosen occupation is remarkable, and whose fund of knowledge on a large number of subjects is inexhaustable. He is a native of Wales, born May 9, 1827, and when he attained the age of six years was brought to this country by his parents, William and Sarah (Jenkins) Hughes.
Edward Hughes (grandfather) was born in
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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.
Wales in the year 1765. He entered the service of the British navy as a common sailor before the mast, and, as a reward for meritorious conduct, good behaviour, superior intelligence and a close application to the science of navigation, was ad- vanced step by step to the dignified and respon- sible position of admiral. His wife, Martha ( Bonner) Hughes, a native of Bristol, England, bore him one son, William Hughes ( father), whose birth occurred in Bristol, England, in 1793. The law of the English government forbade the presence of children on board their men of war vessels, and in consequence the child was given in charge of Mr. Reese, a resident of Glanmor- ganshire, a few miles from Swansea, to be edu- cated and properly fitted for his future life. In due course of time William, instead of turning his attention to the sea and vessels of war, became an agriculturist. He was united in marriage to Sarah Jenkins, an estimable Welsh lady, who bore him the following named children: Edward, Joseph, Martha, William, Reese, and Mary Ann. In 1833 this family emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York on August 26, 1833, and from there they came to Carbondale, Penn- sylvania, by boat. Here William Hughes turned his attention to mining, which occupation he fol- lowed during his residence in that town. He then located in Susquehanna, where he purchased a farm which he cultivated for a number of years, after which he purchased Slocum Hollow (now Scranton) from Mr. Slocum. Subsequently he became somewhat discouraged with his purchase, sold it back to the Slocum family for fifteen hun- dred dollars, and this was the one great mistake
For twelve years he served in the capacity of superintendent in the Passaic Company. In 1872 he purchased a farm of over two hundred acres for which he paid ten thousand dollars, but on account of his son's disinclination to turn his at -- tention to agricultural pursuits he disposed of it in 1888. In 1862 he was appointed captain of Saucon Valley Militia in Lehigh county, and later he was actively identified with the Pennsylvania Reserves, in which he held the commission of first that this good man made during his lifetime. His . lieutenant. He was the incumbent of the offices death occurred in Carbondale, July 2, 1852, aged fifty-nine years. He survived his wife several' years, her death having occurred in Pittston, Pennsylvania, August 8, 1847, in the fifty-seventh year of her age. The sole survivors of the family of William and Sarah Hughes at the present time ( 1904) are: Reese Hughes and Mrs. Mary A. Johns.
The educational advantages afforded by the old-fashioned subscription schools was the only means of gaining knowledge that Reese Hughes had during his boyhood. At the early age of nine years he began driving a mule at the mines, and he followed various kinds of work in connection with mining up to the year 1854. His knowledge of mining became so extensive that his services were sought after by other companies besides the D. & H. company. He was employed by the Lehigh Company to develop a zinc mine, and
after completing this work he went to California and other states prospecting and developing min- erals. During the Civil war or just prior to it he opened an extensive mine in North Carolina, but the war interfered with its operation in such a manner that the owners received no financial ben- efit from it. He first made his home in the city of Carbondale, Pennsylvania, in 1849, but during his tour of mineral prospecting he was absent from the city for a period of twenty-two years. On his return to Carbondale he resumed mining as before, and was actively employed up to 1899, in which year he retired from a business career. He was well informed in mining matters, partic- ularly as to prospecting and determining, from in- dications, the presence of minerals, and in the course of his work he was thrown in company with the best scientific men of the day, to whom his services were very valuable, as is shown by the following fact: In 1861, the first year of the Civil war, Mr. Hughes determined to enlist his services in behalf of his adopted country, but sev- eral men who wished him to continue work for them prevailed upon him to remain at home and they paid nine hundred dollars for a substitute.
of assessor and school director, and his adminis- tration was marked by the utmost integrity and efficiency. He is a firm ally of the Republican party, and was formerly an active member of the Masonic and Odd Fellow orders.
In 1851 Mr. Hughes married Margaret Wil- liams, a native of Wales, who died December 8, 1901. Their children are: Thomas R., who married Mary Yensen, and they are the parents of one son, Roy Hughes. William R., who mar- ried Martha Davis, and their family consists of two children, Ethel and Annie Hughes. Sarah Ann. wife of James Bell, and mother of two chil- dren, Mary and Ruth Bell. George W., married Mary A. Jones, and their children are as follows : Raymond, Mary, Margaret, and George Hughes. Mattie H .. widow of Harry Brown, no issue. Mr. Hughes and his family are attendants of the Bap- tist Church.
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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.
WILLIAM L. YARRINGTON, librarian in the public library in Carbondale, Lackawanna county, Pennsylvania, which office he has ef- ficiently filled since 1896, is a descendant of a highly respectable family of that name, early resi- dents of the state of Connecticut. The first au- thientic account we have is that Abel Yarrington, residing in Connecticut, migrated to the Wyoming Valley in 1772, locating where Kingston now stands. Of his characteristics we know noth- ing.
Peter Yarrington (grandfather), son of Abel Yarrington, was born in Conecticut, in 1772, was a blacksmith by trade, and died November 26, 1826, aged fifty-six years. On October 1, 1802, at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, he married Naomi Flynt. who was born in 1778, and died August 13, 1826, aged forty-eight years. To this union were born the following named children, all of whom are deceased but the youngest child : Dil- ton, Alanson, Sinton, Lucinda, Ann E., and Mar- tha Yarrington.
Dilton Yarrington ( father) was born October 8, 1803. He was a blacksmith by trade, and by industry and perseverance he provided a comfort- able home for his family. He located in Carbon- dale in the year 1847. He was a member and in his latter years an elder of the Presbyterian Church, a Whig in politics, and a strong advocate of temperance, which meant much opposition to the customs of his day and age. He was strong in his convictions and fearless in his denuncia- tions, and therefore made a most capable justice of the peace, which office he filled at Dundaff, Susquehanna county, for several years. On De- cember 23, 1827, Mr. Yarrington married Rebecca Lambert, born in Minisink township, Orange county, New York, January 20, 1804, daughter of William and Julia Lambert, and their children were: Abel, who died in infancy : Peter A., born October 1, 1830, became a skillful mechanic, died 1856 : William L., born April 27, 1833, mentioned hereinafter : Julia, born in 1836. died 1840 ; Mary, born in 1840, died 1843 : Sarah, born in 1842, died 1847 ; and John T., born in 1847, died in 1873, aged twenty-six years. Dilton Yarrington (father) died in 1890, having attained the ad- vanced age of eighty-seven years.
William L. Yarrington was born April 27, 1833. His early education was obtained in the schools of Carbondale, whither his parents re- moved in 1847, and he completed his studies in Professor Stoddard's Academy at Bethany, Wayne county, Pennsylvania. He attempted to learn the trade of machinist in the Delaware & Hudson Company shops, but physical disabilities
interfered with his cherished hopes. He then accepted a clerkship with the Delaware, Lack- awanna & Western Company, with whom he re- mained for three years. In 1859 he moved to Honesdale, Pennsylvania, and accepted a position in the freight office of the Delaware & Hudson Company, where he remained for two years. In August, 1862, when his country was in imminent peril and seeming danger of a disruption, he vol- untarily offered his services to his country by en- rolling as a member of Company K, One Hundred and Thirty-second Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- unteer Infantry, and served as a private. His command was a part of the Army of the Potomac. He was actively engaged in the battles of South Mountain, Chancellorsville and Antietam. He was sent to the hospital from the latter named battlefield, having contracted a disease which in- capacitated him for active service. He was hon- orably discharged in May, 1863.
In 1866 he formed a co-partnership with Dr. R. Ottman and R. I. Bartlett under the firm name of Ottman, Bartlett & Yarrington, and for many years they were the successful proprietors of an extensive dry goods store in Carbondale. Subse- quently Mr. Yarrington purchased the interest of his partners, and conducted the business alone up to the year 1884. He was postmaster from 1890 to 1894. He is an active and prominent factor in various organizations, namely: Carbondale Lodge, No. 249, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he was master during the years 1875-76; Eureka H. R. A. Chapter, No. 179, of which he was excellent high priest ; Palestine Commandery, No. 14. Knights Templar, of which he was emi- nent commander ; and adjutant five years and commander one year of William H. Davis Post, No. 187. Grand Army of the Republic. He is a Republican in his political views.
On January 1, 1867, Mr. Yarrington was married to Martha C. Decker, daughter of John W. and Catherine Decker, of Port Jervis, New York. Their children were: I. Walter D., born February 21, 1868, died July 9, 1888; 2. W. Franklin, born August 7, 1871, was united in marriage to Lilly Alles, at Jersey City, New Jer- sey, June 16, 1894: 3. Edgar D., born July 17, 1873: 4. Mary R., born August 10, 1876: 5. Wil- liam L., Jr., born August 25, 1878, married Laura Chilton, at Carbondale, Pennsylvania, June 12, 1901, and one child, Dorothy M .. was born to them. October 3, 1902, died April 9, 1904 : 6. K. Isabelle, born August 23, 1880 : 7. Sinclair Ker- lin, born November 26, 1888. Mr. Yarrington and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church of Carbondale, Pennsylvania.
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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.
G. J. LILLIBRIDGE, an honorable and straightforward business man of Olyphant, Penn- sylvania, whose integrity and high sense of honor has never been questioned, is a descendant of an old and honored Connecticut family, who trace their origin to English ancestors, who located in the New England states and were worthy repre- sentatives of the first families of the country.
Levi Lillibridge, father of G. J. Lillibridge, was born in the state of Connecticut, in 1803, was reared and educated there, and in early manhood (in the year 1834) settled in Dalesville. Pennsyl- vania, where he successfully conducted a store devoted to the sale of tinware and other Yankee notions. He purchased a parcel of land in Blakely township, containing forty-six acres, which is still owned by his descendants. He was a man of con- siderable influence in his day and neighborhood. performed the duties of good citizenship in a highly creditable manner, and as a mark of the confidence reposed in him by his neighbors was elected to the offices of assessor, tax collector, and postmaster, being the incumbent of the latter named office for a quarter of a century. He was also the proprietor of a hotel called the "Eight Mile Tavern," located half way between Carbon- dale and Scranton. In 1833 Levi Lillibridge married Elmira Northrop, who was born in Rhode Island. in 1808, and their children were: G. J., mentioned hereinafter : John N., mentioned hereinafter : Phoebe, wife of Dr. Van Cleft ; and Mary, wife of S. P. Hull. Levi Lillibridge was a Baptist in religion, serving in the capacity of dea- con in the church of that denomination, and a Republican in politics. He died June 6, 1869, and his wife passed away May 1, 1887, having survived her husband almost eighteen years.
G. J. Lillibridge, eldest son of Levi and El- mira Lillibridge, was born at Dalesville, Penn- sylvania, February 1, 1832. He was reared and educated in his native county of Lackawanna, and upon attaining the age when he was capable of earning a livelihood for himself became inter- ested with his brother John N. in farming and contracting. Subsequently he turned his atten- tion to stock dealing, purchasing stock from the various states in the Union, then shipping to the Lackawanna Valley, and disposing of it to the mine owners and others at advantageous prices. He resides on the original land which his father purchased in 1834, and is the owner of two hun- (red and seventy-five acres of unreclaimed land, a large portion of which is underlaid with coal. He adheres to the religious faith of his forefath- ers, that of the Baptist church, and is a strong
advocate of the principles of Republicanism. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian church. June 10, 1890, Mr. Lillibridge was united in mar- riage to Miss Sarah C. Dirshmier.
John N. Lillibridge, second son of Levi and Elmira Lillibridge, was born at Dalesville, Penn- sylvania, in 1838. As stated above he worked in conjunction with his brother G. J., in farming and contracting. John N. was given more to pol- itics than his brother, and was the incumbent of several important township offices, the duties of which he performed in an efficient and careful manner. He served three years during the war of the rebellion as a member of Company C. One Hundred and Forty-third Regiment Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Cavalry. He was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg, and at the time of his honorable discharge from the services of the United States government was filling the rank of corporal. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
In 1870 John N. Lillibridge was united in marriage to Miss Lucilla Finch, who bore him seven children, three of whom are living, namely : Alice, who is a graduate of the Women's Medical College of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and now a practicing physician in the borough of Oly- phant ; Sarah, and Levi B. John N. Lillibridge died in 1902.
GEORGE B. NEWTON, a retired contract- or and builder, is a descendant of an old New England family who settled in Dundaff, Sus- quehanna county, Pennsylvania, in the early his- tory of the Lackawanna valley. He was born February 24, 1832, a son of Henry W. and Phoebe Ann (Ailsbee) Newton, grandson of Henry and Lucinda (O'Brien) Newton, who were the parents of three sons-Henry W .. Mat- thew and Solomon-and great-grandson (on the maternal side) of John O'Brien, who was born on the voyage from Ireland to America. He be- came a worthy patriot and served under General Washington at Valley Forge; was taken pris- oner and carried into Canada by the British, where he made his escape and returned and re- joined the army and served until the close of the war. John O'Brien attained the extreme old age of ninety-eight years, and was the father of five children.
Henry W. Newton (father) was born in Dun- daff, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, Octo- ber 8, 1805. He was a shoemaker by trade. was the owner of a farm of productive land, but did not cultivate the same, as he confined himself
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