Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 59

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 59
USA > Wyoming > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 59

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years of which time he served as breaker boss, and since his retirement from his trade he has turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, and is now one of the leading merchants of his borough. Mr. Callender wasa defender of his country in the terrible struggle of 1861-65. He first served for a short time in the militia, from which he was honorably discharged, after which he re-enlisted in the Third Artillery. He was subsequently transferred to Company D. of the One Hundred and Eigthy-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Vol- unteer Infantry, as first sergeant. He partici- pated in the following battles : Cold Harbor, Sig- nal Hill, capture of Petersburg, and capture of Richmond. He was honorably discharged from the service of the United States government in 1865. He has served as school director and coun- cilman of Blakely, having been elected to the office on the Republican ticket. He is a member of the Baptist Church, in which he holds the office of deacon, and James G. Stevens Post, No. 304, G. A. R.

July 9, 1860, Mr. Callender married Ann Mul- holland, a native of Canada. To this union there were born five children, as follows: Emma J., who became the wife of Harvey Wood, and their children are: Stephen R., Harvey D, and Janet. Mary L., a teacher in the International Corre- sondence School at Scranton. William H., who married Laura Smith, who bore him one dangh- ter-Laura B. Callender. Lephe P., an experi- enced and trained nurse. Stephen R., who mar- ried Elizabeth Coyle, and of their three children two are living at the present time ( 1904), name- ly: Muriel and Marion H. Callender.

THE TRESCOTT FAMILY, representa- tives of which in the present generation have at- tained high standing in the legal profession, one being the first lady attorney admitted to the bar of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, in which they have achieved not only success, but distinction. traces its anucestry to William Trescott, of Dor- chester, Massachusetts, born 1614, the first of the family of whom there is any authentic record. He married, May 10, 1643. Elizabeth Dyer, born dren were: Samuel, born November 4. 1616; see forward. Mary, born April 23, 1649. John. 1625, daughter of George Dyer, and their chil- born October 21, 1651. Patience, born May 7, 1653. Abigail, born November 5. 1656, married, November 21. 1682. Ammiel Weeks, and their children were: Ammiel and George, these being the only children mentioned in the will of their grandfather, William Trescott. Martha, born

January 8. 1661. Elizabeth, born January 24, 1665. William Trescott, father of these children, died September 11, 1699, aged eighty-five years. His wife. Elizabeth (Dyer) Trescott, died July 30, 1699, aged seventy-four years.

Samuel Trescott, born November 4, 1646, eld -. est son of William and Elizabeth (Dyer) Tres- cott. married Martha Their children were : Dyer, born August 4, 1671. Samuel, born May 4, 1673; see forward. Rebecca, born April 27, 1675. Jeremiah, born October 6. 1676. Abiah E., born October 31, 1678. Thankful, born February 22, 1680. Elizabeth, born January 27, 1682. Sarah, born March 5, 1684. The first named four children were baptized August 22, 1682. Samel Trescott, father of these children, died July 30. 1735.

Samuel Trescott, born May 4. 1673. eldest son of Samuel and Martha Trescott, was a resi- dent of Sheffield, Berkshire county, Massachu- setts, from whence he removed to Huntington, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, in June, 1778, and the Trescott family was one of the representative families in that section. He married Hannah Whipple, also of Sheffield, Massachusetts, and among their children were two sons: Solon, mar- ried Anna Byer, and had an only daughter. Han- nah, who married Samuel Chapin, a descendant of Deacon Samuel Chapin, of Revolutionary fame: and Samuel, who with Solon served in Washington's army during the campaigns of 1776 and 1777. They were in the many engagements during these two disastrous years, and after their term of enlistment expired the brothers returned to Huntington and both enrolled in the company of Captain John Franklin and with him marched to Forty Fort to participate in the efforts to save the Susquehanna settlements from destruction by the Tories and Indians. After their escape from Forty Fort, where they were held as prisoners a short time after John Butler was in possession of the fort, they returned to Huntington and as- sisted others to escape who were still remaining there. They had been preceded by bands of rov- ing Indians, who were busy robbing, burning and devastating the homes that had been deserted. Several of the people the Trescott brothers ex- pected to find were gone, and of some of them no tidings were ever obtained. The brothers went down the river some distance, then taking an easterly course eventually reached Connecti- cut. Samuel Trescott soon after married and never returned to Huntington. Solon also mar- ried soon after, returning to his native place, and remained there until 1794. His wife was Mar-

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garet Lewis, of Ashford, Connecticut. When they returned to Huntington they brought with them their six children.

Peter S. Trescott, a son of Solon and Mar- garet (Lewis) Trescott, born in Connecticut, about 1770, immigrated to Pennsylvania, locating in the vicinity of Huntington, where he died in 1884, aged ninety-six years. He married Susan Miller, a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, of Welsh Quaker descent.

Barton Miller Trescott, son of Peter S. and Susan ( Miller) Trescott, was born in Hunting- ton, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, July 12, 1830. He was reared and educated in his native town, attending its common schools, and for many years followed the occupation of civil en- gineer in that town with marked success. He performed special work on disputed titles and other matters of a similar nature. He served three terms as county surveyor of Luzerne county, in which capacity he rendered capable and efficient service. He was a man of honor and integrity, and was beloved and respected by all with whom he came in contact. He married Permelia Ste- vens Rhone, born at Cambra, April 22, 1836, daughter of George and Mary Bowman (Ste- vens) Rhone, the former named born October 18, 1804, died December 14, 1881, and the latter born October 8, 1816, died December 20, 1893, at the home of her son, Freas Brown Rhone, in Catawissa, Pennsylvania. George Rhone was a farmer in Huntington, Pennsylvania, until his re- moval to Wilkes-Barre, in which city the remain- der of his life was spent. He was a son of Mat- thias and Naomi (La Porte) Rhone, the former named a native of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, his birth occurring near Allentown. He was a farmer by occupation, following that line of work in his native county. He died near Ben Town, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, 1853, aged sev- enty -- five years, and his remains are interred in Saint Gabriel's churchyard.

Naomi La Porte was a descendant of one of the families of French refugees who fled to America during the French revolution and set- tled at Asylum, Bradford county, Pennsylvania. 'They came in 1793, almost before the echoes of our own revolution had died away. In 1796 the town consisted of forty families, among them many who had held high positions in naval, mil- itary and state circles in France. When Napo- leon came into power and repealed the laws of expatriation which had been passed against the emigrants with the promise of the restitution of their confiscated estates on their return, the

greater part of them embraced the opportunity and went back to France. Some of them re- moved to Philadelphia, two or three to other parts of the country, and but three families remained in the vicinity of Asylum. Naomi La Porte was. a member of one of these families, and was born at La Porte, in what is now Sullivan county. Her relative, Hon .John La Porte, was speaker of the general assembly of Pennsylvania n 1832, the fifth term of his membership; from 1832 to 1836. he was a member of congress, and surveyor gen- eral of Pennsylvania from 1845 to 1851.

Mary Bowman (Stevens) Rhone was a daugh- ter of Zebulon Hall Stevens. He was a descend- ant of Henry Stevens, who came to this country from England, April 4, 1669, with his father and two brothers, Nicholas and Thomas, and set- tled in Taunton, Massachusetts. Permelia (Bow- man) Stevens, wife of Zebulon Stevens, and mother of Mary Bowman ( Stevens) Rhone, was. the eldest daughter of John Bowman, who was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, April 2, 1772, and died at Town Hill, Huntington town- ship, Luzerne county, February 8, 1848. He mar- ried Mary Britton, who died in 1852. He was a son of Christopher Bowman, who came from Germany in 1754 and settled in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. The father of Christopher Bow- man lived in Germany and was a man of consid- erable eminence and wealth. He had built up a village, founded a school, had many men in his employ, on occasions issued letters which served as passports from province to province, seemed to have exercised something of the rights and prerogatives which belonged to the old feudal no- bility, and, in fact, the family coat of arms is said by heraldic authority to have been the grade of an earl. He owned a silver mine named Mehlen- bach, situate in the mountain near Ems, about twenty miles to the north of Wiesbaden. The name of the family in Germany was Bauman, which was changed to Bowman by the first Amer- ican ancestor. Christopher and his younger brother emigrated to America in 1754, and with- in a few years he returned to the fatherland on a visit, when he sold his interest in the mine at Mehlenbach. This mine was still held by the Bauman family in 1872, when a joint stock com- pany was formed which still operates the mine. Christopher Bowman married Susan Banks, sis- ter of Hon. Judge Banks, of Reading, a family of Scotch-English descent, and a family of consid- crable distinction and prominence both in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They removed to Briar Creek, Pennsylvania, where Christopher

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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.

died in 1806, and his wife Susan died in 1816. Bishop Thomas Bowman, of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, was a grandson. Henry Stevens married Eliza or Elizabeth, a daughter of Cap- tain John Gallup, a son of Captain John Gallup. of Boston, Massachusetts, and both father and son were noted as Indian fighters. He came to Pequot in 1651. where he lived until 1654, when he removed to Mystic. Captain Gallup married Hannah Lake, a relative of Governor Winthrop. Henry Stevens settled in Stonington, Connecti- cut, and had three sons, Thomas, Richard and Henry. Thomas married Mary Hall, and settled in Plainfield, Connecticut, and had seven sons, Thomas, Phineas, Uriah, Caleb, Benjamin, Sam- nel and Zebulon. Zebulon was born June 14, 1717, and married Miriam Fellows, November 25. 1743. Thomas, son of Zebulon, was born May 5. 1760, at Canaan, Litchfield county, Connecticut, and emigrated to Wyoming before the close of the last century. Thomas Stevens married Lucy Miller, December 2, 1784. Zebulon Hall Ste- vens, son of Thomas, was born January 12, 1791, and married Parmelia Bowman, daughter of John Bowman, October 28, 1813.

The children of George and Mary Bowman (Stevens) Rhone are as follows: I. Parmelia Stevens, born April 22, 1836, aforementioned as the wife of Barton Miller Trescott. 2. Daniel La Porte, born January 19, 1838, married ( first ) December 6, 1861, Emma Hale Kinsey, daughter of John Kinsey, of Montgomery Station. Lycom- ing county, Pennsylvania. She died February 18, 1878. They had a daughter, Mary Panthea. Daniel La Porte Rhone married (second) De- cember 31, 1879, Rosamond L. Dodson, born in Downieville, Sierra county, California, daughter of Osborne and Lucy (Wadsworth) Dodson, of Pennsylvania, who were the parents of two other children, as follows : Darien Wadsworth Dodson, of Town Hill, Pennsylvania, who married Mar- garet Camp. of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Judge and Mrs. Rhone are the parents of two daughters: Alice Buckalew, born November 15, 1880. and Helen Wadsworth, born November 5. 1884. 3. Susan Bowman, born January 8, 1840, became the wife of Alfred T. Creveling, born September 25. 1833, died at Plymouth, Pennsyl- vania. February 2, 1905. 4. John Crawford, born January 29, 1842, married Maria Baker. 5. Zebulon, Stratton, born December 2, 1845, mar- ried Jennie Crosthwaite, of Williamsport, Penn- sylvania ; he died in Nebraska, February 5, 1887 ; was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church. 6. Minerva, born March 23, 1847. 7. Aristo

Caroline, born January 10, 1850, died in infancy. 8. Samuel Matthias, born September 25, 1852, married Amanda Waltman, of Montgomery. Pennsylvania. 9. Freas Brown, born August 19, 1860, married Lillian Grover, of Rupert, Penn- sylvania.

The children of Barton Miller and Permelia Stevens (Rhone) Trescott are as follows: I. Boyd, born April 18. 1860, Huntington. Pennsyl- vania, ( now resides in Millville, Columbia county, Pennsylvania ; he married Anna Potter, and they have one child, Paul Henry. 2. Mary Luella, born October 3, 1864, Dorranceton, Pennsylva- Pennsylvania, mentioned hereafter. 3. Rhone, born October 3, 1864, Dorrancetown, Pennsylva- nia, is now engaged in business with the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company ; he married Emma Harrison, issue : Leroy and Liva. 4. Minerva P., born December 24. 1865 ; she became the wife , of Charles W. Snyder, a journalist ; issue, Mar- tha, Barton, Russell and Richard. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder reside in Williamsport. Pennsylvania. 5. Josephine, born March 25, 1867. Hunting- ton, Pennsylvania, became the wife of Harry Davenport, a successful farmer of Dor- ranceton, Pennsylvania, issue, Herman, Robert and Francis. 6. Rush, born October 5, 1868, Huntington, Pennsylvania, mentioned elsewhere. 7. Emma, born March 13, 1871, Huntington. Pennsylvania ; she is now ( 1905) a student in a school in Georgetown, Washington, D. C. 8. Robert, born September 5, 1872, Huntington, Pennsylvania ; he is.now (1905) a student at Dickinson College. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Bar- ton Miller Trescott, the father of these children, died December 22, 1897.

Mrs. Permelia R. (Rhone) Trescott, whose death occurred May 12, 1905, was educated in the public schools and at Dickinson Seminary at Williamsport. Early in life she became a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, and from that day until her demise was eminently con- sistant with her profession. She was active in every phase of church and christian life, and never outgrew her usefulness. The Methodist church which stands at Register is largely the re- sult of her faith, prayers, and work. Each of her pastors found her sympathetic, appreciative, helpful and especially anxious for the strength- ening as well as the extension of His kingdom. She loved good books and poetry, which she so aptly quoted, was a delightful and profitable con- versationalist, as well as a good listener. In her home her character shone resplendent, and under circumstances not nearly so ideal as those of her

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later life she carefully reared the children en- trusted to her care. With fidelity seldom equalled and never surpassed she sought to instill into their minds and have them exemplify in their lives a love for the good, the true, the noble'and the beautiful. In this she admirably succeeded, and her life shall be to all coming generations a bless- ing and a benediction. Her remains were taken back to her home in Huntington, from which she had been absent during the winter, and to which she had been taken a bride forty-six years be- fore. The funeral services were conducted by her pastor, Rev. H. F. Cares, assisted by Dr. R. H. Gilbert, of Berwick, a former pastor and in- timate friend of the family, who delivered a beant- tiful sermon upon the doctrines of the resurrec- tion. On the green hillside at Southdale, in Huntington Valley, she was laid to rest besides her husband, who preceded her seven years.

MARY L. TRESCOTT, eldest daughter and third child of Barton Miller and Permelia Bow- man (Rhone) Trescott, was born in Huntington township, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. She at- tended the common schools in the neighborhood of her home, and this knowledge was supple- mented by attendance at the New Columbus Aca- demy at New Columbus, Pennsylvania, after which she served in the capacity of a teacher for a time. She then became a student of the East- man Business College at Poughkeepsie, New York, graduating therefrom in 1893. The fol- lowing two years she read law in the office of Hon. Henry W. Palmer, ex-attorney general and member of congress, also one of the leading law- yers of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and was ad- mitted to the bar of Luzerne county, October 14, 1895, being the first lady upon whom that dis- tinction was conferred. At the present time (1906) she is practicing in the office of her pre- ceptor. She is engaged in an active general prac- tice of the law in all its branches, being employed frequently in cases of unusual consequence, re- quiring a thorough knowledge of the law, and careful and ingenius application of its prin- ciples, but making, however, the orphans' court and corporation law a specialty, this often re- quiring her services in the adjoining counties to Luzerne. Upon the basis of a liberal education Miss Trescott has butilded a general knowledge of men and affairs invaluable in the legal profes- sion, is a safe counselor and zealous advocate, and no lawyer defends the rights of their clients with more vigor and earnestness than she. From her ambitious nature and general capability Miss Trescott has attained a position in her profes-

sion that few women and not a great number of men have been able to achieve and so readily re- tain. She was admitted to the supreme court of Pennsylvania in 1899, and on April 16, 1906, was admitted to the supreme court of the United States at Washington, on motion of Solicitor General Samuel Hoyt.

RUSH TRESCOTT, third son and sixth child of Barton Miller and Permelia Bowman ( Rhone) Trescott, was born in Huntington town- ship, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, October 5, 1868. He received his education in the public schools, at the Huntington Mills Academy, and Diekinson College at Carlisle, from which insti- tution he was graduated in the class of 1895. Subsequently he attended the Dickinson School of Law, and after passing a successful competitive examination was admitted to the bar at Carlisle, June 6, 1895, and to the Luzerne county bar at Wilkes-Barre, June 17, 1895. He at once opened an office in Wilkes-Barre and began a general practice of law, which has extended to adjoining counties and all state and federal courts, and since then has secured a large and increasing clientage. He has handled a number of very im- portant cases, many of which will be handed down in the history of Luzerne county. He comes of good stock, as already shown, has fine natural abilities, industry and persistence, an excellent education and thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the law, and out of these condi- tions and qualities has reared a professional rep- utation second to none. Mr. Trescott is a Demo- crat in political opinion, and has been active in the affairs of his party. He was appointed first assistant district attorney of his county in 1898, under T. R. Martin, and held the office three years-1898-99-1900. He was chairman of the county Democratic committee in 1897.

Mr. Trescott married, June 7, 1899, at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth May Wil- bur, of Wilkes-Barre, born November 29, 1866, daughter of Henry and Mary ( Fell) Wilbur. Mr. and Mrs. Trescott have one child, Wilbur Tres- cott, born June 23, 1904, Wilkes-Barre, Penn- sylvania.

NICHOLAS RAPSON, a representative bus- iness man of Wyoming, was born November 9, 1843, in Tavisstock, Devonshire, England, fifteen miles from historic Plymouth, a son of Thomas and Alice (Osborne) Rapson, grandson of Thomas Rapson, and a descendant of an English ancestry.

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Mary & Trescall

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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.

Thomas Rapson (grandfather) served in the British navy for many years, and after an event- ful life on the sea spent his remaining years quietly at Tavisstock, England, where he died, aged about eighty-two years, and was buried in the Public cemetery on the Dolvin road, near Tavisstock, as was also his wife Ann, who died aged about eighty years. They were religiously inclined, and for many years were faithful and consistent members of the Episcopal church.

Thomas Rapson ( father) was born in Tavis- stock, Devonshire, England, 1817, this district being the birthplace of his ancestors for several generations. He was one of thirteen children, among them being William, died aged about one hundred years ; Ann, died aged about one hun- dred years ; John, died aged about seventy years ; Sara, died aged about sixty years. Thomas Rap- son was educated in the public schools, was a nat- ural genius, and became one of the prominent men ·of Tavisstock. He became superintendent of streets for the city (equivalent to city engineer), having entire charge of all improvements, new work, repairs, opening of streets, etc .. a position he held up to the time of his death. He was an Episcopalian, quiet but progressive, and furth- ered all the interests of the community in which he lived. He married Alice Osborne, a native of Calstock, Cornwall county, England, the Osborne family being an old one in the eastern part of Cornwall county, England, and they were the parents of seven children, namely : 1. Mary Ann. married (first) Manuel Perkins, deceased, and (second) Richard Matthews; resides in Ply- mouth, England. 2. William, resided in Grass Valley, California, mined gold, was hurt in acci- dent and died from the effects thereof : married Alice Andrews, who after his death became the wife of a Mr. Rogers. 3. Thomas, married Mary Williams, resides in Blakely, Pennsylvania, en- gaged in the mining of coal. 4. Nicholas, men- tioned hereafter. 5. John, married Louisa Weeks, resides in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, is a stone mason. 6. Jane, deceased wife of John Gourd, a resident of Plymouth, England. an architect and builder. 7. A son who died in infancy.

Nicholas Rapson, who was named after an. uncle who died from wounds received in scaling a wall in Pekin, China, in 1840, during the Chin- ese war, remained till sixteen years of age at Tavisstock, England. his birthplace. He was educated in the public schools, and at the early age of eight years became engaged in the man- ufacture of hemp rope. continuing thus for two years. He then became identified with copper

mining, which was extensively carried on near Tavisstock, and served three years in preparing copper ore for market. At thirteen years of age he entered the mines as miner's helper, serv- ing five years in that capacity ; then entered the lead and silver mines near Exmouth, Devonshire, as miner, and during the following three years worked as miner in the tin mines in the parish of Wendron, Cornwall county, England. He then went to the Balladonegan Bay ( Ireland) copper mines, where he was employed for three months, and after spending two months at home went as miner to the Chontales gold and silver mines in Nicaragua, Central America, remaining two years, one year as foreman of their reduction plant. He then took a trip to England and later emigrated to the United States, landing in New York city, September 7. 1869. Two days later, September 9, he arrived in Pittston, Pennsylva- nia, where he engaged in the mining of coal for one year. He then removed to Ashley and entered the service of the Lehigli & Wilkes-Barre Coal Company, remaining in various capacities for ten years, at the expiration of which time he was made general inside foreman at Wanamie for same company; having charge of their No. 18 slope and also starting up the No. 19 slope, and remained thus employed for a period of ten years. In 1890 he entered the service of John Jermyn, coal operator, as inside superintendent at Price- burg, Pennsylvania, but his health failed and six months later he went to California in order to recuperate, remaining three months. In August, 1891. he came to Wyoming, Pennsylvania, en- gaged with Simpson & Watkins, coal operators, and sank the Mt. Lookout shaft for them which he opened up in August, 1893. This shaft goes down through one hundred and three feet of quicksand and is remarkable in many ways. His work was entirely satisfactory to the manage- ment, and one year from the opening the output for the month of August was between twenty- three and twenty-four thousand tons. Mr. Rap- son then engaged in his present business of rock contracting, driving shafts, tunnels, slopes, etc., and during his contract work has driven many miles of shafts, and now (April, 1906), with the assistance of his sons has five contracts under way, employing about sixty men, with a pay roll averaging over four thousand dollars per month. His business operations cover all the surround- ing territory within a radius of ten miles. Since engaging in this business Mr. Rapson has re- ceived many flattering offers from different com- panies, but prefers to continue in business for

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Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 59

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