Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 82

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 82
USA > Wyoming > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II > Part 82

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

JOHN PRICE, check docking boss of shaft No. 5, Susquehanna Coal Company, Nanticoke, which office he has held since 1899, is one of the representative citizens of that borough and en- joys the respect and confidence of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.

James Price, father of John Price, was a na- tive of England, a miner by occupation, and he lost his life by a fire in the mine in which he was employed in the year 1851. His wife, Mary Ann Price, survived him many years, passing away in her native land, England, in 1890. Their family consisted of three children, two daugh- ters and one son, namely: Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Harris, of England; Sarah, wife of William Cook, resident of Peckville, and John. The two latter named emigrated to this country, they being the only members of the family that left their native soil.

John Price was born in England, October 14, 1846. He was reared, educated and married in his native land, emigrating from thence in 1893, and locating at Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, where he has since resided. He at once became an employe of the Susquehanna Coal Company, and in 1899 was appointed check docking boss of shaft No. 5. a position he held for several years in England. The duty of this office is to see that the miners receive justice at the hands of the docking boss, and because of his thorough knowledge of mining, and his experience and familiarity with the production of coal in its various phases he was chosen for the position, which was created in the company in 1899. One of the grievances of the miners in the strike of that year was the excessive docking or shrink- age in their production of coal. In the adjust- ment of that strike a check docking boss was to be employed to see that each car as it goes to the breaker is fairly examined and the miners justly dealt with by the docking boss. During his incumbency of this office, Mr. Price has given entire satisfaction to both the company and the miners. He is a consistent member of the Primitive Methodist Church. In politics he is a stanch Republican.

On January 17. 1883, Mr. Price was mar- ried to Miss Sarah Robinson, a native of Eng-

land, and they are the parents of six children : Elizabeth, born 1884, the wife of Wilson Bogart, of Nanticoke; Mary, born 1885, the wife of Thomas Chamberlain, of Nantcoke: Margaret, born 1890; James, born 1895, and Robert Dewey, born 1898.

DAVID L. LLOYD. It may safely be as- serted that there was no man in Luzerne county connected with the production of coal who more thoroughly understood his business than David L. Lloyd, late of Nanticoke. Mr. Lloyd was a son of John Lloyd, who was born in Wales, and in 1856 emigrated to the United States. He was a miner, and the greater part of his time after coming to this country was passed in Prov- idence and Wilkes-Barre. During the Civil war he served in the army of the United States, re- ceiving a wound which entitled him to a pen- sion. His wife was Elizabeth Howell, also a na- tive of Wales, and their children were: David L., mentioned at length hereinafter ; Mary, Ann, Eliza, James and. Albert. Of this number only the two eldest were born in Wales, and all are now deceased with the exception of Ann and Jane. Mr. Lloyd, the father, died in 1889, and the mother passed away in 1902.

David L. Lloyd, son of John and Elizabeth (Howell) Lloyd, was born March 4, 1851, in South Wales, and was five years old when brought by his parents to the United States. He received a partial education in the schools of Providence, where he remained until 1869. His first work was for the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Company in the capacity of slate- picker. As he grew older he was given a posi- tion in the mines. Later he was promoted to be fireman at the Wilkes-Barre shaft, but the wages of miners being greater than those of firemen he decided to enter the ranks of the former body of workers. In 188t he visited New Mexico, remaining one year, and on his return entered the service of the Susquehanna Coal Company, with which he continuously remained until his death, May 29, 1905. Beginning as water-tender in the boiler-house, he had by strict attention to duty risen step by step to the position of engin- eer, which he held for fifteen years, and in the discharge of the critical duties of which he never made a mistake. He was stationed at shaft No. 2, which is over six hundred feet deep. He was a member of the Engineers' Association.

Mr. Lloyd married, March 16, 1873, Jane Morgan, and of the eleven children born to them six are living: Thomas, an electrician ; John, a barber ; William, a printer : Mabel, Bessic and

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Mary. Thomas, the eldest son, was one of the young men who responded to the call for volun- teers at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war, enlisting in Company H, Nineteenth Regi- ment Infantry, United States army. He served three years and was actively engaged in many of the severely contested battles. He was in service in the Philippines, and was honorably discharged at the close of the war.

WILLIAM O. THOMAS, JR. One of the , and later engaged in the hotel business, which many Welshmen who have added themselves to the number of good citizens of the United States is William O. Thomas, of Nanticoke. He is a son of William Thomas, who was born on Llwynerwn farm in Glamorganshire, South Wales, an estate on which for over two hundred years his ancestors had been born.and had passed their lives. The farm consists of eighty acres of fine, well-tilled land, which is underlaid by a rich bed of coal. The house is of solid ma- sonry and is in a good state of preservation. Mr. Thomas, the elder, is a man of means and of considerable influence. His wife was Sarah Johns, and their family consisted of twelve chil- dren : David, deceased; Joseph, William O., mentioned at length hereafter; Elizabeth, Na- than, Ann, Sarah, Mary, Phoebe, and Emily, be- sides two who died in infancy. William O., Elizabeth and Ann emigrated to this country. Mrs. Thomas, the mother of the family, died in 1876, and her husband still resides upon the homestead.

William O. Thomas, son of William and Sa- rah (Johns) Thomas, was born July 27, 1862, on Llwynerwn farm, and was educated in the common schools. His youth was passed in agri- cultural pursuits on the homestead, and 1881 he emigrated to the United States, and settled at Nanticoke, where he has since lived continu- ously. He has been twenty-four years in the service of the Susquehanna Coal Company, and during twelve years of that period held the crit- ical position of fire-boss; never meeting with any accident. For nine years he has been as- sistant mine foreman in No. I shaft, and en- joys the full confidence of the company. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Knights of Malta.

Mr. Thomas married in 1884, Hannah Hughes, and nine children have been born to them : Obert, Bessie, Cordelia, Canwin, William O., Jr., Margaret, and three deceased. In 1891 Mr. Thomas, accompanied by his wife, visited his ancestral home, thus enjoying the happiness of meeting his relatives and old friends and of

looking once more upon the scenes of his boy- hood.

Mrs. Thomas is a daughter of Joseph Hughes, who was born in South Wales, and was a me- chanic and stationary engineer. In 1858 he emi- grated to the United States, where he was joined in 1860 by his wife and children. He first set- tled in Philadelphia, where he lived for a num- ber of years, and in 1874 moved to Nanticoke. There for several years he worked at his trade, he found very profitable from a financial point of view. He was for a number of years pro- prietor of the Pleasant Dale Hotel, which he conducted with gratifying results. His wife, Elizabeth Walters, was also a native of Wales, and they were the parents of ten children, seven of whom were born in the United States and four of whom are now living: Sarah A., Thomas, Rachael and Elizabeth. Hannah, who was born May 7, 1863, in Philadelphia, and became the wife of William O. Thomas, as mentioned above, died November 25, 1905. Mr. Hughes, the fath- er, died in 1893, and his widow is now living in Nanticoke at the age of seventy-three.

THOMAS W. JONES, a resident of the bor- ough of Nanticoke, where he has enjoyed the confidence of its inhabitants for twenty-three years, during which period of time he has been in the employ of the Susquehanna Coal Company, is a native of Wales, born in September, 1855, a son of John and Sarah ( Jones) Jones, both na- tives of Wales, born respectively in the years of 1834 and 1835. John Jones is a farmer by oc- cupation, conducting his operations in the land of his birth. Their family consisted of fourteen children, four of whom are living : Thomas W., mentioned at length hereafter; William T., who emigrated to this country; Ann and Mary. both of whom reside in Wales.

Thomas W. Jones was reared and educated in his native land, after which he became interested in the production of coal, and for fifteen years thereafter was engaged in that line of work in Wales, serving for a number of years in the ca- pacity of fire boss. In 1881 he left the shores of his native country to seek fortune, health and happiness in the land of freedom and independ- ence. He located in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, where he engaged with the Susquehanna Coal Company, in whose employ he still remains, a fact which speaks volumes for his integrity and fidelity to duty. For eight of the twenty-three years of his active connection with the company he has served in the responsible position of fire

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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.

boss. This is one of the most critical offices in connection with the production of coal, for on his faithfulness depends the life of the miner and property of the company. During his eight years' incumbency Mr. Jones has met with no ac- cident from gas or otherwise, and the only acci- dent to which he was exposed and which proved serious was on November 21, 1904, when an enormous quantity of coal fell on his back, al- most crushing him and incapacitating him for work for ten weeks. During his residence in Nanticoke Mr. Jones held the office of police- man for five years. He is a stanch adherent of the principles of the Republican party.

Mr. Jones married, January 18, 1879, in Wales, Ann James, who bore him one son, Rich- ard W., who is a graduate of the Nanticoke high school. and at present time ( 1905) is employed as clerk in his native town. Mr. Jones and his family are members of the Episcopal Church. They reside in a fine, modern residence on Main street, Nanticoke, which Mr. Jones had erected on a lot purchased by him a number of years ago.

J. B. RANDALL. It is doubtful whether or not there can be found in the anthracite belt a man more thoroughly conversant with the pro- duction of coal than J. B. Randall, of Moosic. Mr. Randall is the grandson of Jonathan Ran- dall, a native of Warren county, New Jersey. About 1838 he migrated to Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. His sons were: William, James, George, Charles and Silas. Mr. Randall was a farmer and a worthy citizen, and his memory is still respected in the county.

Silas Randall, son of Jonathan Randall, was born December 20, 1825, in Belvidere, Warren county, New Jersey, and was thirteen years of age when he moved with his parents to Luzerne county. He obtained his education in the win- ter district school, which was held in a log house. At an early age he was apprenticed to the cabinetmaker's trade, working four years and nine months before receiving wages, and subsequently he remained with his master on a salary. About 1846 he moved to Old Forge, and for fourteen years worked as foreman of the Raynor Powder Mills. He also operated a sawmill for ten years. Later in life he became an extensive contractor and builder. He was a man of some prominence in the community and for several terms served as supervisor of Old Forge. He was a member of the Masonic order, affiliating with a lodge at Taylor. In pol- itics he was a Republican. Mr. Randall mar-

ried in 1854, Elizabeth Gress, a native of Wayne county, Pennsylvania, and they were the parents of seven children, six of whom are living: J. B., mentioned at length hereafter; Charles W., who is a carpenter ; Zora C., who holds the po- sition of engineer ; W. J., who is also a carpen- ter ; Rose, who is the wife of a Mr. Brown; and another daughter, who married J. H. Daven- port. Mr. Randall died in 1901. He was a man highly esteemed for the strength of character which had insured his success and had made him what he was.

J. B. Randall, son of Silas and Elizabeth (Gress) Randall, was born in 1862, in what is now Old Forge borough, Lackawanna county, and received his education in the schools of his birthplace. Previous to his twentieth year he engaged in various pursuits, and then applied himself to the carpenter's trade under the in- struction of his father. For sixteen years he followed this trade, and then was for two years engaged in business as a butcher. For the last four years he has been outside foreman of the Hillside colliery, filling his position in a man- ner alike satisfactory to his employer and to the men under his control.

The latter number one hundred and thirty-six. The mine has three openings, two slopes and one shaft, the depth of which is one hundred and sixty-eight feet. The output of coal is about one hundred tons per hour. The mine was formerly the property of the Pennsylvania Company, but is now controlled by the Erie Company. Mr. Randall has the oversight of all the company's property above ground. He holds membership in the following fraternal organizations: Acacia Lodge, No. 579, in which he holds the rank of past master ; Pitts- ton Chapter, No. 242; Wyoming Valley Com- mandery, No. 57; Irem Temple, of Wilkes- Barre, and the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Randall married in 1883. Elizabeth Campbell, a native of Scotland, and they have one son, Silas R., who is serving as engineer under his father. He married, April 22, 1905, Jessie M. Harlos, of Taylor. He holds membership in the following fraternal organizations : Moosic Council, No. 216, Junior Order of United American Me- chanics, and Valley Lodge, No. 499, F. and A. M.

URIAH SEYBERT, one of the practical and progressive farmers of Salem township, owner and operator of sixty-three acres of val- uable farm land, is a lineal descendant of an old German family who emigrated to this country previous to the Revolutionary war. The first

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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS ..

emigrant was Sebastian Seybert or Seibert (great-grandfather), who settled in Salem town- ship, Pennsylvania, and became the owner of eight hundred acres of land running from B'er- wick to Beach Haven. He married a Miss Bow- man, of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, and their children were: Michael, Henry, Sebastian, Hunt- eater, Bernard, Nicholas, Polly, Betsy and Peggy Seybert.

Hunteater Seybert (grandfather), fourth son of Sebastian Seybert, was born in Salem town- ship, Pennsylvania. He was a prosperous farm- er, and was one of the influential citizens of the community. He married a Miss Zimmerman, and seven children were the issue of this union ; Nancy, Reuben, Polly, James, Wallace, Bow- man and Sevilla Seybert.

Reuben Seybert ( father), eldest son of Hunt- eater Seybert, was born in Salem township. Pennsylvania, in 1810. He was a farmer and miller, both occupations yielding him a goodly income for the labor expended in their manage- ment. He was united in marriage to Miss Lydia Largenberger, who bore him sixteen children, nine of whom attained years of maturity and are living at the present time ( 1905) : Rudolph, Uriah, Miranda, Frances, Martha, Polly, George, Lydia and Anna. Reuben Seybert, father of these children, died October 24, 1878; his wife preceded him, passing away in 1870.

Uriah Seybert was born in Salem township, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, in 1838. He ob- tained a good English education in the common schools in the vicinity of his home, and there- after followed in the footsteps of his father, de- voting his attention to farming and milling, but the latter occupation he abandoned in 1899 owing to failing health. He stands high in the community, and is esteemed by all who know him.

In 1869 Mr. Seybert was united in marriage to Miss Delia Yetter, of Catawissa township, Co- lumbia county, Pennsylvania, and their children are : Nicholas J., who married Miss Alice Grady, and they are the parents of one child. Horace E., who married Miss Maggie Cope, and two children were the issue. Frank B., who married Miss Mary Miller, who bore him one child. Dora B., wife of F. Garrison, and mother of one child. Jennie E. Ray B., who married Miss Bessie Eberhardt, and their family consists of two chil- dren. Lillie M. Hurley U.

ANDREW J. BELLES, a farmer of New- port township, traces his ancestry to an old and honored German family, early settlers in North-

ampton county, where they followed agricultural pursuits. The first to migrate to Luzerne county was Cornelius Belles (great-grandfather ), about the year 1750, and he experienced all the priva- tions of pioneer settlers. He followed in the footsteps of his forefathers, devoting his atten- tion exclusively to the quiet but useful calling of farming, conducting his operations on a tract of two hundred acres purchased by him. The name of his wife is unknown. Their children were: Adam, Peter and Elizabeth.

Adam Belles (grandfather), eldest son of Cornelius Belles, was born either in Northamp- ton or Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. If in the former, he was very young when his parents removed from there, but it is the opinion of those interested that he was a native of the lat- ter county. He was also a farmer, practical and careful in his methods, and was the owner of one hundred acres of land where Wanamie now stands. He married Elizabeth Croop, who bore him the following named children : Peter, Philip, William, Joseph, George, Adam, John, Mary. Susan, Margaret and Catherine. ' Of this number Adam is the only living member at the present time (1905), and Joseph lost his life in defense of his country's honor during the period of the Civil war.

Peter Belles (father), eldest son of Adam and Elizabeth (Croop) Belles, was born in New- port township, Pennsylvania, October 12, 1812. Throughout the active years of his life he fol- lowed various occupations-boating, farming and mining-from all of which he realized a goodly income which enabled him to provide a comfortable home for his family, which con- sisted of his wife, Hester (Thomas) Belles, and nine children, namely : Rebecca, deceased ; Eliza- beth, deceased ; Thomas, deceased ; Andrew J., Martha, Peter W., Marietta, Amanda, deceased, and Franklin P. Peter Belles (father) died about August 29, 1892 ; his wife passed away in 1882.

Andrew J. Belles, second son of Peter and Hester (Thomas) Belles, was born in Newport township, Pennsylvania, July 4. 1839. In early life, after acquiring the limited educational ad- vantages afforded by the common schools of that day, he engaged in boating, which occupation he continued up to 1868. He then turned his attention to farming and has been very success- ful along these lines. He now (1905) leases from the Susquehanna Coal Company three hun- dred acres of land, whereon he raises general farm produce and disposes of the same in the nearby markets. During his residence in the

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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.

township of Newport, be has been the incumbent of the offices of tax collector, supervisor, school director nine years, and poor director fifteen years. Both in religion and politics Mr. Belles follows the example of his ancestors, being a Lutheran and a Democrat.

On April 26, 1863, Mr. Belles was married to Emily Mosier, who was born in Newport township, where her parents, Michael and Mary Mosier, resided prior to their migration west. To this union there have been born seven children : Charles, Elsie L., wife of F. Garrison ; Minnie, wife of William Williams; Carrie, wife of M. D. Littleford ; Harry. Nellie, a graduate of New- port high school and Bloomsburg State Normal School, classes of 1892 and 1895, respectively ; and Ervin, deceased, who was a graduate of Newport high school and Wyoming Seminary. The family are classed among the best people of their locality and are universally respected.

SOLOMON DEEBLE. It is doubtful if there is within the limits of the county a more justly respected and at the same time popular citizen than Solomon Deeble, of Avoca. Mr. Deeble is a son c- James Deeble, who was born in England, and was a miner of experience and skill. He was twice married and was the father of twenty-two children. Of this number only five are now living. Two of these, James and Anna, are the offspring of his first marriage. His second wife was Margaret Ashton, a native of Wales, and three of their children survive: Solomon, mentioned at length hereafter; Rich- ard, and Margaret. Benjamin, another of the sons, was killed by an accident in the mines of the Avoca Coal Company.

Solomon Deeble, son of James and Margaret (Ashton) Deeble, was born in 1854, in Wales, and at the early age of seven years began to work in the mines. As may well be supposed his education was neglected, but by his own ef- forts he acquired in after years a thorough knowledge of mine engineering, in which he passed a creditable examination. In 1869 he emigrated to the United States and settled at Pittston. He did all kinds of work that can be done in a mine and at the age of nineteen be- came a full-fledged miner. In 1874 he moved to Avoca, where he has since resided. For twelve years he was superintendent of the Avoca Coal Company, and for the last four years has held the same position with the Traders' Coal Company and the Alliance Coal Company. His services are in constant demand, and he is one of the most efficient mining engineers in the Lacka-

wanna Valley. He has a half-interest in a well- furnished general store at Ridgewood. Mr. Deeble manifested in a practical manner his in- terest in the cause of education by serving nine years on the school board. In October, 1897, he was appointed postmaster of Avoca, and during his term of office discharged the duties to the en- tire satisfaction of all concerned. In 1901 he failed by a small majority to receive the nomina- tion for sheriff of Luzerne county. March 7, 1905, he went to Carlisle, Indiana, to enter upon the position of general manager of a newly formed corporation-the Carlisle Coal and Clay Company. He is a member of Acacia Lodge, No. 579, Free and Accepted Masons., Lacka- wanna Chapter, No. 185, Wyoming Valley Com- mandery, No. 42, and Irem Temple, of Wilkes- Barre. He also belongs to Nay Aug Lodge, No. 579, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, of Moosic, the Foresters, Court Livingston, and the Order of Heptasophs.

Mr. Deeble married in 1874, Ruth Davis, and the following children were born to them: Thomas, deceased ; Annie ; Thomas J .; Birdella ; Viola; William; and Roy. Of these children Annie is the wife of Joseph McPhearson; Thomas J. married Fannie M. Pierce, and Bird- ella is the wife of William L. Evans. Mrs. Deeble is a native of Wales, where she was born in 1855, daughter of Thomas and Lois Davis. The former was an experienced miner, and in 1864 emigrated to the United States, making his home at Pittston.

JOHN WINTER. Few men can have a higher reputation for ability and faithfulness in the discharge of duty than is enjoyed by John Winter, of Nanticoke. He is a son of David Winter, who was born in Wales and was a farmer and a truly worthy man. His wife was Rachel Morgan, also a native of Wales. Both she and her husband lived and died in their na- tive country.

John Winter, son of David and Rachel (Mor- gan) Winter, was born March 8, 1845, in South Wales. He entered the mines at an early age and there worked until 1869, when he emigrated to the United States. He settled at Audendried, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, where he worked as a miner until 1878. In that year he moved to Plymouth, and after remaining there eighteen months, went in 1880 to Nanticoke, where he has since resided. He has beeen twenty-five years in the service of the Susquehanna Coal Com- pany, and during that time has held the respon- sible position of fire-boss. His post of duty is

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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.

at No. 2 shaft, and every morning at half-past two o'clock he descends into the mines for the purpose of inspecting them thoroughly before the men go down to work at seven. Upon his vigi- lance depends the lives of the workers. He is one of the oldest fire-bosses in line of service employed by the company.

Mr. Winter married in 1864, Mary Rees, born August 8, 1844, in South Wales, and nine children have been born to them, six of whom are living: William L., Sarah, Rachel, Gwen, Stanley M., and Bessie. William L., the eldest son, is a tinsmith by trade; he married Maggie McCracken, and has two children, William and Sarah. Rachel, the second daughter, is the wife of Samuel T. Pratt, an electrician, and the mother of two children, Mary and Ruth. Mr. Winter is the only member of the family in the United States.

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Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume II, Part 82

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