Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 104

Author: Hayden, Horace Edwin
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 988

USA > Pennsylvania > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 104
USA > Wyoming > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 104

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After a year spent at his home in Plains, Pennsylvania, recovering from the effects of his wound, Major Hancock opened a mining supply store in that place, and for nine years continued in this business. He removed to Wilkes-Barre in 1875 and associated himself in partnership with his brother, a resident of Peoria, Illinois, and to- gether they entered upon the grain shipping trade on a small scale, under the firm name of Hancock & Company. Three years later the firm of Han- cock & Company was merged into that of Han- cock, Grier & Company. The demands of the firm requiring a seaport, the business was re- moved to Philadelphia, in 18So. It was again

established as Hancock & Company, with only the original partners, J. and E. A. Hancock, in 1884, and continued till the death of J. Hancock, when Colonel Elisha A. Hancock admitted his son James. While a resident of Wilkes-Barre he assisted in the organization of the People's Bank, and served as a director of the same until his re- moval from the city. After a residence of four years in the city of Philadelphia, Major Hancock was unanimously elected to the presidency of the Commercial Exchange. Upon assuming the gu- bernatorial office, Governor Hoyt appointed Ma- jor Hancock as quartermaster-general of the state of Pennsylvania, with the rank of colonel, in which capacity he served during the term of office of that governor. He was one of the founders, and a director of the Fourth Street National Bank of Philadelphia, the largest financial institu- tion in Pennsylvania; was for many years a director in the Merchants' Beneficial Associa- tion, and was re-elected in 1905 ; for several years was a director of the Pennsylvania and New York Canal & Railroad Company, a part of the Lehigh Valley system, and was appointed by Governor Hastings as a representative of Penn- sylvania on the staff of Major-General Dodge at the inauguration of President McKinley, March 4, 1897. Major Hancock had also filled the offices of director and vice-president of the Union League of Philadelphia. He was also a member of the Loyal Legion, the Grand Army of the Repub- lic, and of the Rittenhouse and Country Clubs. He had traveled extensively in Europe, visiting places of note and interest.

He married (first), in 1866, Julia A. Reich- ard, daughter of Hon. John Reichard. They had two children, of whom one died in in- fancy. The other, James, is now a mem- ber of the firmn of Hancock & Company. He married Matilda Bowman McKennan, and has three children: Katherine, Matilda and James. Elisha Atherton married (second) Lydia Chap- man Woodward, daughter of Hon. George W. Woodward. (See Woodward family). She died in 1887, and he married (third) Rose Grier Si- monton, daughter of Rev. William Simonton, and niece of Judge Simonton, deceased, of Har- risburg.

AMOS YORK SMITH was born at New Troy (now Wyoming), Luzerne county, Penn- sylvania. At the age of twenty years he removed to the neighboring township of Exeter, where West Pittston is now lo- cated, and engaged in business. During the "open season" in 1844, and probably in 1845 also,

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he was captain of the packet-boat "John Morton," plying between Pittston and Northumberland, on the North Branch Canal. In 1853, when Wyo- ming Seminary was burned down, he contributed $500 to the fund for the erection of new build- ings. He was active in helping to organize the Lackawanna & Bloomsburg Company, and was a member of its first board of directors. The con- struction of this road was begun in 1854, and the running of trains between Kingston and Scranton was begun early in the summer of 1856. The borough of West Pittston was organized and incorporated in Exeter township in 1857. A. Y. Smith owned a considerable quantity of land in the northeast quarter of the new borough, and this he laid out in streets and lots. "York avenue," in this part of the town, was so named by him in honor of his paternal grandmother's family. For several years prior to the War of the Rebellion, Mr. Smith resided with his family in Texas, where he was engaged in railroad building. In 1861, in consequence of his decided and unswerving devotion to the Union, he and his family were compelled to make a hasty departure for the north, leaving behind them nearly every- thing they possessed to be confiscated by the Con- federates. The family " thereafter resided in Wilkes-Barre for a number of years. In 1867 Mr. Smith returned to Texas as an agent for the federal government, and was employed there until 1870. After that, for some years, he was engaged in various enterprises, residing with his family in West Pittston, near the corner of York avenue and Washington street. In 1874 and 1875 he built and equipped a railroad in the state of Dela- ware.

Amos Y. Smith was married, in Exeter town- ship, October 17, 1839, by the Rev. E. H. Snow- don to Lucinda (born August 26, 1817), daugh- ter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Sharpe) (see Sharpe Family) Carpenter. (See Carpenter Family). She died in Wilkes-Barre, January 28, 1862, and her remains were buried in Forty Fort cemetery. Her tombstone bears this inscription: "The recollection of her virtues is treasured in the heart of her husband, and her maternal care and affec- tion cherished by her surviving children."

Amos Y. Smith died December 20, 1881, at the home of his son-in-law, Dr. Harvey, on West Union street, Wilkes-Barre, and was buried in Forty Fort cemetery. Amos York and Lucinda (Carpenter) Smith were the parents of six daughters and six sons, the third daughter being Sophia J. Smith, who in 1873 became the wife of Dr. Olin F. Harvey.

JOHN WILLIAM DENISON, M. D., a prominent physician of Parsons, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, was born July 2, 1858, in Mehoop- any, Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, a son of Frederick Cushman and Mary A. (Armstrong) Denison. He is a direct lineal descendant of Colonel Nathan and Elizabeth (Sill) Denison, mention of whom is made elsewhere in this work. Frederick Cushman Denison was born in Dimock, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania. He learned the printer's trade, and also followed the occu- pation of book agent for some time, travelling through the southern states. He saved enough money to go to Michigan, where he entered the university and studied for the medical profession. He graduated in 1856, and immediately engaged in the practice of his profession at Mehoopany. He served for three years in the Civil war as sur- geon of the One Hundred and Forty-first Regi- ment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. After his re- turn home Dr. Denison was in the practice of his- profession for thirty-five years, until his death, which occurred June 6, 1890.

John William Denison obtained his early edu- cation in the common schools of his native place, and later attended high school. He passed a teacher's examination, and was for two years en- gaged in teaching in the public schools. In 1882. he entered the University of Michigan, where he- pursued a course of study in medicine. He grad- uated in 1885, and located at Tunkhannock, Penn- sylvania, where he was engaged in the continuous practice of his profession for fourteen years. In 1899 he removed to Parsons, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, where he established an excellent practice. From the very outset Dr. Denison's career as a physician has been an eminently suc- cessful one, and he enjoys an extensive and lucra- tive practice. Politically Dr. Denison strongly advocates the principles of the Republican party. During his stay in Tunkhannock he served two terms as coroner and served on the council for three years, being the first Republican elected in that ward to that office; also United States pen- sion examiner under Harrison three years.

Dr. Denison married, October 5, 1885, Mary Sharpe, daughter of Walter and Mary (De Voe) Sharpe, and granddaughter of James and Janet (Fuller) Sharpe. To Dr. Denison and his wife a daughter was born in September, 1886, who died' in 1895. Mrs. Denison's father, Walter Sharpe, was a soldier in the English army, Scottish Regi- ment, during the Sepoy Rebellion, Calcutta, India. He was presented with two valuable medals by the Queen of England for an act of

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bravery during the massacre of the women and children. His brother, James Sharpe, who was a professor in the University of Edinburgh, Scot- land, was killed in this war. Walter Sharpe emi- grated to this country from Melbourne, Australia, locating in Camden. He then removed to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he was engaged in milling and in the wholesale flour and feed busi- ness up to his death, 1895.

PATRICK JOSEPH RAMSEY was born in county Donegal, Ireland, March 20, 1870, son of Michael and Anne (Mechan) Ramsey. He was brought to America by his parents, who em- igrated here in 1873. They settled in Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylvania, where the family has since resided.

Patrick J. Ramsey was educated in the Wilkes-Barre public schools, which he left at an carly age, and then spent some years employed in the coal breakers and axle works. In Decem- ber, 1891, he entered the business office of the Wilkes-Barre Times, shortly after that paper was established, and after a course in the Wilkes- Barre Business College, became a reporter on the Times. In October, 1893, he with the late H. B. Thomas secured control of the Plymouth Weekly Tribune and started the Plymouth Daily Tribune, the first daily newspaper published in Plymouth. After successfully conducting it for several months, with all the interesting experiences of a youthful editor and publisher of a village daily newspaper, he sold out his interest and returned to the Wilkes-Barre Times, with which publi- cation he has been connected almost continu- ously since, a period of fourteen years, as solici- tor, circulation and advertising manager, re- porter and city editor. In 1894 when the Times Publishing Company was reorganized with the late Liddon Flick as president, Mr. Ramsey was made assistant city editor and remained in that capacity until February, 1903, when he accepted a position on the news staff of the Wilkes-Barre Record. During his reportorial career on the Times, he covered the Lattimer shooting and trial, and other important happenings and court cases, and in April, 1898, was sent out with the Ninth Regiment (See history of Ninth Regi- ment elsewhere) as war correspondent for the Times during the war with Spain. He also re- ported the big coal strikes and labor conventions for the Times in 1900-02, and was in close touch with John Mitchell, labor leaders and coal com- pany officials, during the local industrial wars. After eight months on the Record, he returned to the Times, Jannary 1, 1904, to take the position

of city editor of the latter newspaper, which po- sition he still occupies. He organized the Wilkes- Barre Press Club in 1895, and is at this time its president. He is also a charter member of Wilkes-Barre Council, No. 302, Knights of Columbus.

JACOB ROBERTS, JR. There is some- times to be found in a community a man who by virtue of long and varied experiences in one par- ticular line of business is entitled to be called a specialist and whose opinions are accepted as those of an expert. Such is the gentleman whose- name opens this article. He was born in Eng- land, December 19, 1840, and is the son of Jacob- Roberts, who was born in England, December 27, 1819. John Roberts, father of Jacob Roberts, was born in the town of Breage, Cornwall county, and represented an old and highly re- spected family of that section. He was known as a mineral miner and there spent his entire life .. Jacob Roberts, Sr., also followed the occupation of mineral mining in that locality until coming to. America in 1848, when he settled in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and began the operation of coal mining which he followed up to 1868, when he came to the Wyoming valley and located in Plymouth, where he opened and operated what was known as the Old Chauncey mine in con- junction with Thomas Broderick and Thomas D. Conyngham. He remained in this position until retiring, when he returned to Schuylkill county- and there died at eighty-two years of age. His wife, Amelia Harris, was born in the same sec- tion of England as himself and represented an old and honored ancestry on both sides. She was: the mother of five children, four of whom are still living, the subject of this review being the eldest. The others are: Amelia, living in the- western part of Pennsylvania. Belinda, now de- ceased. John, of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. Mary, who married William R. Jones and also resides. in Tamaqua. The mother of these children died at sixty-seven years of age. Both parents were members of the Episcopal church.

Jacob Roberts, Jr., remained in England up to- eight years of age, when he set sail for the new world and landed at New York, going thence to- Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, where he remained until eighteen. He received his education in public and private schools, and then went to Philadel- phia to receive a thoroughly practical business- education, remaining there until the war broke out. During those stirring times in 1862 he was- among the first to enlist in Company E, One- Hundred and Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania In-

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fantry, Third Brigade, Fifth Army Corps, serv- ing under that famous general Joseph Hooker, and with his company and regiment was engaged in many of the awful battles of that corps, in- cluding the second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and all of the other famous battles down to May I, 1864. During this time he was promoted through the various ranks of corporal, sergeant, lieuten- ant, captain, and up to major, with which honor- able title he was discharged and which he has since borne. After his discharge he returned to Tamaqua and with his father engaged in the operating of what was known as the Newkirk colliery, where he remained for a time, and then in conjunction with his father operated a col- liery for the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company in Carbon county, Pennsylvania, later in Ma- hanoy City in the early history of coal operations there, being among the pioneers to sink the first shaft. After remaining there for a time they came to Plymouth and opened the Chauncey mine, as spoken of above. After a short time here Major Roberts became the general sales agent for J. H. Swoyer in Wilkes-Barre, having charge of his entire sales department and re- maining in this capacity for eight years, when he resigned and went to Pittston and opened up the Fairmount colliery, organizing a company of which he became president 'and conducting an extensive business for some time. Then selling his interest he went to Hanover township, where he opened the Moffett colliery of the Hanover Coal Company, becoming president and general manager of this. Later he disposed of his in- terest and entered the political field, being elected to the legislature in 1897, serving one term, dur- ing which he was on the military, mines and min- ing, and railroad committees. At the expiration of his term of office he again entered the business arena and formed what is known as the Wilkes- Barre Knitting Mills Company, erecting a large building and putting in machinery, and was treasurer and general manager of this concern, doing an extensive business and employing some two hundred and sixty hands. In February, 1905, he resigned his position to engage in his present business of coal specialist with offices in Wilkes-Barre. In addition to this he is also in- terested in the Flat Branch Coal & Coke Com- pany, of Tracy, Tennessee, in which he is a direc- tor. In his position as coal specialist he gives opinions in regard to the value of this mineral found in different parts of the country and, in fact, anything pertaining to the mining of coal. He has been a member of the common council for

some years, having been re-elected three times, the third in 1905 being without opposition. He is a member of the Westmoreland Club; the F. and A. M., of Plymouth, No. 336, also the council and chapter of Wilkes-Barre; was a charter member of the Dieu Le Vieut commandery, which was organized in 1872, member of the I. O. O. F. for some years ; of the B. P. O. E., also K. of P. A director of the Wilkes-Barre Deposit & Sav- ings Bank. He married, September 17, 1863, Emma A. Simpson, who was born in Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania. She is a daughter of Cap- tain George W. Simpson, who was born in Phil- adelphia, Pennsylvania, and was a builder there. He was in the Civil war and was a prisoner and confined in the prison pens at Libby prison, where he remained eighteen months, and others, includ- ing Macon, Georgia, and was also under fire at Charleston, South Carolina, at the time the prisoners were brought out in front of the fort to prevent the northern forces from firing upon it. After the war he returned to Mauch Chunk, and later to Nanticoke, where he died at eighty- two years of age. Mrs. Roberts was one of ten children, eight of whom are living, she being the eldest. Among them were the following: Wil- liam, in Scranton; Annine, who married Frank Detweller, also resides in Scranton; Robert, de- ceased ; Mahala, married William Davenport, in Scranton ; John and George in Nanticoke. The mother of these children died at seventy-six years of age. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Roberts : Lizzie G., who died at the age of twenty-three years; she was the wife of Walter B. Posten. William, who was educated in pub- . lic and private schools and Wyoming Seminary, and is now engaged in the hardware business in Wilkes-Barre. Fred, who died at the age of six- teen years. They attend the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. Roberts has held some offices.

H. E. H.

JOSEPH ANSLEY, deceased, was a man of great business activity, in which he displayed extraordinary ability, while his nobility of char- acter held him high in the estimation of all with whom he came in contact, in whatever rela- tion, commercial or social. His ancestry was probably Scottish. His grandfather, Joseph Ansley, came from Connecticut to Pennsylva- nie, locating at Paupack, Wayne county. Brin- son Ansley, father of Joseph Ansley, lived there as a farmer ; he married Elizabeth Le Barr, daughter of Leonard Le Barr, and they were the parents of four children-Leonard, Joseph, William and Amelia.

JOSEPH ANSLEY

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Joseph Ansley, second child of Brinson and Elizabeth (Le Barr) Ansley, was born October 26, 1825, in Paupack, Wayne county, Pennsyl- vania. He there received his education in the common schools, and learned carpentry with a Mr. La Farge. After completing his appren- ticeship he worked in the vicinity as a journey- man for several years. He then removed to Hawley, and this was the real beginning of his active career. For a time he worked at his trade, conducting an undertaking business in connection with it. He soon afterward, how- ever, entered upon larger concerns as a contract- ing builder, and erected some of the most im- portant houses, both business and residential, in the village, many of them upon land of his own, his holdings including the present site of the Hawley silk mills and other buildings. He erected the first grist mill and the First Bap- tist and first Catholic churches in Hawley. In connection with his other interests he also kept a lumber yard and operated a planing mill. Suc- cess attended his effort, and in 1866 he located in Hyde Park, where he established a lumber yard on Bromley avenue, the first in the place, and with which he was identified during the remainder of his life. He also established a large manufacturing establishment and contin- ued a contracting business, thus, through the agency of these enterprises contributing to the upbuilding of the city in as large, perhaps larger degree than any other one man. He erected many of the largest and most valuable public and pri- vate buildings, factories, residences, etc., and the product of his shops entered into the con- struction of hundreds of others under the man- agement of other builders. Soon after his com- ing to Hyde Park Mr. Ansley admitted to part- nership with himself Nicolas Washburn and Samuel Heller. In 1868 he bought out the inter- est ofMr. Heller, and that of Mr. Washburn in the spring of 1871. It was during his partnership with Mr. Washburn that planing-mill and sash and blind manufactory were established, but these had hardly gone into operation when Mr. Ansley purchased the Washburn interest, and the installation of this business is due almost en- tirely to Mr. Ansley. The building known as the Herman's shop was occupied for factory purposes until early in 1879, when the present substantial stone and wood shops were. com- pleted, after having been in course of construc- tion for about three years. This business Mr. Ansley developed into large proportions, em- ploying about one hundred operatives. He reaped a well deserved reward for his industry

and enterprise, and accumulated a handsome property in Scranton and Dunmore.

Mr. Ansley was a man of great earnestness of character, and conscientious in every thought and act. Of a marked religious temperament, he was not a communicant of any church, but inclined to the Presbyterian faith and attended the services of that denomination. first vote was cast for the candidate of the Demo- cratic party, but in the next presidential cam- paign he acted with the Whigs. His humani- tarianism would not permit him to act with any. political organization favorable to the main- tenance of a system of human bondage, and. when the Republican party was organized in 1856 he affiliated with it, voted for John C. Fre- mont, its first presidential candidate, and was. ever afterward among its most steadfast sup- porters.

Mr. Ansley married, September 9, 1850, at Wilsonville, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Will- iam and Elizabeth (Shouse) Mason; her fath- er resided in Savannah, Georgia. To Mr. and Mrs. Ansley were born eleven children, of whom five are living : Elizabeth, deceased ; Matilda, de- ceased; Sarah, who became the wife of Henry T. Porter (deceased), and to them were born three children: Ethel, wife of Paul Johanning ; Pearl, and Leila. John, deceased. Lincoln, re- siding in Colorado, where he is engaged in the: lumber business. Hamlin, died in twenty-first year. (Lincoln and Hamlin were twins, born during the political campaign of 1860, and were- named for the Republican presidential and vice- presidential candidates). Joseph, who is en- gaged in the lumber business ; he married Mar- garet Shiffer, and they have three children- Sarah, Joseph and James. James, deceased. Edward, engaged in the lumber business ; he- married Matilda Thompson, and they have three children-Ruth, deceased; Mary and Allen. Frank, deceased. Anna, at home.

Mr. Ansley died March 23, 1891, and his. demise was deeply mourned throughout the community which had been so greatly advan- taged by his presence and labors. During his later years, while withdrawn in some degree from active concerns, he was yet a familiar figure on the streets of the city, commanding attention by his fine personal appearance-his well-built frame, intellectual face, and long flowing beard which gave him an air of marked dignity. Affa- ble to all, and of wide information, he enjoyed the sincere regard of all the older citizens, and of those of the younger generation who were privileged to know him familiarly. He was

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very domestic in his tastes, and greatly attached .to his home. Between himself and his wife ex- isted tenderness of affection and closeness of sympathy to a degree far surpassing that which is ordinarily found even in homes which are regarded as models of marital serenity and hap- piness. Mrs. Ansley, who survives her honored husband, comes from a family noted for long- evity, and is exceptionally well preserved, be- ing in appearance many years younger than she really is. While deeply attached to those left to her-her children and theirs-she dwells in much of her thought with the loved ones beyond the veil, whose hearts are bound to her own by memory's golden chain until they meet to touch again.

FREDERICK SCHWARZ. A recognized leader among the German-American citizens of Scranton is Frederick Schwarz. He is a son of William Schwartz, who was born in Germany, and followed the calling of a miner. In 1852 he emigrated to the United States and settled in the neighborhood of Scranton, where, being a thrifty, honest and industrious man, he soon accumulated a property consisting of a house and three lots. He was recognized by his fellow citizens as a reliable man and was chosen to fill the office of constable. His wife was Mary Butterman, also a native of Germany, .and of their eight children four are living : Fred-

erick, mentioned hereafter; Joseph, Lizzie and Kate.

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Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 104

Author: Hayden, Horace Edwin Publication date: 1906 Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 988

Author: Hayden, Horace Edwin
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 988