Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 31

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 31
USA > Wyoming > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 31

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).

Stephen Paine, third son of Edward and Lois (Kinney) Paine, born Pomfret, Connecticut, January 31, 1746. Upon attaining manhood he removed to Lebanon, Connecticut, where by dint of industry, perseverance and thrift he accumu- lated an extensive and valuable estate. "The Paine Family Record" gives the names of his eleven children, but not his wife.

Oliver Payne, eldest son and fifth child of Stephen Paine, born Lebanon, Connecticut, 1780 : he was reared and educated in his native town, and removed to Norwich, Connecticut, where he resided until 1813, when he removed to Gibson, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, where he died 1868. He attained the rank of captain by service in local militia. Payne's Lake in Sus- quehanna county was named in honor of this worthy and enterprising citizen.

Bester Payne, son of Capt. Oliver Payne, born Norwich, Connecticut, April 10, ISI0. When he was three years old his parents removed to Gib- son, Pennsylvania, that section being then a dense wilderness, and here he was reared, re- ceiving the limited education afforded by the dis- trict school. In 1839 he removed to Kingston, and there followed the trade of laying lead water pipes, and by his proficiency in this line of work became widely known throughout the counties of Luzerne, Bradford, Columbia, Susquehanna and Lycoming. He laid large quantities of it, much of which can yet be found in different towns in a

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splendid condition. He also put in hydraulic rams for forcing water up hill, being the pioneer of this enterprise in this section. He was also a lead pipe manufacturer, owning and operating a factory for this purpose. December 4, 1834, Mr. Payne married Polly Pierce, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Cargell) Pierce, the father a na- tive of Hasbrook, Sullivan county, New York, son of William Pierce, a native of the north of England, who came to America about 1778, and the mother, a daughter of Abram Cargell, a na- tive of Scotland, and his wife, Catherine Horn- beck, a native of Holland. Mr. Payne died at Forty Fort. April 3, 1866, aged fifty-five years and eleven months. Subsequently his widow married Isaac Rice, of Kingston, and she died November 4. 1896, aged eighty-seven years, but despite her advanced age possessed all her fac- ulties.

Hubbard Bester Payne, son of Bester and Polly (Pierce) Payne, born Kingston, Pennsyl- vania, July 20, 1839. He resided with his parents until the age of eighteen, attended the schools of Kingston, and assisted his father in the lead pipe manufactory. He then entered Wyoming Seminary, Kingston, and in August, 1857, en- tered the Wesleyan University, at Middletown, Connecticut, from which he graduated Bachelor of Arts, June, 1861. During his college course he served as teacher in a district school for three successive winter terms of eighteen weeks, at Rocky Hill, Hartford county, Connecticut. He took an active part in the work of the literary so- cieties connected with his alma mater, holding membership in the Psi Upsilon fraternity, the Pythologian Society, and the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity, chosen a member of the latter by the faculty of the university. In August, 1861, he entered the office of the late Charles Denison, of Wilkes-Barre, and while pursuing his legal stud- ies there taught a district school during the win- ter term in Cinder Alley, Wilkes-Barre, and the following winter taught a public school of boys in a storeroom of the Hillard Block, Wilkes- Barre. After passing a creditable examinat'en lie was admitted to the bar of Luzerne county, August 20, 1863, and, securing a desk in the

office of the late Winthrop WV. Ketcham, began the active practice of his profession. The first four years of his career was steady, uphill work, but by close application to business thorough legal knowledge, lore and persistent effort, he succeeded in establishing a practice which stead- ily increased in volume and importance with each succeeding year.

After the presidential campaign of 1864 Mr. Payne was a potent factor in the workings of local and general elections, aiding the Republican party to the best of his ability in numerous ways, the principal one being speech-making, he having a natural talent in that direction. In 1874 he was nominated without opposition for the state sen- ate in the twenty-first senatorial district, his op- ponent being Jasper B. Stark, and was elected by a majority of one thousand and forty-five. Dur- ing his incumbency of this office he was a mem- ber of the committees on judiciary general, judi- ciary local, mines and mining, and new counties, and served as chairman of the two latter named. He introduced acts to secure to children the ben- efits of an elementary education ; prohibiting chil- dren to work in shops, mines and factories before attaining the age of fourteen years; an act au- thorizing the judges of the several courts throughout the commonwealth to fix the number of the regular terms of the said several courts, and the term for holding the same, the term for summoning the grand jury, and for the return of constables, aldermen, and justices of the peace to the same; and also an act to exempt pianos, melodeons, and organs leased or hired, from levy or sale on execution or distress for rent. In 1876 he was nominated without opposition for congress in the twelfth congressional district of Pennsylvania, his opponent, on the Greenback ticket, being Edgar L. Merriman, who died dur- ing the campaign. Hendrick B. Wright was nominated on the Democratic ticket, and after Mr. Merriman's death the Democratic and Greenback parties united in a choice of Mr. Hen- drick B. Wright, and Mr. Payne was defeated. In 1880 he was nominated without opposition for one of the law judges of Luzerne county, but was defeated by Stanley Woodward. That

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he was not chosen to the latter position was due solely to the fact that a majority of the voters were of a different way of thinking politically, and the contest in each instance turned upon po- litical issues.

Mr. Payne was a director in the Miners' Say- ings Bank of Wilkes-Barre for ten years, and was one of the trustees under the will of the late Isaac S. Osterhout, of the Osterhout Free Library. For three years he was one of the board to ex- amine students for admission to the Luzerne county bar, and in. 1883 was a vice-president of the Pennsylvania Sunday-School Association. Mr. Payne was an active member of the Presby- terian Church of Kingston, served as ruling elder for many years, and also as superintendent of the Sunday school for well nigh a quarter of a cen- tury continuously. He was an honored member of the Masonic order, past master by service in Kingston Lodge, and served two years as district deputy grand master for the district of Luzerne county. He was an eminent lawyer and states- man, a man of rare intellectual attainments, fine literary tastes and culture, and in every duty al- lotted him, whether of a professional, political or social nature, acquitted himself to the utmost satisfaction of all. He was a man of genial de- meancr and pleasing personality, which secured for him a widespread popularity with people in all classes and conditions of life.

Mr. Payne married, February 22, 1865, Eliz- abeth Lee Smith, daughter of Draper and Caro- lin (Smith) Smith, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, granddaughter of Newton Smith, and great- granddaughter of William Smith, who was a sol- dier in the Revolutionary war, and during the Wyoming troubles was driven away by the In- dians, dying from exposure during his escape. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Payne : Louisa S., Charles S., deceased; Hubbard Barker, and Paul B. Payne. Mr. Payne died at his home in Kingston, September 1, 1892.

Hubbard Barker Payne, son of the late Hub- bard Bester and Elizabeth Lee (Smith) Payne, was born in Kingston, Pennsylvania, July 7, 1870. He was educated at Wyoming Seminary. Hiram (Ohio) College, and the University of

Pennsylvania, where he pursued a law course. He was admitted to the Philadelphia court June, 1894; to the Luzerne county courts, September, 1896, and since his marriage has practiced his profession in the city of Wilkes-Barre. He is a member and trustee of the Presbyterian church of Kingston, a Republican in politics, and a mem- ber of Kingston Lodge No. 395, F. and A. MI., and the Westmoreland Club. He was formerly a member of the Country Club. He married, April 27, 1899, Gessela M. Smith, who was born in New Milford, Pennsylvania, daughter of the late Dr. Lathan Avery Smith and his wife Mary (Hoyt) Smith, the latter living at the present time ( 1905). Dr. Smith was a prominent physi- cian for many years, and he and his wife were the parents of three children: Isabella, Gessela, and Pauline H. One child was the issue of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Payne. Hubbard Weston. H. E. H.

McLEAN FAMILY. Alexander McLean was born in Fernlaestra, on the river Bann, in the county of Derry, Ireland. He came to America in the year 1820, a young man twenty years of age, settled at Mauch Chunk, and had with him about one hundred pounds sterling, the gift of his grandfather, John Leslie, an opulent farmer, who also lived in the county Derry. The father and mother of Alexander McLean strenuously objected to his leaving Ireland for America, and would neither consent to his going, nor give him money to pay his passage. He married Eliza- beth Swan, also born in Ireland, near London- derry, county Derry. She came to America with her father and mother and two brothers when she was about ten years of age. Her parents also settled at Mauch Chunk. She was too young to attend school in Ireland, and there was no school in Mauch Chunk in her girlhood days. Her mother, a very intelligent woman, taught her reading, writing and arithmetic. She had no longing for books. She loved the duties of housewife, green fields, the blue sky, the wild flowers, the songs of birds, more than any vol- ume ever written, except the Bible and the works of Burns. The sweetest and most consol-

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ing passages of the Bible and many of the songs of the poet ploughman she had committed to memory, and she loved to recite them in her sweet, low voice to her children and house ser- vants. She was a comely bride and a comely wife, with her black waving hair, large soft brown eyes and rosy cheeks. She reverenced God and kept his commandments. She was very kind to the needy, and many a poor man and woman of the neighborhood whom she had be- friended stood around her coffin at her burial, and wet her calm, white face with their honest tears. Her father, James Swan, was the owner of quite a large freehold estate near London- derry. His two elder brothers, Presbyterian ministers, and himself were quite prominent in the movement of the United Irishmen, the men- bers of which were principally dissenters from the Church of England. His elder brothers were arrested about the time of Emmett's arrest, both were tried and convicted, one was hung, and the other would have been if he had lived to the day fixed for his execution. It is a tradi- tion in the family that the youngest brother, sev- eral years after the execution of Emmett, re- ceived information that the government discov- ered that he also was engaged in the uprising, and intended to arrest him, when suddenly he and his family started for America, bringing with them all the loose money they had, clothing, and a few articles of value easily carried.

Alexander McLean shortly after his arrival at Mauch Chunk took a contract from the Le- high Coal and Navigation Company to carry in wagons the coal mined by the company at Sum- mit Hill to Mauch Chunk, where it was placed in arks and floated down the Lehigh river, then down the Delaware to Philadelphia. The horses and wagons necessary for the carriage of the coal were purchased with the money given Alex- ander McLean by his grandfather. These were primitive times, and Mr. McLean often told how he and his wagoners returning in the night upon their empty wagons from Mauch Chunk to the mines, a distance of about nine miles, would hear the howl of wolves and the cry of panthers near the wagon road, in the then almost unbroken

wilderness : and the wives of these wagoners often told how in the night hungry bears would pounce down on their pigs and eat them, and then go back again to the forest before the return of their husbands. When the gravity road was built from Mauch Chunk to the mines, trans- portation of coal in wagons was no longer neces- sary, and afterwards it was carried in cars on the road.

Alexander McLean, upon the completion of the gravity road, took the first contract from the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company to mine its coal, and continued mining alone and with partners until 1848, when he removed with his family to his farm on the Old Carey Town road, now in the city of Wilkes-Barre. This farm he purchased in 1839. He built upon it and along Carey Town road a fine house after the colonial fashion, under the supervision of two skillful carpenters, then living in the Wyoming valley, both of whom had served their apprenticeship in Ireland. This house, with its Grecian portico and front finished in carved wood, painted in pure white, with its large old-fashioned window shutters painted in green, standing alone with its large whitewashed barns and neat board fences, green fields all around it, was a very attractive picture, and was greatly admired, especially in the spring and summer time, by visitors to the valley, principally guests of the old Phoenix Hotel, whose favorite airing was a drive down the Old Carey Town road to Inman's Hill and back again. The valley was a lovely picture then, with scarcely 'a culm heap to mar its beauty. Here he lived with his family, in love with farm- ing, an inherited taste, from his father and grand- father on both sides, who were as sturdy and substantial farmers as ever had a furrow turned or crop harvested in the North of Ireland.

Alexander McLean's grandfather, Gilbert McLean, was a Highlander, brought up among his clan on one of the "Western Isles of Scot- land." He was a seafaring man, and owned a large sailing vessel for those days, but at twenty- eight years of age quit the sea and the home of his clansmen, and came to Ireland about the middle of the eighteenth century, with quite a

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competency, and soon fell in love, as was the wont of Scotchmen living in Ireland, with a rosy-checked, bright-eyed, healthy and spirited Irish lass, and married her. With what he had, and with what she brought him, they could and did hold their heads as high as any in the coun- try side. He wore kilts and tartan, the national costume of the Highlander, until he died, and brought up his children in the fear of the Lord and the doctrines of the Presbyterian Church.

Alexander McLean was a director of the First National Bank of Wilkes-Barre, one of the first directors and for many years president of the Central Poor District, an institution in which he took a very great interest. He drove down once a week, as regularly as the week came, in his carriage, to the meetings of the directors held at the Retreat on the Susquehanna river, about twelve miles from his home. He died in 1868, sixty-eight years of age. His wife died several years before him, and their remains lie on the brow of a hill overlooking the Susquehanna river, in Hollenback cemetery. Alexander and Elizabeth McLean had ten children who grew to manhood and womanhood.

James, the first child, succeeded his father in the coal business at Summit Hill, Carbon county. He was for some time a student at Lafayette Col- lege, was a very successful business man, and was the first president of the First National Bank of Wilkes-Barre, which position he held until he died. He married Jane Simpson, the daughter of John Simpson, Esq., a native of the north of Ireland, a strong Presbyterian, a very intelligent man, a great reader, especially of the Bible, whose beautiful, quaint, and strong language was interwoven in his everyday talk. His house at Summit Hill was the home of all early Presby- terian ministers who came there to preach. They were always sure to receive a warm welcome at his hands, the best board and lodging, and had no reckoning to settle. James McLean died in 1863, quite a young man, the result of an acci- dent on the railroad.

Samuel, the second child, was educated at Lafayette College, and studied law with Wash- ington McCartney at Easton, Pennsylvania. He

went to California in 1849, among the very first adventurers to that newly discovered realm of gold. He returned in 1856, married Miss Jane Gray Wilson, of Easton, settled in Mauch Chunk, practiced law there, and was elected district at- torney of the county. He then went to Colorado in the early days of the gold fever there, thence to Montana, which territory he represented in congress for two successive terms. Upon the termination of his congressional career, he pur- chased a beautiful home in Nottoway county, Virginia, where he lived in quiet contentment, practiced law and farmed until 1878, when he died.

Martha, the third child, married Thomas Long, Esq., also a native of the north of Ireland, and of sturdy Presbyterian stock. Her husband was for many years an extensive coal operator in Carbon county. When he retired from the coal business he bought a lot on South Franklin street, Wilkes-Barre, built a substantial house upon it, and lived there a number of years. He- was a director in the First National and Wilkes- Barre Savings and Deposit Banks. Afterwards he purchased a ranch in New Mexico and moved upon it with his family. On account of failing health he was obliged to give up ranching, and now he and his wife live in Denver, Colorado. Their son, Leslie McLean Long, an able and ex- perienced civil engineer, for several years a student of Lafayette College, a graduate of Troy Polytechnic School, and who assisted in the con- struction of the Denver and Rio Grande Rail- road, is now superintendent of public works of Colorado. Their daughter Elizabeth, a gradu- ate `of Lawrenceville Seminary; New Jersey, married John F. Graff, Esq., of Philadelphia, for many years connected with the Philadelphia Press, and an intimate friend of John W. Forney,. Esq., one of the brainiest and most accomplished editors of his day. Mr. Graff has written many able, interesting and instructive articles over his pseudonym of "Graybeard," and is also the. author of a very interesting and much read book called "Lay Sermons."

Leslie, the fourth child, was educated in the- schools of Wilkes-Barre, completing his educa-

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tion at Dana's Academy. He was a splendid specimen of physical manhood, six feet three inches tall, straight as an arrow, with black curly hair. When quite young he went to Cali- fornia in search of gold, afterwards to Australia for the same purpose, and died on his return home, off the coast of Chili, and was buried at sea.

Mary, the fifth child, was educated in Wilkes-Barre, married Thomas Wilson, Esq., also a native of Ireland, and died at an early age, the mother of two children, Thomas H. and Leslie McLean Wilson, who are active, aggres- sive business men in Binghamton, New York. Thomas Wilson, the father, was for many years the cashier of the First National Bank of Wilkes- Barre, a man of probity and intelligence.

Elizabeth, the sixth child, was educated in the schools of Wilkes-Barre, completed her stud- ies in the Young Ladies' Moravian Seminary at Bethlehem, married Dr. Agnew of Virginia, a very able physician, and who died a few years after his marriage, caused by disease contracted and exposure endured while performing his du- ties as brigade and afterwards as division sur- geon in the Confederate Army. Elizabeth is living in Burkeville, Virginia.

George, the seventh child, was educated in the schools of Wilkes-Barre, and finished his studies at Dana's Academy. He went to Colorado at the age of nineteen with his brother Samuel, and was among its first pioneers. The town of Georgetown, Colorado, was named for him. At the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted as a private in the cavalry, fought in many battles, was wounded by bullet and sabre eleven times, and was finally transferred to the Invalid Corps as orderly sergeant. At the end of the war he was highly recommended by the officers under whom he served, as a fit person for an appoint- ment in the regular army, but never made appli- cation. He was appointed receiver of public moneys in Helena, Montana, by President John- son and preferred living the life of a frontiers- man until a few years before he died. His most valued possessions were his gun, rod, pipe, and a good book. He loved the woods, whose mur-

mur and moan, he often said, were to him the sweetest music on earth. He died in Wilkes- Barre April 1, 1891, and was buried in the fam- ily lot in Hollenback cemetery.

William Swan, the eighth child, was pre- pared for college at Dana's Academy, and grad- uated at Lafayette College in 1865, the valedic- torian of his class. He read law with B. G. Nich- olson, Esq., a distinguished lawyer of his day, and has practiced his profession ever since ; was solicitor for the city of Wilkes-Barre for twen- ty-four successive years : has been solicitor for the county of Luzerne for two full terms, and is now the county solicitor for the third time. He is president of the First National Bank of Wilkes- Barre, was the Democratic candidate for law judge of Luzerne county in 1879 and 1895, but both times defeated, first, because of the split in his party, caused by the labor reform movement, second, by an unparallelled apathy in his party, although he led his ticket about two thousand votes. He was a corporal in the Pennsylvania militia in 1862 in the Civil war. He is a mem- ber of the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society. He married, November 21, 1871, Miss Annie S. Roberts, the daughter of George H. and Margaret B. Roberts of Philadelphia. Mr. Roberts was an old-time Philadelphia wholesale merchant, who perhaps during his active business life knew every retail merchant doing business from Towanda to Harrisburg, and living within fifteen miles of the Susquehanna river. In his day the retail merchant went to the large com- mercial centers about twice a year to buy goods and otherwise enjoy himself. He was during his stay in the city, the guest of the wholesale mer- chants from whom he bought goods. They dined him, took him to the theatres, where he saw and heard the great players, and to other places of in- terest, and on Sundays invited him to a seat in their pews to hear the great city ministers preach.

The children of William S. and Annie S. Mc- Lean are: George Roberts, of whom later ; Will- iam S., Jr., a graduate of Lafayette College, law- yer, and associated with his father in the practice of the law; Margaret S., at home; and Percy Craige, now a student at Chestnut Hill Academy.

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John Montgomery, the ninth child, who bore a strong resemblance to his brother Leslie, while a student at Dana's Academy enlisted as a private in the Eighty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, in Captain Harkness's company, which had been recruited principally at the expense of Alexander McLean and his son James, who presented to the officers their swords and sashes. He was only eighteen when he enlisted, was in the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorville. Shortly after the last battle he was taken sick with a camp fever and died, and his remains were embalmed, brought home and buried in the family lot in Hollenback cemetery.

Margaret A., the tenth and youngest child, was educated in the schools of Wilkes-Barre, and completed her studies at Lawrenceville Seminary, New Jersey, standing at the head of her class. She married Joseph B. Leath, Esq., a Virginia planter, now dead. Mrs. Leath lives in Burke- ville. Virginia, and has one son and several daughters, all of them in appearance and disposi- tion pronounced types of the McLean clan.

George Roberts McLean, eldest son of Will- iamı S. and Annie S. McLean, was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, January 24, 1873. He was educated in the Wilkes- Barre public schools, Harvey Hillman Acad- emy, Cheltenham Military Academy, Ogontz, Pennsylvania, and Lafayette College, grad- uated, 1895. He read law with his father, and was associated with him in practice until his election to the comptrollership of Lu- zerne county, 1902. He was aide-de-camp with the rank of captain on the staff of General An- drews, U. S. A., during the Spanish-American war ; was select councilman for the tenth ward in 1898, and resigned to take his present office ; was chairman of the board of law examiners for Lu- zerne county, 1899-1902. He was captain of Company F. Ninth Regiment, National Guard Pennsylvania, and is at present captain and quar- termaster of same regiment ; a member of the So- ciety of Foreign Wars, the Zeta Psi College fraternity, the Westmoreland Club, and the Wy- oming Country Club. Mr. McLean married, April 2, 1902, Mary Barber, daughter of Col. Al-

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Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 31

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