Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 83

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 83
USA > Wyoming > Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 83

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 Sager Marcy (5), ninth son and elev- enth child of Ebenezer (4), and Susannah (Adams) Marcy, was born November 1, 1821, in the old Marcy homestead in Duryea, where early in the history of Methodism the presiding elders held quarterly meetings. Ebenezer (4) having been a very religious man and his doors being always open to ministers of the Gospel. John Sager, known as "Squire," was educated in the common schools and worked with his father on the farm until 1839. He then clerked for John B. Wood, of Wilkes-Barre, for one year, after which he returned to the farm and worked there- on up to 1860. In that year he received the ap- pointment of postmaster at Old Forge, Pennsyl- vania, near the Marcy homestead. He erected a building near at hand, close to the Bloomsburg railroad, whose officials agreed to stop trains there and call it Marcy station. Here Squire Marcy kept the postoffice and a general store un- til the breaking out of the Civil war. In Sep- tember, 1861, he enlisted in Company G. Fifty- second Pennsylvania Volunteers. Governor Hoyt's regiment, and served almost the entire period of the war, returning home late in the year 1864. He passed the remainder of his life on the old homestead, which came into his possession at the death of his father .. When not engaged in township affairs, in which he took an active in- .terest, serving at various times as constable, as- sessor, supervisor, school director, auditor and for ten years justice of the peace, he spent the greater part of his leisure time within the circle of his own home and family. He donated the site upon which the Brick Methodist Episcopal Church is built, and was a frequent attendant upon the services there. His political affiliations were with the Democratic party.

John Sager Marcy married, August 7. 1843. Mary E. Coolbaugh, born in 1820, daughter of Peter and Eleanor (Jacobs) Coolbaugh, natives of Bradford county. Pennsylvania. Eight chil- dren were the issue of this union, and the fol- lowing survive : Joseph Winfield, mentioned here- after. Gertrude J., resides in Scranton. John Sager Marcy died May 4. 1896. His wife, Mary E. (Coolbaugh) Marcy, died December 28, 1887,

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aged sixty-seven years, and was buried in Marcy cemetery, Duryea. Her death caused grief among a large circle of friends, who appreciated her generosity and helpful hand on occasions of sorrow and distress. Martha, sister of John Sager (5), widow of W. A. Dana, of Tunkhan- nock, Pennsylvania, is the only surviving mem- ber of the family of Ebenezer Marcy (4).

Joseph Winfield Marcy, son of John S. and Mary E. Marcy, was reared in Marcy township on his father's farm, in the meantime pursuing his studies in the common schools adjoining his home and the select school of Pittston, Penn- sylvania, attending the latter about one year. In February, 1862, he enlisted as a drummer boy in the Fifth-second Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- unteers, and went with General Mcclellan, in the Army of the Potomac from Washington, D. C., to Alexandria, to Newport News, to Williams- burg and Yorktown, then on to South Carolina and was present at the siege of Charleston when Captain Hennessy of this regiment planted the flag on Fort Sumter. He then returned with the regiment to Wilmington, North Carolina, where they were located at the time of the surrender of General Lee and of the assassination of Pres- ident Lincoln, returning home in June, 1865.

Mr. Marcy secured a position as clerk with the firm of Seybolt & White, and later with Clark Bros., Providence, Pennsylvania, now North Scranton, and in 1876 paid his way through a business college and became book- keeper for the Moosic Powder Company at Car- bondale, Pennsylvania, remaining with them un- til the two powder companies consolidated in 1870. In June of that year he became agent for the Central Express Company, Western Union Telegraph Company, and secretary of the Car- bondale Gas Company, in which capacities he served for several years. He also conducted a news agency and book store until 1877, when he purchased the American House and was proprie- tor of that popular hostelry until 1880, when he contracted the "western" fever, sold his hotel and went to Colorado in 1881, prospecting. Not being favorably impressed with the western ideas, he returned to his native state in 1882, settling in Kingston, where he has since resided. In the same year he entered the insurance business for eight companies, and in 1884 engaged in the manufacture of carriages and harness, in which varied lines he still continues. His carriage and harness trade has steadily grown in volume and importance, and is probably larger than that of any other dealer in Luzerne county.

Unlike many young men of the present time

Mr. Marcy was self-supporting from the start of. his active carecr, and assisted his father finan- cially. In 1865, soon after the close of the Civil. war, his father returned to find himself heavily in debt (having a family of seven children to. provide for) and had to mortgage the farm, but in a few years this was paid off in full by his son, Joseph Winfield, which fact gives a very good. insight into the character of the man and proves. that he was a loyal, faithful and dutiful son. In. 1899 Mr. Marcy was elected to the council and. served until March, 1902, when he became presi- dent of the same, which position he has filled. every year up to the present time (1905). For a. number of years he was a member of Good Tem- plars of Carbondale, a member of the Carbondale Band, in which he played solo alto, a member- of the Carbondale Choral Union, and a member- of a quartette in Carbondale. For a number- of years he was also associated with the different. church choirs, the last being the Presbyterian. church choir in Kingston. He was the leader of an orchestra, and a member of the Wilkes-Barre Oratorio Society, but several years ago retired from active musical work. Mr. Marcy is a Dem- ocrat in politics, the principles of which great- organization he has upheld since attaining his. majority.

Mr. Marcy married (first) Juniata Salsbury,_ daughter of Orlando and Caroline (Hoyt) Sals- bury, the former named having been a railroad- contractor of note. There was no issue of this. union. Mr. Marcy married (second), June 28,_ 1894, Mary Edith Fulmer, born in Portland,. . Pennsylvania, daughter of George and Minerva. (Werkheiser) Fulmer, of the same town. Chris- tian Fulmer and his wife, who was a Miss Butts, grandparents of Mrs. Marcy, were the parents of seven children, two of whom died in infancy, and the surviving members were : Henry, Joseph,_ John, George and Hiram. George Fulmer,. father of Mrs. Marcy, was the proprietor of a tannery at Portland and Lanesboro, Pennsyl- vania, and retired from business in 1888. He and his wife, Minerva (Werkheiser) Fulmer,. who was of German descent, were the parents of" two children: Mary Edith (Mrs. Joseph W. Marcy), and Loring R. Fulmer. Henry Fulmer, uncle of Mrs. Marcy, was president of the Na- tional Bank in Easton, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Marcy is a member of the Presbyterian church of Kings- ton, in which she takes an active interest.

H. E. H.

MARKS FAMILY. Adam Marks, the first American ancestor of whom we have record,

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settled in Locust township, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, near Catawissa, with his wife, Elizabeth (West) Marks. She was born in Eng- land, but the place and date of the birth of Adam Marks is not clearly indicated. He was a farmer by occupation. They were the parents of several children, who settled in various parts of the state, some in Centre county and others near Philadelphia, and the greater number followed farming. Mr. West, father of Elizabeth (West) Marks, was the owner of a large estate in Eng- land.

George Marks, son of Adam and Elizabeth (West) Marks, was also a farmer and resided near Catawissa. He married Elizabeth Fahr- inger, a native of Pennsylvania, a descendant of a German ancestry, and their children were:

I. Mary, became the wife of Jesse Johns ; three sons and five daughters. They reside in Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania.

2. Washington, who went west, married in "Wisconsin, and became the father of three chil- dren.

3. Adam, mentioned herafter.

4. Eliza, deceased, who was the wife of Westley Perry. of Centralia, Pennsylvania, and mother of three children.

5. Jonas, who served in the Civil war; he married a Miss Leiby and had one son and three daughters. He resides in Nebraska.

6. Harriet, wife of Henry Yeager, and had seven children; they reside in Ashland, Penn- sylvania.

7. Caroline, wife of Frank Kline, and had · one child ; Frank Kline was killed in battle in the Civil war. Caroline Kline married (second) · George Zarr, and had two children; they reside in Nebraska.

S. Allan, married Elizabeth Kostenbauder, and had two sons and two daughters; they re- side in Riverside, Pennsylvania.

9. Lloyd, who was a non-commissioned of- · ficer. died in the Civil war. of typhoid fever. IO. Frances, deceased, married David Adams, and had one son; they resided in West Pittston, Pennsylvania.

II. Lillian, who married George Roat, an undertaker and furniture dealer, and had three sons and three daughters; they reside in Dan- ville, Pennsylvania.

12. Emma, who married Samuel Bucher, · and had one son and two daughters ; they reside in South Danville. Pennsylvania.

13. Jane, married (first) a Mr. Bowden, of Denver. Colorado, now deceased ; married (sec- ond) J. K. Sharpless, of Catawissa, Pennsyl-

vania, now deceased; she resides in Catawissa, Pennsylvania.

14. Clara, married Wilson Yeager, who con- ducts a plumbing and tinning business, and had three sons and one daughter. They reside in Berwick, Pennsylvania.

George Marks, father of these children. died on his farm near Catawissa, aged seventy-seven years, leaving a large estate; his wife, Elizabeth (Fahringer) Marks, passed away at the age of ninety years. Their remains are interred in the cemetery at Roaring Creek, Pennsylvania.

Adam Marks, second son of George and Elizabeth (Fahringer) Marks, was born in March, 1836. He was educated in the public schools in Locust township, and at a private school near the same place. At the age of twen- ty-two he entered the employ of his uncle, Mr. Fahringer, to learn the carpenter trade, and re- mained with him three years. He then purchased a farm, which he conducted in connection with his trade, but shortly afterwards discontinued carpentering work and devoted his whole atten- tion to farming, so continuing to the time of his decease, October 19, 1903, at the age of sixty- seven years. He was a member of the Methodist church, and a Republican in politics. He mar- ried Margaret Jane Kostenbauder, born 1837, and their children were:

I. George, married Mary Fahringer: two sons and three daughters ; they reside near Cat- awissa, Pennsylvania.

2. Fannie, wife of Daniel F. Knittle, a jus- tice of the peace, and lumber merchant, residing at Catawissa, Pennsylvania : they are the par- ents of four sons and one daughter.

3. Lloyd E., a building contractor of Ply- mouth, Pennsylvania. He taught school for one year, and then learned the carpenter trade. He served as a councilman for several years, one of which he was president of that body. He mar- ried Ella Stiff. A sketch of Lloyd E. appears elsewhere in this work.

4. Alberta married Henry Stokes, and had two sons and one daughter ; they reside in Sham- okin, Pennsylvania.

5. Cora B., married George Carl. and had six sons and four daughters; they reside near Catawissa, Pennsylvania.

6. Daniel G., married Nettie Karns, and had one son and one daughter : they reside in Kings- ton, Pennsylvania.

7. Clinton Hayes, mentioned hereafter.

William W., resides near Catawissa, Pennsylvania. Margaret Jane (Kostenbauder) Marks,

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mother of the above named children, who was an active member of the Methodist church, died September 4, 1891, aged fifty-four years, and was buried at Roaring Creek, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Daniel and Frances (Kling- erman) Kostenbauder, of Columbia county, Penn- sylvania. Daniel Kostenbauder was an officer in the Civil war. Mrs. Marks was one of fifteen children, namely: David, deceased : Daniel, died in infancy ; Margaret Jane, wife of Adam Marks ; Nathan, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, served in the Civil war; James, of Centralia, Pennsylvania,, a veteran of the Civil war; Fannie, of Catawissa, Pennsylvania ; Amelia, deceased : Cecilia, of Wil- liamsport, Pennsylvania : Haines, of Danville, Pennsylvania ; Sarah, wife of George Cooper, of Edwardsville, Pennsylvania ; Elizabeth, of South Danville, Pennsylvania ; Deemer, of Centre county, Pennsylvania ; George, of Catawissa, Pennsylvania ; Annie, wife of Joshua I. Cooper, a building contractor, of Plymouth; and Mercy, of Catawissa. They hold membership in the Methodist church. ,

Clinton Hayes Marks, fourth son and seventh child of Adam and Margaret Jane (Kosten- bauder) Marks, was born May 7, 1876, in Lo- cust township, Columbia county, Pennsylvania. He spent his early life on the farm, and was edu- cated in the public schools of Columbia county, Wyoming Seminary, and the Bloomsburg Nor- mal and Literary Institute, from which he was graduated in 1899 at the age of twenty-three. In 1892 he began teaching school in Columbia county, and continued the same vocation for five years. He studied law in Bloomsburg, Pennsyl- vania, with the firm of Jkeler & Jkeler, and was admitted to the bar of Columbia county in 1900. He practiced there for a short time and then came to Luzerne county, was admitted to the Luzerne county bar, and has practiced there ever since.

Mr. Marks is a Republican, and has always taken an active interest in politics. He served as judge of elections of the eighth ward, Plymouth, and is now ( 1905) committeeman, elected in 1904, having charge of the political work per- taining to the various campaigns in his district. In 1904 he was elected secretary of the Repub- lican organization in the third legislative district, and was re-elected in 1905. On March 7, 1904, he was elected secretary of Plymouth borough, and was re-elected to the same office, March 6, 1905. He is a member of Goodwill Lodge, No. 310. Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Co- lumbia county, having joined in 1900. He is also a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles,

No. 546, of Plymouth, of which he was the first secretary.

Mr. Marks married, February 14, 1899, Jen- nie S. Carl, born March 17, 1876, daughter of Simon R. and Amelia (Troxell) Carl, of Locust township, Columbia county, and a descendant of a German ancestry. She is a graduate of the Bloomsburg Normal school. Simon R. Carl is an agent for farming implements in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and he has five children. Mr. and Mrs. Marks had two children: Gerald Elsworth, born June 24, 1900; and Russell Hayes, born July 12, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Marks are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Plymouth. H. E. H.

MEBANE FAMILY. Colonel Alexander Mebane, the patriarch of the family, came from the north of Ireland so011 after 1700 and settled in Pennsylvania, where he remained several years, when he removed with his family to North Carolina and settled in the Hawfields, in Orange county, about 1745. He was a man of good sense, upright, in- dustrious, and prudent in the management of his affairs, which resulted in his soon ac- quiring considerable wealth. He had twelve children, six sons and six daughters, all of whom except one settled, married and raised families in Orange county.

After the Declaration of Independence it soon became apparent that they were in the neighborhood of many Tories; but Colonel Mebane and all his sons (except the youngest who was not grown) at once became Whigs, taking an active stand as defenders of the lib- erties of the country and supporters of the army. The British and Tories committed great depredations on his property, burned his barns and fences, plundered his dwelling, and took everything they could carry, even emptying the feathers from the beds and car- rying away the ticks and furniture. The Col- onel was too old to become an active soldier himself, but his sons were active and zealous in the cause of Independence. He had Wil- liam, Alexander. Robert. Jolin, James and David. William Mebane, the oldest, was a captain in the militia.

Alexander Mebane was constantly and ac- tively engaged in the service of his country, and in addition to his other duties he dis- charged those of commissary, collecting sup- plies and distributing them to the troops. The neighborhood was so much harrasssed by the

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Tories that he was compelled to send some of his servants and children to an adjoining county out of their range. When Cornwallis took Hillsboro, Mebane narrowly escaped on foot, leaving a valuable mare, saddle, bridle, hol- sters and pistols. While the British army was in Hillsboro, a company of soldiers went on a foraging expedition into the surrounding country. They visited his mill and dwelling, and, finding no one on the premises except his wife and some of the younger children, carried away meal from the mill and bacon and poultry from the house. A few days after- ward Lee's company of Light Horse, with a company of Catawba Indians, passed by the mill, and subsequently eight or ten of General Pickens's men called at the gate. Mrs. Mary Mebane, wife of the colonel, went out accom- panied by some of the younger children. One of the men pointed a pistol at her breast and threatened to shoot her if she refused to tell where her husband was. She immediately replied, "where he ought to be-in General Green's camp." After some more talk they asked for something to eat, which she brought. They ate it sitting on their horses, and de- parted.

Robert Mebane, who held the office of col- onel in the Continental line of the army, was a man of undoubted courage and activity in the cause of his country. He figured in many battles and skirmishes with the British and Tories. At the battle of Cane Creek he displayed great prowess and valor, fighting heroically. General Butler having ordered a retreat, Colonel Mebane rushed in front of the retreating army and by violent efforts stopped a large part of it, winning the victory. To- ward the close of the battle, ammunition be- coming scarce, he passed along the line carry- ing powder in his hat, which he distributed among the soldiers, encouraging and animat- ing them to persevere in their bloody strife. Subsequently he was on the waters of the Cape Fear with his regiment, but, on being notified that his services were needed in the northern part of the state, he set out accompanied only by his servants. On the way he met a noted Tory and horse-thief by the name of Henry Hightower, who was armed with a British musket. Recognizing the desperado, and fear- less of consequences, Colonel Mebane pur- sued ; but when within striking distance, his arm uplifted for a blow, Hightower wheeled and shot him. Perhaps one of the first expe- ditions in which he was engaged was in com-

pany with General Rutherford in 1776. With one thousand nine hundred men they attacked the Over-Hill Cherokee Indians, routing them, burning their towns, and destroying their crops. On this expedition young Mebane dis- played fearlessness and unflinching courage. In appearance Colonel Mebane was large, strong and commanding. And now, after one hundred and twenty-three years, we read in the North Carolina Charlotte Observer, of June the fifth, 1904, the following: "In the list of North Carolina Revolutionary heroes we recall no more honorable career than that of Colonel Robert Mebane, nor one more ill- fated and pathetic in its ending. We cannot but express our great gratification to know that individuals in our midst to-day and worthily bearing his honored name, together with connections of the Holt family, contem- plate the early erection at Old Guilford Court House of a suitable memorial to Colonel Rob- ert Mebane. Fifty years ago Wheeler's plaint was regret that more had not been preserved of this brave man, and a little later the devoted Caruthers failed of his fixed purpose to give us a proper sketch of his life. Let his name now be recorded and forever preserved at Guilford. Meanwhile let all additional light possible be gathered and proclaimed to the great congregation, and in permanent form published and distributed to the youth of the land.'

Colonel John Mebane, late of Chatham coun- ty, North Carolina, entered the service of his country as captain. When Hillsboro was taken by the British and Tories, the lat- ter being commanded by the notorious Da- vid Fanning. he was captured, and with Thomas Burke, governor of the state, Wil- liam Kinchin and others, was marched away under the Tory Colonel McDougal. Al- though an attempt was made by the Whigs to rescue the prisoners at Lindley's Mill, Mc- Dougal succeeded in taking them to Wilming- ton, North Carolina, where they were put on board a prison ship and taken to Charleston. South Carolina. They were confined on the ship for a long time, suffering horribly from the privations peculiar to this form of captivity.

David Mebane, the youngest of the brothers, dit not arrive at fighting age until near the close of the war, but notwithstanding his youth he did serve two terms in the militia.

After peace was established, the sons of Colonel Mebane were highly respected for their services in obtaining the liberty and inde-

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THE WYOMING AND LACKAWANNA VALLEYS.

pendence of their country, and were frequently called to the public service.

William Mebane was chosen by the free- holders of Orange county in 1782 to serve in the senate of the general assembly, McCan- ley and Mark Patterson being chosen to the commons. He was twice married. His first wife was Miss Abercrombie, with whom he lived many years. After her death in his old age, he married a Miss Rainey, daughter of the Rev. Benjamin Rainey. He died childless.

Alexander Mebane was a member of the provincial congress or convention that met at Halifax on the tenth day of December, A. D. 1776, to form a constitution for the state, and of the convention at Hillsboro to fix the seat of government and adopt the constitution of the United States. He was a member of the house of commons of the general assembly in 1783, 1784, 1787, 1790-2. About this time he was elected a brigadier-general by the general assembly of North Carolina, In 1793 he was elected a member of congress and served two sessions in Philadelphia. He was elected to succeed himself, but died on July the fifth, 1795, before the next term began. He was distinguished for his sound, practical sense, his unblemished integrity and unflinch- ing firmness. He was born in Pennsylvania, November 26, 1744. He married Miss Mary Armstrong. of Orange county, in February, 1767, and was the father of twelve children, four sons and eight daughters. One of the daughters died young; all the other children were married and reared large families. Of the sons, James Mebane, of Caswell county (near Yanceyville), was one of the first stu- dents at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and assisted in founding the lit- erary societies at this institution. The Dia- lectic Society, in order to perpetuate his name and services, procured a life-sized portrait of him which now hangs in its hall over the pres- ident's chair. He married early in life Eliza- beth Kinchin, whose name has been men- tioned in this sketch. She bore him five sons and one daughter, two of whom are William, who lives at Mason Hall, in Orange county, and Dr. John Alexander Mebane, who lives at Greensboro, Guilford county. Of his daughters, only two survive: Frances, wife of the Rev. William D. Paisley, who was the son of John Paisley, a brave and valiant sol- dier of the Revolution, and Elizabeth, wife of William H. Goodhue, of Madison county,

Mississippi. In person Gen. Alexander Me- bane was what is generally termed a "likely man," about six feet tall, of a ruddy complex- ion, black hair, robust appearance. He was a. member of the Presbyterian Church, and died on the fifth day of July. 1795, the death of a consecrated Christian.

Colonel James Mebane was also actively en- gaged in the war of the Revolution. He mar- ried Margaret Allen, of the Hawfields, by whom he had a large family of children. He died some years before his wife.

Colonel John Mebane, late of Chatham county, was elected for that county and served in the house of commons of the general assembly 111 1790-3, 1795, 1798-1800, 1801, 1803, 1806, 1809, 18II. About the close of the war he married Mrs. Sarah Kinchin, widow of Wil- liam Kinchin, mentioned in the first part of this sketch. By her he had one son, John Briggs Mebane, who represented the county in the house of commons in 1813, and one daughter who married Thomas Hill, of Rock- ingham county.

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Genealogical and family history of the Wyoming and Lackawanna valleys, Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 83

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