USA > Pennsylvania > Lycoming County > Genealogical and personal history of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. Volume I > Part 14
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8. George Coryell Burrows, born September 17, 1842; June 16, 1863, married Anne Wilson. They had nine children, as follows: Her- bert, Walter, Nathaniel, Fleming, John, Bertha, Clyde, Charlie and Nellie.
Nathaniel's three sons, John, Charles and Francis, were gallant soldiers in the Civil war-the first two were wounded, but the latter, although he was in many battles, escaped without a scratch, but he was · shot through the coat.
Of the first maternal ancestors, of whom any positive knowledge is possessed today, it may be said, was John Jordan, born 1693; died April 25, 1758, and wife Elizabeth, born 1694, died August 1, 1779. They had a son Francis Jordan, born August 19, 1733; died November 12, 1804. Francis Jordan belonged to the Sixth Battalion, Fourth Com- pany of Eighth Class. Volume 13, Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, page 736, gives Francis Jordan as belonging to the Sixth Bat- talion, Fourth Company, Eighth Class. He probably saw but little service. Francis Jordan's wife, Catherine, died August 4, 1804. Amos Jordan, their son, was born January 5, 1762, married Sarah Davis, who was born September 26, 1762. Their daughter, Eliza Jordan, born No- vember 30, 1802, died December 24, 1886, married March 30, 1824, Nathaniel Burrows, who was born December II, 1797, and died Sep- tember 14, 1879.
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SABIN H. BURROWS.
Sabin H. Burrows, treasurer of Burrows Bros. & Co. (Limited), manufacturers of chamber furniture, sideboards, etc .; also proprietors of an extensive general store, which is the leading industry of Picture Rocks, and which contributes greatly to the maintenance of the residents thereof, is a native of Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, born near Jones Lake, February 16, 1834. His parents were Amos and Mary (Melhuish) Burrows, and his grandfather on the paternal side was Amos Burrows, who conducted agricultural pursuits in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, where his death occurred.
Amos Burrows ( father) came to Susquehanna county, Pennsyl- vania, from Connecticut, and there followed the occupation of farmer until 1846, when he removed to Picture Rocks, Lycoming county. He then engaged in the planing mill business with A. R. Sprout, under the name of Sprout & Burrows, manufacturing sashes, doors, blinds, etc. They performed the work for the first building of the college at Lewis- burg, Pennsylvania. They conducted the business for a number of years, finally disposing of it to Lewis B. Sprout. Amos Burrows then engaged in business with his son, Sabin H. Burrows, and this connec- tion continued up to the year of his decease, 1882. He married Mary Melhuish, who was born in England, came to America when eleven years of age, and died in 1884. Six children were the issue of this union, two of whom-daughters-died in Susquehanna county prior to their re- moval to Picture Rocks. The names of the others are as follows :
I. Asa, died July 1, 1903. He resided in Picture Rocks, where he was a prominent manufacturer. He married and was the father of six children-three sons and three daughters. James, married Maggie Kahler, resides in Picture Rocks. Miriam, wife of Levi S. Weaver, re-
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sides in Picture Rocks. Catherine, wife of Ralph M. Clark, resides in Picture Rocks. Edgar, married Estella Alvred, resides in Picture Rocks. Howard W., married Lizzie Willis, resides in Picture Rocks. Fannie, wife of Alfred R. Heath, resides in Picture Rocks.
2. Sabin H., mentioned hereinafter.
3. Amos, a manufacturer in York, Pennsylvania. He married Martha Baldwin, and their children are: Harry, married Ida Feister, resides in Picture Rocks. Fred, unmarried, resides at home. Clarrissa, wife of W. E. Clark, resides in Hughesville, Pennsylvania.
4. Elizabeth, deceased, who was the wife of A. M. Cowles, and they resided in Picture Rocks. She was the mother of seven children, as follows : William H., married Lizzie Kreitzer, resides in Milton, Pennsylvania. Ralph C., married Minnie Villinger, resides in Wil- liamsport, Pennsylvania. Lewis, married Gertrude Gortner, resides in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Jennie, wife of A. L. Flook, resides in Montoursville, Pennsylvania. Pluma, wife of J. Corson, resides in Picture Rocks. Agnes, wife of Samuel Barrett, resides in Williams- port, Pennsylvania. Carrie, unmarried, resides in Williamsport, Penn- sylvania. Amos Burrows, father and grandfather of the above named children, was a Baptist in religion, and a Whig and Republican in poli- tics.
Sabin H. Burrows was twelve years of age when his parents re- moved from Susquehanna county to Picture Rocks, Lycoming county, and his education was acquired in the schools of both counties. He then hired out to Lewis B. Sprout, but his service with that gentleman was of short duration, he only working one-half day. Prior to this, for two years, between the ages of twenty and twenty-two, he taught school, for which vocation he was well qualified. Subsequently he began the manu- facture of shingles, and also the manufacture of furniture, along which
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lines he is still engaged, being for over half a century in business at Picture Rocks. For the first few years he was alone in this enterprise; later his father became one of the firm, and subsequently his brother, Asa W. Burrows, was taken into partnership. The firm name then be- came Burrows Bros. & Co., which is the present style. The interests of Asa W. Burrows, now deceased, are continued by his heirs. In 1882 Sabin H. Burrows admitted his two sons-Charles W. and Judson H. Burrows-into the firm, the officers of which are: C. W. Burrows, president ; J. H. Burrows, vice president; S. H. Burrows, treasurer ; and R. M. Clark, secretary. Their general store, which is without an equal in this section of the state, is fully equipped with a complete line of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, crockery, hardware, etc., furnishes employment to a number of the people residing in that vicin- ity, and has been a prominent factor in the growth and development of that locality. In addition to these extensive interests Mr. Burrows is the proprietor of a large summer hotel at Highland Lake, which is largely patronized by those seeking recreation, pleasure or rest.
He has served as burgess of the village of Picture Rocks, also post- master of the same, serving under the administration of the late Presi- dent Garfield. He also served as postmaster at Highland Lake for many years, resigning in 1904. He was appointed to that office by John Wannamaker, who is one of his close personal friends. He holds mem- bership in the Baptist church of Picture Rocks, in which body he has served as deacon for many years. He is a staunch adherent of the prin- ciples of Republicanism, and has always given his support to the candi- dates of that party.
Mr. Burrows married, February, 1855, Mary Lockard, who was born near Bryans Mills, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Lockard. Their children are: Earnest, died
John white
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in early life; Adella, died in early life; Charles W., married Mary Cor- son, issue : Earnest, a student at Bucknell University; and Judson H., married Adella Clark, issue: four children, two of whom died in infancy ; the surviving members are: Clyde, who married Irene Schuler, of Mil- ton, and Cora Burrows.
THE WHITE FAMILY.
The White family, members of which are and have been for many years influential and potent factors in the various leading enterprises of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, noted for their strong mentality, absolute business integrity and quick and unerring judgment, was founded by Hugh White, a pioneer settler of Lancaster (now Dauphin) county, Pennsylvania, who suffered all the hardships and privations incident to the settlement of a new country.
The line of descent is traced through his son, Colonel Hugh White, who was born in Lancaster (now Dauphin) county, Pennsylvania, in 1737. Prior to the Revolutionary war he came to the West Branch valley, settling west of the mouth of Pine Creek, in what is now Clinton county. On April 19, 1775, he was commissioned " Captain of a com- pany of foot in the First Battalion of Associators in the county of Northumberland," this commission being now in the possession of his grandson, Henry W. White, of Williamsport, mentioned at length in the following paragraphs. In 1776 he was appointed as one of the com- mittee of safety for Pine Creek township by the council of Northumber- land county. He proved himself a faithful and valuable officer, and in 1778 was appointed to the rank of colonel, in which capacity he served for some time as commissary, and was untiring in his efforts to provide supplies for General Washington's army. He was colonel of a Penn-
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sylvania regiment in the war of 1812, and until his discharge from the service was stationed at Black Rock, on the Niagara river. He also took an active part in civil and religious affairs, being the representative of his district in the legislature during the years 1795, '96, 1803, '04, per- forming the duties with credit and to the satisfaction of his constituents, and was one of the elders of Pine Creek Presbyterian church, to which office he was chosen in 1795, serving two years.
Colonel White was twice married. His first wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Allison, daughter of John and Ann Allison, of Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, bore him a family of six sons and one daughter, all of whom are now deceased. He married for his second wife Mrs. Charlotte White, nee Weitzel, daughter of John and Tabitha (Morris) Weitzel, and widow of James White, a pioneer hotel keeper of Trevorton, Northumberland county, and afterwards the owner of White's Island, in the Susquehanna, near Georgetown. James White lived on the east side of the river, opposite the island, and was killed in 1812 by being thrown from his wagon. The issue of the second marriage is as follows : I. Isabella, born February 13, 1815: in Janu- ary, 1833, she became the wife of Robert S. Bailey, of Jersey Shore, who died April 24, 1851. On October 12, 1853, she became the wife of Colonel James S. Allen, of Jersey Shore. 2. George, who, after acquiring a thorough education, migrated to Alabama, where he assumed charge of an academy, read law, and after a period of time returned to his home and completed his studies with R. G. White. He was ad- mitted to practice in the several courts of Lycoming and Tioga counties, and became distinguished in his profession as an eminent counsellor. He died at his residence in Williamsport in 1869, survived by his wife, who was a daughter of the late Rev. Dr. Parker, of the Presbyterian church of the city of New York, two sons and a daughter. 3. John,
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mentioned hereinafter. 4. Henry, mentioned hereinafter. Colonel White, father of these children, was killed on his farm in 1822 by being thrown from his horse. His remains were interred in the old Pine Creek graveyard.
John White, second son of Colonel Hugh and Charlotte White, spent his youth amid the scenes of the homestead farm, and his education was acquired in the schools taught by John Austin and the Rev. John H. Grier, two excellent teachers of pioneer days. He studied mathe- matics and theoretical surveying under the tuition of Mr. Austin, and at the age of seventeen left school and became a member of the state engineer corps, then in charge of James D. Harris, chief engineer, and thus obtained a practical knowledge of that profession. He assisted in the survey of the Tangascootac and Sinnemahoming extensions of the Pennsylvania canal, also in the construction of the Williamsport and Elmira railroad, now the Northern Central, and later was engaged in locating the eastern and western reservoirs of the canal, and was after- wards engineer-in-charge of the canal for several years. He then en- gaged in the mercantile and grain business at Freeport, Pennsylvania, which he continued for ten years, and at the expiration of this period of time was employed to locate the dams on the Monongahela river for the Monongahela Navigation Company, which occupied his time until April, 1854. He then took up his residence in Williamsport and the following five years was engaged in the lumber trade in Cogan Valley. In Octo- ber, 1859, he became a member of the well known lumber firm of Herdic, Lentz & White, which conducted business under that style until 1867, the year of the retirement of Peter Herdic, when it was changed to that of White, Lentz & White, and for the succeeding thirty years continued in the active duties of the lumber business.
He was a man of sound judgment and broad intelligence, his in-
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vestments were always conservative and safe, and hence he accumulated an estate estimated among the most valuable in his native county. He was a director in the Williamsport National Bank, a stockholder and director in the Lycoming Electric Company, filled a similar position in the Williamsport Steam Company, a trustee in the Savings Insti- tution, and president of the Citizens and Williamsport water com- panies. He was a member and vestryman in Christ Episcopal church, and a life-long Democrat, but took no active part in public affairs. He always manifested a deep interest in the social and material development of Williamsport, and contributed liberally of his means to the charitable, religious and educational institutions of the city.
On September 19, 1843, John White was married to Emily Weaver, daughter of the late Henry S. and Mary (Stauffer) Weaver, of Free- port, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania. Three sons and five daughters were the issue of this marriage, namely: Henry W., mentioned at length hereinafter; Charlotte, widow of Hon. Hugh H. Cummin; Mary L., wife of George L. Sanderson, of Jersey Shore; Hugh.L .; Gula W .; Emily, wife of E. P. Almy, of Williamsport; Jennie P., wife of Henry N. Almy, of Philadelphia; John A. White, deceased. The mother of these children is also a member of Christ Episcopal church. John White, father of these children, who was born in Lycoming county (now Clin- ton), Pennsylvania, November 4, 1818, died at his handsome residence on West Fourth street, Williamsport, June 3, 1890.
Henry White, fourth and youngest child of Colonel Hugh and Charlotte White, was born near Pine Creek, Pennsylvania, August 8, 1810. He received his education in the public schools, Grier Academy, and Alleghany College, at Meadville. He then pursued a course of legal study in the office of his brother, George White, and after his ad- mission to the bar of Lycoming county became associated in business
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with his brother, the style of the firm being G. & H. White. Subse- quently Henry White located at Freeport, Pennsylvania, and during the years 1849-50-51 was interested in a line of packet boats plying between Pittsburg and Kittanning, and a stage route from the last named point to Clarion. After his removal to Williamsport he was interested in a stage route from that point to Clearfield and Jefferson counties, this being the means by which the United States mail was carried in that day, his associates having been Messrs. Mathias Eder and Robert S. Bailey, the latter named being his brother-in-law. When the stage was superseded by railroads he engaged in the lumber business and became a member of the firm of Herdic, Lentz & White, and later of the firm of White, Lentz & White, this connection continuing until his death. Dur- ing his residence in Freeport he was awarded the contracts for many of the public works. Mr. White was repeatedly elected to the city council, and served a number of years as president of the common branch, making a dignified and efficient presiding officer. In 1877 he received the Democratic nomination for congress in the sixteenth dis- trict, his opponent being John L. Mitchell, and ran ahead of his ticket.
Henry White married (first) Catherine Anthony, daughter of Judge Anthony. He married (second) Martha Covell, of Elmira, New York, daughter of Robert and Almira (Baldwin) Covell, the former named having been a son of Matthew Covell, and the latter a daughter of Thomas and (Fuller ) Baldwin. Robert and Almira ( Bald- win) Covell are the parents of eleven children, as follows: Aurelia, Mary Ann, Robert, Stephen, Edward, Thomas, James, Myra, Caroline, Martha and Elizabeth. Mr. White died March 7, 1880, in the seven- tieth year of his age, survived by his widow, who passed away May 15, 1905.
Henry W. White, eldest son of John and Emily (Weaver) White,
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acquired his rudimentary education in the public schools, which was supplemented by attendance at Dickinson Seminary. The two years following his graduation from the latter named institution he studied law in the office of his uncle, George White, and in 1859 entered the employ of the firm of Herdic, Lentz & White, lumber merchants. In 1867 the firm name was changed to White, Lentz & White, the members thereof having been John White, George Lentz and Henry White, and they conducted business under this style until 1893, in which year the partnership was dissolved. Owing to his thorough knowledge of busi- ness affairs and the high reputation he gained in commercial circles, he was fully competent to serve as president of the Williamsport Passenger Railway, vice-president of the Williamsport Savings Institution, and vice-president of the Water and Gas Company. He is also a large stockholder and director in several of the manufacturing companies in the city, which have added so materially to its growth and development.
Henry W. White was united in marriage to Christina Siegel, daughter of William and Catherine (Welcome) Siegel, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
GARRET D. TINSMAN.
The Tinsman family, so worthily represented in the present genera- tion by Garret D. Tinsman, a well known and respected citizen of Wil- liamsport, Pennsylvania, was founded in that state by his grandparents, Peter and Mary (Pursel) Tinsman, natives of New Jersey, the former named having been for many years a successful lumber manufacturer of Hunterdon county, New Jersey.
Garret Tinsman, father of Garret D. Tinsman, was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, November 28, 1808. At an early age he began assisting his father in the manufacture of lumber, thus acquiring a
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G . Nº Tiusman.
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thorough knowledge of the business in all its details, and afterwards engaged in lumbering and milling on the Delaware river and at Milford, New Jersey, until 1843. In that year he removed his business to Lu- zerne county, Pennsylvania, and in partnership with Runyon Woolver- ton continued operations on the Lehigh river until the spring of 1852, a period of nine years. He then came to Williamsport, which at that time was but a small village, containing only three or four sawmills, one of which was in course of construction by his brother, Peter Tins- man, mentioned hereinafter, and here he found plenty of opportunity for the display of his untiring energy in the development of the lumber in- dustry, then in its infancy, and in the prosecution of this work he de- voted the best years of his life. As a member of the firm of Woolver- ton & Tinsman he erected a mill on the site of the present plant of that firm, and in 1855 he purchased his brother's interest in the mill built by the latter and George W. Quinn in 1852, for a number of years the firm of Quinn & Tinsman conducting a very successful lumber trade. Sub- sequently he became the senior member of the firm of Tinsman & Ryan, and continued his connection with that firm, also with the firm of Wool- verton & Tinsman up to his decease.
In addition to his extensive lumber interests, Mr. Tinsman was identified with various leading enterprises that conduced to the growth and prosperity of the city of Williamsport and vicinity. He was a director in the Savings Institution, the Williamsport National Bank, and the Wildwood Cemetery Company, being one of the organizers of the latter named. He was one of the organizers of the Loyalsock Boom Company, serving as president in 1857, and for several years was an extensive stockholder in the Susquehanna Boom Company. During his eminently successful business career he accumulated a large and valuable estate and a handsome competence, and thus he was enabled to
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contribute liberally to charitable, religious and educational institutions. He held membership in the First Presbyterian Church of Williamsport, to the support of which he contributed liberally, and he gave a generous donation toward the erection of the present church building. He adhered to the principles of Democracy, and always manifested a deep interest in local and national affairs. Mr. Tinsman died December 25, 1888.
Mr. Tinsman married, April 12, 1838, Margaret S. Saylor, who was born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, daughter of Andrew and Annie (Sinclair) Saylor, natives of New Jersey. She was a loving helpmate for over half a century, and much of the success which attended the business ventures of Mr. Tinsman was due to her wise foresight, prudent counsel and loving assistance. Their family consisted of four children : Peter I., deceased, who has a son Drew S .; Andrew S., de- ceased ; Emeline, wife of John R. T. Ryan; and Garret D., whose name heads this memoir, who married Mary R. Hepburn, daughter of Wil- liam Hepburn, and their children are: Margaretta, wife of Dr. Thomas S. Steele, one child, Marie Elizabeth; and William H., unmarried. .
Peter Tinsman, son of Peter and Mary (Pursel) Tinsman, and brother of Garret Tinsman, was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, on the Delaware river, August 18, 1818. During his early manhood he obtained a thorough knowledge of the lumber business from his father, a successful lumber manufacturer of Hunterdon county, New Jersey. Later he purchased timber lands in the vicinity of White Haven, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, on which he erected a small saw mill, which he operated until 1849, then disposing of his plant to his brother Garret Tinsman. During the summer of the following year he visited the West Branch valley, and after several trips up Pine and Sin- nemahoning creeks, exploring the valuable lands lying along those streams, he concluded to embark in the lumber business in Williamsport.
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On January 1, 1852, he purchased from Thomas Updegraff a piece of land bordering on the river, east of the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad, and the same year he entered into partnership with George W. Quinn and erected the first steam saw mill in the town, which they put into opera- tion in the fall of 1852. Mr. Tinsman continued in the lumber busi- ness in Williamsport until 1855, in which year he sold his interest in the mill to Woolverton & Tinsman and located in Reading, Pennsyl- vania, where he engaged in the retail lumber business, continuing the same until 1867, when he disposed of his business and returned to Lyco- ming county. In 1873 he purchased the steam saw mill of Alexander Davidson, which was located across the river from Williamsport, but met with the misfortune of the panic of that period, which wrought de- struction throughout the country. He then retired from active pur- suits, and from that date up to the time of his decease, enjoyed the com- petence he acquired during many years of activity. In 1855 he was united in marriage to Elizabeth H. Allen, of Trout Run, Pennsylvania.
HENRY SOLOMON MOSSER.
Henry S. Mosser, one of the representative business men and sub- stantial citizens of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was born in the city of Allentown, Pennsylvania, a son of James Kistler and Marie E. (Keck) Mosser, grandson of Jacob and Salome ( Kistler) Mosser, great- grandson of David and Catharine (Oswald) Mosser, and great-great- grandson of Philip Mosser.
David and Catharine (Oswald) Mosser (great-grandparents ) reared a family of eleven children: John, Jacob, Elizabeth, William, Magdalena, Lydia, Joseph, Catharine, Esther, Sally, and David O. On April 25, 1798, David Mosser purchased the farm of his father. Philip
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Mosser, who lived with them until his death, in 1817. Philip Mosser (father) had built a log grist-mill on the Attellana (or Maiden) Creek, which in 1817 was rebuilt by David Mosser. David Mosser died in 1832, aged sixty-five years, and his wife died in 1857, aged eighty-one years.
Jacob and Salome (Kistler) Mosser (grandparents) reared a family of five children, namely : William K., who married Lucy Fisher, and their children were: William F., who married Emily Guiley, and Mary, who became the wife of Colonel H. C. Trexler. Catherine, who became the wife of Samuel E. Allbright, and their family consisted of five chil- dren : John, Rose, George, Peter and Mary. Charles K., who married Annie Mink, and they were the parents of eight children: Albert, Charles, Frank, Ellen, Emma, Alice, Annie and Eva. Elizabeth, who became the wife of Peter K. Grim, and their children are: Kate, David, Albert, Jacob, Ellen, Anna and Amanda. James Kistler, mentioned at length hereinafter.
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