USA > Pennsylvania > Lycoming County > Genealogical and personal history of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. Volume I > Part 35
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He remained under the parental roof until he was twenty-three years of age, and then accepted a position as clerk for J. C. Green, pro- prietor of a grocery and china store in Williamsport, remaining one year. The following twelve years he was clerk for J. G. Stonesifer, the proprietor of a grocery store, and at the expiration of that time purchased the interest of his employer. He has ever since conducted the business at 202 West Fourth street, corner of William street, Wil- liamsport. Mr. Breining was baptized in the Evangelical church, but now attends the High Street Methodist Episcopal church, of which his wife is a member. He is a Democrat in politics.
Mr. Breining married, April 21, 1887, Sara Anna McMurray, and
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they are the parents of two children: Ethel May, born January 22, 1888, died April 17, 1893, and Dorothea Cora, born April 5, 1894.
Mrs. Breining is a daughter of Robert A. McMurray and a grand- daughter of Andrew McMurray. Robert A. McMurray was born De- cember 9, 1833, near Williamsport, and for many years resided in Wash- ington, District of Columbia, where he was employed as a clerk by the government. He was a very prominent man, especially as an expert in adding columns of figures, being known as the " lightning calculator." He would add the whole column in the manner of an adding machine and set the answer down immediately.
Mr. McMurray married, January 6, 1859, Sara, born July 12, 1835, daughter of William and Sarah (Hartsock) Quigg, and their children were: Elizabeth, born October 9, 1859, widow of D. Man- ning Smith, resides at Omaha, Nebraska; Sara Anna, born June 12, 1861, wife of William Henry Breining; Thomas L., born July 3, 1863, employed by the government at Washington, District of Columbia; Cora A., born July 22, 1866, wife of Charles E. Scholl, of Williamsport; Min- nie B., born December 29, 1871, wife of George H. Freeman, of Los Angeles, California; and Charles M., born October 18, 1873, died February 23, 1880. Mrs. McMurray, the mother, now resides in Will- iamsport.
BENJAMIN HORNING DETWILER, M. D.
Dr. Benjamin H. Detwiler, who has been actively engaged in the practice of his profession, that of medicine and surgery, in the city of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for a period of nearly forty years, was born in Franconia, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, October 6, 1831.
He is a descendant in the fifth generation from Gregorious Det- wiler, an early Swiss emigrant, who settled as a pioneer in Mont-
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gomery county, was upright and honest in his relations with his fellow- citizens, and was the father of five children, among whom were Joseph, Hannes and Heinrich.
Joseph Detwiler, son of Gregorious Detwiler, was born about the year 1723. He was united in marriage to Maria Kolb, who was born in 1724, and the issue of this union was five children, as follows: John, Jacob, Sarah, Susanna and Elizabeth.
John Detwiler, eldest son of Joseph and Maria (Kolb) Detwiler, was born in 1747. He married Catherine Funk, who bore him ten children, namely: Susanna, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary, Sarah, John, Christian, Catherine, Abraham and Daniel. For his second wife he married the widow of John Horning, a German emigrant of 1750, who left ten children, and with these, in addition to his own large family, John Detwiler, who acquired by purchase his father's farm of two hun- dred and forty-one acres, is said to have led a prosperous and happy life. His death occurred in the year 1825.
Abraham Detwiler, fourth son of John and Catherine (Funk) Det- wiler, was born June 13, 1790. He was a life-long resident of Fran- conia, Montgomery county, occupying the homestead farm, which he cultivated in connection with milling. He was a Mennonite in his re- ligious belief, and a man of progressive tendencies, being the first farmer of his neighborhood to send his children to boarding school. By his marriage to Mary Horning ten children were born, namely: Eliza- beth, wife of George C. Reiff, and mother of six children: Sarah, Mary, Jacob, Abraham, Charles and Hannah. Catherine, who married the Rev. John R. Price, resided in Chester county, and their family con- sisted of seven children: Abraham, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Henry, Sarah, and Benjamin. John H., who married Elizabeth Longabaugh, and seven children were born to them: Barton, Samuel, George, Clara,
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Emma, John and Frank. William H., who married Mary Longabaugh, issue, William, Barton, Mary, Laura and Josephine. Isaac H., who married Hannah Knabb, issue: John, Yoder, Abraham, Daniel and George. Hannah, who became the wife of William H. Price, issue: Warren, Dr. Abel, William, Mary, Daniel, Allen, Ella and Elizabeth. Mary Ann, unmarried. Abraham, who married Amelia Wambach, and after her death Elizabeth Christman, who bore him the following named children: Jacob, Luther, Amelia, Mary, Ella, Martha and Catherine. Daniel Davis, M. D., born 1829, died 1863; he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, Medical Department, in 1847, completed his studies abroad and practiced his profession in Trappe, Pennsylvania, until his death. He married Sarah A. Hobson, and one child was born to them, Stanley. Benjamin Horning, mentioned at length hereinafter. Abraham Detwiler, the father of these children, died at his home in Franconia, December 10, 1832, aged forty-two - years.
Having fitted for his collegiate course at a boarding school in Trappe, Pennsylvania, Benjamin H. Detwiler entered the class of 1851 at Union College as a sophomore, but withdrew at the conclusion of his junior year in order to take up the study of medicine, and he was graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsyl- vania in 1855. He located for practice at Cogan Station, Pennsyl- vania, ten miles from the nearest medical practitioner with whom to consult in case of emergency, and resided there for eight years. At the expiration of this period of time he removed to Linden, same state, and three years later changed his place of residence to Williamsport, same state, where he has since devoted his entire attention to his chosen calling.
Dr. Detwiler was one of the promoters of the Williamsport Hos-
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pital, having served upon a committee of three appointed by the Lycom- ing Medical Society to consider the advisability of establishing such an institution. For a number of years he was chairman of the executive committee, for five years was president of the board of trustees, still serving in that capacity (1905), and served on the medical and surgical staff many years. He was formerly president of the Danville Insane Hospital Board of Trustees, is vice-president of the American Animal Therapy Association, assistant surgeon of the twenty-seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers for emergency, and in 1880 was chosen president of the Williamsport Board of United States Examin- ing Surgeons in Pension Cases. He is a member of the Penn State and Lycoming Medical Societies, in which latter body he has held all the important offices. In politics he was originally a Whig, but with a ma- jority of that element he joined the Republican movement at its forma- tion and has ever since maintained his allegiance to that party.
Dr. Detwiler was united in marriage to Louisa Grafius, who bore him four children, as follows: Thomas Craig, M. D., who married Fanny Thomas, issue: Virginia. Elizabeth, wife of B. Palmer Hutch- inson, no issue. Harry, deceased. Mary, unmarried. The mother of these children died November 6, 1885, aged fifty-nine years. Dr. Det- wiler married for his second wife Mary Stowe Stewart, widow of James H. Stewart, of Pittsburg, and daughter of Hiram and Martha (Darragh) Stowe. She was the mother of two children by her former marriage, namely : Edna Stowe, unmarried; and Lila, wife of Charles H. Eichbaum, and mother of two children, Mary Stowe Eichbaum and Benjamin Detwiler Eichbaum.
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THE DAVIES FAMILY.
Thomas Alfred Davies, an attorney-at-law, Williamsport, Penn- sylvania, was born on his father's farm on the shores of Black Lake, nine miles from Ogdensburg, New York, March 31, 1864. The follow- ing is his genealogical line :
I. John Davies, the founder of the family in this country, born 1680, at Kingston, Herfordshire, England, came to Litchfield, Con- necticut, in 1735. The Davies of Gwysany, Mold, Flintshire, England, came from the north of Wales and have an unbroken descent from Cymric Efell, Lord of Eylwys Eyle, who lived A. D. 1200. The family was first known under the name of Davies in 1581, when it was assumed by Robert Davies, who served as high sheriff of Flintshire. The fourth son of Robert Davies was Thomas Davies, the father of John Davies, founder of the American branch of the family. John Davies was well educated. He purchased one thousand acres of fertile land near Litch- field, Connecticut, and settled at that place in 1735. He was a zealous Episcopalian, founded the Episcopal church at that point, and erected the first church edifice in 1749, naming it St. Michael's. While a man of large means he took no part in public affairs except in connection with the church of his choice. Politically he was a stanch loyalist. He married Catherine Spencer in England. He died in 1758.
II. John Davies, eldest son of John Davies (1), was born in England, 1711 ; educated at Oxford University ; married Elizabeth Brown in 1734, in England. He was an ardent churchman, as was his father. He took no special part in public matters but devoted his life to the cause of education and his family. He erected a saw-mill, grist-mill and a forge, establishing a self-maintaining community. His second son, Thomas Davies, graduated from Yale College in 1758, a few years
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after the founding of that great institution of learning. He was ad- mitted to orders as a priest in the Episcopal church in England, and became rector of the church at Litchfield, Connecticut. On account of the birth and education of the family they were stanch loyalists during the period of the American Revolution, and some of them were im- prisoned.
III. John Davies, eldest son of John Davies (2), born in England in 1735, married Eunice Hotchkiss, of New Haven, Connecticut. He was educated under the direction of his father and was a true loyalist, for which he lost his property and suffered imprisonment. He, too, was an ardent Episcopalian in church relations. He remained in prison until after the Revolution ended, being of that sanguine type of men who could not be coerced or swerved from his convictions. After the war ended, he, to restore his losses, together with his son Thomas John, entered into the business of trading between Connecticut and New York city, driving cattle from the former to the latter point, returning with merchandise. This he followed until 1798, when yellow fever broke out in New York city, causing him losses, which together with his earlier losses and broken health resulted in his death in 1799, closing an honorable but unfortunate career.
IV. Thomas John Davies, eldest son of John Davies (3), born in 1767, Litchfield, Connecticut; educated under the direction of his grand- father; married Ruth Foote, 1792, daughter of Captain John Foote of Watertown, Connecticut. Held office of chorister in St. John's Epis- copal church. Losing his property in business with his father, he resolved to follow the example of his grandfather; he founded a home in then a wilderness, on the shores of Black Lake, on a tract of land of six hundred acres, nine miles from Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence county, New York, in the year 1800, and moved his family from Connecticut
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to that place. Gifted with great energy and courage, he became pros- perous and influential ; he took an active part in politics, held the office of sheriff of St. Lawrence county and the office of county judge for sev- eral years with credit, although he was not educated in the law. He was a member of the Episcopal church, and a Democrat in politics. He died in 1845, survived by his wife, who died in 1852, and four sons : John Foote; Charles, who became a professor of mathematics at West Point Military Academy, Trinity and Columbia Colleges, the first Amer- ican author of a complete series of mathematical text books, and founder of the publishing house of A. S. Barnes & Company; Henry E., who became a supreme court judge in New York city, and a chief justice of the court of appeals of that state, and was one of the founders of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York; and Thomas A., who graduated from West Point in 1829 and, after a long and gallant service in the late Civil war, was commissioned brevet major-general of volun- teers. During the war of 1812-14 General Swift formed a lasting friend- ship for Mr. Thomas John Davies, and as a result of this friendship secured the appointment of his second son Charles to a cadetship at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
V. John Foote Davies, eldest son of Thomas John Davies (4), born 1796, at Litchfield, Connecticut, came with his parents to Black Lake, St. Lawrence county, New York, in 1800. He received the edu- cation afforded in a wilderness at that time; married Almeda Giffin, of Scotch-Irish parentage, in 1819, with whom he lived happily for sixty- nine years. He lived a long. happy and tranquil life, and died in 1888 at the age of ninety-two years, a few months after the death of his wife at the age of eighty-eight years. Under an agreement that he should inherit his father's property, he remained at home to take care of his father while the other three sons were educated and allowed to go out
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in the world for themselves. This agreement was adhered to, and at his father's death he took possession of his father's entire estate. A member of the Episcopal church, a Democrat in politics, kind and charitable, he was loved by all who knew him.
VI. William Henry Davies, only son of John Foote Davies (5), born October 4, 1820, at Black Lake, near Ogdensburg, New York; educated in the common schools of that day and at a private school at Ballston, New York. In 1836 he went to New York city, where he resided several years. Upon his return to Black Lake he pursued the life of his father; married, May 2, 1844, Helen McVean, of Scotch parentage, daughter of Colonel Daniel F. McVean, of St. Lawrence county, New York; she died August 5, 1872, leaving a large family of children. At the outbreak of the Civil war he went to the front as the quartermaster of the Sixteenth New York Volunteers, the regiment commanded by his uncle, General Thomas A. Davies, and served two years. He distinguished himself for accuracy in his accounts and for the diligent service which he gave the duties of his office. He was recommended by his superiors for promotion, but, having a large family and feeling their claims, he declined promotion and returned home in June of 1863. After the close of the Civil war he went into the business of dealing in grain at Ogdensburg, New York, continuing until the panic of 1872-3, when he met severe reverses in business and returned to the homestead on the shores of Black Lake. He retired from all active business in 1899, and now resides at Ogdensburg, New York, with his two daughters. He has been a stanch Republican in politics since the formation of that party, takes a great interest in public and political affairs, and is a close student of current events. Like all his ancestors he is a member of the Episcopal church.
VII. Thomas Alfred Davies, the youngest of four sons of William
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Henry Davies (6), was born on his father's farm on the shores of Black Lake, St. Lawrence county, New York, March 31, 1864; attended the district school during the winter and worked on the farm during the remaining seasons. In the autumn of 1881 he entered the Ogdensburg Academy, which was organized that year, and from which he graduated in the classical course in June, 1885. During his course at the academy he taught two terms of district school of four months each, making up his studies upon his return to the academy. His father having a large family and feeling that he should not call upon him for assistance, he worked his way through the academy by teaching school, selling books, and doing such other work as might be obtained. After graduating at the academy he taught in the district schools and obtained employment at the Thousand Islands summer resorts for a period of three years. Having accumulated enough cash to defray his expenses partially through college, he entered St. Lawrence University in the autumn of 1888, and graduating from that institution in June, 1891, received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He performed the work of the four years college course in three years' time.
Determined to study law, Mr. Davies sought a position where he might do so, and at the same time pay off his college indebtedness, with which he was still burdened. Accordingly, in the fall of 1891, he secured the principalship of the Union Academy, at Union, New York, but finding the duties too heavy to allow much time for the study of law, he resigned at the end of the school year. He came to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in 1892, where he obtained a position in the high school as instructor of mathematics and English, continuing the study of law. In January, 1894, he secured a position as clerk in the office of the district attorney of Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, whereupon he re- signed his instructorship in the Williamsport high school. Having
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passed the final examination, he was admitted to the bar in July, 1894. He continued to perform the duties of clerk for the district attorney until April, 1895, when he opened an office for general practice. He has practiced in the several courts of Lycoming county and in the supreme and superior courts of Pennsylvania. His insurance law prac- tice has extended to several counties of the state.
As might be expected of one of his ancestry and training, Mr. Davies has not confined his whole ambition and energy to the law, but has become interested in several business enterprises in the southern states. While at college Mr. Davies became a member of Alpha Omi- cron Chapter of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, and during his senior year was chosen the chapter's delegate to the National biennial congress of that fraternity held at Richmond, Virginia, December, 1890. It will be observed that without a single exception, from the English ancestor down to the subject, all have been ardent believers in the Episcopal re- ligious faith, but he united with the Presbyterian church when nineteen years of age; his mother was a stanch adherent to that denomination. and the son, contrary to all of his paternal ancestors, adheres to the faith taught him by his mother. He is a member of the Ross Club of Will- iamsport, Pennsylvania, and a Republican in politics.
March 16, 1899, Mr. Davies was united in marriage to Sarah Frances, daughter of James Oliver and Sarah Frances Hammond. Mrs. Davies is a descendant of Mathew Brown, of White Deer Valley, Ly- coming county, Pennsylvania. (See Mathew Brown Book, page 128.) To this union have been born: William Henry Davies (8), September 24, 1901; James Hammond Davies (8), May 25, 1903.
Having to rely upon his own resources, but backed by energy and determination to succeed in the walks of professional and business life, the career of Mr. Davies is indeed an enviable one, when viewed from the standpoint of success which he has obtained so early in life.
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PROFESSOR FRANK F. HEALEY.
Professor Frank F. Healey, of Williamsport, is widely known as the proprietor of the Williamsport Commercial College, an instiution of recognized excellence, which has abundantly proved its usefulness to the ambitious youth of a large region, and has afforded a certain prestige to the city in which it is located. Professor Healey is a native of Iowa, born in Boone county, January 25, 1869, a son of Horace T. and Sarah J. (Scoville) Healey.
The father was a farmer by occupation, and was born in Genesee county, New York, April 22, 1842, son of Sullivan Healey, who was a very prominent minister of the United Brethren sect, and was presiding elder at Polo, Illinois, where he died about 1882, at the advanced age of seventy-six years. The wife of Horace T. Healey was Sarah J. Scoville, who was born in Illinois a year later than was her husband. They were the parents of ten children : I. Horace, Jr., who is pub- lisher of the Art Journal at No. 203 Broadway, New York. 2. Frank F. 3. Benjamin, a farmer, residing at Milledgeville, Illinois. 4. Vir- gil, in a railway office in Chicago, Illinois. 5. Albert, deceased. 6. James, residing in Chicago, Illinois. 7. Clifford, in charge of a de- partment of a wholesale millinery establishment in Chicago. 8. Floyd, a stenographer in Chicago. 9. Mabel, wife of Earnest Crawford, of Milledgeville, Illinois. 10. Hazel, wife of Charles Bushman, of Coleta, Illinois.
Frank F. Healey, second child of Horace F. and Sarah J. (Scoville) Healey, was two years of age when his parents removed to Illinois, and he resided in that state until he was eighteen years old. After attending the public schools he entered the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso, Indiana, where he completed a two years' course covering
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academic studies. For four years afterward he was successfully en- gaged as a teacher in Illinois, and in 1894 entered the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Business College, where he took a one year's course, gradu- ating with so much credit that he was offered a position upon its teach- ing corps, and in which he acquitted himself with entire satisfaction during a period of two years and from which he retired, to the great regret of his associates, in furtherance of the plans which he had laid out for entrance upon a broader and more independent career. Coming to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, he served for two years as a teacher in the Commercial College in that place, and in 1899 accepted a position as a tutor in the Ithaca (New York) high school. In April of the follow- ing year he returned to Williamsport and purchased an interest in the Williamsport Commercial College, and in 1903 succeeding to the sole ownership and management.
The Williamsport Commercial College is at once the oldest and most successful institution of its kind in the Lycoming Valley region, and is without a superior in the state. It traces its history from 1865, the year of its establishment by Professor John F. Davis, who during his fourteen years' connection with it made for it an excellent reputa- tion. Coming to the institution as did Professor Healey, with long experience as a teacher in the school, and with an accurate conception of the wants of young men and women, in an era of tremendous activity and enlarged demands for a more perfect service on the part of man- agers and employes in the business world, he devoted himself with intelligence and enthusiasm to the perfecting of his instructional meth- ods, sparing no personal effort or cost, making " Uncompromising Thor- oughness " his motto, and not departing an iota from the high standards he had set up. With such effort and such enthusiasm, it is pleasing to record that his success has been entirely commensurate, as is witnessed
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by the striking fact that in the less than five years during which he has been the proprietor, the attendance of the college has been trebled, now numbering four hundred and twenty-nine students, while hundreds of its graduates are now occupying responsible and well compensated posi- tions, or are engaged in business upon their own account, many such owing to the public schools and to his college their entire equipment for life's duties. That such has been all-sufficient has been abundantly attested by the success which has been achieved, and further by the high encomiums they have bestowed upon their instructor and friend. While re-equipping the various departments of the college, throughout its large apartments, occupying more than three thousand feet of floor space, with the approved furnishings, Professor Healey has at the same time kept his mind intent upon improvement in teaching methods, and presents to his patrons many advantages not accessible in any kindred institution, earning for himself the gratitude of his pupils, and wide reputation as the successful proprietor of one of the very few leading commercial colleges in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Five teachers are con- stantly engaged.
Professor Healey married, December 28, 1902, Miss Grace M. King, who was born in Benezette, Elk county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of William J. and Cordelia (Hewitt) King, her father being a prominent business man of Indiana county, Pennsylvania, and whose other daugh- ters are Clementine, wife of W. H. McLees, of Williamsport, and Mary E., wife of John Doney, of Indiana county, Pennsylvania. Professor and Mrs. Healey are members of the Grace Street Methodist Episcopal church. Politically he is a Republican, and an active member of the Young Men's Republican Club of Williamsport.
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