History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 91

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 812

USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 91

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He married a Miss Howard, a lady of enlture and a writer of ability, and by her had two children born to him, named Somers and Howard. He and his wife and first- born died in Houston, Texas.

Charles Kinney was a quiet, respeetable citizen, thought- ful and prudent, a man of few words and far between. IIe married Amanda Carrier, and reared three sons,-Joseph, Hanford, and Amzi. The elder son became a Universalist preacher, located in one of the western States, and died at the age of forty-five years. He married a daughter of Joseph White. Hanford died from exposure in the army, and Amzi is on the homestead.

Sarah Kinney, daughter of Joseph Kinney, married Lockwood Smith, afterwards sheriff of the county and member of the legislature. She died at sixty years of age, without issue. She is said to have been a most amiable woman, and a lady of rare culture and intelleet. Lney married Thomas Marshall, and died without issue. " She was a tidy housewife, a companionable neighbor, and a pattern of industry."

Guy Kinney married Matilda Gore, who bore him eight children. He was open-handed and hospitable, indepen- dent in thought and utteranee, and hated parsimony and greed most cordially. He died Oct. 25, 1872, aged seventy- three. His children were Ellen, Newton, Roxana, Ada, Avery, Simon, H. Clay, and Ida. Newton was noted as a leeturer on phrenology and spiritualism, in which he was no mean contestant. He married Juliette Thomas, reared several children, and died in Waverly. But one son- Simon-remains of the family, all having died of con- smuption in early life, a disease unknown in either of the original families of the Kinneys or Gores. A son of Ada, who married Gov. Blackman, and two of H. Clay's, are living.

Welthia Kinney married Guy Tozer, and bore him Helen, Ralph, Lucy, Gny M., George, Frank, and Charles. She was a bright intellect, sareastic and spicy if need be, and kept well informed of all that was progressing in the world of letters, and even of politics. She was a frequent contributor of meritorious poetieal articles to the local press. Mr. Tozer was onee sheriff of the county, an active Democratie politician, and a shrewd business man. His boys copied his activity, and their mother's desire for general knowledge.

The boys were all well situated in business in the west, except Guy, who remains on the homestead. Helen was very happily united in life with a Mr. Walker, of Ottawa, Illinois.

Perley Kinney married Sarah Hntehins, of Killingly, Connectient, who bore him three children,-Perley H., Miles F., and Ruth, of whom Perley alone remains. The father was killed accidentally in a threshing-machine, the wife died suddenly, and Ruth died of the old enemy, con- sumption. Perley was of a genial disposition, and a capi- tal musician. The old people, his father and mother, re- sided in the old home under his protection in the evening of their days, and until their late autumnal sunset that opened to them the future. While Perley lived he in- herited the old home. Perley H., his son, married Eliza- beth Horton ; he is a skillful farmer. Miles F., son of

360

HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Perley, was a talented young man, a successful praetitioner in the legal profession, and took an active part in the stirring events which culminated in the late war, and his labors undoubtedly hastened his death, which resulted from a hemorrhage of the lungs. Ruth married G. W. Fish, and died at the age of about thirty years, leaving a son of much promise.

Mina married Stephen Smith, and migrated to Illinois at an early day. Her husband was elected sheriff of Bureau county many years ago. They had three children, -Ida, Osmyn, and Guy. Phebe never married, and de- voted herself to the care of her father and mother. She died suddenly, at the old mansion, at about sixty years of age.

Thomas Baldwin was the father of Vine Baldwin, after- wards an early settler in Ridgeberry. The son was born in Sheshequin in 1783, and is reported to be the first white person born in the Susquehanna valley after the war.

This was the Sergeant Thomas Baldwin, whose name occurred so frequently in the history of the county during the Revolutionary war. He moved into the State of New "York, and died near Elinira. He drew in Ulster lots num- bered 2 and 5, which, by deed dated April 25, 1789, he sold to General Spalding. Spalding sold No. 5 to Joseph Kinney, June 18, 1791, and describes it as " land which I hold of Captain Thomas Baldwin, it being to him a settling right under the Connectieut claim."

In 1784, Obadiah and Samuel Gore and Arnold Frank- lin came into the settlement, from Wyoming.

The old homestead of Judge Obadiah Gore was what was known as the Isaac Stille lot, which joined the Nicho- las Tatemy lot next above, which was also in the family, and is deseribed on the maps as " a Draught of a Traet of Land called Indela mooking, situate on the East side of the North East Branch of the Susquehannah River, opposite an Indian Settlement called the Sheshequanung, and above and adjoining land elaimed by Isaac Stille, formerly in North- ampton County, now in Northumberland County, containing 182} acres, and allowance of 6 per cent.

"Surveyed for Nicholas Tatemy,* 24th of September, 1773, in pursuance of a warrant dated 22d of January, 1770, by Charles Stewart, Deputy Surveyor. Returned to the Secretary's office the 30th of November, 1773. For John Lukens, Esqr.,

" ROBERT DILL."

Nicholas Tatemy's lot was sold by John Brotzman, of Easton, to Obadiah Gore, June 13, 1806. Isaae Stille conveyed to his son Joshua, he to John Rinker, he to his son, Samuel Rinker, a sea-captain, who, Jan. 22, 1803, transferred his interest to Avery Gore, a son of Judge Gore. Avery Gore also obtained by patent, in November, 1836, on a sale for taxes in 1818, the lots granted to Timothy Matloek and Robert Roberts under warrants dated April 28, 1775. On Dec. 31, 1811, he also purchased the traet granted to Daniel Moore, March 3, 1793, Moore conveying

to Ebenezer Bowman and Alexander Scott, Feb. 27, 1794, they to Abraham Witmer, March 27, 1805, who deeded it to Gore.

Judge Obadiah Gore was the son of Obadiah Gore and Hannah Park. He was born in Norwich, Conn., April 7, 1744, and married Anna Avery (born Dee. 18, 1744), March 22, 1764. He removed, in 1768, together with his father (Obadiah) and their families, to Wilkes-Barre. In 1776 he entered the Continental army, in a regiment com- manded by Col. Isaae Nichols, and served six years; was commissioned first lieutenant by John Hancock, Oet. 11, 1776, and by John Jay, March 16, 1779. He was com- missioned judge at the organization of Luzerne county. He moved to Ulster in 1783, and to Sheshequin the next spring, 1784. He had a store in the latter place as early as 1796, and continued in it until 1803. This was proba- bly the first store in the town. He contraeted with William Presher to build a grist-mill on the river opposite the Valley House, on the Tatemy lot, June 6, 1807. This was known as the Presher mill, and was the first grist-mill in the town- ship. Judge Gore also built the first framed house in the township, about the year 1787, Joseph Kinney building the second one, the next year. Judge Gore also had the first distillery in town. He was appointed a justice of the peace as early as April, 1782. The first marriage-entry on his docket is April 20, 1788, and is that of Mathias Hol- lenbaek and Miss Sarah Hibbard.

Judge Gore and his father were blacksmiths, and were the first persons to use anthracite coal in this country, and began so to use it in their forges about 1772. They came via Plainfield to Wyoming, and were among the prisoners taken by the Pennamites in 1768. They were also in the terrible troubles of Wyoming, known as the first and second Pennamite wars.

Judge Bullock says of Judge Gore, " He was a man of superior mind, and benevolent in the fullest sense of the term. His name was a household word among the settlers in the 'baekwoods' for a long time, and they ever found in him a friend who would assist them from his ample stores as their necessities required. His memory is yet highly respected by the few who survive and who had par- tieipated in and were recipients of his favors."

The following extraet, from the Pennsylvania Archives, 1783-86, p. 23, shows an important trust fulfilled by Judge Gore. It is a letter from Capt. Shrawder to President Diekinson, dated March 29, 1783 :

" Mr. Gore of this place, who had been sent some time ago to the assembly of New York with a petition for a grant of land thirty miles square at Aqhquague, on this side of the lake near the head of the river Susquehanna, re- turned last night and brought the news that the petition of the Wyoming settlers had been granted, and that he was going up to chuse the place."

Judge Gore had three brothers and two brothers-in-law killed at Wyoming. His children were Avery, born Jan. 10, 1765, who succeeded to the homestead; Wealthy, born Aug. 10, 1767, married Col. John Spalding ; Hannah, born Sept. 18, 1769, married John Durkee ; Anna, born Feb. 8, 1772, married Jolin Shepard; Sally, born Sept. 22, 1774, married Isaae Cash.

# Isaac Stille and Nicholas Tatemy were New Jersey (Brainerd's) Indians, whe had served the Pennsylvania government as messengers and interpreters, and these lands were given them as compensation for services.

ENOCH TOWNER

THEODORE GEROULD.

PHOTOS. BY G. H. WOOD.

BARNS, OPPOSITE SIDE OF ROAD TO.

Ãº

RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH TOWNER, SHESHEQUIN TP, BRADFORD CO., PA.

361

HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Avery Gore was associated with his father, Judge Hol- lenback, and William Buck in heavy land speculations in the State of New York about Chemung and elsewhere. He was commissioned by Governor M'Kean 2d lieut. of the 2d troop of cavalry in Luzerne county, 2d brigade, 9th division of enrolled militia, Aug. 2, 1800; 1st lieut., Jan. 28, 1802; capt., May 26, 1806. He was also commis- sioned ensign of the 3d company of foot in the 2d battalion by the supreme executive council, May 1, 1789. He was postmaster at Sheshequin in 1804 and for several years afterwards.

He married Lucy Gore, his cousin, the second daughter of Silas Gore, who was killed at Wyoming. They had eleven children, as follows: Calista, born Nov. 30, 1794, married Samuel Kennedy Gore, died Jan. 6, 1849 ; Alfred, born Sept. 18, 1798, died when three and a half years old ; Matilda, born Nov. 6, 1800, married Guy Kinney in 1822, and died Feb. 20, 1861; Wealthy Ann, born March 6, 1803, married Byron Kingsbury in 1822, and is still living; Harry, born March 20, 1805, married Elizabeth R. Ellis, and died Sept. 9, 1855; Edwin, born September, 1807 ; Obadiah, born Oct. 8, 1809, married Matilda Shaw, 1834, and is still living; Ralph, born Sept. 21, 1811, married Jane Eggett ; Silas P., born Dec. 12, 1814, married Rebecca Spalding, Oct. 22, 1840, died Dee. 19, 1857 ; Charles, born Oct. 25, 1816, married Ann Eliza Ballenger, 1843, died Feb. 15, 1865, in Illinois; George, born Sept. 7, 1820, died July 27, 1869.

Samuel Gore was a brother of Judge Obadiah Gore. He was also a soldier of the Revolution, and one of the few who escaped the Wyoming massacre. He was also an actor in the Pennamite and Yankee troubles. The first winter after he settled in Sheshequin he was obliged to go, ria Wyoming, to the Delaware river to winter his oxen, no means of doing so being nearer. His money to carry him a journey of one hundred and fifty miles was an English crown. The paths (there were no roads) were impassable, nearly, but on the fourth day he arrived at Wyoming, where he rested and prepared feed for his cattle for the rest of the journey, hy twisting hay into large ropes and fasten- ing them around their bodies and necks. He packed his wallet with Indian johnny-cake and slung it upon his arm, and entered the great " dismal swamp." The snow was two feet deep, and the weather severe. On the second day he had a creek to cross so deep that footmen could not pass without wading. Mounting one of his oxen, he attempted to ride across, but the anchor-ice hit his legs, his steed played him false, and left his rider to make his way out as best he could. He was now four miles from any house, his clothes were frozen, and he alone in the depths of the forest, and night approaching. He used to say he consid- ered his chance for life more hopeless and desperate than when pursued by the yelling savages at Wyoming.

After his death, which oceurred May 2, 1834, Mrs. Gore, his widow, received a pension. She expected a small amount only, and was very much surprised when $600 were counted down to her. With a sorrowful countenance and desponding tone she said, " I don't know what I shall do with all this money. I don't want it."

Mr. Gore was for many years a justice of the peace of 46

Sheshequin, and was said to be one of the best magistrates in the county. He always decided a case on its merits, re- gardless of quibbles or nice legal technicalities. He was very regular also in his domestie habits, retiring early, and rising the same. A story is told of him which illustrates both of these traits in his character. A trial had come be- fore him in which the examination had continued until the usual bed-time of the 'squire. After the testimony closed, the lawyer (from Towanda) entered into a long argument of the ease, as was his custom, and the court, as was its custom at that time of the evening, went to sleep. To- wards the conclusion of the argument the attorney diseov- ered the somnolenee of the court, and with some abruptness aroused him, intimating, rather sharply, he wished the court would keep awake long enough to enter judgment. "I entered that before you began your plea," quietly yawned the court, pointing to the docket at the same time. The attorney subsided, while a hearty laugh went around the room at his expense.

Samuel Gore married, about 1785, Sarah Brokaw, who was born April 10, 1764, and who died Nov. 17, 1845. " He brought his wife to Sheshequin in 1786. Their ehil- dren were seven, as follows : Samuel Kennedy, born Dec. 4, 1786, died July 9, 1840 ; he married Calista, daughter of Avery Gore. Silas, born Sept. 21, 1788, married Catlı- erine, sister of James Elliott ; died April 29, 1856. Sally M., born July 26, 1791, still living; married Elijah Town- send in Rome, Feb. 22, 1813. Abraham B., born Ang. 6, 1794,. died Sept. 5, 1840. Judith H., born June 17, 1796, married Elias Minier; died Sept. 20, 1864. Nellie V., born April 19, 1799, married West, and a second time, Merrill; died Aug. 24, 1857. George D., born Feb. 10, 1809, died Feb. 28, 1809.

Silas Gore, who was killed at Wyoming, left a widow and three daughters. They were in the fort at the time of the battle, and fled to Northumberland, and thence to Con- necticut. They afterwards eame to Sheshequin, where the widow married Capt. Benjamin Clark, of Ulster; her maiden name was Keziah Yarrington. Mr. Gore was commissioned by Gov. Trumbull, of Connecticut, as ensign of the 5th company, " a train-band" in the 24th Regiment of the eol- ony, in his majesty George III.'s service. The commission was dated at New Haven, Oct. 17, " in the 15th year of the reign of our sovereign lord George the Third, king of Great Britain, etc., Annoque Domini, 1775."

The Gore genealogy, from the settlement of the family in America, is as follows :

1. John Gore and Rhoda, his wife, settled in Roxbury, Mass., in 1635.

2. Samuel, son of (1) John and Rhoda Gore, born about 1652, married Aug. 28, 1672, to Elizabeth Weld.

3. Samuel, son of (2) Samuel and Elizabeth Gore, born Oct. 20, 1681, married Hannah Samuel Gore moved to Norwich, Conn., between 1714 and 1720.

4. Obadiah, son of (3) Samuel and Hannah Gore, born July 26, 1714, married Hannah Parks, and died about 1779. Hannah was a sister of Capt. Thomas Parks, of Litehfield, Bradford County. Obadiah moved from near Boston to Plainfield, Conn., thence to Wyoming.

5. Obadiah, son of (4) Obadiah and Hannah Gore, born

362

IIISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

April 7, 1744, married Hannah Avery (born Dec. 18, 1744), March 22, 1764. He died March 21, 1821, and she April 24, 1829.

6. Samuel Gore, son of (4) Obadiah and Hannah Gore, born May 24, 1761, married about 1785, Sarah Brokaw, born April 10, 1764. He died May 2, 1834, and she Nov. 17, 1845.

Arnold Franklin was a settler in 1784 in Claverack (Sheshequin), under Strong and Hogeboom, as testified by Isaac Foster, in the minutes of the commissioners under the act of 1799. He was proprietor of a half-right, as appears of record, and held his possession on the said half- right .*

The Franklins were a large and respectable family, dis- tant relatives of Dr. Benjamin Franklin. Of the Wyoming family there were seven brothers, all of whom had large families, from whom a numerous progeny has sprung. Seven of the family were killed at the Wyoming slaughter ; John, Jonathan, Roswell, and Jehiel were of these seven brothers, Jonathan being killed in the battle. Arnold Franklin was a son of Jonathan, and was also in that battle, but escaped. He owned the island opposite his farm, which was next above the Ichabod Blackman farm. Mrs. Black- man was Arnold Franklin's sister. The island contained then about sixty acres, and had been cleared by the Indians, and was very productive; they had used it for their corn- patches. In 1804-5, Mr. Franklin sold out his property to Richard Horton and removed to Palmyra. While there his wife ( Abigail Foster, a sister of Abiel Foster) died. He married again, and came to Smithfield, and lived with his son William, a Presbyterian preacher, who preached at Smithfield for a number of years. The father and son both died in that place, the former, February 20, 1839, at the age of seventy-four years. Arnold was captured at Wyom- ing, but after three months' captivity, escaped from the In- dians on the Genesee, and made his way back to his uncle Roswell Franklin, who lived at Kingston, by whom he was adopted into his family. Roswell Franklin had a son Ros- well, Jr., about Arnold's age. The two boys-they were about twenty years old-were made prisoners by the Indians soon after, as they were at work in the field near the house, and taken to Canada, where they remained three years, when they were released or escaped. With great difficulty they made their way home, to the joy and surprise of their friends, who had supposed them dead, not having heard anything respecting them since they went to the field to work, three years before.

About the year 1780 a small clearing was made in the woods south of the river, opposite the present city of Bing- hamton, and about 1782-83 these two young men went there from the Wyoming valley to continue the improvements, taking with them six oxen and a horse, to be kept upon or from the productions of the small patch already cleared. They began a small fallow on the north side of the river, cutting the first tree that was felled within the limits of the

present city of Binghamton. They gathered some fodder,- enough, as they supposed, to keep their stock through the win- ter ensning, but were mistaken. They shoveled off the snow from the ground on the south side and found grass, but their oxen in crossing the river upon the ice, which was covered with snow, broke through and were lost. Their horse died also, and their stock of provisions became entirely exhausted. They, therefore, were compelled to make an attempt to re- turn to Kingston.

They made a small canoe, in which they embarked, taking with them the hide of the horse, on which to subsist during their journey. Their progress was slow, tedious, and dan- gerous. They frequently had to get out of the canoe to dislodge it from impediments, and sometimes were compelled to haul it a considerable distance by land to avoid obstruc- tions in the river. At night they camped on the bank, and when pressed by hunger, cut slices off the raw hide, shaved off the hair, roasted it, and chewed it for their eating. At one of these halts for rations a monse, disturbed by the fire, was caught and added to the repast.

The first house which came in their line of observation was that of Mr. Fox, near the mouth of Towanda creek, where they made a brief stay, and then, with renewed strength and courage, continued their voyage seventy miles farther to their homes in Wyoming, having endured fatigues and toils happily passed away from this country forever.

Moses Park came to Sheshequin about 1785-86. His father was a sea-captain, and was lost at sea when the son was of tender years. While at Sheshequin he taught school, which probably was the first school taught in the town. He married Polly Spalding, and removed to what was called New Connecticut, in Ohio (Western Reserve), where he remained six years. His nearest white neighbor at the time of his arrival there was eight miles distant. He returned to Sheshequin, and lived on the farm now owned by Obadiah Gore. He remained here five or six years, and then went to Athens, living about a mile below the village, on the east side of the river, where he kept a ferry for a number of years.

He commenced to preach when he was very young, and before leaving Sheshequin for Ohio; and he continued to preach, after his return, at Sheshequin and Athens the re- mainder of his life. He was at first a Baptist, but changed his views (after a certain famons discussion had with Mr. Murray, in which he, Mr. Park, was seconded by Joseph Kinney), and embraced the doctrine of universal salvation, to which he ever after held. He was born in Groton, Mass., Ang. 8, 1766, and his wife, July 19, 1776. They were married March 14, 1792.

Their children were Cynthia ; Clarissa, married Nathan- iel Flower, June 27, 1816; Harriet; Amanda, married Jabez Fish, and is still living (was born Nov. 24, 1799) ; Chester S., Moses, Jr., George, Silas Warren, Simon S., .

Mary, and Sterry.

In 1786, Capt. Jeremiah Shaw, a Revolutionary soldier, came to Sheshequin, together with his son Ebenezer, then a lad of fourteen or fifteen years. Capt. Shaw was born Feb. 2, 1730. He was a son of Jeremiah Shaw, who was born in 1700, whose father, Israel Shaw, was born in 1663. Ebenezer Shaw was born in Little Compton, Bristol county,

# "Arnold Franklin was a proprietor of a half-right, as appears on record. He was an early settler in Claverack after the Revolu- tionary war, and I recollect often mentioned as holding his farm and possession on his said half-right. JOHN FRANKLIN."

Certified Claverack covered lower Sheshequin to Hornbrook.

PHOTO. BY G.H WOOD

CHARLES CHAFFE

HORN-BR

HORNBROOK FARM."

PROPERTY OF CHARLES CI

PHOTO BY G. H.WOOO

MRS. CHARLES CHAFFE.

BMf. E. CHURCH.

"THE OLD HOMESTEAD."

JE, SHESHEQUIN, BRADFORD CO., PA.

363

HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

R. I., Sept. 5, 1771. In 1772, Capt. Shaw moved with his family to Nine Partners, in Dutchess county, N. Y., where they resided about four years, and in 1776 moved to Nobletown, in the same county, where they remained nine or ten years, and in 1786 removed to Wilkes-Barre, whence, after a short stop of three or four weeks, they came to She- shequin, arriving there April 21, which has been the home of the father, son, and grandson, Uriah, since that time while they have habited in the flesh. Capt. Shaw died-May 29, 1815, and his wife, Abigail (Campbell), March 19, 1811, aged about sixty-four years. Ebenezer Shaw died Deceni- ber 17, 1871, aged one hundred years three months and twelve days. He married Cynthia Holcomb, Feb. 26, 1801, who died in Sheshequin, April 10, 1868, aged eighty-five years. She came into Ulster with her father and mother. March 11, 1793, at the age of eleven years.

Ebenezer, at his majority (1792), went into the lake re- gion, where he remained eight years; returning in 1800, he bought a portion of his father's farm, and the balance of it in 1811. The children of Jeremiah Shaw were Jedediah, Ebenezer, Jeremiah, Lorin, Hannah, Phebe, and Elizabeth.

Peter Snyder came from La Fayette, Sussex county, N. J., to Sheshequin in 1788-89, by the way of the " beech woods," reaching the Susquehanna not far from the Great Bend. His children were Peter and Jacob, by his first wife, and William, John, Pitney, Betsy, Katy, and Nancy, by the second. His second wife also had two children by her first marriage, who came to Sheshequin with the family of Mr. Snyder, Thomas and Mary. John remained on the old homestead until about 1855. It was in the upper part of the valley, and is now owned by C. H. Shepard. Mr. Snyder began and operated rather extensively for the times a tannery, saddlery, harness, and shoemaking business com- bined for some years. His son William, at the age of four- teen years, went into the business as an apprentice in the tannery, and continned in it, huying his father's interest subsequently, and operating the business alone. He also built the house where his son William now resides, and kept it as a hotel for a number of years. Peter Snyder died Jan. 14, 1822, aged seventy-seven years.

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History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 91

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 812

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 812