History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 117

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1340

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JAMES MATHER, merchant, Ulster, was born in Ulster, this county, May 29, 1840, and is a son of John and Agnes (Jackson) Mather, natives of Scotland. He was educated at Ulster, and at the Collegiate Institute, Towanda, attending the latter two years, and then commenced teaching school, which he followed four years ; after- ward, with his father-in-law (E. B. Tuttle), he opened the Exchange IIotel in Ulster, which he carried on five years. In 1874, he began merchandising, carrying a general assortment of goods, his stock being valued at $2,500, and the business has prospered well under his management. Mr. Mather was married, December 4, 1864, to Arlette E. Tuttle, daughter of E. B. and Lucinda (Horton) Tuttle, of Sheshes- quin, this county, of which place the parents were natives. The fruit of this marriage is one child, Fred E. Mr. Mather is a Knight of the Golden Cycle, is a member of the Republican party, and is treasurer of the.school board ; was postmaster at Ulster for eleven years, appointed in 1876; was also town clerk several years.

JOHN MATHER, Ulster, was born July 8, 1824, in Renfrewshire, Scotland, the son of John and Agnes (Jackson) Mather. The father immigrated to this country in 1829, and located in Ulster; the family consisted of seven children, John and Agnes (both born in Scotland) and Andrew (deceased), Thomas, William, Eliza (deceased) and James (born in this county). Agnes married William McQueen, of Pitts- burgh ; the others live in this county. John Mather, the subject of our sketch, was reared on a farm and received his education in the Ulster schools; when twenty-one years of age he gave up farming and engaged in a general store in Ulster, and was also in the lumber trade at the same time; in 1862 he received an appointment in the Treasury Department, Washington, D. C., and remained in that office until 1886. Hle was married in 1847, to Susan Conklin, of Newark Valley, N. Y., and they had one child, which died in infancy. His wife died in Wash-

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ington City, in 1886. In religion Mr. Mather is a Presbyterian, and socially he is a Royal Arch Mason, and is attached to Federal Lodge, No. 1, and Eureka Chapter No. 4, of Washington, D. C.

JOHN C. MATHER, farmer and stock-grower, Ulster township, P. O. Ulster, a son of Thomas and Rachel (Middaugh) Mather, was born in Ulster, August 28, 1860. He attended the public schools of Ulster borough and received a good English education. He married, March 12, 1884, Mary, daughter of G. B. and Delphine (Shaw) Rodgers, and they have two children, Edna, born August 3, 1886, and Lillian, born June 17, 1888. Mr. Mather is a member of the Golden Cycle and fills the chair of speaker ; in politics he is a Republican. He resides on the old homestead and farms the same, in connection with his father and uncle William.

WILLIAM MATHER, farmer and stock-raiser, Ulster township, P. O. Ulster, was born in Ulster township, this county, October 24, 1833, a son of John and Agnes (Jackson) Mather, natives of Renfrew- shire, Scotland, who immigrated to this country, and settled on the farm their son William now occupies, arriving a short time before his birth. Our subject received his education in the Ulster schools, attending until he was twenty-one years old, and receiving a good English edu- cation. The farm he now occupies is the old homestead, containing 320 acres, which has never been partitioned, and is managed by him in connection with his brother Thomas, and nephew, John C. Mather; the residence on the farm occupied by him was built by his father, in 1830, but the other buildings built by his father were entirely destroyed, as were the orchards and a large portion of the timber, by a cyclone which swept through the lower portion of the valley, in 1884; the present farm buildings have been built by the members of the family since that time, which are all on the modern and improved style-large and commodious; he has also a fine dairy and twenty cows. The only mineral wealth of the farm consists of a stone quarry, which is not open at present. Nearly one-half the farm is wood-land, and bears a magnificent growth of white pine, oak and chestnut. Mr. Mather is a bachelor. He is a member of the Golden Cycle, No. 158, and in politics is a Republican, having cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont, in 1856.

NATHANIEL H. MATTOCKS, farmer, P. O. Springfield, born September 19, 1822, in Springfield township, this county, in the house where he now resides, is a son of James, Jr., and Isabella (Harkness) Mattocks. the former of whom was born in Kingsbury, Washington Co., N. Y., December 17, 1796; removed to Springfield township, this county, with his father, Capt. James Mattocks, in 1806, when ten years of age, when there were not more than eight or ten families in Spring- field. Capt. Mattocks was descended of English ancestry. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and a man of great influence; he was a captain in the militia ; a justice of the peace over thirty years; a car- penter, general mechanic and farmer, and in his Christian principles he was a strong Universalist; he died July 12, 1858, at the age of eighty-eight years. James Mattocks, Jr., the father of subject, who was a carpenter, and an extensive contractor, continued in that

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

line until 1846, after which time he devoted himself to farming; he died April 7, 1887, at the age of ninety-two years. Mr. Mattocks' mother was born at Granville, Washington Co., N. Y., October 15, 1798, removed to Springfield township, this county, in 1810; and died January 11, 1876, at the age of seventy-six years. Nathaniel H. Mat- tocks is the eldest in a family of five children, and is the only survivor. He followed the trade of wagon-maker for thirty years, having com- menced it in 1847, and then took up farming. He owns a fine farm of eighty-five acres. Mr. Mattocks was in the Civil War in the One Hundred and Thirty-second P. V. I., and participated in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam, Md., and Fredericksburg, and Chan- cellorsville, Va .; afterward he joined the New York Engineers, and in 1864-65 was at City Point, and saw the last shots fired in front of Petersburg, Va., from Fort Steadman Mr. Mattocks was married, April 18, 1853, to Elizabeth Huson, who was born May 7, 1821, and they have had one son, Frank H., born June 10, 1854, who has been a merchant, but at present is a farmer. Mr. Mattocks was first a Republican, but is now an Independent. He is a member of the G. A. R., and a pensioner of the Civil War; he is a great temperance man; a genial gentleman and a good neighbor.

THOMAS MAXWELL (deceased), a son of Hector and Irene Maxwell, was born in Elmira, N. Y., November 1, 1822. When twelve years of age he entered the store of Mr. Tuttle, at Elmira, settled in Troy, and engaged in business where the Pomeroy Bros'. Bank now stands. In 1851 he formed a partnership with H. S. Leonard, in which he continued two years. In 1857 he again entered into partnership with H. S. and S. M. Leonard, and, as Maxwell, Leonard & Bros., con- tinued in general merchandising until 1862, when the business was sold to S. M. Leonard, and the firm of Maxwell & Leonard engaged in the produce business until the fall of 1866. In 1855, soon after the completion of the railroads at Troy, he became station agent, contin- uing in same for a year; then spent some time in Savannah, Ga., in business with Mr. Horace Morse. In 1866 the firm of Redington, Maxwell & Leonard was formed, and they erected the store now occu- pied by H. S. Leonard & Son, in which they opened, October 20, of that year, as dealers in general merchandise, continuing until 1874, when Mr. Maxwell retired from active business. Mr. Maxwell always took an active part in the public affairs of Troy, was a member of the council for several terms, and was a prominent Mason and Odd Fellow. A man of sterling character and business capacity, he was honored and respected by all who knew him. He died September 23, 1875. His wife was Eliza A., daughter of Orrin P. and Eliza A. (Spalding) Ballard, of Troy, to whom he was married, September 18, 1850, the issue of the union being two children : Fannie E. (Mrs. McKean Long) and William P.

WILLIAM P. MAXWELL was born June 20, 1864, and was educated in the public schools of Troy and the academy of Chester, Pa., grad- nating as a civil engineer in 1884. In February, 1885, he embarked in the drug business in Troy, as a member of the firm of Stuart & Max- well, in which he has since successfully continued. On January 3,

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1888, he married Edith, daughter of James and Emily (Walton) Fred- ericks, of Lock Haven, Pa. Mr. Maxwell is a member of the Presby- terian Church, and is a Republican in politics.

WILLIAM MAXWELL, attorney and counselor at law, Towanda, though comparatively a young man in the profession, yet is reckoned one of the prominent and influential members of the Bradford county bar. He is a native of Steuben county, N. Y., born March 18, 1852, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Carey) Maxwell, of Irish nativity, who came to America and located and made their home near Bath, in Steu- ben county, N. Y., on their farm, and there spent the remainder of their days. The father died in 1853, when his youngest child, William, was about twelve months old ; there were three other children then living. The youngest son grew to manhood in his native place, and his mother tenderly cared for him, and sent him to the public schools of the place, and then to Bath, N. Y. Quitting school at an early age, he soon found employment as a handy boy in a store, commencing in the hum- blest capacity, but rapidly picking up a knowledge of the business and the ways of the business world, and meeting rapid promotions. Then he entered the office of Peet & Davis, Towanda, as a law student in 1873, where his diligence in his studies, his quick perceptions and ana- lytical mind enabled him to master the books, pass a successful exami- nation and receive his license as an attorney and counselor at law in May, 1875. He at once formed a partnership with Mr. Andrew Wilt, Towanda, and they opened their office to clients, to practice in all the courts. This firm continued one year, and then Mr. Maxwell opened his law office, and has called about him a large and eminently respectable clientage, and has pushed his way to the front of the Brad- ford bar with unequaled strides. His executive abilities marked him as a leader of men, and the Democracy of Bradford county called him to the chairmanship of their county central committee, and also made him a member of the State committee. He has signalized his dis- charge of these onerous official duties with marked ability. The third ward of Towanda is largely Republican, the majority reaching from ninety to one hundred in a poll of about 300 votes. In 1888 he was elected member of council for three years for this ward (in which he resides), was chosen burgess of Towanda, and at the end of his term, in 1891, was re-elected councilman over his competitor, by more than two votes to his competitor's one. He has rendered the people of the borough valuable service. As an organizer in political campaigns, he has few equals ; as a leader, he is regarded as safe and discreet; as a lawyer he is careful and painstaking, and stands at the head of his profession. He was united in marriage, January 3, 1877, to Anna D., daughter of John Beidleman, of German extraction.

D. SMITH MAY, farmer, of Granville township, P. O. Windfall, was born in Essex county, N. J., September 30, 1823, and is a son of Anthony and Huldah (Corby) May, who settled in Canton township, this county, in 1834, and later in Troy township. The father, who was a manufacturer of tobacco, died in Ithaca, N. Y .; his children were : Daniel S., David J., Stephen W., William H., John C. and Woodford C., all of whom reside in Bradford county. D. Smith May was reared

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in Bradford county from twelve years of age, since which time most of his years have been spent in Granville township. He cleared the farm now owned by Patrick Maney, in Granville, one in Canton owned by Eustace Clason, a part of the farm he now occupies, and also a portion of the Fitch farm. He married, April 1, 1844, Garafilia, daughter of Joel and Esther (Avery) Packard, of Granville township, and has four children : Jerome B., Mary (Mrs. John S. Fenton), Leland and Lillie (twins), the latter being now Mrs. Myers Case. Mr. May was in the Civil War, enlisted September 5, 1864, in Company K, Fifteenth New York Engineers, and was honorably discharged June 13, 1865 ; he is a popular and enterprising citizen ; has held several township offices ; is a member of the F. & A. M., and in politics is a Republican.

T. S. MAY, dealer in boots and shoes, Athens, is a native of West Fairlee, Vt., and was born January 18, 1842. His parents were George and Jane (Fulton) May, the former also a native of West Fairlee, Vt., born January 7, 1800, and died December 2, 1846; the latter is now a resident of Boston, Mass. George May represented his county in the State Legislature during the years 1836, 1837, 1840 and 1841, and held numerous local offices ; he also aided in organizing the anti-slavery party in Vermont. T. S. May is the youngest in a family of four chil- dren, of whom two are living ; his brother, George May, was president of the First National Bank, St. Johnsbury, Vt., until 1885, when he accepted the position of secretary of the Massachusetts Mortgage and Debenture Company, of Boston, where he resides. T. S. May was in the employ of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company sixteen years, during thirteen of which he was train dispatcher; then traveled through the West about two and one-half years, when he came to Athens, and engaged in the boot and shoe trade in the spring of 1889. He was married in Newark Valley, N. Y., in 1869, to Miss Ellen M., daughter of William H. and Miranda (Burbank) Wade, natives of War- ren, Pa., residents of Newark Valley, N. Y .; she is the second in a family of nine children, and was born in Newark Valley, September 13, 1848.

Responding to his country's call, Mr. May enlisted, September 12, 1861, in Company C, First Regiment, Vermont Cavalry, and took part in seventy-five battles and skirmishes; was wounded and captured near Boonsboro, Md., July 8, 1863, was paroled about the 20th of the saine month, and was mustered out at Burlington, Vt., August 9, 1865. He is a member of the F. & A. M., Rural Amity Lodge, No. 70, and in politics he is a Republican.

WILLIAM H. MAY, farmer, in Springfield township, P. O. Big Pond, was born May 4, 1833, in Newark, N. J., a son of Anthony and Hulda (Corby) May, the former of whom was a native of New York City, and came to this county, settling at Canton in 1836; he was a manufacturer of cigars and tobacco, lived to the age of fifty years, and died at Binghamton, N. Y .; the mother died at the age of seventy- two years. The families were of English ancestry. William H. May is the sixth in a family of nine children, all sons, five of whom are liv- ing. He enlisted, in the summer of 1861, in Company E, Fifty-second P. V. I., serving only a few months in the Civil War, as he was

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discharged on account of disability; he is a pensioner and a member of the G. A. R. Three of his brothers-Daniel S., John C. and Woodford C-were also in the Civil War, each of whom saw long service and are pensioners. Our subject was married, July 2, 1856, to Mary E. Fleming, born March 5, 1838, a daughter of Freegift R. and Mary E. (Mix) Fleming, natives of Tompkins county, N. Y., who set- tled in Granville in early life, were farmers and are both still living, the father aged eighty-eight years and the mother aged eighty. Mrs. May is the fifth in a family of eleven children, all of whom are living ; her grandfather, Mix, was a soldier in the War of 1812. To Mr. and Mrs. May have been born four children, as follows : Ella S., who died at the age of eight years ; Lizzie B., born October 31, 1860, wife of John Stirton, of Ridgebury; Garfilia, who died at the age of one year; Fred D., born October 18, 1867, married to Effie D. Covell, and is on the farm with his father. Mr. May has a fine farm of 107 acres on one of the highest and best locations in the State. He is a Republican; has been school director, and has held other offices of public trust; is a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the Patrons of Husbandry. He is a man of sterling worth, respected by all who know him. Mrs. May is a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church.

F. M. MAYNARD, farmer, Orwell township, P. O. Allis Hollow, was born in Susquehanna county, this State, February 14, 1832, and is a son of Erastus and Olive (Leonard) Maynard, the former of whom was a farmer. They had a family of eleven children, five yet living. F. M., who is the youngest, passed his boyhood, until he was sixteen years old, in Susquehanna county, where he received his education in the common schools, and then came to Bradford county, and made his home with his brother, William, in Orwell township. He attended the district schools of Orwell, until he was twenty-one; then went to New York and worked there one summer, and, returning home, he com- menced farming, which he has followed to the present. He enlisted February 2, 1865, in Company K, One Hundred and Eighty-fifth N. Y. V. I., and participated in the following battles : Quaker Road, Gravely Run, Five Forks and Appomattox. After Lee's surrender, and while on a march, he broke down, and was in hospital about six weeks; he was discharged from Satterlee Hospital, Philadelphia, June 29, 1865, and returned home. In 1858 he purchased the farm he now owns, and sold it in 1864, but repurchased in 1867. It contains thirty acres of well-improved land. His health was greatly injured in the service of his country. He was married, June 2, 1855, to Mahala, daughter of John and Jemima (Horton) Lyons. Mrs. Maynard has been twice married : first time to Elihu Ransom, by whom there was one child, Adelbert, born May 12, 1851, married to Frankie Westbrooks, of Standing Stone. Mr. and Mrs. Maynard have been blessed with one child, Montville, born September 28, 1861, married to Eva Wheeler, of Tioga county, and is now a telegrapher. Mr. Maynard is a member of Stevens Post, No. 69, G. A. R. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a steward and class-leader. Mr. Maynard has lived the greater portion of his life in the neighborhood where he resides, and has always commanded the respect of all who know him.

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H. F. MAYNARD, attorney, Athens, is a native of Rome, this county, and was born March 12, 1838, a son of L. M. and P. E. (Wash- burn) Maynard, natives of Vermont, who came to Rome, this county, when quite young; the father was French, and the mother was of Irish descent. They were agriculturists. The father died in Rome, in 1859, in his fifty-first year; the mother survives. H. F. Maynard, who is the second in a family of four children, received his education in the com- mon schools, at the Rome Academy; in 1868 he commenced a course of law reading in the office of Jacob DeWitt, and had read considerable while at school. He was admitted to the bar, remaining with Jacob De Witt until 1872, when he formed a partnership with D. C. DeWitt, and they continued together until the fall of 1876, when Mr. Maynard removed to Athens. Previous to this time the firm had a branch office at Athens. Mr. Maynard was married in Rome, this county, August 19, 1861, to Miss Pamlia, daughter of Josiah and Lutheda (Watkins) White, natives of New Hampshire; she is the youngest in a family of four children, and was born in Litchfield, Bradford Co., Pa., August 20, 1840. To this union have been born four children, two now living, viz .: Edward L., married to Miss Anna Rogers, and Paul E. Mr. Maynard is a Democrat, and at the Bradford bar is widely known as a leading and successful lawyer. He is a self-made man, and by his own unaided efforts has risen steadily and successfully from humble and unpretentious beginnings.

CHARLES FREDERICK MEAD, farmer, North Towanda town- ship, P. O. North Towanda, was born in Athens, July 2, 1860, and is a son of Abijah and Mary (Swain) Mead, the former a native of Athens, Pa., and of Irish origin, the latter a native of Chemung, N. Y., and of Irish origin and American lineage. During the reign of William and Mary of England, in 1690, James, Daniel and Albert Mead came to America, and settled near Boston. James had a son Daniel, who was a Revolutionary soldier ; Daniel had a son James A., who married Hannah Barnard, daughter of Louis Barnard, a French soldier, who came to America with Rochambeau. James A. was a soldier in the War of 1812, and had eleven children : Daniel, Martha, Abijah, Robert, Sarah, James A., Hannah, Elias, Mary, George and Peter. Abijah was born July 31, 1815, followed teaching for twenty years in his native State, and the latter part of his life was a farmer; he died July 2, 1887. He married, October 5, 1859, Mary, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Hollan) Swain, of Chemung, N. Y. They had born to them four children : Charles F., the subject of this sketch ; Ira Henry, born June 12, 1864, and died July 6, 1866; Allen Lloyd and Elwin Floyd (twins), born May 14, 1866. The three sons and their mother are living on the old homestead. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are Democrats.

HIRAM B. MEEKS, farmer, Wilmot township, was born in Steuben county, N. Y., April 12, 1837, and is the eldest of ten children of Edward and Polly (Reydor) Meeks, natives of New York, the former born of Dutch and Scotch descent, and the latter of Dutch ancestry; they settled in this county when Hiram B. was ten years of age. The subject of this memoir began life for himself at the age of sixteen,

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lumbering in Terry, where he remained about one year; then went to Lock Haven, where he was also engaged in lumbering. Returning to Wilmot, he here remained until February 2, 1862, when he enlisted in Company K, Fifty-Eight Regiment P. V. I. He participated in the following battles : Fair Oaks, Black Water, Petersburg, Siege of Rich- mond, Fort Harrison, Chafton's Farm, Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Spott- sylvania Court House, and several minor engagements; he received a gunshot-wound at Fort Harrison, which disabled him for about sixty days, when he again returned to his company, and was mustered out at City Point, Va., January 29, 1866; then returned to Wilmot township, and purchased his present home, where he has since been engaged in farming. On November 22, 1866, Mr. Meeks was married to Rebecca M., daughter of William and Margaret (Asley) Bartley, of Milledge- ville, Ill. They have had seven children, viz .: Captola B., born August 16, 1867, died June 19, 1870 ; William W., born December 12, 1868, died September 11, 1869 ; Pollie M., born July 10, 1870, married to A. A. Schock, May 7, 1891 ; Inez V., born June 6, 1872; Robina Etta, born June 2, 1875, died March 2, 1879 ; Loema A., born April 9, 1877, and Edna M., born February 4, 1880. Mr. Meeks is a Republican, and has held the office of town commissioner two terms.

ANDREW MELVILLE, contractor and builder, Luther's Mills, was born in 1843, a son of Peter C. and Lucinda M. (Travis) Melville, the former of whom was of Irish origin, and by trade a carpenter. The father removed to Burlington, from Albany, when he was six years of age; the mother's family were among the early settlers of the township. Great-grandfather Travis was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The paternal grandfather was born in Ireland. Andrew Mel- ville was reared to the trade with his father, but in September, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, Fifty-Second P. V. I., in which he served three years, and then re-enlisted, so that his whole term of service was for nearly the entire war. On July 3, 1864, he was taken prisoner with his company, as was also their colonel (ex-Governor Hoyt), and they were held in Andersonville and Libby prisons; he was wounded by the explosion of a shell, and was honorably discharged, January 12, 1865. He is now a pensioner. At the close of his army life Mr. Melville engaged in the building and contracting business with his brother, John C., and they have carried on an extensive and successful trade since their commencement; they are, without doubt, the most enterprising gentlemen in their line of business in their vicinity. He was married, March 16, 1868, to Harriet S. Grist, by whom he has had two children, Harry T. and Walter E. Mr. Melville is a Republican in politics, and has been town clerk twenty-one years in succession; is a member of the G. A. R., and is much respected.

JOHN D. MERCUR, M. D., Towanda, was, from both sides of the house, the descendant of as illustrious families as have ever formed a portion of the strong men and women of the "Northern Tier" of the old Commonwealth. A native of the borough of Towanda, born July 15, 1853, to Judge Ulysses and Sarah Simpson (Davis) Mercur, the son spent his youth and childhood in his father's family, and among their good friends in the borough, attending the public schools,

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History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 117

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1340