History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 89

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

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FREDRICK A. ENNIS, farmer, P. O. Standing Stone, was born in Standing Stone, July 6, 1848, a son of Alexander Ennis, who was born in Sussex county, November 24, 1816, and whose father was Levi Ennis, a native of Scotland, who came to this country when quite young and married, and had five children : James, Isaac, Sally, Anne (whose first husband was Ross Emory, and her second a Mr. Ayres); Alexander and Westfall; he died in 1857 and his wife in 1868. Alexander Ennis began life on a farm, and purchased of his father 200 acres, and built his house in 1851. In 1837 he managed the old Stand- ing Stone Hotel, but soon returned to his farm; in 1864 he went to Rummerfield, and opened a store and built a hotel; both were burned in 1866; he then built a store near Standing Stone, which he carried on until his death, March 10, 1879; was justice of the peace twenty- one years, and a member of the Masonic Fraternity. He married, in 1837, Eleanor, daughter of Asa and Phoebe (Vought) Stevens, the former of whom was one of five children, namely: Murray, Anna Amelia (wife of John M. Long), Fredrick A., Augusta P. (wife of S. W. Vaughan) and Asa S. Mrs. Alexander Ennis died May 12, 1880. Fredrick A., the subject of this sketch, attended the district schools until his nineteenth year, then the Towanda Collegiate Institute a

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year, and was then in the employ of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com- pany, where he remained fourteen years. In 1885 he purchased, from Peter Landmesser, the "Rummerfield Hotel," conducted it two years, and then returned to his farm. He inherited, at his father's death, in 1879, 112 acres of land, his present farm ; he was formerly a mem- ber of White Lilly Lodge, No. 808, I. O. O. F., and was tax collector in 1871, and road commissioner in 1885. May 4, 1869, he married Marion L., daughter of Benjamin and Libbie E. (Miller) Ingham. She was the youngest of four children. To this marriage there were born four children, as follows: Alexander, born June 24, 1871; John R., born June 17, 1873, and two children who died in infancy.

GEORGE S. ESTELL, salesman, Towanda, was born in Towanda, this county, January 24, 1854, and is a son of George H. and Sophia C. (Peck) Estell. His father was a native of Wyoming county, Pa., and a son of a clergyman, Edward Estell ; he was a tailor by trade, and followed that business in Smithfield and Towanda some years; and was also engaged in the hotel business in Towanda, and the last eighteen years of his life were spent in Canton, this county, where he was engaged in the clothing business; his first wife was Sophia C., daughter of Hezekiah M. and Ruth C. (Hale) Peck, and a sister of Judge Benjamin M. Peck, by whom he had three children, viz .: Fannie (Mrs. O. F. Benson), Florence (Mrs. James K. Thomas, deceased), and George S .; his second wife was Mrs. Susan (Arnot) Spalding, of Franklindale, this county. Mr. Estell died June 2, 1885. His son, George S., was reared in Towanda and received an academical educa- tion at Owego and Moravia, N. Y. At the age of eighteen he went into the register and recorder's office of Bradford county, where he filled the position of deputy recorder nearly three years. March 4, 1875, he entered the prothonotary's office as cleik, and was in this position four years. January, 1879, he was appointed principal deputy prothonotary, which position he held under George W. Blackman four years, and latterly was assistant book-keeper and correspondent for the lumber firm of Shaw & Co., and since 1887 has followed the occupation of clothing salesman. Mr. Estell married, April 2, 1876, Allenia I., daughter of Asa and Mary J. (Moody) Douglass, of Towanda, and has two children : Mary F. and Stanley D. He is a member of the F. & A. M., and politically he is an Independent- Republican.

DAVID T. EVANS, prominent dry-goods merchant, Towanda, was born in Remsen, Oneida Co., N. Y., June 11, 1844, a son of Thomas T. and Mary L. (Lewis) Evans, natives of Wales, who, in about 1825, came to America and settled in Utica, N. Y. His father after- ward located in Remsen and engaged in farming, and in later life removed to Rome, N. Y., where he and his wife resided until they died. David T. Evans was reared in Oneida county, N. Y., educated in the graded schools of Rome, same county, and began life as a clerk in the dry-goods business. In 1867 he became a member of the dry- goods firm of Williams, Evans & Co., at Rome, N. Y., which partner- ship existed three years. In October, 1870, he located in Towanda, where he embarked in the dry-goods and carpet business with Henry

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

C. Hildreth, under the firm name of Evans & Hildreth, which partner- ship existed until the death of Mr. Hildreth in 1887, since when Mr. Evans has conducted a successful business alone. Mr. Evans was mar- ried in 1871 to Alida M., daughter of Col. John W. and Charlotte (Moulton) Phillips, of Syracuse, N. Y., by whom he has two sons : Charles and Walter. Mr. Evans is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics he is a Republican.

HENRY EVANS, farmer in Wilmot, P. O. Hollenback, was born May 14, 1838, in Wyoming county, Pa., and is the seventh in the fam- ily of eight children of Peter and Julia (Ellis) Evans, the former a native of Wales and the latter of Pennsylvania. He was thrown upon the world at the age of seven years, and was obliged to provide for himself thereafter. He enlisted at Troy, Pa., August 31, 1864, in Com- pany A, Two Hundred and Seventh P. V. I., and continued in the regi- ment until the battle of Petersburg, when he was thrown from a steamboat, sustaining severe injuries to his back; he was then taken to East Philadelphia Hospital, where he remained until the close of the war. Mr. Evans was married, November 15, 1862, to Miss Olive, daughter of Reuben and Jane (Crawford) Wandell, and they have three children : Schuyler B., born September 15, 1863; Reuben W., born November 22, 1870; and Emma J., born September 20, 1878. Mr. Evans is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Wilmot Centre, and is a Republican in politics.

EDWARD A. EVERITT, physician, Burlington, was born in Dutchess county, N. Y., August 11, 1831, a son of Dr. John and Sarah (Coryell) Everitt, the former a native of Litchfield county, Conn., born of English and Puritan origin; the latter a native of Nichols, Tioga Co., N. Y., of French descent, a daughter of Judge Emanuel Coryell of that county, and one of the pioneers, a man of great influence in his time. The great-grandfather Coryell owned a ferry at Trenton, N. J., at the time of the Revolutionary War, and assisted in transfer- ring Washington's army across the Delaware. Dr. John Everitt was a physician of note in his time, and belonged to a race of doctors, there hav- ing been from one to several in each family among his paternal ancestry as far back as can be traced ; his paternal grandmother had a brother, L. Samuel Elmer, and an uncle, Col. Samuel Elmer, in the Revolution- ary War, brave officers, the former of whom was shot dead while giv- ing orders ; Grandfather Everitt was also a soldier in the Revolution, as was also his brother, who was a steward to Gen. Washington. Our subject was educated at Owego Academy, N. Y .; attended lectures at Ann Arbor and Albany Medical College, was graduated from there in 1856, and entered the profession in Burlington in 1857, where he has since enjoyed an extensive and lucrative practice. He has been a dele- gate to the American Medical Association, and county physician many years. He has been twice married, first in 1856, to Harriet S. Great- singer, by whom he had one daughter and one son ; the latter is Dr. John E. Everitt, a physician practicing at Franklindale, a graduate of the University of New York; the daughter married, May 4, 1882, Alderman T. A. Pugett, of Elmira, N. Y. Mrs. Everitt died in Decem- ber, 1873, and in January, 1875, Mr. Everitt was married to Hattie

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

Phelps, of Burlington, who was born September 25, 1836, a daughter of Plynn and Lucy (Rice) Phelps, of French descent, natives of Ver- mont. He is an active Republican, and has been burgess of the borough several terms; has been a school director, and held several offices of public trust for the last eight years, and has been the secre- tary for that length of time. He takes great pride in being the pos- sessor of a fine professional as well as a general library.

MORRIS FAIRBANKS, farmer, P. O. Austinville, was born in Columbia township, this county, August 23, 1834, a son of Samuel and Lois (Willey) Fairbanks, natives of Massachusetts and New Hampshire respectively, who settled in Columbia township in 1822, locating on the farm now owned by our subject, which they cleared and improved, adding to it from time to time until they accumulated 250 acres ; here they resided until their death, the father dying on July 20, 1846, aged fifty-eight years, and the mother September 11, 1862, aged sixty- eight; they were the parents of the following named children : Rosan- nah (Mrs. Nichols Ingersoll), Flavay (Mrs. James Wright), Betsey (Mrs. Albert Judson), Louisa (Mrs. Solomon Judson), George, Harvey, Jane (Mrs. A. B. Dewitt), Fannie, Charlotte (Mrs. L. C. Edson) and Morris. The subject of this biographical memoir was reared on the old homestead where he resided until he was thirty-five years of age. He was educated in the common schools, and has always been a farmer. He has been a resident of Austinville since April 1, 1870, and in 1871-72 he kept a hardware store there. On March 4, 1862, he married Sarah S., daughter of Harris and Susannah (Mansfield) Soper, of Rutland, Tioga Co., Pa., and they have one son, Harry. Mr. Fairbanks has been a justice of the peace of Columbia township eleven years, and re-elected for a term of five years in February, 1890; in 1874 he was treasurer of Columbia township, and in 1876 he was assessor of the same township; in politics he is a Democrat.

A. C. FANNING, one of Troy's leading attorneys, was born in Springfield township, this county, July 25, 1851, and is a son of David and Autis B. (Kennedy) Fanning. His paternal grandparents were Elisha and Betsey (Grace) Fanning, who settled in Springfield town- ship, this county, in 1812, clearing and improving the farm now. owned by Amos Fanning, on which they lived and died. Elisha Fan- ning was a son of Elisha and Mary (Button) Fanning, of Massachusetts. He was twice married, and by his first wife, Betsey (Grace), he had six children: Amanda (Mrs. Stephen Mills); Eliza (Mrs. Ephraim Sar- geant), David, Charlotte (Mrs. John Ward), William J. and Hiram. His second wife was Esther McKean, by whom he had two sons: Amos B. and Luther J. Of his children by his first wife, David, the father of subject of this sketch, is the only survivor. He was born February 15, 1811, and was reared in Springfield township where he cleared and improved the farm on which he now resides, his wife was a daughter of Alexander Kennedy, of Colorain, Vt., an early settler of Spring- field township. He is the father of six children: Betsey (deceased), Melvina (Mrs. M. W. Smith), Amanda (Mrs. J. C. Leonard), Ira S., Melvin D. and Adelbert C. A. C. Fanning was reared on the homestead, and educated at the State Normal School at Mansfield, where he grad-

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

uated in 1872, studied law with the Hon. Delos Rockwell, of Troy, and H. W. Patrick, of Athens, and graduated from the Law Department, Michigan University, at Ann Arbor, in 1874, and in September of the same year he was admitted to the bar at Towanda. He immediately began the practice of his profession with H. W. Patrick, of Athens, with whom he was associated nearly a year, and in the fall of 1875 located in Troy where he has been in active practice. He was married April 16, 1885, to Jennie E., daughter of Edward E. and Louisa (Bal- lard) Loomis, of Troy, by whom he has two children: Adelbert Carl and Pauline. Mr. Fanning is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and socially he is a Sir Knight Templar. In politics he is a Republican, and was district attorney of Bradford county from 1881 to 1884.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS FASSETT, farmer, of South Creek township, P. O. Fassett, was born in this county, near Troy, January 29, 1825, a son of Philo and Marion (Wheeler) Fassett, natives of Vermont. The father of Philo was an officer in the army in the Revo- lutionary War. Philo Fassett was born March 3, 1787; his wife, Marion, September 25, 1791; they removed to this county in 1812, and located near Troy, on what is known as the "Ballard Place;" they were very early pioneers, and lived in the vicinity of Troy about thirty years, during which time they were engaged in clearing their farm. They then removed to what is now known as " Fassett, " near the New York State line, where Mr. Fassett purchased a tract of 300 acres, on which there was an abundance of timber, which he manufact- ured into lumber ; also kept tavern about twenty years at the same place. The life of Mr. Fassett, like that of other early settlers. was uneventful; he reared ten children, all of whom grew to maturity, and six sons are now living. Our subject who is the seventh in this family, was reared in this county, attended school eighteen months at Elmira, N. Y., and the same time at Cortland, N. Y. He has always confined himself to farming ; has never married, and owns about eighty acres of fertile land ; he has lived in Fassett since 1830. Mr. Fassett is a member of the Baptist Church.

ANDREW FEE (deceased) .- This gentleman was among Wya- lusing's best known and most highly respected citizens, born in Ballybay, County Monaghan, Ireland, August 14, 1826, a son of Michael and Mar- garet (Martin) Fee, natives of the same place. His schooling was lim- ited, indeed, but being a constant reader, he acquired a store of knowl- edge that made him one of the best versed men on the topics of the times that the county has produced, and he was also a splendid busi- ness man. Both Andrew and his father were tailors. The father came to this country, bringing his family, when Andrew was fourteen years old. They located at Merryall, and in 1849 Andrew began for himself in what is now Wyalusing borough. He erected a shop and began a bus- iness career here, which ended only with his death. His shop stood on Main street, where he erected the store as it now stands, and there he conducted the merchant tailor business until 1863, when he was appointed revenue-assessor, and held that office until its abolition. In 1852, upon the resignation of Maj. John Taylor, he was commissioned

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postmaster. He was connected with this office, almost continuously, until his death. This sad event occurred suddenly, while he was at work in his office, March 3, 1885, and was caused by heart disease. He changed the last mail under Arthur's administration, and then sud- denly passed over the dark river; he was a diligent Bible student, read- ing it through in course. Intensely Presbyterian in his religious views, though not a communicant, no one was more active in their support, being an habitual attendant, a liberal contributor, both to church and all other benevolent enterprises ; in business he was scrupulously honest and very methodical, and his death left a void in the community that no other can fill. He was a Mason, in regular standing with the Towanda Lodge, A. Y. M. He was also a member of an Odd Fellows Lodge at LeRaysville ; was originally a Whig and afterward a Repub- lican, an active politician and of large influence in his vicinity. He was united in wedlock, September 26, 1854, with Deborah A. Morrow, a sister of the late Judge Morrow, she being the fifth of the children. This union was blessed with seven children, viz .: Edward W., postal clerk at Milo, Iowa; Emma L., married to Charles D. Lyon, editor and postmaster at Milo, Iowa; Sallie M., married to Charles L. DeGroff, a merchant of Madilla, Neb .; Mary, a most successful teacher of instru- mental music at Milo, Iowa ; Margaret, a student in the Woman's Med- ical College of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia ; Eleanor W., married to Charles W. Coburn, of Jefferson Medical College, and Hattie, who died in infancy. After her husband's death, Mrs. Fee took charge of his estate, and showed her good business qualities by increasing the com- petence left her, besides rearing and educating her family. The fam- ily homestead is beautifully situated in Wyalusing. Mr. Fee embarked in independent life when twenty-three years old, without other capital than an honest purpose to accomplish a good work, to acquire a good name, and to owe no one ought but true manly esteem, and his prosperity shows, better than any words, his wonderful success. The family are esteemed members of the Presbyterian Church.

MARTIN FEE, carpenter and builder, Camptown, was born in Ballybay, County Monaghan, Ireland, January 9, 1836, son of Michael and Margaret (Martin) Fee, who were natives of County Monaghan, where his father was born June 24, 1798, and his mother in Sep- tember, 1795. Martin Fee's ancestors, both on his father's and mother's side, emigrated from Scotland to Ireland, in early troublous times. They were Presbyterians, and suffered much for the truth's sake. His paternal grandmother was a Jackson, and an aunt of Gen. Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States. Martin Fee, therefore, is Scotch-Irish, and descended from a people who have stood up for the truth, and battled for liberty. His parents and fam- ily, with the exception of one child, came to America in 1840, and settled in, Bradford county ; his father was a merchant tailor, and located in Merryall, where he followed his trade until about 1852, when he purchased a farm, and was engaged in farming until a few years before his death, which occurred October 17, 1876; his mother died March 15, 1854. His parents had the following children : Mary, married to John Nesbit, farmer, of Herrick; Andrew (see sketch); John

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

(deceased), who was a blacksmith; James (deceased), was a tailor : Richard, now a farmer residing in Nebraska, and Martin. Our subject during his early life, had the advantages of a common-school education, and after reaching his majority attended the Collegiate Institute of Towanda for several terms ; soon after reaching his majority he began teaching, and followed that avocation several years, and attended school during vacation. In 1857 he began learning the carpenter's and join- er's trade with Steward Bosworth, with whom he remained three years, and then began contracting for himself, and has combined that business with farming, and followed the same to the present time. His building has been largely in Wyalusing, Herrick and Tuscarora ; but he has done work in Wilkes-Barre, Towanda and Sayre; he has a beautiful location, where he lives, on a farm of thirty acres.

He married, July 4, 1864, Martha L. Jones, a daughter of Thomas Jones, who was a Welshman, and a prominent farmer of Herrick. Her mother was of English origin. They have a family consisting of the following children : Rosa, born September 22, 1865, now preceptress and teacher in the Collegiate Institute of Towanda ; Seth H., born October 31, 1867, now a clerk in a store, located in Tekamah, Neb .; Grant, born May 16, 1869, a carpenter and joiner, and foreman on building in San Francisco, Cal .; Elam K., born October 1, 1871 ; Emma J., born January 12, 1874; Asa, born October 11, 1876 ; and Abba Arline, born August 10, 1878, died November 27, 1881. Mr. Fee is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Camptown ; a member of the P. of I., Avery Association No. 3277; politically he was a Republi- can until 1882, when he espoused the cause of the Prohibition party and has since been identified with it.

ULYSSES M. FELL, miller, Homet's Ferry, was born in that town November 28, 1860, the youngest in the family of ten children of Samuel D. and Elizabeth (Kings) Fell, natives of Pennsylvania. Two of his brothers were in the war for the Union, Joseph G. as a member of Company C, One Hundred and Forty-First Regiment, P. V. I. ; he served as sergeant-major, was three years in the service, and lost his life at the battle of Gettysburg; George W. was in the same company and regiment, and was in service to the time of Lee's surrender. Mr. Fell owns the flouring mills at Homet's Ferry, where he is conducting an extensive milling and shipping business; also owns and manages the ferry at that place. Ulysses M. Fell was united in matrimony, January 5, 1887, with Lou J .. daughter of Andrew J. and Etna (Wells) Elliott, natives of Pennsylvania, all of English ancestry. Mr. Fell is a Republican, and takes an active interest in public matters.

OLIVER D. FIELD, postmaster, Covert, was born in Delhi, N. Y., August 11, 1826, and is a son of Abiezer and Hannah (Wilbur) Field, natives of Taunton, Mass., who settled in Armenia township, this county, in 1836, and cleared and improved the farm now owned by David Burman and Harry Covert, where the father resided until his death. He was a nephew of Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, of Revolu- tionary fame, and his wife, Hannah (Wilber), was a grand-niece of the same general, and a direct descendant of the "Mayflower Pilgrims." Abiezer Field had eleven children, nine of whom grew to maturity, as

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follows: Abiezer, Jr., Christopher, Loretto (Mrs. Nathan Truman), Calista (Mrs. James Lyon), Phineas, Oritha (Mrs. Harry Covert), Adeline (Mrs. John Youmans), Oliver D. and George. Oliver D. Field was reared in Armenia township from ten years of age. Since attaining his majority he has always been a tax payer in the township, though for ten years he was a resident of the State of New York. He was in the Civil War, having enlisted April 27, 1862, in Company C, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, and served three years, when he was honorably discharged as sergeant of the company. Mr. Field has been twice married, first time to Agnes F., daughter of Timothy and Nancy (Wilson) Randall, of Armenia township, and by her he had seven children : Emma J. (Mrs. S. L. Sherman), Agnes (Mrs. George Vanness), Mary (Mrs. Frank Harding), Hannah (Mrs. Abner D. Ran- dall), Adeline, Burdette and Wilson. His second marriage was with Mrs. Volucia (Randall) Rogers, sister of his first wife. Mr. Field has been an ordained minister of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, thirty years. In politics he is a Republican, has served one term as auditor of Bradford, and has been postmaster of Covert since May, 1891.

IRA FINCH, of Windham township, farmer and stock-grower, P. O. Windham. This is one of the leading farmers in Windham town- ship, where he was born December 13, 1839 and is a son of James and Lucia (Johnson) Finch, natives of New York and Connecticut, re- spectively. James, whose parents were Celey and Roxanna(Mead) Finch, was a farmer and mill owner, who came to Bradford in 1835 and located in Windham township, and was soon known as a leading, enterprising citizen, and by his industry and thrift became the owner of 400 acres of highly improved land, on which he was residing at the time of his death, which occurred in the year 1876. His good wife, the mother of his children, was tenderly laid by his side in the year 1883; she was a daugh- ter of Parley and Lucia (Webster) Johnson. To them were born seven children, five of whom survive. They were as follows: Adelia, who died in infancy; Lucia, a school teacher, died in her sixteenth year, in Windham; Harriet, who was also a teacher, married Mr. Vaness of New York; Ira, our subject; Porter, who is practicing law in Humboldt, Iowa; John, a farmer in Windham, and George, also a farmer, in Windham, and a practical surveyor for many years. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood on the old family homestead, receiving the rudiments of a good English education in the district schools, and commenced life on his own account as a farmer and raiser of improved domestic animals. He received more than the average school advantages by attending the academy of Reelsville and Owego, and learned the art and science of practical surveyor. After the death of his parents he purchased the interest of the other heirs in the real estate, and has aded thereto, and in every respect greatly improved the same, and it is now one of the most valuable homesteads in the township. When a young man he taught school several winter terms, and at the same time read law, and afterward entered a law office and regularly pursued that study, and was admitted to practice. IIe intended to go West and engage in the practice of law with his brother Parley, who had also been admitted, but the parents pleaded for at least

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY. .

one of the two to remain at the old home and this lot fell to Ira, which permanently fixed him on the old homestead, while his brother went to Humboldt, Iowa, and engaged in the law practice, and has met with brilliant and very flattering success. Mr. Ira Finch is a Mason who has passed the chairs of the Lodge, and has been repre- sentative to the Grand Lodge, New York, on two occasions, 1884 and 1885. His home Lodge is at Nichols, N. Y. He is a member of the Democratic party, a gentleman of much culture and well read in the best literature of his time; was at one time the Democratic nominee for prothonotary of the county, and was only defeated by the large party majority arrayed against himn. Yet he has never been a politician, and votes as he believes to be the best interests for himself and his fellow citizens. He has filled the offices of election commissioner, member of the Board of Elections, and is a justice of the peace. But his especial pride is his farm and its splendid herds of Jerseys, Alderneys and Shorthorns, also Southdown sheep, and thoroughbred horses, both roadsters and draught horses. The family rank among the very first in the county, have a wide circle of acquaintances and hosts of friends.

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History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 89

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