History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 95

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

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Major Gore was born September 16, 1835, on the farm now owned by his father, was educated in the schools of Sheshequin, and after- ward at the academy of Towanda, and at Athens, taking a course in classics and practical surveying. Leaving school at the age of nine- teen, he clerked one and one-half years; then was three years in a drug store, after which he went West, and was in a wholesale drug house at Peoria, Ill., one year; then went to Griggsville, same State, and was engaged in the drug business there one year; selling out, he returned to Pennsylvania, and again clerked for a time. On April 22, 1861, he enlisted at the first call for volunteers, in Company I, Sixth Pennsylvania Reserves, Army of the Potomac. He was in all the battles in which his regiment participated, beginning with Dranesville, and ending with Bethesda Church, at Cold Harbor; was promoted to major, July 1, 1863, and brevet lieut .- colonel, September 10, 1866, for gallant services in the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania. He was mustered out June 11, 1864, and is an invalid pensioner. On his return to private life he opened a store in Towanda, which he sold out in 1870; then returned to the old homestead at Sheshequin, and was there two years, engaged in settling the estate of a deceased unele, after which, in 1873, he removed to his present residence. Major Gore was appointed, in 1874, to the railroad mail service, on the Lehigh Valley and Erie Railroads, and was in that position until 1880. He was married February 15, 1860, to Cynthia M., daughter of Joel and Maria (Goodale) Farnham, former a native of Owego, N. Y., and lat- ter of Sheshequin, the family of whom consisted of five children, Mrs.

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Gore being the third ; she received her education in the high school, also at the academy at Owego, and spent several years teaching. To Major and Mrs. Gore have been born two children: Henry W., born November 29, 1860 (married to Hattie Rodgers, of Towanda), and Eliza May. Major Gore is a member of the Universalist Church, and secretary of the board of trustees of that body ; Mrs. Gore is a mem- ber of the Episcopal Church. The Gore family are nearly all Univer- salists in belief. The Major is a Sir Knight Templar, and a member of Union Lodge, No. 108, F. & A. M., and has filled the chair of wor- shipful master and high priest, etc .; is also a member of the I. O. O. F., Valley Lodge, No. 446, Sheshequin ; has passed all the chairs and taken degree of State Encampment ; is a member of Perkins Post, No. 202, G. A. R., of Athens, and is past commander of Watkins Post, No. 68, Towanda; is a member of the Union Veteran Legion of Sayre, and past col. commander of same; is a member of the E. A. U., Sheshe- quin Division, No. 13; also of the Daughters of Rebecca, No 117, Sheshequin, and is secretary of same, Politically, he is a Republican, and has held the offices of school director, constable, assessor, tax col- lector, and others.

ABEL L. GORSLINE, farmer, Wysox township, P.O. Wickizer, was born in Orwell, this county, March 7, 1837, and was the seventh of the nine children born to Pomeroy and Charlotte (Lawrence) Gorsline, the former a native of Vermont and of German origin, the latter a native of New York, of English lineage. Abel L. remained with his father on the farm until September 4, 1864, when he enlisted in Company G, Two Hundred and Seventh P. V. I., and was mustered out upon the dis- bandment of his regiment at Arlington Heights, May 22, 1865. Soon after returning from the army he located on his present home, which he inherited from his father, and where he has since resided. July 3, 1876, Mr. Gorsline married Miss Charlotte, daughter of Ezaciah and Ann (Simmins) Gorsline, natives of New York. They have one child, Abel L., Jr., born August 27, 1889. Mr. Gorsline is a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the G. A. R. Post at Rome, and politically is a Republican.

IRA A. GOULD, farmer, of Warren township, P. O. Warren Centre, was born in Susquehanna county, Pa., May 21, 1842; a son of James and Rhoda (Haughton) Gould, natives of New Hampshire and Vermont, respectively, and of English stock. The father, who was a carpenter and joiner, came to this county in 1828, and settled in War- ren township ; he died June 16, 1872, and his widow now resides in Michigan. They had ten children, of whom Ira A. is the eldest. He spent his life in Warren township until ten years of age, and then attended school at Owego. He learned the printer's art, and was at the case until the breaking out of the Civil War, when he became the seventh man to respond to the call for 75,000 troops, by enlisting, April 17, 1861, in the Twenty-third New York Infantry, Company C. The command left Elmira July 5th, to go to the front with the Army of the Potomac, under Gen. McDowell. Our subject was under fire several times in skirmishes and battles, and was in the brunt of the fight at Rappahannock Station and at White Sulphur Springs, then at

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

Gainesville and at the second Bull Run fight; also at Chantilly, where he was left on the skirmish line while the army retreated to Fairfax Court House, and he witnessed the race for the place between the "Johnnies " and " Yanks." He was thus exposed and without food or sleep for three days. His command was with the First Corps in all the battles, marches and sieges after they left Washington. At the battle of South Mountain, through some mistake, a part of the regiment retreated and left their companions exposed to over two hours' severe fighting. At Antietam his company was sent to Division Headquar- ters under Gen. Doubleday, and he performed provost guard duty over prisoners until the close of his term of service. He was discharged May 22, 1863, and re-enlisted November 24 following. He re-enlisted, this time, in the Fiftieth New York Engineers, and returned to the front to the Army of the Potomac, hoofed it with Sheridan's Cavalry, and most of the time they were kept busy building bridges, forts and breastworks, and had some sharp experiences with guerrillas in guard- ing their boats. They were in front of Petersburg and Cold Harbor, and after the latter they were thirty days on the march to Trevilian Station. After the battle of Petersburg, in December, 1864, the com- mand went to Notaway Station, traveling at times through two feet of water, and at night they would nearly freeze. They went to Winches- ter with Sheridan, and were at the surrender of Lee. In crossing the Shenandoah at Mt. Jackson, the corps (fifty men) inade a bridge of thirteen boats and two trestles in just nineteen minutes, and after crossing over and taking them up, they found the boats had several holes shot in them. Mr. Gould was discharged June 13, 1865, when "the cruel war was over;" and returned home. While in the service he was taken ill with typhoid fever at Upton's Hill, and was sent to regimental hospital, where he was confined five weeks, and to this time suffers from loss of hearing in one ear, and rheumatism in the right side. He is a member of the G. A. R., and a pensioner, and a Repub- lican-" God bless the G. O. P," adds Mr. Gould. He was married in Allegany, N. Y., September 30, 1865, to Mary, daughter of Frederick and Hannah Stratton, who had five children, of whom Mary is the fourth, reared, educated and married in her native place. To Mr. and Mrs. Gould was born, October 22, 1866, one child, Elmer.

ADDISON GRACE, farmer, Asylum township, P. O. Macedonia, was born in Springfield, this county, July 11, 1830, and is a son of William and Hannah (Salisbury) Grace, natives of Massachusetts, and of English extraction. William Grace came to this county when a young man; his grandmother Grace was one of the nurses who attended the wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill, and his grand- father Grace was one of the Revolutionary soldiers in the same battle. Addison Grace, who is the eighth in a family of nine children, was reared on his father's farm, became a farmer when grown, and has followed that occupation successfully since. He was united in matri- mony October 3, 1849, with Dimmis Knapp, and there were born to them eight children, all living as follows: Ruby, born July 15, 1850, wife of Mahlon Allen ; Addison W., born January 23, 1852, married to Helena Hosley ; Laura E., born March 27, 1854, wife of Hiram

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

Hosley ; May, born July 15, 1856, wife of E. J. Lewis; Charles B., born July 17, 1859, married to Minnic E. Iluggins; Elsworth C., born August 8, 1863, married to Mamie Brown ; Martha, born February 28, 1865, wife of Harry Morse; Arotine S., born September 2, 1869. Mrs. Grace died January 27, 1871, and January 16, 1877, Mr. Grace married Flora D. Cheney, daughter of R. W. and Sarah (Fraizer) Cheney, born March 9, 1852. He located on his present farm in 1888, and is one of the most successful farmers, a social and genial gentle- man, respected by all who know him. Politically he is a Republican.

THOMAS GRACE, proprietor of " Hotel Grace," Towanda, was born in Standing Stone township, this county, November 14, 1847, and is a son of Philip and Ann (Griffin) Grace, natives of Counties Tipper- ary and Kerry, Ireland, respectively. His father came to America in early manhood, was for many years a resident of Standing Stone, this county, where he was engaged in farming, and cleared and improved the farm on which he died in 1870, at about the age of sixty years. He reared a family of seven children, viz .: Mary, Thomas, Philip, Henry, John, William and Margaret (Mrs. Martin P. Brennan). Thomas was reared in his native township, where he received a limited education in the common schools, and was for some years engaged in farming, and in 1883 came to Towanda, where he was a buyer of hides one year. In 1884 he embarked in the hotel business, in which he has since continued, and has done business at his present place on South Main street since 1890. Mr. Grace is a member of the Roman Catholic Church and is Independent in politics.

FRANCIS P. GRADY, the leading and popular merchant tailor in Towanda, was born in Beaver Meadow, Carbon Co., Pa., March 16, 1850, a son of James and Ann (Lannan) Grady, natives of County Ros- common, Ireland. James Grady came to America about 1834 and set- tled in Carbon county, engaged in farming and later was a boss in coal works; he died about 1852. Francis P. was reared in Carbon county, and began life as a slate picker and later was in the coal breaker, also worked in the mines as a door tender and mule driver. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to the tailor's trade in Hazel- ton, Luzerne county, serving three years and ten months, and after- ward went to Philadelphia, where he worked as a journeyman in various cities of Pennsylvania and New York. In 1878 he located in Towanda and engaged in the merchant tailoring business for himself, in which he has since successfully continued, and has built up a trade second to none in the county. Mr. Grady was married August 14, 1875, to Mary J., daughter of Oscar Sage, of Bradford county, and by her he had one son. Francis W. (deceased)." Mr. Grady is a member of the Catholic Church, also of the K. of L., and he is a Republican.

J. H. GRANT, the leading jeweler of Troy, was born in Gen- eseo, Livingston Co., N. Y., January 5, 1834, a son of Ira and Maria (Hewitt) Grant, and is of Scotch-Irish descent, his ancestors being of the same lineage as that of the late Gen. U. S. Grant. He was reared in Cortland, N. Y., where he received an academical education, and served a three and one-half years' apprenticeship at the jeweler's trade, in which he has since successfully continued. He has been

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

twice married. His first wife was Marian, daughter of William S. and Nancy (Bothwell) Dobbins, of Troy, and by her he had two children : Fred (deceased) and William H., now connected with a leading jewelry establishment at Portland, Oregon ; his second wife was Orpha M., daughter of Elijah H. and Sarah (Halsted) Dewey, of Troy, and he has by her four children : Albert H., Edwin H., Nellie L. and Edith H. Mr. Grant is a Sir Knight Templar ; he was school director of Troy borough fifteen years, from 1872 to 1887, during fourteen years of which time he was treasurer of the school board; was burgess two terms, and a member of the common council eight or ten years ; he was treasurer of Bradford county from January 1, 1879, to January 1, 1882, and was a presidential elector on the Harrison and Morton ticket in 1888; politically, he has always been a stanch Republican.

JAMES H. GREEN, farmer, Orwell township, P. O. Orwell, was born in Susquehanna county, Pa., July 4, 1844, and is the eldest son of Job and Unice M. (Doolittle) Green, the former a native of Rhode Island and the latter of Orwell township. His father came to Susque- hanna county when three years old and resided there until his death. He had a family of seven children : James H .; John W., of Iowa ; Zenas M., deceased ; Samuel G., deceased ; Charles E., of Pike township; Lucy M., deceased, and an infant, deceased. James passed his boy- hood on a farm, and received his education in the common schools, with exception of a few terms in a select school. When twenty-two years of age he purchased the old James Chubbuck farm, and has occupied that since; it is 155 acres of as fine farm land as there is in Orwell, all improved, and is well stocked and managed. He was united in mar- riage, July 24, 1866, with Albertine, daughter of Joshua and Margaret (Dings) Killmer, the youngest of a family of eight children. To them have been born three children, as follows: Maggie A., married to Fred L. Brown ; Fred A. and Stanley G. They are all members of the Method- ist Episcopal Church, of which James is one of the board of trustees. He is a member of the Golden Cycle ; is a Republican, and has held the office of school director. Mr. and Mrs. Green are among the large number of Bradford's citizens noted for their great hospitality and social qualities ; they have a large circle of friends who unite in bestow- ing on them their affection and esteem.

WALTER KERR GREEN, at present a farmer, in Bradford county, was born at Chapple Hill, Davidson Co., Tenn., September 15, 1830, and is the son of John Simms and Elizabeth (Henley) Green. The family moved to Cherry township, Lycoming (now Sullivan) Co., Pa., in 1833. lIere Walter grew to manhood, helping his father clear up a large farm. In January, 1857, he married Marion E. Wol- cott, daughter of Elijah and Elizabeth (Park) Wolcott, of Litchfield, Bradford Co .; moved to that place in April, 1861, and purchased the Snover farm of John Layton (where George Brink now lives). In the fall of 1862 he was drafted and went to Harrisburg. After staying a bout four weeks at Camp Curtin, he was discharged and came home, embarking in the lumber business. In this he was successful until, in March, 1865, having a large amount of lumber on the bank of the Sus- quehanna, it was swept away in the floods, leaving him heavily in debt,

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

the effects of which he yet feels. Having turned all over to his credi- tors, he moved to Athens borough and began working by the day ; but after a time he embarked in contracting, which he found more remunerative. He erected several buildings, among which was the "Cudderback House " on Chestnut street, which he built for himself. Always having good credit, he abused it by endorsing for a man who betrayed him, and again he lost all he had. In 1868 he moved to Wolcott Hollow, in Athens township, and began jobbing for Gen. H. Williston, which proved disastrous, and this with the loss of five horses compelled him to sell all in order to pay his help, and once more he began at the bottom, working by the day for Wolcott & Had- lock, who had an extensive lumber trade at that time. Here he paid off his debts of the Williston disaster, and had a surplus, when, in 1873, Wolcott & Hadlock failed, and again Mr. Green lost heavily. But the lumber business of Wolcott & Hadlock being bought by D. F. Park, he retained Mr. Green as superintendent with a good salary, and this with the stump-pulling business, which he engaged in again, placed him on the road to prosperity. But in 1877 Bat Golden's barn at Milan was burned, and again Mr. Green was a loser, two good teams being burned in that conflagration. In 1880 Mr. Job Griffin offered him a partnership in the manufacture of lumber, and the mill which now stands in Wolcott Hollow was built by Mr. Green to carry on the business which has proved successful. Mr. Green has met with many failures which would have dismayed a man of less pluck and courage, but with the aid of his estimable wife he has overcome these obstacles, and is now the owner of a good farm and a fine residence called "The Willows." Here he resides with his wife and three daughters, M. Euphemia, Mary A. and Virginia L. His two sons, Harry C. and Craig W., are now on the staff of two New York dailies. Three other children died in infancy. Mr. Green has always had the confidence and respect of his neighbors. Although not an office-seeker. he is a stanch Democrat, and has successfully held several town offices,

WILLIAM H. D. GREEN, a prominent dry-goods merchant, Towanda, was born in Dushore, Sullivan Co., Pa., January 30, 1837, a son of John S. and Elizabeth (Hanley) Green, the former of whom was a native of Philadelphia, and the latter of Georgia; they settled at Dushore in 1829, where the father acted as land agent for John S. Green, who had previously taken up a large tract of land in that vicinity. In 1856 he was elected treasurer of Sullivan county, and served two terms; he died March 16, 1876, at Laporte, Pa. Mr. Green was reared in Sullivan county, where he received a limited education in the common schools. August 17, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company K, One Hundred and Forty-first P. V. I. September 15, 1863, he was captured by the enemy while advancing on Culpeper, Va .; he was a prisoner nineteen months and twenty days in Libby, Belle Isle, Andersonville, Savannah and Millen prisons. April 28, 1865, he was sent to Jacksonville, Fla., and in June was transported to Annapolis, Md .. and thence to Harrisburg, Pa., where he was honor- ably discharged, June 20, 1865. In 1866 he settled in Towanda, where he was proprietor of the Towanda and Laporte stage line nearly three

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

years. In 1868 he located at Burlington, this county, and engaged in general merchandising and hotel-keeping there until 1883, when he returned to Towanda and embarked in the dry-goods business, in which he has since successfully continued. He married, July 3, 1860, Mary A., daughter of Dennis McKeeby, of Susquehanna county, Pa., and has two children living, viz .: Frank D. and Hattie M. (Mrs. H. L. Bushnell). Mr. Green is a member of the Episcopal Church and G. A. R .; he was elected a second term as justice of the peace, during his residence at Burlington. Politically he is a Republican.

GEORGE W. GREGORY, M. D., Troy, was born in Fleming, Cayuga Co., N. Y., September 22, 1854, a son of Richard and Maria (Smith) Gregory, and of Scotch ancestry. He was reared in his native county, and received an academical education at Auburn, N. Y. ; in 1875, he began the study of medicine with Dr. Samuel Gilmore, of Fleming, N. Y., and in August, 1876, continued his studies under Dr. J. W. Cox, of Albany, N. Y. He was graduated from the medical department of Union University of that city, in January, 1879, and at once began the practice of his profession in Albany, remaining there until June, 1880; on July 26, 1880, he located in Troy where he has since been in active practice. In June, 1883, the Doctor was married to Nellie, daughter of Perry H. and Lydia (Robinson) Oliver, of Troy, and granddaughter of Edward Oliver, by which union there were two children : Richard and Margaret. Dr. Gregory is a member of the Homeopathic State Medical Society of Pennsylvania, and an honorary member of the Albany (N. Y.) Medical Society. Socially he is a Sir Knight Templar.

JOB GRIFFIN, farmer, Athens township, P. O. Athens, was born in Athens township, this county, and is son of Capt. John (second) and Nancy (Morley) Griffin, both of whom were born in Athens township. The father is a son of Capt. John (first) Griffin, who removed from Connecticut to this county about 1809, locating near Athens borough, then called "Tioga Point ;" he purchased a lot of 300 acres, and like all the old pioneers improved and built until, by hard labor and industry, he became a wealthy farmer for those days; he kept one of the first hotels in that place, and died about 1843, at the age of fifty-six. His son John (second) occupied part of the estate where Job now resides. He was an extensive lumberman, having built several sawmills, one of which is still standing; also dealt in stock and was a man of enterprise. In 1862 he joined as captain, Company H, Fifty-seventh P. V. I., serving two years, and after his discharge he was chosen by his fellow- citizens to the office of town commissioner; he died May 15, 1874, at the age of fifty-six. He had only one son, Job, the subject of this sketch, who now resides on his father's homestead. At the age of twenty-three (in 1869) he married Miss Martha J., daughter of Dr. E. P. and H. H. Allen, of Athens, and three children were born to them, two of whom are living: Mary and John. Mr. Griffin is a general farmer and stock raiser, has about twenty-five head of full-blooded registered Guernseys, on which he took the first premium at Troy and Elmira fairs; he also buys stock of various kinds, shipping to New York and Jersey City.

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

JOSEPH P. GRIFFITH, farmer and stock grower, P. O. Windham, is a native of Susquehanna county, Pa., born July 4, 1843. The youth started life with quite a patriotic celebration. He is a son of David and Ruth (Wilber) Griffith, of New York, and of remote German and Welsh descent. The father, who was a farmer and mechanic, came to Bradford county in 1848, first stopping in Windham township, and then went to Nichols, N. Y., where he died of heart-disease in 1879, being found dead in bed; his partner and wife had passed away five weeks previously. Their children were three in number: Joanna, married to Amzi Benjamine, and died in 1876; Joseph P .; and Ruby A., wife of L. Neal. The subject of this sketch was reared and edu- cated in Windham township, and, a poor boy, commenced farming, and is now proprietor of 100 acres of highly improved and cultivated farm land. August 25,1862, the lad enlisted at Owego in the cause of the Union, joining the One Hundred and Ninth Regiment, N. Y. V. I., but the regi- ment being already full, he repaired to Binghamton and joined the One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Regiment, Company A, under Col. David Ireland, a regular, and they went almost direct to the front in fighting trim, and were "double-quicking" across lots toward the nearest fight. The regiment joined Gen. Slocum's corps. Mr. Griffith bore the gauntlet of war safely until the battle of Chancellorsville, where " his hat received a mortal wound." The command reached Gettysburg the second day of the fight, and formed on the right, in the heat of the battle, receiving the assault of Stonewall Jackson's old command, and of the forty-four men in his company, in this carnage, only five came out alive-four privates and one corporal being all who could muster after the battle. Slocum's and the Eleventh corps were consolidated under Gen. Hooker, and their next battle was at Wauhatchie in defense of a wagon train, when a ball grazed Mr. Griffith's neck, and came so near cutting his throat that it took away his breath and drew blood, but he rallied and was in line at the battle of Lookout Mountain, and charged the enemy's works; in this critical moment the Major called out, "who will go over first ?" when he (the Major) quickly jumped over in order to be first, but jumped almost on Mr. Griffith, who was ahead of him, and for this he was promoted to sergeant. Then came the battle of Mission Ridge, and then to Ringold, Ga., and Resaca, New Hope Church, Pine Knob, Kenesaw Mountain and Peachtree Creek, where he was hit over the heart with a ball that knocked him down, but some things in his pocket saved his life ; then came Atlanta and Savannah, where he was one of a detail to furnish supplies, and became one of " Sherman's Banners," but was with his regiment in the Savannah bat- tle and on Sherman's entire march to the sea, and the campaigns of the Carolinas. Again becoming one of "Sherman's Banners," he was captured and sent to Libby prison, and the ten days' experience there nearly starved him to death. He was paroled and sent to Annapolis Junction, and finally was on his way to his old command when he was met at Elmira and mustered out June 23, 1865, the cruel war being over. He was married at Nichols, N. Y., to Catherine White, daughter of William and Charlotte (Dunham) White, and they have two chil- dren: William D., now aged twenty-one (he is employed in a store in

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History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 95

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