History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 100

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532

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WILLIAM H. BROWN, mechanic, Wilkes-Barre, was born in Pottsville, Pa., May 4, 1839, and was reared und educated in his native city, where he learned the painter's trade. He served three years in the Civil war as a member of Company G, Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, First Brigade, Second Division of Ninth Corps, Army of Potomac, and was honorably discharged at expiration of his term of service. In 1871 he located in Wilkes-Barre, where he has since resided. He is a prominent member of the A. M. E. Church, and is one of the popular colored citi- zens of the city. Politically he is a Republican.

FRANK M. BRUNDAGE, M. D., Conyngham, was born in the village of Conyngham, Luzerne Co., Pa., August 18, 1851, a son of Charles and Catherine (Andreas) Brun- dage, and is of English and German descent. His paternal grandfather, Moses S. Brundage, a native of New Jersey, settled in Sugar Loaf township in 1820; in 1822 he erected the dwelling now owned aud occupied by subject, and resided there until his death; he was a merchant, and accumulated a large property. He was a son of Capt. Israel Brundage who, with two brothers, came from England and settled in New Jersey prior to the Revolution, during which struggle Israel Brundage held a captain's commission. The wife of Moses S. Brundage was Jane Broadhead, daughter of Hon. Richard Broadhead, and sister of Hon. Richard Broadhead, Jr., Ex-United States Senator from Pennsylvania. The children of Moses S. Brundage were: Charles, Marie (Mrs. Dr. T. H. Thornton), William, Asa R., Chester, Amanda (Mrs. Dr. J. R. Casselberry). The father of subject was a native of New Jersey, a physician by profession, and a graduate of a medical college at Castleton, Vt. In 1850 he began the practice of his profession at Conyngham; in 1858 he located in Union county, Pa., and in 1861 he removed to Stephenson county, Ill., where he was in the active practice of his profession until his death, which occurred in 1891, when he was aged sixty-eight years. His wife was a daughter of Isaac Andreas. of Sugar Loaf township, this county, and by her he had seven children: Frank M., Boyd H., Duke A., Dora E. (Mrs. George Radler), Moses S., Della (Mrs. Howard Price), and Albert. Our subject was reared in Illinois from ten years of age, and educated in the public schools. In 1871 he began the study of medicine with Dr. T. H. Thornton, of Lewisburg, Pa., and was graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1874. The same year he located in Conyngham village, where he was in the active practice of his profession until 1889, when he retired. The Doctor married November 19, 1874, Ella M., only child of John and Elizabeth (Roland) Young, of Lebanon, Pa., and has one daughter, Clara E. The father of Mrs. Brundage was editor of the Pennsylvanier, the leading German paper of Eastern Pennsylvania, which he conducted forty years. At the time of his death, the Philadelphia Press and Times, in their editorials, gave him credit for being the oldest and ablest German editor in the State. Dr. Brundage is a member of the Luzerne County Medical Society, and Lehigh Valley Medical Association. While eligible to the Order of the Sons of the Revolution and its offices, he has never

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

availed himself of the honor. He is a stanch Republican; has always taken an active interest in political affairs, but has never sought office.

HERMAN HENRY BRUNING, pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in White Haven borough, was born in Baltimore, Md., May 17, 1835, the eldest of seven children, six of whom are still living. His father, Herman Henry Bruning, and his mother, Margaret Sophia, nee Dannettel, of old Saxon lineage, were born in Dupholz, Hanover, under the reign of George III., king of England. They came to America in 1832, and settled in Baltimore, where they married in 1833. Mr. Bruning, Sr., was at first proprietor of a furniture factory, but in later years entered the dry-goods trade. He died in 1853. His widow still resides in Baltimore, eighty years of age. The subject of this sketch was educated privately and in common schools, and graduated in 1852 from Baltimore City College, but remained another year as post graduate in that institution. After this he spent several years in Baltimore as professor of ancient and modern languages, until in 1865 he organized the Conestoga Collegiate Institute for young ladies in Lancaster, Pa., conducting it as principal and proprietor until 1870. In 1860 he entered the ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, adding to his literary duties the work of a home missionary in Baltimore city, and Baltimore and Carroll counties, Md. After his removal to Lancaster, Pa., he had charge of the church in Strasburg, 1866-71, and of the First Lutheran Church in Millersville, 1868-72. In 1872 he became pastor of the First Lutheran Church in Selin's Grove, Pa., and in 1874 of Luther Memorial Church in Erie, Pa. Resigning there, he took a few months of needed rest, and on January 1, 1881, assumed his present charge. He was married in Lancaster, Pa., September 23, 1873, to Miss Frances, daughter of Jacob Gable (deceased), and his wife Maria, nee Buckius, the former of Frederic, Md., and the latter of Lancaster, Pa., both descended from original German settlers. >Mrs. Bruning was the tenth in a family of thirteen children, and was born February 6, 1845, in Lancaster, Pa. This happy union was blessed with two daughters: Miriam Evangeline, born in Erie, Pa., May 29, 1877; died March 15, 1887, and Margaret Arnold, born May 15, 1883, died August 7, 1883. Mr. Bruning is the German secretary, and commissioner of Missionary Explorations for the Second Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania. He is independent in his political views, and devotes himself entirely to his sacred calling.

JOHN BRUNNER, shoemaker, Ashley, was born in Germany, August 24, 1834, and is a son of Benjamin and Barbara (Kurtc) Brunner, the former of whom was a shoemaker by trade. They reared a family of five children. Our subject came to America in 1855, and located in Jersey City, where he worked at his trade nine months; then moved to Syracuse, and here followed his trade one year; afterward at Penn Haven, four years. On December 5, 1861, he enlisted at Mauch Chunk, Pa., in Company G, Eighty first Pennsylvania Volunteers; was wounded in the finger at Fredericksburg, and in the toe at Malvern Hill, and was discharged in February, 1863. Accompanied by his family he then went to Madison, Wis., where he remained four years; thence came to Ashley and established a shop, which he has since operated. Mr. Brunner was married April 11, 1857, to Miss Sophia Reihelderfer, of Weissport, Pa., the issue of which union has been nine children, four of whom died young; the others are: George, brakeman on the Delaware & Hudson Railroad, Wilkes-Barre; John, fireman on the Central Railroad of New Jersey, Ashley; Martha (Mrs. Henry Stark, Ashley), Elmer, jeweler, Ashley; and Harry, baker, Ashley. Mr. and Mrs. Brunner are members of the Presbyterian Church. Politically he is a Democrat, and has been a member of the council of Ashley borough. He built his present residence in 1871.

CHARLES BRYANT, farmer, Forty Fort borough, was born October 28, 1835, in Forty Fort borough, a son of Charles and Rebecca (Wilson) Bryant, natives of New Jersey; the father was a farmer by occupation. Our subject is the ninth in a family of eleven children; he was educated in the common schools, and started in life for himself at the age of twenty-five, engaging as farm hand. He purchased a house

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

and lot on River street, which he sold in two years, then bought a lot and built a house, which he sold after four years. He next worked as overseer on a large farm for eight years. He then removed to his house in Forty Fort borough, where he resides at present, and has since engaged in the occupation of farming. On Decem- ber 5, 1861, Mr. Bryant married Ruth G., daughter of Henry and Margaret (Kreidler) Stroh, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German descent. This union was blessed with five children: George W., coal inspector for the Philadelphia & Read- ing Railroad Company; Alice M., who married John B. S. Keeler, a book-keeper for the L. V. Coal Co .; Edith M., Chloe S. and Richard R. All are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics Mr. Bryant is a Democrat.

JOSEPH A. BRYANT, carpenter, Luzerne, was born in England, April. 27, 1849. He is a son of Thomas and Lovday (Apps) Bryant, both of whom were born in Eng- land, and where they now reside, as well-to-do farmers. Their family consists of nine children living, out of eleven born to them; two of these are living in this country. Joseph A. Bryant is the third of the family in order of birth. He was reared and educated in England, and emigrated to this country in 1869, at the age of twenty, locating in Carbondale, where he worked at his trade, that of carpenter. He remained there two years, when he removed to Kingston borough, where he remained another two years, after which time he removed to Kingston township, where he has since resided as an active business man, as well as a master mechanic. He married, January 21, 1874, Miss Susan, daughter of Charles and Susan Mc- Kechnie, to which union were born ten children, six of whom are now (1892) living: Charles S., Lovday J., Susan D., Elizabeth A., Joseph A. and John M. Mr. Bryant is a self-made man; beginning with nothing but a pair of willing hands, he has, by hard labor, acquired quite a comfortable home, besides a number of houses which he rents to tenants. He is highly esteemed by his fellow-citizens, who have honored him with several offices. He has served as school director for six years, and discharged other offices to his credit. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, in good standing, of which he is also a trustee. He is a member of the K. of P. Politically he is independent. Mrs. Susan Bryant was born in Paisley, Scotland, June 21, 1856.

ANDREW BRYDEN, mine superintendent, Pennsylvania Coal Company, Pittston, was born in the parish of Kirkoswald, Ayrshire, Scotland, January 10, 1827. His father, Alexander Bryden, emigrated to America in the year 1842, and took up his residence in Carbondale, then in the county of Luzerne. The subject of this sketch, with his mother, brothers and sisters, emigrated to America, sailing from Glasgow April 27, 1843, on a sailing vessel called the "Superb," which made the passage to New York in twenty-three days. After landing, they took passage by steamboat up the Hudson river to Rondout; thence to Honesdale by canal boat on the Delaware & Hudson Canal; and from Honesdale by coal cars, on the Delaware & Hudson Ca- nal Company's Railroad, to Carbondale (this being the royal route for emigrants from New York to Carbondale, at that time), May 31, 1843. After coming to this country our subject commenced mining coal, and was engaged in driving the Plane Heading in No. 1 Drift of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company's mines at Car- bondale. At the time of the memorable disaster, which occurred on the morning of Jan- uary 12, 1846, when about forty acres of land undermined, caved in and imprisoned many of the men, fourteen of whom were instantly killed, but eight of their bodies being recovered. Mr. Bryden and many others were found by Alexander Bryden, his father, who at that time was mine foreman, and conversant with the mine and all its ramifications, and who, after repeated attempts, finally found a passage through which he was enabled to make his way to those imprisoned near the face of the heading in which his son worked. Mr. Bryden has been married three times: His first wife was Ann Law, his second, Isabella Young, and his third, Elizabeth McDou- gall. By his first wife he had six children, and by his second, five children-eleven in all, of whom but five are now living. In September, 1850, he removed to Pittston, to become mine foreman for the Pennsylvania Coal Company's mines at that place.

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

In April, 1853, he left the service of the Pennsylvania Coal Company, and was em- ployed by the Baltimore Coal Company as mine superintendent at Wilkes-Barre. He remained in that position one year, after which he returned to the employ of the Pennsylvania Coal Company as mine superintendent, and with them he has been employed forty-one years.

NATHAN BUCHMAN, farmer, P. O. Dorrance, was born in Dorrance township, October 3, 1852, a son of Daniel and Susan (Snyder) Buchman, both of whom were born near Slatington, Pa. They removed to this county when young, and located in Dorrance, where they lived for a number of years, and accumulated a large tract of land, comprising 260 acres of timber land, which he subsequently, in 1859, sold to Abraham Guldin. After that he removed to Nescopeck, where he died in 1867, aged seventy-one years; his wife passed away in 1879, aged fifty years; both were much respected in the community. They reared a family of twelve children, six of whom are now living, Nathan being the ninth in the order of birth. Our subject has always followed his natural calling-a tiller of the soil, and lived seven years in Hollenback township. In 1874 he married Miss Civila, daughter of John and Sarah Radler, who bore him four children, three of whom are living: Frank, Sarah and Carrie. Mrs. Civila Buchman was born in Hollenback township. In 1879 Mr. Buchman removed to his present home, a neat farm of fifty-two acres of good land. He is a striving, energetic, honest man of a retiring disposition, well informed in agricultural matters. He and wife are members of church-he of the Lutheran, she of the Reformed. Politically he is a Democrat.

DENNIS BUCKLEY, livery-man, and dealer in coal, lime and stone, Wilkes-Barre, was born in that city October 15, 1848, a son of Redmond and Mary (Flynn) Buck- ley, natives of Counties Cork and Kerry, Ireland, respectively, who, about the year 1842, settled in Wilkes-Barre, where they passed the rest of their days. Their children were Thomas (killed by being crushed between car bumpers at Stanton Slope in 1865), James, Dennis, John and Ellen. Our subject was reared and edu- cated in his native city, began life in the mines as a slate-picker, later employed there as a mule-driver, and for fifteen years he boated on the Pennsylvania Canal. Since 1882 he has been engaged in his present business, commencing at the foot of the ladder with but one team, and he has built up an extensive trade now, requiring fif- teen teams to carry on his business. Mr. Buckley married, in May, 1874, Margar- et, daughter of James and Margaret (Haley) Farrell, of Wilkes-Barre, and formerly of Ireland, and by her he has eight children: Redmond, James, Mary, Margaret, William, Charles, Francis and Ellen. He is a member of the Catholic Church, and in politics is a Democrat.

CHARLES W. BULKLEY, manager West End Store at Mocanaqua, P. O. Shick- shinny, was born at Cambra, this county, July 19, 1858, and is a son of Daniel and Mary Bulkley. The father, who was a native of Connecticut, and a son of Levi and Mary Bulkley, carne to Luzerne county about 1834, locating at what is now Shickshinny, where he followed the occupation of bookkeeper, and resided until his death, which occurred in 1875, when he was aged fifty-eight years. His wife was a daughter of Evan Thomas, a pioneer of Salem township, and by her he had thir- teen children, eight of whom grew to maturity: Rachel (Mrs. Henry Wagner), Abi- gail (Mrs. E. E. Berry), Jane (Mrs. William Shoemaker), Joseph W., Grace (Mrs. Jesse Sink), Alice (Mrs. James Harris), Charles W. and Levi T. Our subject was reared in Shickshinny, educated in public schools, and began life as clerk in a gen- eral store. Since 1887 he has held the responsible position of manager of the West End Store for F. J. Leavenworth & Co., at Mocanaqua. Mr. Bulkley was married September 21, 1881, to Frances, daughter of Peter and Susan (Wyant) Rittenhouse, of Shickshinny, and has one son living, named Williard L. Our subject is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and of the P. O. S. of A. ; in politics he is a Republican.

FRED L. BURGESS, farmer and constable, Yatesville, was born in Wyoming county, Pa., December 22, 1839, and is a son of William W. and Jane (Wiggins) Warner,

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

natives of the same place, and of English extraction. Our subject went to work in a lumber yard in Bradford county, Pa., in 1851, remaining there until 1860, when he was employed on the canal until the outbreak of the Rebellion in 1861, at which time he enlisted in Company F, Fifty-second Regiment, P. V. I. He was diecharged in 1864, on account of sickness, and he again enlisted, this time in Company A, Fifty-seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served until the close of the

war. In 1867 he took up his residence in Yatesville, and has followed the vocation of farming ever since. Mr. Burgess was married March 21, 1867, to Catharine, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Hoofmacher) Myers, natives of Easton, Pa., and their union has been blessed with the following children: Cyrus, born Mareh 21, 1870; Almeda, October 15, 1872, married May 4, 1892, to Barney Green, a carpenter, Millen Hill; Frank, born January 24, 1875; Ellen, born May 26, 1877; John, born July 14, 1882, and Josephine, born April 26, 1887. Our subject is a member of the G. A. R .; is a Republican in politics, and is constable of the borough.

BERNARD BURGUNDEN, butcher, Wilkes-Barre, was born in Bavaria, Germany, January 4, 1827, and is a son of Abraham and Caroline Burgunden. He was reared in his native country, and served an apprenticeship at the butcher's trade, at which he began when thirteen years of age. In 1848 he came to America, locating in Beaver Meadow, Carbon Co., Pa., where he worked at his trade ten monthe. In 1849 he removed to Wilkes-Barre, and embarked in business for himself, at which he has since continued with marked success, and he is considered one of the substantial and solid business men of the city. In February, 1848, Mr. Burgunden married Caroline, daughter of Moses and Theresa Hamburger, of Bavaria, Germany, and he has three children: Abram, Herman and Moses. Mr. Burgunden is a member of the Jewish Synagogue; in politics he is a Democrat.

JOHN BURKE, miner, Port Blanchard, was born June 9, 1832, in County Mayo, Ireland, and is second in order of birth of twelve children born to Thomas and Mary (Tigue) Burke. Our subject was educated in the Irish National Schools, and before leaving Ireland worked on the farm. He arrived in this country in March, 1851, and immediately settled in Luzerne county, Pa., where he went to work in 1852 as a laborer in the mines, one year later becoming a miner, and working for the Penn- sylvania Coal Company, by whom he is still employed. Mr. Burke was united in wedlock April 6, 1856, with Miss Bridget Temple, daughter of James and Mar- garet (Quinn) Temple, natives of County Donegal, Ireland, and the following is the issue: Thomas F., born March 25, 1861; Mary A., born February 17, 1862; James J., born September 13, 1864; John E., born September 18, 1866; William C., born November 28, 1868. Our subject is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and in politics he is a Democrat. He was elected overseer of the poor in 1858, hold- ing that office until 1860; and was a school director from 1874 to 1880.

RICHARD BURKE, section-boss, Central Railroad of New Jersey (now the Reading System), also hotel-keeper, Georgetown, P. O. Wilkes-Barre, was born in County Galway, Ireland, December 12, 1842, and is a son of James and Margaret (Kava- naugh) Burke. He was reared and educated in Ireland, and in 1862 came to America, locating in Carbon county, Pa., where he remained until 1869, during a portion of which time he was assistant section-boss for the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company; also served them in same capacity one year at Tunkhannock, and one year at Mauch Chunk. In 1872 he located in Wilkes-Barre township, where he has since resided, and has held his present position twenty years; has also kept hotel six years. In 1873 Mr. Burke married Hannah, daughter of Dennis and Mary (Hanlon) Glavin, of Wilkes-Barre township, and has four.children: Margaret, Mary, Hannah and Richard. Mr. Burke is a member of the Catholic Church; in politics is a Democrat, and has served one term as school director of Wilkes-Barre township.

THOMAS BURKE, proprietor of restaurant, Port Griffith, was born in that place November 25, 1857, and is a son of Michael and Bridget (Barrett) Burke, natives of County Mayo, Ireland. The father came to America in 1840, and located in Car- bondale, later in Pittston, and finally in Port Griffith, Pa., where he was killed in

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

the mines by a fall of rock, July 2, 1874, and where his widow lives with her son Michael. The family consisted of seven children, four of whom are living, viz. : Mary (Mrs. John Ford, of Pittston), Thomas, William and Michael. Our subject received a common-school education, and at an early age began working about the mines, which he followed sixteen years. He was then in the bottling business for a short time, and, in 1883, in his present business, building his present place in 1886. Mr. Burke was married, September 30, 1885, to Miss Mary A., daughter of Patrick and Catherine (Cuff) Noon, natives of County Mayo, Ireland, and they had three children, two of whom are living, viz .: Michael and Catherine. Mr. Burke and family are members of the Catholic Church. He is a member of the A. O. H., a Democrat in politics, and has held the offices of tax collector, supervisor and treas- urer in Jenkins township.

THOMAS H. BURKE, miner, Port Blanchard, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, May 12, 1844, and is the youngest son of James and Mary (Hessian) Burke, natives of the same place. He was educated in the Roman Catholic schools of his native land, and assisted his father on the farm until 1865, when he came to this country, where he first resided in the State of Delaware, working, during his sojourn there, in a stone quarry. He then went to the city of New York, where he stayed for some time, working in a sugar refinery, and afterward was employed at the same business in Philadelphia until early in the year 1869, when he settled in Pittston, this county, where he was employed as a laborer in the mines, since which time be has been a miner in the employ of the Pennsylvania Coal Company. Our subject was united in marriage May 14, 1869, with Bridget, daughter of James and Mary (Burke) Maloy, natives of County Mayo, Ireland. She died April 4, 1887, leaving five children, whose names are as follows: Annie, born May 13, 1873; Thomas, born October 25, 1874; John, born September 28, 1879; Margaret, born March 8, 1882, and William, born March 19, 1884. Mr. Burke was married, the second time on April 16, 1888, to Kate, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Carey) McNamara, of Port Griffith, natives of County Mayo, Ireland. He is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, in politics a Democrat, and is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Emerald Beneficial Association.

WILLIAM BURKE, miner, Inkerman, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, June 29, 1843, and is a son of Daniel and Margaret (Sheenan) Burke, natives of the same place. He received his education in Ireland, and in 1860 came to America, locating in New York City. On the breaking out of the Rebellion, he joined Company B, Sixty-ninth Regiment, of New York, connected with the Irish brigade, and was in all the battles in which that valiant and famous corps took part. When the war was over, he returned to New York, and was employed as a longshoreman until early in 1867, when he came to Pittston, this county, and labored in the mines until 1880, since which time he has been employed by the Pennsylvania Coal Company as a miner. Mr. Burke was united in marriage, June 10, 1866, with Ann, daughter of Edward and Mary (McNulty) Brennan, natives of County Longford, Ireland, and their union has been blessed with children as follows: Ann, born May 28, 1867, married January 5, 1890, to John Mullen, carpenter, Miners Mills; William, born February 10, 1869; Ann, born August 10, 1871, and Mary, born May 4, 1873. Onr subject is a Roman Catholic, and a member of the A. O. H .; in politics he is a Democrat, and has held the position of constable for two terms.

AARON BURKET, farmer, Newport township, P. O. Glen Lyon, is a native of the county, born in Plymouth January 1, 1836. His parents, Aaron and Beckey (Harris) Burket, were both natives of New Jersey, the former of German, the latter of English descent; the father always followed the occupation of wood-chopper. He had a family of five children, as follows: William, Sarah Ann, Elizabeth, Susan and Aaron. Our subject was married in 1872 to Lydia Miller, a daughter of Peter and Phobe (Kleinup) Miller, natives of Germany and Salem township, this county, respectively, and they had twelve children, six of whom are living. Mrs. Lydia Burket died in 1890, and he has since married Margaret Hamilton, his present wife.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 100

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1532

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532