History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 124

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

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JOSHUA FALKENBRIDGE, carpenter in the repair shop of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, at Ashley, was born in Derbyshire, England, March 1, 1839, and is a son of William and Anna (Thorpe) Falkenbridge, the former of whom, who was a knitter by trade, emigrated to America and died in Utah. The family consisted of six children, three of whom are living, and of them Joshua is the youngest. Our subject worked about the mines in his native country, his education having been obtained by private study, and came to America in 1866. After passing a few months with his brother in New Jersey, he went to Scranton and worked for six months on the bridge then being built at that place across the river; then was successively engaged in mining as follows: at Port Bowkley, six months; Kingston, six months; Nanticoke, one year, and then removed to Ashley where he worked in the mines until 1886, when he accepted his present position. Mr. Falkenbridge was married July 31, 1865, to Miss Benedicta, daughter of William and Benedicta (Dronfield) Bradley, in whose family there were nine children, six of whom are living, and she was the sixth. Mr. and Mrs. Falkenbridge are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; he is a member of the Sons of St. George. He built his present residence in 1883.

REV. M. J. FALLIHEE, pastor of the St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church, Hazle township. This gentleman is a native of Susquehanna county, Pa., born near Friendsville, August 15, 1844. He was reared on a farm, and in his early boyhood days attended the common schools of his native county. He then entered St. Joseph's College, at Choconut, Pa. ; later went to St. Joseph's University, at Ottawa, Canada, where he spent one year. He then attended Niagara University, at Niagara, N. Y., and afterward entered upon the study of philosophy and theology, at St. Charles' Seminary, Philadelphia, where he was graduated in the class of 1869. On September 17, 1869, he was ordained at Scranton by Bishop O' Hara.

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He was then stationed at the cathedral at that town for a short time, when he was transferred to Eckley, at which place he was an assistant, but did not long remain as such, for shortly afterward he was made pastor of that parish, which at that time included White Haven, Drifton, Jeddo and Freeland. Father Fallihee has been an unceasing worker and a thorough organizer in his church. Previous to 1871, he said Mass in Upper Lehigh and Freeland, at the latter place in a schoolhouse. In 1870, Hon. Eckley B. Coxe donated to the congregation of these last,named places six acres of land to be used for a church, cemetery, convent and parsonage, and in 1885 he made an additional donation of six acres. In 1871 St. Ann's Church was built under the supervision of Father Fallihee. In 1881 he had completed his residence at Drifton, and removed from Eckley. In 1884, the convent was built, and here the parish school has been in progress since 1886. In 1890 the congregation numbered 2,000 above the age of nine, and the Church pro- perty, including convent, school and residence, was valued at $30,000. In his congregation Father Fallihee has organized many religious and temperance societies, which have had far reaching beneficial results.

ALEXANDER FARNHAM has a New England ancestry on both his father's and mother's side. The Farnhams were with the earliest of the Puritan comers to the New World. Alexander Farnham's great-grandfather was a captain, on the Ameri- can side, in the Revoluionary war, and died from the effects of hardships suffered while confined in one of the British prison-ships located in New York harbor, and largely used by the enemy for the safe keeping of their captives during that great struggle. Alexander's grandfather was Samuel Farnham, a native of New London, Conn., who removed to Oxford, N. Y., being the first merchant in that place of whom there is any record, and who organized the first artillery company in that town. Alexander's father, John P. Farnham, was born in Oxford, was educated for the practice of medicine, and shortly after graduating moved to Carbondale, then in Luzerne, now in Lackawanna county, Pa., where for a time he pursued that profes- sion; but finding that his health was not equal to its requirement, he turned his attention successfully to mercantile business. His wife (the mother of Alexander) was Mary Frances Steere, daughter of Mark Steere, of Providence, R. I. (later of Nor- wich, N. Y.), who was a shipping merchant in the early part of the present century, and largely concerned in the West Indies trade. He was captured by the British during the war of 1812, in one of his own ships, called the "Comet," and impris- oned on the island of Jamaica for many months, his release being finally effected by a decision that the ship, when taken, was in neutral waters, and therefore not subject to rightful capture. Alexander Farnham was born in Carbondale January 12, 1834, and his general education was acquired at Madison Academy, Waverly, Pa., and at Wyoming Seminary. He was prepared for the practice of the law at the National Law School at Ballston Spa, N. Y., and in the office of Fuller & Harding, in Wilkes- Barre. He was just twenty-one years and one day old, when, on January 13, 1855, he was formally admitted to practice in the Luzerne courts. Mr. Farnham is a Republican in politice, and was district attorney of Luzerne county, through the favor of that party, from 1874 to 1877. He filled the position with ability, and to the satisfaction of the people of the county. Several times he has been prominently spoken of for judicial honors, and when the new county of Lackawanna was formed out of Luzerne, was solicited by a large number of the leading Republicans to become their candidate for the president judgeship, but declined. It is not doubted that, had he been at all anxious, he might long ago have occupied a seat upon the bench, or have represented his district in Congress. He was one of the most active of the Blaine adherents in the Republican National Convention at Chicago in 1880. He has served as a director of the public schools of Wilkes-Barre (in the old Third District), and in the city council, occupying in the latter body the position of chair- man of the committee on law and ordinances. He was also delegate to the Repub- lican National Convention at Minneapolis in 1892. He is now president of the bar association of Luzerne county, having been elected in the fall of 1892 to succeed

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Hon. A. T. McClintock (deceased), who was its first and only president from the time of its incorporation in 1867. July 18, 1865, he married Augusta, daughter of the late Rev. John Dorrance, who was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, of Wilkes-Barre, from August, 1833, until he died in 1861; his degree was conferred by Princeton College. Rev. John Dorrance's grandfather was Rev. Samuel Dor- rance, a graduate of the University of Glasgow, Scotland, who emigrated to America in 1722, and preached at Voluntown, Conn., until he died, fifty-three years later. Mr. and Mrs. Farnham have three children-two sons and one daughter.

JAMES FARRELL, retired miner, Plains, was born in County Longford, Ireland, and is a son of James and Rose (Fox) Farrell. The father was thrice married, and had in all twenty-one children; the last family consisting of six children, of whom James is the second. Our subject came to America in the spring of 1846, and after remaining in Brooklyn two months, engaged in mining at Wilkes-Barre, where he remained four years; he was then employed in mining in Schuylkill county, two years; in North Carolina, one year, and then returned to Wilkes-Barre, in which vicinity he has since remained, and was engaged in mining until he retired from active life. Mr. Farrell was married, July 10, 1854, to Miss Catharine, daughter of John and Ellen (Lines) Farrell, natives of County Longford, Ireland, and this happy union has been blessed with eleven children, viz. : Ellen, born May 24, 1855, married to Edward Milot, of Scranton; James J., born October 10, 1856, was educated in the common schools at Plains, Niagara University, and the Montreal Theological Semi- nary (he was ordained in December, 1886, and after acting as curate at Freeland, Pa., for a short time, he was appointed pastor of the Catholic Church at Friends- ville, Pa., where he is now located; he has had the degree of D. D. conferred upon him); Mary E., born January 8, 1859, married to J. J. Wisley; John C., born Octo- ber 7, 1861, traveling salesman for Wallace Elliott, of New York, and A. B. Noys, of Georgetown, Mass., with sample rooms in the Welles Building, Wilkes-Barre; Garrett T., born August 10, 1863, engaged in the hardware business, Plains; Frank A., born June 19, 1865, for several years was in charge of the drug-store of O. B. MacKnight, Plains, and is now a student at Jefferson Medical College; Thomas, born February 20, 1867, died August 17, 1868; Catharine, born November 21, 1868; William L., born August 22, 1870, is engaged with John C., they together having charge of the State of Pennsylvania; Lawrence deceased in infancy; and Margaret A., born May 21, 1876. Mr. Farrell and family are members of the Catholic Church, and Democratic in their political views.

JAMES FARRELL, miner in the Delaware Shaft, Plains, was born in County Long- ford, Ireland, in 1842, and is a son of James and Bridget (Keenan) Farrell, the former of whom was a farmer. They reared a family of seven children, viz. : Catherine, who died in New Orleans at the age of twenty-five years; Thomas, a farmer in Ireland; Christopher, a miner in Plains; James, the subject of this sketch; Patrick, a farmer in Ireland; and John and Martin, stock-raisers about 200 miles from Buenos Ayres, South America. Our subject came to America in 1866, and locating in Plains, Pa., where he railroaded two years, labored in the mines nine years, and has been mining since 1876. During the years 1873-5 he traveled through the west as far as Omaha. Mr. Farrell was married, September 20, 1874, to Miss Mary, daughter of Jeremiah and Mary (Davin) Dailey, natives of Ireland, and they have eight children, seven of whom are living, viz. : Catherine, Mary A., Matthew, James, Ann, Agnes and John W. Mr. Farrell and family are members of the Catholic Church; he is a member of the Father Mathew Society, and in politics he is a Democrat. His uncle, Thomas Farrell, was a soldier in the Mexican war. Mr. Farrell purchased his present residence and removed therein in 1875.

WILLIAM H. FAULDS, physician, Luzerne, was born in Minersville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., January 20, 1845, and is a son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Wagner) Faulds, the former of whom was of Scotch descent, the latter of German. Our subject was educated and reared in Columbia county, Pa., and at the age of eighteen years began the study of medicine under the tutorship of Dr. Thompson, of Danville, Pa. He

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soon afterward entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in the class of '76, and not long thereafter located at Luzerne, where he has since enjoyed a large practice. In the medical fraternity he invokes much respect. He was the presiding officer of the Luzerne County Medical Society, for the year 1891, and is a member of the American Medical Society. Dr. Faulds has been twice married, first in 1869, to Miss Mary, daughter of Richard Thompson, and by her he had one child, Bertha, who is a graduate of Wyoming Seminary, class of '90, and who at present resides with her father. Mrs. Mary (Thompson) Faulds died in 1872, and the Doctor's second wife is Mary Ella, daughter of James and Christiana (Yorks) Curry, natives of Pennsylvania. One child, Agnes L., born October 2, 1883, is the fruit of this union. The Doctor in church connection is a Presbyterian; socially he is a member of the F. & A. M. and of the P. O. S. of A .; in politics he votes the Republican ticket.

REUBEN FAUX, carpenter and foreman, Knelly's Planing-mill, Conyngham, was born in Hollenback township, this county, March 31, 1842, a son of Michael and Mary (Eroh) Faux. His father, who was a native of Prussia, came to America in 1830, first locating in North Carolina, later he removed to Quakake, Schuylkill Co., Pa., after which he resided in Jeansville, this county, nine years, and has been a perma- nent resident of Hollenback township since 1855, where he has been engaged in farming, though by trade a carpenter. His wife was a daughter of Mathias and Mary (Boyer) Eroh, pioneers of Hollenback township, and by her he had seven chil- dren who grew to maturity: Catherine (Mrs. Samuel Swoortwood), Reuben, John, Richard, William, Frank and Michael. Our subject was reared in Luzerne county, and served an apprenticeship of two years at the carpenter's trade, which he has fol- lowed since 1869. Has been a resident of Conyngham since 1877, and held his present position since 1880. He was a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting August, 1862, in Company F, One hundred and Forty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and participated in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, as well as all the engage- ments of Sherman's army when on the march to the sea, and was at Johnston's sur- render. Mr. Faux was honorably discharged June 5, 1865. In that year he married Susan A., daughter of Daniel and Lydia (Flickinger) Spaide, of Sugar Loaf township, and he has seven children: Horace U., Cora, Ezra W., Mary E., Bessie, Levi C. and Elwood R. Our subject's second wife was Mrs. Lydia (Ulrich) Voglie, of Conyng- ham. Mr. Faux is a member of the M. E. Church, and of the G. A. R. ; in politics he is a Republican.

GEORGE FEAR, Eckley. This gentleman, who is foreman of the machine depart- ment for Coxe Bros. & Co. at Eckley and Stockton, is a native of Germany, and was born April 2, 1854. His parents came to America, locating at Hazleton before he was two years old; the father died in 1886; the mother now resides at Wenton. At the age of seven our subject commenced picking slate at Stockton, and later worked inside. At sixteen he learned cabinet making; then served his time at pattern making, and later worked at the trade of machinist. His first machine work was for J. Leisenring & Co., at Eckley, and after remaining there a short time he went to Black Ridge, where he took charge of the work for eighteen months; then, in 1886, accepted his present position. Mr. Fear was married November 24, 1883, to Miss Emma Shelhammer, of Rock Island, Ill., and they have four children, viz. : Thomas, Frank, Eva and Carrie. Mr. Fear is a member of the F. & A. M., the American Legion of Honor, and in politics is a Republican.

M. FEATHERSTON, mine contractor, was born in County Kildare, Ireland, July 4, 1858, a son of James and Kate Featherston, natives of Ireland. They came to America in 1869, settling in Wilkes-Barre, where the 'father engaged in the market business until 1885. The family consisted of the following children: Arthur, Thomas, Eliza (Mrs. Hugh Nolan), Joseph, James (deceased), Mary (deceased), John (deceased), Michael, Anna (Mrs. C. Nolan) and Arthur. Our subject was reared in Ireland and England, and was eleven years of age when he came to Wilkes-Barre with his parents. He received a limited education in the common schools, began life

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in 1869, in the mines as a breaker-boy and later worked as driver-car runner, loader and miner. He has since followed mining and contracting on a small scale, and since 1882 has been in control of gang work. In 1882, Mr. Featherston married Miss Anna, daughter of Con and Annora (Hughes) McMunnigel, of Wilkes-Barre, and has two children, Kate and Anna. He is a member of the Catholic Church, also of the A. O. of H., Board of America. In politics he is a Democrat.

WILLIAM A. FEIST, White Haven, editor and proprietor of the White Haven Journal, was born October 24, 1857, a son of Albert and Delilah J. (Taylor) Feist, natives of Germany and Pennsylvania, of German and English origin, respectively. Our subject, who is the eldest in a family of three children, was educated in the common schools of White Haven, and at the age of fifteen became a clerk in the general store of Kleckner & Schuler, where he was regularly employed for nearly three years. He subsequently entered the postoffice as clerk, where he remained three years, and in the fall of 1879 he purchased the plant of the White Haven Standard, and, changing the name to Journal, has since issued his paper once a week. It is a seven-column folio paper, bright and newsy, published every Saturday morning, and enjoys a large circulation. Mr. Feist does a large show-printing business, doing work for four circuses, and a dozen or more theatrical troupes. He is a member of the F. & A. M. and Royal Arcanum, and in politics is a Republican.

MICHAEL J. FELDMANN, of Feldmann & Mcveigh, butchers, Wilkes-Barre, was born in Minersville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., January 1, 1868, a son of Louis and Ann (Bambrick) Feldmann, and of German and Irish descent. He was reared in Carbon county, Pa., educated in the common schools, and began life as a breaker- boy in the mines. Later, as inside driver, he spent six years in Brooklyn, N. Y., where he learned the butcher's trade, and in September, 1890, located in Wilkes- Barre, where he has followed his business one year. In December, 1891, he embarked in business for himself as senior member of the firm of Feldmann & Mc Veigh, having one of the best-equipped butcher shops in the city. Mr. Feld- mann is a member of the Catholic Church. In politics he is a Democrat.

DANIEL ACKLEY FELL, attorney at law, Wilkes-Barre, was born in that city Novem- ber 23, 1858, a son of Daniel A. and Elizabeth (Gray) Fell. His first paternal ancestor in America was Joseph Fell (a son of John and Margaret Fell), who was born October 19, 1768, at Longlands, county of Cumberland, England, and came to America in 1705, settling in Bucks county, Pa. The paternal grandparents of sub- ject were Jacob and Mary (Ackley) Fell, the former of whom was a son of Amos and Elizabeth (Jackson) Fell, all among the pioneers of Luzerne county. Amos was a son of Thomas and Hane (Kirk) Fell, and Thomas was a son of Joseph Fell above mentioned. Daniel Ackley Fell, father of our subject, was born at Pittston, Pa., May 29, 1817, and is an architect, contractor and builder. He has superin- tended the erection of many of the principal buildings of Wilkes-Barre, among them being the present courthouse and the "Wyoming Valley Hotel," and for several years he was master builder for the Lehigh & Susquehanna division of the Phila- delphia & Reading Railroad, having succeeded to that position from: first, the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company; second the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad Company, then the Lehigh & Susquehanna division of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. His wife was a native of Wilkes-Barre, and a daughter of Alexander Gray, born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1804, whose wife was Jane Russell, a native of Huntly, Aber- deenshire, Scotland. In 1832 his maternal grandfather settled in Wilkes-Barre, and superintended the works of the Baltimore Coal Company, holding this position until 1862, when he operated the Hollenback Mines; he later began mining operations in Schuylkill county, Pa., and subsequently removed to Princeton, N. J., where he died. D. A. Fell, Sr., is the father of two children living, Daniel A., Jr., and Alexander, a prominent physician of Wilkes-Barre. The subject of this sketch was reared in Wilkes-Barre, educated in the public schools of his native city, at Wyo- ming Seminary (Kingston), at Lawrenceville (New Jersey) High School, from which he graduated in 1878; at the Wilkes-Barre Academy, and at Princeton College,

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

where he was graduated in 1883. He read law with E. G. Butler, Esq., and was admitted to the Luzerne county bar July 27, 1885, and immediately began the prac- tice of the profession in Wilkes-Barre, where he still resides, and is now serving his first term as councilman of the city. Mr. Fell married, October 18, 1888, Frances L., daughter of Arnold and Adelia A. (Stevens) Bertels, of Wilkes-Barre, and has one son living, named Harold.

HARVEY EDGAR FELL, engraver, Wilkes-Barre, was born in that city March 16, 1862, and is a son of Henry Nicholas and Elizabeth (Beissel) Fell. His paternal grandfather, Jacob Nicholas Fell, formerly of Easton, Pa., was at one time a resident of Luzerne county. He was supposed to be a descendant of Joseph Fell, formerly of England, who settled in Bucks county, Pa., in 1705. The father of the subject of this sketch is a native of Northampton county, Pa. ; he is a wheelwright by trade, and has spent most of his life in Wilkes-Barre. His wife was a native of the Conyngham Valley, and by her he has had eight children: Alice (Mrs. Fred B. Fregans), Clara, Harvey E., Milton (deceased), Charles, Mary, and John and Jose- phine (twins). Our subject was reared in his native city, educated in public schools, and served an apprenticeship of three years at the engraving trade with T. C. Parker, Esq., of Wilkes-Barre, with whom he afterward worked seven years as a journeyman. In 1890 he embarked in business for himself, in which he has since continued. He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Wilkes-Barre, and in politics is independent.

CHARLES M. FELTER, manager of Miner & Co.'s Flour and Feedmill, Plymouth, was born at Exeter, Luzerne Co., Pa .. January 11, 1859, and is a son of Daniel and Nancy (Dichinson) Felter, natives of Pennsylvania. There were eight children in the Felter family, the subject of this sketch being the fifth in order of birth. He was educated in the public schools of Luzerne county, and at an early age began work in and about the mines. He then took a position as fireman, in which he con- tinned until a position was offered him by Miner & Co., as shipping clerk. This position he filled for four years, at the end of which time he came to Plymouth and took charge of the large feed and flourmill, which is now under his management. Mr. Felter was married December 2, 1879, to Martha J., daughter of Edwin K. and Eliza M. (Philo) Townsend, natives of Pennsylvania. Five children have blessed this union, viz .: Lela B., Edith and Emma (twins), Willard E. and Anna M. Mr. Felter was elected assessor of Plains township for two terms in succession, on the Republican ticket; he and his family are members of the Methodist Church.

JAMES K. P. FENNER, insurance and real estate agent, Ashley, was born in Shaw- nee, Monroe Co., Pa., July 20, 1844, son of Abraham and Catherine (Smoke) Fen- ner, natives of Pennsylvania, and of early German origin. His father, who was a stonemason by trade, and later a farmer, reared a family of fifteen children, three of whom died in infancy. The others were: Mary A. (Mrs. Josiah Coleman, of Howell, Mich.); Hiram, a retired tailor in Bucyrus, Ohio; George W., carpenter and contractor, also in Bucyrus (he was a veteran of the Mexican war); Benjamin P., contractor, in Elmira, N. Y .; Susan (deceased wife of James H. Price, of Hen- ryville, Pa.); David (deceased), a physician; Amanda (Mrs. Philip W. Cyphers, Wilkes-Barre); Sarah (Mrs. John B. Wallace, Ashley); William, who was the prede- cessor of his brother as justice of the peace, and who was for twelve years deputy prothonotary and clerk of the courts of Luzerne county (he died in Ashley at the age of fifty-three years); Catherine (Mrs. Eldwood Gardner, Ashley); James K. P., and John W., a commission merchant in Wilkes-Barre, with residence in Ashley. Our subject received a common-school education, and afterward taught school in Monroe county for two years. In 1863 he came to Wilkes-Barre, where he clerked in a drug-store for three years, and thence coming to Ashley, and engaging in a general mercantile business for seventeen years, after which he embarked in his present business. In 1882 he built the portion of Fenner's Block, known as the "hotel block," and the rest, adjoining and including his residence, in 1885. Mr. Fenner was married September 7, 1870, to Miss Caroline P., daughter of J. Turvey

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and Marilla (Pettibone) Fellows, of Scranton, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Eng- lish origin. The issue of this union was five children, viz .: James, Carrie May, George L., Samuel R., and Charles A., who died at the age of five months. Our subject and his family worship at the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a mem- ber of the F. & A. M. and the K. of H., and a Democrat in his political views. On February 27, 1890, Governor Pattison appointed him justice of the peace to succeed his brother, William, to which office he was dnly elected in 1891; he has also held the commission of notary public, about twenty years; in 1891 he was elected bur- gess of Ashley, being re-elected in 1892. He has also been a member of the school board and council, and served as postmaster from 1885 to 1889.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 124

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