History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 144

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

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G. D. HUFFORD, farmer, P. O. Muhlenburg, was born June 28, 1822, in Monroe county, near Stroudsburg, where he was reared and educated. He is a son of John and Susan (De Haven) Hufford, the former born in Northampton county, the latter in Connecticut. John Hufford was a wealthy farmer, owning 100 acres of valuable land, and was practical in all his dealings, and honest to a fault; sober and industri- ous, keeping well abreast of the times in his agricultural pursuits. He was a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church, and was an exemplary Christian. He never left his native county, and died July 9, 1857, aged sixty-four years. His children num- hered twelve, five of whom were born at two births, and six of the twelve grew to maturity (two of whom are now living), George D. being the eleventh by birth. In early life our subject learned the blacksmith's trade at which he worked for twenty years. On June 15, 1861, he was mustered into the United States service as a private in Company F, Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves, and for good behavior and courage displayed in battle he was promoted to the rank of first sergeant. He served two and one-half years, and was honorably discharged on account of dis- abilities, having participated in all the battles of his command during his term of service. After his return home he lived a short time in Stroudsburg, and then removed to Wyoming county, where he took up farming, having abandoned his trade on account of failiog health. He lived on the first farm be rented, in, Wyo- ming county, three years; he then removed to another farm in the same county, whereon he resided sixteen years. From there he came to Luzerne county, settling in Hunlock township, on his present farm of 100 acres, on which he has made many necessary improvements. In 1842, Mr. Hufford married, at Stroudsburg, Miss Sophia, daughter of John and Elizabeth Shiffer, and to them were born thir-

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teen children, five of whom grew to maturity, and three are now living: Aaron, Anna and Allen D. Mrs. Sophia Shiffer Hufford was born in Northampton county, in 1823. Mr. Hufford is a genial, jolly gentleman, always ready to crack and take a joke. He is a member of the G. A. R. Politically he is a Republican, and has been elected to various offices in his township. He and his good wife are members of the M. E. Church, of which he is steward and trustee.

DAVID R. HUGHES, foreman at the Jeansville Boiler Shops, Jeansville, was born in Glamorganshire, South Wales, March 2, 1852, and is a son of William and Elle- nor (Richards) Hughes, also natives of Wales, who emigrated to America in 1852, settling at Combola, Schuylkill Co., Pa. He is the youngest in a family of four children, and was educated in Carbon and Luzerne counties. From 1862 until 1870 Mr. Hughes worked at mining, and at the last-mentioned date, learned the boiler maker's trade at the Jeansville Boiler Shops, where he has since been employed. In 1879 he was made general foreman of these shops, and has since acted in that capacity. Mr. Hughes was married October 16, 1871, to Miss Hannah M. Watkins, which union has been blessed with seven children, namely: William W. (deceased), John W., Elenor I., Harry G., Mary G., Stella M. and Richard V. Mr. Hughes is a strong adherent of the principles of Prohibition, and is a supporter of that party. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Sons of Temperance. He is one of Jeansville's most respected and honored citizens, and seeks in every instance to act justly by all who are sub- ordinate to him.

EDWARD A. HUGHES, letter carrier, Hazleton. This trustworthy young official was born in Hazleton January 4, 1869, and is a son of William M. and Barbara (Stahl) Hughes, both natives of Columbia county, Pa. He was reared and educated in Hazleton, and for a few years after the close of his school days was employed as timekeeper by his father who, at that time, was an extensive railroad contractor. In June, 1889, he was appointed mail carrier. In this position he has discharged all the duties appertaining to his office with the greatest of satisfaction to the public. In politics he is a Republican. Mr. Hughes attends the M. E. Church, and is a member of the Independent Order of Red Men, and Hazleton Commandery No. 17.

HENRY HUGHES, farmer, P. O. Hunlock Creek, was born in Wales, March, 1824, a son of Lewis and Jane Hughes, also natives of Wales. They were respectable farmers in their native country, and after Mrs. Hughes died in Wales, her husband emigrated to this country in 1855, accompanied by his son, Henry, and lived to be one hundred and three years, three months, three days and three hours old, dying in 1877. He reared a family of fourteen children, three of whom, John, Thomas and Henry L., are now living. The subject of this sketch is the thirteenth by birth, and was thirty-one years of age when he came to this country and county, having in early life learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked for fifty years. His first four years were spent in Pittston and in Wyoming, and in 1861 he removed to Plymouth township where he purchased 315 acres of land that now has the appear- ance of a model farm. Mr. Hughes is a general and practical farmer and a man of sound principles. Politically, a Republican, and has held several township offices with credit; in 1891 ran for county commissioner, but fell short of his opponent's number. In 1850, in Wales, Mr. Hughes married Miss Jane, daughter of William Jones, and by her had ten children, six of whom are now living: Henry H., Lewis, Jennie D., Marguerita, Sarah and Anna. Of these Henry H. married Miss Celestia Pease; Jennie D. married Elmer Cease; Marguerita married Samuel Lamoreux. Mr. Hughes is a member of the I. O. O. F., and a consistent member of the M. E. Church.

JAMES HUGHES, retired, Luzerne, was born November 19, 1815, in this county, and is a son of James and Hannah (Sweetland) Hughes, the former a native of Pennsyl- vania and the later of Connecticut origin. Our subject belongs to a family of Rev- olutionary fame, his great-grandfather having been a colonel, while his grandfather acted as aid in the memorable battle of Germantown. The Hughes family belong

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to early pioneers in the Valley, and have done much to promote the interests of Luzerne county. "The Captain " (as Mr. Hughes is familiarly called) was educated in Luzerne county, and in 1836 began trafficking on the canal, running a line of boats from Pittston to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. After the canal exten- sion was completed, he took his boats through the principal cities in the State of New York. The Captain ran over these various lines until 1866, and many an interesting narrative is related by him of his varied experience on the tow-path. After leaving the canal he was engaged in farming and looking after his many land interests in the Valley, but is now retired from active life. He was at one time one of the most extensive agriculturists in the county, keeping twenty horses and about sixty head of cattle on his farm. Capt. Hughes was married, April 2, 1848, to Mrs. Elizabeth Wharrom Houghton, daughter of John and Rebecca (Mazor) Wharrom, and widow of George Houghton, and a native of England, where she was married to her first husband, by whom she had children as follows: William, Josephine (who resides at Denver, Colo.), Cyrus and Sarah. To her last marriage the following named chil- dren were born: Ellen (deceased), Maria (now Mrs. Bishop), George and Caroline, the last named being still with her mother. In politics the Captain has always been a stanch Republican, and he is a communicant of the Presbyterian Church.

JAMES H. HUGHES, superintendent of the Keystone Colliery, Plains township, with residence in Wilkes-Barre, was born in Carbondale, Pa., January 22, 1860. He is a son of John and Lucretia (Smith) Hughes, natives of Aberdare, Wales, and of Welsh and English origin respectively. His father came to America as early as 1840, and after remaining at Scranton a few years removed to Carbondale, where he acted as foreman for the Delaware & Hudson Coal Company, for a period of thirty- six years, and at the time of his death was the oldest foreman in their employ. Our subject is the youngest of fourteen children, nine of whom are living; he was educated in the common school and in the State University of Colorado, where he took a special course in assaying and chemistry. When he had completed his education he was engaged by the Miners' Smelting & Reduction Company, at Boulder, Colo., as assistant assayer and chief sampler for two years, after which he acted as chief coal inspector for the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal Company, for' five years; in 1886 he entered the employ of the Keystone Coal Company as outside foreman, and one year later was promoted to the position which he now holds. The Keystone is a very large and important colliery, employing from 350 to 400 men, and having a capacity of 20,000 tons a month; the position of superintendent of such an establishment is one of great responsibility and trust, yet it is in no particular worthy a better man than its present incumbent. Mr. Hughes was married, April 5, 1884, to Emma K., daughter of J. D. and Patience (Jackson) Laird, of Wilkes- Barre; he and his wife are members of the Franklin Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Wilkes-Barre; he is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and in politics sympathizes with the Republican party.

WILLIAM H. HUGHES, fire-boss, Henry Shaft, Plains, was born in South Wales, in 1856, a son of David and Mary (Hughes) Hughes. In his father's family there were ten children, all living, of whom our subject is the eighth. He came to Amer- ica in 1879, and located at Plains, where he engaged in company work for four years, and has since held his present position. He built his present residence at Plains, and removed therein in 1888. Mr. Hughes was married April 7, 1881, to Mrs. Elizabeth A. (Parry) Rowlands, daughter of Thomas and Sarah A. (Millen) Parry, natives of South Wales, and widow of James Rowlands, of Plains, by whom she had had one child, Jane. This happy union has been blessed with four children, viz .: William J., Mary E., Edward and David. Mrs. Hughes is a member of the Methodist Calvinistic Church; he is a member of the A. O. K. of M. C., and polit- ically is a Republican.

WILLET E. HUGHES, physician and surgeon, Ashley, was born in Lime Ridge, Columbia Co., Pa., December 28, 1856, and is a son of William M. and Barbara (Stahl) Hughes, natives of Pennsylvania, and of early Welsh and German origin,

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

respectively. His father, who has a large livery stable at Hazleton, where he removed in 1865, reared a family of four children, viz. : Willet E .; M. Stella, widow of G. E. Hertz, by whom she had one child, William H., lives with her father; Jesse H., is practicing medicine at Mill Creek, Luzerne Co., Pa., and Edward is in the mail-carrier service at Hazleton, Pa. Our subject was educated in the public schools of Columbia county, Hazleton high school, Bloomsburg State Normal School, and graduated from the Jefferson Medical College in 1878. He then immediately began the practice of medicine in Conyngham Valley, where he remained but a few months, and then removed to Laceyville, where he remained seven years. In 1886 he came to Ashley, where, by his manly and genial nature and a superior knowledge of his profession, he has surrounded himself with a large circle of friends and patrons. Dr. Hughes was married August 3, 1881, to Anna L., daughter of John and Julia (Vantuyl) Gay, natives, respectively, of Pennsylva- nia and New York, and of English and Holland origin. Mrs. Hughes is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church. She is quite a genius, and has traveled from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The Doctor is a member of the F. & A. M., and a Repub- lican in his political views.

W. R. HUGHES, Pittston, was born in Pottsville, December 8, 1847, son of H. R. and Elizabeth (Hague) Hughes. His father was a native of Holyhead, Wales, and at the age of nineteen came to America and located in Pottsville, where he was engaged in the tailoring business until 1852. He then removed to Carbondale (then in Luzerne county), where he also carried on the merchant-tailoring business for a time, after which he came to Pittston, where he embarked in the wholesale liquor business, and later engaged in running a brewery, in a short time becoming one of the most extensive business men in the county. He was largely interested in real estate and various industries. He died June 14, 1888. His wife now resides in West Pittston. She is a native of Yorkshire, England. Our subject was reared in Pittston and educated at Wyoming Seminary and Bucknell University, and at about the age of eighteen took charge of his father's books and acted as his general assist- ant in business, continuing with him until his death. Mr. Hughes was married July 4, 1872, to Miss Nellie C. Allen, a very accomplished young lady of Tuck- erton, Burlington Co., N. J. They have no living children. He is a bookkeeper by profession, and it may be said of him that he has no superiors in this branch of business.

EDWARD B. HULL, a well-known resident of Shickshinny, was born in Salem township, Luzerne Co., Pa., June 4, 1831, a son of Aaron and Elizabeth J. (McPherson) Hull, and comes of Scotch-Irish stock. His parents, who were for- merly of New Jersey, settled in Salem township in 1829; the father was a mill- wright by trade, and died in Berwick, Pa. Their children were William (deceased), who was a soldier in the Civil war; Edward B .; Mary (Mrs. J. D. Thompson), and Catherine (Mrs. J. H. Mears). Our subject was reared in Pennsylvania, educated in the common schools, and began life as a clerk in a general store. He has been a resident of Shickshinny since 1875, and was clerk in the Salem Coal Company's store thirteen years. In 1858 he married Mary J., daughter of John and Elizabeth (Adams) Hutton, of Briar Creek, Columbia Co., Pa., and has five children: Seth, Cora (Mrs. J. E. Franklin), John, Mary and Anna. Mr. Hull is a member of the M. E. Church. In politics he is a Republican, and is now serving his fifth term as tax-collector of Shickshinny.

EVAN T. HUMPHREYS, miner, Plymouth, was born October 14, 1852, and is the eldest in the family of seven children of John and Jane (Busse) Humphreys, natives of Glamorganshire, South Wales. Our subject was educated in his native land, and early in life began mining, which he followed in Wales until 1883, when he came to America, locating at Plymouth, Pa., and engaged at his old business at the Nottingham Colliery, where he worked for seven years. From there he went to the Washington Colliery, where he has since been engaged. Mr. Humphreys was united in marriage, November 6, 1873, with Sarah, daughter of John T. and Patience

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(Phillips) Morris, natives of Monmouthshire, Wales, and five children have blessed this union, namely: John T., Thomas T., Evan T., Sarah Jane and Mary. The family attend the Welsh Baptist Church. Mr. Humphreys is a Republican, and is a member of the A. P. A.

ANDREW HUNLOCK, a prominent and influential citizen of Wilkes-Barre, is a great- grandson of Jonathan Hunlock, Sr., who came from New England to Pennsylvania, and located in a part of what was then Union (now Hunlock) township, Luzerne county, becoming the first settler of that township. This was in the year 1773. Jonathan Hunlock, Jr., and Jameson Hunlock, grandfather and father, respectively, of our subject, were born in the same township, and naturally, the family acquired large possessions there. Mrs. Jameson Hunlock, Andrew Hunlock's mother, was Maria Royal, daughter of the late George Royal, of Germantown, Pa., of which locality the Royal family (which is of English descent) were well-known residents through several generations. Andrew Hunlock was born iu Kingston, this county (to which place his father had some time previously removed), May 1, 1839. He was educated at the Wyoming Seminary, Kingston, read law with the late Lyman Hakes, Esq., and was admitted to the bar November 10, 1868. He does not prac- tice, however, his time being wholly taken up with the management of his large and varied business interests. For a number of years he was president of the Anthracite Savings Bank, of Wilkes-Barre; he is one of the owners of the Music Hall, in that city; is interested in coal, timber and other lands, and is connected with many other important business enterprises. In politics he is a Republican. He has been a trustee of the Memorial Presbyterian Church since its organization. Mr. Hunlock is unmarried.

GEORGE R. HUNLOCK, retired farmer, Wyoming borough, was born in Kingston, Pa., October 2, 1841, and is a son of Jameson and Maria (Royal) Hunlock, natives of Pennsylvania and of German and English origin, respectively. The father, who was a tailor by trade, died at his home in Kingston, May 6, 1887. His family con- sisted of seven children, six of whom are now living, and of whom George R. is second in order of birth. Our subject was educated in the common schools and the Wyoming Seminary, and at the age of sixteen began teaching school, a vocation he applied himself to several terms. On August 6, 1862, he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Forty-third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, under Capt. Asher Gaylord. His regiment was in the following battles: Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Weldon Railroad, Hatcher's Run, Cold Harbor, and other minor engagements, under Col. E. L. Dana and Gen. Roy Stone. Mr. Hunlock was wounded in the knee at Gettysburg, and was discharged July 2, 1863, as a brave and efficient soldier. He then went to Philadelphia, and worked nine years as a salesman for Wanamaker & Brown; thence proceeded to Wyoming where he lived four years; at the end of which time he went into the livery business at Wilkes- Barre, continuing thereat eight years, and then moved to Huntington township and carried on farming. Retiring from that occupation, he moved to Wyoming, March 30, 1892. On July 9, 1868, he was married to Sarah J., daughter of Robert S. and Jeanette (Wilkinson) Gettys, natives of Allegheny county, Pa., of German and Scotch origin, respectively. Mrs. Hunlock is next to the youngest in a family of eight children, and was born August 23, 1843; she is a member of the Methodist Church, Mr. Hunlock is a Republican, and was school director of Huntington township for three years.

JOHN G. HUNLOCK, collector, Wilkes-Barre, with residence at Wyoming, was born at Kingston, Luzerne Co., Pa., November 25, 1846, a son of Jameson and Maria (Royal) Hunlock, natives of Pennsylvania and of English origin. He is a grandson of Jonathan Hunlock, who was one of the early settlers of Luzerne county and who left two children, Samuel and Jameson, the father of our subject; the last named reared a family of seven children, six of whom are now living. Our subject was the fifth in order of birth, was educated in the common schools of Luzerne county, and at the age of fourteen began railroading as brakeman on the Lackawanna &

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Bloomsburg Railroad for six months; he was then made conductor and followed the same for eleven years on several roads. He then opened a store in Wyoming, where he remained three years, then went to Carverton and ran a general store for three years, then returned to Wyoming as a merchant for six years; in 1884 he embarked in his present business. Mr. Hunlock is patentee of the Hunlock Rail Joint, now on trial on the Delaware & Hudson Railroad. He was married June 22, 1886, to Alice M., daughter of Charles L. and Sarah Ann (Ganaware) Reichard, natives of Easton, Pa .; her father was a tailor by occupation, who came to Wyoming in 1849, and died May 20, 1888, aged seventy-five. Mr. and Mrs. Hunlock attend the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Hunlock is a Republican, and is now serving as school director of the borough.

M. H. HUNSICKER, proprietor of the "Central Hotel," Freeland. We note with pleasure the name of this gentleman, who is one of the leading hotel men of the county. He was born in Lehighton, Carbon Co., Pa., November 12, 1859, and is a son of Renben and Lucy Ann (Bower) Hunsicker, the former a native of Heidle- berg, Lehigh county, and the latter a native of Lehighton. The paternal great- great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch settled in Heidleberg township, Lehigh county, at a very early date, being among the pioneer settlers of that section. His name was Daniel Hunsicker, and he emigrated from Germany. M. H. Hun- sicker is the eighth in a family of twelve children-seven boys and five girls-all living and enjoying good health. He was educated in the public schools of Lehigh- ton, and while a young man worked with his father and learned the butchering trade. He remained in his father's employ until he reached the age of twenty-four years, when he engaged in the business for himself at Lehighton, where he remained eight years. He then came to Freeland and embarked in the same line of business, which he followed only a few months, when he disposed of the establishment, and on March 15, 1892, he took charge of the "Central Hotel." This is the oldest hostelry in Freeland, and is a first-class hotel in every respect. Mr. Hunsicker's qualifications as a landlord are such as to render his house exceedingly popular with travelers, in every department the management being of the highest order. In addition to his hotel interests he is well known as a prominent dealer in horses, especially "trotters," which latter he keeps and has driven in races. He was married September 16, 1883, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Adam Graver, of Franklin township, Carbon Co., Pa., and there have been born to them three children, viz .: George Oliver and Pansy May (both deceased) and Raymond Graver (living.) Mr. Hunsicker is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, the Royal Arcanum and the Junior Order American Mechanics.

MILTON J. HUNSINGER, breaker-boss, Tomhicken Colliery, P. O. Sugar Loaf, was born in Sugar Loaf township, November 22, 1863, a son of Philip and Catherine (Ernst) Hunsinger. The paternal grandfather, Solomon Hunsinger, of German parentage, was among the pioneers of Sugar Loaf township, where he cleared and improved a farm, and passed the remainder of his days, His children, who grew to maturity, were Philip and Jonas. Philip has spent nearly all his life in Sugar Loaf township, engaged in farming and hotel keeping; his children were Christian, Louisa (Mrs. George Hunter), Reuben, William, Amanda (Mrs. Aaron Fink), Milton J. and Henry. Our subject was reared in Sugar Loaf township, where he has always resided, and was educated in public schools. He has been employed about the Tomhicken Colliery eleven years, and has held his present position of breaker-boss since 1888. On December 25, 1891, he married Mary, daughter of William L. and Elizabeth (John) Williams, of Sugar Loaf township. Mr. Hunsinger is a member of the Reformed Church, and of the P. O. S. of A. In politics he is a Democrat.

P. R. HUNTER, real estate agent, Larksville, was born in the borough of Luzerne (then called Mill Hollow), August 13, 1826, a son of Hiram and Mary (Reese) Hun- ter, also natives of this county, both born in 1803, the former in Jackson township, the latter in Hemlock township. Hiram Hunter was a son of Philip Hunter, who was born in Wilkes-Barre February 22, 1732, the same day on which the immortal Washington was born. He was the son of a German who emigrated to this country

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in its very early history, and who served faithfully in the Revolutionary struggle with England. Philip was a man of reserved nature and retiring disposition, a great fisher and hunter. He was a shrewd man, well acquainted with the characteristics of the Indian. On one occasion he agreed to go hunting with a certain Indian, and to meet at a well-known tree at an appointed time. After they separated, Philip Hunter suspected at once that the intention of the other was to kill him; and here was where his nerve, courage and foresight came into play, which no doubt saved his life. In order to frustrate the evil designs of the Indian, Hunter managed to reach the tree first, and from behind it he watched for his approach. When at last he saw him coming, he held his hat out a little way from behind the tree, where- upon the Indian, being deceived by the ruse, fired his rifle, the ball going through the hat only, and then gave a tremendous whoop, thinking he had killed his victim. Mr. Redskin was rather staggered, however, when he saw Mr. Hunter step from behind the tree unhurt, and with his rifle to his shoulder; so making a virtue of necessity, with true Indian bravado, he opened his breast jacket, and next moment fell dead, for a bullet from Philip Hunter's trusty rifle passed clean through his body. Grandfather Hunter died in Hemlock township in 1841 at the patriarchal age of one hundred and nine years. He was three times married, and reared a large family. His son Hiram began life in the Valley as a weaver, an occupation he fol- lowed for a number of years, but, on account of declining health, abandoned it and took up farming. His life was an uneventful one, and he died in 1871 at the age of sixty-nine years. He reared a family of six children, two of whom are yet living, viz. : P. R. and Martha E. P. R. Hunter was reared and educated in the place of his birth, and in early life learned the painter's trade, which he followed for forty years in Luzerne county. This, on account of blood-poisoning, he retired from for the confectionery and notion store, which he still carries on. In 1882 he embarked in the real estate business which he follows in conjunction with his store. Mr. Hunter is yet unmarried, and is a man of some importance. He has held the office of justice of the peace, one term, and also postmaster for some time. Politically he is a Democrat.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 144

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