History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 164

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

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was married, September 10, 1879, to Eleanor J., daughter of William and Ellen (McCarthy) Heckels, the former a native of England, the latter of Ireland. Three children have been born to this union: Richard G., born May 10, 1885; William, born July 24, 1887, and Alexander, born April 28, 1889, died November 10, 1889. Mrs. Lynch died May 1, 1889. In his political preferences Mr. Lynch is a Demo- crat, and in religious faith he belongs to the Roman Catholic Church.

MRS. SARAH A. LYNCH, widow of James Lynch, late farmer, was born in Pittston township, a daughter of William and Sarah A. Collins, both of whom were born in Northampton county. They removed to this county in 1823, locating in Pittston township, where their daughter, Mrs. Sarah A. Lynch, now resides. They purchased 444 acres of land, 100 of which had been improved during his lifetime, and under his supervision. There have been other marked and visible improvements. His family consisted of eleven children, all of whom grew to maturity. The father died in 1857, at the age of sixty-three years, the mother in 1880, aged seventy-three years. Our subject was reared and educated in Pittston township, where she has always resided, and at the age of twenty-one was married to James Lynch, a native of New Jersey. There were two children born to them: Sarah E. (deceased) and James I. Mr. Lynch worked in various points through the Valley, and was employed by the Gravity Railroad Company for twelve years. In 1862 he entered the United States service, as a member of Company C, One Hundred and Forty-third P. V. I., for the term of three years He died of disease contracted while in the service. He was a member of the I. O. O. F., and a man of ability and influence in his town. His widow still carries on the farm with the assistance of her son, James I., a promising young man. They are general farmers, and still retain the original 444 acres.

JAMES A. LYNN, carpenter, Kingston, was born in Plymouth, January 6, 1843, and is a son of Joze and Jane (Devens) Lynn, both natives of Pennsylvania, the former being of Irish and the latter of German descent. The Lynns came to this country from Ireland at a very early date, in the persons of three brothers, and it is safe to presume that all who bear that name in this country are probably descend- ants of them. The subject of this sketch was educated in Luzerne county, and at the age of sixteen began working in the mines at Plymouth, where he was employed about seven years. He then took up carpentry, and after learning it removed to Kingston, where he has since been engaged at his trade. On November 6, 1872, he was married to Miss Malinda, daughter of Aaron and Tebia (Miller) La- Barre, natives of Slatington, Pa., the former of French origin and the latter of Welsh- German descent; both are now living at Slatington, and the father has now reached the patriarchal age of eighty-two years, still a well-preserved and vigorous man; a cousin of his lived to be one hundred and thirteen years old. James A. Lynn is a member of the Knights of Honor, the Patriotic Order Sons of America, and in politics is a Republican.

PETER E. LYONS, proprietor of the " Quarry Hotel," Wilkes-Barre township, was born in County Louth, Ireland, August 15, 1862, a son of Nicholas and Margaret (Waters) Lyons. The father came to America in 1870, locating in Wilkes-Barre, where he worked in the mines the balance of his life, and his family came two years later. His children now living are: Peter E., Mary R. (Mrs. Thomas Maloney), James, Charles, Julia, Bridget, Kate and Nicholas. Our subject was reared in Wilkes-Barre from ten years of age, received a common-school education, and fol- lowed mining nine years, firing three years, and since 1888 has been engaged in the hotel business. He married Miss Catherine, daughter of John and Mary Sullivan, of Wilkes-Barre township, and by her has five children: Mary, Anna, Lizzie, Kate and James. Mr. Lyons is a member of the Catholic Church. In politics he is a Democrat, and was register of Wilkes-Barre township three years, treasurer one year.

C. W. McALARNEY, attorney at law, Plymouth. This successful and prominent lawyer was born in Mifflinburgh, Union Co., Pa., and is a son of John and Catharine (Wilson) McAlarney, the former a native of County Longford, Ireland, the latter of Lancaster county, Pa. Mr. McAlarney was educated in the common schools of his

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birthplace, and also at the Mifflinburgh Academy, taking a four years' course at the latter place. There were eight children in the family, four sons and four daughters, our subject being next to the youngest. Three of the sons are attorneys at law; the other, W. M. McAlarney, is a physician, now located at Philadelphia, Pa. Of the daughters, Mary C. and Rose reside at the old home in Mifflinburgh; Jane E. is the wife of J. C. Rocky, Du Bois, Pa., and Emma L. is deceased. After completing his education, our subject clerked in a general grocery store at Lewisburg, Pa., for the period of one year, at the end of which time he accepted a position as school teacher, which profession he followed six years. He then went to the city of Harrisburgh and began reading law with his eldest brother, J. C. McAlarney, and after two years of diligent study was admitted to the bar. After his admission to the bar, he remained with his brother until the fall of 1875, when he came to this county with the inten- tion of opening an office. He was admitted to the Luzerne county bar, February 7, 1876, and in August, same year, he opened an office at Plymouth, where he has since practiced with remarkable success. Mr. McAlarney was married, March 27, 1886, to Clara R., daughter of John J. and Amanda (Davenport) Shonk, natives of Plym- outh, to which union there have been born two children, John J., who died in infancy, and Amanda, born September 29, 1890. In politics Mr. McAlarney has always been closely identified with the Democratic party. As a lawyer he has made a success which has been due entirely to his own exertions.

ANDREW WILSON MCALPINE, real estate agent, Wilkes-Barre, was born in Wilkes- Barre June 4, 1849, and is a son of Frederick and Frances (Wilson) McAlpine. His paternal grandfather, George McAlpine, was a native of Old Windsor, Conn., born in 1783, and died at what is now Avoca, this county. Three of his sons became res- idents of Luzerne county. Frederick McAlpine was a native of Tyringham, Mass .; he came from Winsted, Conn., to this county about 1840, settling at Wilkes-Barre, where he engaged in the manufacture of tin ware and sheet iron stoves, and died there in 1856. His wife was a daughter of Seth and Rebecca (Yarington) Wilson, of Wilkes-Barre. The paternal great-grandfather of our subject was in the Revolu- tionary war, and his maternal great-grandfather was in the Wyoming Massacre. Frederick McAlpine was the father of two children: Andrew W. and Lizzie M. The subject of this sketch was reared in Wilkes-Barre Institute and Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pa. He began his business career as clerk for John H. Swoyer, of Wilkes-Barre, and later became shipping clerk for the Lehigh Valley Coal Com- pany. For three years he was connected with the Wilkes-Barre Record, and since 1887, has been engaged in the real estate business. May 22, 1879, he was married to Ida, daughter of Charles F. and Mary E. (Holtzman) Phillips, of Virginia, and has one daughter, Eleanor. Politically Mr. McAlpine is a Republican.

M. H. MCANIFF, attorney at law, P. O. Plains, was born September 21, 1863. He entered the public schools of Plains at seven years of age and attended same until he was fourteen when he started to work around the coal breakers. Here he remained, however, but a little over a year, when he was apprenticed to the late Joseph K. Bogert, then proprietor of the Union Leader, to learn the printers' trade. He advanced very rapidly and soon jumped from "devil" to assistant pressman, his being the hands that guided the first copy of the Evening Leader through the press. Although offered a journeyman's wages, he rejected the offer, and severing his con- nection with the paper returned to his books, graduating six months thereafter from the Plains high school. After passing a very creditable examination under the county superintendent, at the age of sixteen years he was offered a position as teacher in the schools of Plains township, which he accepted. This profession he followed three years, pursuing during this time a course of private study under G. H. Bodney, a graduate of Princeton College, finished the junior course at Blooms- burg State Normal School, and was admitted to the senior class in June, 1882. Returning to the school in the fall of 1883, he completed the course in June, 1884, and resumed teaching, being principal of some one of the Plains township schools for a period of six years. He registered as a student at law in 1887, under

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ex-District Attorney John McGahren, while teaching, and read with assiduity until December 21, 1891, when he passed the final examination-the committee taking just two hours to ascertain the fitness of himself and his colleague, Mr. M. N. Don- nelly, for admission to the bar. Both were formally admitted January 11, 1892. Mr. McAniff has surrounded himself with a large and lucrative clientage, making a specialty of Orphans' Court and real estate practice. He is a ready and forcible speaker, and is often called upon to address public audiences.

PHILIP MCANIFF, a prominent citizen of Plains, was born in County Cavan, Ire- land, July 22, 1833, and is a son of Patrick and Ann (McCue) McAniff. The fa- ther, who was a school teacher, reared a family of three children, of whom Philip is the only survivor. Our subject received a select and national school education, and came to America in 1863, locating at Jersey City, where he worked about the freight depot for two and a half years; in 1865 he came to Wilkes-Barre, worked on the railroad a few months, and then engaged in mining, which he followed until 1888, when he retired from active life; he built his present residence and removed therein in 1884. Mr. McAniff was married, November 17, 1858, to Miss Ellen, daughter of Michael and Ellen (Lilley) McGuire, and they have had four children, two of whom are living, viz. : Michael H., a student of law with John McGahren, Wilkes- Barre, and Hugh P., a druggist at the corner of South and Lincoln streets, Wilkes- Barre. Mr. McAniff and family are members of the Catholic Church; he is a Demo- crat in politics, and has held the offices of tax collector and school director in Plains township.

R. D. McCAA, engineer at the Oakwood Colliery, Plains, was born in Wilkes- Barre, November 18, 1851, and is a son of Alexander and Mary (Dunn) McCaa. The father was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, April 6, 1818, and is the third in a family of eight children born to James and Elizabeth (McCulloch) McCaa; his father, who was a miner, emigrated in 1837 to the island of Cape Breton, where he worked in the mines till 1848, and then removed to Beaver Meadows, Pa., where he died. Alexander began working in the mines at the age of seven years, and in 1844 came to Beaver Meadows, where he remained four years; then went to Jeans- ville, Pa., where he took the contract of sinking the first shaft at that place; later he contracted at Hazleton in company with his brother-in-law, Robert Dunn, and after a few months passed at Jeansville and Heckenville, he went to Egypt, N. C., where in company with Robert Dunn he opened the first coal mine in that State, in which his partner lost his life. Mr. McCaa remained there mining and exploring till 1865, when he returned to the coal field of Pennsylvania, where he dug the dusky diamond in many places, and where for many years he was foreman, and a well-known coal operator; in 1868-70 he was employed, at a large salary, to explore and prove the fertile coal field along the Black Warrior river in Alabama, where, with many others he can regret unimproved opportunities that have produced handsome fortunes. Mr. McCaa was married, August 19, 1842, to Miss Mary, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Barrowman) Dunn, natives of Scotland, and they have had twelve chil- dren, eight of whom are living, viz .: Elizabeth, married to William E. Colborn, an extensive coal operator at Simpson, W: Va. (they have six children: Mary, Frank C., Harry, Blanche, William and Florence); Rose A., widow of Thomas Newlin, a stationary engineer (she lives at Pleasant Valley, Pa., and has two children, George and Jennie); Margaret J., married to George Keaufer, outside boss at Smithville, Pa. (they had seven children, four of whom are living: Ursula, Lena, Barbara and Charles); Robert D., the subject of this memoir; William; Isabelle, married to M. M. Johnson, superintendent of the Erie Coal Company, at Blossburg, Pa. (they have one child, Louisa); Josephine, married to George Shiffer, and Carrie V., still living at home with her aged parents in Plains.

Robert D. McCaa was educated in the public schools of Plymouth, and at the age of seventeen began working in the mines; he ran pumps two years, and weighed coal eight years at the Enterprise Shaft. In 1883 he was promoted to engineer at the Prospect Shaft, where he remained two years, then worked at the Dorrance

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Shaft four years, and entered his present position in 1889. He has lived in Plains since 1870, except from 1883 to 1885, when he lived in Wilkes-Barre. Mr. McCaa was married, September 20, 1876, to Millie M., daughter of Jeremiah and Mary A. (Sperring) Shiffer, and they have four children, viz. : Robert B., Ida M., Alexander J. and George S. Our subject, though not partisan in his political views, has always given his support to the Republican party.

WILLIAM H. McCAA, outside foreman at the Prospect Colliery, Plains, was born in Egypt, N. C., April 4, 1855. He began laboring with his father in the Boston Colliery, Luzerne, at the age of fourteen, and remained there three years; he then loaded coal in the Enterprise Mine five years, and in 1871 engaged as helper in the blacksmith shop at the Prospect Colliery. He followed that occupation but a few months, and then ran the pumps for two years, when he was promoted to engineer, which position he held for eleven years. Mr. McCaa then acted as runner nine months, and outside foreman nine months, for the Fuller Coal Company, Wyoming; that mine caving in, it was abandoned, and he then went to Scranton, where he worked for the S. N. Stuller Coal Company as outside foreman four months, and engineer six months, when the company failed. Our subject then went to the Dorrance Colliery, in North Wilkes-Barre, where he was engineer for two years, and was then employed in the same capacity for the Wilkes-Barre Electric Light Company for a year and a half, in 1888 accepting his present position, which he bas since held. Mr. McCaa was married, June 20, 1878, to Miss Emma, daughter of Sydney and Catherine (McGinnis) Eicke, and they have five children, viz. : Pearn S., Ethel, Elizabeth, Mary and Millie M. Our subject and family attend the Presbyterian Church; he is a member of the K. of P., and in politics is a Republican.

WILLIAM MCCABE (lately deceased) was born in County Monaghan, Ireland, June 8, 1822, a son of George and Rosa (Stockdill) McCabe, both natives of Ireland where they lived a life of respectability, and died at a good old age. George McCabe was married twice, and reared a family of seven children-four by his first, and three by his second marriage. The names of his children by the first marriage are James, George, William and Elizabeth. In 1836 they started for this country, but after leaving Liverpool, they were, after a lapse of twelve days, driven back by adverse and severe wind to their starting place. However, they finally reached the land of freedom and equal rights, where a man can, if he will, hew out for himself an unimpeachable character and a name that can be handed down to posterity without a blush. This, William McCabe did! The boys located in Philadelphia, where they resided two years; then removed to Bradford county, where they were extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits. William was the younger male in his father's family, and was fourteen years of age when he landed in this country, from which time he followed farming. On December 8, 1842, Mr. McCabe took to wife Miss Ruth, daughter of Rev. Joseph and Amelia Towner, and by her had six children, two of whom are now living: Wesley T., born August 26, 1843, and James W., born November 9. 1860. Mrs. Ruth Towner McCabe was born at Rome, Pa., July 26, 1821. Her father was a noted M. E. preacher of marked ability, who traveled on circuit work for thirty-one years. All the Towners of this line are noted for their literary qualifications. Mr. McCabe continued to prosper as a farmer in Bradford county, year after year adding to his yearly income that which every thoughtful man lays up for the comfort of his family. Mr. McCabe's perfect and practical knowledge of farming attracted the attention of Mr. Mercur, the manager for the Lehigh Valley Coal Company, who induced him to take charge of their extensive farm of 1, 200 acres. In March, 1871, he removed to Exeter with his two sons, to superintend the working of this vast farm, which, under his watchful eye proved successful beyond all expectations. He brought about such a radical change thereon, and made it so profitable for the company, that he kept his position for over twenty one years, or up to the time of his death. He also acted as agent for the company in various capacities, often

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handling large sums of money. Mr. McCabe owned three lots in West Pittston, with coal under each, on which he has a royalty; they are worth about $15,000. He built for himself a palatial residence, furnished in the natural wood, lighted by electricity, and equipped with all other modern improvements. He was a self-made man in the true sense of the much-abused term. He was a consistent member of the M. E. Church, and upright and honorable in all his dealings and relations with the world in which he lived. His sons, Wesley T. and James W., were assistant superintendents under him. Wesley T. was born, reared and educated in Rome, Pa., and married Miss Della B., daughter of Lewis and Jane Barnes, in 1866.

JAMES W. M' CABE, the younger son, was born in Troy, Pa., and was reared and educated in Luzerne county, at Wyoming Seminary. Like his father, he always followed agricultural pursuits, with the exception of four years at Heidleberg, in which he was foreman in the colliery. At the age of twenty-two, January 31, 1883, he married Miss Laura A. Lance, who was born in Pittston, October 12, 1860, a daughter of Thomas B. and Eliza Lance, of Pittston, by which happy marriage there were born three beautiful girls: Nellie R., Mattie L. and Florence E. Mr. McCabe moved on the company's farm in 1885. He is a promising young man of bright intellect, large heart, and of an even temper. He is at present a member of the borough council.

PATRICK McCALL, grocer, Wilkes-Barre, was born at Greenock, near Glasgow, Scotland, April 28, 1846, and is a son of Cornelius and Eunice (Sharpe) McCall, natives of County Donegal, Ireland, who came to America in 1849, locating at Tama- qua, Pa., where the father followed the occupation of a miner up to 1866. They removed to Nanticoke, and later to Mahanoy City, where the father died in 1877, at the age of fifty-nine years. Our subject was reared in Schuylkill county, Pa., from three years of age, and worked about the mines there from 1854 to 1866, when he removed to Nanticoke, and one year later to Sugar Notch, where he was teamster for Conyngham & Skelding six months, and clerk for Conyngham & Paine five years. He then railroaded, two and one-half years, after which he was clerk at C. M. Conyng- ham's, five years. In 1884 he embarked in the grocery business for his own account, which he has since followed. Mr. McCall was married May 29, 1872, to Mary, daughter of William and Rebecca (Clements) Meehan, of Wilkes-Barre, and by her he has had ten children: William, John and James (twins), Charles, Rebecca, Eunice, George, Joseph, Edward and Raymond. Mr. McCall is a member of the Catholic Church; in politics he is a Democrat, and was collector for the First District school board in 1882; president of the board in 1883; and treasurer in 1884.

THOMAS F. McCANN, proprietor of the "Hartford House," Ashley, was born in Wilkes-Barre, July 30, 1854, a son of John and Ellen (Hoy) McCann, natives of Counties Westmeath and Longford, Ireland, respectively. His mother came to Hanover township when she was a child, and was married in Ashley; the father was a miner. They reared a family of twelve children, three of whom died young, the others being Matthew, Thomas F., Mary (Mrs. John Flynn), James, Ellen (Mrs. Patrick Sullivan), Peter, Catherine and Christopher. Our subject was educated in the public schools of Ashley, and was then successively engaged in picking slate at the Hartford Breaker six years, laboring outside one year, oiling on the Plane two summers, and attending school winters two years. He then ran extra one year, and ran cars on the Plane from December, 1871, to April, 1878; he then braked on the B. & O. R. R. at Pittsburgh, Pa., till December of that year, when he removed to Ashley, and braked on the Lehigh Valley Railroad till July, 1879. He next braked on the Central Railroad of New Jersey till July, 1884, when he was promoted to conductor, which position he held till April, 1889, at which time he embarked in his present business. Mr. McCann was married November 20, 1879, with Miss Mary, daughter of Martin and Mary (Brogan) Cuff, natives of Ireland. The issue of this union' has been seven children, five of whom are living, viz. : John, Ellen, Frank, Gerald and Marie. He and his family are members of the Catholic Church, and he is a Democrat in his political views.

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MICHAEL A. MOCARTY, proprietor of the "Ashley House," Ashley, was born in County Sligo, Ireland, February 1, 1836, and is a son of Eugene and Margaret (Ander- son) McCarty. They reared a family of seven children: Mary (Mrs. James Gilligan), deceased; Betsy (Mrs. John Coyne); Catherine (Mrs. John Flannery); Michael A .; Judith (Mrs. John McAstine); John, a farmer, in Ireland, and Patrick, a merchant, also in Ireland. The father was a contractor. Our subject was educated in his native country, and then worked on the farm till 1850, when he came to America and located in Boston, working there at the machinist trade for one year, when he came to Wilkes-Barre and followed the same business for another year. He then assisted in putting up the machinery at the Black Diamond Shaft, and worked there as engineer for two years, then seven years at the Empire, and afterward seven years at the Hartford. In 1870 he built his present place of business, first keeping a saloon and boarding house, but since 1876 has had the hotel. Mr. McCarty was married, May 11, 1854, to Miss Ann Conlan, daughter of Richard and Alice (Durkin) Conlan; she is a niece of Bishop Durkin and of Dr. Durkin, of Dublin. The issue of this union was five children, two of whom died young, and Alice, who died at the age of seventeen years; Elizabeth (Mrs. Thomas W. Hart), and Eugene, who was educated in the Harry Hillman Academy, St. Michael's College, Toronto, Canada, Seton Hall College, South Orange, N. J., and is now a student in the Commercial Department of the Wyoming Seminary. Mr. McCarty and family are members of the Catholic Church. He is a Democrat in his political views, and has held the office of school director in Ashley twelve years, also three years in Hanover township; he was a member of the council two terms when the borough was first organized, and was sec- retary one term; has also held the office of tax collector, and was deputy sheriff of Luzerne county from 1880 to 1883.

J. J. MCCAULEY, justice of the peace and burgess of the borough of Exeter, was born in County Donegal, Ireland, February 1, 1827, a son of James and Rose (Gallagher) McCauley, both of whom were born in Ireland. They took passage for the United States in the spring of 1845, but Mrs. McCauley died on the voyage out. The husband, on his arrival in this country, located for a short time in New York City, and soon thereafter removed to Carbondale, Pa. He had followed farming in Ireland, but on his coming to this country retired from active life. His family con- sisted of four children, two of whom are living: J. J. and Rose. The former was reared and educated in Ireland, and was eighteen years of age when he came to this country with his father. r. He confined himself to clerking and mercantile business, beginning this business at the age of eleven in his native country, and following the same more or less ever since. He removed to Pittston in 1850, where he has since resided. On August 25, 1858, he was joined in wedlock to Miss Catherine, daughter of Michael and Catharine Kieley. There were born to them fourteen children, twelve of whom are now (1892) living: Mary A., Rose E., Catherine, Agnes, Josephine, Tressa, Madge, Jennevine, James J., William H., Alphonsus and Joseph, all of whom are single. Mr. McCauley has been honored with several offices during his residence in this country, serving as supervisor, street commissioner, tax col- lector and councilman. He is now serving his third term as justice of the peace, and has served as burgess for two years. He owns five houses in Exeter borough, and has accumulated his property by honest and upright dealing with his fellows. When, in the dark days of 1862, his country called for volunteers, he became a member of Company H, One Hundred and Seventy-seventh P. V. I., for the term of nine months. He is a member of the G. A. R. He and his family are members of the Roman Catholic Church. Politically he is a Democrat.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 164

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