History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 179

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

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JAMES K. NEAGLEY, druggist, Wilkes-Barre, was born at Danville, Pa., Decem- ber 30, 1857, and is a son of Daniel C. and Mary J. (Mitchell) Neagley. . His pater- nal grandfather, Daniel C. Neagley, Sr., was of German parentage, and a native of Lykens Valley, Dauphin Co., Pa., as was also the father of subject, who was reared there until eighteen years of age, when he went to Harrisburg to learn the photo- graphing business. After serving his apprenticeship he embarked in the business for himself in 1855, in Danville, at which he continued until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he was one of the first to volunteer for his country's service, and served throughout the entire war. At the close of the struggle he returned to Dan- ville, and engaged in the clothing business; in 1868 he came to Plymouth, where he engaged in the same business up to 1888, when he retired and removed to Harris- burg where he still resides. His wife was a daughter of James K. and Martha (Breckenridge) Mitchell, and by her he had four children, viz .: James K., Maggie (Mrs. R. J. Stoll), Florence Virginia (Mrs. D. C. McCauley), and George E. Her mother was a niece of the late J. C. Breckenridge, who was Vice-President when Buchanan was President; he was nominated for President by the Southern Demo- crats in 1860; stood second in the number of electoral votes when Lincoln was first elected President; sent to the United States Senate from Kentucky in 1861, but withdrew to join the Southern Confederacy; was brigadier-general in the Confeder- ate army, and was appointed Confederate Secretary of War in 1865. Our subject was reared in Plymouth, this county, from seven years of age, and received a public- school education. He served an apprenticeship at the drug business, at which he served in the capacity of clerk from 1872 until 1885, when he embarked in the busi- ness for himself at Moosic, Pa. In 1887 he was burned out, and in 1888 again estab- lished himself in business on North Washington street, Wilkes-Barre. In the same year he sold out, and in 1891 bought out one of the oldest drug stands in Wilkes- Barre. On August 18, 1880, Mr. Neagley married Sarah Frances, daughter of George and Matilda (Alkins) Derby, of Wilkes-Barre, and has five children: Derby Boston, Lee Breckenridge, Guy Mitchell, Earl Culbertson and Daniel C. Mr. Neagley is a member of the Masonic Fraternity; in politics he is a Republican.

HENRY MARION NEALE, physician and surgeon, Upper Lehigh. This popular gentleman, who stands in the front rank of the medical profession of Luzerne county, is a New Englander by birth. He was born at New Haven, Conn., July 27, 1856, and is a son of Martin and Martha (Hitchcock) Neale, the former of whom is a native of County Antrim, Ireland, and immigrated to this country with his parents when he was a child. The father followed railroading for a long time, in the capac- ity of construction master, in the employ of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company. A few years ago he was injured in a wreck at New London, Conn., and since then has lived a retired life at Southington, same State, where he now resides, at the age of seventy-two. The Doctor's mother is a native of Plym- outh, Conn., and is connected with the oldest New England families. She is a dis- tant relative of Gen. Marion. Our subject was educated in the common schools, Lewis Academy, at Southington, Conn., and Jefferson Medical College, Philadel- phia, graduating at the latter in the class of 1880. He then spent one year in prac- tice at the Blockley Hospital, Philadelphia, after which he received the appointment of physician and surgeon on the famous steamer, " Indiana," of the American Line,

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

plying between Liverpool and Philadelphia. After following a sea-faring life one year, he came to Upper Lehigh as assistant to Dr. T. J. Mays, whom he met on one of his voyages, and became acquainted with. In 1884, when he was at Upper Le- high one year, Dr. Mays removed from that place and Dr. Neale succeeded him in his practice. Our subject was united in marriage March 5, 1885, with Miss Adda Leisenring, of Upper Lehigh, and they have three children: Mahlon Kemmerer, Joseph Hawley and Gertrude Leisenring. Dr. Neale is a member of the Luzerne Medical Society, and the Liverpool Medical Association.

FRANK NEEDHAM, deputy register of Wills, Hazleton, was born in Hazleton, December 24, 1866, a son of Michael and Winifred (Redington) Needham, natives of County Mayo, Ireland. His father came to America about 1842, locating at Beaver Meadows, Carbon Co., Pa., soon afterward removing to Hazleton, where for thirty years he was engaged in mining, and since 1872 he has been in the real estate business. Our subject, his only child, was reared in his native city, educated in public schools and the Normal school at Bloomsburg, Pa. He served an apprentice- ship of four years at the tinner's and plumber's trades, which he afterward followed two years. In 1886 he began teaching in the public schools of Hazle township, a vocation he followed up to January 1, 1891, when he was appointed to his present position, and since 1888 he has been a student of law with P. V. Weaver, Esq. In religious belief he is a member of the Catholic Church, in politics he is a Democrat.

IRA J. NEELY, farmer, P. O. Silkworth, was born in Plymouth township, Sep- tember 26, 1844, a son of Thomas E. and Barbara (Anderson) Neely, the former born in Orange county, N. Y .; the latter in Dallas, this county. Thomas Neely removed to this county with his father about 1830, when a young man. His father, whose name has not been learned, located in Dallas, where he purchased 100 acres of farming land upon which there was very little improvement, and where he passed the rest of his days, devoting himself to the advancement of agricultural pursuits. He lived a life of usefulness, and died an old and honored man. He reared a family of five children, one of whom, Alexander, is living in New York State. Thomas E. began his active life on the homestead in Dallas, where he, in his turn and after the example of his father, followed agricultural pursuits. In time he sold the home- stead and purchased a farm of 225 acres in Plymouth township, now the property of George L. Hutchins. Mr. Neely was a close Bible student, a thoughtful man, and an excellent neighbor. Politically, he was a Democrat. He died in April, 1891, aged seventy-four years; his wife passed away in November, 1870, aged seventy-two years. Their family numbered thirteen children, Mrs. Neely having been twice married, and having eight by Mr. Neely and five by her previous mar- riage with Mr. Hutchins. Eight of these children are now living. Our subject, the sixth by his mother's marriage with Mr. Neely, was reared and educated in Plymouth township, and in early life worked at shoemaking, a trade he has not fol- lowed for a number of years. In 1862 he entered the army of the Potomac, becom- ing a member of Company I, One Hundred and Forty-third P. V. I,, for the term of three years, and participated in all the principal battles of the last years of the war.

WILLIAM NEILSON, outside foreman No. 1 Colliery, Jeansville. This popular young foreman was born at Egypt, N. C., November 1, 1857, and is the second in the family of six children of James and Isabel (McDougal) Neilson, natives of Scot- land. The family came to Jeansville in 1848, where the children were reared and educated. Our subject began working about the mines when quite young, and did all kinds of general work. At one time he engaged in farming in the State of Vir- ginia, remaining there two years, at the end of which time he returned to Jeans- ville and here engaged in firing, one year; then proceeded to Black Ridge, where he ran a pair of hoisting engines for one year, after which he went to the Lehigh Val- ley shops at Hazleton, where he worked two years, and then returned to Jeansville and ran a pair of hoisting engines for about four years, when he was given his present position, which he has occupied since December, 1886. He has under his

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

charge about one hundred and ten men. Mr. Neilson is unmarried. He is a mem- ber of the P. O. S. of A. and Knights of the Golden Eagle, and in politics votes the Republican ticket.

REV. REUBEN NELSON, D. D. It is he who finds a new truth, or an invention, that is promotive of the good of mankind, that is the child of a bright and glorious immortality. The day, when born kings and bloody conquerors were the greatest of men, passed away with the time of barbarism; men's lives now are great or mean as are the results of those lives. In this view it is doubly pleasant to speak of the life and work of the gentleman whose name stands at the opening of this article. He was the founder and for thirty years the principal of the Wyoming Seminary of Kingston, an eminent divine of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for years treasurer of the missionary society of the Methodist Episcopal Church; also general agent and senior publisher of the Methodist Book Concern, of New York. He was born at Andes, Delaware Co., N. Y., December 13, 1818. At the age of fifteen he joined the church, and from that moment his whole life was devoted to the interests of his beloved church. Dr. Nelson thus became a national man, indeed a world's man, known to the home children of God, as well as to the distant heathen, who through his tireless energies felt the sweetness and sunshine of God's love and holy word. When barely seventeen years old he was licensed as exhorter, and commenced to hold prayer meetings and give exhortations. Such were his efforts here, that the next year he was licensed to preach the Gospel. Rarely has one so young been thus commissioned, but this youth was crowned with the type of soul and energy, love of his fellow man and devotion to holy duty, that his selection was eminently wise and proper. He traveled and labored, faced the storms, the cold and heat, and trusted God, and was ever improving each passing moment in advaucing his education; he had to make personal amends for the want of early opportunities in the school-room. This self-made man, and self-educated, became a great educator, and founded a high order of institution of learning. When in the zenith of his success he was still a diligent student, and was, his whole life. At the age of twenty-two (1840), he accepted the chair of acting principal of the Otsego Academy, Cooperstown, New York. In August of the same year he was admitted on trial into the Oneida Annual Conference, and appointed the third minister in charge of the Otsego Circuit. In 1841 he was appointed third preacher on the Westford Circuit. These clerical duties were fully performed without inter- fering with his work as principal of the academy. In 1842 he was admitted to full membership in the Conference, and he was ordained of the order of deacon at the same time he was made principal of the Otsego Academy. A painful and partial paralysis of the vocal organs soon after compelled him to resign, as he could not speak loud; the affliction existed and grew until 1843, when his name was placed by the Conference in the list of superannuated preachers, and for a period his clerical labors ceased. He could not remain idle, so part of the time he taught Latin and Greek, preparing young men for college, communicating in whispers. In 1844 the Oneida Conference founded at Kingston, Pa., the Wyoming Seminary, and Dr. Reuben Nelson was made principal. Here he found congenial work, and for twenty-eight years it went on unremittingly. No educational insti- tution was ever conducted to better success, and he made it the chief center of education in the famed Wyoming Valley. It was pronounced by Bishop Harris to be "one of the best institutions of its grade in the land," and this is Dr. Nelson's imperishable monument. In 1862, 1863, and 1864, Dr. Nelson was presid- ing elder of the Wyoming District; filling the office again in 1868-69, and then did double duty rather than sever his hold of the affairs of the seminary. He was a member of the Oneida Conference until 1852, when it was divided, and he was transferred to the Wyoming Conference. In 1858 he became secretary of the Wyoming Conference, and by reelections continued in this office until 1870, when he declined, owing to physical disability. In 1860 he was a delegate to the Gen- eral Conference at Buffalo, and each year, from that until his death, was sent as

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

a delegate to each Conference. In the General Conference of 1876 he was chosen chairman of the committee on Episcopacy, where he presided with dignity and eminence. In 1872 he was the general choice of the Conference as agent of the Methodist Book Concern, in the City of New York, as well as treasurer of the Missionary Society. The finances of the country were greatly out of gear, yet Dr. Nelson steered his bark betwixt Scylla and Charybdis most successfully. So well had he done that he was reelected to both offices in 1876. Overmuch labor of body and mind brought on a typhoid-malarial attack, and the strong man of God was prostrated. The best medical aid and widest sympathy of friends were of little avail now, and he laid down his offices and burdens forever. Funeral services were held at St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, New York, Saturday, February 22, 1876. After the ceremonies the remains were brought to Wilkes- Barre, to the home of his son-in-law, Mr. George S. Bennett, and thence taken to Kingston. No man has received a more, universal recognition of his worth and the public respect. Places of business were closed; the Seminary Chapel and church heavily draped, and the flag was at half-mast. The good man, and great, was gone forever, and the whole population testified unto his life among them. In 1841 Dr. Nelson and Jane Scott Eddy were united in marriage. She was the daughter of Col. Asa Eddy, of Milford, New York. Their only child living is Mrs. George S. Bennett, of Wilkes-Barre.

THOMAS NELSON, farmer, P. O. Lehman Centre, was born in Yorkshire, England, June 10, 1853. He is a son of James and Elizabeth (Allen) Nelson, both of whom were born in England. James was a farmer in his native country, but thought he could better his condition by coming to a larger, though younger nation. He came to this country in 1858, locating at Lehman Centre, where he remained three years. He then moved to Dallas, where he remained about five years; while there he enlisted in the army for the term of three years, as a member of Company H, Fifty-second P. V. I., under Gen. Gillmore, who presented him a medal for meritorious action at the battle of Morris Island. At this place Mr. Nelson lost his hearing by the explosion of a shell in close proximity to his head. After this accident he received a position in the commissary department, where he remained until his honorable discharge, which he received at Salisbury, in July, 1865, at the expiration of his time and the close of the war. After his return from the army he moved to Jackson township, where he purchased a farm of 100 acres, which he improved by beautifying the grounds, clearing the land, and building a substantial dwelling and commodious barns. He has, also, a never-failing spring of pure water, on the stream of which he has placed a hydraulic ram, which conveys the water to his house. Mr. Nelson is a general farmer, but has now retired from active life, his son, Thomas, who is the only surviving member of a family of three, now managing the place. Thomas was reared and educated in Lehman and Dallas townships, and has worked on the farm. In April, 1884, he married Miss Myra, daughter of Isaac and Eliza Ferguson. This union resulted in the birth of four children: Corey J., Edna P., Ethel M. and Stan- ley F. Mr. Nelson is a Republican, and has held the office of supervisor, etc. He is a member of the Grange.

JOHN NEMETH, of the firm of Martin & Nemeth, general merchants and foreign exchange brokers, Hazleton, was born in November, 1861, at Garaduna, Hungaria. He was educated in his native land, and at the age of nineteen came to America, landing in New York in January, 1881. He immediately proceeded to Hazleton and engaged in picking slate, which occupation he followed about one year, when he engaged as clerk for Simon Miller, in whose employ he remained five years. At this time he and Mr. Martin formed a partnership, where they have since continued to do business; besides their general mercantile trade they also are engaged in foreign exchange. Upon his arrival in the United States, Mr. Nemeth's wealth amounted to thirty-four cents. He is now worth about seven thousand dollars, which property he has accumulated in five years. Mr. Nemeth was united in marriage in 1889, with Miss Helen Deutsch of his native town. They have two children, viz. : John, Jr., and

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Ida. This gentleman is a member of the National Slavonic Society, and in politics is very liberal, although in national issues he is a firm Democrat.

ABRAM NESBITT, president of the Second National Bank of Wilkes-Barre, was born in Plymouth township, this county, December 29, 1831, a son of James, Jr., and Mary (Shupp) Nesbitt. The paternal grandfather was Abram Nesbitt, son of James Nesbitt, Sr. (who was by profession an attorney), both natives of Connecticut, and pioneers of Plymouth. The wife of James, Sr., was Phoebe Harrison. They raised a large family of whom James, Jr., was the eldest. He began life as a farmer in Plymouth, later was a coal operator, and for some years he engaged in mercantile business in Wilkes-Barre, where he died October 9, 1840, in his fiftieth year. His wife was a daughter of Philip and Catherine Shupp, and by her he had two chil- dren, Mary (Mrs. Samuel Hoyt) and Abram. Our subject was reared in Wilkes- Barre, educated at Deacon Dana Academy (Wilkes-Barre) and at Wyoming Semi- nary (Kingston.) He has been a resident of Kingston since 1849. He began life as a land surveyor, which vocation he followed fifteen years. He was one of the organ- izers of the Second National Bank of Wilkes-Barre, and since its organization in 1863 has been a director; served as vice-president of the bank six years, and has been its president since 1878. He has also been an extensive dealer in real estate. On Sep- tember 2, 1862, Mr. Nesbitt married Sarah M., daughter of Abram and Sarah (Myers) Goodwin, of Kingston, Pa., and has four children, George F., Abram G., Sadie and Fred D. Mr. Nesbitt is a widely-known and prominent citizen of Luzerne county, has held nearly all the local offices of Kingston borough, and is now one of the trustees of Wyoming Seminary. In politics he is a Republican.

LEWIS E. NESBITT, manager of the mercantile business of Wardwell & Co., at Ridgewood, Plains township, was born in Plymouth, January 23, 1868, and is a son of Gardner and Bethira (Wolf) Nesbitt, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Scotch and French origin, respectively. Our subject is the youngest of five children, three of whom are living; he was reared on the farm and educated in the common schools and in Wilkes-Barre Business College, where he graduated in 1887. As soon as he had completed his education he secured a position as bookkeeper for his present em- ployers; he proved himself highly worthy of every responsibility placed with him, and his employers expressed their appreciation of his service by giving him complete charge of their large store at Ridgewood. Mr. Nesbitt was married February 22, 1889, to Elizabeth A., daughter of Thomas W. Lewis, of Mill Creek; they have one child, Frederick E. He is a member of the P. O. S. of A., and the I. O. R. M. ; in his political views he is a Republican, and in 1891 was appointed assistant post- master at Ridgewood.

L. LINCOLN NEWHART, Ashley, was born in Northampton county, Pa., July 27, 1861, a son of John W. and Elizabeth (Shafer) Newhart, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German origin. His father, who was a farmer, merchant, and coal and lum- ber dealer, reared a family of eleven children, seven of wbom are living, of whom our subject is the seventh. He was educated in the public school, and commenced life tending lock on the canal, and later workingin the school slate factory at Slating- ton, Pa., where he remained three years. He was then successively engaged as clerk in the railroad station at Ashley, two years; operator and clerk at Nanticoke, one year, and operator at Plymouth, a few months. He then returned to Ashley, and engaged as clerk and bookkeeper for William Fehr, and at the death of his employer, August 13, 1890, he was appointed attorney for the William Fehr Estate. On Sep- tember 1, 1892, he became successor to the William Fehr Estate, purchased all the personal stock, right and title of the same, and is now doing business under the firm name of L. L. Newhart. Mr. Newhart was married October 4, 1883, to Mary R., daughter of William and Elizabeth (Reed) Fehr, of Ashley, and they have two chil- dren, viz. : William E. and Fred L. Mr. Newhart and his wife are members of the Lutheran and Evangelical Churches, respectively. He is a Republican in his polit- ical views, and has held the offices of auditor and councilman in Ashley borough.

JOHN NEWTON, Hazleton, is a native of London, England, and is a son of Morris

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

and Kate (Cantor) Newton. He was educated at Highbury College, London, where he also studied medicine, and received his diploma, in 1862. He remained in the locality of London until 1865, when he came to America and located in New York, where, within three months after his arrival in this country, he was appointed inspect- or of distilleries. This position he held about a year and a half, when he was appointed street inspector under William Tweed. Three years later Mr. Newton engaged in the installment business, being the first to introduce the installment plan in America. He was engaged in the installment business twelve or thirteen years, during a large part of which time he was engaged in the organization and manage- ment of secret societies, being at one time deputy grand president of the Sons of St. George, of Luzerne county. In behalf of the A. O. F. of A., he raised $500 for the benefit of the sufferers at Plymouth, during the plague at that place; in 1890 he was elected grand secretary of the A. O. F. of A. for the State of Pennsylvania, at Wilkes-Barre, which office he still holds, having eighty-five courts with a total mem- bership of 9,000 under his immediate jurisdiction. Mr. Newton comes from a family of inventors. He is a relative of Jacob A. Cantor, a leading statesman and Demo- cratic politician of New York; of the celebrated Arthur Newton, who determined, geometrically, the locality of the lost Atlantic cable; while his father, Morris Newtou, is the only successful patentee of the process of converting culm into bricquets, and he is now living a retired life in London. But a short time ago, he received from Trinidad Lake, material that is used in the manufacture of pavement the world over, and he has lately sold his right to the Trinidad Company. John Newton, our sub- ject, is the eldest in a family of seven children, viz. : Lewis, furniture dealer, Wilkes- Barre; Anna (Mrs. M. J. Levy, Wilkes-Barre); Fred, an extensive tanner in Leices- tershire, England; Edward, employed in the Civil Service, London; David, dyer and china decorator, Trenton, N. J .; Emily and John. Mr. Newton has been twice married: first time in England, in 1862, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of John Nelson, proprietor of the renowned "Victoria Hotel," London, England. They had three children: Joseph, David and Morris. The mother of this family dying in 1868, Mr. Newton was afterward married to Miss Metta Brunges, and by this union there are six children: Harry, Hattie, Flora Scrantonia, John Wilkes-Barre, Lewis and Isadore. Mr. Newton is a member of the Lutheran Church; in his political views he is not hampered by prejudice or bound by any party ties.

MILTON NEYHART, miller, Huntsville, was born June 29, 1854, and was reared and educated in Eaton township, Wyoming county. He is the son of Joseph and Eliza- beth (Rymer) Neyhart, the former a native of Germany, the latter born in Wilkes-Barre. Joseph is the son of John Neyhart, who came to this country about 1822, locating in Northampton county, this State. His children numbered four sons and four daughters. His son, Joseph Neyhart, left Northampton county for Monroe county, where he worked at the cooper's trade. In about 1838 he came to Wilkes- Barre, where he was employed as a miller. Here he married, and reared a family of seven children, all of whom are living. He died in 1882, at the age of sixty-seven years. Milton Neyhart is the fourth of the family in order of birth. He applied himself to the miller's trade from his hoyhood, and has followed same on the banks of Bowman's creek, up to the present time. In 1867 he came to this county, locating in Huntsville, where he worked at his trade. July 20, 1881, he was married to Miss Ella M., daughter of William H. and Matilda Ide, of Lehman. By this union there were born to them two children: Leona M. and Benjamin R. In 1890 he bought the mill property of C. M. Case, which he has renovated and fitted up with the latest improvements for milling, including roller process, for rye and buckwheat. He also makes a specialty of "chop feed." His mill is situated on a living stream with seventeen feet fall. Mr. Neyhart is a young man of push and enterprise, who can not fail to make his mark in his line of business. He has been elected to the town office of school director. He is a member of the P. O. S. of A., and he and his wife are consistent members of the M. E. Church.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 179

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