History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 186

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections > Part 186

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

HON. BENJAMIN F. PFOUTs died at his residence at Buttonwood, Hanover town-

1250

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

ship, this county, January 6, 1874. He was born in Jersey Shore, Lycoming Co., Pa., in 1809, and was a son of Leonard and Mercy (Conover) Pfouts. The father, who was of German descent, reared a family of nine children: Mary (Mrs. Joseph Barnes), Lucretia (Mrs. Leonard Eder), Benjamin F., Mary A. (Mrs. Joseph Bailey), Sarah (Mrs. Jonathan Pursel), Robert, Isabella (Mrs. Daniel Latcha), Lucinda (Mrs. William Lemon) and John. His grandfather Conover was a scout in the Revolution- ary war, was taken prisoner by the Indians, and held by them for a time in captivity. Our subject remained at Jersey Shore with his father till he was seventeen, and then went to Tioga county, Pa., and later to Northumberland county, same State, where he was deputy sheriff, and in 1841 removed to Hanover township, where he engaged in farming on the Sively homestead. He was a man of the most sterling character, and a strong advocate of the principles of the Democratic party. He held nearly all the offices of the town in which he lived, and was one of the poor directors of Luzerne county from the organization of that department till his death. He was commissioner of the county at the time of the construction of the courthouse, and being the nearest resident officer chiefly superintended the work. He was associate judge of Luzerne county for several years prior to his death, and in the discharge of the duties of the office showed rare judgment, good common sense, and a knowledge of the law. He was also a good business man, and had accumulated a handsome fortune during his long and useful career. He was married February 5, 1841, to Miss Mary F. Sively, daughter of George and Frances (Stewart) Sively. She had one brother older, named Lazarus S., who died single at the age of sixty-eight years. Her grandfather, John George Sively, was born in Germany and came to America previous to 1788. He was a surgeon in the French army, and later a noted physician in Philadelphia, where he married Jane Baldwin, and died near Easton, Pa., in 1812. He had two children: George, born 1789, died in 1854 on the old homestead in Hanover township, about two and a half miles south of Wilkes-Barre on the River road, where he settled in 1809, engaged in clearing a farm, and reared two children, Stewart and Mary F. His sister Anna married Dr. John J. Rogers. Mr. Sively was a true type of the purity and nobility of pioneer character, and deserves much credit for hewing down the forests as well as battling with the wild beasts and savages, and establishing his family in the comfortable home which is still occupied by his posterity. Lazarus Stewart was born in Scotland; emigrated with his family, first to Ireland, then to Holland, and finally to America in 1729, locating io Lancaster county, Pa., where he died. He had (among other children) two sons, Robert and Alexander, the former of whom had two children, Capt. Laz- arus and James, who came to Hanover in 1769 or 1770. [See pioneer chapter. ] Alexander Stewart had three children: Lient. Lazarus, George and Mary (Mrs. George Epsy). The first married Dorcas Hopkins, a relative of the Hopkins family, of Philadelphia, came to Hanover with the forty settlers from Harrisburg and his cousin, Capt. Lazarus Stewart, and had one child, Frances (Mrs. George Sively). He was killed in the Massacre, July 3, 1778. Mr. and Mrs. Judge Pfouts had born unto them one child, George Sively Pfouts, who also lives on the homestead. He married Miss Emma Quick, of Wilkes-Barre, and they had two children. Fannie L. and George Sively, Jr., who, their mother dying when they were young, have since lived with their grandmother, Mrs. Pfouts. Mr. George S. Pfouts married, for his second wife, Miss Adella Eckroth, of Bethlehem, and they have one child, Mary E. This family has always been identified with the Presbyterian Church, of which Mrs. Pfonts is a member. Judge Pfouts was a very active worker in the Masonic Fraternity, and was also a member of the I. O. O. F.

ABIA S. PHILIPS, contractor and builder, Wilkes-Barre, was born in Hunlock township, Columbia Co., Pa., June 6, 1831, a son of George W. and Rhoda (Reese) Philips, and comes of Quaker stock. He was reared in his native county, educated in public schools, and served an apprenticeship of three years at the bricklayer's and plasterer's trade, in Danville, beginning in 1849. In 1852 he located in Berwick, Columbia county, and followed his trade there for fifteen years, when he

1251

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

engaged in business as a contractor and builder, in which he has since continued. During that time (1852-53) he taught school two terms in Nescopeck, this county. He erected the Normal school and Masonic hall at Bloomsburg; the Methodist chapel, Wilkes-Barre; sixty houses for Charles Parrish, Wilkes-Barre; Methodist chapel at Dallas; courthouse at Honesdale; and City Hospital at Williamsport, besides other important contracts. In 1853 Mr. Philips married Amanda, daughter of John and Elnora Bertran, of Nescopeck, and has ten children living: Isabel, Clara (Mrs. Walter Taylor), Ella, Anna, Gertrude, Harry, George, Iola, Edwin and Eva. Mr. Philips has been a resident of Wilkes-Barre since 1885. He is a member of the Baptist Church, and in politics is a Republican.

EDWARD PHILLIPS, merchant and farmer, Huntington township, P. O. Hardpan, was born in Franklin township September 14, 1849, and is a son of Edward L. and Hannah (Vanderburgh) Phillips, natives of Pennsylvania, and of English and German origin respectively. The father was a farmer by occupation; he died in 1880, aged seventy-one years. He was a son of Hosie Phillips, who came to this county from Connecticut, at an early day. Our subject is the youngest in a family of eight children, six of whom are living. He was reared on a farm, educated in the common schools, and when twenty-one years of age began working the home- stead farm on shares, continuing this for two years, when he rented the same until his father's death, after which he purchased it from the heirs. He opened his store on the farm in 1882, and in 1890 was made postmaster of the newly established postoffice, Hardpan. Mr. Phillips was married, July 4, 1870, to Margaret, daughter of John and Margaret (Shup) Murphy, by whom he has had children as follows: John W., born August 9, 1871; Mary A., born March 5, 1873, died June 28, 1887; Albert D., born February 14, 1875; Hannah M., born December 4, 1876; William A., born November 15, 1878; Eva B., born July 13, 1881; George R., born May 6, 1883, died May 10, 1887; Frank, born July 20, 1885; Grace, born July 24, 1889; and Edward H., born January 30, 1892. Mr. Phillips built his fine residence in 1891. His farm contains seventy acres, and his store is the headquarters for all kinds of country supplies. Politically our subject is a Republican.

REVEREND EDWARD STANISLAUS PHILLIPS, pastor of the Church of The Sacred Heart, Plains, was born near Hawley, Wayne Co., Pa., October 4, 1851, and is a son of Edward and Mary (O'Hara) Phillips, natives of County Mayo, Ireland, where they were married in November, 1839, a few years later coming to America. They first located near Hawley, where the father worked and boated on the canal until 1852, in which year he removed to Pittston, where he was employed by the Penn- sylvania Coal Company until a few years before his death, which occurred July 25, 1890, when he was aged seventy-six years; his wife, Mary, died January 7, 1891. The Phillips family consisted of three children, of whom Michael died in Ireland when but an infant, and Mary A. married John J. Dougherty, of Pittston, by whom she had thirteen children, nine of whom are living, the eldest being Dr. A. F. Dougherty, of Ashley Luzerne Co., Pa. Father Phillips, who is the youngest in his father's family, when a youth attended the public schools at Pittston, and was tutored in his preparatory studies by Father Finnen, vicar-general of the Diocese of Scranton, and pastor of St. John's Church, Pittston. He finished his classical studies in St. Charles College, Ellicott City, Md .; his philosophy and theology at St. Charles Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, and was ordained September 29, 1875, in the cathedral at Scranton by the Rt. Rev. William O'Hara, D. D. He was engaged in ministerial work at the cathedral for two years, after which he was located in various parts of the diocese, principally at Hazleton, and came to Plains June 30, 1888, as pastor of the Church of the Sacred Heart, which has a congregation of two thousand souls, and in connection with which there is a parochial school taught by the Sisters of Mercy, Sister Mary de Ricci, Superior, where 350 pupils are in attendance. There is also a very fine convent property enclosed in beautiful and spacious grounds. The spiritual efforts of Father Phillips have been crowned with most brilliant success, and he commands the respect and admiration of all denominations.

1252

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

He is ably assisted in his Divine work by his genial curate, Rev. Father Anthony T. Broderick, who was born in Archbald, Lackawanna Co., Pa., June 6, 1866, and is the sixth of ten children of Anthony and Sarah (Melvin) Broderick, the former a native of Ireland, the latter of Lackawanna county, Pa., and of Irish origin. He was educated at St. Charles College, Ellicott City, Md., and finished his philosophy and theology at St. Bonaventure's, Allegany, N. Y. He was ordained October 17, 1890, and in the following November came to Plains. His eldest brother, Father Patrick F. Broderick, is pastor of the Catholic Church at Susquehanna.

WILLIAM H. PICKERING, locomotive engineer, Hazleton. Among the many duties that mankind is called upon to perform, there are few more hazardous, or more exciting, than the occupation of a locomotive engineer on a fast-scheduled passenger train. The lightning engineer, whose name opens this sketch, was born in British America, September 6, 1848, a son of Richard and Ann (Horrocke) Pickering, natives of England. William H. was educated and reared in Hazleton and, in 1859, at the age of eleven years began work at the mines, continuing at it until 1862. He next entered the boiler shops at Hazleton, where he remained a short time, afterward being transferred to the machine shops, where he remained for about three years. In 1868 Mr. Pickering went on the Jersey Central road as a brakeman, and contin- ued there and on the Lehigh Valley, in the same capacity, until 1875, when he began firing on the Lehigh Valley, Jersey Division. He remained there until 1876, when he went to Scranton and fired on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western road one year, next to Alabama and fired on the Louisville, Nashville & Great Southern Railroad for two years. In 1879 he returned to Hazleton, and after braking for a short time, began firing the "Franshaw," on the P. & N. Y. and Wyoming Divisions. After a short time he was transferred to the Hazleton Division, to fire the "Fred Mercer" (861), where he remained until 1882, and was then promoted to the position of engineer, and has since been running passenger trains between Hazleton, Mauch Chunk, White Haven and Penn Haven Junction. The life of our subject on the rail has not always been one of smooth sailing, and he has had many miraculous escapes from instant death, having been in several terrible wrecks, and having at five differ- ent times been so badly injured that it was necessary to take him home on a stretcher. He is a typical engineer, and when he mounts the foot-board and grasps the throttle one may depend on reaching their destination on time if the iron horse is capable of getting there. It is the duty of this engineer to take out all new engines on their trial trip, which is indicative of the confidence imposed in him as a machinist, by the company. September 15, 1870, Mr. Pickering married Miss Mag- gie, daughter of Robert and Ann (Brentley) Stevens, natives of England; and of this union have been born four children, viz. : Richard, who resides at Philadelphia; Edith May; James S. (deceased); and Nina E. Mr. Pickering is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and of the I. O. R. M. He votes the Repub- lican ticket. The family attend the English Lutheran Church.

JOHN PICKETT, engineer at Parrish Mine, Plymouth, was born at Rock Port, Pa., November 27, 1857, and is a son of Fredrick and Nancy (Stewart) Pickett, both natives of Ireland. The family subsequently removed to Wilkes-Barre, where John, who is the sixth in a family of eight children, received his education at the public schools of Luzerne county. At an early age he began work about the mines, being engaged at the Empire, No. 9, Nottingham, Washington, Brodericks and Ashley Mines, during this time doing general work. The family removed to Forkston, Pa., where our subject spent one year farming, but, not fancying the occupation, he returned to Plymouth, and for six years fired at the Nottingham, going from there to the Washington Mine, where he became fan engineer. He remained there about one year, at the end of which time he went to McAlester, Indian Territory, where he was engaged as fan engineer at the mines of that place. At the end of seventeen months he returned to Plymouth, and was engaged as pump runner at the Parrish Mine, which he ran until 1891, when he was given charge of the large pair of hoist- ing engines, where he has since been employed. Mr. Pickett was united in mar-

1253

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

riage, September 7, 1881, with Amanda, daughter of David and Harriet (Knapp) Major, natives of Pennsylvania. One child, David, has blessed this union, born May 27, 1883. In political matters, Mr. Pickett is independent; the family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church.

WILLIAM PICKETT, engineer at the Dodson Slope, Plymouth, was born at Rock Port, Pa., September 13, 1850, and is a son of Frederick and Nancy (Stewart) Pickett, natives of County Derry, Ireland. William is the fourth in a family of eight children, was educated in Luzerne county, and at an early age began working as a slate-picker. This vocation he followed for a number of years at the Ashley, Empire and Staunton Mines, until the family removed to Sugar Notch, when our subject took charge of and ran the breaker engine at No. 9 Colliery for a period of two years. He then did Company work at the Empire for two years, removing at the end of that time to Plymonth, where he was given a position as breaker engineer at the Washington Mine, working here for about one and one-half years. He then went to the right slope as hoisting engineer, where he remained two years, coming back at the end of that time to the Washington and operating the hoisting engines for eleven years. He was then transferred to the Dodson Slope where he now has charge of a powerful pair of hoisting engines, which he has run since 1885. Mr. Pickett was married, June 24, 1871, to Miss Jane, daughter of William and Sarah McDounott, natives of Pennsylvania, and to this union have been born ten children: John, Edward, Margaret (deceased), James (deceased), George, Frederick, Sadie (deceased), Willie (deceased), Lizzie (deceased) and Edith. In politics, Mr. Pickett is independent; the family attend the Episcopal Church.

W. B. PIER, physician, Duryea, was born in Scranton, Lackawanna Co., Pa., December 4, 1859, and is son of Dr. William H. and Frances D. (Throop) Pier, natives of New York and of New England origin. . Our subject received his educa- tion at Merrils Academy, Scranton, Pa., and subsequently entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which he graduated in the spring of 1884, and com- menced the practice of medicine in Scranton. In 1890, seeing in the rapidly grow- ing town of Duryea an opening for a good physician, he located here, and has since built up a very lucrative practice. Dr. Pier was united in marriage, October 9, 1889, with Kate, daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Schumann) Schiebel, natives of Hones- dale, Pa., and of German extraction. The Doctor is a member of the K. of P., and in polities he is a Democrat.

GEORGE E. PIERCE, liveryman, Pittston. This popular and enterprising young man was born in Pittston, Pa., August 19, 1862, and is a son of Charles G. and Louisa (Afford) Pierce, the former a native of New York, the latter of German origin. The subject of our sketch is the eldest in a family of seven children; he was reared and educated in his birthplace, and began life as a slate-picker about the mines, where he worked for two years, when he returned to school. He then went to work for his father, who ran a livery stable, remaining with him seven years. In 1887 he accepted a position as clerk at the " Hotel Eagle," which at that time was conducted by the genial James Ehret. Mr. Pierce remained in that position for two years, when he went west and located at Denver, Colo., being there employed as clerk at the "St. James Hotel." He remained here but a short time, when he pushed farther west and donned the outfit of the typical western cow-boy in Wyoming territory. He was there with the Carter outfit for about five months, when he went to Ogden, Utah, for a short time; thence to Palo Alto, Cal., where he was employed taking care of trotting horses on the famous Leland Stanford Ranch, where he remained one season. He then returned to Pittston, and assumed charge of the livery business, which had been left without a proprietor by the death of his father, which occurred September 5, 1890. Mr. Pierce has ten good horses and a requisite number of rigs, which are all first class. He is a young man of good business abilities, and well merits the large patronage he receives.

THOMAS POCKNELL, farmer, P. O. Wyoming, was born in Hertfordshire, England, May 12, 1811, a son of William and Mary (Lee) Pocknell, both also natives of Eng-

1254

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

land. They were honest, upright, and hard-working people, who lived to an advanced age and died in the land of their birth. They reared a family of three children: William, Elizabeth and Thomas, the last two named being twins. Thomas was reared and educated in his native land, and was twenty years of age when he emi- grated to this country with his uncle, Thomas Lee, in 1833. He located in Phila- delphia, spending about seven years in the city of " Brotherly Love." During his stay there, he gave an attentive ear and a ready obedience to that portion of Divine writ which says: "It is not good for man to be alone," and about 1838 took to himself a wife in the person of Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Capt. Frame. To this happy union there were born four children: William, Elizabeth, Milliance and Mary. Of these William married Miss Hannah La France; Elizabeth married Stuben Polen; Milliance married Brees Polen (brother of Stuben), Mary married William Townend. Mrs. Pocknell died in 1870. In 1841 Mr. Pocknell left Philadelphia for Harrisburg, entering the employ of William R. Griffith, who was the prime mover and instigator of the Pennsylvania Coal Company, of which he was presi- dent for a number of years. At the instigation of Mr. Griffith, Mr Pocknell removed to the Valley, taking entire control of one of the Pennsylvania Coal Company's farms of ninety acres, a position he has held for over forty years. He has proved to be a good servant, a loyal citizen to his adopted county, and an obliging neighbor. There was only one shaft sunk when he came to the Valley, in the neighborhood of Pittston. Mr. Pocknell is a practical farmer, a hard-working and industrious man, upright in word and act. He has been a member of the M. E. Church for the last forty years.

Since the above was written, we are indebted to Mrs. William Pocknell for the following interesting bit of local history, which we give in about her own words: "The house the Pocknell family lives in is over one hundred years old, for Col. Jenkins' daughter, Aunt Rachel Goodwin, stated, in 1877, that it was ninety- six years old then. She could remember coming here to 'spinning frolics,' when they would burn back logs and wood fires. Her brother, James Jenkins, used to come here, and he said that at these frolics the women folks wore their linsey-wool- sey gowns, and they would have a gay old time, dancing around. We have found in our garden two pennies 150 and 91 years old, respectively. We also found a 'Poor Richard Almanack,' dated 1818, which tells about Lorenzo Dow raising the devil. He set a barrel of cotton on fire, and a man jumped out and ran out of doors. All this serves to show that the Pocknell homestead is a pretty old place."

EDWARD POLGREAN, chief of police, Hazleton. This popular young officer was born in Cornwall, England, March 15, 1861, and is the eldest in a family of six children born to Henry and Alice (Harvey) Polgrean, natives of England. The father came to America in 1870, and sent for the family in 1874, settling at Stock- ton, where he still resides. Edward received his early education in both England and this country, and at the close of his school life started to work in the mines. He did contract work principally, his first work consisting of driving a tunnel for G. H. Myers & Co., at Yorktown. In 1884 he came to Hazleton and engaged with A. Pardee & Co. to do general contract work. He remained with Pardee & Co. for two years, at the end of which time he engaged in huckstering, which he followed for one year. He was then elected patrolman of Hazleton for the term of one year. At the end of this time he went to Newport News, Va., where he was employed in the building of a great shipyard, thence proceeding to Philadelphia, where he was employed as a builder for a short time. He returned to Hazleton from Philadelphia, and in 1891 was appointed chief of police for one year, and after that term had expired, for three years. Mr. Polgrean was married March 23, 1892, to Miss Adella Yerrick, of Danville, Pa. In politics he is a Republican; he attends the M. E. Church, and is a member of the I. O. O. F. Mr. Polgrean is a very popular and efficient officer, and is always to be found at his post.

DAVID K. POLLOCK, farmer, P. O. Carverton, was born August 23, 1838, in Salem township, where he was also reared and educated. He is the son of Samuel and

1255

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Desire (Seeley) Pollock, the former born in Montour county, in 1801, the latter in Germany. Samuel removed to this county about 1821, locating in Salem township on a farm of 130 acres of wild land, seventy-five of which he reclaimed and brought under the plow. In conjunction with his farm he owned and ran a sawmill, working both summer and winter, and in his day he did much for the advancement of agricultural pursuits. He lived a life of usefulness, and died in 1886 at the age of eighty-three. His family consisted of twelve children, nine of whom grew to maturity, and six of them are now living, David K. being the sixth in the family. Our subject remained in Salem township till he reached his twenty-seventh year. In 1868 he married Miss Eliza, daughter of George and Esther Brobst, and three children have been born to them: George, Fanny and Bruce, all living. After his marriage Mr. Pollock learned and worked at the blacksmith's trade with his father- in-law. In 1873 he removed to the Valley, where he continued at his trade for six years; and finally went to farming in Kingston township, on forty-five acres of well- improved land. Not only is he a first-class mechanic but a practical farmer withal. He has made many needed improvements, and still continues to embellish and adorn his neat home. Politically, he is a Democrat.

JOHN POLLOCK, farmer, P. O. Berwick, was born in Briar Creek township, Colum- bia Co., Pa., May 17, 1829, and is a son of Samuel and Desire (Seeley) Pollock. His paternal grandfather, John Pollock, was a native of Montour county, Pa., and a son of Samuel Pollock, who was a native of Ireland and one of the pioneers of Montour county, Pa., whose wife was Margaret Johnston. John Pollock settled in Salem township, this county, in 1822, and died there the same year. His wife was Mary Scout, and his children were eight in number: Samuel, William, Eliza (Mrs. John B. Courtright), Jane (Mrs. Thomas Edwards), John, Molly (Mrs. Isaac Court- right), Harriet (Mrs. Richard Harned) and Sydney J. Of these, Samuel was born in Montour county in 1801, settled in Salem township in 1823, and was married September 18, 1828, to Desire, daughter of John and Mary (Weltz) Seely, of Salem township, and by her had eight children, who grew to maturity: John, Mary, Stephen P., Jacob, James, David K., Sydney H. and Elsie. Our subject was reared in Salem township from three years of age, and has since been a resident of Luzerne county, where he has followed farming as his principal occupation, though he was proprietor of a hotel in Wyoming for thirteen years. Since 1890 he has occupied his present farm in Salem township. He married February 3, 1863, Agnes C., daughter of James and Margaret (Craig) Mckee, of Montour county, Pa., and has two children living, Charles D. and William. Mr. Pollock is the possessor of the Pollock family Bible, purchased by his great-grandfather in 1803. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics is a Democrat.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 186

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