History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 189

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

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JOSEPH RALSTON, miner in the Keystone Colliery, Plains, was born in Whiflet, Scotland, January 1, 1856, and is a son of James and Isabella (Johnston) Ralston. The father, who was a miner, left " Old Mauchline" in 1871 and came to America; he located on Scotch Hill, where he still resides, being the first Scotchman to locate there; from this fact the place received its name. He was married, October 4, 1845, to Miss Isabella, daughter of John and Isabella (Frasier) Johnston; her father, who was a weaver by trade, served twelve years in the British army, during which time he participated in the battle of Waterloo and the Peninsular War. James and Isa- bella Ralston had ten children, seven of whom are living, viz .: William, a miner in Clearfield county, Pa .; Isabella (Mrs. Thomas Cook); John, a miner in Plains; Joseph, the subject of this memoir; Sarah, married to Isaiah Morris, a miner in Plains; James, outside laborer at the mines, living at home; and Jessie, married to John I. Alexander, a miner at Ralston, Pa. Alexander was burned in the mines at Plymouth, in February, 1889, and died from the effects about a year later. Mrs. Ralston died suddenly December 1, 1891, at about eight o'clock in the morning. Our subject tended door for the Rosall Mining Company, Scotland, for about two years, and then came to America; here he has been engaged in driving, door-tend- ing, running, laboring, firing and mining in the Wyoming, Enterprise, Baltimore, Waddell and Midvale Collieries, and went to the Keystone in February, 1891. Mr. Ralston was married, January 25, 1882, to Ida May, daughter of Emanuel and Mary Jane (Festmaker) Smith, natives of Columbia county, Pa., and of early Ger- man origin. They have four children, viz. : Alfred F., Mary I., Jessie Irene and Minnie G. Mr. Ralston and family, and also his father's family, are members of the Presbyterian Church; he is a member of the Tuckalula Lodge No. 173, I. O. R. M., Mill Creek, of Sodi Lodge No. 670, I. O. O. F., Plains, and the Caledonian Club of Wilkes-Barre. Politically he is a Republican.

SILAS RANDALL, stationary engineer, Mill Creek, was born in Wyoming, Septem- ber 23, 1856, and is a son of George and Rachel A. (Low) Randall, natives of New Jersey, and of Dutch origin. In their family there were six children, of whom Silas is the fourth. Our subject began life picking slate in the breaker at the age of fourteen, and in two years worked himself up to his present occupation. He came to Plains in 1869, and has followed engineering here since. Mr. Randall was married, July 4, 1875, to Ella T., daughter of Jonas and Sarah (Hine) Schlabach, of Plains, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German origin. To their union have been born three children, viz. : Rachel A., Ella and Allen F. Our subject and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; he is a member of the O. U. A. M. ; he is a Republican in politics, and has held the office of school director three years. In 1875 he built and occupied his present residence.

FRANCIS D. RANSOM, farmer, Forty Fort borough, was born October 13, 1847, in Jackson township, Luzerne Co., Pa., son of William and Clara (Davenport) Ran-

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

som. They were natives of Pennsylvania, and of English and Scotch origin, respectively. Our subject is the fourth in a family of nine children, eight of whom are now living. He was reared on a farm, and educated in the common schools and a select school at Huntsville, Pa. Hestarted in life for himself at Plymouth, at the age of twenty-three, where he remained five years farming on shares. He then moved to Forty Fort and engaged in general work for three years, when he returned to Jackson township, where he farmed for five years, thence removing to Wyoming, farming there for one year. He then moved back to Forty Fort and purchased two lots, on one of which he built his present residence. Mr. Ransom was married, October 16, 1870, to Isabella, daughter of Daniel and Catherine (Santee) Culp, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German origin. This happy union was blessed with six children, viz. : Catherine, who is a dressmaker and lives at home; Herbert D., weighmaster at the Pettebone Mines; Clara B., a student at the Wyoming Semi- nary; Eva M., Arthur J. and Grace E. Mr. and Mrs. Ransom and the four oldest children are members of the Methodist Church. Mr. Ransom is a Prohibitionist.

IRA RANSOM, farmer, P. O. Plymouth, was born in Plymouth, October 11, 1822, a son of George P. and Elizabeth (Lamareux) Ransom, both of whom were born in Plymouth. George P. was a son of Capt. Samuel Ransom, who was slain at the Wyoming Massacre. Both the Ransoms and the Lamareux are of the oldest set- tlers in the Valley, coming here in the county's early history, and were by occupa- tion farmers, honest, sturdy and industrious, whose descendants now hold prom- inent positions in the county. George P. Ransom had seventeen children by two marriages-four by the first and thirteen by the second-Ira being the thir- teenth member of the second marriage. Our subject was reared and educated in Plymouth, and has always followed the example of his ancestors in tilling the soil, and now occupies the farm on which his maternal grandfather, Thomas Lamareux, settled 100 years ago. In 1844 he married Miss Mary, daughter of Benjamin and Mary Smith, by whom he had six children, four of whom arrived at maturity, viz. : Edwin, Ellen, Emeline and Lira, the latter of whom remains single, all the rest being married and in good circumstances. Mr. Ransom is a well-to-do agriculturist, and has resided on his present farm for the last thirty-six years. In the fall of 1862, when his country was threatened by invasion, he patriotically enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Forty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, for the term of three years, serving to the close of the war. He passed through some of the most severely-contested battles, viz .: Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, etc., without receiving a wound. At the close of the war he was honorably discharged. He is a member of the G. A. R., Post No. 109. He has been called upon to fill trusted and responsi- ble offices in his town, discharging the duties of the same with credit and fidelity.

PETER J. RARICH, farmer, P. O. Conyngham, was born in Sugar Loaf township, this county, August 20, 1847, a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Maury) Rarich. His paternal grandfather, Peter Rarich, settled in Sugar Loaf township in 1827, cleared and improved a farm and died there. His children were Peter, Charles, Martin, Lydia A., Barbara (Mrs. Nathan Barria) and Dauiel. The father of subject was a native of Lehigh county, Pa., and was reared in Sugar Loaf township from eight years of age. He was a pioneer farmer, and died May 24. 1890, at the age of seventy years six months and twenty-five days. He was twice married. His first wife was Elizabeth Maury, by whom he had three children: Mary A. (Mrs. George Drasher); Sarah (Mrs. George Kisthart) and Peter J. His second wife was Mary Magdalena Wert, by whom he had one son, Daniel (deceased). Our subject was reared on the old homestead, whereon his grandfather settled in 1827, and to which he succeeded by will at his father's death. His wife is Emma, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Rockel) Zellner, of Sugar Loaf township, and his children are Carrie, Daniel, Abraham, Edith, William and George. Mr. Rarich is a member of the Reformed Church, is a Democrat in politics, and served one term as school director.

ANDREW G. RAUB, miller, farmer, coal operator, and lumber dealer, Luzerne

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

borough, was born in said borough, March 5, 1861, and is a son of Samuel and Caroline (Bisel) Raub, also natives of Pennsylvania. The father was one of the early pioneers of the Valley, and did much to develop the resources of what is now known as Luzerne borough. There are four children in the Raub family, viz .: Anna C., Addie B., Moriah B. and Andrew G. Our subject was educated in the common schools, and also at Wyoming Seminary. After completing his education, he embarked in the milling business, which had been established by his father, and has since been operated by him, together with his mining and lumbering interests. He was married in May, 1888, to Maud B., daughter of Andrew J. and Mary H. (Collings) Baldwin, of Trucksville, Pa., to which union have been born two children: Samuel J., born May 17, 1890, and Edwin H., born May 8, 1892. Mr. Raub has always followed the precepts of the Republican party, but, like his father, he looks to principle for the governing test.

REV. T. J. REA, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo's Catholic Church, Sugar Notch, was born in Charleville, County Cork, Ireland. He was graduated in philosophy from Allhallows College, Dublin, in 1869, when he came to America and entered the college of St. Bonaventures, from which he was graduated in 1872, and was ordained at Scranton by the Right Reverend William O' Hara on July 14 of the same year. He was then appointed assistant at Archbald, which position he filled for two years, after which he served two years at Wilkes-Barre in the same capacity. He was then to have gone to Hazleton, but a sudden decline in health compelled him to travel. He spent a year in Ireland and continental Europe, and after his return he was appointed pastor at Montrose, Pa., also supplying Meshop- pen, Tunkhannock and Auburn, and in 1879 came to Sugar Notch, where he built the pastoral residence the same year, and completed the church which was com- menced by Father O'Hearn in 1881, thus affording the congregation an elegant and commodious property, which is free from encumbrances.

IRA K. READ (deceased) was born in Warren county, N. J., December 14, 1828, a son of Richard and Rebecca (Howell) Read, natives of New Jersey, and of En- glish origin. In his father's family there were ten children, of whom he was the sixth; he began life farming in his native State, which he followed till 1858, when he removed to Dallas, and there continued farming for seven years. His health failing him he removed to Kingston, and engaged in the hardware business there for three years, afterward going to Wilkes-Barre, where he lived six years. He traveled two years for William Bertels, and then engaged with Payne & Co., as agent, in whose employ he remained until his death June 14, 1890; he removed to Miners Mills in 1881. Mr. Read was married December 3, 1851, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Philip and Margaret (Bought) Howell, natives of New Jersey, and of English and German lineage, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Read had three children, viz. : Sarah M., married to Henry Bachman (she and her only child, Arthur R., live with her mother, where she conducts a large dress-making establishment); Anna Rebecca, married to James L. Ribble, a harness-maker in Wilkes-Barre (they have one child, Willard A.); Emma A., married to William Allen, boss plasterer for Charles Shiver, Wilkes-Barre (they have one child, Ira W.). Mr. Read was a member of the Methodist. Episcopal Church, with which the family is also connected; he was a Republican in his political views.

JOSEPH C. REAP, doctor of dental surgery, Pittston. This well-known and highly esteemed dentist is a native of Pittston and was born May 3, 1866. He is a son of Michael and Mary (Bolin) Reap, natives of County Mayo, Ireland. His father, who was one of Pittston's most successful business men, and a very highly respected and influential citizen, died in 1885. The Doctor received his preparatory education in the Harry Hillman Academy, Wilkes-Barre, and later attended the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, where he was graduated in the class of 1888, taking the degree of D. D. S. He immediately came to Pittston and engaged in the prac- tice of his profession, where he has since enjoyed a large and eminently successful practice. The Doctor is a member of the Dental Protective Association, and his political views are of a thorough Democratic nature.

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JOHN R. REED, miner, Plymouth, was born November 3, 1851, in Schuylkill county, Pa., and is the sixth in a family of fourteen children born to Daniel and Mary E. (Howtz) Reed, also natives of Pennsylvania. John R. was educated and reared in Luzerne county, and started life as a workman at the mines, where he remained but a short time. He then went to Harleigh, and engaged in firing and running an engine for six years at No. 2. He then did company work, inside, at the same mine for four years, afterward going to Highland, where he was engaged as a track-layer for two years, coming at the end of that time to Plymouth, and has since worked as a practical miner at Delaware & Hudson No. 2. Our subject was twice married: first, on January 4, 1872, to Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Ann (Mason) Caswell, natives of England, to which union were born three children: Ann, Mary E. and Leona. Mrs. Elizabeth Reed died March 3, 1889, and he married, for his second wife, on June 25, 1890, Alice, daughter of Thomas Wylie, of Plymouth. One child has blessed this nnion, Ernestine.

Mr. Reed is a Republican in politics, and is a member of the I. O. O. F. The family attend the Presbyterian Church.

HERBERT Y. REES, reporter, Wilkes-Barre, was born in Bristol, England, April 2, 1843, a son of John and Jane (Evans) Rees, both natives of Llangadock, Wales. His father was a tallow chandler, and carried on an extensive business at Merthyr Tydvill, South Wales, for forty years. They were the parents of two children: Herbert Y., and Harry J., of Pocahontas, Virginia. Our subject was educated at Bristol, England, and at the age of twenty-five he left Wales for Johnstown, Pa., where he remained two years in the position of clerk in Wood Morrell & Co.'s store. He left there for Jermyn, Luzerne Co., Pa., and accepted a position with John Jermyn & Co., as clerk. From there he came to Wilkes-Barre, to fill a position as clerk in Conyngham & Paine's store, known as the "Empire Store." From there he left for Sugar Notch, where he remained several years, as clerk for the same firm. He finally again came to Wilkes-Barre, and accepted a position as reporter and circulation manager, on the Wilkes-Barre Record, which positions he still holds. On August 31, 1862, he was united in marriage with Miss Isabella, daughter of John and Margaret (Pearson) Moody, both born at Newcastle, England, and of this union there are six children as follows: Edith, John M., Harry P., Jennie M., Bella H. and Gertrude. He is a member of the Methodist Church, the F. & A. M., the Cambro American Society, Royal Arcanum, I. O. R. M., and of the Chicago Cymradorion Society. In politics he affiliates with the Republican party. He is the United States correspondent for the Western Mail, Cardiff, Wales.

MORGAN J. REES. This gentleman, who is one of Nanticoke's most enterprising merchants, is a native of Carmarthenshire, South Wales, born May 7, 1851. At the age of nineteen he bade farewell to his mother land, set sail for America, and became one of her adopted sons. When he arrived in this country he located at Frostburg, Md., where he found employment as clerk in a grocery store. He remained there about one year and six months and then came to Luzerne county, where he accepted a position as mine foreman, at Jamesville, for the Spring Mountain Coal Company. In the employment of this company he remained some fifteen years, with the excep- tion of three years he spent in California. In 1887 he came to Nanticoke, and embarked in the grocery business, since which time he has increased hisstock in every line until he has well earned the title of " General Merchant." His place of busi- ness is on Market street. Mr. Rees was united in marriage at Jamesville, in 1881, with' Miss Almena Meek of that place. This union has been blessed with five children, viz. : John Howard, Morgan G., Anna Brooks, Alfred and Leroy. Mr. and Mrs. Rees are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Socially, he is a member of the S. P. K. Politically, he is a Prohibitionist.

MORGAN T. REES, general merchandise, Wilkes-Barre, was born in Glamorgan- shire, Wales, October 31, 1864, and is a son of Morgan T. and Elizabeth (David) Rees, who came to America in 1871, locating in Scranton. In 1874 they came to Wilkes-Barre, where the father engaged in general merchandising, establishing, in 1878, the business now conducted by our subject. This he followed until his death,

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

which occurred in 1883, when he was suceeded by his widow, with our subject as manager. His eight children were: Bessie (Mrs. A. Rhoads), Mary (Mrs. William T. Smith), Catherine (Mrs. William E. Jones), Morgan T., William I., Alice, Edith and Mabel. The subject of this sketch was reared in Wilkes-Barre, up to fifteen years of age, being educated in the public schools. He learned the trade of tinsmith and ' plumber; and, as before stated, at the death of his father in 1883, became manager of the store. He is a member of the K. of P. In politics he is a Republican.

WILLIAM S. REES, miner in the Wyoming Colliery, Miners Mills, was born in Merthyr Maur, near Bridgend, Glamorganshire, South Wales, December 24, 1835, and is an only son of William and Mary Rees, his father being a shoemaker by trade. He came to America in 1865, located at Providence, and engaged in the vocation he has always followed; he remained there three years, then worked at Mill Creek seven years, and at Prospect eight years, since which he has been employed at Wyoming. He built his present residence in 1871. Mr. Rees was married, Decem- ber 28, 1857, to Miss Mary, daughter of Benjamin and Gwenllian (Price) Thomas; she was born in Tafswell, near Cardiff, August 27, 1828. Mr. and Mrs. Rees had two children, viz. : Gwenllian, who died in Wales at the age of two and one-half years, and Benjamin, who died at the age of five years, and was buried in Hyde Park. He and his wife are members of the Welsh Congregational Church at Plains; he is a member of the Ivorites, and in politics is a steadfast Republican.

A. REESE, general mine foreman, Nanticoke, one of the most respected citizens of Luzerne county, was born December 14, 1847, near Clifton, Carbon Co., Pa. He is the youngest but one of five children born to Daniel and Mary (Morgan) Reese, na- tives of Wales. When the subject of this sketch was but two years old, his father, who was a miner, was killed in the mines at Clifton by a fall of rock. Being thus early left an orphan, entirely dependent upon his poor widowed mother who had a fam- ily of five children to support, his early advantages were very limited, and at the ten- der age of seven years he began picking slate at the Sugar Loaf Mines, near Hazle- ton, and very soon after engaged at work inside. He continued working in the mines until March 4, 1864; then, when but little over sixteen years of age, he en- listed in the Eighteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry. He was in the fight at Weldon Rail- road and engaged in several sharp skirmishes at Reems Station. He was under Gen. Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley raid, and took part in all the engagements in that locality during the fall of 1864, and remained with that general until the spring of 1865, when he was among the troops left in the valley while Sheridan moved towards Petersburg, where he was when Lee surrendered. His company was then sent from Winchester, then to Cumberland, Md., and in July, 1865, it was sent to Cannon, W. Va., and there Mr. Reese was one of a detachment of fourteen who were sent to Beverly, W. Va., in command of a lieutenant, to assist the sheriff in enforcing the laws of the Federal Government. He received his discharge November 1, 1865, and engaged in mining at Providence, Lackawanna Co., Pa., which he followed a short time, when he went to work at the carpenter's trade with E. L. Riggs. After following that business about two years, he went to Jeddo, where he worked one year again engaged in mining, and next removed to Wanamie, where he remained until 1872. Our subject then accepted the position of mine foreman for the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company at Plymouth. On January 1, 1874, this company was succeeded by the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal Company, but Mr. Reese continued in the employ of the new firm in the same capacity, until August, 1874, when he went to Wanamie, also in the employ of the same company, where he was given charge of the general underground work. Mr. Reese remained there until 1875, when he entered the employ of the Lehigh Valley Coal Company at Pleasant Valley and West Pittston, remaining there until November 1, 1885, when he accepted the position of general mine foreman for the Susquehanna Coal Com- pany, at Nanticoke, which position he now holds. Mr. Reese was married, Decem- ber 29, 1868, to Miss Harriet Davies, of Providence, Pa. Mrs. Reese died Decem- ber 2, 1889, leaving five children, viz .: Alfred B., Victor E., Anna May, Eva and

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Ethel. He is a member of the G. A. R .; politically he is a Republican, and has been a member of the borough council, at present a member of the school board.

ABRAHAM REESE, merchant, Wilkes-Barre, was born February 15, 1840, and is a son of Caspary Reese, a native of Prussia. Our subject came to America in 1856, and located in Dubuque, Iowa, a short time, from there going to the city of New Orleans. Here he was employed as a salesman in one of the largest houses in the South, remaining there twelve years. At the beginning of the Civil war our subject enlisted, in 1861, in the Confederate service with the Crescent Regiment, of New Orleans, Louisiana Volunteers (Infantry), and served for the lost cause three years and a half, during which time he became an officer on Allen Thomas' staff. After the war closed he went to Mexico, where he was offered a commission in Maximil- ian's army. He did not accept this, however, but after remaining in Mexico about two months proceeded to Galveston, Tex., and thence returned to New Orleans, where he remained as salesman in a large wholesale house until 1870, in which year he came to Plymouth, Pa., and established a business, which he carried on in a commodious double store, one department being filled with a large assortment of gents' furnishing goods, the other containing a full line of boots and shoes. The subject of this sketch was married March 23, 1870, to Miss Sarah Reese, daugh- ter of Louie Reese, who, it will be remembered, was foully murdered and robbed, in 1852, near Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The murderer was subsequently appre- hended, tried, found guilty and executed. Louie Reese's daughter, Sarah, was soon after this sad tragedy adopted by Isaac Livingstone, with whom she lived until married to Mr. Abraham Reese. Eight children have been born to this union: Ella, Ruth, Ettie, Harry, William Cleveland, Fannie, Gertrude and Marion. Our subject has always been identified with the Democratic party. After a successful business career of over twenty years, Mr. Reese removed to the city of Wilkes-Barre, where he now resides in his beautiful mansion on the corner of South and Franklin streets.

EVAN REESE, proprietor of the " Black Ridge Hotel," West Hazleton, was born in Glamorganshire, Wales, March 26, 1834, a son of David and Gwennie (Reese) Reese. He was reared in his native county, and at seven years of age began work about the ore mines; from 1844 to 1863 he was employed in the coal mines of his native county. In the latter year he came to America, and worked in the mines of Schuylkill county, Pa., five years; then for seventeen years was employed at the Yorktown Colliery, Carbon county, Pa., during fifteen years of which time he was inside boss of the colliery. On his retirement from the mines, he received a recom- mendation from the company as being thoroughly competent to take any position about mines he might be called upon to fill. Since 1886 Mr. Reese has been the popular proprietor of the " Black Ridge Hotel," and his friends are legion. He was twice married, his first wife being Mary, daughter of Thomas and Mary Price, of Wales, by which union he had fifteen children, of whom eight grew to maturity: Gwennie (Mrs. Charles Tanner), Mary (Mrs. John Thomas), Thomas, Sarah A. (Mrs. Evan Davis), Maggie (Mrs. August Wonderlich), William, Lizzie (Mrs. E. E. Fisher) and Evan D. His second wife was Mrs. Josephine (Charles) Young, of Carbon county, Pa. In politics Mr. Reese is a Republican.

GEORGE F. REESE, conductor on the Lehigh Valley Railroad, Hazleton Division, Hazleton, was born January 23, 1848, in Glamorganshire, South Wales, and is the eld- est in a family of five children born to John and Martha (Brown) Reese, natives of Wales. The parents came to America in 1852, settling at Pottsville, Pa., where they resided four years, afterward removing to St. Clair, Pa., where the children were reared and educated. Our subject at the age of twelve, left school and began working about the mines, and did all kinds of work that relates to the mining of coal. His serv- ices extended throughout the mines of St. Clair where he worked four years as a practical miner. In 1871 he came to Hazleton, and after working a short time at Mt. Pleasant Mines began railroading, as a brakeman on the Lehigh Valley Road, and after about two years' service in that capacity was promoted to conductor of a

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 189

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