History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 202

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 202

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).

EDWARD SHERIDAN, track-layer in the Henry Mine, Plains, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, in March, 1839, and is a son of Patrick and Bridget (Moran) Sheridan. The father, who was a farmer, reared a family of four children, of whom Edward is the second, and the only one now living; there were two older half brothers: Thomas Sheridan, who died in Illinois, and James Sheridan, now living in Missouri. Our subject came to America in 1860 and located in Scranton, where he worked in the mines nine years, thence coming to Plains, where he has since followed his present occupation. He was married, October 15, 1862, to Mary A., daughter of Thomas and Anna (Lee) Howley, natives of County Sligo, Ireland; she died, March 29, 1889. The fruits of this union were four children, viz .: Catherine F. (Mrs. Michael Moran); Thomas J., carpenter, Honesdale; Anna B., for five years a successful teacher in Plains township (she still shares her father's fireside, where her pleasant smile, loving heart and willing hands do much to lighten the burden and make glad the weary hours of his declining years); and Belinda, who is now Sister Mary Gerald in the Sisters of Mercy Convent, Wilkes-Barre. Mr. Sheridan and family are mem- bers of the Catholic Church; he is a member of the A. O. H., and in political matters casts his ballot for the best candidates and the best principles, irrespective of all party lines. He built his present residence in 1875, and has lived therein since 1877.

MICHAEL SHERIDAN, laborer, Inkerman, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, September 12, 1823, and is the eldest in a family of four children born to Michael and Bridget (Harrison) Sheridan, natives of the same place. Our subject was educated in Ireland, where he worked on a farm; he arrived in New York January 12, 1847, and came on to Wayne county, Pa., where he worked in the iron works until July, 1856, when he came to this county, and settled in Sebastopol, here laboring for a blacksmith until 1861, since which time he has been employed by the Pennsylvania Coal Company, in the capacity of headsman, at No. 7 Shaft. Mr. Sheridan was united in marriage September 14, 1851, with Margaret, daughter of Michael and Mary (Kirby) Flynn, natives of County Mayo, Ireland. Their union has been blessed with the following issue: Michael, born September 19, 1853; Mary, born October 13, 1855, was married, January 12, 1880, to Andrew Brennen, a teamster, in Pittston; Catharine, born April 12, 1860; Frank, born July 19, 1862, and Patrick, born April 2, 1864. Our subject is a member of the Catholic Church, and in politics is a Democrat.

GEORGE D. T. SHERMAN, blacksmith, P. O. Gowen, was born in Columbia county, Pa., September 13, 1862, a son of John and . Catherine (Leiby) Sherman, natives of Germany, and who were residents of Columbia county, Pa., for many years. The father was a blacksmith and farmer, and is now a resident of Schuylkill county, Pa .; he was twice married, his first wife being Catherine Leiby, and second wife Louisa Crouse. Our subject was reared in Columbia county, educated in the public schools,

1344

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

and learned the blacksmith's trade which he has followed since 1880. He has been in the employ of Coxe Bros. & Co., from thirteen years, and has resided in Black Creek township since 1888. Mr. Sherman married, April 28, 1885, Alice, daughter of Joseph and Sidney (Benninger) Singley, of Black Creek township, and has four children: Sidney, Joseph E., William T. and Daisy M. Our subject is a member of the Lutheran Church, and in politics is a Democrat.

CONRAD S. SHIFFER, mason, Plains, was born, in what is now Plains township, March 6, 1827, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Frye) Shiffer, natives of Penn- sylvania, and of German origin. Our subject learned his father's trade, and at the age of twenty-one engaged in business for himself at Scranton, where he remained fourteen years, and where he enlisted, September 22, 1864, in Company G, One Hundred and Ninety-ninth P. V. I .; he participated in the battle of Fort Gregg and many skirmishes; was discharged at Richmond, Va., June 28, 1865. He then re, turned to Plains and worked with his brother, Jeremiah, till the following spring, when he entered into partnership with him in the contracting and building business for seven years; he built his present residence and removed therein in 1871. Mr. Shiffer was married, February 12, 1859, to Miss Harriet Rider, of Binghamton, N. Y., by whom he had two children, viz. : Lillie E., married to James Mandeville, a bookkeeper, in Binghamton, N. Y .; and Edward A., a lath contractor, also in Bing- hamton. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Shiffer was married, January 24, 1867, to Miss Katie Maria Halleck, of Pike county, N. Y., and they have had eight chil- dren, viz. : Harry W. (deceased), Sarah E. (deceased), Eva J., Ida M., Alma A., Rachel A., John M. (deceased) and Katie M. (deceased). Our subject is a member of the G. A. R., and politically is a Democrat.

GEORGE H. SHIFFER, outside foreman at the Mill Creek and Delaware Breakers, Plains township, P. O. Hudson, was born on the spot where his present residence stands, May 7, 1859. He is a son of Jeremiah B. and Mary A. (Sperring) Shiffer, natives of Luzerne county, and of English and German descent, respectively. He is a grandson of Henry Shiffer, who was an early settler in the county. His father, who was a mason by trade, reared a family of twelve children, seven of whom are living, viz. : Nettie, married to James L. Mitchell, coal operator at Tyrone, Pa .; May (Mrs. R. D. McCaa); George H .; Jeremiah E .; William, mine foreman at Tyrone, Pa .; Albertie B., druggist at Mill Creek, living with his mother; and Joseph- ine, also living at home. Our subject began working in the old Miner drug-store, Wilkes-Barre, when but fourteen years of age; he remained there six months, went to school the next winter, and for three years was employed as errand-boy by the Delaware & Hudson Coal Company. He was then promoted to docking-boss, which position he held four years; he has been outside foreman since 1881. Mr. Shiffer was married, December 24, 1880, to Martha E., daughter of John and Ellen (McCloskey) Maxfield, of Wilkes-Barre. They have had born to them four children, viz. : Nettie, Alice, Jeremiah (deceased) and Cora. This wife died January 16, 1887, and he was afterward married, September 12, 1888, to Miss Josephine, daughter of Alexander McCaa, of Plains, and they have two children, viz. : Isabel and Edna. Mr. Shiffer has always given his political support to the Democratic party, and he is at present serving as school director of Plains township.

JEREMIAH E. SHIFFER, engineer in the Delaware Colliery, Hudson, Plains town- ship, was born in the town where he now lives, September 26, 1861, and is a son of Jeremiah Shiffer. Our subject received a good public-school education, and began working about the mines at the age of sixteen years, an occupation he has since fol- lowed, working himself up to his present position, which he accepted in 1887. Mr. Shiffer was married, December 29, 1887, to Miss Ellen, daughter of Thomas Carter, of Plains, and they have had three children, viz. : Fred, Annie M. and Ida, the latter of whom they buried July 19, 1892. Mr. Shiffer has always been a steadfast Dem- ocrat, and has rendered his party much valuable aid. He built his present resi- dence in 1890.

HIRAM SHIFFER, a prominent citizen of Mill Creek, Plains township, P. O. Hud-

1345

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

son, was born December 25, 1825, in what was known as the "Half-way House" (which is still standing east of Plainsville in Plains township). He is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Frye) Shiffer, natives of Germany, who emigrated to North- ampton county at an early day, where the father worked at the stone-mason's trade, and later came to Plains and carried on the "Half-way House," also following his trade. Here the bounding deer and much other game were the victims of young Hiram's aim, and he now has in his home some very beautiful antlers, plucked from their proud heads. Our subject, who is the seventh in order of birth in a family of nine children, began life for himself at the age of twelve years, working on the farm for his board and clothes, and attending school in the winter. At the age of six- teen he was employed by Peter Wagner, of Lackawanna county, to work on a farm for eight dollars a month, remaining with him five years. In the spring of 1846 he went to Philadelphia, on the canal; and on his return he stopped at Harrisburg, where he enlisted in Company K, Ringgold's Battalion, garrisoned at Carlisle; but, being a minor, as soon as his father learned where he was, he served a writ on the authorities and secured his discharge, with much reluctance on the part of the young soldier, who thus early evinced a great craving for a military career. Nine days after his departure his company was ordered to the front, in the Mexican war, where Major Ringgold and most of his men were slain at the battle of Palo Alto. After this our subject worked at various occupations, in different places, chiefly at boat-building; he worked at this for William Riddle, of Wilkes-Barre, for five years, and subsequently was in the business for himself at Tunkhannock seven years; one of the boats he built, named the "Defender of Tunkhannock," was the first boat that ran up the North Branch Canal from Pittston; while at Tunkhannock he was foreman on the construction of the first bridge across the Susquehanna at that place; he afterward leased a yard and built boats at Plainsville for five years. In 1866 he built his present residence and removed therein, and engaged with the Delaware & Hudson Coal Company as boss-carpenter, which position he held until 1888. Then, after two years' retirement, resumed work for the same company as night-watchman at the Mill Creek Breaker. Mr. Shiffer was married July 16, 1846, to Miss Eliza- beth, daughter of William and Rachel (Culver) Culver, of Forty Fort; they had nine children, six of whom are living, viz. : Mylurt, Caroline (Mrs. Butler Norris), Wel- den, Abraham, Sarah E. (Mrs. Charles Sutton) and Ruth (Mrs. Seth Colvin). Mrs. Elizabeth (Culver) Shiffer died April 4, 1863, and Mr. Shiffer was again married, this time, February 22, 1865, to Miss Ellen Otison, who died February 19, 1883. On March 25, 1888, he married, for his third wife, Mrs. Agnes Gilmore, daughter of James and Agnes (Scoly) Noble, and widow of Robert Gilmore, by whom she had ten children, seven of whom are living. Mr. Shiffer is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he is steward; his wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and Encampment; in his political views he has stood by the Republican party since its organization, and, while in Tunkhannock, he held the office of constable.

ABRAHAM SEIFFER, carpenter at the Delaware Breaker, Hudson, Plains township, was born in Tunkhannock, Pa., December 29, 1857, and is a son of Hiram Shiffer. He received a common-school education, and at the age of twelve years began work- ing on the breaker, where he remained five years, and has since followed his present trade. Mr. Shiffer was married, March 27, 1880, to Mary E., daughter of Giles E. and Amanda (Roberts) Stevens, natives of New York, and of English and Ger- man origin, respectively; her father, who came to Luzerne county in 1857, was suc- cessively engaged, as follows: on the canal, then as coal and iron police, special police, watchman at the Black Diamond Colliery, and regular police in Wilkes- Barre; he died April 8, 1885, and is survived by his widow; the family consisted of seven children, four of whom are living, viz. : Dollie A. Smith (a half sister), Mary E., John M. and Sarah A. To Mr. and Mrs. Shiffer were born four children: Ida M., Jessie A., Edith and Daisy. Our subject is a member of the Junior Order United American Mechanics, and in his political views is a Republican. He built his present residence in 1887.

1346

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

WELDEN SHIFFER, engineer at the Mill Creek Slope, Hudson, Plains township, is a son of Hiram Shiffer. He began working about the mines at the age of fifteen, and since has worked himself up to his present position, which he has occupied for twelve years. Mr. Shiffer was married, August 5, 1885, to Miss Anna, daughter of John Maxfield, of Plains, now of Wilkes-Barre. After the death of his wife, May 2, 1886, he returned to his former boarding place with his brother-in-law, Seth Colvin. Mr. Colvin was born in East Benton, Pa., December 2, 1864, and is a son of James L. and Mary E. (Post) Colvin, natives of Pennsylvania and of Yankee origin. His father, who commenced work as carpenter on the Delaware & Hudson Gravity Rail Road, April 1, 1864, was killed by the cars one year later. The family consisted of six children, four of whom are living, Mr. Colvin being the second in birth. He began life working at the painter's trade, which he followed one year, then worked about the mines two years, was brakeman on the Delaware & Hudson Railroad seven years, and since 1881 has been conductor on that road. Mr. Colvin was married, January 28, 1879, to Miss Ruth, daughter of Hiram Shiffer, and has four children, viz. : Mary E., James L., Hiram and Alva G. He is a member of the Order of Railroad Conductors and the I. O. R. M. He is a Republican in his political views, and at present a member of the school board in Plains township.

ALEXANDER SHINER, farmer, P. O. Tank, was born in Sugar Loaf township, June 14, 1840, a son of Chester and Lydia (Wenner) Shiner. His paternal grandfather, James Shiner, was a son of Andrew and Margaret (Smith) Shiner, all pioneers of Sugar Loaf township. James Shiner was a lumberman and farmer, and cleared a farm in Sugar Loaf, where he resided until his death. His wife was Jennie Chea- ney, and his children were Andrew, Margaret, Susan (Mrs. Jacob Kiper), Chester, Justus, James, Hannah (Mrs. Bennett) and Ellen (Mrs. James K. Drake). The father of our subject, who was a native of Briar Creek township, Columbia Co., Pa., cleared a farm in Sugar Loaf township and died there. His wife was a daughter of George Werner, of Luzerne county, and his children were Alexander, Eliza (Mrs. D. W. Zehner), Daniel, Melinda (Mrs. John Wagner), Martha (Mrs. A. W. Minick), Chester, Samuel and Lydia (Mrs. Nathan Knelly). Our subject was reared in Sugar Loaf township, where farming was his occupation, and he has resided in Black Creek township since 1880. On December 30, 1866, he married Hannah, daughter of David and Catherine (Cutshaw) Shellhammer, of Black Creek township, and they have two children, Willis and Annie (Mrs. Alonzo Houseknecht), the latter of whom has one son, Clarence L. The farm now occupied by Mr. Shiner was cleared and improved by David Shellhammer, who was a farmer, millwright and carpenter, built the first gristmill in the northeastern part of Black Creek township, and erected three mills on the present site of Shiner's Mills. Mr. Shiner is a member of the Reformed Church, in politics is a Republican, and is an enterprising and public-spirited citizen.

NATHANIEL SHINER, general foreman of the carpenter work for J. C. Hayden & Co., Jeansville, was born in Sugar Loaf township, this county, September 17, 1844, and is a son of Chester W. and Lydia (Wenner) Shiner, natives of Pennsylvania. George Wenner, his paternal grandfather, was an old Revolutionary soldier, having fought under Washington. Nathaniel, who is the third in a family of thirteen children, was reared and educated in his native place and, though quite young when the war broke out, enlisted in February, 1862, in Company E, Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers. He served through the campaigns of the army of the Potomac. partici- pating in many severe fights, and was mustered out in 1865, having received a hip wound. After returning from the war he followed railroading one year, and then went to Scranton where he learned the carpenter's trade, after which he removed to Plymouth, where he did contract work two years, then one year in Wilkes-Barre. In 1872 he came to Jeansville, and worked at his trade until 1873, when he was given the position as foreman at the Jeansville Carpenter Shops under J. C. Hayden. In this he continued until 1879, when he traveled for the Jeansville Iron Works, in the capacity of a master mechanic. In 1880 he went to Mahanoy City, and there engaged in contracting and building until 1890, when he returned to Jeansville, and

1347

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

took his present position. Mr. Shiner has been twice married: first time on Decem- ber 25, 1865, to Miss Esther, daughter of David and Catharine (Godshall) Shell- hammer, natives of Luzerne county, and one child, William C., was born to this union. This wife died April 1, 1882, and Mr. Shiner married, for his second, Janu- ary 22, 1884, Miss Mary Dreher, of Mahanoy City. Six children were the fruits of this union, namely: Joseph (deceased), Stanley L. (deceased), Chester, Nelly G., Frank and George (deceased). Mr. Shiner is a member of the following Societies: I. O. O. F., Knights of Pythias, P. O. S. of A., O. U. A. M., and G. A. R. of Wilkes-Barre. Politically, he votes the Republican ticket; the family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church.

HENRY J. SHIPTON, paper hanger and decorator, Nanticoke, was born at Blooms- burg, Pa., December 31, 1867, and is a son of Henry and Effie (Hurley) Shipton, the former a native of England and the latter of Pennsylvania and of Irish descent. In his father's family there were two children, Matilda M. (now Mrs. John T. Har- lsy, of Wilkes-Barre), and the subject of these lines. The mother of our subject died when he was about seven years of age, leaving him practically without a home from that time, as his father did not take much interest in his family. Our subject supported himself at this early age by selling newspapers, doing errands and such other work as he was able. He spent part of his time with an uncle, Isaac Kitchen, at Bloomsburg, where he was always welcome, but even in his early youth he pre- ferred to rely on no one but himself for support, when his father did not give him the advantages which most parents offer to their children. He had attended school two terms previous to his mother's death, and this was substantially all the public- school training he received. When about thirteen years of age his ambition was to learn the art of photography, but unable to pay the required tuition, and his father refusing to give him any assistance, his next choice was to learn the trade of paper- hanger and decorator. He accordingly began an apprenticeship with B. H. Vannatta, of Bloomsburg, Pa., and remained with him the required three years, at the same time engaging in various outside work in order to make his expenses for which his salary was insufficient. As our subject had a natural talent for artistic work in the line of his trade, at the end of three years he was considered a superior workman and re- mained in the employ of Mr. Vannatta three years as his leading journeyman. He then went to Berwick and entered the employ of L. Wolf as painter and decorator, remaining with him until May, 1887, when he came to Nanticoke, Pa., and en- tered the employ of William A. Moharter, and remained with him about three months, when he accepted a position from Willover & Co., where he worked about six months. Mr. Shipton then entered the employ of D. B. Williams, the leading paper-hanger and decorator of Nanticoke, and in August, 1890, went to Washington, D. C., and was employed by A. G. Mann, an extensive decorator of that city. Here he remained about three months, and then traveled through Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, and worked in the mines a short time in Caketon, W. Va., thence proceeding to Parkersburg, Va., thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he worked at his trade a short time. He then went to Mays Landing, Ky., then to Little Rock, Ark., then back to Cincinnati, and then to Pittsburgh, and April 17, 1891, found him again in Nanticoke. He is now in the employ of D. B. Williams, and has charge of all his painting, paper-hanging and decorating. Politically, Mr. Shipton is a Democrat.

PETER C. SHIVE, physician and surgeon, Plains, was born in Bucks county, Aug- ust 18, 1830, and is a son of Henry and Ann (Crouthanel) Shive, natives of Penn- sylvania and descendants of early German settlers of Bucks county, Pa. In his father's family there were seven children, of whom but two grew to maturity and are still living, viz. : Catherine, who married Samuel Miller, a farmer in Bucks county, and Peter C. The subject of this sketch was reared on the farm and edu- cated in the common schools and Freeland Seminary, at Norristown, Pa. He taught several terms of school, read medicine with Dr. Samuel Keeler, of Hagersville, Pa., and graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, March 2, 1861. He practiced medicine in Bucks county six years, and in 1867, re-

1348

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

moved to Plains, bringing with him a stock of drugs, which he has since completed and to which he has added other lines of merchandise. Dr. Shive was married No- vember 11, 1852, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Abraham Delp, of Bucks county, Pa., and by her he had one child, Simon, now a practicing physician (he was born February 19, 1854, and married Nettie Shellenburger, by whom he has had two children, of whom Edward B. is living). Mrs. Elizabeth Shive died November 28, 1862, and Dr. Shive married, for his second wife, Miss Hannah, daughter of Enos and Louisa (Cressman) Sibles, of Bucks county, Pa. Mrs. Shive is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and Dr. Shive is a member of the German Reformed Church; the F. & A. M. (in which he is master mason, Knight Templar, and member of the Chapter and Council Lodge of Philadelphia), the I. O. O. F. and Encampment; the Luzerne County Medical Society, the Lehigh Valley Medical Society, and the Penn- sylvania Medical Society; in politics he is a Democrat.

FRED M. SHOEMAKER, Wilkes-Barre, was born in that borough, October 19, 1837, and is a son of Hon. Charles Denison and Stella Mercer (Sprigg) Shoemaker. He was educated at Wyoming Valley Institute, Kingston, and French's Scientific School, New Haven, Conn., and for several years followed the occupation of sur- veyor and engineer. Later he was collector for the Wyoming Valley Canal Com- pany two years. Early in 1862 he was elected first lieutenant of Company K, Seventh Pennsylvania Reserves, but in August of the same year he was compelled to resign on account of disability. About September, 1863, he again entered the service as adjutant of the One Hundred and Forty-third Pennsylvania Regiment, and in the fall of 1864 was again obliged to resign on account of disability. He then embarked in the coal business in his native county, continuing in. this until 1889, when he engaged in zinc and lead mining in Missouri, and is now president of the Corry Mining Company, of Dade county, that State. He was twice married: His first wife was Caroline, daughter of Nicholas Shoemaker, of Nichols, N. Y., by whom he has one son, Charles Denison Shoemaker; she died in March, 1876. His second wife was Jane Wilson, of Huntington, this county. Mr. Shoemaker is a member of the G. A. R. ; politically, he is a Republican.

JACOB I. SHOEMAKER, retired farmer and manufacturer, Wyoming borough, was born April 7, 1839, a son of Isaac C. and Catharine A. (Shoemaker) Shoemaker, natives of New York and Pennsylvania, respectively, and of German origin. Our subject, who is the eldest in a family of six children, four of whom are now living, was educated in the common schools and Wyoming Seminary, and at the age of twenty was taken in as partner with his father in the manufacture of flour, feed, meal, yarns and flannels; two years later his brother was also admitted to the firm, which was known as I. C. Shoemaker & Sons, till the death of the father, in 1875; it then became I. C. Shoemaker's Sons till 1881, when S. R. Shoemaker retired, the business being then conducted by our subject alone until 1882, when he leased to James Fowler & Sons, and also retired. July 1, 1863, Mr. Shoemaker enlisted in Company E, Forty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, receiving his discharge September 2, 1863, by order of Governor Curtin. He was married December 23, 1863, to Mary M., daughter of John and Catherine B. (Bruce) Sharps, natives of Pennsylvania and of English origin. This union was blessed with five children, three of whom are now living: Fannie S., born October 14, 1864; Edward N., born August 1, 1867; and Harry, . born November 15, 1880, attending the West Side high school. Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker and their children, Fannie and Edward, attend the Methodist and Pres- byterian Churches; Mr. Shoemaker is a member of the F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., G. A. R .; he has been a member and president of the borough council since it was organized; is a trustee in the Methodist Church. He is a trustee of the Wyoming Seminary; president of the Cemetery Association; president of the Wyoming Bible Society; director of the Pittston Ferry Bridge Company; director of the Peoples Saving Bank, of Pittston, and politically is a stanch Republican.

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 202

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