History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 224

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

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JOHN WILSON, hardware merchant, Plains, was born in Wilkes-Barre, July 3, 1846, and is a son of John and Frances (Hunter) Wilson, natives of Yorkshire, Eng- land. The father, who was born July 10, 1804, came to America in June, 1843, and located at Wilkes-Barre, where he resided until his death, which occurred January 10, 1889. His family consisted of eleven children, of whom John is the youngest. The subject of this sketch was educated in the public schools of Wilkes-Barre, and at the age of thirteen secured a position in a store, where he remained three years; then learned the tinner's trade which he has since followed. In 1872 he engaged in his present business, and has now a full line of hardware, tinware, plumbing, cut- lery, etc. Mr. Wilson was married, February 26, 1880, to Miss Sally, daughter of Philip and Mary Wintersteen, and they have six children, viz. : Frances H., Mary S., Sally S., John S., Alice W. and Nancy W. Mr. Wilson is a Republican; was mail messenger between Plains and Plainsville from 1877 till 1886; at present he holds the office of school director. Socially he is a member of the I. O. O. F.

WILLIAM WILSON, mine foreman at Exeter Colliery, Pittston, was born January 12, 1849, at Dalkeith, Scotland, being the second in a family of nine children of Alexander C. and Ann (Walkinshaw) Wilson, natives of Scotland. His parents came to America in 1853, settling at Pittston, Pa., and the father followed mining until an accident happened while he was working at Bear Run Colliery that resulted in his death. Our subject was reared and educated in Pittston, and began working about the mines at the age of fifteen. In 1865 he began mining with his father, and worked with him until the latter's death, in 1867. He then continued a practical miner at the Bear Run Colliery until 1869, when he came to Pittston and began mining for the Pennsylvania Coal Company. He remained with this firm until 1882, next mined for the Lehigh Valley Coal Company until 1886, was promoted to the position of

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mine foreman at the Heidleberg Colliery (where he remained one year), and then came to Pittston and took charge of the Exeter Colliery, where he is still engaged. He has charge of 130 men, who mine about four hundred tons of coal daily. Mr. Wilson was united in marriage December 24, 1879. Mr. Wilson married Miss Susan, daughter of Jonas Booth, of Pittston, Pa., and this union has been blessed with three children, viz. : Martha B., Jennie L., and Alexander (deceased). In political matters, Mr. Wilson is a Republican. He is a member of the following: F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., and K. of P. The family attend the Presbyterian Church.

JASPER WINANS, farmer, P. O. Koonsville, was born in Union township July 15, 1843, and is son of Benjamin and Susan (Dodson) Winans, the former of whom was born near Baltimore, Md., the latter in Huntington township, where he was mar- ried. After the death of his wife he removed to Union township, where he resided the remainder of his life; he was a man much respected for his worth. In relig- ious faith he was a member of the P. M. Church, and politically was a stanch Republican. He was born in January, 1801, and died in April, 1880. His family consisted of eight children, all by his first wife, six of whom are now living, Jasper being the sixth. Our subject was reared and educated in Ross township, and removed to Union township when eighteen years of age, where he remained, engaged in agricultural pursuits. On August 22, 1862, he was mustered into the United States service for the term of three years, and he participated in the following battles: Chancellorsville, Kelly's Ford, Thoroughfare Gap, Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Spottsylvania, Petersburg, and Weldon Railroad. At the latter place he was sunstruck, which ended his real active service; he was honorably discharged at the close of the war. In January, 1868, Mr. Winans married Miss Susan, daughter of Garret and Sarah Scott, to which union have been born five children, four of whom are now living: A. M., B. F., W. M. and Sarah E. . Mr. Winans owns sixty-two acres of valuable land, which he handles with the skill possessed only by an expert farmer. He is much respected in his locality, and has been honored with several township offices. Our subject and his wife are members of the M. E. Church; he is a member of the G. A. R., and, politically, is a Republican.

WINFRED WINDSOR, retired, Plymouth, was born in Somersetshire, England, Sep- tember 15, 1820, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Barnard) Windsor, both born in England, where they passed their lives. They were respectable, honest and indus- trious people, and they raised a family of seven highly-respected children, four of whom are now living. Our subject, the sixth in the family, and the only one living in America, was forty- four years of age when he emigrated from England in 1864. He located in Plymouth township when he reached the United States, and pur- chased property on which he has since resided. He followed mining until 1876, when he retired from labor. June, 1862, Mr. Windsor married Mrs. Ann Carver, widow of Aaron Carver, of England. Mrs. Windsor was born in England, May, 1816. She married Aaron Carver in 1834, and of this union were born seven children, five of whom are living, viz. : Worthy, born July 29, 18 -; James, born March 21, 1840; John, born September 9, 1842; Mary Ann, born March 12, 1851; Enoch, born July 24, 1855. Aaron died, October 11, 1857. Mr. Windsor is a man of strict moral principles, who believes and practices the golden rule. His good wife has been an accepted member of the M. E. Church for over fifty years. They now live a quiet life in their own home, and enjoy themselves as only people can whose conscience is void of offence toward God and man.

FREDERICK WINTERS, millwright and carpenter, Forty Fort borough, was born February 7, 1832, in Monroe county, Pa., and is a son of John and Margaret (Conkline) Winters. In his father's family there were eleven children, of whom our subject is the fifth. He was educated in the public schools, engaged to learn the car- penter's trade at the age of twenty-one, and worked at the same for twenty-one years. In 1876 he engaged in farming, and on April 14, 1864, he enlisted in the Fifth U. S. Artillery, Battery F, prior to which he served five years in the State service. He par- ticipated in the following battles, etc .: Chapman's Farm, siege of Petersburg, siege of

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Richmond, and other minor engagements; was discharged in Richmond., Va., June 26, and came to Forty Fort, where he has since resided as a farmer and carpenter. Mr. Winters was married in September 1856, to Harriet, daughter of William and Lydia (Sill) Cook by which union he had nine children, of whom five are now living: James W., Harriet E., George F., Charles B. and Emma E. For his second wife Mr. Winters married, December 3, 1871, Amelia Prutsman, daughter of John and Julia (Walp) Prutsman, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German origin. By this union he also had nine children, of whom seven are yet living: Ida M., Jeanette, Samuel B., Isabella, Isaiah, Edgar and Henry L. Mr. Winters is a member of the Lutheran Church and of the G. A. R., and has been school director for twelve years in succession, at present officiating as such, and also as assessor and register for four years. In politics he is a Republican.

CAPTAIN LIBOR WINTER, proprietor of restaurant, Freeland, is a native of Germany, and was born July 21, 1836. He was educated in his native land, and at the age of thirteen began an apprenticeship at the shoemaker's trade. After working at it five years he came to this country, and located in Philadelphia. In 1854 he removed to Mauch Chunk, Carbon county, where he worked at his trade until President Lincoln made his first call for troops, when, on April 21, 1861, he went to the front as a member of Company A, Sixth Regiment Pennsylvania three months' Volunteers. He did not participate in any engagement or battle during the three months, only a slight skirmish at Bunker's Hill and Falling Waters, while under Gen. Patterson's command. He was discharged July 21, 1861, in Charlestown, W. Va., at the expira- tion of three months. After waiting for pay for his three-months' service (which was at the rate of $11 per month), in Harrisburg, Pa., he reached his home in Mauch Chunk on or about August 6, 1861. He worked at his trade until Septem- ber 5, 1861, when he then enlisted in Company G, Eighty-first Regiment Pennsyl- vania three-years' Volunteers, joining as sergeant; was promoted to second lieuten- ant of same company and regiment February 28, 1863; promoted to first lieutenant of same company November 3, 1863; on June 15, 1864, he was promoted to captain of Company I, Eighty-first Regiment, and about two months prior to the end, or to his discharge, he was transferred to the command of Company C, one of the Phila- delphia companies, but in same regiment; on August 27, 1864, said Company C was discharged from the service, on the expiration of their term of service, and Capt. Winter being in command of them, was himself also discharged with them same date, August 27, 1864, near Petersburg, Va. He participated in many memor- able engagements, including Fair Oaks, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Charles City Cross Roads, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Gaines- ville, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station, Potts Tavern, Spottsylvania, Wilderness, North Ann River, Petersburg, also partly at the Weldon Railroad on August 25, from where he was ordered to the rear to make out muster-out rolls for Company C, which was discharged on the 27th, or two days later. Capt. L. Winter participated in all principal engagements and skirmishes in which the Second Army Corps took part. His record as a soldier stands paralleled by few, and excelled by none. When first sergeant at Chancellorsville he was knocked down by the force of a grape shot, which struck. his knapsack; at the Wilderness his uniform was perforated with thirteen bullet holes (but not thirteen bullets): One bullet through the hat, which made two holes, etc .; one bullet under the left arm through dress coat, which made two holes; one bullet about the height of the lower rib on right side, which also made two holes through the coat and three buttons, and one hole on front of the sleeve of coat on right arm; one bullet close to the right hip, through the dress coat (which being doubled up made four holes in line); one bullet through the right leg of pants, inside about the ankle, which made two holes. At Chickahominy his haver- sack was shot off; at Cold Harbor his canteen was tapped by a playful musket ball, which put a hole through it. At Spottsylvania a request came from headquarters for twenty men and one officer to volunteer on forlorn hope to bring in two Confed- erate caissons, loaded with ammunition, which were lying between the lines of the

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armies, within short shooting range of the Confederates. The required number of privates volunteered, but no officer could be found who cared to risk such a danger- ous service. At the time Capt. Winter had been out on picket duty, and the moment he returned and heard the situation from the colonel he said: "I'll go," and he did, and gallantly took the caissons from under the enemy's nose, and under fearful fire. "He did it well," as Mr. M. H. Wilson said in his oration at Gettysburg September 12, 1889.

At the close of this eventful military career Capt. Winter returned to civil life at Mauch Chunk, where he remained until 1868, when he removed to Stockton, this county, where he remained ten years, and then removed to Hazleton. In 1882 he came to Freeland, where he has since been engaged in the hotel and restaurant business. Capt. Winter was married December 25, 1864, to Miss Magdelena Nuss- baum, of Hazleton, and they have had twelve children, six of whom survive, viz. : Henry, a printer in Freeland; Mary A., married to George Wilmot, in Freeland; Anna L .; Kate; Laura and Florenia. In his political preferences Capt. Winters has always been a Republican.

WILLIAM WINTERS, farmer, P. O. Orange, was born in Franklin township, March 1, 1830, a son of Matthew and Sally (White) Winters, the former of whom was born in Orange county, N. Y., the latter in Pennsylvania. Matthew Winters is a son of Ebenezer and Margaret Winters, who removed from Orange county, N. Y .; the latter was a native of Ireland, coming to this country when she was a very little girl. Ebenezer located in Franklin township at what is known as the "Flat Rock Neighborhood." He was one of the early settlers of the place. His farm was well improved, showing his desire to cultivate and subdue the land. He was a good and loyal citizen, serving one year in the war of 1812. His family consisted of eight children, seven of whom grew to maturity, and one of whom, Samuel, is now living. His son, Matthew, was also a farmer, and was about eighteen years of age when he accompanied his father to this county; he was a carpenter, and worked his farm of forty acres in conjunction with his trade. He was a good moral man and a loyal citizen. He was twice married, and reared a family of nine children.

William Winters, who is the eldest by the first marriage, was reared and educated in his native town, and always confined himself to farming. On November 1, 1849, he was married to Miss Rachel, daughter of Lewis and Amelia Strait, by which union there were born eight children, five of whom are living: Maggie, Mary, Luella, Parker and Nellie. Of these, Maggie married Thomas J. Sorber (deceased); Mary married Jonah Nulton, a farmer in Kansas; Luella married John Willis Yale, a blacksmith; Nellie married Le Roy Sickler, a farmer. In 1862 Mr. Winters enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-third P. V. I., for the term of three years, serving to the close of the war, after which he was honorably discharged. He participated in the battles of Gettysburg, Wilderness, Weldon Railroad, Hatcher's Run, and others. After his return from the army he removed with his family to Union township, where he was engaged five years in the lumber business. He then went to Plymouth where he remained eight years, after which he proceeded to Kansas, but in a few months returned again to Plymouth, and here resided four years more. He next went to New Jersey, where he remained two years, and finally returned to Franklin, where he now remains on a farm of seventy-five acres. Mrs. Winters was born in Jefferson township, Morris Co., N. J. Politically Mr. Winters is a Republican.

H. M. WISEMAN was born in Honesdale, Pa., February 20, 1858, and is a son of Morris M. and Matilda (Goldsmith) Wiseman. His father was a lawyer, and prac- ticed his profession in Wayne county; he was for years associate judge and justice of the peace, and died in 1881. He had a family of ten children, of whom but two grew to maturity : H. M. and Rose (Mrs. I. R. Blatner). Our subject was educated in the public schools, and afterward served as clerk in a boot and shoe store five years. He has been in business for himself twelve years, and is now one of the lead- ing and prominent boot and shoe merchants of the city. Mr. Wiseman was married

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January 25, 1884, to Ida Schulman, of Montgomery, Ala., and they have one child, Maud. Our subject is a prominent member of the F. & A. M., and in politics he is a Republican.

J. J. WISLEY, furniture dealer and undertaker, Plains, was born at Summit Hill, Carbon Co., Pa .; February 22, 1854, and is a son of William and Margaret (Smith) Wisley, natives of County Derry, Ireland. The father came to America in 1840, and was killed by a fall of rock in 1868, while eating his dinner in the mines; he reared a family of seven children, of whom James J. is the fourth. . The subject of this sketch began life for himself at the age of eighteen, working at the house car- penter's trade, at Hazleton, which occupation he followed for a year and a half, and then engaged in the cabinet and undertaking business, and after six months was given sole charge of the shop, which position he held for two years. Mr. Wisley then went to Plymouth, where he was engaged in the construction of breakers for six months; after which he came to Plains, for the purpose of establishing an under- taking business for Philip Wintersteen. After six years spent in this capacity he engaged in business for himself, and now has on hand a very complete line of fur- niture and undertaking supplies. Mr. Wisley was married, April 25, 1881, to Miss Mary E., daughter of James J. and Catherine (Farrell) Farrell. Mr. and Mrs. Wisley have had four children, one of whom is living, Gertrude, born September 21, 1884. Mr. Wisley and family are members of the Catholic Church, and he is a Democrat.

PETER WOLCOTT, retired locomotive engineer, Kingston, may appropriately be called one of the pioneer railroaders of the Wyoming Valley. He was born in Clyde, Columbia Co., N. Y., June 24, 1834, and is a son of Adam and Catharine (Race) Wolcott, natives of New York and descendants of the early Holland families who settled in the Mohawk Valley. Mr. Wolcott's parents removed to Pennsyl- vania and settled at Old Forge, Luzerne (now Lackawanna) county, when he was eleven years of age. When he was fifteen he went to Razarville (now New Provi- dence), and engaged in driving team for a Mr. Cotterrell, with whom he remained about two years. He was then for a time employed in driving stage between Scran- ton and Montrose, on what was then known as the " Wild-cat Route,". after which he entered the employ of William Blackmau, at Hyde Park, as teamster, remaining there about three years. In 1852 he began railroading in the capacity of brakeman on the Leggets Gap Railroad (now the Northern Division of the Delaware, Lacka- wanna & Western Railroad), immediately after it was completed. He continued braking for a year and a half, was then promoted to fireman, which he followed two years, and then promoted to engineer. After " pulling the throttle " for a period of three years, he engaged in running a stationary engine, in the employ of John Jermyn, at Rockwell's Slope, where he remained two years; then moved to Old Forge, where he was engaged as stationary engineer in sinking a shaft for the Chit- tenden Coal Company. Here he remained about two years, when his former ambi- tion for railroading again actuated him to "mount the foot-board," and he entered the employ of the Lackawanna & Bloomsburg (now the Bloomsburg Division of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western) Railroad, running a locomotive fourteen years. After that he engaged in the hotel business at Kingston, and for eighteen years he kept the "Kingston House," at the end of which time he retired from business and leased his hotel, a truly model house, equipped with all modern conveniences. Mr. W. Scott Davis ably succeeds our subject as proprietor of the hotel. Mr. Wolcott was married April 2, 1852, to Miss Harriet, daughter of John Fellows, one of the early pioneers of Scranton, and, later, one of the wealthy and prominent citizens of that hustling city. They have had children as follows: Albert; Jeanette, married to Rufus Devans (deceased); Lizzie, now Mrs. George Kingsley; Pierce; Electa, now Mrs. Edward Irvin; John, Jessie and Bessie. Mr. Wolcott is a member of the F. & A. M., Lodge No. 395, and in his political views is a Republican.

MOSES WOLF, proprietor of "Wolf's Hotel," Wilkes-Barre, was born in Russia, near the Baltic Sea, September 15, 1849, a son of Michael and Edith (Abram) Wolf. He lived in Russia until sixteen years of age, received a good Hebrew education,

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and in 1869, after spending four years in traveling through the principal countries in Europe, he came to America, locating in Wilkes-Barre in May of the same year. After a varied career he embarked in the grocery business at Plymouth, in which he continued nearly a year; in 1886 he embarked in his present business on Canal street, Wilkes-Barre, in which he has since successfully continued. On September 15, 1874, Mr. Wolf married Miss Clara, daughter of Abram and Edith Lippman, of near Frankfort, Germany, and of this union have been born four daughters: Ger- trude, Edith, Dora and Rosa. They are members of the B'Nai Jewish Synagogue. In politics our subject is a Republican.

S. HARVEY WOLF, farmer, P. O. Rock Glen, was born in Black Creek township, this county, December 15, 1848, a son of William and Ann (Rittenhouse) Wolf. His paternal grandparents, Andrew and Louisa R. (Hasha) Wolf, settled about 1805 in what is now Black Creek township, cleared a farm and died there. Their children were John, Jacob, Nancy (Mrs. Amos Rittenhouse), William, Philip, Sally (Mrs. George Miller) and Joseph. Of these, William, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born August 19, 1808, in what is now Black Creek township, and is probably the oldest native-born resident of the township. He has always resided in Black Creek township, and since 1842 has occupied his present farm, fifty-five acres of which he cleared himself. He married Ann, a daughter of Martin and Amelia (Rit- tenhouse) Rittenhouse, of Black Creek township, and has two children living, Martin V. and Stephen Harvey. William Wolf served one term as commissioner of Luzerne county, 1865-67; he cast his first vote for President Jackson, in 1832, and has voted at every Presidential election since, being a stanch Democrat, and always taking an active part in politics. S. Harvey Wolf was born and reared on the old homestead where he now resides. He was married to Hannah M., daughter of David and Lydia (Karchner) Lartzel, of Luzerne county, Pa., to which union have been born eight children: Ursula (Mrs. Frank Mann), Elmer, William R., Fannie, Morris, Carrie, Claude and Grace. Mr. Wolf is a member of the Reformed Church, and of the P. O. S. of A .; in politics he is a Democrat, and has served as supervisor of Black Creek township, being now tax collector, which office he has held four years.

CLARK WOLFE, farmer, P. O. Pike's Creek, was born in Union township, June 6, 1816, a son of Jacob and Sarah (Bonham) Wolfe, both of whom were born in Monroe county, Pa. Jacob and his wife removed from Monroe county to this county in 1805, locating in Union township. In company with his wife's father, Benjamin Bonham, he purchased 300 acres of wild land, on which they built a log house and began to clear away the forest, a work they accomplished to the surprise of their neighbors and their own satisfaction. When the land was afterward divided, 160 acres fell to Jacob Wolfe, seventy-five of which were brought under the plough dur- ing his lifetime. He was an extensive and practical farmer in those days, and paid particular attention to the raising of grain, which he shipped by wagon to the southern towns of this State. He was a conscientious member of the Baptist Church, in politics a Whig, and lived to be seventy-three years of age. His family consisted of nine children, all of whom are yet living, Clark being the sixth. Our subject- began life as a farmer in Union township, and lived and worked with his father until May 28, 1836, when he married Miss Althea, daughter of Nathaniel and Thankful Goss. There were born to them nine children, all of whom are living: Mary A., Josiah, Nathaniel, Martha C., Theodore, Joseph, Jane, Jacob and Rhoda. Mr. Wolfe removed to Lake township in 1841, settling on a farm of 106 acres of uncultivated land, which he subdued and improved and divided among his sons. He is a man of sterling qualities, and of pure moral principles. He held several offices of trust in his township, and was elected a justice of the peace, but declined to serve. His wife died January 16, 1885, a member of the Baptist Church, as is he himself.

T. D. WOLFE, dealer in marble and granite, P. O. Sweet Valley, was born in Lake township April 5, 1845, a son of Clark and Althea (Goss) Wolfe, T. D. being the fifth in a family of nine children. He was reared and educated at the common

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schools in Lake township, and spent several terms at the Wyoming Academy. Mr. Wolfe was at that institution of learning when the Civil war broke out, and from there he entered the army. He was mustered into the U. S. service in 1864, as a private of the Third Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. During his service he was disabled, for which cause he was discharged, and now draws a pension. He was a brave solidier and a true patriot, and is a loyal citizen. Since his return from the army our subject has been engaged in his present business, in which he is remarkably successful. In January, 1867, he married Miss Lu- cinda, daughter of Jabes and Margaret Church, and to this union were born two children, one of whom is living, Ada L., a beautiful and accomplished young lady, who is now teaching school. Mrs. Lucinda Wolfe was born in Kingston township in 1846. Mr. Wolfe has a beautiful residence near the line of Lake and Ross townships, the aspect of which shows the passer-by the refined taste of the owner. He is a member of the G. A. R., and a Republican, politically.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 224

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