History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 80

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

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Burgess, Edward J. Burke; council: John J. Hart, president; Henry Knowles, Michael Kane, George Scott Wagner, William O'Neil, John P. Kearney; secretary, Patrick F. Joyce; treasurer, George L. Houser; borough attorney, C. Frank Bohan; tax receiver, John H. Mullin; street commissioner, Anthony Kane; high constable, John Hines; janitress, town hall, Mary Bannon; ward assessors: P. H. McDonnell, Thomas Larkin, John H. Tigue, L. D. Bingham, John P. Kearney, William T. Watkins; ward constables: James Tigue, William Vahey, J. J. Feeney, Patrick W. Early, John Glenn, William J. Lyons. Assessed valuation, 1892, $744, 592.

Chief of police, Thomas Keating; chief of fire department, John H. Mullin; assistants, C. H. Cutler and C. R. Patterson.

The streets are supplied with twenty-six arc lights. The borough is divided into six wards.

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Pittston and West Pittston were given free mail delivery October 1, 1888.

Primarily, as said, the wealth of Pittston and vicinity comes of the rich coal deposits. The canal was opened to this point in 1832, when Calvin Stockbridge and James W. Johnson were the only men struggling to develop the coal mines. The deep gully on Main street spoken of was at first spanned by a high trestle work, nearly fifty feet high, but after a stage load of passengers had been precipitated through it, it was filled up to a level grade and now elegant blocks of business houses occupy the ground. The old Scranton wagon road led out to what is Par- sonage street by way of Hughestown and Scranton.

To-day the shipping facilities of Pittston are not surpassed by any town in America. Five great railway lines are here, and now two lines of traction electric street railroads are just added to ber other enormous facilities. There is no good reason why this should not be one of the most important manufacturing points in the country. The river, the railroads and the electric railways, and the cheapness of fuel are the prime wants of manufacturers. Climate and soil, and pure mount- ain spring water, what more is there to be desired ?

Of manufacturing plants, in an active state of development, supplying other markets with their products as well as. home consumption, Pittston possesses about thirty. Chief among these are large knit-underwear mills, 1 stove works, 3 machine shops, 1 general iron-working establishment, 1 silkmill, 2 underwear factories, 3 planing-mills, 1 paper-mill, 2 breweries, 1 terra cotta works, 1 pottery, 2 flour- mills, and 1 large packing establishment. There are 9 miners and shippers of coal, each operating from 1 to 8 breakers.

Manufactures- Pittston Stove Company commenced in a small way operations in 1864. The works were destroyed by fire. In 1869 was organized the Union Stove Manufacturing company, and the works were rebuilt on the old site. In 1882 the name which was changed to the Pittston Stove company. The works now occupy an entire square, making stoves, ranges, furnaces, duplex grates, etc. The officers are: Lewis Pughe, president; Thomas Maloney, vice-president; John D. Green, treasurer and general manager; Alexander Sloan, superintendent.

Wyoming Paper Mill, of which G. B. Rommell is the founder and proprietor; established in 1874; ample and elegant machinery; among others a 66-inch Har- per improved Fourdrinier machine, a recent acquisition.

Alpine Knitting Company (limited) .- One of the later industries of the city is the Alpine Knitting company (limited), who removed their plant here from Carbon- dale about one year ago. The mill is a capacious four-story structure 50x125 feet in size, provided with all first-class facilities, including steam power and a fine equipment of machinery, designed for knitting-mills, a feature of which is thirty- six rib-knitting machines. One hundred and fifty hands are regularly employed, and the goods are sold all over the United States, in many of the larger cities of which the company have regular agencies. The officers are John Coleman, presi- dent; M. W. O'Boyle, treasurer, and John H. Foy, secretary.

Pittston Iron Roofing Company enjoys a high reputation for superior goods. It commenced business in November, 1885. Thomas R. Coward is its president and G. M. Stark, secretary and treasurer. A large, one-story structure, 60x110 feet in dimensions, on Dock street, comprises the works. They make corrugated, crimped edge, Crowl's patent, plain, three seam and calamined iron and steel roof- ing and siding, which can be used on buildings of any description.

Ross & Co., curers and packers of provisions, lard refiners. At the head of the provision packing industry here stands the well-known house of Ross & Co. The building occupied is four stories high and 40x137 feet in dimensions. It is fitted throughout with the latest and most improved appliances designed for this busi- ness, and an item of particular note is the mammoth refrigerator, which extends through the building. Twelve persons are employed in the building and two travelers for the outside trade. The business was instituted in 1866 by Mr. K. J. Ross, the senior member.

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Forest Castle Brewery is situated directly opposite Campbell's ledge; estab- lished in 1880 as a small concern, but is rapidly developing into a great industry. It has an ice machine capable of twenty-five tons of ice daily. An annual output of 13,000 barrels.

Box Factory, paper and wooden, by Notman & Howitz, successors to R. A. Lacoe & Co. The business was removed from Wilkes-Barre to this point in 1888. Their building is 60x120; employs fifty-five hands.

Luzerne Knitting-Mills .- Established in 1874; E. L. Ellithorp, general manager until 1886, when it passed into the care of M. R. House and George P. Steele; makes men's underwear. A large three-story brick building and an average of 125 hands employed.

Pittston Fire Brick & Terra Cotta Works, William Gee, proprietor, were estab- lished in 1871, the present proprietor, William Gee, being one of the original founders. The plant covers about half an acre of land; all the latest improved appliances designed for this class of manufacture; steam power. Ten men are employed, and the list of products embraces salt-glazed, vitrified sewer and drain pipe, chimney tops, flues, fire brick, boiler blocks and terra cotta.

Merchant Mill, by A. S. Davenport, furnishes the market with superior flour. The gentleman handles feed, grain and mill stuffs. The building is a four-story brick.

Stoneware, by Lewis Jones, is an extensive pottery, and the business was founded in 1870. It came into the possession of the present proprietor in 1887. In Decem- ber, 1888, the plant was destroyed by fire; rebuilt on an enlarged scale. The kiln has a capacity of 2,500 gallons, and turns out a kiln each day.

Pennsylvania Coal Company is one of the largest in the anthracite regions. It was incorporated in 1849, with a capital of $2,400,000, which has been regularly increased with the growth of its industry. The importance of this company may be partly gauged by the fact that while they have other mines and at several places, yet at Pittston they have eight breakers. The superintendents at this point of the collieries are Andrew Bryden and William Law.

Riverside Foundry and Machine Shops, by J. A. Touhill; established in 1886, and employs about forty men. Making steam engines, pumps, mine machinery, boilers, etc.

Pittston Mill, by Charles A. Miner and Asher Miner; flour, feed grain and hay. This mill has all the finest machinery-roller process.

The First National Bank of Pittston was organized in June, 1864; capital, $250,000; surplus, $125,000; deposits, over $700,000. Theo Strong, president; Thomas Ford, vice-president; William L. Watson, cashier; directors, Theo Strong, Thomas Ford, C. H. Foster, John Howell, Evan J. Evans, V. M. Carpenter, S. M. Parke, Joseph L. Cake, John A. Law and John B. Law.

Miners' Savings Bank, Pittston; organized under the State law November 1, 1869; capital, $60,000. Officers: A. A. Bryden, president; J. L. McMillan, vice- president; C. M. Hileman, cashier; trustees: R. D. Lacoe, Andrew Bryden, George Johnson, A. A. Bryden. J. L. McMillan, Thomas Mangan, Thomas Maloney, M. W. Morris, Alexander Craig.

People's Savings Bank, organized in 1871; capital, $75,000; J. B. Shiffer, presi- dent; J. H. Mosier, vice-president; J. L. Polen, cashier.

Citizens' Electric Illuminating Company was started in October, 1888; furnishes arc and incandescent lights to Pittston and West Pittston. President, K. J. Ross; J. L. Cake, vice-president; Charles A. Howitz, secretary and treasurer; board of directors: J. Howell, Thomas Mangan, B. J. Durkin, J. Langford, A. B. Brown, J. L. Cake, K. J. Ross.

The following is the classified business of Pittston: Four bakers, 3 banks, 10 blacksmiths, 7 boarding-houses, 1 boiler maker, 1 bookbinder, 4 stationers, 1 shoe factory, 15 retail dealers, 5 bottlers, 1 box factory, 1 brass worker, 2 brewers,

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

1 brick factory, 3 cabinet makers, 9 carpenters, 6 dry goods, 2 carpets and drapery, 4 carpet weavers, 2 carriage makers, 1 chairmaker, 6 cigar dealers, 6 clothing, 19 confectioners, 1 cooper, 7 dentists, 9 druggists, 2 express companies, 2 fancy goods, 2 fish and oysters, 5 flour and feed, 8 furniture, 13 general stores, 8 gents' furnish- ings, 3 glass and china ware, 2 greenhouses, 33 grocers, 4 hardware and cutlery, 4 harness, 5 hats and caps, 2 iron founders, 3 jewelers, 1 knitting-mill, 12 lawyers, 2 libraries, 2 lumber dealers, 20 meat markets, 1 mattress manufacturer, 6 mer- chant tailors, 6 millinery, 2 millers, 1 newspaper, 2 notions, 14 physicians, 2 planing- mills, 5 provision dealers, 1 reading room, 5 livery stables, 2 telegraphs, 3 under- takers, 3 wagon makers.

Avoca Borough (formerly Pleasant Valley) was taken from Pittston township and made a borough May 24, 1871. The council was a modest little affair of three members. The first officers were: P. B. Brehorny, president, and. Robert Reid and George Lampman.

Avoca is a prosperous little borough and is rapidly improving. It is in the north part of Pittston township, nearly adjoining the Lackawanna county line, three miles from the center of Pittston borough and seven miles from Scranton. It commenced its settlement in 1871, consequent upon the development of its great coal industry, and by this its present prosperity is maintained chiefly. The council changed the name from Pleasant Valley to Avoca in 1889, to accord with the postoffice name of the place. As a town it is virtually linked to Pittston by Hughestown, which lies between the two places and gives the three places the appearance of one continuous town. It has practically four lines of railroads, giving it every facility for trans- portation. It has four churches, four schools, a board of trade and fire department, and a fine water supply will be given it in the near future by the Spring Brook Water company; has abundant express, telegraph and telephone accommodations.

James Brown, Sr., has the credit of being one of the first settlers in the place. Aaron Riddle, another pioneer, had his modest farmhouse near where is the depot. John Mitchel lived in an old farmhouse near where No. 3 plane crosses Main street. Jacob Lidy had settled at Little York. James L. Giddings lived in a log house, and a Mr. Ellis on Thomas Weir's lot. He afterward built the house owned by James and William Brown. Mr. McAlpin and William Rau were also among these early settlers.

A. McAlpin built a shop here in 1837 for making half-bushel and peck measures by water power; subsequently a steam power was added and the manufacture of kegs and cigar boxes. This building was burned in 1854, and the new one erected was blown up in 1872, and immediately rebuilt. In 1874 the firm name was changed to McAlpin & Son, and the manufacture of pails and powder kegs was added to the business. C. A. McAlpin bought the shop in 1879, and the business is become the manufacture of kegs, butter packages, etc. The capacity of the machinery being 500 kegs and 500 pails per day.

Martin F. Reap was the first merchant. His store was on the site of Hollister's brick store, which was built by Mr. Reap in 1871. In 1869 Law & McMillan estab- lished a branch store at Marr. James McMillan was made a partner, and the firm name of James McMillan & Co. was adopted. The building occupied was erected in 1869, burned in 1875 and immediately rebuilt and enlarged. James Maloney established a general merchandise business here in 1873, making a specialty of gro- ceries and provisions; his store was built in 1875. John King, formerly a clerk with James Maloney, established a similar business in 1876. Thomas Mclaughlin began building a store here in 1871, but his death prevented its completion until 1875. It was then occupied and a good business done by his sons. In 1871 J. H. Swoyer built the store afterward owned by Charles A. Jones. It was then known as the company store. From 1870 to 1873 Mr. Swoyer was very prominently iden- tified with the business interests of Avoca. In 1877 Mr. Jones was manager for Mr. Swoyer. The next year he bought a half interest in the store, and January 1, 1879, succeeded to the whole of the business.

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Classified: 2 blacksmiths, 1 bottler, 7 carpenters, 1 clothier, 5 coal-breakers, 3 coal companies, 3 confectioners, 3 druggists, 1 dry goods, 2 furniture dealers, 3 general stores, 2 gents' furnishing, 3 grocers, 1 hardware, 3 hotels, 5 meat markets, 2 milliners, 1 paper-Avoca Argus, 1 paints and oils, 5 physicians, 1 planing-mill, 2 stoves and tinware, 2 tailors, 1 undertaker, 1 jeweler.

The earlier residents were accommodated with mail by the office at Pittston. Subsequently the department established a mail route from Pittston to Pleasant Valley. James McMillan was appointed postmaster in April, 1871, and Andrew L. Flock carried the mail daily until July, 1872. The office was named Marr in allu- sion to James H. Marr, the chief clerk in the first assistant postmaster-general's office. In 1873 a daily mail was brought from Old Forge, and in the near future it is hoped the borough will be served with a regular mail delivery of the thirteen mails that are distributed from the Pittston office.

Avoca Borough Officers .- Burgess, Thomas Fitzsimmons; councilmen: presi- dent, Archibald McQueen; John Woods, Daniel Burnes, W. J. Buglehall, James Doran and John McKone; secretary, John F. Conaboy; treasurer, Patrick Doran; attorney, P. A. O'Boyle; assessor, Marcellus D. Sanders; tax receiver, James Gil- hooley; street commissioner, Thomas Brown; high constable, Anthony B. Curley; justices of the peace, Frank Little and Michael Whalen; district registers, north election district, John Brennan; south election district, John Clifford; assessor's valuation for 1892, $177,107; chief of police, John Cannon.

Avoca Hose Company No. 1 .-- Organized September 15, 1886; building, 77 North Main, between Cherry and Hawthorne; president, James Alexander; vice- president, J. H. Anderson; secretary, Walter Anderson; assistant secretary, F. T. Austin; treasurer, E. Laird; foreman, M. D. Sanders; financial secretary, J. F. Mclaughlin; pipemen, J. Alexander, William Graham.

Y. M. C. A., of Avoca. President, Thomas O'Brien; secretary, James C. Mer- rick; treasurer, John J. Curley.

Avoca Board of Trade was organized February 26, 1887. President, G. B. Seamans; vice-president, W. J. Renniman; secretary, J. H. Anderson; assistant sec- retary, T. F. Brehony; financial secretary, Edward Laird; treasurer, James McMil- lan.

Hughestown Borough was taken from the territory of Pittston township. It adjoins Pittston borough on the east and extends toward Avoca. It is made by its coal industry; has a church, school, one general store, a brick manufactory, and in the place are several collieries in full operation. It is about four square miles of territory and has an estimated population (July, 1892) of 1,350.

Hughestown Borough Officers .- Burgess, Edward J. Hughes; councilmen: presi- dent, John B. Reynolds; Samuel Monk, John O'Donnell, Robert Sutter, Jacob Valerious, David Jones; secretary, John T. Clark; treasurer, Fred W. Schmaltz; assessor, Thomas F. Owens; tax receiver, Stephen Olmstead; street commissioner, Frederick Schmaltz; high constable, Frederick Schmaltz; justices, Nathan Morse and James Brown; chief of police, Christopher Hemselman; school directors, presi- dent, Martin Henderlee; secretary, T. F. Owens; treasurer, Thomas R. Morris.

Dupont is a mining town in Pittston township; postoffice and company store.

PLAINS TOWNSHIP

Is one of the comparatively young townships, yet its territory is in point of the trying times of the early settlers as old as the oldest. Every inch of its territory is historical ground, consecrated all by the heroism and the blood of the bravest of the brave who made or helped make America and her institutions. Its entire territory was taken from the townships of Wilkes-Barre and Pittston, lying on the east side of the river, its southwest line commencing just above the north line of the city of Wilkes-Barre and covers an area of fifteen square miles.

It was originally owned and occupied by the Wanamie tribe of the Delaware

J.J. Quigley

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

Indians, whose chief was named Jacob. He lived on that level portion of the township near the borough of Parsons, and the name Jacob's Plains was given to that locality; but upon the formation of the township the old Indian's name was left out.

The original Wyoming settlers, who came from Connecticut in the summer of 1762, located in Plains. They arrived, to the number of about 200, in August, and settled just above the mouth of Mill creek, building a village of small cabins. The Delaware Indians, who were familiar and friendly, had been cultivating some small clearings, but except these the pioneers found the forest prevailing. They sowed a few acres of wheat and in November returned to New England. Early the next spring they returned with their families and others, bringing some live stock and provisions.

During the summer of 1763 a number of the Iroquois came among the Dela- wares in the garb of friendship, and fired the dwelling of Teedyuscung, which was consumed, and the venerable Delaware chieftain perished in the flames. The culprits charged the crime upon the colonists, and the aggrieved Delawares resolved to avenge themselves. On October 15 they fell upon the unsuspecting pioneers in the fields, killed twenty or thirty of them, took several prisoners, and drove off the live stock. The survivors who were not captured fled to the mountains, while the savages burned their houses. The fugitives, destitute of every preparation for a journey, had no alternative but to strike out into the wilderness for a trip of 250 miles to their old homes in New England, and for several succeeding years the history of Plains is a blank.

In January, 1769, Amos Ogden, John Jennings and Charles Stewart leased of the proprietaries 100 acres of land, and came on and took possession of the improve ments made by the Connecticut people who were driven away by the Indians in 1763. Near the mouth of Mill creek, Ogden and his party built a block-house, which was called Fort Ogden. The Connecticut people learning of the action of the Ogden party, returned in the spring of 1769, and from that time till the final adjustment of the difficulties between the Susquehanna company and the proprie- taries of Pennsylvania there was an almost continuons series of victories and defeats for each claimant.

Thus it will be seen that Plains, in point of settlement, is the senior township in the valley; and that her soil was the first to be moistened by the tears of affliction and sorrow, and drank the blood and entombed the bodies of the first victims of savage hate in the bloody annals of the Wyoming valley.

Notwithstanding the reverses which the pioneers had suffered, the year 1773 found them in possession of Plains and Mill creek. Yet in the spring their pro- visions were so nearly exhausted that five persons were selected to go to the Dela- ware river, near Stroudsburg for supplies, that being the nearest point at which meal and flour could be obtained. John Carey, then a lad of sixteen, volunteered as one of the party. On this journey fifty miles of mountainous forest, intersected by deep ravines and numerous streams, including the rapid and ice-burdened Lehigh, had to be traversed: The destitution relieved by this ardnous expedition gave way to plenty when the shad-fishing season arrived, and a permanent supply of breadstuffs was insured by the construction of a gristmill by Nathan Chapman in the spring of 1773. He was granted the site of the Hollenback stone mill and forty acres around it. "The irons for the mill were brought by Mr. Hollenback, in his boat, from Wright's ferry, and on the way up the river Lazarus Young was drowned."

Very soon after this, by a vote of the people, "all the privileges of the stream called Mill creek, below Mr. Chapman's mill, was granted to Stephen Fuller, Obadiah Gore, Jr., and Mr. Seth Marvin, to be their own property, with full liberty of building mills and flowing a pond-but so as not to obstruct or hinder Chapman's mills-provided they have a sawmill ready to go by the first day of November, 1773;

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

which gift shall be to them, their heirs and assigns forever." This was the first sawmill built on the upper waters of the Susquehanna. As soon as the mills were built and in operation, a ferry was established at the mouth of Mill creek, to Forty fort, which is still in existence.

The old Indian fortifications, as they are called, were on the river flats, on what is now known as the Hancock property, and on a direct line from Swoyer hill to the Susquehanna river, just northwest from the borough's colliery. The outlines of the works are still visible. The form was that of a four-bastion battery, well calculated for defence if properly located.

There are three places in the township that were once known as burying- grounds. The Gore burying-ground was on the flats, between the old plank road and the canal, northeast of the Henry colliery. Another was near the Methodist Episcopal church, in the northern part of the township, and the third in Wilcox's field, near Plains village. These grounds have long since been aban- doned, and no stone marks the resting place of the dead.

The pioneer " weaver of the Plains" was James Campbell, a Scotch-Irishman. He was an expert in the art of weaving, and was noted for the fancy work that he turned out from his loom. In 1815 George Gore worked at blacksmithing on the flats, near the Gore burying-ground.

The Wilkes-Barre water-works reservoir, on Laurel hill, a short distance above the borough of Parsons, was built in 1858. Calvin Parsons of Parsons borough, was one of the commission that located it (appointed in 1852), and the only one living in 1880.

Almost the earliest gathering of coal and its use in the smithy shop commenced in this township. Then the rich plains were highly improved by the farmers, and the day of great collieries, breakers, canals and railroads came, and now the town- ship is fairly covered with railroad tracks, great breakers, culm piles, and here and there as you pass along on one of the many daily trains you can see a little farm almost looking as if it was struggling for its little foothold, to still follow in the ancient line, and grow food to take to Wilkes-Barre or for its home market. Along the river, and even back some distance, the country is nearly one continuous village or borough.

Plainsville is a postoffice and station on the railroad; has two hotels, one store. Port Bowkley is a station on the railroad, made and named by great Bowkley breaker; has a couple of small stores and blacksmith shop.

Midvale is about a mile south of Port Bowkley and is made by the coal-breaker; has 3 hotels and 2 stores.

Mill Creek, postoffice name Hudson, is quite an important village, a short distance north of Parsons. The Delaware & Hudson railroad and the Central railroad of New Jersey touch at this place and both have depots. Here are 4 hotels, 3 general stores, 1 drug store.

Plains is a postoffice and one of the first settled points in the township, For many years this was called Jacob's Plains and finally the double name was dropped and it became as now, Plains. Among the early settlers were John Cortright, Elisha Blackman, James Stark, Thomas Williams-Richardson and Samuel Carey.

The first tavern we have any account of was kept by John Cortright in 1815, on the site now occupied by Hancock & MacKnight's store, on the south corner of Main and Merritt streets. Elisha Blackman and a Mr. Richardson kept tavern here at an early date. The first blacksmith in Plains village was James Canady. His shop stood where is now the west side of Jonathan R. William's door-yard, next to Dr. Shive's yard. His house was on the site now occupied by Mr. William's house, on the west corner of Main and Merritt streets.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 80

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