History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 94

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

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JACOB BIRK, car inspector, Ashley, was born in Preussen, Germany, September 25, 1839, and is a son of Charles and Mary (Birk) Birk, the former of whom was a cabinet-maker. They reared two children, Jacob, and Margaret, who died at the age of thirteen years; the mother, after the death of the father of Jacob, married John Foster, by whom she had two children. Our subject learned the cabinet- maker's trade, which he followed until 1868, when he emigrated to America and located in Wilkes-Barre, where he worked at his trade three years. He then came to Ashley and worked in the Central shops until 1885, when he accepted his present position. Mr. Birk was married in 1854 to Miss Elizabeth Miller, and they had one child, Jacob, who died at the age of three years. This wife died about a year after their marriage, and in 1863 Mr. Birk was married to Miss Catherine Grausemm, by whom he had six children, four of whom are living, viz .: Elizabeth (Mrs. Doney Baltas), Peter, John and William. This wife died in 1878, and our subject married, for his third, October 17, 1879, Mrs. Elizabeth Schneider, daughter of John and Christina (Hess) Cies, natives of Germany, and widow of Peter Schneider, by whom she had three children, John, Henry and Peter. The fruit of Mr. Birk's last mar- riage was six children, viz .: Margaret (who died at the age of two years), Anna, Christina, Jacob (deceased at the age of seven years), Philip (who died at the age of five years), and Mary. Our subject and family are members of the Catholic Church; in his political views he is a Democrat.

THOMAS BIRKBECK. The life and history of Thomas Birkbeck are very closely connected with the historical development of the town of Freeland and vicinity. He is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Johnstone) Birkbeck, the former born in West- moreland, England, May 2. 1802, the latter being also a native of England, born February 12, 1804, at Buck Hill, Stainmoor; they were married in 1826, at Brough's Church, England. In 1834 they landed in New York City, whence they immedi- ately proceeded to Minersville, Schuylkill county, this State, where Mr. Birkbeck

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

secured employment in the mines. After remaining there about two years, they came to Hazleton, where in 1838 he sunk the first slope for Ario Pardee. In 1840 he bought of Edward Lynch a tract of four hundred acres of land in Denison town- ship, which later became part of Foster township and is now the site of Free- land borough. There he constructed a rude log-house. He then removed with his family to his new purchase, a vast and uncultivated wilderness, which possessed all the characteristics of a pioneer farm. This house was the only one within a radius of five miles, with the single exception of that of Korcker, which was situated two miles to the northeast. Here the family spent their winters in lumbering, manu- facturing handmade shingles, and cutting down and clearing the forest, and in summer time they cultivated the small patches of land thus cleared. The shingles were carted to Conyngham, and there exchanged for the necessaries of life, as at this time no cash was paid in such transactions. In 1844 Mr. Birkbeck sold fifty acres from his four hundred-acre lot, to one Aaron Howey. Then closely following Mr. Howey came many other settlers, who in time converted the dense forests into fertile farming land. A short time afterward the coal fields were developed in the neighborhood, and the great influx of population necessitated a new arrangement. Mr. Birkbeck ascordingly surveyed a large portion of his real estate possessions into town lots, and sold them to the newcomers. This constituted the first move in the laying out of South Heberton and Freeland. Mr. Birkbeck was a man well-versed in the anthracite coal strata in this locality, and was the first to prove coal at High- land and Upper Lehigh. He built many roads, and was at all times the leading character in the development of the new country. The family experienced all the trials of a pioneer life which the novelist describes. A story is told of how, during one of those early days in the wilderness, Mrs. Birkbeck killed a full-grown buck deer, with no weapon but an axe. In the Birkbeck family there were twelve child- ren, viz .: John, born September 5, 1827, died in infancy; Joseph N., born July 28, 1829, now residing in Wilkes-Barre; Matthew, born June 28, 1829 (deceased); Jane, born October 31, 1832 (deceased); John (second), born April 26, 1834 (deceased); Matthew (second), born January 7, 1836 (deceased); Jane, born Octo- ber 6, 1836, wife of William Johnston, of Freeland, Pa. ; Betsey, born May 14, 1840 (deceased); William, born October 26, 1841; Mary E., boru January 25, 1844 (deceased); Thomas, born June 6, 1846 (subject of this sketch); Agnes, born August 4, 1848 (deceased), and Anna Victoria, born May 12, 1850 (deceased). Joseph Birkbeck died April 19, 1872, Mrs. Birkbeck surviving until May 31, 1887. Thomas Birkbeck was born in the old log house, which was situated about four blocks northwest of his present handsome and cosy residence. During his early boyhood days he attended school at Eckley, during the winter months, and worked at home in the summer. When he was about ten years of age the coal mines were opened at Eckley, and there he engaged in picking slate at twenty-five cents per day. In 1859 he left the mines and entered the employ of Frank Person, a drover of Troy, Pa., and worked for him, driving cattle, for two years. He then worked with his brother, who was a butcher at Eckley. Here he learned the trade and remained until June, 1863, when he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Ninety-sev- enth Pennsylvania Volunteers, serving until the close of the war. After his return home Mr. Birkbeck worked at blacksmithing a short time at Foundryville, when he went to Audenried and worked as a butcher for Herman Hamburger. In 1866 he engaged in the butchering business for himself, at South Heberton, where he remained one year, when he removed his business to Upper Lehigh, following it there just twenty-one years. In 1886 he removed to Freeland; followed droving a short time, and then engaged in the hardware business, which he still continues. He is also largely interested in real estate in the locality, owning over forty proper- ties in this section. He is also interested in several cottages at the celebrated sum- mer resort, at Wildwood, N. J. He was one of the promoters of the Citizens' Bank of Freeland, also of the Freeland Water Works, being at present a heavy stock- holder in both these institutions; he is also interested in many local enterprises.

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Mr. Birkbeck was married November 1, 1866, to Miss Margaret Sneddon, of Auden- ried. They have seven children, viz .: Joseph, William, Thomas, Lillie May, Jes- sie, Margaret and Daisy.

GEORGE BISHER, engineer at the Parrish Colliery, Plymouth. Among the early settlers of Luzerne county may be mentioned the Bisher family. Samuel W. Bisher, the father of our subject, was born in 1791 in the State of New Jersey, and settled in Huntington township, this county, in 1824. He was married to Elizabeth Van- Horn, who was born in 1801 at Bethlehem, Pa. They settled in this county at a very early period, being one of the pioneer families who were subjected to the hard- ships of those early times. Nine children were born to Samuel and Elizabeth Bisher, the subject of this sketch being the fourth, born November 24, 1828. He was edu- cated in his native county; the facilities for learning at that time being limited, only those who could pay for tutorship were given instruction. George was reared on a farm, and at the age of nineteen began railroading, having taken a position as fire- man on the Beaver Meadow Railroad. He fired for six months and was then given an engine to run. It was one of those early type engines without a cab, the engi- neer carrying an umbrella in stormy weather. The machine was run on wooden rails or a wooden track, with strap-iron nailed on the top surface for the purpose of pro- tecting the wood from the iron wheels of the locomotive, which ran at the then tre- mendous speed of six miles per hour. Mr. Bisher remained on this line seven · years, taking a position at the end of that time, in 1859, as engineer on the Dela- ware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, which then extended from Scranton to Rupert, Pa. Here he remained two years, then taking charge of the engine that was used to transfer coal from Nos. 4 and 5 to the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad below the Bull Run crossing. He ran this locomotive for six years, leav- ing the road at the end of that period, and taking charge of the hoisting engines at the Lance Colliery No. 11, where he handled the levers for thirteen years, having begun when the mine was first opened. Mr. Bisher then went to the Parrish Mines as breaker engineer, in which capacity he was employed for three years; at the end of that time he took charge of the fan engine, which position he has since occupied. He was married January 1, 1856, to Hannah J., daughter of Samuel and Huldah (Ives) Pringle, and four children have been born to this union, namely: Geraldine, Francis E., G. Pardee and Daisy. Mr. Bisher is a Republican in politics, and has for thirty-eight years been a member of the I. O. O. F. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church.

WILLIAM BISHER, retired farmer, Huntington township, P. O. Huntington Mills, was born April 2, 1821, in Northampton county, and is a son of Samuel and Eliza- beth (Van Horn) Bisher, natives of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, respectively, and of German origin. Samuel Bisher was a miller and cooper by occupation, and died in 1877, aged eighty-six years. Our subject, who is the second in a family of ten children, eight of whom are now living, was educated in the common schools, and at the age of twenty began life for himself as a farm laborer, which he followed four years. He then engaged as fireman on the Beaver Meadow Railroad, and in six months was promoted to engineer, in which position he served twelve years, and then moved on his farm (having purchased his present property in 1852), and farmed until 1860, when he worked six months on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad as engineer. He then came back to the farm, remaining thereon two years, when he again ran a locomotive for the Delaware, Lackawanna & West- ern Railroad Company for eighteen months, at the end of which time he again returned to his farm, where we now find him. Mr. Bisher was married February 7, 1847, to Editha Trescott, daughter of Enos and Mary (Myers) Trescott, natives of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, respectively, which union was blessed with seven children, viz. : Adelia J. (Mrs. James Meekin, of Wilkes- Barre), born December 18, 1847; Theodocia A. (deceased), born December 4, 1849; Chesler I., born February 8, 1852 (married Martha A. Blanchard, and works the farm); Emma E. (deceased), born July 25, 1855; Ellen R. (deceased), born January 29, 1857; Ada E. (deceased),

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born April 7, 1860; Reader C. (deceased), born June 19, 1862. Mr. and Mrs. Bisher are members of the M. E. Church. He is a Republican, and has held the offices of school director, assessor and overseer of the poor. The Bisher farm consists of seventy-three acres, situated one mile north of the Huntington Mille postoffice.

AARON BITTENBENDER, farmer, P. O. Hobbie, was born in Nescopeck township in December, 1831, and ie a son of John and Elizabeth (Hess) Bittenbender, both of whom were also born in Nescopeck township. John was a son of John, au old pioneer, who kept hotel for a number of years on the turnpike, keeping a first-class house in his time. He was twice married and reared a family of fourteen children. John, his son, began the life of a farmer in Nescopeck township, where he owned 137 acres of good land. He was a practical farmer, well posted in his line of busi- ness. He was a man of some influence in his township. Mr. Bittenbender and his wife were devoted Christians, members of the Reformed Church; he died in 1868. aged sixty five years, his wife having passed away in 1845, aged thirty-six years, They reared a family of seven children, all of whom are living. Aaron is the eec- ond, and was reared in Hollenback township and educated at the common schoole. He has always followed the tilling of the soil, and is an experienced and efficient farmer. He is residing on a beautiful lot of twenty acres, on which is a neat and beautiful house; he owns, besides, a farm of 104 acres, and is a general farmer. Politically he is a Republican, and has held various offices in the township. In 1860 our subject married Miss Sarah A., daughter of William and Rebecca Fenster- macher, who bore him seven children, six of whom are living: Addie E., Wilson K., M. W., H. E., Laura M. and Calvin L. Mrs. Sarah A. Bittenbender was born in Salem township in 1840. Mr. Bittenbender and his wife are both members of the Reformed Church.

FRED T. BITTENBENDER, Nanticoke. This gentleman is engaged in the manufac- ture of the celebrated Bittenbender's Improved Mining Drill, at Nanticoke. He was born in Plymouth, and is a son of Eli and Elizabeth (Frantz) Bittenbender, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Germany. In this family there were seven children, viz .: Fred T .; George H., a drill manufacturer in Plymouth; Charles M., an engineer in Plymouth; William W., a salesman; Eli G., Jr., a black- smith in Nanticoke; Ella, and Frank, a painter in Plymouth. Our subject worked in the mines during his boyhood days, and at the age of fifteen engaged as fireman for the D. & H. Company, in which capacity he remained five years. He was then promoted to engineer and remained in the employ of that company until 1884, when he engaged in the manufacture of mining drills on a comparatively small scale, employing but one man besides himself. Since that time his business has developed wonderfully, and he now is running a well-regulated factory, using all the modern machinery in his work and employing several machinists. During 1891 he manu- factured over 1,500 of these well-known and highly approved drills of his own inven- tion and make. Mr. Bittenbender was married April 12, 1883, to Mies Matilda L. Sweitzer, an accomplished young lady of Plymouth. This union has been blessed with four children, viz. : Joseph S., Lewis K., Fred, Jr., and Theodore. He was one of the promoters of the Nanticoke Electric Light Company, and is a heavy stockholder and one of the directors in that institution.

WILLIAM BITTENBENDER, farmer, P. O. Hobbie, was born in Hollenback township, April 24, 1840, a son of John and Elizabeth (Hess) Bittenbender, being the fourth son by his father's first wife. He was reared and educated in Hollenback township and like his brother, for the most part followed farming, but like all human nature, he got tired of one continual line of duty, and so removed to Nanticoke, where he worked at mining for three years; then growing tired of mining he in 1886 returned to his farm. The first farm he owned he sold to Mr. J. Harter, and then bought the property of Peter Hart, consisting of 115 acres of fine land, seventy-five of which are under cultivation. Mr. Bittenbender is a first-class agriculturist, a perfect gen- tleman in the full sense of the word, and is practical in everything he does. In 1868 he married Miss Sarah, daughter of Peter and Rebecca Hart, and one child

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(now deceased) was born to them. Mr. and Mrs. Bittenbender are consistent mem- bers of the M. E. Church. Mrs. Sarah Bittenbender was born in Hollenback town- ship, where she now resides. Her father was a man of marked intelligence, and of great influence in his neighborhood. He was a strong Republican, always taking an active part in politics, and had held the office of justice of the peace for thirty years, besides other offices in the township. He died in 1876 aged fifty-nine years. He reared a family of twelve children, six of whom are living.

JOHN BLACK, fire-boss at the No. 5 Colliery, Pennsylvania Coal Company, Inker- man, Jenkins township, was born in the County of Northumberland, England, May 13, 1832, a son of Pearson and Margaret (Atkinson) Black. His father, who was an outside stable-boss at the mines, reared a family of six children, three of whom are still living, viz .: Mary (Mrs. Henry Heffern, Colo.), John, and Jacob, who ie a retired railroad accountant in England. Our subject embarked in life, working about the mines, at the age of eleven years, and this has been the occupation of his life. He came to America in 1852, and was engaged in mining for six months at each of the following places: St. Clair, Gold Mine Gap and Sweet Aaron, Pa. He then came to Inkerman, where he followed mining till 1880. From 1880 to 1890 he was fire-boss and miner, and since 1890 he has been fire-boss alone. Mr. Black was married March 8, 1854, to Mrs. Jeannette Latta, daughter of Alexander and Ellen (Henderson) McGregor, natives of Scotland, and widow of Colin Latta, by whom she had four children, two of whom are living. This happy union has been blessed with four children, two of whom are living, viz. : Ellen (Mrs. John B. Evans, Plains), and John P., of the firm of Doyle & Black, proprietors of the Met- ropolitan Theater, Cooper Avenue, Aspen, Colo. Mr. Black is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the K. of H. He is a Republican in his political views, and is at present a member of the board of miner examiners.

A. C. BLACKWELL, jeweler, Pittston, was born in Hazleton, February 1, 1845, a son of Robert L. and Jenetto (Iddings) Blackwell, the former a native of Hanover town- ship, this county, born near the present site of Lee's Mines; the latter a native of Berwick, and of Quaker descent. Robert L. Blackwell was a lumber dealer in Wayne county, but during the latter part of his life he was engaged in the employ of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Company as foreman at the Kingston yard; he died in 1885, and in eight months was followed to the grave by his wife. The paternal great-grandfather of our subject must have emigrated from England to this country some time prior to the Revolutionary war, for he was a cav- alryman in the Continental army, and his regimentals and saber are now in the possession of the family. Our subject, although born in Luzerne county, was educated and reared in Wayne. At the age of fifteen he began an apprenticeship at watchmaking with C. D. Welles, of Wilkes-Barre, remaining there three years, and then went to Kingston, where he engaged in business for himself. He was there but a short time when he was forced to withdraw from his occupation on account of ill health. He then entered the employ of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, at Ashley, and remained there eighteen years. In 1888 he resumed the jewelry business at Ashley, but was soon after burned out. On June 12, 1890, he came to Pittston and embarked in business. Mr. Blackwell was united in marriage August 20, 1872, with Miss Ellen J. Van Guilder, the adopted daughter of Michael Meylert, one of the pioneers of Sullivan county, Pa., and they have had born to them eight children, viz. : Winfred Josephine (deceased), Guy Percival (deceased), Meylert Lanning, Earl Candes, Gordon LeRoy. Alfred Lester, Thomas Rutherford (deceased) and Tracy Harding (deceased). Mr. Blackwell is a member of the Knights of Malta (twelfth degree) and the I. O. O. F. ; he is quartermaster sergeant on Col. Dean's staff, and his political views are Republican. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JOSEPH BLAINE, a prominent farmer of Fairmount township, P. O. Rittenhouse, was born in Morris county, N. J., May 8, 1813, and is a son of John and Margaret (Harviston) Blaine, natives of New Jersey and Ireland, and of German and Irish ori-

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

gin, respectively. Our subject, who is the eldest in a family of five children (he had four half brothers and sisters by his father, and eight by his mother, by the name of Harviston), was reared on a farm, educated in the common schools, and, when twenty years of age, began life for himself as farm laborer, which he followed for four years. He then boated one year, at the end of which time he rented a farm and worked same for nine years. He then came to Fairmount township, this county, and purchased his present farm when it was all timber land, but he cleared it up, and to-day he has as fine a farm as there is in his locality. It contains one hundred acres, situated one and three-fourths miles north of the Rittenhouse postoffice. Mr. Blaine was married, in 1832, to Miss Sarah A. Waters, daughter of John and Eliz- abeth (Lantz) Waters, natives of New Jersey, and of English and German origin. This union was blessed with thirteen children, viz: Mary A. (Mrs. Zibe Smith), born January 9, 1833; George [see sketch elsewhere]; Elizabeth (Mrs. Elias Tubbs), born December 30, 1836; Amanda (Mrs. E. B. Myers), born September 15, 1838; Will- iam H., born December 23, 1840 (was a lieutenant in the Civil war, now a farmer in Columbia county); John, born April 30, 1842 (died, June 13, 1863, while in the service of the United States); Jacob, born April 30, 1840 (died while in the United States army, December 11, 1862); Caroline (Mrs. John T. Miller), born May 27, 1846 (is a resident of Grand Rapids, Wis); Rosina (Mrs. H. S. Brandon), born December 3, 1849; Sarah J., born January 6, 1852, died May 16, 1854; Eliza A. (Mrs. J. W. Lanning) born September 7, 1854; Silas W., a farmer of Ross town- ship, born October 1, 1857; Andrew M., born November 20, 1861, lives with his father and works the farm. The mother died September 23, 1880, at the age of sixty- six years. Mr. Blaine is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and has held the office of school director and supervisor. Politically he is a Republican.

GEORGE BLAINE, farmer, Fairmount township, P. O. Rittenhouse, was born Feb- ruary 3, 1835, in New Jersey, and is a son of Joseph and Sarah A. (Waters) Blaine, natives of New Jersey, and of German and English origin, respectively. [See sketch of Joseph Blaine elsewhere. ] Our subject is the second in a family of thir- teen children, ten of whom are living. He was reared on a farm, educated in the common schools, and when twenty years of age began life for himself as a laborer, which vocation he followed until the Civil war broke out, when he enlisted in Com- pany C, One Hundred and Ninety-ninth Regiment P. V. I., Capt. H. C. O'Donald. He served four years, and was discharged June 26, 1865. Returning home, he purchased his present property of seventy-five acres of prime land, situated one and three-fourths miles north of Rittenhouse postoffice. Mr. Blaine was married January 14, 1856, to Miss Mary, daughter of Z. P. and Sarah Smith, which union was blessed with eight children, four of whom are living, viz. : Ada (Mrs, Nevel, widow of James Nevel, of Johnstown, N. Y.), Walter, who lives at home, working with his father, and is married to Jennie Sax; Carrie E. (Mrs. Harry Harrison, of Huntington township; and Eliza E., at home. Mrs. Blaine departed this life, November 2, 1889. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Blaine is a Republican, and has held the following offices in his township: assessor, school director, auditor, which latter he is at present filling.

HUGH BLAIR, foreman on the gravel train, Ashley, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, October 31, 1834, a son of Hugh and Elizabeth (Eaton) Blair, the family being of Scotch lineage. His father, who was a farmer, reared two children, viz. : Hugh, and Mary Jane, who was married to David McGowen, and after his death to James McNeill, by whom she had three children. Our subject received his education in his native country, came to America in 1859, locating in Wilkes-Barre, where he did various kinds of labor about the mines for eighteen months. He enlisted, August 19, 1861, as private in Company H, Eighty-first P. V. I., was discharged as a corporal at Stevensburg, Va., December 22, 1863; he re-enlisted the next day, and was discharged, June 29, 1865, near Washington, with the rank of sergeant. He received a shell wound in the right shoulder at Po River, and escaped by swimming the river, though he could use but one hand. He was also wounded in the left thigh,

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in front of Petersburg, by a sharpshooter or guerrilla. He was taken prisoner, on May 23, 1863, at Chancellorsville, and remained in the hands of the enemy fifteen days, after which he returned to his regiment and served until the close of the war. He then went to Susquehanna and worked in the machine shop for eight months, after which he came to Ashley and began working on the gravel train. He has been foreman since 1867, except four years, during which he was braking, and two years in care of the oil supply house. Mr. Blair was married, August 3, 1865, to Mary A., a daughter of Robert and Clarinda (Garey) Johnson, a granddaughter of Thomas and Amanda (Blackman) Garey, and a great-granddaughter of Eleaser Blackman, who was thirteen years old at the time of the Wyoming Massacre, and a brother of Elisha Blackman. The issue of this union has been ten children. six of whom are living, viz .: Robert J., studying law with James R. Scouton, at Wilkes- Barre; Elizabeth (Mrs. Robert G. Thomas); Thomas, a brakeman; Marcus G .; Clarinda, and Mary. Mr. Blair and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the G. A. R., and a Republican in his political views.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 94

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