History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 146

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 146
USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 146
USA > Pennsylvania > Wyoming County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 146

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).

ADAM HUNTER, engineer at engine No. 5, was born in Scotland, in 1834, and married Mary Lynce, of Ireland. He was a sailor about nineteen years, and came to Car- bondale in 1869 and has since been in the employ of the D. & H. C. Company, formerly at engine No. 3.

JOSEPH ISGER, formerly in the employ of the D. & H. Canal Company, but a foundryman since December, 1875, was born in England, in 1826, and married Janet Mauds- ley. He belonged to the "Wurts Guards," and accom- panied the company as an " emergency man." He came to Carbondale in 1861.

DAVID O. JONES is the oldest hotel man in Carbondale. He was for five years proprietor of the Harrison House, and is now owner and manager of the American House. He was born in Hartford, Conn., in September, 1815; was a member of a military organization there at seven- teen, and has been a resident of Carbondale since 1870. He married Mary H. Bunts, of Middlesex county, Conn.

P. S. JOSLIN, who has been postmaster at Carbondale ten years, was born in Rome, N. Y., April 24th, 1817, and married Miss Lucy A. Steiner. He subsequently married Caroline Whitmin, of Berwick. He was engaged in printing and editing fifteen years, and served as jus- tice of the peace five years.

AUGUSTUS KASE came to Carbondale in 1857, and has since been, as are his three sons, in the employ of the D. and H. C. Company. He was formerly a cabinet maker. He was born June 10th, 1825, in Germany, where he married Elizabeth Pforr.

JOHN KASE, undertaker , and dealer in furniture, was born in Germany, December 24th, 1821. He married Martha Burr, and after her death Elide Burr, of Carbon- dale.

J. F. KENYON, farmer and secretary of the Greenfield school board, was born September 5th, 1847, in Green- field, where he married Maryette Briggs.

SILAS C. KILMER, farmer, was born in Greenfield, Oc- tober Ist, 1856, and is a son of P. L. Kilmer, who came to that township in 1839, and was a member of the the "Greenfield Greens."

WILLIAM F. KILMER, farmer, was born in Greenfield, May 20th, 1851, and married Melinda Wayman, of that township.

J. F. KINBACK, alderman and dealer in furniture, was born in Germany, on the Rhine, March 23d, 1823. He married Miss Amy S. Sarony, of Dundaff, Pa. He has been in the furniture business in Carbondale since 1848. He has been alderman since 1872, was auditor four years and has served as overseer of poor and councilman.

MRS. SARA L. KING, M. D., was born in Angelica, N. Y., and graduated from the Ann Arbor Medical Col- lege, Michigan, in 1867. She practiced her profession in Mount Morris, N. Y., four years, and came to Carbondale in March, 1878.

PHILO LEE, farmer and lumberman, was born in

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HISTORY OF LACKAWANNA COUNTY.

Dutchess county, N. Y:, in 1809, and came to Lacka- wanna county in 1818, and to Carbondale township in 1874, and in the spring of 1875 erected his saw-mill. He married Roxanna Vail, of Scott.

PHILO LEE, JR., was born in Greenfield township, February 20th, 1846, and married Catharine Horn, of Carbondale. He came 10 the township with his father in 1874, and is identified with him as a farmer and lumber- man.

CAPTAIN THOMAS M. LINDSAY was born in Carbon- dale, October 3d, 1841, and married Mary A. Reese, of Wales. He was formerly a blacksmith, and is now in the employ of the D. & H. Canal Company. At the or- ganization of Van Bergen guards, Company F 13th regi- ment N. G. Pa., he was its Ist lieutenant, and was pro- moted to the captaincy March 4th, 1879.

THOMAS C. LISTER, machinist, No. 11 South 7th street, was born in England, in 1815, and married Anna Anty. He served in the British army nine months. He came to Carbondale in 1862, where he has been engaged in business since September Ist, 1866.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, farmer and lumberman, was born in Greenfield, August 29th, 1841, and married Martha A. Snyder. He is president of the Greenfield school board. His father, Thomas Mclaughlin, came to Carbondale in 1830.

SILAS A. MCMULLEN was born in Clinton, Wayne county, Pa., October 9th, 1836, and married Louisa A. Hubbard, of Wayne county, Pa. He came to Carbondale February 22nd, 1869, and since March Ist following has been assistant superintendent of the Pennsylvania division of the D. & H. Canal Company's railroad.

W. McMULLEN, master of the trade and transportation department of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Com- pany's railroad, was born March 12th, 1844, in Clinton township, Wayne county, and married Mary Thorpe, of the same county.

PETER MANG, proprietor of the bakery at Church and Main streets, was born in 1840, in Germany. He married Anna Bohrs. He came to Carbondale in 1870.

R. MANVILLE, superintendent and engineer, was born in Whitehall, N. Y., November 6th, 1824. He married Helen M. Gilbert, of Ghent, Columbia county, N. Y.

J. W. MARCY, hotel proprietor, was born in Lacka- wanna, April 9th, 1848, and married Juniata S. Horton, of Providence, Pa. He has been in the insurance busi- ness.

LUCIUS MARSHALL, ex-meinber of the common council and ex-mayor, was born in Susquehanna county, Pa., in 1840, and married Mary Burrell, of New York. He served in the United States army from August, 1862, to June, 1865. He was formerly a carpenter, and is mana- ger of the co-operative store.

CHARLES O. MELLEN, book-keeper for Van Bergen & Co., was born in Hudson, Columbia county, N. Y., March 17th, 1842, and married Maggie Ottman, of Carbondale. He was city treasurer for 1874, 1875 and 1876.

JOHN E. MILLS (formerly a carpenter), farmer, was born in Greenbush, N. Y., August 4th, 1834, and married Mary Ann Williams, of Luzerne county. He and his brother, Dwight Mills, served in the army from October I Ith, 1862, to August 6th, 1863, and he has held the of- fices of treasurer, assessor and school director.

ANDREW MITCHELL, owner of Mitchell's planing-mill, was born in Sterlingshire, Scotland, in 1831. He spent thirteen years in Cuba, putting up machinery. His wi

was Miss Mary Douglass, of Providence. Mr. Mitchell's former business was that of a machinist and millwright.

PATRICK F. MOFFITT, merchant at the corner of Main and 7th streets, and formerly a member of the Carbon- dale poor board, was born in Carbondale, in 1847.

P. M. MOFFET, harness maker, was born in Ireland, March 5th, 1837. He has served as associate judge and city treasurer. He married Bridget Keernan, of Car- bondale.

JOHN MOON, manager of the gas works, has held that position since 1869. He was born in England in 1838, and married Susan Rowe.

REV. SAMUEL MOORE, pastor of the M. E. church of Carbondale, was born at Gilboa, Schoharie county, N. Y., January 21st, 1836. His wife was Miss Laura J. Day, of Norwich, N. Y. He was formerly engaged in teaching.

WILLIAM MORRISON, undertaker and dealer in ice, at the corner of Main and 8th streets, was born May 6th, 1843, in Carbondale, where he married Jane Quinn (born in 1846).

D. K. MORSS, farmer, was born in Windham, Greene county, N. Y., January 27th, 1821. He came to Luzerne county in 1844, and married Enima Mott. He was for- merly a merchant, and has served as justice of the peace, assistant United States assessor and associate judge.

WILLIAM P. E. MORSS, foreman of breaker at Racket Brook since February, 1867, was born in Greene county, N. Y., in 1827, and came to Carbondale in 1832. He married Margaretta E. Burnham, of Spencer, Columbia county, N. Y.

JOHN NEALON, born in Carbondale, June 18th, 1830, is engaged in brewing, and is proprietor of Nealon's Opera House. He was a merchant twenty-nine years, and has been mayor two years, city treasurer two years and select councilman four years. His wife was Miss Mary Moffitt, of Carbondale.

THOMAS M. NEALON, member of the common council in 1874 and a member of the school board 1875-80, was born in Lower Canada, in 1846, and came to Carbondale July 2nd, 1858. He married Annie McHale.

ANDREW B. NICOL, formerly a surveyor, and since April Ist, 1871, general inside foreman, was born in Scot- land, in 1849, and married Alice H. Brown, of South Rut- land, N. Y. He came to Carbondale in 185 !.

G. W. NORRIS, foreman of car repairs for the N. Y., L. E. and W. Railroad Company since 1875, when he came to Carbondale, was born in Orange county, N. Y., in 1838, and married Elinor L. Muir, of New Jersey.

THOMAS ORCHARD, superintendent of the car shops of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, was born in England, March 20th, 1820. His wife was Miss Mary Griffin, of Providence. Mr. Orchard was formerly a carpenter.

RENSSELAER OTTMAN, M. D., was born March 9th, 1821, in Schoharie county, N. Y., where he married Nancy Hollenbeck. Dr. Ottmann, who is also engaged in the mercantile business, was an army surgeon during the Rebellion.

GEORGE C. PIERCE, son of Zopher Pierce, who came to Greenfield in 1835, was born in Greene county, N. Y., April 6th, 1828. His first wife was Sarah Kilmer; his present wife was Fidelia Newkirk, of Benton, Pa. He is a farmer, and has served his township as treasurer, super- visor and school director, and as assessor five years.

T. F. PIERCE, farmer, wool-buyer and stock dealer (for-

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GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL RECORD.

merly a mechanic), was born in Grenfield, January 8th, 1838, and married Harriett A. Kenyon, of Greenfield.

JOSEPH POWDERLY, manager of the "Lackawanna Store," was formerly a merchant. He was born in Car- bondale, May 5th, 1841.

LEWIS REHKOP, cigar maker and wholesale and retail dealer in tobacco and snuff at 233 South Main street, was born in Carbondale, in 1855, and married Mary Senberg, of Honesdale.

AUGUSTUS J. REHNER, associated with William Baird, marble dealer, 124 South Main street, was born in Ger- many, in 1857, and came to Scranton in 1871 and to Car- bondale in 1880.

T. C. ROBINSON, carpenter and builder, Cemetery street, established his business soon after he came to Carbondale, in 1871. He was born in Greenfield, in 1843, and married Lois Britton, of Falls, Wyoming county, Pa.

CHARLES ROSNER, cabinet maker and dealer in fur- niture,came to Carbondale in November, 1866, and estab- lished his business (junction South Main street and the turnpike) March 15th, 1877. He was born in Germany, November 22nd, 1843, and married Mary Birrer, of Car- bondale.

GEORGE M. ROWLEY was born in Addison, N. Y., in 1840, and married Angeline Foster, of Easton, Pa. He served (1861-64) in Company C 6th Pa. volunteers; came to Carbondale in the latter year and was engaged in lumbering until 1868, since when he has been lumber contractor for the D. and H. Canal Company.

MRS. JOHN RUSSELL was born in Carbondale, Septem- ber 18th, 1841, and was married May 24th, 1860. Mr. Russell was a native of Scotland, and came to America with his father's family in 1840. He filled nearly every office in the gift of his townsmen and died April 22nd, 1880.

J.W. RUSSELL, son of James Russell, who came to Green- field in 1840, was born in Fell, October 24th, 1851. Heisa farmer and one of the school directors of Fell township.

MARGARET RUSSELL was born in Scotland, came to Carbondale in April, 1847, and married James Russell in January, 1851. Mr. Russell came with his father's fam- ily to Greenfield in the fall of 1840, and has been known as a farmer and dairyman.

J. W. SICKLER, farmer and manufacturer, was born in Beekman, Dutchess county, N. Y., November 2nd, 1826. He came to Greenfield in 1828 or 1829, and married Harriet Britton, of Abington.

ANDREW SIMPSON was born in Scotland, in 1828; mar- ried Martha W. Stevens, of Susquehanna county; came to Carbondale with his father's family in 1834 and began working at his trade of blacksmith in 1841.

T. GRIFFIN SMITH, freight agent for the D. and H. Canal Company, was born in Carbondale, in 1853, has been employed in the freight office since 1872, and has been agent since 1879.

JOHN G. SNYDER, farmer, was born in Blakely, August 9th, 1817, and came in 1823. to Greenfield, where he married Sallie Ann Cobb. He served seven years in the " Greenfield Greens," part of the time as orderly sergeant and lieutenant.

MATTHIAS SPREICHER, foreman of the machine shop of the D. and H. Canal Company since 1876, and in the employ of the company at Archbald from 1870 to that date, was born in Germany, in 1845, and married Fran- cisca Willz, of Archbald.

THOMAS SULLIVAN was born in Ireland (where he married Bridget Morrison) March 17th, 1836; came to Carbondale in July, 1851; served in the 152nd regiment, 3d artillery, 1863-65; was constable of Carbondale 1866- 68, and assessor in 1880; and is the proprietor of a res- taurant, opposite the depot, on old Dundaff street.

DANIEL TAVLOR, born in Delaware county, N. Y., September 3d, 1807, was the first wagon-maker in Car- bondale. He followed the business of wagon-making, carpentering and pattern-making until within a few years. His wife was Miss Lydia Swartz, of Easton, Pa., but lat- terly of Providence.

HENRY TAYLOR, farmer and physician, was born in Greenfield, October 14th, 1829, and married Mary M. Cook, of Scott.

ELIAS THOMAS, watchman at engine No. 28 since 1862, has been a resident of Carbondale since 1832, and in the employ of the D. and H. Canal Company since 1836. He was born in Wales, June 6th, 1823, and married Bridget D. McCaulay.

ELIA'S E. THOMAS was born in South Wales, October 2nd, 1830, and married Ellen Jones, of Carbondale, where he has lived since 1853. He was a member of the common council in 1867. Mr. Jones, his father-in-law, came to Carbondale in 1832.

J. G. THOMPSON was a member of the common coun- cil in 1854; auditor in 1855 and 1856; assistant provost marshal in 1862; assessor of internal revenue in 1863-65, and has been alderman of the 2nd ward since 1873. He was born in Pittston township in 1813; came to Carbon- dale in 1832; married Samantha Monroe, of New York, and was formerly a merchant. 4

IRA D. TRAPHAGAN, foreman of Van Bergen's foundry since 1852, was born in Lexington, N. Y., in 1829, and married Sarah H. Whiting, of Providence, Pa. He came to Carbondale January 4th, 1850.

D. P. TRUEX, proprietor of coffee and spice mills since 1877, and formerly a merchant, was born in Herrick, Susquehanna county, Pa., in October, 1847, and came to Carbondale in 1863. He married Cornelia Tourtellot, of Providence.

GEORGE W. VAIL, farmer and carpenter, is the young- est son of Micah Vail, and served in the Greenfield Greens. He was born in Greenfield, January 3d, 1823, and married Emeline Pierce, of Durham, N. Y.

HARVEY VAIL, farmer, was born in Orange county, N. Y., January 18th, 1800. He married Jerusha Orvis, who lived only about a year afterward. His second wife was Abigail Farnum, whose grandfather, Eliab Farnum, was a captain in the Revolutionary service. His father, Micah Vail, was born in Orange county, N. Y., April, 1765; came to Scott in 1806 and died in 1835.

JONATHAN VAIL, farmer, was born in Orange county, N. Y., January 7th, 1802, and married Uretta Ball, born August 15th, 1809. He has filled important town offices in Scott, Carbondale and Fell, and "trained " with the "Abington Rifles " and the "Greenfield Greens." He came to Abington in 1806.

JOSEPH B. VAN BERGEN was born in Bainbridge, N.Y., February 28th, 1828, and married Mary F. Boal, of Cin- cinnati, O. Mr. Van Bergen, who is proprietor of the foundry and machine works, has been engaged in the in- surance business, and was mayor of Carbondale four consecutive terms.

JAMES VANNAN, engineer at engine No. I, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1834, and married Euphemia,

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HISTORY OF LACKAWANNA COUNTY.

Harris, of New Jersey. He came to Carbondale in the fall of 1845 and has held his present position since 1860.

THOMAS VOYLE, merchant, was born in Wales, in 1820, and came to America in 1833, and married Ann Daven- port, of Luzerne county, Pa. He was elected collector in 1842 and held the office nine years; in 1851 he was a member of the select council; was commissioner seven years; was marshal from 1869 to 1872 and has since been mayor three years. He began life in the coal mines at the age of nine and engaged as clerk for Lewis G. En- sign in 1834.

WILLIAM WALKER, Glenwood, outside foreman at Erie breaker since 1874, formerly track-layer in the mines, was born in Carbondale township, November 3d, 1854 and married Sarah Mooney, of Carbondale.

HENRY S. WARREN, farmer, was born in Nicholson, Wyoming county, May 27th, 1822, and came to Green- field in 1827. He married Sarah Ann Glaze, of New Jer- sey, and has filled several township offices.

W. H. WARREN, wagon maker and blacksmith, was born in Greenfield, August 13th, 1849, and married Norah Bell, of Clifford, Susquehanna county.

JOHN WATERFIELD, inside foreman at No. I shaft, was born in England, June 12th, 1846; married Janet Mc- Myne, of Maryland, and came to Carbondale in 1873.

WILLIAM W. WATKINS, of Watkins & Williams, opera- tors of the Belmont coal mines, was born in Wales, in 1832, and married Esther Lewis. He came to Carbon- dale in 1869, and mined for the D. and H. Canal Com- pany until 1876, when the above named firm was formed.

HENRY WATTS, weigh-master and coal agent for the D. and H. Canal Company, formerly a blacksmith, was born in Ireland (where he married Isabella Miller), Jan- uary 24th, 1824. He came to Carbondale in 1850, and at once entered the service of the D. and H. Canal Com- pany.

HENRY C. WHEELER, M. D., was born at Windsor, N. Y., in 1850; is a graduate of the Jefferson Medical Col- lege; came to Carbondale in 1874, and began the practice of his profession in the winter of 1876.

CHARLES H. WHITMAN, farmer, formerly coal operator and incumbent of several township offices, was born in Rhode Island, in 1818, and married Jennie Van Gordie, of Scott.

H. B. WILBUR, carpenter and bridge builder, is a well known member of the masonic fraternity. He was born in Clinton county, Pa., June 23d, 1843, came to Carbon- dale in December, 1867, and married Maria Taylor.

D. W. WILLIAMS, of Watkins & Williams, operators of the Belmont coal mine, was born in Wales, in 1855, and

married Jane Roberts. He came to Carbondale in 1869 and engaged in mining for the D. and H. Canal Com- pany.

GEORGE J. WILLIAMS, son of William P. Williams, who came to the county in April, 1831, was born in Fell, September 30th, 1844, and married Emma Gardner, of Greenfield. He is a farmer and has been supervisor of Fell township seven years and has served as school director and in other official capacities.

JOHN W. WILLIAMS, formerly butcher, now coal opera- tor, lumberman and farmer, was born in Carbondale, September 6th, 1833, and is a brother of George J. Williams mentioned above. He has been twice married-to Jerusha and Martha Vail-and has filled several township offices.

J. D. WINGATE, D. D. S., was born in Snyder (formerly Union) county, Pa., in December, 1821; came to Carbon- dale in 1871, and is the oldest dentist there. He is a graduate of the Philadelphia Dental College. His wife was Catharine Wolfe, of Pennsylvania.

EDMUND WORTH, farmer, was born in New Hamp- shire, April 13th, 1807, and came to Greenfield in 182 1. He married Susanna Doud, of Susquehanna county, Pa. For a number of years he was first sergeant in the Ben- ton military organization.

JOHN L. WORTH, farmer, forinerly an insurance agent, was born in Greenfield, April 26th, 1834, and married Mary M. Colvin, of Abington.

G. L. WURT, of Fell township, was born in May, 1816, in Windham, Greene county, N. Y. He is a farmer and a tanner. Mrs. Wurt was Miss Lois A. Tuttle, of Windham, N. Y.

ANDREW WYLLIE, foreman of the D. and H. Canal Company's blacksmith shop, was born in Scotland, and married Isabella Diack. He came to Carbondale in 1851.

DILTON YARRINGTON, lumberman, was born in Wilkes- Barre, October 8th, 1803, and married Rebecca Lambert, of Wyalusing, Pa. He formerly worked at the black- smith's trade. He was justice of the peace at Dundaff, Susquehanna county, for the ten years beginning with 1836.

HENRY C. YARRINGTON, photographer, 312 Main street, was born in Dundaff, Pa., in 1842; came to Car- bondale in 1865, and married Lucy Stowell, of Wellsboro, Pa. He served in the 142nd Pa. volunteers from 1862, to June, 1865.

The following citizens of Carbondale, Fell and Green- field also contributed their support to this publication : Joseph Birkett, F. W. Carew, George W. Conklin, M. A. Coughan, R. W. Graves, Henry Johnson, D. N. Lathrop, G. L. Moss, W. L. Potter, F. T. Sedler, Andrew and W. W. Watt and Solomon Wedeman.

TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH HISTORIES,

LACKAWANNA COUNTY.

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP.

N the Connecticut chim and survey this town- ship was called Ebbington, in honor of Col. Ebbings, an extensive land agent of Connec- ticut, through whom titles to these lands were obtained on very reasonable terms; but these titles proved illegal and hence valueless, under the Pennsylvania laws which finally obtained, and the land holders, being indignant, changed the word to Abington, the name of a township in Connecticut. Under the Pennsylvania laws this was included in a large tract called Tunkhannock. In 1806 a new township was formed from Tunkhannock including this tract, and the name Abington was restored. This included several of the present surrounding townships.

In 1814 a part of Abington was annexed to Nicholson, and in 1816 Greenfield township was taken off. The township was divided in 1867 into North and South Ab- ington. The boroughs of Waverly and Glenburn were formed from this township in 1854 and 1877 respectively.

The contention of the "Yankees " and " Pennamites " retarded the early settlement of Abington, as did the large and almost impassable mountains on the south. The township remained an unbroken and unknown wil- derness until about 1796, when it was surveyed by a party from Rhode Island under the Connecticut claim. About the same year three trappers made a small clear- ing and a rude cabin near the site of Waverly, with a view of making a settlement; but their provisions be- came exhausted, and tiring of venison and bear meat they abandoned the enterprise; so no actual settlement was made until several years later.

In the spring of 1797 the first immigrating party at- tempted to pass through the curved and rocky gorge in the Moosic range opposite Leggett's gap, since known as the old Drinker road, leading from Lackawaxen to Ab- ington. They found the route impracticable for their force, so the more southern gap, adjacent to Leggett's, was selected for a wagon road. Through this untrodden route these pioneers found their way into the wilds of Abing-

ton. They were William Wall, John Tripp and a few young men; among whom were Ezra Dean, who settled in the northwestern part of the township, and Robert Reynolds, who settled in what is now Factoryville.

In 1799 Deacon William Clark and family (including his three sons, William, Jeremiah and John), Thomas Smith and Ephraim Leach came from Connecticut. They crossed the Leggett mountain, at a gap westerly from where the road now passes, their team being one poor horse, and their conveyance a drag made of poles fastened at the back of the horse. On this drag were placed a sap kettle, their axes, and a few clothes and provisions. These adventurers found their way to a spot near the residence of Mr. Wall, upon which they made their camp on the 15th of March, 1799. During the . summer and fall they made clearings in several places, and opened a path through Leggett's gap. Deacon Clark settled at what is now Clark's Green, a name given in his honor, and Leach settled near Leach Flats, so named from him. During 1800 there came from Rhode Island Jonathan Dean and his sons, James and Jeffrey; Jonathan Hall, and Jonathan and Stephen Capwell. Mr. Dean settled in the western part, Mr. Hall near the center, and Jonathan Capwell in the northern part. The latter sur- veyed his farm of three hundred acres by pacing and carrying a pocket compass. A correct survey afterward made showed only four acres in excess of Mr. Capwell's crude but ingenious measurement.

In the winter of 1801 George Bailey, John Briggs and family, Samuel Hall and family, and several young men sought their fortunes in the "Beech," as it was then called. During the fall and winter John Lewin and family and Stephen Parker and family arrived. Mr. Parker settled near the center of the township. In 1802 John Miller and family came from Connecticut and settled near the site of Waverly. Phineas and Solomon Reynolds and Abner Sherman also came during the same year.

" Elder John Miller " was the natural leader in the early settlement of Abington. He was born in Windham county, February 3d, 1775, and emigrated to Abington in 1802. He settled on the site previously occupied by the trappers, and began clearing and preaching; and for

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HISTORY OF LACKAWANNA COUNTY.

fifty-five years was a faithful minister, "turning many to righteousness." He conducted many revivals, baptized two thousand persons, preached eighteen hundred funeral sermons, and married more than nine hundred persons. Being a practical suryeyor and naturally ingenious, his services were often required and cheerfully rendered. The condition of society in Abington is largely the out- growth of Elder Miller's efforts. Ile died in 1857.

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History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 146

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York Publication date: 1880 Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co. Number of Pages: 900

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900