History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 169

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 169
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 169
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 169

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).

The first mill owned and run by P. H. Colvin was built by him in 1878. It has two runs of stones and a good water power, and can do all kinds of inill work.

The first store was kept by Daniel Poole. There are now the general stores of John Wall and S. W. McCon- nell, and the drug store of H. Silkworth, M. D. The post- office is kept at the same place.

The first tavern was built and kept as such by Reuben Parks, on the site of the hotel now kept and owned by J. Scovell.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.

The first school-house was a log building on Bowman's creek. The first frame school-house was built close by where the union church now stands. There are now seven school districts, with a fair average attendance, and all the buildings have been repaired or rebuilt within a few years.

September 16th, 1872, a school was opened in the larg- est rooms of the Presbyterian parsonage; it has been kept up under the name of Monroe Academy. It was designed to teach the higher branches and the classics, and also as a normal school. Not less than fifty successful teachers studied here. During the second year Odd Fellows' Hall was occupied. In the summer of 1874 the building known as the Monroe Academy, but chartered as the Bowman's Creek Presbyterian Church, was erected. The first prin- cipal was the Rev. C. K. Canfield. Rev. S. McElroy now fills that position. The total cost of the building was $4,625, chiefly contributed by the citizens of Monroe.

CHURCH HISTORY.

Before there was any organized society local preachers supplied the wants of the people here. Among the first was Oliver Lewis. The first Methodist preacher was Rev. Silsberry Wild; the first Presbyterian minister Rev. Thomas Rhodes; the first Baptist Rev. William Frear. The first religious meeting and Sunday-school was held in the log school-house at Bowman's Creek.

The Methodist society was the first organized. The Baptists next organized, with Rev. William Frear as their preacher. Their meetings were held at the log school house. The Protestant Methodists were the next society to organize, with the Rev. J. K. Helmore as their prin= cipal preacher. Rev. Mr. Brown was, however, the first preacher of that denomination and Peter Montross one of the first.

In 1865 the four societies agreed to build a union church. There were five trustees appointed-one Method- ist Episcopal, one Baptist, one Presbyterian, one Protestant Methodist and one by the people. They were .

Sidney C. Clarke, George D. Clarke, Samuel B. Cook, Peter Montross and Daniel Morgan. The building was dedicated in 1866. The ministers of the different de- nominations preach in turn except the Presbyterian pastor, whose people have now a church of their own.

There is a union Sabbath-school, with William Rich- ards as superintendent. The attendance is good and in- creasing.

The Presbyterians in 1874 petitioned the Presbytery of Lackawanna to organize a Presbyterian church at Monroe with Rev. C. K. Canfield as pastor. . The peti- tion was signed by thirty persons, nearly all of whom united with the church. The presbytery met at Monroe on the 6th of May, 1874, and voted to organize the Bow- man's Creek Presbyterian Church. The following mem- bers of the church at North Moreland were enrolled as members of the new organization: Amanda M. Canfield, Samuel B. and Phoebe Cooke, James L. Crawford, A. J. Coursen, Byron and Morell Dimmick, Edwin D., Henry J. and Martha E. Frear, Henry W. Gross, William J. and Ermilla Hemmelright, Mary E. Jackson, James E. Miners, Charles Victor Parrish and Annette Wilson. The follow- ing were admitted on profession of faith: Alpha W. Cooke, Mary D. and John F. Hilbert, Almira J. and John F. Parrish, Oliver Wilson, Chandler Newberry and Wil- liam Patton. S. B. Cooke, Byron Dimmick and William Patton were elected ruling elders. Rev. C. K. Canfield was chosen pastor. Rev. Mr. Darroch succeeded him and was followed by the Rev. S. McElroy, who is still the pastor. The Sabbath-school has 110 scholars. D. H. Silkworth is the superintendent.

CEMETERIES.

The first burial was that of Lewis Warwick, who was buried in the woods above the residence of Mr. New- berry. The grave is still distinguishable.

The burial ground by the old Phoenix homestead was the first. It was owned by Mr. Clarke and was deeded in trust to Mr. Orcutt for the use of the township. The first burial here was that of" Asahel Barnes. Here also lie the remains of Matthew Phoenix. Mrs. Josiah New- berry was buried in low ground, unsuitable though in- tended for a cemetery. The next day Abigail Carpenter offered Mr. Newberry his choice of ground on a hillside belonging to her. He chose a piece which was afterward deeded to the township.

NICHOLSON TOWNSHIP.

HE heavy pine forests and fertile valleys along the Tunkhannock were a popular field for Philadelphia real estate speculators at the close of the Revolution, and, by means of the location of soldiers' warrants in large tracts, Meredith, Clymer, Cadwallader, John Nich- olson (after whom this township was named) and others secured the most valuable lands of northern Lu- zerne county.

523

DEVELOPMENT OF NICHOLSON TOWNSHIP-VILLAGES.

The township originally covered a large part of the present townships of Benton, Clinton and Lemon. Eli- phalet S. and Ebenezer Stephens settled on the Tunk- hannock in 1760. Closely following them were John Steele, Christopher Felton, of Philadelphia (who took up the farm now owned by George W. Walker), and the Stark family, whose early home was on the western boundary of the township. In West Nicholson Milo Oakly and the Squires family first settled, followed by Shaws and Thomas McCracken. The early settlers de- voted their attention largely to lumbering ; the pine being sawed at mills in the vicinity, rafted and run down the Tunkhannock into and down the Susquehanna until a market was found, an adventurous speculator occasion- ally finding his way to Baltimore in search of better prices than the $8 or $to per thousand feet prevailing on the Susquehanna.

A man named Horton, from Philadelphia, about 1809, built a grist-mill where the Squires tannery now stands. Two large mills now couvert the grain grown into readily salable flour and meal, and the Childs tannery furnishes a ready market for hemlock and oak bark.

The first saw-mill on the Tunkhannock was erected by the Stevenses in 1793. Soon after one was built on Fields brook by Horton. As in all lumbering countries, pay-day came only once or twice a year, and labor was paid for in kind, store trade or due bills payable after a general freshet.

In early years the land back from the creek flats was lightly valued until farmers coming from hill coun- tries developed the fertile plateaux of West Nicholson. A number of families of that region joined a colony of Mormons from Susquehanna county, built an ark near Pierceville, floated down the Tunkhannock, and by way of the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers sought the promised land toward the setting sun. Among them were the families of Hiram Osterhout, Erastus Brown, Jacob Shibley, Abram Miller and a man named Parks; from this party only one girl returned and abandoned the creed.

The first merchant, a man named Robinson, traded at Roberts Corners in 1831. The next was Nathan Bacon, who also kept the first tavern in an old log honse at Ba- conville, as early as 1814. Shortly after that he built a " timber house," and in 1837 the commodious frame house of his grandnephew, P. S. Bacon. Located as it was on the main turnpike, between Montrose aud Provi- dence, " Bacon's " was a popular stopping place.

The M. E. church at West Nicholson was dedicated in 1854. St. Patrick's R. C. church was built in 1863, Nicholson M. E. church in 1866, the First Presbyterian in 1869 and the Universalist in 1877. .

POLITICAL HISTORY.

The township was formed from parts of Abington and Tunkhannock, and at first comprised about double the present territory. In 1843, soon after its organization, Clinton was taken off, and later Lemon and Ben- ton. A small district was added from Tunkhannock

in 1844. About 100 votes were cast in the township in 1879.

The early town meetings were held at Finn's, a pioneer inn, now in Benton, and since the change of boundary lines they have been held at Pierceville. The first jus- tices of the peace, appointed by the governor, were Caleb Roberts and Nathan Bacon, succeeded in 1840 by William Driggs and Christopher Felton.

The population of the township in 1879 was 1,546; 1880, 988.

VILLAGES.

WEST NICHOLSON is a hamlet near the county line, seven miles from Nicholson borough. A hotel was kept here at one time, by Ziba Reynolds, and several stores. The place now contains one store and two wagon and blacksmith shops. The post-office was established in 1878. T. W. Riley is the postmaster. A Methodist church has been in existence since about 1856; the pas- tor is Rev. G. O. Beers.

At PIERCEVILLE are blacksmith and shoe shops and the Pierceville Hotel. In 1878 a mineral paint factory was erected here, but it continued business only two or three years. The place derives it name from Franklin Pierce, who was President when the post-office was es- tablished here. The office was removed from Oxbow, now in Lemon, which was the first post-office in the original township. The first postmaster was Ziba Rey- nolds, proprietor of the Pierceville House. A small foundry was built here in 1838 by John Buling, which was soon abandoned.

NICHOLSON BOROUGH.

HE earlier history of this borough is identical with that of Baconville, where the business of the place was transacted and which as late as 1869 was marked on the map as a distinct settlement, although. now included in the village limits. At this place Nathan Bacon built the first hotel and the Nicholson grist-mill, and afterward engaged in trade, supplying the lumbermen. He was postmaster many years, the office being dis- continued when that of Nicholson was established in 1855.

After Bacon a man named Russel kept the store till 1852, since which time no store has been kept in that part of the borough. The building of the railroad gave an impulse to the place. Dr. Samuel Estes, the pioneer physician here, built the Union Hotel. A man named Stephens opened a small grocery on the bank of Martin's creek, and Captain I. S. Little and Lemuel Harding opened the first stock of general merchandise in the building now owned by L. G. Stevens. The Pratt Brothers built a large tannery on the site of N. T. Childs's. Nathan P. Wilcox followed in the same firm. C. C.

524

HISTORY OF WYOMING COUNTY.

Birge and R. D. Newton came from Chenango county, N. Y., and the Walkers, Hallsteds, Williamses, Sisks and Blakeslees from other points. Churches and schools, handsome business blocks and good hotels sprang up. Dr. Estes has the credit of building the first hotel as mentioned above, the next being a building erected for a restaurant and rebuilt by Michael Sisk, known as the Sisk House. This hotel stood opposite the railroad depot; it was burued in 1878 and has not been rebuilt. "The next was put up by Cyrus Cooper, on Main street, in 1854, and was purchased in 1867 by John Niver, since which time it has been known as the Niver House and kept most of the time by Mr. Niver and his sons, the present proprietors. Another was built north of the depot and kept by a man named Crofoot This building was burned in 1879. The first practicing physician was Dr. Samuel Estes. The profession is now represented by Drs. H. N. Kelley, E. S. Wheeler and Charles Newton. The first attorney was Thomas J. Chase, now of Wilkes-Barre. S. L. Tiffany is now practicing law. A weekly paper called the Examiner was published by him from 1871 until 1877, when the Nicholson Item was founded by E. L. Day; it was removed to Tunkhannock and its name was changed to the Tunkhannock Standard.

The population of the borough in 1880 was 586.

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

About 1819 Ebon Slater built a saw-mill at the " rock bottom " on Martin's creek, which was replaced by a grist-mill built by C. L. Hallsted. This concern, passing into the hands of Hon. A. B. Walker, was improved and operated by Walker Brothers, now succeeded by N. L. Walker; it is known as the Rock Bottom Flouring Mills. The present proprietor has added machinery for making the patent new process flour, and fitted the mills for a general merchant and custom business The Nicholson Mill on the Tunkhannock, a mile from the railroad depot, was built by Nathan Bacon and is now owned by J. J. Shook, who does a large and growing business, shipping large quantities of feed and meal.

The Childs Tannery was built in 1854, by Pratt & Brother. It added materially to the growth of the vil- lage, but was burned in 1867 and in 1868. The property was sold in 1869 to Childs & Bloomer, who rebuilt the tannery and operated it until 1878, when it was a third time burned. Nial T. Childs, of Ellenville, N. Y., bought the property, and in 1879 rebuilt on a larger scale than before. The capacity of the establishment is 30,000 sides of sole leather; the quality made is " Union crop." Em- ployment is given to about 30 men, and several thousand cords ot bark are used annually, furnishing a ready mar- ket for the vicinity.

A small manufactory of chairs and rakes was operated . by a man named Stone for several years, but it proved unprofitable and was abandoned.

CORPORATE HISTORY.

By a charter granted August 23d, 1875, the borough of Nicholson was incorporated, and the following officers

were then elected: Burgess, Wickliff C. Williams; clerk, Frank N. Boyle; treasurer, N. L. Walker; street commis- sioner, Lyman Bell; councilmen, A. B. Walker, P. Cod- dington, William Werkeizer, Solomon Taylor, George Rought, I .. Stevens. At the next three annual elections G. S. Harding was elected burgess. In 1879 the officers elected were: Burgess, Wickliff C. Williams; clerk, Frank N. Boyle; treasurer, E. F. Johnson; street commissioner, John Sherman; councilmen, O. L. Hallsted, Solomon Taylor, G. S. Harding, C. C. Birge, E. S. Bacon and N. L. Walker.

NICHOLSON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL.

This institution was the outgrowth of a select school in- stituted by B. G. Stone in 1859 and taught by him for several years. An independent district was formed by order of the court in 1865 out of the old common school district No. 3. The school directors leased a building which had been erected by Mr. Stone, opposite the M. E. church on State street. In 1870 they bought a building being erected for a sash and blind factory by Bacon & Steinbeck, and, moving it back, converted it into a con- venient and spacious school-house.

The first principal was Miss Mary Terry; the present one is Prof. E. S. P. Hine, a native of Gibson, Susque- hanna county, Pa., and a teacher of wide experience and superior attainments. He is assisted by Miss Maggie Dugan in the grammar department, and Misses Hattie Weaver and Addie Knapp in the primary room; Misses Dugan and Weaver being residents of the borough, Miss Knapp from the Soldiers' Orphan School, Hartford, Pa. The first directors were I. S. Little, Lemuel Harding, William Driggs, O. L. Hallsted, George Pratt and Nathan P. Wilcox. The directors for 1879 were D. C. Graham (president), S. L. Tiffany (secretary), F. D. Pratt (treas- urer), Solomon Taylor, Henry A. Smith and H. P. Wilkins.

The regular attendance is about one hundred and forty-five. The higher English branches are taught. The school is popular at home and abroad, and the people of Nicholson have reason to feel proud of it.

CHURCHES OF NICHOLSON.

Methodist Episcopal .- About 1830, in a little log school- house on the site of the present church, the first Method- ist service in Nicholson was held. Here one of the early circuit riders preached once in four weeks. After a season, however, the appointment was moved to the "square-top school-house," a mile above the present church site, near the old Nicholson burying ground. Here preaching services were held many years under the special patronage of Jesse Stevens, who paid most of the preacher's salary. The "square-top" was at this time one of the appointments on the Brooklyn charge. The place of meeting was the school-house at the foot of Roberts hill, a mile below the present church site, for about two years. During this time services were also held on Thomas hill, about two miles southeast of Nich- olson. This condition of things continued until 1866. Rev. D. Worrell then removed the Thomas hill appoint-

GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL RECORD,

LEMON, MESHOPPEN, NICHOLSON AND WASHINGTON TOWNSHIPS, MESHOPPEN AND NICHOLSON BOROUGHS.

DR. J. M. CAREY,

whose portrait we present to our readers, was born in Orange county, N. Y., in 1834. When he was fourteen years of age his parents moved to North Moreland, Wyoming county, Pa. After farming a few years he attended the Wyoming Seminary, at Kingston, Luzerne county, for a time, after which he taught district school until he had accumulated a small sum of money, in the meantime having secured a knowledge of anatomy, etc., under a preceptor. He graduated in medicine at Cin- cinnati in 1856 and returned to North Moreland, where he practiced until 1862, when he entered the Union army as a private and in one year, for his gallantry and good conduct, was promoted captain of his company in the 16Ist Pennsylvania mounted volunteers-a thing remark- able in cavalry service. He was in all of the important battles of the army of the Potomac except Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor, being then in the hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, having been wounded in the Wilderness. He was actively engaged with his division at Appomattox, and was afterward appointed provost marshal of Camp- bell county, Virginia. At Lincoln's second inauguration, March 4th, 1865, his company presented him with a sabre valued at $150, bearing this inscription: " Presented to Captain J. M. Carey by his company as a token of their regard, March 4th, '65." After the war he en- gaged in mercantile business with a brother. This he followed for years, serving also as justice of the peace. Resuming his profession lie removed to Meshoppen, where he has a large practice and a host of friends. He has been elected coroner twice, but the second time de- clined on account of being justice of the peace. He has four children, the oldest of whom is practicing medicine in the same county.

O. H. LOOMIS.

Otis H. Loomis was born in Susquehanna county, Pa., August 20th, 1833. His parents died when he was quite young, and in 1850 he came to Meshoppen. While young he was a teacher. In the spring of 1855 he be- came a clerk in the store of D. T. Sterling, and from No- vember, 1859, was a partner several years. He was mar- ried February 24th, 1866, to Rosalia T. Lott, of Meshop- pen. She died September 5th, 1872, and January 2Ist, 1880, he married Elizabeth S. McKune, of Lagrange. Be- ginning life penniless he has amassed an enviable compe- tence. He has been postmaster at Meshoppen-with the exception of three years-since April, 1861.

H. H. MITCHELL.

H. H. Mitchell is a son of Henry Mitchell. The latter was born in New London county, Conn., in 1792; mar- ried Mary Ely; came to Pennsylvania in 1815 and lived

in Susquehanna county until 1831, when he settled in Lemon. H. H. Mitchell was born in 1815, and married, in 1837, Alsina, daughter of Joseph Marcy. They have had eight children, six of whom are living. Mr. Mitchell is a practical bee-keeper. He has been elected justice of the peace for seven terms, and during the time had only one vote cast against him.

A. H. RUSSELL.

A. H. Russell was born in Washington township, near Russell Hill, January 24th, 1834. His father, Alban Russell, came from Connecticut many years ago, and from him Russell Hill received its name. His mother, whose maiden name was Catharine Jayne, was a native of Monroe county, Pa. Neither is living. Mr. Russell is a farmer by occupation, and has held several town offices.

WILLIAM S. SHAW.

This gentleman was born in what is now Lemon town- ship, December 3d, 1815. On the 16th of May, 1850, he married Lucy R. Harvey. His second wife was Ellen A. Harvey. Mr. Shaw's business is farming, lumbering and milling. He was seven years a member of a rifle com- pany and captain three years. He has been postmaster at East Lemon eight years.

NORMAN STERLING.

Norman Sterling, son of Daniel Sterling, was born in Auburn, Susquehanna county, Pa., June 19th, 1836, and was married April 7th, 1860, to Delphine L. Dunmore, of Rush, Susquehanna county, where she was born March 24th, 1838. He lived in Auburn until the spring of 1876, when he bought his present farm. He has often held offices and is now school director and town auditor.

HON. A. B. WALKER.

Hon. A. B. Walker, deceased, was born in Cuba, N. Y .. April 30th, 1826, and removed in boyhood to Gibson, Susquehanna county, Pa., and from there to Salem, Wayne county, where from a penniless clerk he rose to the head of a prosperous business house, and represented his dis- trict in the Legislature two terms. He married Laura A. Hollister, of Wayne county, and when Nicholson was laid out went there and embarked largely in trade and milling. His reputation as a legislator followed him to his new home, and the Republican party eagerly sought the bene- fit of his leadership. An active, public spirited man, he did much to build up the material and social interests of Nicholson, and his death. November 30th, 1878, made a void in society not easily filled. A portrait of Mr. Walker appears elsewhere in this work.

524 A

524 B

HISTORY OF WYOMING COUNTY.

MARVIN ALDEN was born in Meshoppen, in 1812, and came to Washington in 1827. He engaged quite exten- sively in the lumbering business in his younger days, but for many years past has been a farmer. John Alden, his son, was born in Washington, in 1850, and now conducts the farm near Russell Hill.

JOHN I). ARNTS was born in Monroe county, Pa., in 1834, and came to Wyoming county in 1836. He has been a blacksmith 29 years. His shop is at Russell Hill, where he resides. He has been postmaster and town- ship treasurer, and has held several minor offices.

REV. S. JAY AUSTIN was born in Dunby, N. Y., in 1847; educated at Wyoming Seminary and licensed to preach at Kingston, Pa., in 1868, since which time he has occupied pulpits at Hyde Park, North Abington, Clark's Green and Roscoe, and for three years has been pastor of the Nicholson M. E. church. Mrs. Austin was Martha Long, of North Abington.

C. L. AVERY was born in 1827, and married Martha, daughter of Ebenezer Parrish, in 1848. They had eight children, of whom five are living. Mr. Avery is a farmer and was the first settler on the farm where he lives.

MILES AVERY, a native of Falls, was married in 1849 to Jane, daughter of John Leonard, who died the year of her marriage. He afterward married Jane Ann, daughter of Ziba Smith, by whom he had eight children, of whom four are living. She died July 5th, 1872. In 1875 he married Mrs. Martha A. Hallett, daughter of John Bouse, of Eaton, by whom he has two children.

E. L. BACON, son of E. N. Bacon, was born in Nichol- son. His wife is a native of Susquehanna county. Mr. Bacon is an active, public spirited citizen and the asses- sor of the borough.

BENJAMIN BARTRON was born in Pike county, in 1808, and came to Wyoming county in 1827. He was a farmer. He served as justice of the peace three years and died in 1875. His widow, Mary Ann Jayne, is a native of Washington township and lives on the farm occupied by her late husband.

MARION D. BETTS, a native of Susquehanna county, served in the 50th Pennsylvania volunteer infantry at Hilton Head, Fredericksburg, Bull Run (2nd) and Chancellorsville. He married Delphine Tanner, of Nicholson.

WILLIAM BLACKMAR, son of David Blackmar, is a na- tive of Meshoppen township, born March 15th, 1826. He spent two years at brickmaking in Wilkes-Barre, then worked on portions of the Washington railroad and North Branch Canal as overseer and superintendent. He was married February 14th, 1854, to Emeline Hankinson, of Meshoppen. In 1858 he bought his present farm. He has often been elected to positions of trust and respon- sibility.

FRANK N. BOYLE, born in Lanesboro, Pa., in 1847, married Jane A., daughter of Solomon Taylor, of Nichol- son, October 28th, 1869. He is a grandson of Judge Boyle, of Susquehanna county. He has served as bor- ough clerk several years. In 1870 he commenced mer- cantile business in Nicholson as a partner in the firm of Wilkins & Boyle. Since 1877 he has carried on business alone.

CHARLES P. BUCK was born in Peekskill, N. Y., and is a son of Rev. Charles D. Buck. He came to Nichol- son in November, 1879, entering into partnership with R. D. Newton, under the firm name of Newton & Buck.

THADDEUS F. BULLARD was born in Susquehanna

county, Pa., March 24th, 1824; learned the cooper's trade, and came to Meshoppen in January, 1844. He was married to Editha Pneuman, of Susquehanna county, February 18th, 1846, soon after which he located on his present farm. He was enrolled for three years in Com- pany B 52nd Pennsylvania infantry, 'September 22nd, 1862, but was honorably discharged for disability De- cember 23d, 1862. Drafted December 9th, 1864, he furnished a substitute. He has always carried on cooper- ing, in connection with farming. He also raises bees and sells honey. He has served five years as justice of the peace.

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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 169

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