History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 176

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 176
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 176
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 176

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 pioneers on North Flat were William Hooker Smith, Jacob Drake, jr., James Sturdevant, Luther Dean, Jedediah Coon and Jacob Gray, most of whom settled previous to 1800. Jacob Drake, jr., was followed about 1804 by Jesse Sturdevant, who remained upon the place until his death, in 1833. The farm is still in possession of his descendante. James Sturdevant settled on the farm now occupied by Mark Keeney, and is said to have built the first framed barn in the township previous to 1800. It is a solid oak frame boarded up and was origin- ally covered with shingles four or five feet long, fastened with wrought nails. James Sturdevant's sons Abijah, Noah and Azor were early residents of the township. The notorious Sturdevant counterfeiters were born and reared on North Flat.

Jonathan Whitney came from Connecticut in 1804 and subsequently settled on North Flat. He early built a saw-mill (said to be the first in the township) on Little Mehoopany creek, near Jenningsville. He died in 1836 and was succeeded by his son Walter. The latter was born in Connecticut, in April, 1798, and married Louis- iana Edwards in 1823. He followed farming and lumber- ing most of his life, and died January 16th, 1864. His wife died August 4th, 1877. The old homestead is now owned by his son, Lorenzo Whitney.

Seth L. Keeney, a son of Joshua Keeney, of Black Walnut, was born March 17th, 1798. He married Mary

537

PIONEERS OF WINDHAM-JENNINGSVILLE.

Wall, of Abington, July 8th, 1821, and immediately lo- cated on the James Sturdevant farm, on North Flat. He was extensively engaged in lumbering, farming and trad- ing. He held many local offices, and was instrumental in establishing a post-office at North Flat. He died June 12th, 1849. His widow lives on the old homestead with the son Mark Keeney. Hiram W. Keeney and Myron Sturdevant were the pioneers in the Golden Hill district in 1844. Henry Champion, Ambrose Garey and his son Ambrose Garey, jr., located in Windham before 1800 and staid through life. Nathaniel Frost, and Asa, Rufus and Richard Graves were among the first settlers in the vi- cinity of Jenningsville; the latter located about 1810.

Elisha Sharp, born in Otsego county, N. Y., January 2nd, 1805, was a son of Abijah Sharp, who lost his life in the war of 1812. He was married November 26th, 1826, to Mary Bixby, of Chenango county, N. Y., and in 1832 came to Windham. He bought a large timber tract and built a saw-mill on Little Mehoopany creek. From 1856 to 1860 he lived at Tunkhannock, where he had a grist- mill. He died in Windham November 25th, 1870. He was justice of the peace for a time. His wife died De- cember 10th, 1859.

Rufus Easton, an early settler and extensive lumber- man in the southeastern part of the township, was born in Chenango county, N. Y., February 2nd, 1808; came to Windham in 1835, and died September 10th, 1845.

Silas F. Taylor, one of the first settlers at Jennings- ville, was born in New York State, May 4th, 1795; mar- ried Anna Fellbush December 31st, 1815; came to North Flat in 1826, and to Jenningsville in 1828, and was for many years engaged in lumbering. Late in life he moved to North. Branch township, where he died March 17th, 1879. His widow is in her eightieth year.

John A. Allen, still living at Jenningsville, is also an early settler. He was born in Otsego county, N. Y., Jan- uary 30th, 1818; came to North Flat in 1828, and to Jenningsville in the next spring. His wife is a daughter of Asa Stevens, of Hemlock bottom. They were mar- ried February 9th, 1840. He followed farming and lum- bering until 1861, then blacksmithing until 1875, when on account of failing eyesight he retired from active business

Windham was covered with dense forests, chiefly of pine and hemlock, and lumbering was one of the princi- pal occupations of the earliest settlers. Jonathan Whit- ney built a saw-mill on Little Mehoopany creek at or near Jenningsville in 1804. Others were built by Willis De Wolf, Silas S. Taylor, Elisha Sharp, Rufus Easton, Wyatt R. Allen and several others. The principal mills now are the Jennings mill, at Jenningsville; the Fassett mill, at Scottsville; and the Sharp mill, two miles west of Jenningsville. The two former are steam mills.

The first store was built and opened by Seth L. Kee- ney on North Flat, in December, 1835, and kept about six years. The old store building is still standing. From about 1853 Major John Fassett, with his sons, kept a store on his farm at Scottsville for several years. Hiram S.

Graves kept a store in the southern part of the township from 1857 to 1860, and then at Jenningsville.

The first post-office was, through the influence of Major John Fassett, established at Scottsville in 1826. It was named in honor of Judge David Scott, of Wilkes-Barre. Fassett was the first postmaster. The mail was carried from Tunkhannock to Towanda once a week on horse- back by Roswell Smith, afterward sheriff of Bradford county. A post-office was established at North Flat about 1838. Seth L. Keeney was postmaster until the office was discontinued, about 1845. The Golden Hill post-office was established about that time. Hiram W. Keeney was the first postmaster. The post-office at Jen- ningsville was established about 1855, and George Allen appointed postmaster. The office was first kept in John Fisk's dwelling; he was deputy postmaster.

Polly Stevens kept the first school in a log barn be- longing to' David Youngs, on Hemlock bottom, in the summers of 1799 and 1800. The first school-house (log) was built about 1801, near the site of the present one at Scottsville. The first teacher in it was Polly Youngs. The first school in the vicinity of Jenningsville was taught about 1827, by Mary A. Chappel, in a log house on the present farm of M. Graves. The following sum- mer a school-house was built at Jenningsville, and a school kept in it by Miss Parmy Fassett, followed in the winter by David Lake. There are now seven good school buildings in Windham, in which schools are regu- larly kept.

The first passable road was opened from Hemlock bottom to Sugar Run in 1802 by Josiah Fassett, Joel Downing, David Youngs, Jonathan Stevens and Ebenezer Adams.

On the 12th of June, 1858, Daniel Detrick and two children were drowned by a flood which swept away two dams on French's creek and their house, a mile or more from its mouth.

JENNINGSVILLE

has been the site of a saw-mill since its earliest settlement and quite an extensive lumbering point. Jonathan Whitney had a saw-mill here or near by in 1805. Willis De Wolf built another here as early as 1815. Silas S. Taylor built a saw-mill in 1828, now a part of the present steam mill, which he owned in company with Samuel Kingsbury. In 1832 he built one a short distance below, near the present tannery. The present saw-mill, after having been rebuilt two or three times, came into the possession of William N. and J. T. Jennings, who en- larged and remodeled it, and in 1871 added steam power, and have been doing a good business.

The first settlers to remain here any length of time were Willis De Wolf, Silas S. Taylor, Samuel Kingsbury, one Partridge, John A. Allen and John A. Adams. The last came with his parents from Ohio to Forkston in 1816, and to Jenningsville about 1830, where he opened the first blacksmith shop and kept it till about 1870, when he removed to Bradford county, where he is still living.

538

HISTORY OF WYOMING COUNTY.

Elijah Runnels, the first merchant here, began business about 1850, and Hiram S. Graves about 1860. Graves opened the first hotel about 1868.

The village has about 150 inhabitants, two general stores, the steam saw-mill and chop mill of Jennings & Brother, one wagon and two blacksmith shops and the Acme tannery. This tannery was built in 1872 by Peter E. Palmer. In 1877 it came into the possession of George W. Childs, who has since operated it, making sole leather exclusively. He has made the establishment first class in all respects. The building is of wood, 3 and 2 stories, 388 feet long and varying in width from 40 to 100 feet. It is operated by steam and has a capacity of 45,000 sides annually, giving constant employment to 35 men.

M. E. Church of Jenningsville .- Among those instru- mental in the organization of a Methodist Episcopal class

at Jenningsville were W. T. and W. E. Kethline, Charles and Alvah Fassett, Jonathan Fisk, Isaac Rosengrant and Jeffrey Hufford. It was a part of the Mehoopany church till 1869; then was independent until 1878, when it rejoined the Mehoopany church. Meetings have been kept up regularly in Jenningsville. The pastors from 1869 to 1878 were Revs. A. H. Sterling, 3 years; G. C. Lyman, 3; J. O. Beers, 2; J. F. Jones, I. Since 1879 N. H. Davis, a resident local preacher, has supplied the pulpit. The membership is about 30. Meetings are held in the school-house.

THE CATHOLIC SOCIETY OF WINDHAM

has a church in the southwest corner of the township which was built about 1856. The society was organized about 1850 and now consists of 30 families, living in Wyoming, Bradford and Sullivan counties.

GENEALOGICAL . AND PERSONAL RECORD,

BRAINTRIM, FORKSTON, NORTH BRANCH AND WINDHAM TOWNSHIPS.

BRADLEY. W. EDWARDS.

Bradley W. Edwards, of the firm of Edwards & Bald- win, has been successfully engaged in a general mercantile business at Laceyville since 1866. He was born in La- ceyville, July 19th, 1843, and has been a lifelong resident of the place. He owns and manages a farm adjoining the village, and is largely interested in raising thorough- bred stock, making a specialty of Ayrshire and Jersey cattle, Cotswold sheep and Yorkshire swine, and being the first to introduce pure blooded specimens of these breeds in this section. He served during the late war in the quartermaster's department from the fall of 1864 till the close of the Rebellion

MAJOR JOHN FASSETT.

Major John Fassett is the oldest living resident of Windham, and has been one of the most active, useful, influential and successful citizens of the township. He be- longs with the pioneers of the township, having come here with his father, Josiah Fassett, in 1795. He was born in Windham county, Conn., September 16th, 1794. From the time he was fifteen years old he had the charge of his father's business until the latter's death, when he came into possession of that portion of the homestead upon which the buildings were located, and upon which he has always resided, having erected his present residence in 1824. He was married February 12th, 1818, to Sally Haverly, a native of Schoharie county, N. Y., an intelli- gent, kind hearted and hospitable lady and a devout Christian. Major Fassett has conducted successfully many branches of business, and has acquired an enviable competence. He has served in many official capacities, acting as justice of the peace for twenty years, and was commissioned major of militia.

B. E. WAKEMAN.

Benjamin E. Wakeman, merchant and postmaster, La- ceyville, only son of General Bradley Wakeman, was born in Connecticut, April 24th, 1828, and came with his pa- rents to Skinner's Eddy the same year, and to Laceyville in 1832, where he has been engaged in trade most of his life. He served as station agent at Laceyville for the Lehigh Valley Railroad ten years.

PERRY A. ADAMS, blacksmith at Jenningsville, is a native and lifelong resident of that place, born October 18th, 1837. He was married October 31st, 1861. to Margaret Bennett, of Meshoppen, who died September 29th, 1876.

SILAS O. ADAMS, son of John A. Adams, was born in Jenningsville, March 12th, 1846, and was married Octo- ber 25th, 1870, to Matilda Preston, of Forkston. He owns and occupies the homestead in Windham where his father settled in 1858.

DAMON ALLEN, blacksmiah at Jenningsville, son of John A. Allen, was born at Jenningsville, April 12th, 1844. From August 27th, 1864, he served through the civil war in Company A 207th Pa. volunteer infantry. He was married October 6th, 1866, to Mary Shumway, of Brad- ford county, and has one son.

MILAN BARNEY, proprietor of Table Rock House, Skinner's Eddy, was born June 26th, 1828, at Wilkes- Barre, Pa., where he served twenty-four years as foreman in the machine blacksmith shop of the Vulcan Iron Works. He was married September 19th, 1856, to Au- gusta Jenkins, of Wilkes-Barre, and located at Skinner's Eddy in the spring of 1877.

RICHARD BRUNGES was born in North Moreland town- ship, October 4th, 1816, and was married November roth, 1842, to Eunice Wilson, a native of the same town. He was a farmer and lumberman. From 1857 he lived on North Flat, opposite Laceyville, until his death, October 22nd, 1867. He held several township offices. His widow manages the homestead farm.

AUSTIN P. BURGESS, grandson of Colonel Joseph Bur- gess, is a native of Forkston, and was born January 1 1th, 1827. His wife, whose maiden name was Adams, is a descendant of one of the first settlers of the township. Mr. Burgess has been a merchant for many years, and is now conducting the largest store in the township. He has served as justice of the peace two terms (10 years), and during the Rebellion hired a substitute for the army, paying $600. He has a farm a short distance from the village, which is conducted by his son.

JOSEPH BURGESS was born in Braintrim township, in 1800. He now resides in Lovelton, and has lived in North Branch for the past fifty years. He is a farmer by occupation. Mr. Burgess held the office of justice of the peace thirty years, and served three years as jury com- missioner.

FREDERICK EARL BURGESS was born in Forkston, in May, 1837, and early moved to Mehoopany with his parents, where he followed farming. He was married September 22nd, 1858, to Caroline E. Finney, of Me- hoopany. He enlisted August 25th, 1862, in Company K 143d Pennsylvania regiment; returned in June, 1864, on a furlough, and died June 6th, 1865, from disease con- tracted in the army. In 1868 Mrs. Burgess bought her present farm.

BENJAMIN F. BUTTERFIELD was born in Lackawanna county, Pa., March 25th, 1849, and in 1869 commenced learning the tanners' trade. In 1874 he went to Sullivan county, N. Y., where he was married October 11th, 1876, to Jennie Holmes. Since the spring of 1877 he has been foreman of the Acme tannery.

NICHOLAS H. DAVIS was born in Carbondale, Pa, September 13th, 1841, where he was reared and educated. Most of his life has been spent in trade, principally as clerk. Upon reaching his majority he located at Wilkes- Barre, where he married Emma Wells, in November, 1865. In the fall of 1869 he removed to Mehoopany, united with the M. E. church and was subsequently licensed to preach. Since November, 1878, he has been pastor of the M. E. church of Jenningsville. He is also employed in the mercantile house of J. A. Kintner.

DANIEL DETRICK was born in Bradford county, Jan- uary 31st, 1815, and was married in 1837 to Catharine McCormick. He followed blacksmithing until 1848, when he moved to Wyoming county and was engaged in farm- ing until his death by drowning, June 12th, 1858. His widow lives at Skinner's Eddy. She was one of the suf- ferers from the flood which destroyed that village in 1865.

JEROME DETRICK, son of Daniel Detrick, was born in Bradford county, Pa., January 15th, 1845, and came to Wyoming county with his parents in 1848. He is a farmer, but now employed by the Lehigh Valley Rail- road Company. He enlisted August 7th, 1862, in Com- pany B 132nd Pennsylvania infantry, and served nine months. He again enlisted August 15th, 1864, and served until the close of the war. He was married Sep- tember 13th, 1871, to Victoria Howard, who died May 26th, 1872.

DARIUS L. DoTv, wagon maker at Jenningsville, was

538 A

538 B

HISTORY OF WYOMING COUNTY.

born in Herkimer county, N. Y., October 22nd, 1841. In his infancy he was adopted by William J. Knappen, of Mehoopany, whose name he assumed during his mi- nority. He served in Company B 52nd Pa. infantry from September 28th, 1861, to November 8th, 1864. He was married March 7th, 1866, to Abbie F. Knappen, of Me- hoopany, and located at Jenningsville in the spring of 1869.

OLIVER EASTON, only son of Rufus Easton, is a life- long resident of Windham, born in Jenningsville Febru- . ary 18th, 1840. He was married March 18th, 1862, to Mary Kintner, of Mehoopany, and immediately located on his present farm. He has served in official capacities.

JOHN B. EDWARDS, jeweler, surveyor and justice of the peace, was born at Skinner's Eddy. November 25th, 1829, and has been a resident and much of the time mer- chant of Laceyville since 1831. He is a man of business ability, and a prominent Republican, and has held seve- ral positions of trust and responsibility. He was for sev- eral years postmaster at Laceyville.

DR. R. H. ELY was born in Wilmot, Bradford county, Pa., January 8th, 1836. His early manhood was spent principally in teaching. In 1858 he began the study of medicine with Dr. Hecock, of Dushore, and graduated from the Pennsylvania Medical College, of Philadelphia, in the spring of 1861, since which time he has practiced his profession. He was for nearly a year in the United States service during the war of the Rebellion. He was married November 6th, 1861, to Emeline S. Birney, of Bradford county, Pa. He located at Laceyville in the spring of 1874.

CHARLES FASSETT, eldest son of Major John Fassett, has been a lifelong resident of Windham, born July 5th, 1819, and has always followed farming and lumbering. He was married August 24th, 1843, to Mary, daughter of Thaddeus Prentis, an early settler in Mehoopany. Soon after marriage Mr. Fassett located upon his present farm, having in the meantime carved out a fine home and im- proved a large farm from its original timbered and stony state.

JAMES G. FASSETT, son of Jasper Fassett, Esq., was born in Windham, December 5th, 1831. A portion of his early life was spent in teaching, since which he has been engaged in farming, owning and occupying a portion of his father's homestead at Scottsville. He was married September 18th, 1862, to Sarah Learn, of Lackawanna county. She died November 6th, 1877, and February 4th, 1880, he married Miss Anna Learn, of Lackawanna county. He has often held positions of trust, and in 1869 was elected jury commissioner for Wyoming county.

JASPER FASSETT, farmer, third son of Jasper Fassett, Esq., has always lived on the old homestead, a part of which he now owns. He was born February 20th, 1834, and was married February 28th, 1862, to Sophia A. Gay, of Windham. He has served in official capacities and was postmaster at Scottsville for five years from 1857.

ELIJAH FASSETT is a native of Forkston, and was born in 1814. His parents, who are now dead, were among the early settlers of the township. Mr. Fassett has been engaged in farming forty years, and is now resting from active labor, his son Crayton having taken the manage- ment of the farm. Mr. F. served one term (5 years) as justice of the peace.

REV. DAVIS D. GRAV was born in Windham, May 2nd, 1808. His father, Jacob Gray, a tanner by trade, came from Worcester, Mass., to this section about 1794, and two or three years later married a daugliter of Rev. Samuel Sturdevant, of Black Walnut. Soon after mar- riage he settled on North Flat, and staid there until 1815, when he bought a farm and built a tannery immediately

north of Laceyville. He was for many years the only tanner in that vicinity. In 1834, after educating himself, he entered the Christian ministry, and for the next fif- teen years he labored with great success in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Since the fall of 1849 he has held the pastorate of the old "Braintrim Church " (Baptist), a faithful and successful laborer, widely known and highly respected as a citizen and pastor.

MASON D. GREGORY, oldest son of Levi Gregory, was born in Susquehanna county, Pa., December 4th, 1826, and came to Braintrim with his parents in 1839. He married Britania Devine, of Susquehanna county, June 18th, 1863. He is a successful farmer, and occupies the old homestead of his father on Lacey street.

WV. EUGENE HUGHES, M. D., son of William M. Hughes, of Hazleton, was born in Columbia, Pa., December 28th, 1856, and was educated at the Hazleton high school and the State normal school of Bloomsburg, Pa. In August, 1875, he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. J. R. Casselberry, of Hazleton. In October, 1876, he en- tered the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, from which he graduated in March, 1878. After practicing a few months at Conyngham and Jenningsville he located at Laceyville in November, 1879.

ANDREW Y. HUNT, an old resident of Windham, now residing on North Flat, is a mason and a first class me- chanic.

S. J. HULBIRT, farmer, is a native of North Branch township, and was born in 1836. His parents were among the early settlers of the township. He was a mem- ber of 185th regiment N.Y. volunteers, and served about a year in the late war. He has held several township of- fices, and is at present justice of the peace.

CHESTER KEENEY, oldest son of Richard Keeney, was born in Braintrim, December roth, 1789, and remained a lifelong resident upon the original homestead. He was married November 27th, 1812, to Abigail Crawford, of Braintrim, born October 17th, 1791, and lost his life March 25th, 1858, by falling from the top of a tree in his door-yard. His wife died May 17th, 1880. The home- stead is now owned and occupied by his daughter, Matil- da M. Keeney, a lifelong resident upon the place.

DENNIS G. KEENEV, farmer, oldest son of Richard T. Keeney, was born in Braintrim, July 19th, 1835. June 19th, 1862, he married Hannah C. Shove, of Windham, and soon located in Windham. In the spring of 1880 he returned to the old homestead on Lacey street. He en- listed in Company A 207th Pennsylvania infantry in August, 1864, and served with the regiment until dis- charged in June, 1868.

EPHRAIM J. KEENEY, son of Seth L. Keeney, was born in Windham, April 26th, 1827. In early manhood he was several years a general merchandise clerk. He was mar- ried August 23d, 1855, to Elizabeth Neigh, of Braintrim. From 1855 to 1861 he was in trade at Laceyville. In 1866 and 1869 he was elected prothonotary of Wyoming county. In 1873 he located on his present farm. He has held several township offices and was census enum- erator for Windham in 1880.

HENRY F. KEENEY was born in Skinner's Eddy, May 23d, 1816, and reared in Tuscarora, Bradford county. In 1838 he engaged in trade at Skinner's Eddy. He was married November 24th, 1841, to Maria A., daughter of Ebenezer Lacey and a native of Braintrim, born Decem- ber 31st, 1823. In 1843' Mr. Keeney removed to Tus- carora, where he rented a saw-mill and engaged in lum- bering and farming. He died March 27th, 1874. Soon after his death Mrs. Keeney removed to Laceyville, where she still lives.

MARK KEENEY, oldest son of Seth L. Keeney, has

5.38 ℃

GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL RECORD.

always lived on, and now owns, the old homesead where he was born August 8th, 1825. He was formerly quite extensively engaged in lumbering, selling in southern cities. He was married December 24th, 1855, to Amanda Tewksbury, of Susquehanna county. She died Novem- ber roth, 1863, and May 11th, 1865, he married Augusta S. Camp, of Litchfield county, Conn. He has acquired a large landed estate in Windham.

MARTIN V. KEENEY, farmer, oldest son of Ezra Kee- ney, was born in Braintrim, June 12th, 1839, and still re- sides on the old homestead. He served nine months during the Rebellion in Company B 17Ist Pennsylvania infantry, and was discharged August 8th, 1863. The following year he joined a construction corps and was again in the United States service a few months in Geor- gia and Tennessee. July 22nd, 1871, he married Aman- da M. Newton, of Susquehanna county, Pa. She dying, he married Lucinda M. Blocher, of Bradford county, Pa., March 15th, 1877.

SIMON Z. KEENEY, son of Joshua Keeney, was born at Black Walnut, June 6th, 1804, and has always lived on the homestead of his father. He married (November Ist, 1827) Louisa Robinson, of Bradford county, born July 12th, 1805. He is the oldest native born resident of Braintrim. He has been a member of the M. E. church of Skinner's Eddy since its organization, and has served in many official capacities. His wife is still living and they are the oldest married couple in the township. They have reared a family of eight children.

MORDICA KREWSON is a native of Pennsylvania, and was born in 1805. He came to Wyoming county in 1859. He formerly was a carpenter, but is now living retired on his farm near Forkston village.

ISAAC J. LA BARRE was born in Monroe county, Pa., June 15th, 1805, and was married July 11th, 1830, to Mary A. Everett, a native of Montague, N. J., born Feb- ruary 26th, 1807. He was a tanner and currier by trade. In 1837 he located at Laceyville and engaged in the tan- nery business until 1848, when he opened a hotel-the first at Laceyville-which he managed until his death, May 4th, 1862. His wife and daughter, Jennie La Barre, are still residents of Laceyville and are engaged in the millinery business.

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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 176

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