History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 91

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 91
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 91
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 91

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).

February 22nd, 1865, Mr. Payne married Miss Elizabeth Lee Smith, only child of Mr. Draper Smith, an old resident of Plymouth, Luzerne county. From this nnion four children have been born-a daughter, Louisn S. Payne, and three sons, Charles B., Hubbard B. and Paul D. Payne. All are living but Charles, who, October 3d, 1876, while Mr. Payne was en- gaged in his Congressional campaign, fell from a tree while gathering nuts and was killed. For many years Mr. Payne has been an active mem- ber of the Presbyterian church of Kingston, and he is now serving his fifteenth year as superintendent of its Sabbath-school. He has also becu active as a free mason, and is now a past master by service of Kingston Lodge, No. 395, A. Y. M. Two years he also served as district deputy grand master for the district of Luzerne county.

The above is, briefly, an outline of the career of Mr. Payne. It has been thus far the carcer of a selfmade man with an honest purpose, and interwoven day by day with hard labor and persevering endeavor. Such lives bring their legitimate rewards, and are fitting examples for cmil- lation to the youth of our country.

PAYNE PETTEBONE.

Jolin Pettebone, of French extraction, emigrated from England during the turbulent time of Oliver Cromwell, and was registered as a land- holder in Windsor, Hartford county, Conn., in 1658. February 16th, 1664, he married Sarah ; Eggleston, by whom he had nine children, three born at Windsor and six at Simsbury, in the same county, where he re- moved about the time of the birth of his son Stephen, which occurred October 3d, 1669, locating on lands now (1880) in possession of some of his descendants. The name of Noah Pettebone is found attached to a petition to the Assembly of Connecticut dated March 29th, 1853. for per- nuission to buy lands of the Indians on the Susquehanna at Wyoming. In 1745 he married fuldah Williams, by whom he had eight children, all born in Connectiont. Ile was first at Wyoming in 1769, with his three sons-Noah, jr., Stephen and Oliver. In 1772 he settled ou meadow lot No. 22, where his descendants have continued in regular succession to the present, making considerable additions to the homestead. Sometime after the massacre of July 3d, 1778, he returned to Counceticut and Massa- chusetts. where his married daughters resided, but after a year or two returned to the homestead at Wyoming, where he died March 28th, 1791. The children of Noah Pettebone, all born at Simsbury, Conn., were: Esther, born in June, 1847, married William Alworth; Hnldah, born in Angust, 1749, married Benjamin Atwater; Noah, jr., born in November, 1751, married Lucy Scott, May, I778, and was killed in the battle of Wyo- mning, July 3d, 1778;Hannah, born in October, 1753, married Joseph Shaw ; Stepbeu, born in 'September, 1755, was in Sullivan's army and honorably discharged, and after returning to Wyoming killed by Indians, February 10th, 1729, on Kingston: Flats ; Dolly, bom in June, 1757, mar- ried Timothy Stevens in 1777; Lydia, born in December, 1:59, married Johu Vaugh; Oliver, born May 13th, 1762, married Martha Paine, Decem- ber 21st, 1783. All of the daughters settled in the Lackawanna region, and had considerable families.

Oliver Pettebone, the youngest son of Noah, born May 13th. 1762, was a boy sixteen years old at the time of the massacre, and with others was in Forty Fort. He counted the force as it went out and made the num- ber 382. The second day after the massacre he returned to Conuectient, but subsegneutly removed to Amenia, Dutchess centy, N. Y., Decem- ber 21st, 1783, where he married Martha, daughter of Dr. Barnabas Paine (the family name is now spelled with a y). Ile settled on Living- ston manor, where three children were born,-Oliver, jr., Esther and Payne. He returned to Wyoming in April, 1788, and purchased the lot adjoining his father's homestead, both of which lots, with added aeres, are owned and occupied by his descendants. After his return to Wyom- ing ten additional children were born to him, and all, except two who died young, raised quite large families. He was a prudent, industrious, systematie farmer, and kept everything in perfect order till his death, March I7th, 1832. llis wife died December 25th, 1833. Their children were: Oliver, jr., born September 9th, 1784; Esther, September 15th, 1785; Payne, January 24th, 1787; Joshua, Angust 31st, 1788 ; Marcia, Nov- ember 3d, 1790; Lucy, September 12th, 1792; Mary, October 21st. 1794 ; Nancy, November 13th, 1796 ; Noah, July 27th, 1798; Hfuldah, February 14th, 1801; 1Ienry, October, 5th, 1802 ; Martha, December 30th, 1804, and Stephen, February 2nd, 1807.

Marrying Sarah Tuttle, Payne, son of Oliver Pettebone, was the im- mediate ancestor of Stoughton Pettebone, a prominent paper manufac- turer residing at Niagara Falls, N. Y., born April 9th, 1812, and Payne Pettebone, of Wyoming, born December 23d, 1813, in Kingston, where Payne Pettebone, sen., had located with his family; bis father-in-law

(Joseph Tuttle), with his family, having settled on Abraham's creek at the point since known as Tuttle's Mills, where the settlers on their way to the battle of Wyoming stopped for deliberation. When young Payne Pettebone was only eight months of age his father died and he was left to the care of his inaternal grandfather, Joseph Tuttle, where he re- mained until fourteen, doing the varied and almost ceaseless work of a farmer's boy and attending the winter schools in the old school-house, with slab benches, located near the residence of the late Colonel Elijah Shoemaker, his studies being limited to Webster's spelling book, Daboll's arithmetic, the old English reader and the rudimentary principles of Murray's grammar. For a time succeeding his fifteenth year he was a tavern boy-of-all-work, but so firmly grounded were his principles of right, and propriety that he did not sutter anty in consequence of the contaminating influences by which he was surrounded. He was subse- quently clerk in a store at Tunkhannock, Wyoming county, from 1828 to [831, at a pittance of from $5 to $10 per month, where, amid adverse circumstances and in bad society, he preserved his character umblem- ished; and, when his employer at Tunkhannock failed in business, de- clined au offer to enter mercantile life as a principal in partnership with Colonel Montanye before he was eightecu. Returning to his former agricultural employments with his grandfather he was soon offered an opportunity to cugage on trial for two weeks as a clerk in the store of Swetland & Baldwin, of Wyoming. This position he occupied and gave such satisfaction to his employers that his services were re- tained by this firnt, and subsequently by William Swetland, at $175 to $200 per annum and board; and as evidence that he had carly learned to appreciate the value of money saved it is only necessary to state that out of this meagre salary he laid up about $100 a year. After the dis- solution of the firm of Swetland & Baldwin, in July, 1832, young Pettebone was offered service by each of the partners, and upon con- sidering the advisability of going into another line of businesss was proffered an interest in the store of Mr. Swetland; and iu September, 1834, entered as an equal partner with him under a contract drawn up by himself, covering less than one page of foolscap, which limited the partnership to such a length of time as the two could agree. This was in September, 1831, before Payne Pettebone had attained his majority. The partnership was so mutually satisfactory that it was dissolved only by the death of Mr. Swetland, September 27th, 1864. During the carly years of their partnership they were familiar hy every-day labor with all of the details of duties which subsequently devolved on porters and junior clerks.

To the ties of mutual interest which nnited Mr. Swetland and Mr. Pettebone were added those of family relationship when, October 3d, 1837, Payue Pettebone married Caroline M., daughter of William Swet- land, who has borne him six children, two of whom are living. These are Kate, who married A. H. Dickson, an attorney, residing in Wilkes- Barre, and Robert Treat, just past his majority and occupying the re- sponsible position of superintendent of the Wyoming Shovel Works. By the will of Mr. Swetland the surviving partner was made executor of his estate, which he managed for fifteen years, greatly increasing its value.

With the various local interests of the town in which he lives Mr. Pettebone has always been closely identified, and all enterprises having in view the education, evangelization and general advancement of his tellow men have always found in him a willing and a liberal supporter. He has never held publie office except local township offices, having repeatedly refused the use of his name in nominating conventions when his party was largely in the majority; but with such marked suc- cess has he conducted his private business that he has from time to time been burdened with the cares of enterprises of a publie character. In 1844 he was appointed a member of a committee with General William S. Ross and Jonathan J. Slocum, by the State authorities, for the sale of the Delaware division of the Pennsylvania Canal, and aided to effect the sale of the same at Philadelphia. From 1854 to 1863 he was treasurer of the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad Company, during the trying years of the financial embarassment of that corporation and the construction of the road. During that period occurred the severest strain and pressure of his business life, and he retired from the position only when safety from loss was assured to the managers of the road, who were chiefly neighbors and friends of his. He was subsequently elected a director of the railroad company, and continued in that office until the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad was consolidated with the Delaware, Lacka- wanna and Western Railroad. Mr. Pettebone has been prominently concerned in various other business and many benevolent, scientific and educational enterprises, representing several as president. Among these may be mentioned the old Pittston Bank, the Wyoming Shovel Works, of which himself and son are sole proprietors, the Wyoming Terra Cotta Works, board of trustees of Wyoming Seminary, Wyoming Bible Society, Wyoming Camp Meeting Association, Forty Fort Ceme- tery Association and Wyoming Historical and Geological Society. He is director of the Washington Life Insurance Company, of New York, the First National Bank of Pittston, and Wyoming National Bank and the Miners' Savings Bank of Wilkes-Barre, and was president and director of the Wilkes-Barre Savings Bank, now in liquidation. He is rustce of Wyoming Son imiy and the Diew Theological Seminary, and

PaynePettibone

Milliam Sortland

306 E

GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL RECORD.

resigned the trusteeship of the Wesleyan University, of Middletown, Conn., from inability to attend the meetings of the board. Until 1864 the Wyoming monument grounds remained in a neglected condition. At a meeting of the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society that voar it was resolved " that Payne Pettebone, Hon. William S. Ross and Colonel Chartes Dorrance be a committee to collect funds to defray the expense of finishing Wyoming monument, cuclosing and improving the grounds of the sune." His duties on such committee Mr. Pette- bone discharged with his accustomed ability, energy and success. In 1878 he was chairman of the committee on finances of the Centennial Memorial Association, and to his management was the success of the enterprise in no small measure due. A pleasant incident connected with this event was the entertainment, at the residence of Mr. Pettebone, of President Hayes and his family and cabinet, Governor Hartrantt, of Pennsylvania, and his wife and suite, and many other prominent men of the State and nation. Mrs. Hayes, in giving expression to her pleasant. recollections of the visit, sent Mrs. Pettebone the following spring a case of rare flowers. To the varied employments above mentioned, which have demanded his time, personal attention and financial support, from time to time have been added the care of interests in coal mines. farm- ing operations and an extensive sugar plantation in Louisiana, where the experiment is being tried of keeping negro laborers in contentment by prompt pay and fair treatment.

At the altar of prayer in the old Forty Fort church, at the age of twelve or thirteen, as a seeker after salvation, Mr. Pettebone received lasting impressions for good; impressions which sustained him through the critical period of boyhood and young manhood, left indelibly upon his mind those principles of integrity which marked his whole career and contributed in no small degree to his success in life; though for years thereafter he was not a professor of religion. The most interesting and highly cherished event of his lite was his conversion to God in March, 1848, at the great revival in the Methodist Episcopal church at Wyom- ing, under the pastorate of Rev. Thomas N. Pearne, assisted by Rev. R. Nelson. As a member of the church since that time he has been continu- ally in the official board, serving in the several departments as leader, steward, trustee, Sunday-school superintendent and delegate to the General Conference.

It is a source of pleasure to Mr. Pettebone to recall the fact that in his younger and less prosperous days he was never ashamed of any kind of honest labor. Work of any kind was acceptable to him so long as it soiled his hands only and not his character. On the solid foundation of industry, perseverance, integrity and respect for his fellow creatures and reverence for sacred things he built, and built surely. A marked trait of his character is gratitude to those who aided him with a helping hand or cheered him with a friendly word during the rough experiences of his boyhood. The influences of kind deeds rendered him in child- hood have so impressed him that as he approaches the close of life he has a smile and a pleasant word for boys and girls entering upon its checkered experiences, and in grateful remembrance he holds the friends of his youth and the wise counselors of his young manhood.

WILLIAM SWETLAND ( DECEASED ).

The old Swetland homestead in Kingston is a landmark in the Wyom- ing valley, but it was not there that the original settlement of the family in this section was made. Luke Swetland was one of the Connecti- eut settlers of Wyoming and one of the proprietors under the Connee- tieut claim, who signed the agreement dated June 20th, 1776, and by the advice of the proprietors' committee, " pitched " on land some thirty miles above Wyoming, near Mehoopany, where the family settled after re- turning from their old home in Kent, Litchfield county, Conn., where they had taken refuge during the war. In the winter of 1777 Luke Swetland was a member of Captain Durfee's independent company of patriots encamped at Morristown, N. J., having enlisted while a resident of the valley, September 17th, 1776. At the time of the battle of Wyom- ing, on account of some disability, he was in Forty Fort and did not participate in the engagement. August 25th, 1778, he was captured, with a neighbor, Joseph Blanchard, by the Indians, at the mouth of Fishing ereck, and remained for a considerable period a prisoner at dif- ferent Seneca villages in the State of New York. In 1800 he removed with his family from Mehoopany to the old Swetland farm at Wyom- ing, where he died January 30th, 1823. " In later days," wrote Charles Miner, "I knew and could not but esteem the good old man. His taste and pride took a right direction and were of inch value to the settle- ment. I refer to his establishment of a nursery for fruit and his intro- duction from New England of various kinds of apples selected with care." He was born June 16th, 1729, in Lebanon, Windham county, Conn., and married Hannah Tiffany, of that place, April 1st, 1762. She died January 8th, 1809. Belding Swetland, the oldest son, was born Jan- nary 14th, 1763, and was with his father in Forty Fort at the time of the battle of Wyoming. He married Sally Gay, in Sharon, Conn., in 1787, and died at Wyoming July 22nd, 1816.

William Swetland, the oldest child of Belding Swetland, was born in Sharon, Litchfield county, Conn., June 26th, 1789. He accompanied the Family to Kingston, thence to Mehoopany and thence to the Swetland homestead in Wyoming, where his early life was passed as a farmer's

boy with very limited opportunities for education. About 1812 he en- graged as assistant in the store of Elias Hoyt, unele of Governor Henry M. Hoyt, in Kingston, doing odd jobs and making himself generally useful in doors and ont, and ultimately superseding an over-nice head clerk who was in the store when his term of service began. In 1815 Mr. Swetland erected the okl portion of the store buikling on the home- stead and engaged in trade on his own account with a capital limited to $300.

About a year later Belding Swettid died, leaving twelve children, of whom William was the oldest ; and to him the farin was lett, with pro- vision for the support of his brothers and sisters during their minority and the payment to each of a specific sum upon arrival at majority, at responsibility which, while it was cheerfully assuned as a duty by the young merchant, could not have been otherwise than onerons. Con- tinning in the mercantile business, which was from time to time en- larged and extended, at. the old stand, he had as a partner from 1830 to 1832 David Baldwin, and from 1834 to the time of his death Payne Pette- bone. On Abrahan's creek, in the notch of the mountain, on the road from Wyoming to North Moreland, Mr. Swetland had a grist-mill, a saw-mill and a distillery, the products of which were sent by teams to the localities of improvements and business operations in all directions commercial relations having been established by Mr. Swetland with various portions of Luzerne, Wyoming, Lackawanna and Wayne coun- ties. The distillery was closed about 1840; the mills were exchanged for coal lands on the Lackawanna in 1846. The customers at his store for many years came from Mehoopany, Meshoppen, Skinner's Eddy and other points in Wyoming county, from various parts of Luzerne county and to some considerable extent from the valley of the Lackawanna. At different dates during his business life Mr. Swetland was engaged in other important enterprises. Tu the early period of the history of the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad he was president of the board of managers for several years, joining with others in pledging large sums in aid of the enterprise during days of great financial uncertainty. He was president of the Pittston Bank, established under the old State banking laws, and subsequently a director of the First National Bank of Pittston. He was efficient in the organization of the Forty Fort Cemetery Association and was chosen its first president. About 1844, in making an effort to assist some kinsmen at Hyde Park in business, he was obliged to secure his own interests by assuming the proprietorship of about forty acres of coal lands. He added to these possessions from time to time, extending the boundaries of his acreage there, now con- stituting the property of the Swetland heirs and Payne Pettebone, and known as the Swetland plot and Mount Pleasant colliery.

Mr. Swetland was reared in the Democratic school politically, and was an early and generous contributor to the success of that party, giving largely toward the establishment of the Republican Farmer in Wilkes- Barre, a once prominent advocate of old time Democracy. He was one of the Luzerne county commissioners three years. In conjunction with Hon. George W. Woodward and Dr. A. Bedford he represented Luzerne county in the constitutional convention of 1836; but, becoming impa- tient at the slow progress of the deliberations of that body, he resigned before the close of the session. He voted the Democratie tieket until 1860, when he became an active and enthusiastic supporter of war meas- uresand the men prominent in introducing and advocating them, giving of his incans with no stinted hand toward the enrollment and equipment ot troops.

Early in life Mr. Swetland saw the tolly of loose business habits, Prompt, true to his word, energetic, untiring, of an indomitable will, frank, friendly and generous, he won a reputation which was the basis of a splendid credit, which he enjoyed uninterruptedly from first to last. Among things common in his day and ours which he utterly eschewed were tobacco and spiritnous liquors. His habits were regular and his life methodical. Assuming the care of his brothers and sisters, as he did early in manhood at the solemn request of his dying mother, he became accustomed to think much of the welfare of his relatives and friends, and most of them at different times found in him a friend in need. In 1848, at a grand religious awakening in the Methodist Episcopal church at Wyoming, at a series of meetings conducted by Rev. Thomas HI. Pearne, he sought and found spiritual salvation, and was ever afterward an active and liberal member of the church of his choice, and most of the timean official, having served as trustee and steward and in other capacities, and as president of the Wyoming Bible Society. In his will he provided for the repair and painting of the old Forty Fort church. A liberal contributor to all benevolent objects, he took a deep interest in Wyoming Seminary, and became a trustee of that institution. Be- coming acquainted with Rev. Dr. Reuben Nelson, then principal, and noting the zeal, industry and business sagacity with which he was man_ aging the affairs of the seminary under adverse circumstances, Mr. Swetland's sympathy was aroused, and he beemme one of the most thoughtful and generous friends of the institution. When the buildings burned down he decided to erect one of the halls (now known as "Swet- jand Hall ") at his own expense, and he made many other very consider- able contributions toward the re-ercetion of the buildings and the pay- ment of the indebtedness of the institution thus incurred ; und nt the time when the burden of financial obligation which had so long mid so

306 F

HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

grievously oppressed it was lifted he gave the sum of $5,000, one half the suin required for that object, the check for the same being the last to which he ever signed his naine.

Mr. Swetland married Catharine Saylor, daughter of Dr. Peter Saylor, of Williams township, Northampton county, Pa., September 28th, 1819, who bore him four children : Caroline (Mrs. Payne Pettebone); Mary, who died young ; George W., who married Mary Polen and died in 1860 ; and Margaret A., who married William H. Brown, a merchant of Phila- delpltia, and is now dead. He died in the old family home at Wyoming, September 27th, 1864, deeply regretted by a very large circle of relatives, friends and business acquaintances.

REV. E. H. SNOWDEN.

Rev. E. H. Snowden is a grandson of Isaac Snowden, once treasurer of the city of Philadelphia, and son of Rev. Sammel Findlay Snow- den, first pastor of the Presbyterian church of Princeton, N. J., and his wife, Susan Bayard Snowden (a descendant of Rev. James Anderson, first pastor of the Wall street Presbyterian church, New York). He was born at. Princton, N. J., June 27th, 1798, and while a child removed to New Hartford, Oneida county, N. Y. In 1814 he entered Hamilton College, where he graduated in 1818; studied law and was admitted to the bar at Utica, N. Y .; went to Nashville, Tenn., to practice, but had united with the Presbyterian church and soon decided to enter the ministry of that denomination; studied theology at Princeton College, and was installed pastor of the Presbyterian church of St. Augustine, Fla .; made a missionary tour to the Gulf of Mexico ; came north and became pastor of the Brownville church ; at the disruption of the Presbyterian Church went to Philadelphia as a delegate to the convention of 1837, and while there accepted an invitation to visit the Kingston church, of which he became pastor that fall ; later was pastor of the churches of Wawasham, Bradford county, Pa., and Woodstown, N. J .; returned to the valley and preached at Plymouth and now resides at "Snowden Cottage" in King- ston, and is preaching, at the age of 82. 1fe was instrumental in building churches at Kingston, Plymouth and Larksville, the edifice at the lat- ter place being known as the " Snowden Memorial Church."

E. W. ABBOTT is the present postmaster at Mill Ilollow.

MRS. KATE ANN ATHERHOUT was born in Kingston, in 1840, and mar- ried to William Atherholt in 1875. She is carrying on a farm.

JOHN ATHERHOLT was born in Kingston township, March 25th, 1848, and was married to Miss Lillian Dymond, of Franklin. Their children are: Alva, born November Sth, 1872: Freddie, February 15th, 1874; Lloyd H., April 11th, 1875; Harry D., November 22nd, 1877. Mr. Atherholt is engaged in milling, at Mill Hollow.

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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 91

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