History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 106

Author: edited by John F. Meginness
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1650

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

the church was increased from about 120 communicants to over 400, and a new and commodious church edifice, was erected at Allenville. June 1, 1870, he commenced his labors as a home missionary at Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, where he served as pastor until October 1, 1875. The mission became self-sustaining in one year and a half. The present church edifice was completed and the par- sonage erected during his pastorate. Owing to indications of failing health, he then resigned and accepted a call to Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, where he remained until March 1, 1880. During his ministry there, the church was enlarged and remodeled, and the membership nearly doubled. A call was then extended him by the Belleville charge, where he had formerly been pastor; the call was accepted, and he again began his labors there, March 1, 1880. He remained there as pastor until September 1, 1883. During this time one of the finest church edifices in the county was erected at Belleville. He then accepted a call from two mission churches, St. John's of Williamsport and Messiah's of South Williamsport. The membership of the former at that time was twenty-two, and of the latter forty. He commenced his labors in this new field, September 1, 1883, and labored in the field until September 1, 1887, when the charge was divided. St. John's congregation, having become self-sustaining, at once extended a call, to him to continue as their pastor. This, however, was declined on account of failing health. During his ministry in South Williamsport, the first subscriptions were received, and work was commenced on their present beautiful church edifice. His next regular pastorate was the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, which he organized April 12, 1891, and of which he is the present pastor. In 1890 he published " Reminiscences of the Lutheran Church in Lycoming County." In 1891 he delivered an historical address at the centennial celebration of Immanuel's Lutheran church in Muncy valley, which was also published; both of these publications have had a large circulation. He was united in marriage to Mary J. Frymire, daughter of Henry Frymire, November 7, 1861. His only son, W. F. Steck, a graduate of Pennsylvania College and Gettys- burg Theological Seminary, is at present pastor of the Lutheran church of Philips- burg, Pennsylvania; the other three children are Maggie C .; Carrie E., and Verna M.

JOHN FRANKLIN MEGINNESS is one of the best known literary men in Pennsylva- nia, and the people of the West Branch valley owe him a lasting debt of gratitude for having rescued from oblivion the principal historical incidents relating to their locality, and placing them in permanent form to be handed down from generation to generation. He was born July 16, 1827, in Colerain, Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania. His early boyhood was passed upon the farm of his father, Benjamin Meginness, and his education was received in the common schools. He never enjoyed the opportunities for anything more than a common school education, but being possessed from early childhood of a thirst for knowledge, he diligently improved his time at home in study. When a very small boy his parents migrated to Ohio, but soon after returned to Pennsylvania, and about 1832 settled on a farm in Lancaster county. In October, 1843, our subject left home to battle his own · way through life, and arriving at Warsaw, Illinois, he took a steamboat and went to St. Louis, Missouri. Subsequently he found employment on another boat and made a voyage to New Orleans. After a varied experience in traveling, he finally found his way back to his native county. He spent the winter of 1845 in school 50

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April 9, 1847, he enlisted, "to serve during the Mexican war," with the regular army, and on June 19th of that year he sailed from New York for Mexico. A work writ- ten and published by himself in 1891, entitled "The Meginness Family," gives a complete account of his experience in that war. In 1848 he taught two terms of school in Lycoming county.

On the 25th of October, 1849, he was married to Martha Jane, daughter of Will- iam King of Mifflin township, Lycoming county. Soon after they took up their residence in Jersey Shore. June 9, 1852, he became editor of the Jersey Shore Republican, and continued in that position until June 9, 1854. He then associated himself with S. S. Seely in founding The News Letter at Jersey Shore, from which Mr. Meginness retired, August 30, 1855. At this time he began writing a History of the West Branch Valley of the Susquehanna. It made an octavo work of 518 pages, was published in 1856, and was the pioneer history of this part of the State. In 1857 he became editor of The Sentinel, at Peru, Illinois. Early in the fall of 1859 the office was destroyed by fire, and he was out of employment for a time. Finally, through the influence of Stephen A. Douglas, he was employed as an editorial writer on the Springfield Daily Register during the heated campaign of Judge Douglas and Abraham Lincoln for the United States senatorship. It was his good fortune to be present at several of the great debates between these two eminent men. After retiring from the Register he accepted a position with the Spectator at Carlin- ville, Illinois. He soon after purchased the paper and when he began to realize something for his labors, the rebellion broke out, and in a few weeks all business was at a standstill. In October, 1861, he sold his paper at a sacrifice and returned with his family to Lycoming county, and in June, 1862, he removed to Williams- port.

Late in the winter of that year he received an appointment as a clerk under Capt. William Stoddard, assistant quartermaster, Alexandria, Virginia. After two years of service in a subordinate clerical position, Mr. Meginness was made chief clerk of the bureau of transportation. Shortly before the close of the war he resigned his clerkship, to accept an appointment in the division of referred claims, paymaster general's office, Washington City, under Col. Jacob Sallade. There he remained three months, and was then appointed to a clerkship in the third auditor's office, Treasury department, under Hon. John Wilson, and assigned to the division of State war claims. After about a year's service in this bureau, he was transferred to the second comptroller's office, Colonel Broadhead, Treasury department. While serving in this department, the impeachment trial of President Johnson took place, and he frequently attended the sessions of the high court. He remained in the Treasury until June 1, 1869.

He subsequently became managing editor of the Lycoming Gazette. Soon after this paper was consolidated with the Bulletin, under the title of Gazette and Bulle- tin, and he was appointed city editor. Later he became editor and continued until 1872, when he again took the position of city editor. Four years afterward Mr. Meginness once more became editor in chief and continued as such until 1889, when · he retired. During 1888, in addition to his editorial labors, Mr. Meginness started and ,conducted a monthly magazine, entitled The Historical Journal. In 1889 he rewrote and revised his "Otzinachson," or History of the West Branch Valley. Soon

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after retiring from the Gazette and Bulletin he wrote and published an exhaustive biography of Frances Slocum, the Lost Sister of Wyoming. During the last thirty years he wrote many letters and sketches for the Philadelphia Times, the Press, Record, New York Herald, Sun, and other journals. As early as 1855 he was a correspondent of the Philadelphia Ledger. In the spring of 1891 he commenced the compilation of the present History of Lycoming County, upon which he spent more than a year of constant labor. Mr. and Mrs. Meginness are the parents of ten children: Mary Virginia, who married William C. Arp; Alice Celinda, who married Jasper F. King; Sarah Rosetta; William Warren; Henry Harvey; Julia Rosabella; Ida Jane; Carrie Armenia; Herbert Eugene, and John Franklin.

JAMES W. SWEELY, editor and publisher of The Sun, was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, January 24, 1862, son of Samuel and Harriet (Winters) Sweely, and grandson of Jacob Sweely, one of the well remembered citizens of Williamsport. He commenced to learn the printer's trade in the office of the Breakfast Table, and in 1880 he went to Peoria, Illinois, and through the recommendation of Robert J. Burdette he was appointed city editor of the Daily Transcript. After a few months he returned to Williamsport and became a half owner of the Breakfast Table, and subsequently sole proprietor. He advanced the circulation of this paper from 4,000 to 11,000 copies, and brought it up to a high standard as a weekly journal. In 1882 Mr. Sweely went to Pittsburg and established the Sunday Traveler, which he conducted about one year, and then sold and returned to Williamsport, because of a severe attack of typhoid fever which rendered him unable to attend to his editorial duties.

On the 7th of July, 1884, Mr. Sweely purchased the controlling interest in the Sun and Banner, which under his editoral supervision and wise business manage- ment has won its way to a leading place as a fearless, progressive, and enterprising newspaper, with a circulation second to no local daily in the West Branch valley. He is an uncompromising Democrat, and strikes sledge-hammer blows in support and defence of Democratic measures and principles. Mr. Sweely married Carrie, daughter of L. W. Cook of Williamsport, and has two children: Isabel S., and Lucius.

DIETRICK LAMADE was born in Baden, Germany, February 6, 1859, son of Die- trick and Caroline (Suepfle) Lamade. He was educated in Germany and the United States, having emigrated to this country in 1867. He came to Williamsport in that year and his father having died in 1868 he was compelled to earn his own living. He consequently found employment at various positions in a store for two years. In 1872 he commenced to learn the printer's trade in the office of the West Branch Beobachter. He subsequently worked for the proprietors of the following enter- prises: The Williamsport Banner; The Williamsport Sunday Times; in the job office of the Daily Times; in the job office of G. E. Otto Siess; in the job office of the Banner; was foreman of the press room of the Sun and Banner; was a printer for the government signal station at Williamsport, and at the same time set type for the Sun and Banner: when the government abandoned the signal station he was employed by John B. Reilly in the printing department of the Williamsport Times until Mr. Rielly failed, when he became interested in and was the principal founder of the Pennsylvania Grit, of which he has been manager and general man-

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ager since its inception. When this institution was incorporated Mr. Lamade was: elected president and has held that office ever since. Mr. Lamade was married in 1881 to Clara A. Rhen of Williamsport, and to this union have been born five children, four of whom are living: D. Wilson; Charles D .; Elsie M., and Howard .. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, the Protected Home Circle, and the Monu- mental Association. He is a Democrat in politics and with his wife belongs to the. St. Mark's Lutheran church.

FRED M. LAMADE was born in Goeshausen, Baden, Germany, August 26, 1861, son of Dietrick and Caroline (Suepfle) Lamade. He came to Williamsport in 1867,. where he attended the common schools, and in later years he attended college at Philadelphia. At the age of eleven years he went to work for Jacob Rohe, with whom he remained about two years. He was afterwards employed as office boy for the late Peter Herdic. In 1885 he bought an interest in the Grit Publishing Com- pany, and assumed the position of manager of the circulation. In 1886 he was married to Lillie M. Graham, and they had two children: Walter and Margaret. In 1891 Mr. Lamade was elected a member of the school board from the Eighth ward. He is also a member of the Royal Arcanum and the Protected Home Circle.

GEORGE W. RIANHARD was born in Elmira, New York, November 7, 1858, son of George and Rachel (Ayres) Rianhard. He was educated in the Williamsport public- schools and the Williamsport Commercial College. At the age of fourteen he began to learn the printer's trade in the office of the Gazette and Bulletin, and after serv- ing an apprenticeship he was in the employ of that paper in all of its various departments until March 9, 1884, when he was interested in starting the Pennsyl- vania Grit. For a time he had charge of the job department of that paper and afterwards became the editor, which position he filled until July 1, 1892. Mr. Rian- hard was married, December 28, 1882, to Anna L. Schafer, daughter of Conrad Schafer; they are the parents of two children: Franklin Arthur and George Conrad. He is a member of Williamsport Lodge, No. 173, B. P. O. E., of which he was the founder. He is also a member of the Lycoming Opera House Company. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat.

JOHN P. DWYER, editor of the Republican, was born, March 27, 1865, in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, son of Anthony and Catharine (King) Dwyer. His father- was a merchant for many years, and died in 1872. His mother is living at Renovo. Mr. Dwyer was educated in the common schools, and at the age of thirteen he began clerking in a store, where he remained for three years. At the age of sixteen, in company with James Reilly, he established the Renovo Evening News, the first daily paper published at that place. He was therefore the youngest proprietor and editor of a daily newspaper in the United States. He remained in Renovo until the fall of 1889, when he took his present position. As evidence of his enterprise it is worthy of mention that during the great flood of June, 1889, it was impossible to. get the regular paper on which to print the edition, and he consequently bought enough wall paper from a dealer and printed the Evening News thereon. This stroke of business enterprise to supply his patrons with the News won favorable- comment from the leading papers all over the country. Mr. Dwyer was married, September 4, 1889, to Mary Ryder of Renovo, and to this union have been born two children: Petronilla, and Francis J. He is a member of the Catholic church,

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is connected with Father Matthew's Total Abstinence Society, and politically he is a Democrat.

GEORGE S. LENHART, editor and publisher of The Breakfast Table, was born, February 25, 1860, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, son of George H. and Sylvania (Sanders) Lenhart, also natives of that city. When a boy he removed with his parents to Middletown, Dauphin county, where the father was engaged in the mer- cantile business for many years; he also acted as agent for the Adams Express Company several years at that place. Onr subject was educated in the public schools at Middletown. After teaching school one term in Adams county he spent two years in the academy at Bucknell University. In 1881 he began reporting for the Williamsport Sun and Banner. One year later he withdrew and took charge of the Berwick Gazette for some time. He was afterwards employed as editorial writer for the Easton Daily Argus. From there he went to Jersey City, New Jersey, where he was engaged to do special writing for the Evening Journal, remaining four years. In 1887 he came to Williamsport and has since been editing and publishing the Breakfast Table. Mr. Lenhart is an active Republican, and is a member of the Republican County Committee, a member of the Executive Com- mittee of the State Republican League, a member of the Republican State Commit- tee from Lycoming county, and belongs to and is one of the executive committee of the Young Men's Republican Club of Williamsport. While at Bucknell University he founded Delta Chapter; at Easton he established the Sigma Deuteron at Lafayette College, and at Jersey City he was historian of the Grand Chapter of the college fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta. While in Berwick he assisted in organizing the John H. Stayer Camp, Sons of Veterans, and was the first captain of that camp. Mr. Lenhart was married, October 15, 1884, to Helen, daughter of J. B. Mclaughlin, teller of the Lewisburg National Bank.

PROF. JOHN F. DAVIS, founder of the Williamsport Commercial College, was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, April 21, 1840, son of John and Rachel (Stratton) Davis, natives of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, respectively. His father was a brick maker and contractor in Franklin county for many years. He filled various political offices in his township, and was a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He and his wife removed to Williamsport in 1876, where both died in 1878. The subject of this sketch was their only child that grew to maturity. At the age of eight years his parents removed to Pittsburg, and soon afterwards to Fulton county. He received his education in the academic schools of Chambersburg, and at Iron City Commercial College of Pittsburg. From 1863 to 1865 he was superintendent of schools in Fulton county. Professor Davis entered the East Baltimore Conference in 1866, and in the division he fell to the Central Pennsylvania Conference, of which he was a member until 1880. In August, 1865, he came to Williamsport, and became a teacher in the commercial department of Dickinson Seminary. In the latter part of 1865 he founded the Williamsport Com- mercial College, and was at the head of that institution fourteen years; under his management it attained a wide reputation. In 1879 he sold the college and estab- lished a similar institution at Altoona, Pennsylvania, which he conducted four years, and then engaged in the life insurance business. He is manager of the Union Cen- tral Life Insurance Company for northeastern Pennsylvania, and for the southern

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tier of counties in New York. He was elected city superintendent of schools in Will- iamsport in May, 1872, but resigned after three months' service. He served as school director from the Fourth ward, and has always taken a deep interest in the prog- ress of education, In 1876 he was the candidate of the Greenback party for Congress in this district, receiving 1,537 votes, and was again the candidate of that party in 1878, and received 10,163 votes. Since that time he has affiliated with the Democratic party. He isa member of the Masonic order, and of the I. O. O. F. Professor Davis was married in 1867 to Eliza Jane, daughter of Hon. A. C. Davis, of Fulton county, Pennsylvania, and has three children: Jennie D .; Alice R., and Andrew C. He and family are members of High Street Methodist Episcopal church, and he is one of the trustees of that organization, and also superintendent of the Sunday school.

S. T. STEPHENSON, proprietor of Stephenson Business College and Institute of Shorthand, was born in Clinton county, Pennsylvania, November 14, 1854, son of George W. and Elizabeth Ann (McCloskey) Stephenson, also natives of that county. His father was a farmer by occupation, and prior to his death, which occurred in October, 1891, he retired from the farm and lived in Lock Haven, where his widow now survives; she is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which her husband also belonged, and in which he was class-leader and steward. Our subject was the eldest of four children, and was reared in Clinton and Centre counties, Pennsylvania; he was educated at the Millersville State Normal School, and gradu- ated from the Lock Haven Normal School in 1881; he was also graduated from the Eastman Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1883. After having offici- ated as principal of the public schools of Lock Haven for some time, he was engaged for a period at bookkeeping in Lock Haven and Williamsport, and at the Washing- ton Iron Works. In 1885 he became an instructor in Wood's Business College, and in 1890 he established his present College and Institute of Shorthand, in which he has had phenomenal success. He was married in 1876 to Miss Mary E., daughter of Jacob R. Leathers, of Mount Eagle, Centre county, Pennsylvania, and to this union have been born five children: Bliss; Elsie; Lula; Emery, and Letitia. Mr. Stephen- son is a Prohibitionist in his political proclivities, and with his wife belongs to Grace Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has served as steward, and in which he is superintendent of the Sunday school.

FRED. M. ALLEN, principal of Williamsport Commercial College, was born in Smethport, McKean county, Pennsylvania, October 13, 1854; son of F. A. and Jane (Martin) Allen, the former a native of Massachusetts, and the latter of New York State. His father was a prominent educator, and obtained his education through his own efforts. He had charge of the schools of Mckean county and Chester county, successively, and was the first principal of the Mansfield Normal School, Tioga county. He conducted more institute work than any man in the State during his career, was one of the pioneers in that work, and was employed by the State super- intendent to do institute work. He died in 1879. He was a Republican in politics, and an adherent of the Protestant Episcopal church. The subject of this sketch is second in a family of three children; he was reared in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, and was educated in the normal school of that place. At the age of twenty-one he opened a bookkeeping department at Mansfield, and for three years was proprietor

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of the Allen Business College, Elmira, New York. In 1SS5 he came to Williams- port, and has since had charge of Williamsport Commercial College. He has greatly improved that institution, and his school enjoys a large and well deserved patronage. He is an adherent of the Republican party, and a stanch supporter of Republican principles. Mr. Allen was married in 1879 to Clara, daughter of Rev. J. B. Went- worth, of Buffalo, New York, and has two children: Jennie and Richard. He and wife are members of Mulberry Street Methodist Episcopal church.

LORENZO DOW POTT was born in Muncy, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, April 24, 1829, son of John and Eliza (Taggart) Pott, natives of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, who moved to Mnncy, abont 1820, where his father followed the occupation of a tailor. John Pott was born April 25, 1791, and served in the war of 1812. His wife was born April 9, 1796, and bore him quite a large family, four of whom are now living: Robert, who has been teller of the First National Bank of Williamsport since its organization; Charles Wesley, of Sparta, Wisconsin ; Lorenzo Dow, of Williamsport, and Catharine, wife of William Flack, of Watson- town, Northumberland connty. The family removed to New Columbia, Union county, about 1832, where the father died, September 22, 1834. His widow sur- vived until March, 18S9, and died in Watsontown. They were members of the Protestant Episcopal church. The subject of this sketch was reared in Muncy and New Columbia, Pennsylvania .. After the death of his father he was apprenticed to a farmer named Charles Royer, and remained with him until he was eighteen years of age. He then came to Williamsport and learned the shoemaker's trade with Williams & Weiss, which business he has since followed. In 1861 he enlisted in Company D, Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served three months and then re-enlisted in Company I, Thirty-Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, in which he served thirty days. In 1864 he joined Company I, Two Hundred and Third Penn- sylvania Volunteers, as second lieutenant, and served with his regiment until dis- charged, February 13, 1865. Mr. Pott was married in 1856, to Catharine, daughter of Jacob Hill, of Muncy Creek township, who bore him two sons: Alfred H. and Charles R. He and wife are members of Pine Street Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of the I. O. O. F and of the G. A. R. : is a Republican, and has served as a member of the school board for one term.

CHARLES R. POTT, late proprietor of Pott's Shorthand and Business College, was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, May 17, 1866, the youngest son of Lorenzo Dow Pott. He was reared in this city, and gradnated from the Williamsport high school in 1SS4. He learned stenography by studying at night, and worked for ser- eral firms and also in the United States court. He established his school on the 25th of August, 1SS4; it is the oldest shorthand college in the city, and after open- ing his school, Mr. Pott did a great deal to forward the profession in this part of the State. He graduated a large number of efficient stenographers and typewriters, who have found employment in the different towns and cities of the country. MIr. Pott was a member of the Sons of Veterans, an active supporter of the Republican party, and a member of Pine Street Methodist Episcopal church. He died on the 1st of June, 1892, at the age of twenty-six years and fifteen days.

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 106

Author: edited by John F. Meginness Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1650

Author: edited by John F. Meginness
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1650