History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 113

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

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WILLIAM P. I. PAINTER, retired druggist, was born in Sunbury, Northumber- land county, Pennsylvania, August 21, 1818, son of Thomas and Susan (Israel) Painter, and grandson of John and Catherine (Taggart) Painter, pioneers of that county. His great-grandfather, in company with his two brothers, immigrated from Germany to America before the Revolution, and his grandfather, John Painter, served in that struggle for independence. The latter married Catherine Taggart, of Northumberland, Pennsylvania, and settled in Chillisquaque township, North- umberland county, where Thomas Painter was born and reared. After reaching his majority, Thomas Painter went to the town of Northumberland, and clerked in a store for several years. He was sheriff of the county in 1812-15, and served in the legislature in 1822-23. In 1827 he purchased the Columbia County Register and removed to Bloomsburg, and conducted that paper until 1843. He also served as a

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

justice of the peace in Bloomsburg about forty years. Mr. Painter married, in 1811, Susan, a daughter of Gen. Joseph Israel of New Castle, Delaware, a veteran of the Revolution. Sixteen children were born of this union, seven of whom grew to maturity, and five still survive. The mother died in July, 1845; her husband sur- vived until February, 1862, and died in Muncy, whither he had removed.

The subject of this sketch attended the common schools until he was thirteen years old, and then entered his father's printing office, and learned the art of type- setting. He remained in the office of the Register about five years, and then went to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade. At the age of twenty he joined his brother John in the publication of the Mauch Chunk Courier, at Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, with which he was connected until February, 1841. In March. 1841, he and his brother, George L. I., came to Muncy and established the Muncy Luminary, with which he was associated about five years, when he sold his interest to his brother and embarked in the drug business. He carried on a drug store in Muncy up to July, 1891, a period of forty-five years, and then turned over the business to his sons. Judge Painter has always been a Whig and Republican, has served as a justice of the peace fourteen years, and represented Lycoming county in the legislature in 1869. He was renominated, but declined the honor. In 1871 he was elected associate judge, and served on the bench five years. While occupying this position he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1876, but has given very little attention to the practice of the profession. Judge Painter was married, July 21, 1841, to Sabina, a daughter of Peter and Mary (Boone) Mensch, of Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and has reared a family of nine children, as fol- lows: Joseph I., deceased; Mary M., widow of Harry S. Fessler; Thomas; Sarah B., wife of William H. Everett; Susan A., wife of Michael Myers; William C .; George L .; Laura W., deceased wife of Clark E. Walton, and Albra W. The family belong to the Protestant Episcopal church, and Judge Painter is a member of the Masonic order. Among the living pioneers of Muncy none stand higher in the esteem and confidence of its best citizens than Judge Painter. For nearly half a century he has watched the growth and development of the West Branch valley, and his enterprise and public spirit have always placed him on the side of progress and reform.

G. L. I. PAINTER, book dealer and jeweler, was born in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, September 11, 1822, son of Thomas and Susan Painter. He learned the printer's trade in the office of the Columbia county Register, then published by his father. He came to Muncy in 1841, where he and his brother, William P. I., started the Muucy Luminary. Five years later he purchased his brother's interest and became sole proprietor and published the paper until 1879, when he turned the business over to his sons. Since then he has carried on a book, stationery, and jewelry store. In February, 1846, Mr. Painter married Amelia W. Bowman, who died in 1849. In May, 1852, he married Rosanna Bridgens, who is the mother of four children: Emma A., wife of F. S. Giger of Philadelphia; William P., a minister of the Protestant Episcopal church; Rose B., and T. B. The last mentioned is the editor and publisher of the Luminary. He married Sue L., daughter of Maj. Henry W. Petrikin of Mon- toursville. Mr. Painter has been a Republican since the organization of that party,

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

and has served as postmaster of Muncy for twelve years. The family are adherents of the Protestant Episcopal church.

J. M. M. GERNERD, editor of Now and Then, was born in Lehigh connty, Pennsylvania, July 22, 1836, son of David and Lydia (Mohr) Gernerd. David Gernerd was of German extraction, and removed from Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, to Lycoming county, in the year 1839. He settled at Muncy, where he worked at his trade, that of a chairmaker, until his death, which occurred December 31, 1846.

. He married Lydia Mohr, who followed him to the grave in 1S55; they were the parents of one child, J. M. M. The latter was educated in the common schools, and in 1864, started a music and variety store in Muncy, Pennsylvania, which he con- tinued until 1872. He has been a clerk in the postoffice at Muncy, and at various times, about ten years altogether, he has been employed by the First National Bank of Muncy. He has also served two terms as school director and three terms as notary public. For the last ten years he has been interested in the manufacture of bed-springs. Mr. Gernerd instituted the scheme to raise funds for the erection of a monument to the memory of Capt. John Brady; the plan was to receive $1 subscriptions; the list was started in December, 1875, and in less than four years there was a beautiful cenotaph erected at a cost of about $1,600. The unveiling of the monument took place in the Muncy cemetery, October 15, 1879, and was witnessed by thousands of spectators. Mr. Gernerd also took an active interest in securing the necessary funds to erect in the cemetery near Muncy a beautiful monu- ment to perpetuate the names and deeds of the patriotic solders who fell while defending the Union. In June, 1868, Mr. Gernerd started a bright and interesting little magazine, known as Now and Then; it was devoted to collecting and preserving local history, and was exceedingly interesting and valuable; there were nineteen editions published from the beginning until 187S, forming the first volume, at which time it was discontinned until July, 1SSS, when it again appeared and has been published monthly ever since. He has a collection of Indian relics numbering over 7,000, many of which are very rare and curious, and were nearly all found in the Muncy valley; among this collection are several Indian pipes made of clay and stone, iron tomahawks, stone axes, pestles, and thonsands of arrows and spear-heads. In July, 1862, he was married to Louisa C. Sieger, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and to this union has been born one child, Lydia. Mr. Gernerd was a strong Abolitionist, and joined the Republican party at the beginning of that great organization.

CHARLES D. ELDRED, farmer and surveyor, was born in Lycoming county, Penn- sylvania, September 12, 1816, son of Edward J. and Annie (Northrop) Eldred. Edward J. Eldred was born at the Overshot Mill, Norwood, Middlesex county, Eng- land, August 19, 1763, and on May 18, 179S, he embarked on the ship Molly for Philadelphia, and was landed safely on Block Island, July 31, 1798. In the spring of 1799 he was appointed land agent for Pennsylvania, and soon after located in Lycoming county, where he died July 7, 1847. His third wife, whose name was Annie Northrop, survived him three or four years. Charles D. was educated at home by his father until he was seventeen years old. He then entered the office of the Lycom- ing Gazette as an apprentice, and remained for two years, withdrawing at the end of that time to attend school, the first time in his life. After attending school for

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three months he taught for six months in the Nippenose valley, returning then to his school duties. He subsequently bought a half-interest in the Lycoming Chroni- cle from Alexander Cummings, and about April 1, 1837, he purchased the remaining half of this journal, and published a paper until the following June, when it was merged into the Lycoming Gazette. The last named paper remained in the hands of Eck & Eldred until May 10, 1838, when Mr. Eldred sold his interest to Mr. Eck, and about the 1st of July of the same year he purchased the entire office from John R. Eck, published the journal for two years, and again sold to Messrs. Fitch. During the time he was connected with the newspapers he studied law, and was admitted to the Lycoming county bar, April 1, 1841. He began practice at Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, and at the end of three years returned to Williamsport and resumed the publication of the Lycoming Gazette, in company with John B. Beck. He soon after purchased Beck's interest and continued in this capacity until 1851. From 1851 to 1855 he was principally engaged in surveying. He was elected asso- ciate judge of Lycoming county in the fall of 1856, and served one term. In 1858 he removed to Montoursville, Lycoming county, where he was engaged in lumber- ing and farming. In 1862 he helped to raise a militia company, known as the Allen Guards, and was elected captain of the same; they entered the Twenty-first Pennsylvania Regiment, and after seeing service for three months, were discharged. He was elected prothonotary for Lycoming county in the fall of 1862, and in the year 1866 he was nominated for the legislature by the Democratic party, but was defeated by a small majority. He bought the property where he now resides in 1868, removing to Muncy, where he has since lived. In 1878 he assisted in organ- izing the West Branch Fire Insurance Company, was elected its first president, and has been its only president, except one year when he acted as secretary. He was married, December 8, 1838, to Mary, daughter of Rev. Henry Lenhart, then of Williamsport. To this union were born nine children: Annie M., deceased; Rebecca C., who married Charles A. Quiggle; Harry L., deceased; Mary; William P .; Edward J., who is surveyor of Lycoming county; John L., deceased; Ida V., who married H. T. Taylor, and Gertrude. Mrs. Eldred died in 1880, and he was again married, to Elizabeth H. McQuaid, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, who died in 1890. Mr. Eldred is a Democrat with independent proclivities. In 1839 he was appointed deputy marshal of Lycoming county and served one year. In 1843 he was appointed postmaster at Lock Haven by President Tyler, and was succeeded in 1844 by George Parsons. He was a delegate to the first convention to nominate Supreme judges after the Constitution was changed so that they were elected directly by the people. In 1858 he was appointed collector of tolls for the West Branch canal at Williamsport, and reappointed the two succeeding years. He was a trustee when the grounds were purchased on which Dickinson Seminary is located, and the first part of that building was erected during his term of trusteeship.

CHESTER E. ALBRIGHT, physician and surgeon, was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, August 21, 1831, and is a son of Andrew and Agnes (Dunn) Albright, natives of the same county. He is a grandson of Henry Albright, and a great- grandson of Andrew Albright, who was an armorer under Frederick the Great dur- ing the celebrated Seven Years' war. His father died in February, 1837, and soon afterwards his mother removed to the vicinity of Watsontown, Northumberland

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

county, where she died in August, 1848. Our subject was reared in Northumber- land county, and was educated in the common schools and at Lewisburg Academy. In 1850 he began the study of medicine with Dr. William Leiser of Lewisburg, and graduated from the Pennsylvania Medical College, Philadelphia, March 9, 1854. He at once commenced practice at Hughesville, Lycoming county, removing to Muncy in the fall of 1856, where he has been actively engaged in the duties of his profes- sion for the past thirty-six years. While Dr. Albright has devoted his attention principally to the practice of medicine, he always has had a natural aptitude for the mechanical arts. He is the inventor and patentee of a number of valuable inven- tions which are now in use, and takes a deep interest in that line of mechanism.

Dr. Albright was married, October 5, 1854, to Anna R., a daughter of Joseph Webster of Lycoming county. Her grandfather, Abraham Webster, was captured by a band of Indians when twelve years old, at his father's home in Muncy town- ship, and kept in captivity several years. He was then liberated by a French officer, and returned to his early home in this county. Two of his sisters were taken at the same time, but never returned, and are believed to have been killed by their savage captors. Dr. Albright has reared six children, as follows: Joseph W., who graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1879, and is practicing medicine in Muncy; Chester E., who graduated at Lafayette College in 1883, and is now a civil engineer in Philadelphia; William, who is superintendent of the Hughesville Water and Electric Light Company; Andrew C .; Horace, a civil engineer of Philadelphia, and Annie L. The Doctor is a member of the Masonic order, and in politics he is a Republican. He is the oldest active practitioner in Muncy, and is one of the well known and respected physicians of the West Branch valley.

THOMAS WOOD was born, January 21, 1810, in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, and when three years old he moved with his parents to the Muncy valley, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania. His ancestors have many historical associations; his great- grandfather, Capt. John Wood, fought under King William at the battle of the Boyne in 1690, and was rewarded for his gallantry with a grant of an estate in County Cavan, Ireland; his great-grandfather, James Wood, emigrated to America in 1731, and settled in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. Thomas Wood was married in 1834 to Margaret D. Beeber, daughter of Col. Jacob Beeber, and to them were born the following children: Elizabeth G., who married Dr. Michal Steck; Rachel T., who married Dr. Charles M. Hill; William J., who is a farmer; George G., and six others who died in infancy. Thomas Wood was a Whig and Republican. He represented Lycoming county in the State legislature during the sessions of 1854-55. He was county commissioner one term, and was a director in the Muncy Bridge Company. For many years he acted as a justice of the peace and settled a number of estates. He was also a major of an early militia company. Mr. Wood died, February 12, 1884, and was highly respected by all who knew him.

GEORGE G. WOOD, physician and surgeon, was born in Lycoming county, Penn- sylvania, March 19, 1848, son of Thomas and Margaret D. (Beeber) Wood. He was educated in the common schools and at the West Branch High School at Jersey Shore. In 1868 he began the study of medicine, and was graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in March, 1872. He began practice at Muncy, and has been in active service ever since. He was secretary of the Muncy Valley

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Medical Society during its existence, and has contributed a great many articles relating to medicine to the Philadelphia Medical Times, and is also the author of a book on the diseases of infants and young children. In 1886, on account of ill health, he visited the Pacific coast, including the Yellowstone National Park, Puget sound, San Francisco, Yosemite valley, Salt Lake City, and other interesting places, return- ing in eleven weeks much improved in health, after traveling 9,000 miles. He was married, September 9, 1875, to Jennie E., daughter of H. Noble, of Muncy, and to this union have been born two children: Gorgine, and Kenneth. Inheriting a taste for local history from his father, he has been very active in gathering and preserving some very valuable matter, and has always taken an interest in every- thing which tends to build up the community in which he lives. He first entered politics as a delegate to the State convention which was held at Easton, Penn- sylvania, in 1887, and the following year was nominated by the Democratic party and elected to the State legislature, having the largest majority of any candidate on the ticket.

LLOYD MCCARTY, retired farmer, was born, November S, 1811, at Muncy, Lycom- ing county, Pennsylvania, son of William and Mary McCarty. He was educated in the common schools, and learned the cabinet-maker's trade, which he followed for a number of years. From 1860 to 1880 he was engaged in farming, and retired at the latter date. He was married in July, 1841, to Jane Mcclintock, of Lycoming county, and to them were born two children: William, who is a merchant at Muncy, and Samuel, deceased; the last named enlisted in Company F, Eighty- fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers, served about three and a half years, and was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness, May 12, 1864, from the effects of which he died on the 27th of the same month. Mr. McCarty was a Whig during the existence of that party, and is now a Republican. Mrs. McCarty is a member of the Presbyterian church.

WILLIAM J. MCCARTY, merchant, was born, June 22, 1842, in Williamsport, son of Lloyd and Jane McCarty. He was educated in the Muncy schools and Dickinson Seminary. He farmed until the age of twenty-five years, when he engaged in civil engineering in various parts of Pennsylvania for a few years. He began the mer- cantile business in 1871 in partnership with A. W. Tallman. This firm are the only dealers exclusively in dry goods and notions in Muncy. He was married, February 13, 1873, to Mary Cornelia Putnam; they had four children: Emily; Cornelia; Lida, and William. Mr. McCarty was a member of the Muncy borough council and its president for four years. He has also been town auditor. He is a Repub- lican in politics and supports the Presbyterian church. Mr. McCarty is the owner and lives in the building which was erected by his grandfather, William McCarty, many years ago.

ROBERT ROBB was commissioned an eusign in the French and Indian war in 1758, and a few years after the close of the same he removed to Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, locating on the farm now owned by his grandson, Robert. Here he remained until some time after the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, when he went to Carlisle, where he lived until its close, and then returned to Lycoming county. In October, 1791, he was appointed a justice of the peace by Governor Mifflin, and held that position until his death in 1814. He was the father of ten children, all of whom grew to maturity.

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

JAMES ROBB, son of Robert Robb, was born in Lycoming county in 1775, and was a farmer by occupation. He married Mary Smith, and to them were born five chil- dren: Jane; Robert; Nathaniel, deceased; Annie, deceased; and Margaret, deceased. James Robb died in 1856, followed by his widow three years later.

ROBERT ROBB, retired farmer, was born in Muncy township, Lycoming county, May 30, 1816, son of James and Mary (Smith) Robb. The Robb family are descended from Scotch ancestry and were early settlers at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Robert Robb was educated in the common schools, and has devoted his entire busi- ness life to farming and lumbering. April 6, 1852, he was married to Elizabeth McConnell, and to this union were born three children: Annie R .; Thomas W., and Mary, deceased. Mrs. Robb died, September 30, 1858, and he was again married, to Elizabeth J. McMichael, April 30, 1862, and to this union have been born two daughters: Sarah, who married Morris Cuddy, and Elsie. Mr. Robb is a member of the Protestant Episcopal, and his wife of the Methodist Episcopal church.

DANIEL CLAPP was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, January 16, 1821. He received his education in the common schools, and when sixteen years old he began clerking in a store at Danville, Pennsylvania, where he remained about four years. He then returned to his native county, and in company with his brother, Beneval, he went into the mercantile business at Turbutville, and one year later, in September, 1843, they removed their business to Muncy, and continued the same until 1845. At this time Mr. Clapp purchased his brother's interest and conducted the business alone until 1859, when he was joined by L. S. Smith, and the firm became D. Clapp & Company. This firm dealt heavily in lumber, in connection with their mercantile business, until 1869, when Mr. Clapp purchased the Port Penn saw mill, and was engaged in the manufacture of lumber until his death. Mr. Clapp was married, September 10, 1845, to Catherine L., daughter of Samuel Updegraff, of the "Long Reach." Her father was the youngest son of Derrick Updegraff, a Quaker, who came from York, Pennsylvania, to Lycoming county, towards the close of the last century, and purchased 500 acres of land on the Susquehanna, at what is known as the "Long Reach," where he died in 1815, having reared a family of six children. Samuel Updegraff was born, June 9, 1793, and was the father of six children, of whom Mrs. Clapp is the only survivor. To Daniel and Catherine L. Clapp were born six children, as follows: Alice, wife of J. Artley Beeber of Will- iamsport; Daniel; Annie, wife of Clarence E. Sprout of Williamsport; Henry; Frank, and May C. Coming to Muncy comparatively poor, Mr. Clapp devoted his energies to his business so successfully that he became one of the wealthiest men of Muncy valley. He always took a commendable interest in the growth and prosperity of his adopted home, and was a prominent factor in the erection of the present fine public school building in Muncy. Prior to the war he was a Democrat, but at that period he became a Republican, and remained a stanch supporter of that party up to his death, which occurred April 4, 1886. Daniel Clapp was an enterprising and public spirited citizen, and owed his success to careful business habits, prudent investments, and strict integrity. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Muncy, and a liberal supporter of that organization.

E. M. GREEN, president of the Citizens' National Bank, was born in Tioga county, New York, March 6, 1816, son of Levi and Mary (Montanye) Green. Both his

Respectfully young Daniel Holapto

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

paternal and maternal grandfathers served in the Revolutionary war. Levi Green was born in Massachusetts, and when quite young removed to the State of New York, and was one of the first settlers of the North Branch valley. He was married to Mary Montanye, and to them were born eight children. He died in 1848, and his widow in 1857. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools, and his early life was spent on a farm. He migrated from Tioga county, New York, to Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, in 1855, and engaged in the grocery business at Muncy. Two years later he began the hardware business and continued it for about ten years, then gave up the store to his sons. He was a director of the First National Bank of Muncy for ten years, and in 1885, when the Citizens' National Bank was organized, he was elected its president, and has since filled that position. He was married in 1844 to Jane Robb, a daughter of James Robb, and to them were born three children: Maggie, deceased; Robert M., and Nathaniel D. Mr. Green and wife are members of the Presbyterian church of Muncy.

JOHN S. DYKINS was a native of the State of New York, and came to Muncy, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, in 1830, where he died in 1880. He married Jane Buck, who died in 1875; she was the mother of six children: Daniel B .; Julia, who married D. P. Guise: John, of Randolph, Utah; Ehrman, of Rock Springs, Wyo- ming; Charles, who lives in Chicago, and James, of Duluth, Minnesota.

DANIEL B. DYKINS, justice of the peace, was born in the house where he now lives, in Muncy, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, May 16, 1841, son of John S. and Jane (Buck) Dykins. His mother was a daughter of Daniel Buck, who was born in what is now Muncy Creek township, in 1773. Daniel B. Dykins was edu- cated in the common schools, and July 23, 1861, he enlisted in Company B, Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry; he ranked as captain from December 24, 1864, until he was discharged. July 24, 1865; he was captured while on post duty, about forty miles below Fredericksburg, Virginia, December 2, 1862, and spent the winter of 1862-63 in Libby prison. After the close of the war he was local editor of the Muncy Luminary for six years, and in 1879 was elected a justice of the peace, and has filled that office ever since; he has been secretary of the school board twelve years, and secretary and treasurer of the borough council for ten years; is a member of John D. Musser Post, G. A. R., and is Past Regent of Mnncy Council, No. 934, Royal Arcanum. Mr. Dykins was married in December, 1867, to Lydia Esenwine, of Towanda, Pennsylvania, and to this union have been born seven children: Robert, deceased; Guise; Lizzie; Maud, deceased; John, deceased; Lydia, and Julia.

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 113

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