History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 123

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

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

children survive to mourn their parents' loss: Mary A., Mrs. Henry S. Cole; John A. ; George, and Bessie. Mr. and Mrs. Cole were married on the 15th of January, 1867, and reside at Montoursville. They are the parents of eight children: Martha B .; Sarah W .; Mary McC .; Bessie B .; Georgianna; Daniel S .; Edward, and an infant son.

JOHN A. BENNET, farmer, was born in Fairfield township, Lycoming county, December 2, 184S, son of George and Martha (Strebeigh) Bennet. He was edu- cated in the common schools and Dickinson Seminary, and has always devoted his business life to farming, settling on his present farm in 1SS1. He was married, February 13, 1884, to Emma Williams, by whom he has two children: Catharine W. and George. He is a Republican in politics, and has served as school director and as justice of the peace. He is a member of Eureka Lodge, A. F. and A. M., and attends the Methodist Episcopal church.

GEORGE BENNET, farmer, was born on his present farm, July 18, 1864. He was educated in the township schools, Dickinson Seminary, and Williamsport Commer- cial College. He was married, February 1, 1888, to Jennie, daughter of Peter Belles, of Muncy township, and to this union have been born two children: Susan Arnold and Charles Peter. He is a Republican in politics, and is now serving as auditor of Fairfield township. He and his wife attend the Methodist Episcopal church.

REUBEN W. SCHOCH was born November 15, 1814, in Berks county, Pennsyl- vania, was a mason and mill-wright by trade, and came to Lycoming county in 1840. Here he was married, April 13, 1843, to Miss Margaret Corson. He first located at Lewis Lake, but removed to Penn township four years later, and subse- quently was engaged in farming two years in Muncy Creek township and on the Packer farm for twenty-two years. In 1868 he bought one of the Hall farms in Fairfield township, sold part of it, and improved the remainder, which now consti- tutes the residence of his son, Daniel J. Schoch; here he remained until his death, November 27, 1890. He was buried with Masonic honors. His wife was born May 16, 1821, and died in 1876. He was a Democrat in politics, was supervisor of Fairfield township for twenty-six years, and assessor for two terms. He was a member of Eureka Lodge, No. 335, A. Y. M., Fairfield Lodge, No. 236, I. O. O. F., and a charter member of the West Branch Grange, No. 136, P. of H. He was the father of nine children, all of whom died in infancy or early childhood except Abram C., who was killed by an accident, August 1, 1864, and Daniel J.

DANIEL J. SCHOCH, farmer, was born in Wolf township, Lycoming county. Pennsylvania, May 5, 1849, son of Reuben W. and Margaret (Corson) Schoch. He was educated in the common schools and has always been engaged in farming. In 1875 he was married to Miss Lydia R., daughter of H. S. Williamson, by whom he has one child, Henry R., who is now attending Muncy Normal School. He is a member of Eureka Lodge, A. F. and A. M., and Fairfield Lodge, I. O. O. F., and also of West Branch Grange, P. of H. He is Past Master of the Masonic order. and Past Grand of the I. O. O. F .; he has also been a member of the United Order of American Mechanics, the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America, and the Knights of Pythias. In politics is a Democrat; he has served as township clerk and is a member of the standing committee. With his wife he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

FRANCIS W. RAWLE was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1795. The Rawle family settled in Philadelphia in 1686, coming from Cornwall, England. He was reared in that city; at the age of seventeen he enlisted in the war of 1812, and held the commission of lieutenant in the Gray Reserves. When a young man he went to Clearfield county to look after some land interests, and while there he was elected and served as associate judge of that county. He was a civil engineer by profession, and engaged in locating and building the Pennsylvania and West Branch canals, afterwards engaging in the iron business near Lewistown, Mifflin county. Pennsylvania, where he and James Hall purchased the Freedom Iron Works. He and his brother-in-law, James Hall, built the Greenwood furnace in Huntingdon county, and operated both works for many years. In 1850 he returned to his native city, where he engaged in the insurance business until 1861, when he came to Lycom- ing county and built the residence in Fairfield township where his son Henry now resides. Here he spent the balance of his life, dying in 1881, at the ripe old age of eighty-six years. Mr. Rawle married Louisa Hall, a daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Coleman) Hall, the latter the daughter of Robert Coleman of Cornwall, Pennsylvania. Mr. Hall was a pioneer lawyer of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, where he practiced his profession up to his death. His wife owned the Muncy Farms estate, on which she lived from 1821 to 1858. Five children who grew to maturity were the fruits of the union of Francis W. Rawle and Louisa Hall, as follows: Charles: Henry; Emily, who married Rev. Albra Wadleigh; James, and Francis. Mrs. Rawle died in 1884.

HON. HENRY RAWLE was born in the Juniata valley, Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, August 21, 1833, son of Francis W. Rawle. He was educated at the public schools, and Lewistown Academy, and also spent four years at Bolmar's boarding school at West Chester, Pennsylvania. At the age of seventeen he was appointed to the engineer corps on the Pennsylvania railroad, with headquarters at Johnstown, New Florence, and Summer Hill. In 1852 he was transferred to the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, where he held the position of principal assistant engineer until 1859. when he resigned and engaged in the iron business at Sharon, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, under the firm name of Boyce & Rawle. On the 20th of December, 1860, he married Harriet G., daughter of Gen. Charles MI. Reed, of Erie, Pennsylvania, and in 1862 he located in that city, where he resided until 1876. In 1868 he built a furnace at Erie, and also engaged in shipping coal on the lakes until 1870. In 1874 Mr. Rawle was elected mayor of the city of Erie, and filled that office for two consecu- tive terms, having no opposition for the second. In 1875 he was nominated and elected by the Republican party, State treasurer, and filled that position with credit until 1878. He purchased a home in Philadelphia in 1876, and resided in that city until 1884. and then removed to Williamsport, subsequently settling on the Fairfield farm of the Muncy Farms estate. where he has since resided. He still retains his interest in Sharon and in coal works in Butler county; he organized the Shenango & Allegheny railroad, of which he was president, and is a director in the Susquehanna Trust and Safe Deposit Company, of Williamsport. His wife died in 1869, leaving two daughters: Alice, wife of H. L. Geyelin of Delaware county, and Marion, wife of Thomas Paton of New York City. Mr. Rawle was again married, in 1890, to Mrs. Encie M. Herdic, widow of Peter Herdic, and a daughter of the late Hon. John W.

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Maynard. Mr. and Mrs. Rawle are members of the Protestant Episcopal church of Montoursville, in which body he holds the office of vestryman.

LEWIS TALLMAN, farmer, was born in Williamsport, Lycoming county, Pennsyl- vania, January 1, 1823, son of James and Olive (Bailey) Tallman. He was reared in Eldred township, educated in the public schools, and has always been engaged in farming. Immediately after his marriage he located on a farm on the Delaware river near Philadelphia, where he lived for ten years. In 1859 he purchased his present farm of 182 acres, and is one of the progressive and prominent farmers of Fairfield township. He was married, January 7, 1849, to Miss E. P. Hall, daughter of Jacob Hall of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, who died, August 22, 1891. To their union were born seven children: Jacob; Lewis; James; Emma L .; Ellis; William, and George. Mr. Tallman is a Republican in politics, has served as school director and tax collector of Fairfield township, and was one of the organizers of Fairfield Grange.

PETER BASTIAN was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, and removed to Union county, the same State, and thence to Lycoming county in 1812. He purchased a farm, cleared and improved the same, and also built a hotel, which he conducted for many years. It was in Clinton township, now Armstrong, across the river from Williamsport, and is now owned by different parties. In 183S he purchased the farm on Loyalsock creek now owned by Dr. Charles Lyon, upon which he lived until his death in 1848. He married Esther Artly, a native of Lehigh county, Penn- sylvania, who died in 1852. He was a Whig in politics, and a deacon in the Lutheran church. They reared a family of ten children, three of whom are living: Josephine, who married John Bubb; Margaret, who married John Bruner, and John S.

JOHN S. BASTIAN, retired, was born in what is now Armstrong township, Lycom- ing county, November 12, 1823, son of Peter and Esther (Artly) Bastian. He re- ceived a common school education, and has devoted his life principally to farming. He and Franklin Bruner were partners in a mercantile business on Loyalsock creek for three years, and he was also engaged in operating the State flour and saw mill for eight years. He was married in 1856 to Sarah J., daughter of David Bryan, and to this union were born seven children: Charlotte, who married Thomas Lichtenthaler; William Maffet; John Clifford; James Ausker; Albra Wadleigh; Josephine, and Harry, deceased. Mr. Bastian has always been a stanch Democrat; in 1877 he was elected sheriff of Lycoming county and served a full term. He removed to Mon- toursville in 1850, and has been burgess, councilman, overseer of the poor, super- visor, and a member of the school board of that borough. He is a member of Fair- field Lodge, I. O. O. F., and with his wife and family belongs to the Episcopal church.

MARTIN MEYER was a native of Germany and emigrated to America about the year 1828, when a young man. He was a carpenter by trade and located in Phila- delphia, where he married Annie Margaret Blyler, and remained several years en- gaged in the manufacture of store boxes. In 1853 he moved to Lycoming county, locating in Loyalsock township, on the farm now owned by S. J. Sweely, and there resided and engaged extensively in the lumbering business with Isaiah Hayes until his death in 1863. He was a member of the Order of Red Men and of the I. O. O. F. His wife died in 1856, the mother of five children, four of whom are living: John,

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who was corporal of Company D. One Hundred and Thirty-first Pennsylvania Vol- unteers, and was killed. at the battle of Gettysburg; Martin W .; Abraham; George, and Annie M., who married Jacob Edwards.

MARTIN W. MEYER was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 22, 1830. son of Martin and Annie Margaret (Blyler) Meyer. He was educated in the public schools of his native city, and in 1850 came to Lycoming county, where he joined his father and Isaiah Hayes in the Inmber business. He built a store in 1851 at Perryville, and followed the general mercantile business until January, 1890, being also engaged in farming and lumbering. In February, 1889, he moved to Montonrs- ville, and became a member of the mercantile firm of L. I. Meyer & Company. He was married in September, 1850, to Miss R. R., danghter of Isaiah Hayes, and to them have been born three children: Mary A .. who married Abraham Losch; Mar- garet E., and L. I. Mr. Meyer is a Republican, and is an elder and trustee of the Lycoming Centre Presbyterian church.

LEANDER I. MEYER, son of Martin W. Meyer, was born in Perryville, Lycoming county, January 10, 1856. He received his education in the township and the Will- iamsport high schools, and the Williamsport Commercial College. In 1SS5 he be- came a member of the firm of Hayes, Meyer & Pidcoe, millers, at Montoursville, and in February, 1889, he engaged in the mercantile business. He was married in 1877, to Miss Annie, daughter of P. M. Trumbower. and to this union have been born three children: Della; Howard, and Perry. He is a Republican in politics, is a member of Eureka Lodge, F. and A. M., Fairfield Lodge, I. O. O. F., and of the Encampment; he is also a member of Washington Camp, P. O. S. of A., and with his wife belongs to the Presbyterian church.

DANIEL STREBEIGH was a native of York county, Pennsylvania, and a son of Jacob Strebeigh, a native of Prussia, who came to America with the Moravians and settled in York county. He came to Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, when a boy. was bound out to learn the blacksmith trade with George Dnitch, of Williamsport, and served an apprenticeship of seven years, afterwards following that trade for twenty-three years in Williamsport. In connection with Col. Thomas W. Lloyd, he contracted to build sections seventy-two and seventy-four of the North Branch canal, after the completion of which he purchased what is now known as the Woodward farm. He followed farming in connection with merchandizing in Williamsport for a number of years. and then traded the farm property for the farm now occupied by his son. Thomas J. Strebeigh, where he resided until his death, December 4, 1857. He served as county commissioner of Lycoming county for one term, and was in his younger days a Democrat, but subsequently became identified with the Republican party. For several years he was a trustee of the Pine Street Methodist Episcopal church of Williamsport: he was a member of Ivy Lodge, A. F. and A. M., and Ly- coming Chapter. He married Mary McElrath, who died in Angust, 1872. To this union were born nine children: Mary, who married Hopewell Clark; Martha, who married George Bennett; Elizabeth, who married Joseph Lyndall; Robert, deceased, who was connected with the New York Tribune for many years; Elvira, deceased; Sarah. deceased; Thomas J .: Barbara, who married William Vanderbilt, and Lydia.

THOMAS J. STREBEIGH, farmer. was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, February 9. 1832, son of Daniel Strebeigh. He remained in Williamsport, where he received

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his education, until he was nineteen years old, when he moved to the farm where he now resides. He was graduated from Dickinson Seminary in 1850, and has always followed farming. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank and the West Branch National Bank, of Williamsport. He is a Republicau, and was elected county commissioner in 1888; he has served as school director in Montoursville for twenty years, has been poor director of Fairfield township for fourteen years, and overseer of the poor in Montoursville for nine years. He is one of the charter mem- bers and was the first Master of Eureka Lodge, A. F. and A. M. He was married in 1860 to Miss Julia W., daughter of John and Catherine Sheets, and to this union were born eight children, one of whom is deceased, and seven are living: Laura; Thomas; Robert; Gertrude; Agnes: Harry H., and Donald C. Mrs. Strebeigh is a member of the Presbyterian church.

FREDERICK CLEES was born in Germany and immigrated to America when a young man, locating at Penn's Dale, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, where he worked at the tailor's trade for one year, removing thence to Upper Fairfield township, where he followed his trade for a number of years. He is now a resident of Montoursville, Lycoming county. He married Hannah O'Bourn, who died May 27, 1891, and was the mother of eight children, six of whom are living: Charles; John H .; Adam; Sarah J., who married Matthias Harris; Simon Peter, and Mary Ann, who married Henry McBride.

JOHN H. CLEES, farmer, was born in Blooming Grove, Armstrong township, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, June 29, 1842, son of Frederick and Hannah . (O'Bourn) Clees. He was reared in Fairfield township and educated in the common schools. He learned the carpenter trade, followed that occupation for several years, and on the 1st of April, 1876, he located on his present farm. He was first married, in 1864, to Miss Sarah C., daughter of Stephen Tomlinson, who died in June, 1890, leaving three children: Margaret, who married John Heverland; Ida May, and Harry T. He was again married, September 9, 1891, to Jemima, daughter of Adam Var- ner. He is a Prohibitionist, has served as school director, was constable for two terms, and is now serving his third term as overseer of the poor. He is a trustee of the Fairview Methodist Episcopal church and his wife is a member of the Evangeli- cal church.

G. H. WOOLEVER, merchant and lumberman, was born in Plunkett's Creek town- ship, Lycoming county, September 17, 1848, son of Edwin and Esther (Wheeland) Woolever. He received his education in the public schools and at the Williamsport Commercial College. In 1873 he became a partner in the firm of William Weaver & Company, and still retains a one-fourth interest. He established his present mercantile business at Montoursville in 1884, and in 1889 he formed the lumber firm of Dubert, Woolever & Fry, which is now known as Woolever Brothers. They are also conducting a planing mill at that place. He is a Republican, and has filled the offices of township clerk, school director, assessor, overseer of the poor, and town councilman. He was married in 1874 to Mary E., daughter of Lewis and Annie McCarty, and is treasurer of the Methodist Episcopal church at Montoursville.

WILLIAM LEWARS was a native of Northamberland county, Pennsylvania, and came to Lycoming county about 1848. He was married in Columbia county to Mary A. Clewell, a native of that county, whence they came to Lycoming. He was a man

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of good education, and taught private and public schools in Montoursville for a number of years. In 1864 he enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Eighty- seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served until the close of the war as sergeant of his company. After the war he returned to this county, and was employed by Canfield & Coeton, lumbermen near Montoursville, as bookkeeper and shipper, and remained with that firm and its successor until his death in February, 1885. He was a Republican, and served as justice of the peace in Montoursville for five con- secutive terms. He was a prominent member of the Lutheran church of that borough, and superintendent of the Lutheran Sunday school. His widow survives, and resides in Montoursville. They were the parents of five children, three of whom are living, as follows: James S., a hardware merchant of Williamsport; Clara M., wife of Rev. J. G. Griffith, a Lutheran minister of Omaha, Nebraska, and Annie M.

WILLIAM GRIFFITH was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1811. He was for a number of years engaged in the mercantile business, and served as a justice of the peace at Stewartstown for many years. He saw service in the Two Hundredth Pennsylvania Volunteers during the late war, and was a Republican in politics. He married Mary Beard, who died at the age of twenty-eight years, and was the mother of four children: Aun, who married William Arthur; Margaret, who married James Fulton, president of the Stewartstown railroad; Thomas B., and Dr. M. M., of Verona, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. He was again married, to Elizabeth Hammond, who is also deceased and was the mother of seven children: Stewart; William; George; James; John; Mary, and Sarah, who married James Hendricks. Mr. Griffith died in 1890, a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

THOMAS B. GRIFFITH, dentist and druggist, was born in Stewartstown, York county, Pennsylvania, February 28, 1838, son of William and Mary (Beard) Griffith. He went to Baltimore city when he was nine years old and lived with his grand- mother, Mary Griffith, until sixteen. Here he had the advantage of the select and academic schools of that city. In the fall of 1862, he enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Thirtieth Pennsylvania Volunteers, as first lieutenant, was promoted to the captaincy of his company, and saw active service in the battles of Fredericks- burg, Antietam, Chancellorsville, and others. After a service of nine months in the war he returned to his native county, where he studied dentistry, and practiced for several years, in partnership with Hezekiah Freeston. In 1871 he came to Mon- toursville, and after practicing his profession for two years, in 1874 he purchased the drug business of Dr. Archer and Henry Bastian, which he has since conducted in connection with dentistry. For about eighteen months he was in partnership with Frank Wheeland, but since then has done business on his own responsibility. Dr. Griffith held the position of overseer and gauger of the Foust distillery in York county for two and one-half years under President Andrew Johnson's administra- tion. He was formerly identified with the Republican party, but since the attempt to impeach Andrew Johnson he has been identified with the Democratic party. He has been a member of the school board of Montoursville for two years, and belongs to Eureka Lodge, No. 335, A. Y. M., and Reno Post, No. 64, G. A. R. He was married in 1865 to Miss Margaret J. Hammond, and to this union have been born five children: Anna; Harry, deceased; Sarah; Mary, and William. Dr. Griffith is

W. Rakes trave.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

a member of the Baptist church, and his wife and family are members of the Pres- byterian church.

GEORGE C. SAEGER, physician and surgeon, was born in Clinton township, Lycom- ing county, Pennsylvania, September 9, 1852, son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Hart- ranft) Saeger. His father was born in what is now the borough of Montoursville in 1825, and was a son of Christian Saeger, a native of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, who settled in Lycoming county about the year 1800. Mrs. Elizabeth Saeger was born in Delaware township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, and resides with her husband in Clinton township, Lycoming county; they are the parents of three children: George C .; Mary Ann, who married Samuel App, and Rebecca Caroline. George C., the eldest of these children, received his literary education in the Muncy and Montoursville Normal Schools. He studied medicine under Dr. Thomas Smith. of Clintonville, and Dr. George Metzger, of Hughesville, and was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1876. He at once began the practice of his pro- fession at Jersey Shore Station, where he remained for four years, removing thence to Muncy for one year, and in 1881 he located in Montoursville, where he has since enjoyed the leading practice of the town. In 1882 he established his present drug- store, which he carries on in connection with his profession. For several years he was a member of the Lycoming County Medical Society. He is a Democrat in pol- itics, and in 1881 was elected to the office of coroner of Lycoming county, which position he filled with credit for one term. He was married in 1877 to Miss Jose- phine W., daughter of John Bubb, of Antes Fort. Pennsylvania. He and wife are active members of the Lutheran church.

PETER BALL was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and emigrated to America when a young man. He first settled at Ralston, where he remained one year, and was then successively located at Blossburg nine years, at Trout Run one year, at Hoag- land's Run two years and a half, at Blooming Grove two years, at Williamsport three years, at Loyalsock five years, in Black Hole valley two years and a half, and at Muncy creek six years, dying at the last named place, February 15, 1881. He was a blacksmith by trade, a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Catholic church. His wife, whose maiden name was Jane Brierden, survives him and is the mother of six children: Margaret Ann, who married Edward Bower; John; Sarah J., who married Seely Hetherland; Eliza Jane; Peter, and Rebecca, who married George Rentz.

JOHN BALL, farmer, was born in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, September 28, 1852, son of Peter and Jane (Brierden) Ball. He was educated in the township schools and at a graded school at Montgomery borough; when he was seventeen years of age he was employed by the Misses Scott to manage their farm in Fairfield township, and with them he remained nineteen years and eight months. He was married in 1886 to Mary Magdalene, daughter of John Winters, by whom he has two children: Sarah, who was born April 25, 1889, and died January 8,1892, and Ruth C. He is a member of the Jr. O. U. A. M., is a Prohibitionist, and with his wife belongs to the Fairview Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is trustee and steward.

WILLIAM LUCAS, proprietor of the Central Hotel, was born in Tampa Bay, Florida, December 15, 1843, son of Luther Wesley and Mary Ann (Cassidy) Lucas. His father was born near Richmond, Virginia, and after engaging in the mercantile busi-

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 123

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