History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 126

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

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ROBERT H. LAWSHE, eldest son of Abraham and Anna H. (Hamilton) Lawshe, was born in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, April S, 1825. He received a common school education and worked in his father's tannery until attaining his majority, when he, in connection with the Messrs. Gamble, erected a large tannery on Larry's creek, where he remained until 1856. He then sold his interest, and removed to Jersey Shore, where he began contracting, and subsequently was engaged in farm- ing for a few years. He was appointed superintendent of the West Branch and Susquehanna canal in 1863, and filled that position until the company sold to the Pennsylvania Canal Company. His next position was in charge of the lumber interests of the Moshannon Land and Lumber Company, with which he was con- nected about ten years, afterwards returning to Jersey Shore, where he has since resided. Mr. Lawshe was identified with the building of the Pine Creek railroad, as superintendent of construction, and also assisted in building the Beech Creek railroad. He was married in 1852, to Margaret P., daughter of John Bennett, who was once sheriff of this county. He is a Democrat, and in 1868 represented the district, composed of Lycoming, Union, and Snyder counties, in the State legisla- ture for one term, and is one of the most highly esteemed citizens of the county.

GEORGE TOMB was one of the best known citizens of Jersey Shore from the time of his settlement in that borough up to his death, January 31, 1870. He was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, August 12, 1791, and was, therefore, in his eighty-ninth year when he died. His father, Jacob Tomb, came from Cumberland county in November, 1791, and settled on Pine creek, Lycoming county, George being then only three months old. Here his boyhood days were passed working on the farm and in the mills and distillery operated by his father. Soon after reaching his majority he engaged in the lumber business, on what was for that day quite an extensive scale, and thus laid the foundation of his future success. Subsequently he became a large operator on government contracts. He took the contract to make the Kanawha river navigable for steamboats from Charleston, Virginia, to the Ohio river; also for clearing a channel in the Susquehanna, from Columbia, Pennsylvania, to Port Deposit, Maryland, for rafts and arks descending the stream. He was next engaged in the construction of the Pennsylvania canal, and afterwards on the Tide Water canal, between Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Havre-de-Grace, Maryland. In all of these enterprises he exhibited that wise foresight, great energy, and strong common sense, which were the leading traits of his business character.

In the meantime Mr. Tomb married Jane H. Humes, a daughter of John Humes of Milton, Pennsylvania, and settled in Jersey Shore, which remained his permanent home the balance of his life. Mrs. Tomb was born May 27, 1807, and died in Jersey Shore June 8, 1SSS. Of the children born to this union, eight grew to maturity, as follows: Mary, wife of Charles Stockham of Camden, New Jersey; Martha, deceased; John S., of Jersey Shore; George, deceased; Louisa, wife of D. G. Bush of Bellefonte; Amanda; Rachel, wife of Dr. William H. Malin of Philadel- phia, and Laura, wife of H. E. Moulton of the same city.

Besides the enterprises mentioned, Mr. Tomb was also engaged in the mercan- tile business for several years in Jersey Shore, and opened a branch of the Cecil Bank of Port Deposit, which proved a great convenience to the community. He was a director and stockholder in the West Branch Bank of Williamsport, and his

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

views on financial matters were highly respected by his associates. In youth he obtained a very limited education, but he possessed fine natural abilities, and gathered through the passing years a wide knowledge of men and affairs. Polit- ically he was first a Whig, and subsequently a Republican; but he had a strong antipathy to secret societies, and was an anti-Mason during the anti-Masonic period. Both he and wife were members of the Presbyterian church of Jersey Shore. Through his several successful business operations and shrewd investments, Mr. Tomb became one of the wealthy men of Lycoming county, and was widely known as a man of original ideas and much force of character.

SAMUEL HUMES was born June 23, 1801, in Milton, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania. He was the third of six children born to John and Mary (Duncan) Humes. as follows: Mary; Martha; Samuel; Jane; Elizabeth, and John. He was educated at the old Milton Academy, and clerked in a store for some time at Milton. About 1824 he formed a partnership with Samuel Lloyd, and carried on a general mercantile business at Jersey Shore for three years. Mr. Humes then became sole proprietor, and conducted the business alone until 1848, when his son, John Harvey Humes, was admitted to a full partnership, which existed until the death of Mr. Humes, in 1859. The business was closed out in 1865. Mr. Humes was a director in the Jersey Shore National Bank from its organization to the time of his death. He was also a director and stockholder in the Jersey Shore and Lewisburg "Turnpike and Bridge Company, afterwards known as the Jersey Shore Bridge Company. He was a Whig in politics, and served as postmaster of Jersey Shore for several years. He was an active and consistent member of the Presbyterian church and served as trustee in that organization. Mr. Humes was a self-made man in the strictest sense of the term, and was highly respected by the community in which he so long resided. He was twice married, first to Ann, daughter of John Bailey, of which union, John Harvey, now a resident of Philadelphia, was the only child who grew to maturity. His second wife was Rachel B. Humes; of this union Hamilton B., of Jersey Shore, is the only survivor.

HAMILTON B. HUMES was born May 5, 1844, at Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, and was educated at the West Branch High School, in his native borough, and in the Agricultural College, Centre county, Pennsylvania. He afterwards attended the Columbia Law School, New York City, and was there admitted to the bar in 1865. He soon after returned home, and for some time was engaged in settling up his father's estate. He was subsequently employed for one year in the Jersey Shore National Bank. In 1869 the banking house of Gambles, Humes & Whites was established at Jersey Shore, and Mr. Humes gave his services to that institution. In 1878 Mr. John A. Gamble died, and the name was changed to the Jersey Shore Banking Company, which was incorporated in 1886. Mr. Humes has been president of that institution since 1878, at which time the Gambles' and Whites' interests were withdrawn. Mr. Humes married Flora S., daughter of John Sebring. He is a Republican in politics, has filled the office of burgess, and other minor positions, and is a member of the Presbyterian church.

JAMES HUSTON HEPBURN, son of Andrew D. Hepburn, a pioneer of Williamsport, was born September 11, 1803, at Youngman's Fort, in what is now Union county, Pennsylvania. He received a good education, and after reading law with Judge

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Thomson at Chambersburg, he was admitted to the bar of Franklin county. He began practice at Kittanning, Armstrong county. October 1, 1829, he was married to Mary McClellan of Strausburg, Franklin county, Pennsylvania. They removed from Kittanning to Jersey Shore, where Mr. Hepburn was engaged in the mercantile business until his death, July 30, 1853. Mrs. Hepburn died in 1873; they were the parents of five children: George Mcclellan; Andrew D .; Mcclellan P .; Martha, and Lydia. James Hepburn was one of the organizers, and a director and treasurer of the Jersey Shore and Lewisburg Turnpike Company, subsequently known as the Jersey Shore Bridge Company. He was a Whig in politics, and belonged to the Presbyterian church. Mr. Hepburn was a man of more than ordinary ability and contributed many articles to agricultural papers. He was interested in farming, and to him is due the credit for having introduced Durham cattle into Lycoming county. He was quite successful in business and always contributed to everything which tended to build up the community in which he resided.

MCCLELLAN P. HEPBURN was born July 31, 1835, and was educated at Jersey Shore. He clerked for several years in his father's store. He studied dentistry and practiced for two years in Williamsport with Dr. Bennett. He is now engaged in farming. He is a Democrat, and has served as school director. He married Nancy Hays, and both he and wife belong to the Presbyterian church of Jersey Shore.

MAJ. ROBERT S. BAILEY was born in Jersey Shore in 1806. His father at one time was the owner of the island which lies in the river opposite that town, and which is noted for its richness and fertility. When quite a young man Major Bailey engaged in the mercantile business in Jersey Shore, but not meeting with the success he expected, he relinquished the business and moved to Virginia, where he undertook some canal contracts in which he was also unfortunate. He then removed to Indiana, where he was enabled through the profits derived from hismail contracts in that State faithfully to discharge a large indebtedness. For the last ten years of his life he confined his operations to Pennsylvania, and at his death he had mail routes branching out in all directions from Williamsport. He died April 24, 1851. Major Bailey was a man who was always pleasant, generous, noble, and true. Alocal writer, in describing the funeral services, closed with these words: " We doubt if a stouter heart moulders beneath the sod of our valley, or a nobler one beats above its surface." Major Bailey married in January, 1833, Isabella White, eldest and only daughter of Col. Hugh White, one of the earliest settlers on Pine creek. He left several sons and daughters, all of whom are dead except Robert S .; Harvey, and Mrs. John Lawshe. Mrs. Bailey is now the wife of Col. James S. Allen of Jersey Shore, and is the only survivor of Colonel White's family.

COL. JAMES S. ALLEN, who may now be classed among the oldest residents of Jersey Shore, was born in Norwich, Connecticut, June 24, 1814. His father, Capt. Samuel Allen, and mother, Abigail Hill, were both born in Boston in 1778. Captain Allen was a tanner by trade and was engaged in dressing goat and seal skins in Boston from 1806 to 1810, when he removed to Norwich, where the subject of this sketch was born. In 1822 he went on a farm, where he remained until 1830. During the winter months he attended school. Returning home he worked at the tanning busi- ness for some time with his father. In 1831 he went into a shoe store, where he remained nearly four years and learned to make women's fine shoes. Some time in

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

1835 he left the place of his nativity for New York. While staying in the city he- visited the office of Aaron Burr, who was then engaged in conducting a lawsuit for the claimants of the ground on which Trinity church stands; he also witnessed the raising of the roof of the Astor House. Leaving New York he proceeded to Albany by boat, thence by canal to Buffalo, where he arrived after a toilsome journey of six days. He soon returned to Lockport, where he spent the fall and winter with his brother George, who was engaged in business there. In the summer of 1836 he traveled through several counties of western New York and Canada, reaching Cleve- land in the fall. When he came to pay his hotel bill in the morning he found that all the money he had was a five dollar bill on a broken Michigan bank. A broker gave him $2.50 for it, and when he paid his bill he had $1.25 left. Finding busi- ness dull he went into the country and worked a short time on a farm. In the winter he returned to the city and found employment with Seaman & Smith, shoe and leather dealers, with whom he remained until 1840. A portion of this time he traveled through part of Michigan and Canada with a friend who was collecting bills for clocks. Owing to the financial crisis they found all the banks, with the excep- tion of those in Detroit, broken. He was one of the many Americans who sympathized with the Canadians in their brave effort to throw off the English yoke, in 1837-38, and crossed the Detroit river in the latter year with a small force under General Bierce of Ohio to assist that cause. They met the enemy but were. defeated with a great loss, and then retreated to the American side.

Returning to Cleveland, he soon after went into the country and secured employ - ment at a hotel; he also dealt in fat cattle and sheep. During the campaign of 1840 he visited Erie with a Democratic club and attended a great mass meeting. There he met John A. Gamble, W. F. Packer, Allison White, and James Burnsides,. from this section of the country. He went back to Ohio, and that fall cast his vote for Van Buren. Soon afterwards he left Cleveland for Jersey Shore to visit his- brother Samuel, whom he had not seen for fifteen years. He remained with him until February, and assisted at the hotel, when he returned to Cleveland. In the meantime all the banks had broken, and having a certificate of deposit for $200,. he sold it for fifty per cent. discount, and left for Lockport greatly disgusted. A few weeks afterwards he returned to Jersey Shore through rain and mud, and " broke " for the second time. Finding his brother busy in the midst of the raft- ing season, and needing help, he turned in and assisted him. That spring he started to peddle a patent bee-hive, and met with good success in Lycoming and Clinton counties, notwithstanding he was badly stung several times!

In the spring of 1844 he and J. B. Torbert concluded to bid for several horse mail routes in this State and Ohio. Leaving Jersey Shore on a raft for Columbia,. he made his way from there to Washington to look after their bids. No contracts, however, were obtained, other bidders being lower.

At this time Tyler politics ran very high. Meeting General Hall, of Philadel- phia, the latter told him if he was for Tyler he could get an appointment for him. Allen said he did not care for an office, but thought Torbert would accept. They went to the department and met the Postmaster General, who, on learning their business, said complaints had reached him from Jersey Shore about the mail being thrown off the stage at the door of the postoffice and not taken in promptly. On

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

telling him such was the fact the Postmaster General said: "Allen, that is suffi- cient; call here tomorrow." When he called Torbert's appointment was made out. " Now," said the Postmaster General, "you must get up a Tyler meeting at Jersey Shore, and send me the proceedings and I will have them published in the Madison- ian, the Tyler organ." The meeting was never held, but the proceedings were written out, forwarded, and published.

The next day Allen called on the President, also on John C. Calhoun, who had been appointed Secretary of State a short time before, in place of Daniel Webster, resigned.

Returning to Jersey Shore he presented the appointment to Major Torbert, who was very much surprised. On being informed how it was obtained he said: " Allen, you must take charge of the office; I can not leave my clerkship in Crane's store to attend to it." Allen was then made assistant postmaster and took charge of the office until 1845, when Torbert was elected register and recorder. He then went to Lockport to assist his brother George in the hotel business, where he remained until 1847, when the latter died. Coming back to Jersey Shore he found that his brother Samuel had sold his hotel, when they entered into the mercantile business under the firm name of S. G. & J. S. Allen, which they successfully conducted until 1856, when they dissolved. In 1848 he was appointed postmaster of Jersey Shore, but resigned in 1849, when S. G. Allen was appointed.

In 1853 he was appointed an aide on Governor Bigler's staff with the rank of lieutenant colonel. After the dissolution of partnership Colonel Allen embarked in the mercantile business alone, which he conducted until 1861. In 1863 he was elected secretary, treasurer, and general manager of the Jersey Shore Gas Company, in which position he continued until 1876. He was chosen secretary of La Belle Valley Lodge, F. and A. M., No. 232, in 1863, and held the office until 1879; was collector of taxes for Jersey Shore borough in 1857-59; treasurer of the Plank Road Company in 1859; county auditor from 1864 to 1867; assessor for Jersey Shore in 1863-65, and mercantile appraiser for Lycoming county in 1870 and 1874. Colonel Allen was also a member of the borough council six years, and five of the six he was borough treasurer, and collector of county tax for the borough in 1867 and 1870. He was elected assessor for the borough in 1884-86. When Lodge No. 101. I. O. O. F., was constituted in 1844 he was one of the five petitioners and the first secretary, and now the only surviving charter member.

Colonel Allen was a Democratic candidate for the nomination for county commis- sioner in 1869; also for revenne collector for this district under President Johnson, and a candidate for the nomination for the legislature in 1881. Since 1864 Colonel Allen has been engaged in the cultivation of tobacco, his annual crop ranging from three to six acres. He has been a standing arbitrator and road viewer for twenty years, during which time he has served on nearly one hundred cases of arbitration, road views, and appraisements. He was elected assessor of the Second ward of Jersey Shore, February 16, 1892, for three years. About 1860 he united with the Presbyterian church of Jersey Shore. Colonel Allen is noted for his cheerful dis- position, and his fund of anecdote, which seems almost inexhaustible. He always looks on the sunny side of life and makes everyone happy around him. He married Mrs. Isabella W. Bailey, widow of Robert S. Bailey, October 12, 1853.

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

She is a daughter of Col. Hugh White, a soldier of the Revolution, and the only survivor of his family. They have one daughter, Belle W. Allen, now the wife of T. C. Hipple, Esq., one of the leading members of the Clinton county bar.

REV. JOSEPH STEVENS, D. D., late pastor of the Presbyterian church of Jersey Shore, is a brother of Rev. Dr. Abel Stevens, known as the "Historian of the M. E. church." He graduated at Lafayette College in 1842, finished his theological studies at the Princeton Theological Seminary, New Jersey, in 1845, and soon after leaving the seminary was invited, on the recommendation of the late Rev. Dr. Archibald Alexander, one of the professors in the seminary, by the trustees of Oakland College -a college belonging to and controlled by the Synod of Mississippi-to the profess- orship of mathematics in that college, in which position he continued till the spring of 1851. His health having become impaired by the severity of the climate, he returned to his native State, Pennsylvania, and in August of that year was called to- the pastorate of the church of Jersey Shore. In 1857 he married Miss Leah A., third daughter of the late John Pfouts of Jersey Shore. The fruits of this marriage. were five children, of whom only two, a son and daughter, survive. After a long pastorate of nearly thirty-six years, attended with large results to both the benefit of the church and of the community at large, he gave up the active work of the pas- torate, and is now living in comfortable retirement. Dr. Stevens was born in Phil- adelphia on the 27th of October, 1817. His father, Samuel Stevens, was born and reared at West Needham, Massachusetts, came to Philadelphia when he attained his majority, and established himself in business there. He married Mary Hochenmil- ler, a lady of great force of character, and a native of Montgomery county, Penn- sylvania. To this union were born three children: Abel, Joseph, and Mary; the last mentioned died some years ago.

COL. SAMUEL S. SEELY, the late veteran editor and publisher, was born in Cam- bria county, Pennsylvania, and at the age of seventeen he established the Mountain Echo at Ebensburg. He afterward came to Jersey Shore, and in January, 1846, established the Republican, which he published until 1852, excepting the interval between October, 1850, and June, 1851, when the paper was suspended because of destruction of the office by fire on the former date. In connection with John F. Meginness he established the News Letter in June, 1854, and published it a few years. From 1858 to 1861 he was identified with the Watchman at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and in the latter year was appointed to a government position in Wash- ington, D. C. Returning to Jersey Shore at the end of his official term, he was made assistant manager of the Lycoming Gazette of Williamsport. Later he pur- chased the Jersey Shore Herald, which he published until his death, September 5, 1879. He married Rebecca Reed, who survives him and resides in Jersey Shore.

CHARLES B. SEELY, editor of the Jersey Shore Herald, was born May 4, 1854, in that borough, and is a son of Col. Samuel S. Seely. He was educated in the pub- lic schools of his native town, and at the age of twelve years entered his father's printing office, where he learned the art of typesetting. When sixteen years old he was placed in charge of the office and held that position for two years and then became local editor. At twenty-one he was admitted to a partnership, and at the death of his father he became sole proprietor and publisher. In 1886 he was appointed mercantile appraiser for Lycoming county. In 1889 he was elected on the Demo-

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

cratic ticket to the legislature. and served in the sessions of 1891-92, so acceptably that he was renominated in August, 1892, and will no doubt be elected for another term (1892). Mr. Seely was married June 6, 1876, to Helen E., daughter of Allen H. and Mary J. Thomas, and has four children: Samuel A .; Mary W .; Reba R., and Charles B. In his religious faith he is a Methodist and is one of the trustees of the Jersey Shore Methodist Episcopal church.

ALEXANDER H. MCHENRY was born in Allegany county, New York. July 20, 1810. In early life he evinced a strong inclination for reading and the study of history, national, geographical, and military; in more mature youth, mathematical. When he was fifteen years old he was chosen captain of artillery by the comrades of his youth, serving two years, a reminiscence which gave him great satisfaction. About the time he was twenty-one he adopted Pennsylvania as his home, attending for a brief period the school held in the octagon-shaped building yet remaining on Third street in Williamsport. He was connected with an engineer corps in 1833 and in 1834 on the public improvements of the State and finished a mathematical course in 1835. While he made field surveys as early as 1826, it was not until the spring of 1836 that he began his life business-field surveying, which he followed continu- ously to within a short time of his death, thus covering a period of fifty-five years. He was one of the best informed men on land titles, and location of surveys on the ground, in northern Pensylvania. May 18, 1839. he was appointed deputy surveyor of the district then composed of Sullivan, Lycoming, and Clinton counties and part of Cameron county. He was also appointed one of the commissioners to re-survey and establish lines between the counties of Union, Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, and Tioga. He was one of the corporators of the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek, and State Line Railroad Company (now Fall Brook Coal Company's railways). In 1856 he was one of the commissioners to organize the Jersey Shore Bank. In the same year he rendered important service in furnishing statistical materials to John F. Meginness. who was then engaged on his History of the West Branch Valley. In 1857 he was one of the corporators of the Jersey Shore Gas Company. At the breaking out of the rebellion he enlisted, and as captain of Company G, Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, did active service in the field from August, 1862, to November, 1864, when he was discharged on a surgeon's certificate of disability. He was a member of Major Keenan Post, No. 349, G. A. R. Mr. McHenry was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church from his youth. He was an honorable, upright citizen, and died March 2, 1892, at his home in Jersey Shore.

JAMES WILLIAMSON, eldest son of Gideon and Lydia Williamson, was born June 17, 1812, in Buffalo valley, Union county, and came with his parents to Lycoming county in 1824. He was reared in Anthony township, and attended school in the old log buildings of pioneer days. He lived at home until he was twenty years of age, and then purchased a small piece of land in Old Lycoming township. He sub- sequently worked on the construction of the West Branch canal. In 1850 he located where his son Charles Wesley now lives, and owned and controlled the land for six miles on each side of Larry's creek. He erected and operated three saw mills on that stream, and for forty years was extensively engaged in the lumber business. He also established a store at Salladasburg, which he carried on for twenty years, and conducted a similar business at English Centre. In 1865 he removed to Jersey

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 126

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