History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 87

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

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JOHN WHITE was for thirty-five years one of the prominent and successful

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

lumber manufacturers in the West Branch valley, and throughout his long and active business career he was recognized as a gentleman of the strictest integrity. He was born in Lycoming county (now Clinton), Pennsylvania, November 4, 1818, and was the second son of Col. Hugh White, a pioneer of Pine Creek township, by his marriage to Mrs. Charlotte White nee Weitzel. His youth was spent amid the scenes of the homestead farm, and he was educated in schools taught by John Austin and Rev. John H. Grier, two excellent teachers of pioneer days. He studied mathe- matics and theoretical surveying under Mr. Austin, and at the age of seventeen he left school and became a member of the State engineer corps, then in charge of James D. Harris, chief engineer, and thus acquired a practical knowledge of that profession. He assisted in the survey of the Tangascootac and Sinnemahoning extensions of the Pennsylvania canal, also in the construction of the Williamsport and Elmira railroad, now the Northern Central, and later was engaged in locating the eastern and western reservoirs of the canal, and was afterwards engineer in charge of the canal for several years.

While occupying this responsible position, Mr. White was married, September 19, 1843, to Emily, daughter of the late Henry S. Weaver, of Freeport, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania. He at once gave up civil engineering, and engaged in the mercantile and grain business at Freeport, which he contined for ten years. He was then employed to locate the dams on the Monongahela river for the Mononga- hela Navigation Company, which occupied his time until April, 1854, when he came to Williamsport and embarked in the lumber trade in Cogan valley, where he carried on that business five years. In October, 1859, he became a member of the well known lumber firm of Herdic, Lentz & Whites, which in 1867 was changed to White, Lentz & White by the withdrawal of Peter Herdic, and for the succeeding thirty years he continued in the active duties of the lumber business up to his death, June 3, 1890. The success of Mr. White was attained through long years of industry, and the closest attention to the details of his business affairs. A man of sound judgment and broad intelligence, his investments were always conservative and safe. Hence he accumulated through the passing years an estate estimated among the most valuable in his native county.

Three sons and five daughters were the fruits of his marriage to Emily Weaver, as follows: Henry W., who succeeded his father in the management of the lumber business; Charlotte. widow of Hon. Hugh H. Cummin; Mary L., wife of George L. Sanderson of Philadelphia; Hugh L .; Gula B .; Emily, wife of E. P. Almy of Williamsport; Jennie P., wife of Henry N. Almy of Philadelphia, and John A. Mrs. White is a member of Christ Protestant Episcopal church, to which organiza- tion her husband belonged, and in which he filled the office of vestryman for many years preceding his death. Politically Mr. White was a life-long Democrat, but took no active part in public affairs. At the time of his death he was a director in the Williamsport National Bank, and a trustee in the Savings Institution; he was also president of the Citizens' and Williamsport Water Companies, and a stockholder and director in the Lycoming Electric Company and the Williamsport Steam Company. Mr. White always manifested a deep interest in the social and material development of Williamsport, and gave liberally of his means to the charitable, religious, and educational institutions of the city.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

HENRY WHITE was one of the well known citizens of Williamsport throughout his long residence in that city. He was born on the homestead, west of the mouth of Pine creek, Lycoming (now Clinton) county, Pennsylvania, August 7, 1820, and was the third son of Col. Hugh White by his marriage to Mrs. Charlotte White nee Weitzel. He grew up under the parental roof, and received a good common school education, afterwards attending Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania. He read law in Williamsport and was admitted to the bar, but never engaged in the practice of his profession. For several years he was associated with Robert S. Bailey and Matthias Eder in operating mail and stage lines, which he continued to follow until the advent of railroads superseded the old modes of traffic and he sub- sequently embarked in the lumber trade. In October, 1859, he became a member of the lumber firm of Herdic, Lentz & Whites, composed of Peter Herdic, George W. Lentz, and John and Henry White. In 1867 Mr. Herdic withdrew from the firm and it then became White, Lentz & White, and has ever since been known and recognized as one of the most prominent and successful lumber firms in the Susque- hanna valley. Mr. White devoted his principal attention to his private business, and accumulated a large and valuable estate. He took qnite an active interest in public affairs, and served in the common council of Williamsport many years, and at one time was president of that body. He was a stanch Democrat all his life, and in 1877 was the Democratic candidate for Congress in this district. His party was largely in the minority, and consequently he was defeated, but he received more- than the average Democratic vote in the district. Mr. White married Catherine G., daughter of Hon. Joseph B. Anthony of Williamsport, member of Congress, presi- dent judge, and for many years a distinguished advocate of the Lycoming county bar. Mrs. White was born, March 5, 1830, and died, March 10, 1861, leaving three daughters: Isabella, wife of John C. Brenner; Mary L., who first married James M. Gamble, and is now the wife of William Emery, and Josephine, deceased wife of C. La Rue Munson. Mr. White was again married, June 16, 1866, to Martha Covell of Elmira, New York, who survives him. He died at his home in Williams- port, March 7, 1880.

GEORGE WINTER LENTZ, a prominent deceased lumber manufacturer of Williams- port, was born at East Hanover, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, November 5, 1818. His paternal grandfather, Jacob Lentz, was a soldier in the Revolution, and after the war ended in the triumph of the American cause, he settled in Londonderry township, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. George Lentz, father of our sub- ject, was there born and reared. He married Mary Winter of East Hanover, Lebanon county, two of whose brothers served in the war of 1812. She was a descendant of John Harper, whose father built and carried on the celebrated tavern at the confluence of the Swatara and Indiantown creeks, about the middle of the last century, and which still is known as Harper's Hotel. She bore him four children, two of whom died in infancy. Her husband died a short time before the birth of the subject of this sketch, and he lived with his maternal grandparents until his sixteenth year, receiving a good common school education. He then found employ- ment in East Hanover for a year or two, when he concluded to seek his fortune in the West, and traveled to Peoria, Illinois, by packet, this being before the advent of railroads. He soon afterwards went to Logansport, Indiana, 300 miles dis-

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

tant, making the entire journey on foot. On his arrival his sole possessions con- sisted of three Spanish quarter-dollars, but he had good health and indomitable pluck. He found employment in a saw mill at Logansport for about two years, and in 1838 he returned to his old home in East Hanover, Pennsylvania, making the entire trip in a spring wagon, and spending three months iu the journey. He took a course in civil engineering at East Hanover, and then came to Newberry, Lycom- ing county, where he had an aunt living, and taught school a few months. He sub- sequently spent two terms at Annville Academy, in Lebanon county. Upon coming of age he inherited a small property from his father's estate, and returning to New- berry he attended a select school for some time, and became quite a skillful mathematician. After another brief period of school teaching at Newberry, he accepted a clerkship in the register and recorder's office, under Joseph W. Smith, and three years later he was elected on the Whig ticket treasurer of Lycoming county.

During this period he became interested in wild lands, and familiar with their location and value, and at the close of his term he made large purchases of these lands, in partnership with Oliver Watson. He subsequently became associated with Peter Herdic in the same business, and they were afterwards joined by John and Heury White. The co-partnership of Herdic, Lentz & Whites was then organ- ized, and became one of the best known lumber firms of the West Branch valley. They purchased and laid out in lots the Campbell and Armstrong farms, which now comprise one of the most thickly settled parts of the city. They also erected extensive saw mills, and engaged iu the manufacture of lumber on a large scale. In 1867 Mr. Herdic withdrew from the firm, and the name then became White, Lentz & White, and still bears that title, though all of its founders are sleeping in Wildwood cemetery. Mr. Lentz afterwards made large purchases of timber lands in Wisconsin and Florida, where he was financially interested up to his death. He was the principal owner of the water works plants at Selinsgrove and Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, Cairo, Illinois, and Orlando, Florida. He also was a stockholder and director in the Williamsport Water Company, and was similarly interested in the West Branch National Bank and the Savings Institution.

From an early period in the history of Williamsport Mr. Lentz was interested in its prosperity, aud was one of the prominent actors in its later growth and development. By sagacious enterprise and shrewd investment, he accumulated an ample fortune, but his success never affected the simplicity of his tastes or the sympathy which he always felt for the poor and unfortunate. All his transactions were characterized by a sturdy integrity, and his kind and genial nature marked him as one of the most unselfish of the pioneer fathers who laid the foundation and built the structure of Williamsport's prosperity. Mr. Lentz was married in 1859, to Jane C., daughter of Dr. Jesse Wood of Williamsport, who bore him three children, as follows: George F., who died at the age of sixteen; Mary Ann, wife of Delos S. Mahaffey of Williamsport, and Harry W., who resides in the old home- stead on East Third street. Mrs. Lentz died, October 28, 1873, and her husband survived her until May 17, 1891. They were attendants of the First Presbyterian church of Williamsport, and gave liberally of their means towards its support.

THE OTTO FAMILY .- The ancestor of the American branch of the Otto family was

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Dr. Bodo Otto, who was born in the Kingdom of Hanover, Germany. He was a graduate of the University of Göttingen, and a learned and able physician, and immigrated with his family to Philadelphia in 1755, where he soon acquired a high reputation for his literary and medical ability. After residing in Philadelphia for eighteen years, he, in 1773, followed the tide of German emigration up the Schuyl- kill valley, and located in Reading, where he continued the practice of his profession. About this time the Revolutionary sentiment in the Colonies was gathering force, and Dr. Otto's influence among his countrymen in opposing British oppression was widely felt. He was chosen a delegate to represent Berks county in the Provincial Conference which met at Carpenter's Hall, in Philadelphia, June 18, 1776, and early in the progress of the Revolution he joined the patriot army as surgeon, and served in that capacity until the close of the war brought liberty to the struggling Colonies. During the dark days of Valley Forge, Dr. Otto, assisted by his sons Drs. Bodo, Jr., and John A. Otto, was surgeon in charge of the camp hospital, and while devoting himself to the care of the sick and wounded, he endured all the privations incident to that critical period in the history of Washington's army. At the close of the Revolution Dr. Otto returned to Reading and resumed his practice, which he con- tinued up to his death, June 13, 1787. He also took a prominent part in the administration of local affairs, and was active in promoting the best interests of the community. He was thrice married, and was the father of one daughter by his first marriage, and three sons and one daughter by his second.

His sons, Bodo, Jr., and John A. Otto, took up their father's profession, and both served as surgeons in the Continental Army. They were born in Hanover, Ger- many, and came to Philadelphia with their parents, and thence to Reading. Bodo died in 1782, during his service in the Revolution, leaving three children, one of whom, John C. Otto, was a prominent physician of Philadelphia for many years. John A. returned to Reading after the war closed, where he continued in active practice as one of the leading physicians of his time and locality up to his death, in December, 1834. He was one of the court of justices under the State Constitu- tion of 1776, and was appointed prothonotary of Berks county in 1790. He married Catharine Hitner of Marble Hall, Montgomery county, and reared two sons and five daughters.

His youngest son, Dr. John B. Otto, was a native of Reading, and a graduate of Princeton College and the Medical University of Pennsylvania. At the time of his death, August 2, 1858, he was the oldest physician in Reading, where for half a century he enjoyed a large and varied professional experience. He served for a short time in the war of 1812, and was with the army at York when General Ross was marching on Baltimore. Dr. Otto was married in 1810 to Esther G., daughter of Judge William Whitman. Three sons and three daughters were the fruits of this union. Mrs. Otto survived her husband twenty-two years, and died July 10, 1880. Both were life-long residents of Reading. and prominent in the social and material development of that city.

HON. JOHN AUGUSTUS Orro was for thirty years one of the well known and most highly respected and successful business men of Williamsport. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, August 13, 1814, and was the eldest son of Dr. John B. and Esther G. Otto. He was educated in his native town, and remained at home with

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

his father assisting him in his office and in attending to his large real estate inter- ests. He took a practical course of surveying through Berks and Schuylkill counties, and subsequently spent three years learning the iron business, as clerk with the leading iron manufacturers of Berks and Dauphin counties. He next engaged in exploring his father's unseated lands in the counties of Schuylkill, Carbon, and Clearfield. He opened the coal veins and made some improvements on what are called the Otto mines in Schuylkill county. In 1835 his father purchased the Ma- hanoy Iron Works in the latter county, and the following year our subject commenced operations. He was married, November 23, 1840, to Caroline F. Mohr, of Mohrs- ville, Berks county. In connection with the iron business he was occupied with farming, lumbering, milling, merchandising, etc. He also filled the office of justice of the peace, and in 1849 he was elected to the legislature and served on the com- mittee of domestic manufactures. In 1859 he removed to Williamsport and embarked in the lumber business, which he prosecuted very successfully for many years. In 1870 he purchased the property known as the "Blue Mill," on Third and Grier streets, and carried on a planing mill, to which he added a sash, door, and blind department, and furnished employment to a large number of workmen. At this time he associated with him his two oldest sons, Dr. Luther M. and H. How- ard Otto, and the firm became John A. Otto & Sons. John M. and Frank R. were subsequently taken into the business. The mill was struck by lightning and burned, September 1, 1881, but they immediately commenced rebuilding a more substantial brick structure, which now forms a part of the extensive furniture plant of John A. Otto's Sons. On its completion Mr. Otto retired from active business, though still looking after the welfare of his children. He died, October 1, 1889: his widow occupies the old homestead on Fourth street. They were the parents of ten children, seven of whom are living and residents of Williamsport, as follows: Mrs. William F. Thompson; Mrs. William Gibson; Luther M. ; H. Howard; Mrs. J. H. B. Reese; John M., and Frank R. The deceased are: Anna, Emma, and Augusta, all of whom died in infancy. The following just tribute to Mr. Otto's character appeared in one of the city papers at the time of his death: "Mr. Otto was a thorough gentleman, of easy and unassuming manners, and no citizen of Williamsport is more respected than was he, while there are comparatively few em- ployers held in the esteem which has always been accorded him by his men. As a citizen he was broad-minded and highly regarded in the business and social world. He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran church, and to his liberality that prosper- ous congregation is probably more indebted than to any other man."

DR. LUTHER M. OTTO was born in Taylorsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1846, and is the eldest son of John A. Otto. He received his education in the public schools and at Dickinson Seminary. He served with the Emergency Men during Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, although under age. After completing his education he studied medicine with Dr. Thomas Lyon of Williams- port, and graduated from the Medical University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Otto followed his profession in this city for several years, until he became a member of the firm of John A. Otto & Sons, when he gave up his practice and has since devoted his attention to the varied interests of his business. He was the leading spirit in the organization of the Otto Chemical Company, and has been president of that

John A. Cally

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

institution, and he also originated the American Furniture Exposition of New York City, an enterprise which has proven highly beneficial to the furniture manufactur- ers of the United States. Dr. Otto married Eleanor, danghter of Lindsey Mahaffey, and is the father of five children: Howard M., deceased; Florence; Luther; Delos, and Alice E.

H. HOWARD OTTO was born in Taylorsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Feb- ruary 2, 1848, and is the second son of John A. Otto. He received a public school education, and learned the printer's trade. When Lee invaded the State he went out as a drummer boy with Colonel Trout's Emergency Men, and was the youngest boy to enlist from Lycoming county. In 1864 he graduated from Eastman's National Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York. At the age of seventeen he entered the lumber business, and subsequently became a member of the firm of John A. Otto & Sons, with which he has since been connected. Mr. Otto was one of the founders of the Y. M. C. A. of Williamsport, and has since been closely identified with that organization, and for a number of years its president. For the past seven- teen years he has been a member of the State executive committee, and has been prominent in Y. M. C. A. work in this section of Pennsylvania. He also organized the Woman's Christian Association, and was instrumental in obtaining the aid of

John Wanamaker to the erection of the Home of the Friendless in this city. Mr. Otto is one of the organizers of St. Paul's Lutheran church and Sunday school, and in 1874 he organized a Sunday school in the lumber office of the Otto factory, which is known as St. John's Lutheran Sunday school. He was also one of the founders of the City Mission. He married Mary E., only daughter of the late Col. Phaon Jarrett of Lock Haven, and has two children: Eugene Jarrett, and Caroline MI.

JOHN M. AND FRANK R. OrTo are the junior members of John A. Otto's Sons. The former was born in Taylorsville, Schuylkill county, December 14, 1S5S, and the latter in Williamsport, February 2, 1861. John M. was educated in the public schools of Williamsport and at Dickinson Seminary, and afterwards attended school at Kingston, Pennsylvania, and Cheshire and Waterbury, Connecticut.

He is a member of the firm of John A. Otto's Sons. Frank R. received his education in the Williamsport public schools, and at Norristown, Pennsylvania, and Williston Sem- inary, East Hampton, Massachusetts. He read law with William H. Armstrong of Williamsport, and was admitted to the Lycoming county bar. He became a member of the firm of John A. Otto's Sons in 1SS2 and has since devoted his attention to that business.

NEHEMIAH SHAW is the oldest lumberman in Williamsport, and was born in War- ren county, New York, July 7, 1814, son of Nathaniel and Clarissa (Wheeler) Shaw, natives of that county, and farmers by occupation. Mr. Shaw was reared in his native county, and obtained his education in the schools of that period. He learned the carpenter's and millwright's trades, at which he worked for some years, and afterwards engaged in the lumber business at Fort Edward, New York. In 1852 he came to Williamsport, and began operations on the West Branch. He brought with him the first flat gang saw mill, which was erected on the river, and he is thus recognized as the pioneer in the business. He built a saw mill at Lock Haven, known as Blanchard, Gregg & Company's mill, which was the first one built in that town, and he operated it for twenty years. He next built his present saw mill in

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

Williamsport, and associated with him Paul B. and George B. Merrill, under the firm name of Shaw & Merrill, which was changed to M. Shaw & Company. In 1890 Paul B. Merrill died and his brother, J. C. Merrill, was admitted to a partnership. This firm operates extensively in Lycoming, Clinton, Potter, Elk, and Clearfield counties, and is one of the largest and most prominent lumber firms in the West Branch valley, manufacturing about 15,000,000 feet of lumber annually. Mr. Shaw is a stockholder in the Williamsport and Binghamton railroad, and is one of the charter members of the company. He is also a stockholder in the Demorest Pub- lishing and Sewing Machine Company, and is one of the solid and substantial busi- ness men of Williamsport. Mr. Shaw was married in 1837 to Rachel, daughter of Ira Cole, of Warren county, New York. She died in February, 1888, and was the mother of one daughter, now deceased, who married Paul B. Merrill. He is an active Republican, and during his residence in Lock Haven he was a member of the council nine years. November 10, 1891, Mr. Shaw was again married, to Nellie Shannon.

EBENEZER B. CAMPBELL was born in Johnstown, Renfrewshire, Scotland, March 4, 1820, and was a son of D. W. and Jeanette (Black) Campbell. He left his native land at the age of fifteen, and emigrated to New York City, where he found employ- ment in a drug store. Soon afterwards he came to Tioga, Tioga county, Pennsyl- vania, and began clerking in a general store, thence removed to Manchester, on Pine creek, and took charge of the lumber mills of Phelps, Dodge & Company. He remained there several years, and in 1849 went to Phelps Mills, and had charge of the company's business at that place up to 1871, when he came to Williamsport to assume control of the Dodge lumber mills in Newberry. He filled this position up to his death, July 17, 1890. During a period of forty-six years he was prominently connected with the lumber interests of Dodge, James & Stokes, and its successor, the Pennsylvania Joint Lumber and Land Company, and was the principal business man of that institution throughout its different administrations. The success of the business was principally due to his wonderful euergy and keen foresight, and the best years of his life were devoted to the interests of that company. Mr. Campbell was married in 1847, to Encie, daughter of Elijah Depui of Tioga county, Pennsyl- vania. She died in June, 1854, leaving two sons and two daughters: William E. D .; Elijah, deceased; Jennie, and Jerusha, wife of T. A. Updegraff. Mr. Camp- bell was again married, to Mary A. Imms, of Brooklyn, New York, who survives him. Seven children were born of this union: Eben B., Jr .; Elijah; Henry; Charles, and Catherine, both deceased; Frank, and Mary; the five living children are resi- dents of Williamsport. Mr. Campbell was a member and trustee of the First Baptist church, and in politics he was a Republican. For a number of years he was a trustee and director in Bucknell University, and was a liberal contributor to every worthy object. He was a kind-hearted and generous man, and enjoyed the respect and confidence of the best citizens of his adopted home.

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 87

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