History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 99

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

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pany B, One Hundred and Thirty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers. James and Will- iam were members of the same company, and after their terms of enlistment expired they re-enlisted in the Seventh Cavalry. David enlisted in Company G, Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and subsequently served as captain of Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-first Regiment. Our subject received a common school edu- cation. and at the age of seventeen hegan clerking in the store of Ario Pardee, of Watsontown, and was serving in that capacity when Lincoln made his first call for troops. He immediately enlisted in Company G, Eleventh Pennsylvania Volun- teers, and served in the ranks three months. After his discharge he returned to Watsontown and resumed clerking. In May, 1862, he received a commission from Governor Curtin as second lieutenant and recruiting officer. He recruited 131 men in Northumberland and Union counties, and early in August, 1862, he reported with his company at Camp Curtin, near Harrisburg, and was mustered in as captain of Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers. Captain Bly served fourteen months, and besides various minor engagements, he participated in the famous battles of Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericks- burg, and Chancellorsville. After completing his service Captain Bly found employ- ment with the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad Company as civil engineer and was assigned to the Western division, with headquarters at Erie. His duties were con- fined principally to harbor improvement, rights of way, etc., and he remained there until March, 1865. He then located in Pittsburg, and engaged in business as an oil broker, and afterwards operated a refinery. He was forced to abandon this busi- ness, because of the aggressive and grasping actions of the Standard Oil Company. and retired from the oil trade at Pittsburg in 1877. He came direct to Williams- port. and engaged in the same business, but after a short period was again com- pelled to abandon it. Captain Bly then engaged in the marketing of bituminous coal, and in 18SS he organized the Kettle Creek Coal Mining Company. He served as the first president of the company, and is now the general manager. He is the owner of the property known as the White Deer flouring mills, and is engaged in the manufacture of flour and other grain products. Captain Bly is a stockholder in the Merchants National Bank. the Susquehanna Trust and Safe Deposit Company, and various other institutions of the city, and was one of the organizers of the first Board of Trade. In politics he is a Republican, though uot a strong partisan. While living in Pittsburg he served as a member of the city council one term. He has been a member of the school board of Williamsport three years, and was presi- dent of the board in 1SS7 and 1888. During his presidency the high school build- ing, on the corner of Third and Walnut streets, was erected. Captain Bly is a prominent member of Reno Post, G. A. R., and was its Commander in 1891. His family consists of his wife and one daughter, and they are attendants of Trinity Episcopal church.

GEORGE H. SANFORD, proprietor and manager of the Kepford Soap Company, is a son of David B. and Mary (George) Sanford, natives of New Jersey, and was born in Freehold. New Jersey, November 5, 1840. He was educated at the Freehold Institute and in the grammar schools of New York City, and at the age of fourteen, successfully passed an examination for admission to the New York City College. His father intended that he should enter the legal profession but was persuaded by

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the boy to permit him to adopt a business life on condition that his studies should be continued during his spare time. He entered the service of the Hayward Rubber Company in New York City and remained with them and the other companies with which they became associated until 1877, when he was appointed by Christopher Meyer to be the selling agent in charge of the business of the New Jersey Rubber Shoe Company with headquarters at New Brunswick, New Jersey. Mr. Meyer afterward added the Meyer Rubber Company's production to that of the New Jersey Company and Mr. Sanford was given charge of the business of both companies with office and salesrooms in New York City. He remained with these companies until April 1, 1884, when he was persuaded by the president of the American Rubber Com- pany of Boston, totake charge of the sale of their goods. He remained with them only a year-the associations and surroundings being distasteful and the goods manufactured unsatisfactory to him. In the spring of 1885 he accepted the sale of the goods of the Lycoming Rubber Company with his headquarters in Boston, where he continued until May, 1887, when he changed his location to the main office of the company at Williamsport, where he has since resided with his family. In the spring of 1890 he organized the Kepford Soap Company, his object being to provide a business for his two oldest sons. The soap business developed more rapidly than was antici- pated and assumed such proportions that on the Ist of April, 1890, Mr. Sanford was compelled to sever his connection with the Lycoming Rubber Company and devote his entire time and attention to the business of the Kepford Soap Company. Mr. · Sanford has been a Republican in politics ever since the formation of the party. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and was a member of the famous Seventh Regiment of New York City before and during the war. He was married to Kate Stiles, of Rochester, Pennsylvania, in 1866. She died in 1883, leaving a family of five sons. He since married Nora Josten, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, who has borne him two children. The family are members of the Episcopal church.

HUGH McDONALD, manager of the Demorest Sewing Machine Works, was born in Argyleshire, Scotland, July 16, 1852, son of Norman and Jane (Boyd) McDonald. His mother died in 1857, one year after his father immigrated with his family to Canada. Norman McDonald is a man of fine education, and taught in a college in Edinburgh, Scotland, and also in the schools of Canada. While a resident of Can- ada, though not an ordained minister, he occasionally supplied the pulpit in the Presbyterian churches. He now resides with his son in Williamsport. Our subject was educated in the common schools of Montreal, and learned the machinist's trade, which he has worked at for twenty years. In 1877 he located at Rouse's Point, New York, where he started a factory for the Williams Manufacturing Company, and in 1878 he started a factory for the same company in Plattsburg, New York. He had charge of the latter institution, as general manager, until 1889, when he came to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of establishing the plant of the Demo- rest Sewing Machine Company. This he accomplished successfully, and has since been general manager of the works. Mr. McDonald is the patentee of many of the parts used in the manufacture of the Demorest sewing machine; heuce he is an invaluable man to that company. He also has a patent on a bicycle, which the com- pany is now manufacturing. He is agent for Lycoming county for William Jessop & Sons' celebrated steel and machinists' supplies of different kinds. Hehas one-third of

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the stock in the New York Cycle Company, of which he is vice-president, and is a stock- holder and director in the Atheletic Park Association and Junction Passenger Railway Company. Mr. McDonald is prominently connected with the Masonic order, in the lodge, chapter, and commandery, and is also a member of the K. of H. and the I. O. O. F. He is an active supporter of the Demorest Base Ball Club, an institution in which Williamsport takes much pride. Though a Democrat in politics, he takes no active interest in political matters, his duties at the Demorest works requiring his whole time and attention. Mr. McDonald was married in 1874 to Emma J. Saun- ders, of Ontario county, New York, and has two children: Agnes Maude and Harry Collon. He and family attend the Third Presbyterian church of Williamsport.

CHARLES R. HARRIS, manufacturer, was born in Waterville, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, March 29, 1858, son of Jacob and Eliza (Bitters) Harris. He received his education in the public schools, and remained in his native village until he was twenty-one years old. He began the study of telegraphy, but before completing the same he abandoned it and engaged in the general mercantile business at Waterville- for four years. He continued the same business in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, and Cortland, New York, where, after one year's business career, he received an injury in a railroad collision, and was compelled to give up business and spend some time in Florida for the benefit of his health. While living in Cortland he devoted some attention to the invention of a suspender buckle, taking out a patent on his first buckle while living in that place. He has constantly been improving on the first invention from time to time, and now has thirty-two different patents ou . suspender trimmings, and others that are yet in the patent office. He has also invented and patented many other useful articles. In 1885 he located in Jersey Shore, where he began the manufacture of his wire buckles, and removed the busi- ness to Williamsport in 1886. The capacity of the work at Jersey Shore was twenty-five pairs per day; when beginning in Williamsport it was increased to- 1,000 per day, and by being increased continually from time to time, it now has a capacity of 40,000 pairs per day, and is the largest concern of the kind in the United States. Their products are sold in every town in the United States, requir- ing the services of thirty-two traveling men. The present firm consists of Mr. Harris, William and Solomon Silverman, and Joseph E. Austrian. Mr. Harris has- completely revolutionized the suspender business, and has a line of the most complete patents in the country. They employ from 150 to 200 hands, who with their improved methods of manufacture, do the work of 700 to 800. This concern has done a great deal toward the booming of Williamsport, since four other suspender factories have been established in the city and several others in the county, and as they use a large number of paper boxes, they have also been instrumental in making a success of the paper box industry of the city. Mr. Harris is largely interested in the Backus Manufacturing Company, and is a director of the same. He is a Democrat, a member of the Royal Arcanum, is a director in the Y. M. C. A., is president of the board of directors of the City Mission, and with his wife belongs to the First Baptist church, of which he is deacon. He was married in August, 1881, to Ida, daughter of Robert Maffett, and to this union have been born three children: Raymond L .; Mabel, and Charles La Rue.

. ALLEN M. TAYLOR was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, May 15, 1817, and is

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a son of William and Elizabeth (Brown) Taylor, natives of England and Scotland, respectively, who were married in this country. William Taylor was a ship car- penter, and worked in Richmond, Virginia. Allen M. lived in his native county until he was seven years old, when his father died and his mother removed with her family to Nashville, Tennessee; two years later she settled in Fountain county, Indiana, where one of her oldest sons was living. After reaching maturity the sub- ject of this sketch engaged in stage driving. In 1839 he came to Jersey Shore, Lycoming county, and for twelve years was a stage driver between Williamsport and Tyrone. At the end of that period he became agent for the company, and located in Williamsport. He had charge of the stage routes between Williamsport and Tyrone, and from Williamsport to Harrisburg, Lewisburg, and Pottsville. Ten years later Mr. Bailey, a member of the company, died, when Mr. Taylor purchased an interest, and continued in the business as a member of the firm of Eder, White & Company. When the railroad was completed to Williamsport the stage business was abandoned, and since then Mr. Taylor lived in the West until 1SS0, when he returned and makes his home with his son, M. E. Taylor, at the old homestead on Market street. He is a member of the First Presbyterian church. In politics he is a Democrat, and during his early days he took an active interest and was very influential in local party affairs. He was married in 1848, to Sarah E., daughter of George Irvin, of Jersey Shore. She died in October, 1880, leaving two children: William H., and M. E., who is a clerk and superintendent of the Elk Coal and Coke Company.

WILLIAM H. TAYLOR, general manager and treasurer of the Self-Locking Sus- pender Company, was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and is the eldest son of Allen M. Taylor. He was educated in the public schools of the city, up to the age of twelve years, and then engaged as a clerk in the store of Knapp & Thompson. He afterwards clerked for L. L. Stearns several years, and subsequently had charge of the business of A. B. Noyes. He then purchased the grocery business of Crocker & Company, and afterwards admitted his brother, M. E., to an equal partnership, and conducted business under the name of Taylor & Company. Disposing of his store he went to Elk county, where he assisted in organizing the Elk Coal and Coke Company, which was afterwards merged into the Fisher Coke Company, and he was general manager and treasurer. Mr. Taylor became connected with the Self-Locking Suspender Company, January 1, 1891, and has since been the general manager and treasurer. He was a stockholder and director in the Lumberman's National Bank, and is similarly interested in the Susquehanna Trust and Safe Deposit Company. He was a stockholder and director in the Maynard Street Bridge Company, is a director and stockholder in the South Williamsport Land Company, and is a member of the Sus- quehanna Boom Company. He was one of the organizers of the Williamsport Board of Trade, and is a charter member of the Ross Club. Mr. Taylor is a Dem- ocrat, has served in the common council one term, and is a member of the district fire committee. He was married, October 9, 1878, to Lizzie, daughter of Mahlon Fisher, of Williamsport. He is a trustee in the First Baptist church, and for thirteen years has been treasurer of that organization.

FREDERICK MANKEY was born in Prussia, Germany, February 23, 1833, son of Andrew and Gotliebe (Bendit) Mankey. He was educated in his native country, and

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learned the trade of a locksmith and machinist. In 1857 he migrated to America, and was first employed in the machine shop of Davids & Schlouch, of Easton, Penn- sylvania, where he remained for two years. April 1, 1859, he arrived in Williams- port, where he was employed by Philip Moltz for two years, after which he started a locksmith shop on Fourth street. In 1861 he enlisted in Company E, Forth Pennsylvania Reserves, Thirty-third Regiment, was corporal, served one year, and was honorably discharged on account of physical disability. In 1869 he began the manufacture of furniture, and made the first furniture that was disposed of at wholesale in Williamsport. After two years he became associated with D. B. Hubbard, and in 1865 F. W. Page was taken in as a member of the firm of Mankey & Hubbard. This firm was organized into a stock company in 1882 or 1883, and was called the Williamsport Furniture Company, of which Mr. Mankey was president until February, 1889. He then started the Mankey furniture factory at Emporinm, Pennsylvania, and is still interested in the same. In 1886 the Mankey Decorative Works of Williamsport were founded under his patents, and he was president of the same for two years. Mr. Mankey has taken out over 200 patents for general wood decorations. He is a member of Lodge No. 106, A. F. and A. M., Lycoming Chapter, No. 222, and Baldwin II Commandery, No. 22. He was married in 1859 to Miss Magdalene Wirth, who died in 1878, leaving four children: Charles F .; Harry J .; Emily L., and William O. He was again married in 1879 to Miss Emily Volkmar, of Williamsport, and to this union have been born three children: Mary L .; Frederick William, and Charlotte. Mr. Mankey is a Republican in politics, and is a member of the First Presbyterian church of Williamsport.

FRANK T. WYCKOFF, proprietor of the Wyckoff Pipe and Creosoting Company, was born in Elmira, New York, September 17, 1856, son of C. W. and Cynthia (Treman) Wyckoff, natives of New York State. He was educated in the public schools of Elmira, and afterwards attended the Seward's College. In 1882 he came to Will- iamsport and established his present plant, where he has since been engaged in the manufacture of wooden water pipes, wooden casings for steam pipes, tubing for electrical wires, and creosoting lumber. It is the only manufactory of wooden pipes in the West Branch valley, and the only one in the State that prepares creosoted lumber. Mr. Wyckoff does a very extensive business, and since coming to Williams- port has met with gratifying success. He was married in 1878 to E. Anna, daughter of Alexander Corel, of Chemung county, New York, and has one son, Spofford Frank. Mr. and Mrs. Wyckoff are members of the Third Presbyterian church of Williams- port. He is independent in politics, and believes in supporting the man best fitted · for the office, irrespective of his political views. Mr. and Mrs. Wyckoff are decend- ants of old Revolutionary families, Mr. Wyckoff being a member of the Sons of the Revolution Society and Mrs. Wyckoff of the Colonial Dames.

LAVALETTE TABER was born in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, December 11, 1827, son of Nathan B. and Nancy (Granteer) Taber. His paternal grandfather, Bunker Taber, was a native of Massachusetts, and located in Bradford county, Pennsylva- nia, at an early date, where he entered a tract of land, which he cleared and improved. He lived and died on that farm. Nathan B. was born in Bradford county, and received a very good education. He married Nancy Granteer, and located in Canton township, Bradford county, and served as clerk of Canton for

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many years. He was first a Whig, and in after years a Republican. He and his wife were adherents of Universalism, and died in 1862 and 1861, respectively. They reared a family of five sons and three daughters, five of whom are living: Eliza Ann, widow of Seth Loomis; Cyrus; Lavalette; Emily, wife of O. B. Granteer, and George F. The subject of this sketch lived in his native county until he was twenty years of age, and has always been engaged in the lumber business. He first established a saw mill at Greenwood, Bradford county, and subsequently ran a mill for his brother several years. In 1857 he came to Williamsport, and the following year rau a saw mill in West Virginia, then returned to this city and worked for A. T. Nichols, Slonaker & Smith, and Prey & Brown, successively. He afterwards took the mills at Roaring Branch and operated them for three years, and then returned to Williamsport. He engaged in the saw mill business under the firm name of Eyster, Dunning & Taber, which continued up to 1873, and then was changed to Taber & Goodrich. The mill was burned iu 1874, and in 1875 Mr. Taber engaged in the planing mill business, but was burned out in 1885. In 1886 he built his late planing mills and conducted a successful business up to February, 1892. when he was again burned out and has not rebuilt. During the war Mr. Taber worked in the construction corps. He is a Republican, and has served as a member of the council from the Fourth ward for three years. He was married in 1854 to Mary Ann, daughter of Arkey Lake, of Lycoming county. She died in 1867, leaving one child, Charles A. Mr. Taber was again married in 1869, to Gertrude H., daughter of Jesse Harding, of Wyoming county, who has borne him one child. Jesse H. The family are attendants of the Methodist Episcopal church.

WILLIAM SIPE. deceased, was born in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1826, and was a son of Philip Sipe. He settled in Williamsport in 1865, where he soon after engaged in the pottery business, which he had learned from his father, and founded the present firm of Sipe & Sons. He was one of the first residents on West Fourth street above the Park Hotel, where he started his business with three wheels, and did a large and increasing business for many years. At first he manufactured red- ware exclusively, and supplied the country for a radius of 100 miles, being one of the first persons to manufacture that article in Lycoming county. Later he became an extensive dealer in terra-cotta and sewer pipe and also manufactured stoneware. He married Miss Elizabeth Sutton, of York county, who survives him, and to this union were born three children: Alice, deceased; Luther R., and Oscar W. He was a Democrat in politics, a member of Grace Methodist Episcopal church for many years, and died March 26, 1891. His widow lives in Williamsport and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.

LUTHER R. SIPE, son of William and Elizabeth (Sutton) Sipe, was born in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1854. He was educated in the public schools of Williams- port, and learned the potter trade with his father, subsequently becoming a member of the firm of Sipe & Sons. He was married in 1883 to Miss Maria, daughter of John Woolston, of Philadelphia, and to them have been born three children: Mabel; Louise, deceased, and Reba. He is a Democrat in politics.

OSCAR W. SIPE, son of William and Elizabeth (Sutton) Sipe, was born in York county, Pennsylvania, February 8, 1857. He was educated in the public schools of Williamsport, learned the potter's trade with his father, and subsequently became a

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member of the firm of Sipe & Sons. In 1SS2 he was married to Martha, daughter of Tyne Hagenbusch. and to this union were born two children: Boyd and Lewis. Mrs. Sipe died in 1SS5, and he was again married in 1855, to Mollie, daughter of John Lilly, and to this union have been born two children: John and Mary. Mr. Sipe is independent in his political proclivities, and is a member of the Golden Eagle.

PHILIP HAAG was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, November 29, 1535, son of John and Catherine (Montz) Haag. He was reared in his native country and edu- cated in the public schools. He emigrated to America in 1S54, locating in Will- iamsport. where he worked at the shoemaker's trade for nineteen years and conducted a shoe store on West Fourth street for ten years. In 1875 he began moving houses and buildings and did an extensive business in that line. He is also largely inter- ested in real estate, is a Republican in politics, and belongs to the Knights of the Maccabees and the Protective Home Circle. He was married in 185S to Sarah Lehman, and to this union have been born five children: Simon G. ; John P .; Mary, who married Charles Davies; Sarah M., who married Philip Strehley, and Hattie. Mr. Haag and family are members of the Evangelical church.

JOHN VANVORCE was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, October S, 1829, son of Aaron and Lucretia (Churchill) Vanvorce. His father was born on board a ship in Long Island Sound, and his mother was a native of Connecticut. Aaron's parents were natives of Holland, came to America in 1796, and located in New York City. Six years afterwards they removed to Franklin township, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, where they resided upon a farm until their death. Aaron was reared in Susquehanna county, and always followed farming. He was thrice married, and has eight children now living. The subject of our sketch is the second child of the first marriage. He was educated in the public schools of his native county and by private tuition, and remained on the homestead farm until eighteen years of age. He after- wards learned the blacksmith's trade, and in 1852 he came to Williamsport and estab- lished his present business, which he has ever since continued. He is the pioneer blacksmith of the city. where he has carried on business for forty years. Mr. Van- vorce was married in 1854 to Sarah Matilda, daughter of Daniel Billman, and has two children: H. B. and Sallie. In 1862 he went out with the Emergency Men, and was at Chambersburg during his service. He is a member of Reno Post, G. A. R., and was formerly connected with the I. O. O. F. He is a stanch Democrat: in 1857 he was elected assessor of Williamsport aud in 1859 to the city council. and has served nineteen years in the common and select councils. In 1SS7 he repre- sented Lycoming county in the State legislature. and is one of the representative citizens of his county.

MALCOLM MACMILLAN. blacksmith, was born in Scotland, August 6, 1847, son of Stuart and Margaret (Bigbie) Macmillan. His parents emigrated to America in 1849. locating first in Providence, Rhode Island. where the father was a clerk in a mercantile store for a number of years. After removing to Effingham county, Illi- nois. and remaining three years, they returned to Rhode Island, where they lived until their death. Our subject is the seventh of a family of eleven children. He learned the blacksmith trade under Governor Sprague. of Rhode Island, and in 1867 he came to Williamsport, where he has since been engaged at his trade. For

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 99

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