USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > History of Northumberland Co., Pennsylvania. With illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories > Part 52
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At the risk of a little repetition, we subjoin the following description of Sunbury and vicinity, from the pen of ilon. Truman II. Purdy, of this place; it being an extract from his historical oration at the Centennial Celebration of Sunbury, July 4th, 1872:
"The same causes which mude Sunbury an important Indian town, make it an important American city. It is a railroad and commercial evatre-a city in its infiney, surrounded by all the elements of wealth, and by nature's richest scenery. To be cun- vinced of this, go tu the grave of John Mason, upon Blue hill, or up to the obl prospeet chestnut, upon Cutawisa roml, and fenst your eye upon the mmmmatched beauty of the seene, From out the misty distance come the creeping trains nyon six lives of rail. The old cumuls unite their waters with the geutlences of nge. The mighty rocks rise up as sentinels on either side. Pwn growing towns lift up their spires, auml from their stacks seid up the smoky ensign of a nation's toil. View next the green-clad islaunits which seems to rise and slumber in the silvery sheen belos, luved with the rippling waters from these mingling Strquehumans, cuming, as they do, from Wynlusing and Wyoming, on the north, to join the mists of Clearfield auml the silvery fountains of Emporium. What more could nature add, unless it were the hromit, blue mirror of Shamokin Dam ?
" These are stately Susquehannas, Jofning waters for the buy,
And on either slite ure looming mountain shismits, grim and grey. 'Tls n masterpiece of nature, Meture-like from nature's hands, And mentalet it, in Its beauty, our old Indhun rity stundli- Queen of all these rolfing rivers, rich In history subtline, Crowned with gtortes undiminished, from the unremembered thae; Stored with rettes rime und siden, relles which no charm outvlies, Reaching, with their shadowy fingers, back to saured inemortes. Want the marvel that such bounty breathes upon the heart a buul !? What the wonder that such grandeur aukens euterpilse ny will? Why should naturo ont ennoble, linked u Ith urt's chehunting ohutu, Giving Impulse to nur lubor, health andt britfinney tu bratu ? Yes, from out this regul etty, sitting on Its wayy- washed throne,
1
'Tis the standart of Improvement, 'tls by freedomn's toft upheld, And the fornnee-biust suntt fun ti, and ant of nature's field Shul! come the cual and lomber, and the from from earth's breast, To reward os for our Inbor-amt our ums muy tell the rest, When the mos-grown clock of nges shall have tollet for you and me, And have mensured off the summers of another century."
HIUN. ALEXANDER JORDAN.
If genuine yet modest worth entitles any one in a place among these biographical sketches, no one is more worthy of this honor than the gentleman whose name forms the caption uf this article.
Ile was born in Jnyshurg, Lycoming County, Pa., May 10th, 1798. He is the . second ann, and third child, in n family of three sons and four daughters, His father WAS Samuel Jordan, and his mother Ro-anna MeChester, both natives of Pennsylvania. In 1802, the fiumily moved to Milton, where the parents dier, ut an mulvanced age.
When a Indl of about fourteen years of age, yunng Jordan had a military experience of a few weeks, serving in the militia, in the war of 1812, in the capacity of deputy commissary.
After a three years' clerkship in a store in Milton, he repaired to Sunbury, where he became elerk in the office of Mr. Hugh Bellas, at that time Prothonotary of Northumber- land C'onnty, and also an attorney nt lau.
Although possessing a natural bins towards mechanical and artistic pursuits, MIr. Jordan conceived the idea of making the law his profession, and began the study of the samse mmler the ilircetion of Mr. Bellus As his duties in the Prothonotary's office re- quired ull his attention during the day, the young law student was limited to the night time for his study. As evidence, however, of the diligence with which he applied him- self, it may be remarked that even under such disadvantages, he exceeded oven the present demands for admission to the bar.
After the resignation of Mr. Bellas, Mr. Jordan continued to serve as clerk under the sneressive Pruthonotaries, Dr. Geo. W. Brown, and Andrew Albright.
In 1820, he was admitted to the bar, und most successfully practiced his profession in Uuinn, Northumberland, and Montour counties. The bar of Northumberland County, at this time, was composed of some of the most distinguished lawyers of the State-Hall, Bradford, Bellas, Greenough, Hepburn, nad Murr; all belonged to a high order of acquirement and ability.
In 1850, Mr. Jordan wns elected President Juilge of the Eighth Judicial District, without opposition. At the close of his first term, of ten years, at the earnest solicitation of his friends, he became a candidate for re-election, and obtained a huudsone majority over his opponent. He wns likewise solicited, near the close of his second term, to accept a nomination for a third term, but he declined ou the score of feeble health.
Judge Jordan has been twice married; first, on May 11th, 1820, to Miss Mary, daughter of Daniel Ilurley ; und a second time on October 13th, 1858, to Miss Ilannah, daughter of David Rittenhouse, s lineal deseemlant of the celebrated Natural Philoso- pher, David Rittenhouse, of Philadelphia,
In Angust, 1832, he was ordained an elder in the Presbyterian Church, which posi- tion hie still honor ..
For nearly forty years he served as superintendent of the Sunday-school. In politics, he has always been a Democrat, and his first vute was cast for Governor Findlay, of Pennsylvania.
The Judge is now in his seventy-ninth year, and as a professional man, a citizen and n Christiun gentleman, enjoys the profound regard of ull who know bim. In his historienl oration at the Centenninl Celebration of Sunbury, on July th, 1872, Truman II. Purdy, E-q., pays Judge Jordon the following mutual compliment; and, spruking of the lawyers uf olden time, anıl thien, referring to the subject of this sketch, Mr. Purdy says:
"Has not be whose well-remembered voice hus dignified this duy, made this end of a century upon the bench as grand in justice and is eloquent in law, as did the twelve who bare commissions frum their sovereign Lord? We miss him from the benel, but shure the greetings of his social life -- a life well spent, mlorpiel with toil, replete with honor, full of victory."
"A great red mun is gluling down the West,
The shadows lengthen, be his evening bilist,
And may God stay the hour which stuks htm into rest."
146
HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
THE DEWART FAMILY.
This family is of Irish extraction, and has been identified with the interests of Sun- bury from its settlement.
WILLIAM DEWART
.
was born in Ireland, in 1740, and emigrated to America in 1765. For a number of months he worked in Chester County, Pennsylvania, at four or five dollars per month, for the payment of his passage money. He subsequently came to Sunbury, and, in 1775, opened the first store in the town. The building was a log structure, and stood on Chestnut street, between Second street and Centre ulley, on the site of the present resi- dence of Miss Ann Billington. He afterwards purchased a lot on north side of Market street, where he erected a store and residence. He died in Sunbury in 1814.
IION. LEWIS DEWART,
son of William Dewart, was born in Sunbury, in November, 1781. At that time the place was little more than a military just in the wilderness. For many years he was ttsistant in his father's store.
In 1815, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the Pennsylvania Legis- lature, where he served for several years. He was also subsequently elected to the State Senate.
From 1831 to 1836, he was Representative in Congress. He was then returned to the Pennsylvania Legislature, where he was made Speaker of the House of Representa- tives, which position he held for the years 1837 and 1838.
With Stephen Girard, of Philadelphia, and General Daniel Montgomery, of Dan- ville, Mr. Dewart was a prime mover in the coterprise of what was then known as the Danville and Puttsville Railroad. He was also a member of the first board of directors of the same.
In 1840, he retired from active business, and led a private life until April 26th, 1852, when he died at his residence in Sunbury, at the advanced age of seventy-one. His re- mnins rest in the only vault, in the old Sunbury burying-ground. In politics, Mr. Dewart wna a Democrat, and a very waro friend of General Jackson. Ile porsessed a fine per- smal appearance, wus honorable in his dealings, and popular among the people. Ilis wife was Elizabeth Liggett, of Chester County, Pa. He hud but one child-
HON. WILLIAM L. DEWART,
who was born in Sunbury, June 21st, 1820. Much of his boyhood was passed away from the place of bis nativity. Ilis early education was largely obtained at Harrisburg, whither his father took him, and where he remained during a number of sessions of the Legislature, of which his father was at that time a member. He took his preparotory col- leginte course at Diekinson College, Carlisle, Pay and then entered the Sophomore class, in Princeton, N. J., in 1830, where he finished his education, in 1839. Hle then read law with Hon. Charles G. Donnel, of Sunbury, and was admitted to the bar in 1843, and for several years was in partnership with Captain Charles J. Bruner, of Sunbury. In 1850, his father's health fuiling, Major Dewart relinguished the practice of law, and de- voted himself to the supervision of his father's business.
Major Dewort's wife was Miss Rosetta Van Horn, of Williamsport, to whom he was married on June 21st, 1848. He has had three sons and two daughters, one of each now decented.
In 1853, he took a trip to Europe with his family, where he spent abont a year in traveling through Englund, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and other interesting localities.
Among the public janitions which Major Dewart has filled, may be mentioned that of delegate to the National Democratic Convention, at Baltimore, in 1852; also, to the Cincinnati Convention, in 1856, and to the Douglas Convention, in 1860. Ile was also an elector upen the Douglas ticket, from Pennsylvania, in the presidential canvas of 1860. In 1856, Mr. Dewurt was elected to Congress, and served four years.
Since 1860, the Major has withdrawn from public service, and has been devoting his attention to his private business.
Ile is a portly gentleman, of fine appearance, and of genial disposition, and in n very influential member of society,
It is a coincidence, quite striking, that Mr. Espy Van Horn, Major Dewart's wife's father, was the direct predecessor, in Congress, of Major Dewurt's father ; and also, that Mr. William Wilson, step-futher of Mrs. Dewart, was her father's predecessor in the snme house.
GEORGE HILL.
The gentleman whose name we have placed at the head of this biographical sketch, has been for quite a munber of years a prominent member of the Sunbury bar. He is the youngest son of Daniel Hill, a highly respectable farmer, who, a half-century since, ilied in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.
In this county, the subject of this notice was born on the 3d of August, 1821. He was left fatherless at the age of six, and two yenrs Inter, started ont in earn his own living, his mother having no menns with which to provide for her family of two sons and n ¿Imighter. Ilis early history is that of a fatherless boy, struggling to make something of himself amid the difficulties that gather around childhood and poverty. For a number of years he was employed at such farm labor as he could perform, attending school in the winter months, during which time he worked for his bonnl.
An further illustrative of the pecuniary straits through which he was compelled to press, it may be mentioned that, when about twenty-one years of age, having just cam- pleted a three years' apprenticeship at coach-making, in MeEwunsville, he startedl'on foot for New Berlin, to secure a position as journeyman in his trade. The Susquehanna was reached, and young Hill, with a bundle of clothes thruun over his back, presented hin- self before the toll-collector of the bridge nt Milton, for passage. " Tico cents" toll was de- manded -- but not even as much as one cent could be found either in bundle or pockets of this young pedestriun, After some little parleying, and n "promise to pay as soon as he could earn the money," the gate-keeper, seeing that the youth had an honest face, per- mitted him to pivo. In one time the "(wo cents" toll was paid, and the bridge company suffered no loss on account of the leniency of their toll-collector.
HON. SOLOMON MALICK.
This gentleman is n descendant, of the third generation, from David Mahek, one of the early settlers of Lower Angusta Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. This ancestor had his residence near a spring, at that time somewhat noted, upon what is now known as the old Reeser farm. It was situated npon the well-known Indian trail that rodinted front Fort Augusta, southward. The old gentleman entered some twelve Imindred acres of land in the township just named. Here he spent his life and raised a large family of children, nud to each son and daughter he gave a farm. One of his sons was David Malick, Jr., undl father of the subject of this sketch. He was twice married, his first wife being n Miss - Herb, by whom he had two sons and four dunghters. ITis second companion was Miss Catharine, daughter of George Miller, of Upper Mahanoy Township, this County. By this marriage he lind three sons and two daughters, one of the former of whom is now the Hon. Solomon Malick, of Sunbury. He was born in Lower Angusta, June 15th, 1831, and was only two years old when his father died. His mother, under the will of his grandfather, David Malick, was secured in the use of the firm of her husband, and the appliances thereof, until the youngest child wns fifteen years of age.
Young Malick worked on this farm till he was eighteen years old. He then spent some two years in the cabinet-maker's business. Possessing fine talent for vocal music, he early turned his attention to the same, and received instruction in singing from William Youngman, a brother of the editor of the Sunbury Gazette. ITis advancement was rapid, and he soon became distinguished as a singing-muster, and for quite a number of years taught music and gave public concerts with most gratifying success. By this means he obtained funds to aid him in scenring an education, Mr. Malick subsequently received instruction in thorough bass from Charles 8. Nydegger, and also became the author of some choice musical compositions, some of which were published.
At the age of twenty, he repaired to Selinsgrove, where, for a time, he was under the tuition of Dr. J. C. Fisher. This was followed by a four years' term of classical and scientific instruction in the Freeburg Academy, under the efficient caro of Professor Jucob S. Whitman, who was subsequently Professor of the Sciences in the State Farm School in Centre County.
We next find Mr. Malick principal of the Schnagrove High-school, and at the same time rending Inw with George Hill, Esq,, now of Sunbury. On February 23d, 1858, he was admitted to the bar, having passed a highly creditable examination before Judge Wilson and a committee composed of Hon. Isane Slenker, Absalom Swineforil, and Colonel A. C. Simpson,
After a short legal partnership with Colonel Simpson, Mr. Malick accepted a co- principalship in the Freeburg Academy, with Revs. C. Z. Weiser, and J. K. Millett, which continued for several years.
Early in 1858, he married Miss Mary Ann Roush, daughter of Andrew Ronsh, of Freeburg. llis family consists of four sony and one daughter.
147
HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
In the Spring of 1861, he came to Sunhinry, where he has since been engaged in the practise of his profession, during which time he has been ennnected with many lending cases, among them for murder trials, and also the well known MInhanoy robbery trial, which involved some of the Mollie Metinires, und crented intense interest throughont the enmmunity.
In 1866, he was midle County Attorney, and in 1867 was re-appointed by the Com- missioners to the same position. Of this re-appointment, the Sunbury Gazette, a paper politically opposed to Mr. Malick, says;
"The re-appointment of Solomon Malick, Esq, As attorney for this county, by the Commissioners, is a sufficient endorsement of the faithful mummer in which he performed his trust. In the discharge of his duties, it was frequently inenmbent upon him to give advice involving questions of considerable peenniary interest to the county, and, as we have learned, in all instances, his advice resulted to the advantage of the tux-payers. For such service he deserved n re-appointment. We are willing to give proper credit to one who, although a political opponent, has, nevertheless, made an efficient and trust- worthy officer."
Mr. Mulick, also, efficiently served the people as District Attorney for three yents, After which term he declined a re-election.
Early in 1872, he was elected Chief Burgess of Sunbury, and, at the same time, to the town council, composed almost entirely of new members. With this event, dauned a new and important era for Sunbury. Various jmiblic improvements, long badly needed, were now begun,
Under the efficient mlministration of the Chief Burgess, supported by a council of progressive ideas, the borough was, for the first time, lighted with gas. Market square, which, from time inmemorial, had been a dejected-looking sput, and an es cante to every person endowed with even n medinm amount of :esthetic taste and public spirit, wils enclosed with n neat iron fence, and transformed from its former desolated condition into u park of beauty. The fence was erected by George Rohrbach & Son, at a cost of four thousand two hundred dollars, and is a credit In the Sunbury manufacturer. Other inn- provements followed.
Within this year, Chestnut street was graded its whole length; Second street, over a mile; also, Parker, Spruce, and Pine streets, and a portion of Front. Various ponds were filled up, bridge-crossings erected, and pavements laid. A fine town-check, of the Howard manufacture, was nho placed in the court house tower. A plate on the same bears the following mscription:
"Chief Burgess, Solomon Malick. Committee-Wm. L. Dewart, Wm. H. Miller, Projector, H. B. Masser."
In 1873, Mr. Malick was re-elected. The Sunbury Guzette ilis supported him: "We regard our present Chief Burgess as the most efficient our borough hans ever had, while the council have zealously backed him in the works of improvement,"
In 1874, Mr. Malick was elected Chief Burgess for the third time. During his three years' miministration, very great changes were wronghut in the public appearance of the lown, and for many of the improvements the people are indebted to the high-toned enterprise, progressive spirit, and genuine grit of this gentleman.
Mr. Malick is a gentleman of commanding personal appearance, fine sociul qualities, and of unswerving devotion to what he believed to be duty.
T. H. KASE.
'The history of the subject of this notice, involves the off-repeated tale of a young man struggling, through thiscouragenients mal poverty, to elevate hinself to the legitimate honors and rewards of a professional career.
He is the second son and third child in a family of eight, and was born in Northun- herland County, Pn., February 10th, 1834. He jnssed the tint nineteen years of his life on a farm and in a tammery, receiving uly n meagre common-school education. Being desirons, however, to make the law his profesion, and receiving no nid from his father, he was thrown entirely upon his own resources in obtaining the menus to qualify himself for the same. Accordingly, he engaged for u time, respectively, na store-clerk in the patent-right trade, and in the Gre insurance busines; and, indeed, in any work that would enable him to earn an honest dollar. He was prompt, inhuistrions, and frugal.
When about twenty-two years of age, he entered Elyshurg Academy, this County, where he remained about two years, industriously employing his vocations in earning his means of stbsistener. Ile also, for several years, taught school during the Winter BC18(2014. Upon the opening of the Inte war, he served one year in company II, Ninety- third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, going ont, in August, ISBI, us first lieutenant of the Baldy Guards, of Danville, Pa. For most of the time, however, he neted as adjutant of his regiment. In 1862, he resigned his position, amit enme to Sunbury, where he remdl law with Simon P. Wolverton, Esq., till 1865, serving for some eighteen months of the
meantime as Deputy Prothonotary. In March, ISGi, he was admitted to the bar, and has since devoted himself exclusively to his profession, having refused to comply with varientis sulicitations of his friends to allow himself to licenine u candidate for office. In this course, he has exhibited a sound judgment, for it is n principle to which there are but very few exceptions, that un man can properly and thoroughly do more than one thing nt n time. His decision and action in this regard, have been well rewarded by the prition he now ocenpie, as a solid an influential member of the Sunmuy bar.
On March 28th, 1865, Mr. K.ve married Miss Susan A. Govin, of Summary. He has Inil a family of two sons and three daughters, one of each now deceased.
HON. GEORGE W. ZIEGLER.
The subject of this biographical sketch is a native of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and was born May 24th, 1816.
He is the third child in a family of eight-six sans and two daughters-of whom, one of each have dieel. His father, George Ziegler, was nho a native of Gettysburg, and was a lutter by trade. He possessed a finely balanced mind, combined with good, sound common sense. For n number of years he filled official positions in Adams County, under the appointment of the Governor of the Commonwealth, among which may be mentioned these uf Register, Recordfer, and) Prothonotary. His mother was Gertrude Elizabeth Chritzman, who was born in tiermany, and was brought to America when quite young.
His grandfather, Emanuel Ziegler, lived to be nearly one hundred years old, being alent ninety-eight nt the time of his death. It is also n remarkable fact that his grand- father's brothers and sisters lived to be upwards of ninety. His father died at the age of sixty-three, and his mother would have been seventy-four, on the thuy she was buried.
When about seventeen years of age, young Ziegler was apprenticed to the printer's trale, mader Jacob Lefever, of tiettyshurg, where he remained nearly three years, While this employed, he improved his spare time in study, and took n course in the Greek anil Latin elassies, reciting in the evening to one of the professors in the Pennsylvania Col- lege, in Gettysburg. Ile luul previmisly enjoyed only the meagre advantages of the oll-time subscription school.
From Gettysburg, Mr. Ziegler repaired to Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was employed for about three years in the printing establishment of his brother, Jacoh Ziegler. While here, he rend Inw under the instruction of Sammel A. Porviance, then of Butler, but now uf Pittsburg, and was admitted to the bar in Butler, in 1840.
Ile then opened un office in Kittanning, Pennsylvanin, where he was engaged in his profession for about three years. After this he removed to Brookville, Jefferson County, and there resided for n peril of fifteen years, Ile here enjoyed n very extensive and successful practice, but, owing to ill health, nus compelled to seek some other locality. Accordingly, he left Brookville, though at a time when his business was in its zenith of prosperity, anil located in Selinagrove. In less than two years afterwards, however, he came to Sunbury, where he has since resided. This was in October, 1864.
In the Autumn of 1854, Mr. Ziegler was elected to the House of Representatives of the Pennsylvania Legislature, and re-elected in 1853. This was the district at that time composed of the counties of Jefferson, Armstrong, and Clarion,
In the Fall of 1861, he wus again sent to the Legislature, from the district comprising Jefferson, Elk, Cameron, and Clearfiehl counties.
In 1870, he was a candidate for nomination for President Jurlge for Northumberland County, on the Democratic ticket, and rarriedl the empty by two hundred and sixty-one anjority over all competitors, but lost the nmnination by frauds perpetrated in some of the townships.
Mr. Ziegler has made his profession u specichy, und has enjoyed a very successful legal practice, especially on the criminal docket. He pebots a great amount of genial humor, is a fine public speaker, and is highly esteemed for his urbane and gentlemanly bearing. For many years he has been a leading mewher of the Presbyterian denomi- nation.
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