History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 107

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424

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M. K. WATKINS, cashier of the First National Bank, was born in Miners- ville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, June 11, 1851, and is a son of James and Mary A. (Kear) Watkins, natives of Wales, who came to America in 1851 and reared a family of five children, four of whom are living: Ann, Mrs. Robert Wilson; William; Lizzie, and the subject of our sketch, who was reared in his native county, educated in the public schools of Miners- ville, and at the age of fourteen years began life for himself as a telegraph messenger, the first in that place. While acting in this capacity he learned telegraphy, and in 1871 located at Mt. Carmel, where he received the appointment of ticket and freight agent of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad, which position he filled five years, to the satisfaction of the com- pany and the public. In April, 1875, he embarked in the book, news, and stationery business in Mt. Carmel, conducting the same until November, 1878. In 1879 he established the Mt. Carmel News, which he successfully conducted alone until 1885, when he disposed of a half-interest to Professor E. E. White, and in 1887 disposed of the balance to his nephew, R. J. Wilson. January 29, 1889, he was elected cashier of the First National Bank of Mt. Carmel, which position he now holds. He was one of the main organizers of that institution, having disposed of a large majority of its stock, and is the largest stockholder. He was also one of the prime movers in the organization of the Mt. Carmel Water Company in 1883, and also in

Barney Henery

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the Edison Electrical Illuminating Company, of which he is president, and is the largest stockholder in both institutions. He is a member of the Citi- zens' Building and Loan Association, of which he has been secretary ten years. In fact, there have been few public enterprises attempted at Mt. Carmel in which the aid and influence of Mr. Watkins have not been felt. He is a man of great business energy and commendable public spirit, and is always ready to extend substantial encouragement to every enterprise that has for its object the welfare or advancement of his adopted home. He was married, July 8, 1880, to Sarah J., daughter of the late Richard Curnow, a pioneer coal operator of Mt. Carmel. Four children were the fruits of this union: James Marshall; Shirley S .; Matthew K., and Richard Vivian. Mrs. Watkins died, December 27, 1889. She was a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Mt. Carmel, and contributed liberally towards the erection of the present church edifice. Mr. Watkins is treasurer of the board of trustees of that church, is a member of the F. & A. M., chapter and commandery, the I. O. O. F., and R. A. He is an ardent and influential Republican, and is now (1890) president of the borough council.

THOMAS M. RIGHTER, of the firm of T. M. Righter & Company, general merchants and coal operators, is one of the best known and most prominent citizens of the anthracite region. He is a native of Berwick, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and a son of Dr. W. W. and Jane F. (McNair) Righter, natives of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. His father was a well known physician of Berwick and Mauch Chunk, and died at the latter place at the early age of thirty-three years. Our subject was reared in Mauch Chunk and received a good education. He first engaged in clerking, and was afterwards ap- pointed United States mail agent between Mauch Chunk and Janesville, Pennsylvania, and later was timekeeper in a foundry in the former city. He was an engineer of construction on the Lehigh and Susquehanna railroad, now a portion of the Jersey Central, and was afterwards weighmaster of the Lehigh and Susquehanna railroad at Upper Lehigh, and subsequently mining engineer and assistant superintendent of the Upper Lehigh Coal Company. From 1876 to 1882 he was superintendent of Sandy Run colliery, and in the latter year removed to Mt. Carmel and embarked in the coal business as a member of the firm of Montelius, Righter & Company, successors to Montel- ius, Robinson & Company, proprietors of the'old Stuartville colliery. Mr. Righter has operated these mines very successfully, mining about one hun- dred fifty thousand tons of coal annually. In October, 1882, the present store was established by Montelius, Righter & Company, and on the 1st of January, 1886, T. M. Righter & Company succeeded the old firm. Mr. Righter is recognized as a man of enterprise and commendable public spirit. He is a director in the Edison Electrical Illuminating Company and president of the Mt. Carmel Water Company, and was one of the principal promoters of the latter enterprise. He has taken an active. interest in educational

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matters, and has been a member of the school board for six years and presi- dent of the board five. He is a member of the board of managers of the Miners' hospital, located at Ashland, Pennsylvania, and devotes much time to the interest and welfare of that institution. Besides his local interests he is also connected with the Midvalley Coal Company at Wilburton, and Oak Hill colliery, near Minersville, operated by Leisenring & Company; he is inter- ested in the Moosic Mountain Coal Company and the Mt. Jessup Coal Com- pany near Scranton, and is a director in the First National Bank of Shenan- doah. He is politically a Republican, is a member of the Presbyterian church, and is connected with the Masonic fraternity. He has always taken a deep interest in the growth and progress of his adopted home, and is a lib- eral contributor towards the development of its social and material institu- tions.

DANIEL D. BOLICH, dealer in boots and shoes, was born in Barry town- ship, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, July 22, 1850, son of Charles and Sarah (Dengler) Bolich. His paternal grandfather, Michael Bolich, was a native of Pennsylvania and a pioneer of Schuylkill county. His great-grand- father, Andrew Bolich, was a native of Connecticut, a Revolutionary soldier, and one of the first settlers of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. His mater- nal grandfather, Daniel Dengler, was a son of George Dengler, a resident of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, as early as 1812, and there erected the first hotel in that town, now known as the Merchant's Hotel. His father, Charles Bolich, was born in Schuylkill county, learned the shoemaker's trade, and resided in his native county until the spring of 1864. He then came to Mt. Carmel and embarked in the boot and shoe trade, which he carried on until his death, July 27, 1872, at the age of fifty-two years. He was appointed postmaster of Mt. Carmel by President Johnson, September 27, 1865, and served in that office nearly three years. To Charles and Sarah Bolich were born the following children: Daniel D .; Susan E., wife of T. J. Klace; T. Eliza, wife of Dr. James L. Seibert; Charles I .; Newton A .; Michael O .; Sadie E .; Abraham L., and David W. Our subject came to Mt. Carmel with his parents in the spring of 1864. He worked in his father's shop for a short time, and for two years served as deputy postmaster. He afterwards remained in his father's employ until the death of the latter, when he suc- ceeded to the business which he has since conducted. Mr. Bolich was mar- ried, September 9, 1880, to Emily, daughter of Benjamin and Catharine (Burchfield) Hartshorn, of Clearfield county, Pennsylvania. Three children have been the fruits of this union: Charles; Wayne, deceased, and Newton. Politically Mr. Bolich is a Republican, and an enterprising and progressive citizen.

HENRY T. JOHN, merchant, was born in Locust township, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, September 23, 1835, son of Abia and Jane (Teats) John. His paternal grandfather, Asa T. John, was a son of Abia John, a

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native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, and later a resident of Northum- berland county. Asa T. was born in Chester county, and lived and died in Ralpho township, Northumberland county. The maternal grandfather of our subject was John Teats, a pioneer farmer of Shamokin township, North- umberland county. Abia John, father of Henry T., was a tanner by trade, but in later years engaged in farming, and died in what is now Ralpho town- ship, near Bear Gap. He reared a family of six sons: Daniel T., of Ne- braska; Henry T., of Mt. Carmel; Asa T., a member of the Fourteenth United States Regulars, who died at Fairfax, Virginia, in the fall of 1863; Lloyd G., of Nebraska; Josiah E., who also served in the Fourteenth United States Regulars, and is now residing on the old homestead in Ralpho town- ship, and Jeremiah M., of Mt. Carmel. The subject of this sketch was reared in Columbia and Northumberland counties, received a common school education, and at the age of sixteen began teaching in the public schools, which vocation he followed some time. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers, as second sergeant, and was honorably discharged at the expiration of nine months' service. In September, 1864, he enlisted in Company H, Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and served in the ranks until the close of the war. He participated in the battles of South Mountain, Antietam, Cedar Creek, Gordonville, Five Forks, and other engagements, and was present at the sur- render of Lee at Appomattox. After the war Mr. John settled in Mt. Car- mel, where he has resided up to the present. In 1869 he embarked in the gen- eral merchandise business, in which he has since been successfully engaged. In June, 1863, he married Mary E., daughter of Silas H. and Eliza (Runk) Johnson, of Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and has seven children living: Silas C .; Charles L .; Clarence E .; William H .; George W .; Abia F., and Milton. Mr. John is a member of the F. & A. M. and the G. A. R., is vice- president of the Mt. Carmel Water Company, a director of the Electrical Illuminating Company, and a stockholder in the First National Bank. Polit- ically he is a stalwart Republican, and has served two terms as chief burgess of Mt. Carmel.

WILLIAM McFEE, retired merchant, was born at Ayrshire, Scotland, January 26, 1831, son of George and Mary (Armour) McFee. He was edu- cated in his native land, where he also learned the trade of carpet weaver, at which he was engaged seventeen years in Scotland. He immigrated to America in 1863, and first located at Branch Dale, Schuylkill county, Penn- sylvania, where he remained six months. After removing to various places in this part of the State, he came to Mt. Carmel, July 1, 1866, where he has since resided. During the first few years Mr. McFee worked in the mines and at his trade, and in 1868 embarked in the candy business on a small scale, enlarging his business from year to year. In 1870 he estab- lished a general mercantile business, which he continued until 1888, when

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he retired in favor of his son George. December 31, 1851, he married Margaret, daughter of John and Mary (Gibb) Weir, of Ayrshire, Scotland, and to this union have been born five children: George; Mary, Mrs. James Shaffer; Jeannette, Mrs. Alexander Hunter; John, and William. Mr. and Mrs. McFee are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics he is a Republican.

JOE GOULD, dealer in general merchandise, was born in Belmont, near Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, April 21, 1840, a son of Will- iam and Catherine (Hill) Gould. His father was a native of Bristol, Eng- land. He came to America in early life, and enlisted in the United States Navy, in which he served eight years. He then located in Pottsville, Penn- sylvania, where he was engaged as a huckster for many years, and in later life was boss and clerk for a coal company in Taylorsville, Pennsylvania. In 1866 he located in Mt. Carmel, and died there in 1870. His widow still survives him at the age of eighty. She was a daughter of John Hill, a miller of Berks county, Pennsylvania, whose wife, Mary Boone, was a de- scendant of Daniel Boone, the celebrated Kentucky pioneer. The family of Mr. Gould consisted of eight children: Maria, Mrs. A. B. Cochran; Joseph; Mary; William; Lizzie, Mrs. John Reith; John; Kate, Mrs. John F. Ostler, and George B. The subject of our sketch was reared in his native county; he served in the war of the Rebellion, enlisting September 21, 1861, in Com- pany F, Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and re-enlisted in the same company and regiment, January 1, 1864. He was honorably discharged, July 24, 1865, quartermaster sergeant of the regiment. In 1866 he located in Mt. Carmel, where he was contractor in a steam saw mill one year, when he accepted a position with the Coal Ridge Coal and Improvement Company, until 1867. He then located in Bath, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, where he held the position of superintendent of roofing slate quarries two years. He returned to Mt. Carmel, where he was station agent for the Le- high Valley railroad two and one half years, when he accepted a position as clerk for William Montelius, which position he held until March, 1878. He then embarked in the general merchandise business with Frederick Gross, which partnership existed up to January, 1887, when he purchased his partner's interest, and has since conducted a successful business alone. Mr. Gould was twice married: his first wife was Elizabeth M. Laurie, of Easton, Pennsylvania; the second, Sarah D., daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Lerch) Culp, of Ashland, Pennsylvania, by whom he has had two children: Anna C., and Joseph W., deceased. Mr. Gould is a leading merchant of Mt. Carmel, and one of its most enterprising citizens. He is a member of the F. & A. M., G. A. R., and R. A. Politically, he is a stanch Republican.

OSCAR H. SILLYMAN, merchant, was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Jan- uary 26, 1830, a son of John and Margaret (Bobb) Sillyman. His paternal grandfather, James Sillyman, was a native of Pennsylvania, and an early

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settler of Schuylkill county, where he died. His maternal grandfather, Con- rad Bobb, was a pioneer hotel keeper of Schuylkill county. John Sillyman, the father of our subject, settled in Pottsville about 1818; he was one of the first rivermen to raft coal to Philadelphia, and helped to develop the coal interests of that section. He was superintendent of collieries for many years, and was recognized as one of the most successful superintendents in the Pottsville region. The last twenty years of his life he lived retired. Our subject was reared and educated in Schuylkill county, and began his busi- ness life when a boy in the mines, where he worked in different capacities with the view of being trained for the superintendency. In 1847 he became clerk in a general store in Pottsville and served in that capacity up to 1853. He then engaged in business for himself for a period, after which he had charge of stores for different persons in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, until 1865, when he came to Locust Gap, and embarked in merchandising. In 1868 he removed his stock of goods to Mt. Carmel, where he has since done a general mercantile business. Mr. Sillyman has always taken a deep interest in the public schools, is a Mason, and has been an ardent, uncom- promising Republican since the inception of that party.

THOMAS SCOTT, manufacturer, was born in Northumberland county, Eng- land, February 24, 1836, and is a son of John and Mary (Patton) Scott, who came to America in 1837, settling at Mine Hill Gap, where his father was engaged in mining ten years, when he removed to what was then known as Payne's Patch, where he sunk the second slope in that valley. After a resi- dence of seven years at that place he removed to Plymouth, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, where he was superintendent of mines seven years. In 1861, after a short stay at Hazelton, he located at Locust Gap, this county, where he was superintendent of mines until his death in 1869. He had five chil- dren: Thomas; Mary A., Mrs. Henry Eckman; Elizabeth, Mrs. George Roudenbush; George, and James. The subject of our sketch settled at Lo- cust Gap, this county, in 1861, where he was outside superintendent of a breaker three years. He then engaged in the hotel business at that place until June, 1867, when he sold out and engaged in farming in New Britain, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, eighteen months. In 1869 he settled in Mt. Carmel, where for fifteen years he was engaged in the hotel business. In the spring of 1885 he embarked in the wholesale liquor business, in which he is still engaged. In June, 1889, the Progress Hat and Cap Manufacturing Company was established, of which concern Mr. Scott is president and treas- urer. He was one of the prime movers and one of the charter members of the Mt. Carmel Water Company, and has been its efficient superintendent since its organization. He is a director of the Citizens' Building and Loan Associa- tion, and a stockholder of the Edison Electrical Illuminating Company. In 1862 he married Sarah, daughter of Christian Gunsett, of Locust Gap, and has seven children living: Minnie; Oscar; Frank; Alex .; George; Katie, and

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Sallie. Mr. Scott is a prominent and leading citizen of Mt. Carmel, a member of the I. O. O. F., and in politics a Republican.

SAMUEL A. BERGSTRESSER, hardware merchant, was born in Union county, Pennsylvania, December 26, 1816, son of John and Ann (Auchmuty) Berg- stresser, of Scotch Presbyterian ancestry. His paternal grandfather was Philip Bergstresser, a native of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, a farmer by occupation, and a pioneer of Snyder county, where he died. His mater- nal grandparents were Samuel and Ann (McMahan) Auchmuty, who resided at Fisher's Ferry, Northumberland county, as early as 1772. Samuel Auch- muty was drafted in the war of the Revolution, in which he served four years, participating in the battles of Monmouth, Valley Forge, Long Island, Germantown, and elsewhere, under General Washington. He resided in this county until his death. John, father of our subject, was a millwright by trade. He settled at Fisher's Ferry, this county, in 1817, and built a saw and grist mill, which he operated nine years. He then removed to Ber- rysburg, Dauphin county, and followed his trade in connection with farming up to his death in 1833. He was the father of ten children: Jacob; Will- iam; Mary, Mrs. Joseph Shipman; John; Lot; Phebe, Mrs. Jonathan Hoff- man: Samuel A .; Hannah, Mrs. Daniel Rumbarger; Asa, and Julia, Mrs. A. B. Sprout, all deceased but Asa and Samuel A. The latter came to this county in 1817 with his parents, removed with them to Dauphin county in 1826, and returned to Northumberland county in 1834. He worked as a millwright until 1846; he then located at Elysburg, and embarked in the general merchandise business, which he successfully continued for twenty- three years. In 1870 he removed to Mt. Carmel and engaged in his present business; his son, Samuel E., has been associated with him since 1876. Mr. Bergstresser was married, June 9, 1846, to Elizabeth, daughter of John and Eleanor (De Witt) Case, of this county, by whom he had seven children, of whom two are living: James C., editor and proprietor of the Insurance World, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Samuel E. Mrs. Bergstresser died, April 27, 1869. January 16, 1872, he married Ann M., daughter of Dr. Joseph C. Robins, of Elysburg, Pennsylvania, who died, March 25, 1873. Mr. Bergstresser is an elder in the Presbyterian church, of which he has been a member many years. In 1853 he represented Northumberland county in the legislature, and in 1860 he was a delegate to the national Republican convention at Chicago which nominated Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. Politically he has been a stanch Republican since the organization of the party.

DAVID CAMP, merchant, was born in Elysburg, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, November 22, 1834, a son of Benjamin and Magdalena (Hinkle) Camp. His paternal grandfather, Henry Camp, and maternal grandfather. Abram Hinkle, were pioneer farmers near Elysburg; both died near Bear Gap and are buried in the Reed Church cemetery. Henry Camp had seven

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children: Benjamin; Samuel; David; Lambert; Mary, Mrs. John Long; Sarah, Mrs. Daniel Hill, and a daughter who married Daniel Bloom, all of whom are dead. Benjamin Camp, a carpenter and farmer, removed from Elysburg to Columbia county, Pennsylvania, in 1839, and died there in 1873. He had ten children who grew to maturity: Abraham; William, killed in a breaker, August 8, 1854; Samuel; Benjamin; Daniel; David; Lavinia, Mrs. David Everett; Mary, Mrs. Jacob Culp; Hannah, Mrs. Joseph Boyer, and Sarah, Mrs. Joel Cox, all living except William. The subject of this sketch was reared in Columbia county, received a limited education, learned the carpenter trade with his father, and at the age of twenty-one years started out for himself. He was a resident of Centralia, Pennsylvania, thirteen years, where he worked at his trade eight years, and conducted a drug store five years. In 1872 he settled in Mt. Carmel and in 1875 embarked in the lumber business, in which he continued thirteen years. In November, 1886, he en- gaged in the general merchandise business, and still continues at that occu- pation. His first wife was Lavinia, daughter of Peter and Mary (Taylor) Persing of Columbia county, by whom he has two children: Edward A. and Robert E. His second wife was Phebe Persing, by whom he has seven children living: Ida, Mrs. Robert Davis; Joseph; Stella; George W .; May; Carrie, and Garfield. Mr. Camp is a member of the Lutheran church, and is con- nected with the F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., and K. of M. He has served as councilman and member of the school board of Mt. Carmel several terms. Politically he is a Republican, and in November, 1890, he was a popular candidate of his party and borough for the legislature, but was defeated.

E. C. TIER, merchant, was born in Utica, New York, in 1840. He received his early education at the common schools, and at the age of seventeen left home and followed the sea for eighteen months; on his return he received further education at the Academy of Clinton, New York, a private school at Waterville, and under private tuition at Woodtown, New Jersey. In Sep- tember, 1862, he enlisted in Company H, Twelfth New Jersey. Volunteers. He received a very severe wound in the battle of Gettysburg in 1863, after which he was promoted to corporal, then to sergeant, and afterwards to first sergeant. Just before the siege of Petersburg he was honored with a first lieutenancy, and with that rank was discharged at the close of the war. Mr. Tier is a Republican, and has served as councilman of Mt. Carmel; he is now a member of the school board, of which body he is treasurer.

LOUIS JOHNKOWSKI, merchant, was born in Nakel, Reg Bezirk Bromberg, Province of Posen, Prussia, April 17, 1857, and is a son of Louis and Mary (Smoczkiewicz) Johnkowski. He was reared and educated in his native country, and came to America in 1872, locating at Shamokin, this county, where he was occupied as a barber six months. In 1873 he settled in Mt. Carmel, where he conducted a barber shop five years. In 1878 he began teaching music, which vocation he followed until 1885, when he be-

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came manager of the general merchandise business of Partica & Lubeski, which position he held until August, 1888, when he embarked in his present business, and has already built up a large and successful trade. August 31, 1876, he married Lizzie, daughter of Joseph and Susan (Weaver) Neal, of Mt. Carmel. Mr. Johnkowski is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic church, of which he has been organist since 1884. Politically he is a Democrat.

ISAAC GOLDSCHMIDT, clothing merchant, was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, December 24, 1847, son of Henry and Hannah (Shoenhouse) Goldschmidt, natives of Germany. His father came to America in 1840, and located in Baltimore one year; he then went to Cincinnati, where he remained fourteen years, thence in 1855 to Iowa, residing there thirty-two years, and in 1887 located in Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania, where he still resides. He is a cabinet maker by trade, and has followed that occupation fifty years. He is the father of five children: Isaac; Max; Dorothea; Abraham, and Lewis. His wife died in 1887. The subject of this sketch was reared in Cincinnati, where he received a common school education. He began business life at the age of fourteen as clerk in a general store, which occupation he followed for some time. In 1870 he located in Shamokin, where he was book-keeper for Strouse & Company seven years, when, on the dissolution of the firm, succeeded by W. H. Douty, he became manager of the business three years. In 1880 he removed to Mt. Carmel, where he embarked in business on an individual basis. He is now proprietor of the leading clothing house in Mt. Carmel. He married, October 5, 1873, Amelia, daughter of Solomon and Amelia Wolf, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They are the parents of eight children, of whom seven are living: Charles; Helen; Saidy; Hattie; Jennie, deceased; Amy; Solomon, and Joseph. Mr. Goldschmidt is a member of the I. O. O. F., and a director in the Edison Electrical Illuminating Com- pany. Politically he is a Democrat.

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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 107

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829- Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424