USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. II > Part 28
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BIOGRAPHICAL
Mr. Huy married Miss Mary Jane Raudenbush, daughter of llenry S. Raudenbush of Schuylkill Haven. They have no children. Both are members of the Reformed church. Fraternally Mr. Huy is a member of the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a past officer in the former. In politics he is a Republican, but aside from the office which he is now holding has never aspired to positions of public trust. He is a man of absolute integrity and unassailable character.
Irwin, John J., the capable fire boss of the No. 5 colliery of the Lehigh Valley Coal Company, is a son of John and Hannah (Sweeney) Irwin and was born in Girardville, on May 25, 1869. His parents were both born in County Mayo, Ireland, and the father came to this country in 1862, locating in Girardville. For many years he was employed about the mines, but is now retired and lives in Connerton. He was twice married and the subject of this sketch is the eldest child of the first union, the others being Patrick, Michael and Maggie. His second marriage was to Mary Dougherty, and the six children of their union arc : Mary, wife of Thomas Kane; Anthony ; Bridget ; Thomas; Maggie (2d) ; and James, deceased. John J. Irwin was reared in the parental home in this country and his scholastic training was secured in the common schools. His early educational advantages. however, were rather limited, as at the age of ten years he went to work as a slate-picker in the mines. From that time until the present he has been employed in various capacities about the mines of Schuylkill county, and he has served in his present position since 1899. Sept. 19, 1894, was celebrated Mr. Irwin's marriage to Miss Maggie Gaughan, a daughter of Anthony and Mary (Short) Gaughan. Mrs. Irwin's parents are natives of County Mayo, Ireland. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Irwin has been blessed with six children, Hannah, Margaret, John, Marie, Joseph (deceased), and Florence. The family are all communicants of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church of Girardville. Fraternally Mr. Irwin is affiliated with the Ancient Order of Hibernians and in his po- litical convictions he is a Democrat. For the past twelve years he has been a member of the board of school directors.
Jenkins, William S., M. D., the leading physician of Sheppton, was born in England, his parents being David W. and Emily (Sellman) Jenkins. The place of his nativity was Bilston, in Staf- fordshire, and the date Jan. 17, 1861. Besides the doctor there were four children in the family. Samuel and Walter, twins. Charles, and Fanny. The last mentioned is the wife of Elliott A. Oberrender, of Freeland, secretary of the Coxe estate. When the subject of this sketch was but five years of age his parents came to the United States, locating in Ebervale, Luzerne county. There the doctor attended the public schools until he was seven- teen years of age, in the latter few years of the time spending his summers in work on a breaker and his winters in the school- room. In his twenty-fourth year he enlisted in the United
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States Army hospital service as a steward and renamed in it for a period of five years. It was during this period that his desse for a medical training was developed, and he determined to become a physician. With the money he had saved he te- moved to Philadelphia when his period of service was over and matriculated in the Jefferson Medical college. When he had com- pleted the course, in them, he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine and located in Shoppton, where he has since that time been carrying on a general practice Oct. 3. 1801. Dr. Jenkins married Miss Florence Downing, daughter of Joseph and Elza (Stokes) Downing. Mrs. Jenkins has a brother, William. and a sister, Ela, wife of Dr. Joshua A. Morton, living in Allen town Dr. Jenkins is a member of the Church of England and his wife of the Methodist Episcopal congregation of Allentown. In politics the doctor favors the Republican doctrines as regards affairs of national import, but exercises his own judgment as to the fitness of candidates for local offices. He stands high in fraternal circles, especially in the Masonic order. He is a mem- ber of Hazle Lodge, No. 327. Free and Accepted Mayons; Harle Chapter, No. 277. Royal Arch Masons, and Mount Vernon Com- mandery, No. 73. Knights Templars. In the last named depart ment he is a past eminent commander. He is also identified as a life member with the Jefferson Medical college alumni asso ciation. Dr. Jenkins father before coming to this country was private secretary to Earl Dudley in his big iron works. He was an expert accountant by vocation and after coming to Luzerne county obtained employment as such with the Stout Coal Com- pany, with whom he remained for twenty-six years. The mother is still living, and although in her seventy-seventh year, is still in wonderful possession of her mental faculties. The doctor holds high rank among the members of his profession in the county. and personally no one can be more courteous and genial than he.
Johnson, Henry B., justice of the peace, insurance agent and a prominent citizen of Girardville, now deceased, was a son of Silas H. and Eliza (Runk) Johnson, and was born near Cata- wissa, Pa. June 12, 1835. Although his educational opportunities were limited,-four terms of three months each of schooling being all he was able to acquire in the public schools-by private study and several terms' attendance at the Elysburg seminary he pre- pared himself for teaching, two terms of which he taught in Barry township and two in Butler township. His early life was spent on the farm and during the long vacations he drove a log team between Columbia county and the Delaware river. In 1854 he located in Ashland to take charge of the store of Jonathan Faust and the postoffice. Mr. Faust being then in service as the first postmaster of Ashland. For eight years he was in the employ of Mr. Faust, and during that period opened for him the first store established in Gordon. Then he came to Girardville, in 1862. and entered business as a teamster, hauling coal from the old Preston No. 1 colliery to Preston No. 3. from which place it was shipped.
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This was during the Civil war, when there were no other means of transportation to be had., From this he went into the grocery business, but after an unsuccessful two years in it be closed out the business which he had started and entered the employ of another grocer. Twelve years later he removed to Scranton and opened a drug store, but, not being a licensed druggist, he learned in a few months' time that it was an unprofitable venture, and returned with his wife to Girardville. In 1894 he was elected justice of the peace. Thereafter he was continuously re-elected at each successive election, being incumbent of that office at the time of his death. In Sept., 1896, Mr. Johnson embarked in a small way in the insurance business, which yielded him a profit- able income. Mr. Johnson's wife was formerly Miss Charlotte Lloyd, a daughter of William Lloyd, the pioneer coal operator of Pottsville and Minersville. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson; William S., the only son, succumbed to typhoid fever in his twenty-fifth year; Lillial E. is the preceptress of the Keystone state normal school at Kutztown; Mary Elisa is a trained nurse, practicing at East Orange, N. J .; Emma H. is the wife of J. Linwood Eisenberg, supervising principal of the schools of Royersford, Pa .; and Gladys Lloyd, the youngest daughter, is at home. Mrs. Johnson is a devout communicant of the Church of England and her husband was affiliated with the Girardville con- gregation of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was a Repub- lican in his politics and besides the office of justice of the peace was councilman and served on nearly every election board while he was a resident of the borough. Fraternally he was well known as a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Aqua Lodge, No. 737, of Girardville, and of Ashland Lodge. No. 294, Free and Accepted Masons, of Ashland. With the exception of five years he was the incumbent of the office of secretary of the Girardville organization from the time of its inception. Although well advanced in years, Mr. Johnson retained a wonderful in- tellect, was keenly alive to everything passing about him and was a sagacious business man, holding the respect and esteem of all his fellow citizens. Mr. Johnson has entered into his eternal rest, his demise having occurred peacefully at his home, with his family about him, on June 4, 1907, at which time he lacked but eight days of three score years and twelve. He closed a life of great usefulness ; his advice and opinions were worthy of pondering. because they were founded on practical considerations and sound. hard sense; he was a man of the "old school," few of whom are to be found in the present generation, and he had many qualities well worthy of imitation.
Johnson, Rev. Samuel, who is the beloved pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Port Carbon, was born at Birmingham, Eng- land, Aug. 31, 1864, a son of Samuel and Hephzebah Johnson. His parents brought him to the United States when he was less than a year old and it was in the Pottsville public schools, in which city the family located, that he received his earliest schol-
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
astu training, finishing it with a course in the Philadelphia schools. He graduated from the high school when he was seventeen years of age and then learned the bat-fimsher's trade, in the famous John B. Stetson works. He remained at this vocation for twelve years and then took up a collegiate course to prepare himself tor the ministry. His ordination as a minister of the gospel came about 1802 and his first charge was a small town in kansas. From there he went to Tannersville. Monroe county, Pa., thence to Richmond, Northampton county, and later to Hulmeville, Bucks county ; Quakertown, and then Marietta, in order. From the last named place he came to l'ort Carbon, where his pastorate has been most highly satisfactory to his congregation and pleasant to himself In 18t was celebrated Mr. Johnson's marriage to Miss Sallie Musselman, daughter of Samuel Musselman. Of the two sons born to this union, one. Edward A. survives. He is employed by the Bethlehem Steel Company, at South Bethlehem, l'a. Rev. Mr. Johnson takes no active part in politics except where the question of temperance is the issue, when he takes the part of the Prohibition party. In other issues, however, he generally sides with the Republican party. He is a man whose ideals are of the highest and whose life is one worthy of emulation.
Jones, David A., a member of the Schuylkill county bar whose home is in Minersville, was born in Dowlais, Glamorganshire, Cymru, on May 9. 1842. He is a son of William D. Jones and Margaret Jones. The family came to this country in Dec., 1842. The father was a fire boss and repair foreman about the mines until his death, which occurred in his fifty-second year, in 1858. some twelve years after his wife's demise. Of the four children in the family the subject of this sketch is the sole survivor, all the rest of the family having been buried at Minersville, Pa. He received the educational advantages of the public schools at Minersville and then went into the office of Judge Edward Owen Parry to study law. In 1864 he was admitted to the bar and has since that time been continuously engaged in the practice of his profession. His chier office is in Pottsville, but he has an office at Minersville, where he makes his home. During the Civil war he was a member of the state militia upon two different occasions -one being at the time of Lee's invasion of the state. He was commissioned second lieutenant by Governor Curtin. Mr. Jones was married in 1865 to Miss Mary Bedlow, a daughter of William and Mary Bedlow, the former of whom was superintend- ent of mines for more than a generation. The children of their marriage were nine in number, eight of whom are now living. William P., the eldest, graduated at Pennsylvania State college as an electrical engineer and also graduated as a physician at the medical school at Burlington, Vt. Margaret R. graduated at Pennsylvania State college and is the wife of Professor John Price Jackson, who is at the head of the electrical engineering depart- ment at that college. Howard H. graduated at Pennsylvania State college as a mechanical engineer and studied law for two
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years in his father's office. He is now employed by the steel trust in their offices at Chicago. Elizabeth F. attended Pennsylvania State college and was employed there for several years afterward. She is the wife of Professor H. P. Wood of the electrical depart- ment of the University of Illinois, at Urbana. Antionette B. at- tended Pennsylvania State college and is now a teacher in the public schools at Minersville. David A. Jones, Jr., graduated at Pennsylvania State college as an electrical engineer and is now employed in the offices of the General Electric Company, at Schenectady, N. Y. Helen Gwenydd graduated at Darlington Seminary, Westchester, Pa., was two years at Wilson college, Chambersburg, Pa., and is now a senior at Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. Mary is an invalid, and Joseph died at the age of eight months. For thirty-six years Mr. Jones has been a member of the board of school directors of Minersville and secretary there- of for over thirty years, and he is still a member and secretary. He has been ambitious that his children should receive the best of educational advantages and has spared no means to allow them to acquire scholastic advantages. He himself is a man of broad culture and intellectual attainments, an excellent attorney and an esteemed and respected citizen.
Jones, Henry L., a retired merchant of Shenandoah, was born in Llanasa parish, Flintshire, Wales, July 20, 1841. His parents. John and Laura (Lloyd) Jones, were both natives of north Wales, where they passed their lives, the father being a mechanic and contractor in the lead mines. He died at the age of forty-one years. His widow survived him for many years and died at the age of eighty-seven. They had a family of three sons and one daughter. The daughter died in childhood; Robert, the eldest of the family, if now living, is a resident of Scotland; Ellis lives in Denbighshire, Wales. In 1869. Ellis and Henry L. came to America and located at Pomeroy, Ohio, where for about a year they engaged in mining bituminous coal. In 1870 they came to Shenandoah. Here Ellis' wife died and he returned to his native land, as above noted, where he is now engaged in mining opera- tions. After coming to Shenandoah, Henry L. Jones followed inining for about twenty years, when he engaged in mercantile pursuits, as a wholesale dealer in flour and feed, later handling a full stock of groceries and provisions. He continued in that line until Feb., 1905, when he retired from active business. Before leaving his native country he married Miss Jane Jones, who lived in the same neighborhood as his parents. No children were born to them, but they adopted a son and a daughter, both in their infancy. The son, named John Henry, died in childhood; the daughter is now Mrs. Emily L. Rudd, wife of John T. Rudd, living with Mr. Jones, Mrs. Jones having died on July 22, 1904. Mr. Jones is an ardent supporter of the principles of the Republican party and has always taken an active part in political work. For thirty-six years he has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, now holding his membership in Shenandoah
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SCHR YLKILL COUNTY
Lange, So 59 He has filled all the principal offices in the sub- ordinate lodge and the encampment and was for many years a member of the degree team in Shenandoah Lodge. He is also a member of the American True Ivorites, in which order he has been local treasurer for more than twenty years; has represented his lodge at fourteen different meetings of the grand lodge in dif- icrent cities and states ; was treasurer (for 1903-1905) of the grand lodge and representative to the grand lodge of America. In his religions affihations he was for many years a Calvinistic Metho- dist, but he now belongs to the Baptist church. He has always been an active participant in and a liberal contributor to church and Sunday-school work. In the Calvary Baptist church is a beautiful memorial window, placed there by him to commemorate the many virtues of his deceased wife. Mr. Jones has always shown great interest and activity in the uplifting of the masses. Believing that every family ought to have a home of their own, he has taken a Lading part in the work of the Mutual Building and Loan Association, having been one of the directors of that organization for over twenty years, and president for the last five years, as well as president of the building committee of the a -- sociation. Through this association homes have been acquired by a number of persons who otherwise might have remained tenants to the end of their days.
Jones. Ira B., editor of the Minersville Free Press, was born m the borough where he now lives. Oct. 10, 1877. He comes of good Welsh stock, his parents, John R. and Margaret ( Beynon) Jones, having been born in Wales. The father came to the United States in 1852 and settled near Minersville, where he engaged in mining until the amputation of one of his legs made further work of that kind impossible. From about 1860 until the time of his death, on Sept. 3. 1002. he was engaged in the mercantile business, and his store became one of the landmarks of Minersville. He was the father of a large family of children, twelve of whom are living. The subject of this sketch attended the public schools of Miners- ville and then rounded out his education in the Pottsville com- mercial school. Then he found employment at different collieries a- paymaster and clerk, leaving that work in 1901 to go to Mil- waukee where he lived for three years. Ill health compelled his going to the south and he went into southern Alabama where he became proprietor and editor of the Baldwin Times, a weekly newspaper. In Apr. 1006, he returned to Minersville and pur- chased the paper and plant of the Free Press, which he has been operating ever since, with signal success. On June 12. 1902. was celebrated Mr. Jones' marriage to Miss Lydia G. Robertson, a daugh- ter of the late George and Elizabeth (Woolcock) Robertson, of Mount Carmel. Pa .. the Robertsons being well known coal oper- ators. Mrs. Jones is a member of the Presbyterian church and her husband is a chapter Mason. He is a clean, honest business man, and an esteemed and respected citizen
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BIOGRAPHICAL
.Jones, Reuben, a clerk in the Miners' National Bank at Potts- ville, is a descendant of some of the pioneer families of Schuylkill county. His paternal grandfather, Charles Jones, a Pennsylvanian by birth, settled in East Brunswick township in the early part of 1800, and there followed his trade of shoemaker and the vocation of farmer for many years. His old account book, dating back to 1801, is now in possession of the subject of this sketch. Charles Jones died in Schuylkill county and his remains rest in the ceme- tery at the Old Red church. The maternal grandfather was George Heisler, who spent all his life in Schuylkill county, and held the office of justice of the peace for many years. He and his wife both died in Pottsville and are buried in the Presbyterian cemetery. Reuben Jones, the father of the subject of this re- view, married Sallie Heisler, and after working at his trade of shoe- maker for several years engaged in farming in East Brunswick township. He and his wife both died there and are buried at McKeansburg. They had a family of nine children who grew to maturity, viz: Rebecca and Mary, twins, Reuben, George, Em- ma, Daniel, Eliza and William and Caroline, twins. Rebecca mar- ried John Brenner ; Mary married Benjamin Seltzer; George is in Chicago; Emma is the wife of Daniel Frantz; Daniel died at the age of about fifty-five, at Wichita, Kan., and was buried there ; and Eliza is the wife of Jacob Maley. Reuben Jones was born at McKeansburg, April 26, 1842. He received a limited education and did not learn to speak English until he was about twenty years old. In 1862 he came to Pottsville, where he was employed in a general store. In 1863 he enlisted as an emergency man in Company B, 27th regiment. Pennsylvania state militia. His com- mand burned the bridge at Columbia during Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, which terminated in the battle of Gettysburg. Af- ter a service of six weeks he was honorably discharged, and re- turned to his place in the store, where he continued until 1865. On Nov. 1. 1866, he was appointed watchman in the Miners' Na- tional Bank, and has ever since been connected with that institu- tition, holding his- present position since 1878. Mr. Jones is one of the bank's most trusted employes. Every year he has a vaca- tion of two weeks and on these occasions he has visited many points of interest in the United States, Canada and Bermuda. He is a member of Gowen Post. No. 23. Grand Army of the Republic : Lily of the Valley Lodge, No. 281. and Franklin Encampment, No. 4. Independent Order of Odd Fellows: and belongs to the Ger- man Reformed church. On March 20, 1864, Mr. Jones and Miss Hannah Bachman were united in marriage. Her parents, Daniel and Mary (Saul) Bachman, were natives of Pennsylvania, but of German descent. Mr. and Mrs. Jones became the parents of four children, two of whom survive. David Milton Jones lives in New York city, where for the past five years he has held the position of tenement house inspector. He married Florence Shand and they have one son, David Gordon. Ida Elmira lives at home with her father. The mother of these children entered the life eternal on March 3. 1905.
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Jones, Thomas G., For twenty -five years principal of the high school at St. Clair, has exercised the additional function of super- intendent of schools in the same borough for several years past. He is a native of Schuylkill county, having been born at Silver Creek, also known as New Philadelphia, July 28, 1852. His parents were Griffith and Laura (Thomas) Jones, of Welsh extraction. His father
miner,
in comfortable circumstances.
sufficiently iure -
handed to gratify his son's ambition for better educational advan- tages than those afforded by the public schools. At the age of thirteen years young Jones left the schools and secured such em- ploy ment as he was able to perform in and about the mines. Ile continued thus employed until he was eighteen, and he again entered school during the labor strike of 1872. Here he was chosen as an assistant teacher in the ungraded district school in which he was a student. In 1873 he attended a normal training school conducted by the county superintendent of schools, Mr. Newlin. He taught school the following term, and then accepted a position in the lumber regions of Clinton county for the succeeding six months. He was employed in teaching during the winter follow- ing this engagement, and during the following summer attended a normal school conducted by County Superintendent Weiss. Dur- ing all of these years of study, whether in the normal schools or in the privacy of his own room. Mr. Jones had in view the completion of the prescribed course in the Keystone state normal school, at Kutztown, and he finally took the graduating examina- tions, securing a state certificate. With this evidence of superior qualification, he applied for positions of higher grade and larger recompense, but has had practical and successful experience in teaching, from the primary departments to the high schools. He also graduated from a summer school in 1888. As intimated at the beginning of this article Professor Jones has been continuously employed as principal of the high school at St. Clair for the last twenty-five years, in addition to which he has also had general superintendence of the schools of that borough during a consider- able portion of the time. Professor Jones is prominently asso- ciated with educational circles throughout the state, having held the responsible position of chairman of the permanent-certificate committee. He has been secretary of the Schuylkill county teachers' institute for a number of years, and has always wieldled a potent influence in the advancement of the educational interests of his native county. In religious affairs he has sustained active relations with the Baptist church for many years, and has served as superintendent of the Sunday School for twenty-five years. He is an active member of the St. Clair Lodge. No. 285. Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has served four years as district dep- uty grand master : he is a member of Anthracite Lodge. Free and Accepted Masons, and of Camp No. 75. Patriotic Order of the Sons of America. Mr. Jones has been twice married. first, on August 11. 1881. to Elizabeth Greenwood, to which union three children
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