History of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, Part 13

Author: Ingham, Thomas J., 1928-
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 464


USA > Pennsylvania > Sullivan County > History of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania > Part 13


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which he still enjoys. He makes a specialty of the diseases of women and children and also of the diseases of the nose, ear and throat. He was appointed pension examiner in September, 1898, and is an honored member of the Bradford County Medical Society and the State Medical Society. He is also a Knight Templar Mason and a member or the Improved Order of Red Men.


On the 18th of April, 1888, the Doctor was united in marriage with Miss Della J. Fleming, a daughter of John and Zelphia (Rogers) Fleming, of Forksville, and they now have a little son, William Ralph. born June 5, 1893. Both the Doctor and his wife are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church and hold an enviable position in social circles.


C CHRISTIAN HEINZE, a well known resident of Fox township, Sullivan county, is a good type of the thrifty Ger- man citizens of our country who have done so much to aid in its growth and develop- ment. Like most of his countrymen, he is loyal to the land of his adoption, and when the Civil war broke out he espoused the cause of the government and offered his services to sustain the rightful authorities. His record is that of a brave soldier, who never shirked his duty and was always ready to respond to the call to action.


Mr. Heinze was born in Swartzburg, Reidelstadt, Germany, May 14, 1832. His father, Andus Heinze, was born in the same place and was a charcoal-burner by occupa- tion. He married Christina Honn, also a native of Swartzburg, who died in Germany. After her death the father came to this country, in 1856, with one son, Frederick, and located in Sullivan county. He died


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in New York city, at a good old age. Fred- erick died September 2, 1898, aged sixty-one years and nine months. Both were mem- bers of the Lutheran church. Four chil- dren were born to Andus Heinze and wife, one of whom died in infancy: August, de- ceased; Christian, the subject of this sketch; and Frederick.


Christian Heinze received a good com- mon-school education in his native land, and when fourteen years old began to help his father at charcoal-burning. He was nineteen years old when he set sail with the others of his family for the United States, the voyage being a very tedious one, as this was long before the days of the "ocean grey-hounds" of the present time. A se- vere storm also delayed the travelers, and fifty-six days were consumed in making the trip. For a time young Heinze lived with an uncle at Poughkeepsie, New York, from whom he learned the shoemaker's trade, then took charge of a crockery store in New York city. In 1862, the second year of the Civil war, Mr. Heinze enlisted and was assigned to Company B, Twentieth New York Infantry, in which he served for nine months, spend- ing most of the time in Virginia and taking part in the battle of Sharpsburg, and in the movements against Fredericksburg. He was in the hospital for many inonths, suffer- ing from chronic diarrhea and intermittent fever. In weight he was reduced from one hundred and sixty-five to seventy-five pounds, and he has never entirely recovered his health.


Our subject was united in marriage March 1, 1855, the Miss Katinka Flemming, daughter of Frederick and Johanna Chris- · tiana (Gender) Flemming. Her parents were natives of Germany and came to New York in 1853. Their children were Augusta, Matilda, Christian, Theresa, Emelia, Chris-


tiana, Christy, Louise and Frederick; two are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Heinze have one son, Carl, who married Miss Carrie Goeckler and has three children, -Anthony, , Lillie and Elenora. Mr. Heinze has a fine farm of fifty acres and is in comfortable circumstances.


J HI. LEPSCHI, superintendent of the Standard Wood Company's plant at Lopez, this county, was born in Buffalo, New York, March 21, 1870. He is a son of Clemens and Caroline (Eckhart) Lepsch, and a grandson of Clemens Lepsch, a na- tive of Wurtemberg, Germany. His grand- father learned the trade of carpenter and followed it in the fatherland until his death. He had two sons, Charles and Clemens, both of whom came to America to live. Charles was for about thirty years a prosper- ous carpenter of Buffalo, New York, where he died. Clemens Lepsch, the father of our subject, was born in Wurtemberg, Novem- ber 14, 1840, and served five years in the German army. He embarked for this country when twenty-six years old, locating at Buffalo, New York, where he was engaged as lumber inspector for a number of years. While living in Buffalo he was married to Caroline Eckhart, also a native of Wurtem- berg. After a ten-years residence there he moved to Salamanca, New York, and was again engaged in the lumber works until 1880. He moved to Carrollton, New York, and was again engaged in the lumber busi- ness, till his death, August 8, 1882. He had always affiliated with the Republican party. His wife lives at Bradford, Penn- sylvania. They were the parents of five children, viz .: Clemens, superintendent of the Standard Wood Company at White Haven, Pennsylvania; J. H., the subject of


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this biography; Charles, a machinist for the Standard Wood Company at Bradford; Elizabeth, living with her mother at the saine place; and William, a bookkeeper for the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad, at Bradford.


J. H. Lepsch received his educational training at the schools of Carrollton and Salamanca, New York. He was but twelve years of age when his father died; and he soon afterward obtained employ- ment in a sawinill at Carrollton, New York, where he remained five years. The follow- ing five years he worked at bundling kin- dling wood for the Standard Wood Com- pany, at the same place. In 1892 he went to Bradford and worked in the machine shops until 1896, wlien he came to Lopez, Sullivan county, and took charge of the kindling- wood factory for the Standard Wood Com- pany at this point. This firin does an ex- tensive business, having seventeen factories in operation.


Mr. Lepsch was united in matrimony to Miss Sadie Torrance, a daughter of David Torrance, of Bradford. They have two children-Ada P., born June 6, 1896; and Hazel R., born March 21, 1898. Mr. Lepsch was made a Mason February 28, 1896, at Salamanca, New York, and united with the Knights of the Maccabees at Car- rollton, that state, April 3, 1888.


C HRISTOPHER HOPE, postmaster and a prominent merchant of Mildred, Sullivan county, Pennsylvania, posesses that valuable quality of versatility or adaptability which is a prominent element of the American character and which by its exercise in international commerce is be- ginning to attract world-wide attention and regard. Mr. Hope is of Irish extraction


and for the success which he has attained in life his own efforts deserve full credit.


He was born at Lovelton, Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, November 3, 1862, the son of Peter F. and Marcella (Reilly) Hope, now residents of Lovelton. Peter F. Hope was born in Ireland, in 1836, the son of Christopher and Eliza Hope, who re- mained in their native land throughout life. Peter F. was a young man of twenty-one wlien he resolved to seek a new home in America. He settled at Lovelton, married Marcella Reilly, the daughter of Bernard and Ann (Cunningham) Reilly, and there engaged in farming. To Peter F. and Marcella Hope were born. these children: Christopher, subject of this sketch; Bernard, Edward, Bartholomew, Francis, Charles, George, Elizabeth (Mrs. John Corcoran), Anna (Mrs. Edward Schultz), Mary (Mrs. Malloy), Margaret, Susan (Mrs. Michael Murray), Catherine, and Marcella,-all living.


Christopher, our subject, the eldest child of his parents, remained at home, assisting in the work of the farin until he reached the age of twenty-three years. He then started out for himself in life. For six months he was in the woods at Big Shanty, Mckean county, Pennsylvania, and then he returned home for a year. Again he en- gaged in lumibering at Lopez, this state, and then was connected with a hotel at Dushore. Returning to Lovelton he farmed for two years, then in 1893 he engaged in his present mercantile business at Mildred. In February, 1894, he was appointed post- master at Mildred. In politics he is a Democrat and in religious faith a Catholic. Socially he is a member of the order of the Knights of Labor, and is highly esteemed.


Mr. Hope was married at Dushore, in April, 1890, to Miss Anna Burke, a native


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of Ireland, the daughter of William and Ann (Sullivan) Burke. William Burke was born in county Galway, Ireland, November 4, 1833, the son of Michael and Mary (Cun- ningham) Burke. Of the five children of this latter couple two-John and Margaret -died young; three came to America: Thomas, now a farmer of Colley township, Sullivan county, Pennsylvania; Michael, a shoemaker of Lopez, this county; and Will- iam, the father of our subject's wife. The parents died in Ireland-Michael in 1868, aged ninety-two years, and Mary in 1858, aged seventy years. William Burke was married at Tyna church in county Galway, Ireland, June 22, 1860, to Ann Sullivan, who was born in county Tipperary, same country, in 1833, daughter of Patrick and Mary (Donnelly) Sullivan, who remained in Ireland. After his marriage William re- inained on his father's farm until two years after the latter's death, then, in 1870, he emigrated to America. He settled at Du- shore, where he worked for four years on the track for the Jackson & Millett Coal Com- pany, and after the road changed hands he continued with the new owners until 1879, when he entered the Bernice coal mines. In 1888 he purchased from Joseph Marshall his present farm and in 1895 retired from coal-mining and has since engaged in farın- ing. He is in politics a Democrat and a member of the Catholic church. The chil- dren of William and Ann Burke are as fol- lows: Mary, Mrs. Patrick Lynch, of De- troit, Michigan;' Margaret, Mrs. John Temple, of Detroit, Michigan; Michael, who died young; Ann, wife of our subject; Thomas, a resident of Cleveland, Ohio; Tracia, Patrick and Dennis, at home. To our subject and wife have been born the fol- lowing children: Zetia, Mary, Florence, Corentha, Frances and Helen. 13


M ILTON BATTIN, who lives in Fox township, near Piatt, this county, was born in the neighborhood where he still lives, April 18, 1839. His father, Joseph Battin, the son of Marshall and Mary (Hoagland) Battin, was also born in Fox township and married Nancy Bagley, a na- tive of Bradford county, and the daughter of Eason and Esther Bagley. To Joseph Battin and his wife twenty children were born, of whom those named below grew to years of maturity: Milton; Mary (Mrs. Hoppes); Harriett (Mrs. Reibsan); Reu- ben; Lamartine; Amy (Mrs. Savacool); Lu- cinda (Mrs. Fry); Clarkson, James and Henry, who live in Michigan; Marshall, who died when sixteen years old; and Larue, who died when fourteen years of age. The father died May 22, 1890, aged seventy- seven years. He followed farming during most of his life. He was a strong Repub- lican in political belief and a birthright mem- ber of the Society of Friends. His wife, who was a most estimable woman, a de- voted wife and mother, and a kind neigh- bor, departed this life in February, 1878, when fifty-five years old.


Oursubject spent his early youth and man- hood on his father's farm, attending the dis- trict school and performing such tasks as fall to the lot of a country lad; but when the Civil war broke out his patriotism was roused and with hundreds of others, young and old, he responded to the call of President Lincoln for seventy-five thousand volunteers, en- listing in October, 1861, in Company B, Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania Infantry, under Captain Henry Metcalf, of Dushore, J. Rich- ler Jones being the colonel in command of the regiment. He served for three years and three months and saw much severe fighting, being in the battles of Zuni, Vir- ginia, December 11, 1862; two battles of


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Sandy Ridge, April 18 and 20, 1863; Gum Swamp, May 22, 1863; Batcheller's creek, May 23, 1863; and Cold Harbor, June, 1863. He was taken sick at Fortress Mon- roe and was for some time in the hospital. Being granted a furlough he returned home, subsequently going to Philadelphia and re- ceiving an honorable discharge at German- town, Pennsylvania. His record as a sol- dier is one of which he may well be proud, and he now receives a pension from the government.


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The marriage of our subject to Miss Eliza Higby took place March 24, 1865, in Fox township, Sullivan county. Mrs. Bat- tin is a daughter of William Higby, whose great-grandfather, also named 'William, once owned the whole of Long Island and sold it for a few dollars. William Higby's wife was Miss Julia Ann Olds, who was born in Massachusetts and whose father was a soldier in the war of 1812. Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Higby, of whom one is deceased. The others are: Martin, Emma, Eliza, Charles, Laura, Will- iam, Esther, Celestia, Perley, Julia Ann and Darwin. The father died in August, 1860, at the good old age of eighty-five · years, and the mother is now living with her son Sylvester Higby in Daviess county, Missouri.


Mr. and Mrs. Battin are the parents of four children: Ethelind E., the wife of Frank Williams, of Fox township: they have one child, Harry Burt; Esther E., who married Charles P. Tinkham and has one child, Ray Randell; Henry M., who lives in West Burlington, Pennsylvania; and Charles Garfield, unmarried.


Mr. Battin has two good farms, com- prising one hundred acres in all, under ex- cellent cultivation and on which are a com- modious house, large barns and all needful


appliances for carrying on a well regulated farm. He also has a good orchard and plenty of small fruits. In politics he is a Republican and is always ready to work for the good of his party. He has been a mem- ber of Jones Post of the G. A. R. at Forks- ville and is popular in all classes of good society.


H IRAM W. OSLER .- The gentleman whose name heads this sketch is one of the best known and most popular and en- terprising men in Sullivan county, where he was born January 18, 1858, in Elkland township, and where he has always made his home. His grandparents, John and Jane (Myres) Osler, were natives of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, respectively, and came to Sullivan county at an early date.


Jeremiah M. Osler, grandfather of our subject, was the first settler in what is now Lincoln Falls, Elkland township, where his grandson Hiram now resides. He was the proprietor of the woolen mills at that place for many years and was a prominent and influential citizen. He married Miss Julia Brown, who was born in Sullivan county, a daughter of George W. and Mary (Snyder) Brown, old settlers of the county. Ten children were born to this union, two of whom died in childhood. Those living are: Hiram W .; Newton, who resides at Dushore; Joseph, who lives at Fall Brook, Tioga county, Pennsylvania; Lillie, who is the wife Grant Little, of Laporte, Pennsyl- vania; Nellie, who married Moses Randall, of Elkland township; and Boyd, at home.


Hiram W. Osler was reared on the home farm, where he was taught lessons of industry and honesty. He obtained a good, practical education in the public schools, to which he has added in his later years by


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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.


general reading and observation, and is one of the best informed men in the county. He has an excellent farm of fifty acres near Lincoln Falls, on which he erected a good house, commodious barn and other out- buildings. He is a zealous Republican and has done much for the party, his advice be- ing generally sought by the leaders in polit- ical affairs in this section of the country. He has held a number of public offices with credit to himself and to the satisfac- tion of his constituents, and on November 8, 1898, was elected sheriff of Sullivan county, taking office the first Monday in January, 1899.


Mr. Osler was married June 26, 1882, to Miss Sadie King, a daughter of J. A. and Jane (Converse) King, the former a native of Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, and his wife of Sullivan county. The father died in October, 1894, and his wife in May, 1869. Their family consisted of four chil- dren: Alice R., and Scepter, deceased; Susy Kate, the wife of Albert Kay, of Forksville, Pennsylvania; and Sadie, wife of our subject. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Osler, namely: Ira E., Sydney I., Marion I., John King and Susanna.


W WILLIAM JAMES McCARTNEY, one of the busiest, most energetic and most enterprising men of Sullivan county, Pennsylvania, has for several years been identified with the Lopez Manufacturing Company, of Lopez. Endowed by nature with a strong character, he was so sur- rounded in childhood that his latent powers were developed and strengthened and he be- came a successful business man. In the prosecution of his business there has been manifest one of the most sterling traits of


his character-his desire to carry forward to the highest perfection attainable any- thing that he undertakes.


Mr. McCartney was born in county Ty- rone, Ireland, October 10, 1837, a son of James McCartney, a prominent contractor and builder and merchant near Dungannon, that county. Our subject attended school in Belfast, Ireland, until nine years of age, when the family removed to Manchester, England, where he learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, and then worked at the same in that country for two years. At the end of that time he went to sea as carpen- ter's mate, but a month later was promoted as ship's carpenter, and he later purchased a half interest in a vessel, remaining upon the water for thirty years. He first landed in America in 1859, and in 1880 took up his residence here, locating first at Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked at his trade for a time. Subsequently he was made general foreman and superintendent of construction for a large firm of contract- ors, and on leaving their employ he en- gaged in contracting on his own account. In 1884 he removed his machinery, which he had previously purchased for a door, sash and blind factory, to Sheepshead Bay, New York, and operated the same in part- nership with J. Y. McKane for a short time, selling his interest in 1887 on account of an injury he had received and going into the country for his health. While idle, he con- ceived the idea of manufacturing kindling wood for the city markets, and soon after- ward built a large plant at Lopez, Pennsyl- vania, which, with two partners, he oper- ated for several years. At one time the plant was totally destroyed by fire, but was promptly rebuilt, and finally sold to the combine which now owns it. He estab- lished the present industry, built and


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equipped the plant, and when it was burned he rebuilt and established the Lopez Manu- facturing Company, and now has one of the leading industries of Lopez, manufacturing fifteen hundred gross of clothes-pins per day, and also a large quantity of broom- handles, curtain-poles, mine rollers, cant- hook handles, dowels, wooden novelties, etc. Under the management of our subject the firm does an extensive and profitable busi- ness.


In 1881 Mr. McCartney was united in marriage with Miss Margaret O'Hanlon, at Malden, Massachusetts. She is a native of county Louth, Ireland, and there Mr. Mc- Cartney first met her. They have no chil- dren living. Socially, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Foresters, and politically is identified with the Republican party.


ROBERT H. GUY, the well-known in- side foreman for the State Line & Sullivan Railroad Company at the Bernice mines and a prominent citizen of Bernice, was born in Durham county, England, July 4, 1850, and is a son of Paul and Ann (Lawery) Guy, also natives of England, where the father engaged in mining for many years. Our subject had no educa- tional advantages during his boyhood and entered the mines when a lad of nine years, working in England until 1870, in which year the family came to the United States, locating at St. Clair. Schuylkill county. Pennsylvania. He entered the mines in that section, as did also his father, who was killed by a falling rock while thus employed.


In 1871 Robert H. Guy removed to Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, where he work- ed at mining for ten years, and then ac- cepted the agency for a history of the Inde-


pendent Order of Odd Fellows, which he sold in several counties of the state. Com- ing to Bernice, Sullivan county, he entered the mines here in May, 1882, and was promoted to his present responsible position on the ist of August, 1893. He is an ex- pert miner and holds certificates from the state for both anthracite and bituminous coal-inining.


On the 25th of December. 1873, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Guy and Miss Sarah Cooper, and to them were born two children, namely: Paul, who died in infancy; and Sarah C., now the wife of Rev. W. F. Colebough, of Monroeton, Pennsyl- vania. He was again married, December 5, 1883. his second union being with Miss Anna E. Huffmaster, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Reeser) Huffmaster, pioneers of Cherry township, Sullivan county. By this marriage there were two children: Lloyd F., who was born June 15, 1886, and died September 9, 1892; and Ethel M., who was born June 21, 1893. Mrs. Guy, a most estimable lady, is a member of the Presbyterian church.


Socially Mr. Guy affiliates with Bernice Lodge, No. 962. I. O. O. F., Towanda Lodge, F. & A. M., and also the chapter and commandery of the Masonic fraternity. He is president of the Bernice Citizens' Band, has held the office of school director, and is one of the public-spirited and influen- tial men of Bernice.


D ANIEL SCHOONOVER, the well- known foreman of the wood gang and also sawyer for the Sate Line & Sullivan Railroad Coal Company's mines, at Ber- nice, Pennsylvania, was born in Pike county, this state, September 25, 1837, a son of John and Mary (Rowley) Schoonover,


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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.


natives of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, respectively. By trade the father was a carpenter. In the family were eleven chil- dren, of whom nine are now living (1898), namely: Daniel, our subject; John, a resi- dent of Foot of Plane, Bradford county, Pennsylvania; Ann, wife of Lester Camp, of Monroe township, Bradford county; Mel- vina, wife of Charles Van Loovin, of Bar- clay, Bradford county; Elizabeth, widow of Daniel Reed, of Walston, Pennsylvania; Manning, a resident of Monroe township, Bradford county; Lewis, of Towanda, Pennsylvania; and Mary Adelia, wife of Clayton Lewis, of Greenwood, Pennsyl- vania.


Daniel Schoonover received a common- school education at Milford, Pike county, and when sixteen years of age went into the pine woods of New York state, where he worked for three years, after which he . spent several years on a farm. His patri- otism and loyalty to his country were mani- fested in August, 1862, by his enlistment in Company C, One Hundred and Forty-first Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and for nearly three years he served with that fam- ous regiment, participating in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and many other fierce en- gagements. He was twice wounded, first at Chancellorsville and again at Strawberry Plains. The war being over, he was honor- ably discharged and mustered out at Bailey's Cross Roads, Virginia, May 28, 1865.


Returning home, Mr. Schoonover entered the employ of M. C. Mercur as sawyer in a mill in Monroe township, Bradford county, and later held similar positions at Foot of Plane, Barclay and White Haven. In June, 1874, he accepted the position of night watch-


man with the State Line & Sullivan Rail- road Coal Company, and has since remained with them, an honored and trusted em- ployee, being promoted to his present posi- tion after being one year in their service. In his political affiliations he is an ardent Republican, and socially he is a prominent member of Sullivan Post, No. 388, G. A. R., the Improved Order of Red Men, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.


On the 17th of November, 1866, Mr. Schoonover was united in marriage with Mrs. Harriet Knowles, widow of Levi B. Knowles and daughter of Ambrose Garey. She was born in Windham, Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1840, and by her marriage to our subject became the mother of the following children, namely: Addie E. M., who was born March 7, 1869, and died September 14, 1872; John A., who was born May 14, 1871, and died April 14, 1872; Hattie A., who was born June 9, 1874, and is now the wife of William Brown, of Bernice.


JAMES J. CONNOR, the well-known and popular proprietor of Connor's hotel, Mildred, Pennsylvania, and outside foreman for the company operating the old Jackson mine, Bernice, was born in county Cork, Ireland, June 2, 1852, a son of Daniel and Johanna (White) Connor. The birth of the father occurred in the parish of Ross, county Cork, and learning the stone-mason's trade in early life he followed it in his native land until 1854, when he and his family emigrated to the New World, locating in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. He se- cured employment in the mines and worked there until the spring of 1868, when he re- moved to Barclay, this state, where he was similarly employed. The fall of that year,




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