USA > Pennsylvania > Sullivan County > History of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania > Part 25
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was elected by a large majority. Later he was nominated for sheriff on the Democratic ticket and was triumphantly elected. He held the office of constable many years, was school director for several terms, and has been a member of the town council of Dushore. He owns and operates a large and valuable farm in Cherry township, Sullivan county, and it has been through his own efforts that he has gained a com- fortable competence and become of the most substantial citizens of his community, as well as one of its most influential and prom- inent men.
On the ist of May, 1859, Mr. Utz married Miss Mary A. Sacks, who was born in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, Febru- ary 12, 1841, and they have become the parents of ten children: Adia F., now the wife of George E. Scouten, of Dushore; George A., deceased; John E., a resident of Dushore; Emeline E., wife of Charles E. Jackson, of Mildred, Sullivan county; Laura B., wife of O. H. Lawrence, of Wav- erly, New York; Mary E., wife of William H. Hill, of Dushore; Ella M., wife of Albert Dyer, of Lopez, Pennsylvania; Frederick W., of Dushore; Gertrude R., deceased; and Margaret M., at home. The family are identified with the Lutheran church and are quite prominent socially.
D ANIEL EMANUEL DIEFFENBACH. -The subject of this sketch is the representative of one of the most prominent families of Sullivan county, typifying those sterling qualities which in that county, as well as in any locality, inust bring to their fortunate possessors the successes of life. The history of the family in America dates back four generations.
His great-great-grandfather was Conrad
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
Dieffenbacher (as the name was then spelled), who was the son of Leinhart Dieffenbacher and was born at Eppingen, in Grait Her- zogthum, Baden, March 1, 1743. In the autumn of 1764 Conrad emigrated to Amer- ica and settled at Faulkner Swamp, Penn- sylvania. There he was married January 30, 1769, to Catherine Betz, a native of Faulkner Swanıp. Afterward he moved to Limerick township, now Montgomery coun- ty, Pennsylvania. He had eleven children, as follows: Abraham, born November 16, 1769; John, July 13, 1771; Frederick, May 4, 1773; Jacob, grandfather of our subject, November 17, 1775; Philip, February 3, 1778; Henry, January 31, 1780; Elizabeth, May 11, 1782; Conrad, February 15, 1785; Catherine, May 2, 1787; David, June 17, 1789; and Susannah, August 31, 1791. Conrad Dieffenbacher moved with his fam- ily to Derry township, Northumberland county, in April, 1793. There his wife died June 3, 1809, aged about sixty years, and he married as his second wife Catherine Hass, a widow, of Selin's Grove. Conrad died in Derry township. Northumberland county, August 6, 1813, at the age of sev- enty-one years.
Jacob Dieffenbach, grandfather of our subject, was a farmer and miller of Lycom- ing county. He married Christina Gard- ner, who was born in Lycoming county, February 14, 1784, and to them were born these children: Susan, who was the wife of Jacob Fullmer; Daniel; Elizabeth, wife of Christol Springer: Sarah, wife of Williami Kessner; Charles; John, father of our sub- ject; Hannah, wife of Adam Thrasher; Mary, wife of Anthony Weaver; Jacob; Henry; and Rebecca, who married Amos Reeser. Jacob Dieffenbach, in 1829, re- moved to what is now Sullivan county. He remained a lifelong farmer and died Octo-
ber 30, 1840, aged sixty-four years; his widow died December 21, 1859, aged sev- enty-five years.
John Dieffenbach, father of our subject, was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, March 29, 1813. In 1829 he came with his parents to Sullivan county and at Du- shore from 1840 to 1850 he operated a mill, having at the age of twenty years served an apprenticeship at that trade. He also engaged extensively at farining and became a prominent citizen of the county. In Lycoming county he served as constable and in Sullivan county he was a county commissioner. He married Miss Elizabeth Hoffa, who was born at Mahatonga, Schuyl- kill county, Pennsylvania, April 10, 1819, daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Swallow) Hoffa, who moved from Schuylkill county to Dushore April 1, 1827, where he en- gaged in farming. Jacob Hoffa was a very prominent citizen. He was county com- missioner and served as justice of peace for many years. To John and Elizabeth Dieffenbach these children were born: Hannah C., born January 4, 1836, married John Lawrence and is now deceased; Jacob, born November 26, 1837, died October 1. 1840; Daniel E., the subject of this sketch, born October 11, 1839; John S., born Oc- tober 29, 1841. was lieutenant in Company D, One Hundred and Forty-First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and died in the army, October 11, 1862; Henry S., born December 15, 1843, served in the United States Army during the Civil war and died February 6, 1871; Catherine A., born March 19, 1846, became wife of Julius Vogel, a inerchant of Mildred, this state; Clinton A., born July 20, 1850, is a farmer and carpenter of Cherry township. who married Caroline Kingsley; George F., born June 6, 1857, married Gertrude Strong,
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
of Wyalusing, Bradford county; Elizabeth, born October 29, 1864, became the wife of George Heverley, a traveling salesman of New Albany. Mrs. Elizabeth Dieffenbach died November 11, 1886, and was buried in Thrasher's cemetery.
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For his second wife John Dieffen- bach married Mrs. Caroline (Hoffa) Suber, a sister to his first wife. She was born in Cherry township, Sullivan county, April 18, 1827, and her first husband was Benja- min Suber, John Dieffenbach is a member of Christ church, and is a Democrat in poli- tics. He now lives a retired life at Du- shore, enjoying the comforts which he has won from the world by a life of industry and business prosperity.
D. Emanuel Dieffenbach, the subject proper of this sketch, was born October 11, 1839, on the homestead farm, now also his property, which adjoins his home farm; it was then in Lycoming county, but is now a part of Cherry township, Sullivan county. He was reared a farmer and remained at home until his marriage, at the age of twenty-three years, to Miss Loretta C. Zaner, daughter of one of the most promi- nent residents of the county. She was born in Cherry township, Sullivan county (then Lycoming), November 17, 1837. Her father, Lewis Zaner, was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, October 2, 1804. He married Miss Eve Chrisher, and in the . spring of 1828 the young couple emigrated to what is now Cherry township, Sullivan county. Here he settled in almost an un- broken wilderness, upon a farın now owned and occupied by his grandsons, Lewis and Nelson Zaner. In this forbidding environ- ment, single-handed and alone, he began the struggle for life. By his exercise of patience, perseverance and economy, his struggle ended happily. Fortune favored
him with winning smiles. He soon attained prominence in the affairs of the county. He became the first sheriff of Sullivan county and for many years was actively in- fluential in the administration of the new county's affairs. His life partner passed away August 20, 1883, aged eighty.one years, four months and twenty-four days. After her death he removed to Muncy, Pennsylvania, where he purchased a hand- some home and surrounded himself with all the luxuries of life, which his fancy dictated and which his wealth made obtainable. Though living in ease at Muncy, his attach- ment to his old home remained, and family ties drew him in frequent visitations to the homes of his children in Cherry township. His sturdy and erect figure was a familar and cheering sight on the streets of Dushore. Only one week before his death, which oc- curred October 27, 1887, he had visited the old home. His remains were borne to the grave in Bahr's cemetery, Cherry township, and laid beside those of his wife, by C. W. Garey, James Thompson, Hon. F. B. Pome- roy, Hon. D. H. Fairchild and B. M. Syl- vara, of Dushore, and Peter Yonkin, Sr., of Cherry township. To Lewis and Eve Zaner were born four sons and five daugh- ters, among them Adam H .; Levi, who married Christia Ann Crawford; Rebecca, who married Henry Whitmire; Hannah, wife of Amos Cox; Loretta C., wife of our subject; and Elizabeth, the oldest, who married Jonathan Colley.
The family of D. Emanuel and Loretta C. Dieffenbach consists of the following children: Sylvellin A., who married Eu- dora Brown, and is a miner at Mildred, Pennsylvania; Alverna M., wife of S. H. O'Brien, a farmer of Columbia county, this state; Charles M., who married Mary Kins- ley, and is a farmer of Cherry township;
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
Harry L., a contractor and builder at Cleve- land, Ohio, who married Anna Bushy; and Cora E., wife of F. J. Grover, agent for the Union Tea Company, at Dushore. After his marriage our subject for eleven years was engaged in farming " on shares" on his father's farm. He then purchased the farm of one hundred acres which he now owns and occupies, and about ten years ago he bought the old homestead of ninety-five acres, which adjoins his present home.
Mr. Dieffenbach is a member of the Re- formed church and in politics is a Demo- crat. He is one of the foremost farmers in the county, and in Cherry township has frequently been called to fill local of- fice, serving from time to time as treas- urer, school director and collector. He is a progressive agriculturist and a good busi- ness man. Financial success has crowned his labors, and in the community he is held as a man of sterling character and worth, possessing excellent business judgment and in every sense a substantial and representa- tive citizen.
JOSEPH SCOTT TAYLOR, outside J foreman of the Bernice mines for the State Line & Sullivan Railroad Company, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Frank- lin township, Bradford county, July 20, 1840, a son of John M. and Ruth A. (Al- bro) Taylor, well known farming people of that county. He received his early educa- tion in the public schools of his native place and there grew to manhood. Soon after attaining his majority, in November, 1861, he responded to his country's call for aid to assist in putting down the Rebellion and be- came a member of Company E, Fifty-sec- ond Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. The first engagement in which the regiment
took part was the battle of Fair Oaks, Vir- ginia. It was under command of General McClellan in the Peninsular campaign and was one of the most active regiments in the command; and it is able to boast of having approached nearer to Richmond than any other. For three years Mr. Taylor followed the old flag to victory on southern battle fields, and in November, 1864, was honor- ably discharged, when sergeant of the com- pany.
Returning to Franklin township, Brad- ford county, he engaged in farming for two years, and then spent the following two years at Greenwood in the employ of a tan- nery company. From there he went to Barclay and entered the service of I. O. Blight, who a year later promoted him over- seer of the lumber department, which posi- tion he held until 1875. In that year he came to Bernice and accepted his present responsible position, which he has so cred- itably and satisfactorily filled for almost a quarter of a century, having the entire con- fidence of his employers as well as the es- teem of those under him.
Mr. Taylor has been twice married- first, in 1861, to Miss Jane Kellogg, of Burl- ington, Pennsylvania, and to them were born four children: William, who died in in- fancy; Herman W., a stationary engineer for the coal company at Bernice; Martha, wife of Fred Price, of Arnot, New York; and Bessie, who died in infancy. He was again married in December, 1889, his sec- ond union being with Mrs. Inez Roberts, a daughter of Nathaniel Moger.
In his political affiliations, Mr. Taylor is an ardent Republican, and in his social re- lations is a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America. He held the office of school director in 1893, 1894 and 1895, and in February, 1898, was elected road com-
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
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missioner, the duties of which position he is now most capably discharging. He is one of the best known and most highly respect- ed citizens of Sullivan county, and he and his estimable wife are active and prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Bernice.
F RED NEWELL. - One of the promi- nent representatives of the journalistic profession is the gentleman whose name heads this brief notice, the well known editor and proprietor of the Sullivan Re- view, of Dushore, Pennsylvania. He was born at Canton, Bradford county, this state. October 11, 1862, a son of Josiah T. and Melissa (Webster) Newell, both of New Eng- land Puritan stock, the former a native of Lycoming county, Pennsylvania. the latter of the Mohawk valley, New York. The family has ever been a very patriotic and loyal one, and the father of our subject was a soldier of both the Mexican and Civil wars. He died in February. 1869, and the mother now lives with her son, at the old home- stead in Canton. In the family were four children, namely; Belle, deceased wife of B. J. Rundell, of Blossburg, Pennsylvania; Charles P., who operates the old home farm at Canton; Anna, the present wife of B. J. Rundell; and Fred, of this review.
The district schools of Canton township, Bradford county, afforded our subject his early educational privileges, and he later attended the Canton high school. At the age of eighteen years he entered the office of the Canton Sentinel to learn the printing business, but soon afterward went to Elmira, New York, where he worked for a time on the Daily Gazette; returning to Canton, he was again employed in the Sentinel office, and on the Ist of April, 1882, came to 24
Dushore as foreman of the Sullivan Review, but the following October went to Towanda, Pennsylvania, where he was employed as compositor on the Daily Journal and also the Daily Review. In the summer of 1883 he returned to Dushore as foreman of the Sullivan Review, and on the 1st of Septem- ber, 1887, purchased the paper which he has since successfully published, it being the only independent paper in Sullivan county. He is a prominent member of the Northwest- ern Pennsylvania Press Association, which was organized at his suggestion, and he was its first president. He is a non-resident charter member of the Ontario Club, of Towanda, Pennsylvania; was the first presi- dent of the Dushore Fire Company, and from 1887 until 1896 was corresponding secretary of the Sullivan County Agricult- ural Society. He is also a leading member of Dushore Lodge, No. 494, I. O. O. F., and in 1883 and 1884 was district deputy grand master of Sullivan county. He or- ganized at Dushore a camp of the Patriotic Order Sons of America and a camp of the Sons of Veterans, of which he has been lieutenant and captain and also aide-de- camp on the staff of the division colonel. It will thus be seen that he has taken quite an active and prominent part in public af- fairs, and is one of the representative and influential citizens of Dushore. He served as borough auditor from 1890 until 1893, and was school director and president of the school board from 1893 until 1896.
Mr. Newell was married December 21, 1882, to Miss Sallie, daughter of Judge D. H. Fairchild, of Dushore, and they now have two children: Hattie Belle, born April 4, 1884; and Fred, Jr., born January 10, 1892. The parents both hold membership in the Lutheran church and are quite prom- inent socially.
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
M ARTIN E. HERRMANN, the oldest, best known and most successful phy- sician in Sullivan county, was born in Mal- lersdorf, Bavaria, April 10, 1842, a son of Dr. Lionhart Herrmann.
The Herrmann family dates back to the invasions of the Huns and Goths, in Ger- many. On the mountains that divide Ba- varia and Bohemia there was, about the time of these invasions, given to a certain chosen class of men each a tract of land that they might reside thereon and act as guards to give notice of the coming of the Huns and Goths, their common enemies. They were a sturdy race of people, trained in military tactics, bold and brave in war- fare. They were freemen in every sense of the word, proud of their position, and de- clining such honors as titles and other empty distinctions. They were heard in the coun- cils of their people, and were known by the names of Hoarige Maenner, later as Hoer- mann, and, in the seventeenth century, as Herrmann. Such, in brief, is the known early history of the people from whom Dr. Herrmann descends. His grandfather and his brothers were soldiers under Napoleon, and were all killed on the battlefield or died fromn diseases contracted in the army.
The father of our subject, Lionhart Herrmann, was a seventh son, and as by the customs of the country he should have devoted his life to the church, he began fit- ting himself for the priesthood, but decided that he was not a suitable person for that sacred position, and gave up the idea. He studied law and was made a justice or judge, by which title he was known until 1848, when, by the change of the constitu- tion and the laws of this country, he began the practice of his profession, in which he continued until his death, in 1866, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. He was
married to Miss Anna Beiler, a daughter of the director of Italian opera in Germany, who bore him four children, namely: Cata- lina M., Henrietta H., Martin E. and Anna. Mrs. Herrmann died in 1865, aged sixty-six years.
Dr. Herrmann received his early educa- tion in a monastery in his native land, and was graduated in the colleges of Wurz- burg and Munich in 1866. He then trav- eled extensively throughout Europe, subse- quently coming to America and landing at Philadelphia in 1868, where he remained four years in the practice of his profession. In 1871 he came to Dushore, where he has since resided and has a large and lucrative practice. Socially he is a Knight Templar and a member of the consistory, thirty- second degree, Scottish Rite. He is also a member of the Bradford County Medical society, of the town council, the board of health and board of pension examiners. He has held the office of school director for many years, and takes an active interest in the cause of education. In politics he is a stanch Republican.
Dr. Herrmann has been twice married, first, in 1869, to Miss Agnes Meylert, who died in 1872. His second marriage took place in 1876, when he was united to Miss Elizabeth Osterhous, daughter of Francis and Jemy (Franke) Osterhous, of Overton, Bradford county. Three children have been born of this union: Arthur F., a student of medicine in his father's office; Rowena A. and Miriam Anna.
R )OBERT McGEE, proprietor of Mc- Gee's restaurant and Cafe in Dushore, was born on the homestead farm at Satter- . field, December 19. 1855, and is a son of Patrick and Sarah (Quinn) McGee. He at-
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
tended the public schools of Cherry town- ship and when thirteen years of age he began life for himself as a cart-driver at the building of the State Line & Sullivan Rail- road. Eighteen months later he entered the breaker at Bernice as a slate-picker, and then went into the mines as driver boy and finally as miner, a vocation he followed until May 11, 1882, when he met with a serious accident on the railroad, which re- sulted in the loss of a foot and incapacitated him for work in the mines. In the spring of 1883 he opened his present place of business-an up-to-date cafe, bar and bill- iard parlor, the finest of its kind in the county. Mr. McGee is well adapted to the business and has won a host of friends and enjoys a large and lucrative business.
On December 23, 1886, Mr. McGee was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Happler, a daughter of James and Catharine (Kirk) Happler, of Wilmot, Bradford county, and they have one son-James H. The family are consistent members of the Catholic church and enjoy the high esteem of a wide circle of friends.
O WEN SWEENEY .- There are men whom it is a delight to know, and in whose cheery presence it is a delight to be -men whose natures seem to overflow with geniality and good nature. Such men are popular. If with those qualities are com- bined industry, a love for work, and thrift, material conditions must be such as to preserve and enrich that geniality. His neighbors say that Owen Sweeney is a man of that kind. He is engaged in general farming in Cherry township, Sullivan coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and the outlines of his family history are herewith presented. He was born at Greene, Chenango county, New
York, August 14, 1835, the son of Michael and Catherine (Sweeney) Sweeney. Though the parents were of the same name and na- tives of the same county in Ireland (Sligo), they were not related. Michael Sweeney was the son of Owen and Catherine (He- bern) Sweeney. He married in his native land and soon afterward, in 1830, set out for a new land. It was some years before he finally found the spot in America on which he resolved to make his home. Land- ing at Montreal in 1830, he remained there a short time, then went to Maine, where he remained a year. He then lived successive- ly in New Jersey and in New York until 1836, when he moved to Bradford county, Pennsylvania. In 1842 he came to Sulli- van county (then Lycoming) Pennsylvania. He had previously worked on the Chenango canal and on the North Branch canal, and and had saved a portion of his wages. Upon his arrival in Sullivan county, in 1842, he purchased fifty acres of wooded land, at two dollars per acre, and there for more than half a century he remained. His wife died June 24, 1877, and Michael survived until February 14. 1895, when he passed away at the age of ninety-two years, five months and fourteen days. Both are bur- ied in St. Basil's cemetery, Dushore. The seven children of Michael and Catherine Sweeney are as follows: Mary; Owen, sub- ject of this sketch; Martin, a farmer of Cherry township, Sullivan county; Ann, who died at the age of eighteen months; Michael, who resides with his brother Owen; Patrick, a sawyer of Jefferson coun- ty, Pennsylvania; and Ellen, wife of Thom- as Lavell, of Walla Walla, Washington.
Our subject remained at the home of his parents until he attained his majority. Then for five years he.engaged in lumbering dur- 'ing the winter and farming during the sum-
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.
mer. At the age of twenty-six years he was married and he began housekeeping on his present farm of one hundred and four acres, which he purchased at one dollar and fifty cents an acre, from Colonel C. Jones. It was densely wooded, and when he came to the place he had to make a clearing for the plank dwelling which he erected. a dwelling which in 1893 he eularged and improved.
The wife of Mr. Sweeney was Miss Margaret Jordan, and the marriage oc- curred at Dushore, October 6, 1861. She was born in county Shigo, Ireland, February 3. 1839, the daughter of Patrick and Margaret (Walsh) Jordan, natives of coun- ties Sligo and Mayo, respectively. Patrick was the son of Henry and Mary (Cosgrove) Jordan, who remained through life in Ireland; But Michael and Mary (Howley) Walsh, the parents of Patrick's wife, emigrated to America in 1842 and settled in Cherry town- ship. With them came Patrick and Mar- garet Jordan. Patrick Jordan settled in that part of Cherry township which later became Laporte township. He was for many years justice of the peace, and held various other offices of trust and responsi- bility, becoming a man of great prominence in the community. He died in 1889, at the age of eighty-four years. His wife survived until June 2, 1891, when she passed away, at the age of seventy-eight years. Both are buried at St. Basit's cemetery, Dushore. The children born to Patrick and Margaret Jordan were as follows: Mary. Mrs. Thomas Cavanaugh, of Forks township; Mar aret, wife of our subject; John. a lumberman of Cherry township; Martin, a farmer of Cherry township; Michael, a farmer living on the old homestead in Laporte township; Thomas, a carpenter living on the old homestead; Abby, the deceased wife of
Michael McDonald, a farmer of Cherry township; Bridget, wife of Michael Byron, a farmer of Bradford county; Ann, wife of Francis MeDonald, a farmer of Cherry township.
The marriage of Owen and Margaret Sweeney has been blessed with the follow- ing children: Anna, wife of Michael McDon- a'd, of Cherry township; Catherine, wife of Michael 1 .. Daily, a florist of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Mary M., wife of Timothy J. Casey, a machinist of Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania; Margaret M., now residing in New York; Ella B., a school-teacher, at home; Elizabeth A., wife of Thomas J. Froley, a blacksmith of Dushore; Abby J., residing in New York; Stephen M., at home; John J., at home; Agnes, deceased; Martin M. and Thomas J., at home. Mr. Sweeney and family are members of the Catholic church. In politics he is a Demo- crat. He has frequently been called to fill local office. For a year he was township tax collector. For two terms he has been a school director and is now serving in that capacity. Ile is also assistant assess- or. Mr. Sweeney has proved a successful farmer, and like him his children are indns- trious and steadily advancing. He has a pleasant home, in which good cheer reigns, and he finds comfort and pleasure in the vocation of his life.
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